By Teri Cayton
The Parsons Advocate
I got some unexpected good news this past week. As always I stopped by the bank and dropped off the payment for my truck, just dropped off and drove away, didn’t need a receipt. I was down the road a bit on my way home and the phone rings. It was the bank informing me that I had over-paid my payment. I called and they said that the over-payment was due to the fact that a partial payment would pay my loan off.
Well that was good news indeed, so the next day I retrieved the overpayment and now my truck is mine. And as if the truck makers knew that I had paid off the loan, I got in my truck the next day and the radio stopped working. Is that just how I t works or what? Momma Said, “Two steps forward and three steps back.”
On that same day the roads were nasty with snow and slush and I was just that close to sliding in the ditch on my way to work. I got it squared around and by then I am on the wrong side of the road. Thankfully, there were no cars coming in the other direction. I got everything pointed in the right direction so I guess my angel was awake and sitting on my shoulder.
I have been in a few close calls in my life and sometimes wonder if I do have a guardian angel that watches over me, there were a few times I don’t know how I was not killed or hurt very badly. I must have bones made of steel because there were two incidents that I don’t know how I kept from breaking my leg. Momma Said, “Just call me the bionic woman.”
Blueberry Lemon Delight
INGREDIENTS
BLUEBERRY LAYER:
- ⅔ CUP water
- ½ CUP sugar
- juice from ½ lemon
- 3 CUPS blueberries
- 2 1/2 TABLESPOONS cornstarch
CRUST:
- 1¼ CUPS crushed graham cracker crumbs
- ¼ CUP sugar
- 6 TABLESPOONS unsalted butter melted
LEMON CHEESECAKE FILLING:
- 2 CUPS heavy cream
- ¼ CUP sugar
- 12 OUNCES cream cheese softened
- 1 CUP powdered sugar
- zest of 2 lemons
- juice of 1 lemon
INSTRUCTIONS
- Combine the water, lemon juice and sugar in a medium saucepan, stirring well. Add the blueberries and turn the heat on to medium to bring the mixture to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer the blueberries for 7-8 minutes until they start to burst. Combine the cornstarch with 1 1/2 tablespoons of water and stir it into the blueberry mixture. Raise the heat and bring to a boil. Once the mixture boils and thickens, remove the pan from the heat to cool.
- Make the crust by combining the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter in a small bowl. Press the mixture into the bottom of an 8-inch square baking dish. Refrigerate the crust while you make the cheesecake layer.
- Beat the heavy cream and sugar together until the cream reaches stiff peak stage (do not overbeat or it will become grainy).
- In a separate bowl, whip the cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice and mix until smooth and fluffy. Fold in 1 cup of the whipped cream. Spread the mixture evenly over the graham cracker crust.
- Spoon the cooled blueberry filling evenly over the cheesecake layer. Gently spread the remaining whipped cream over the blueberry layer. Use an offset spatula to smooth out the whipped cream or the back of a spoon to form swirls in the whipped cream.
- Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours.
- Before serving, garnish the top of the blueberry lemon delight with a few more blueberries and a few slices of lemon if desired. Then, cut the blueberry lemon delight into squares and serve chilled.