blueberried out!!

i think this will be my last blueberry creation for a while! i think i am completely blueberried  out!! if only my parents would stop picking so many so i don't feel inclined to make something with them! but, i do. and it is always so mouth wateringly good, that i just can;t stop. i'm a slave to the blueberry and its antioxident goodness>_< well enough of my rants and on to the CAKE! my friend jordan had been telling me how he has been trying to perfect his cheesecake for a while now. his had been getting cracks, but he continuously made it, not only for himself, but for friends, family, etc. well, his passion for the cheesecake inspired me to try one. oddly enough, one morning while i was enjoying my oatmeal with blueberries(yes, they are eaten A LOT in my household) and bananas i stumbled upon a recipe in the paper that had apparently won an award. so i thought, "hey, why not give it a try!" lucky for me i have the coolest foodie aunt EVER, who had just bought me the best spring form pan set the week before! thanks again auntie liane! so i set to work gathering the things i needed. slowly chipping away at the gallon sized bags of blueberries that are sitting in our freezer, i set to work. first was the sauce...

the sauce was a little tricky for me, because the recipe calls for it to be put in a food processor for a while and then placed over a heat, but it came out kinda flat, and i LOVE chunks of blueberries in my sauce, so i added a few extra at the end for good measure^_^

next, preparing the crust. i think i actually over processed the graham crackers in the food processor and will opt to just hand crush them next time. by the end of it all, i feel like it was a little too dense, and not as crumbly as i would have liked it to be, side note for next time...

mmmmmm filling!!

swirling the blueberry sauce in layers!! this part was fun and artsy for me!!

ready for the oven!!

the cool down!! after it cools it had to sit in the fridge overnight...more waiting!!

FINALLY!! the next morning i was so impatient i ate it for breakfast!! the inside was creamy and not too thick, the crust was a good contrast to the cream, and the blueberries, well, they were just the tang that it all needed!! overall a great recipe and great first try!!

BLUEBERRY SWIRL CHEESECAKE
For the sauce:
12 ounces frozen blueberries, thawed
1 T sugar
1 T water
1 1/2 t cornstarch

For the crust:
1 1/4 c graham cracker crumbs
1/4 c sugar
1/3 c butter or margarine melted

For the filling: 
3 packages (8-ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
3 eggs
1/4 c lemon juice
Blueberry sauce

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• in a food processor or blender, process the blueberries, sugar, water, and cornstarch until blended. 
• transfer to a heavy saucepan; bring to boil. 
• reduce heat; cook and stir over medium heat for 2 min. until thickened. 
• set aside 6 T of sauce for the filling of the cake. and refrigerate the rest for the topping.
• combine crust ingredients and press into the bottom of a 9-inch greased spring form pan; set aside
• in a mixing bowl beat mix the cream cheese and milk until smooth.
• add the eggs; beat on low until just combined. 
• add lemon juice and beat until just blended. 
• pour half of the filling over the crust; top with half the reserved berry topping. repeat layers. 
• cut through filling with a knife to swirl. 
• place on baking sheet. 
• bake for 40-45 min or until center is almost set. 
• cool on wire rack for 10 min. carefully run a knife around the edges to loosen and cool 1 hour longer.
• refrigerate overnight.
• remove the sides of the pan and serve chilled with blueberry sauce!!^_^