~A Yummy Recipe & a few pics~

This is one of my favorite desserts. It's so light and yummy after a heavy meal. Though it has several steps to prepare, if you go slowly it really isn't that complicated. I know it's September, but maybe it's still hot enough there in the USA to make this before Fall really hits.

~ORANGE CREAM CHEESECAKE~
Crust:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs (1 1/4 packs crushed)
1 teas. cinnamon
1 teas. grated orange peel (I don't use this)
1/2 cup (one stick) butter or margarine melted.
Filling:
1 pkg. (3 oz) orange gelatin
3 pkgs (8 oz. each) cream cheese, room temp. (generic brand is fine).
1 1/4 cups sugar (I use 1 cup)
1 (5 oz.) can evap. milk
1 teas. lemon juice
1/3 cup orange juice
1 teas. vanilla
1 carton (8 oz.) Cool whip.
Topping:
2 cups whipped cream (I use about 1/2 of another 8 oz. container of Cool Whip.)
1/4 cup sugar
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1. Prepare gelatin acc. to package directions. Set aside 1/2 cup at room temp. Chill remaining gelatin until slightly thickened about 30 mins. in FREEZER.
2. For the crust:
Combine the cracker crumbs, cinnamon, and melted butter. Press into a greased 10X15 jelly roll pan. (Can make in a 10" Springform pan, but sometimes it is a bit too creamy to stay together pretty.) Refrigerate for 30 mins.
Filling:
3. In a mixing bowl beat cream cheese, and Sugar for 2 mins.
Gradually beat in milk and lemon juice and beat for 2 more mins.
Grad. beat in orange juice, vanilla and 1/2 cup of ROOM TEMP jello.
Fold in by hand the 8 oz. of Cool whip. Pour over chilled crust. Refrigerate.
Topping:
4. In a mixing bowl beat together the 4 oz. Cool Whip (or 2 cups Whipped Cream) and the 1/4 cup sugar. Beat in COLD orange jello from Freezer (mixture will be thin). Chill this for 30 mins.
Gently spoon over filling (PAN WILL BE FULL..so if I have a little too much, I give the left-overs to my kids...and I have a lick as well. =). Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. Can place a sliced twisted orange piece and mint leaves in the middle of the cheese cake or a sliced twisted orange piece in the center of each piece as you serve it. (Cut the orange in slices, then cut each slice in half, then cut a slit in each half, so that you can twist the orange to lay prettily.)
10-12 servings.
I'm sorry I don't have any pictures of it...but just close your eyes and imagine taking a bite... it is beyond delicious. =D
If you make this for company...Be prepared to be asked for the recipe...for it is delightfully yummy!! =)
~Enjoy~
(Taste of Home... not sure what year...probably 2004 or so)
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And with that...I'll leave you with some pics that we took on Thursday at church.
~On Sunday mornings and Tuesday afternoons we go to one church to have services and on Sunday evenings and Thursday afternoons we go to the other church for services. (and Fridays are alternated between the 2 churches). We have to leave our house at 2:30 on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday afternoons in order to get to our 2 churches by 3:30 to get everything opened up, cleaned up, and have a time of prayer before we start at 4:00. (We have to have the services this early in order for us to be able to catch buses out of those areas.) Here our kids are playing with the church kids before service started at the Thursday church.~
~Noah, Elijah and I before service started.~
~The dear church kids and ours playing on a dirt hill while walking us to catch our bus after church on Thursday. These kids love our family so much and stay right with us, following our bus, yelling "Chau" (sp?) (which is universal for "Goodbye") until we can no longer hear them. Sometimes we will buy them all a snack before we leave. (For they are so poor...who knows when they have had their last decent meal.)