So last weekend J threw a party for some friends. I helped with the hors d'oeuvres. I had extras of puffed pastry, white wine sauted crimini mushrooms, white bean puree and cream cheese left. Plus an arsenal of lemons that have been supplied by friends and co-workers who are fortunate enough to have lemon trees. All this equated to a few scratches on the head what to do with it all before it spoils. The mushrooms ended up on flattened pan fried chicken. For the puffed pastry I rolled it out the and chopped up some apples sauted with butter, sugar and cinnamon. Then I rolled up the apples in puffed pastry, brushed with egg wash baked in 400 degree oven for about 25 minutes. Delish. SB who isn't usually overwhelmed with my cooking IM'd me during the day to say YUMMY, love the apple pastry. Yeah a winner and just an afterthought. Love it when that happens.
Now what to do with the VAT of cream cheese and lemons. Hmmm...lemon cheesecake. I found a few recipes online and combined them to come up with this. Lemon cheesecake with a graham cracker and chopped toasted almonds crust. Cream cheese mixed with the juice and zest of a few meyer lemons Polished off by a sour cream, sugar, and lemon zest. If you know anything about my obsession with sour cream you will see how much this is my perfect cheesecake recipe. Refreshing and light with a special almondy crunch.