Weddingbee boards

This light, lemony cheesecake is simple to make but ALWAYS receives raves at potlucks.  It has long been my go-to, including my go-to tutorial for people who think they can't bake. (Though one "I swear I can't bake" friend was doing great with the recipe till she DROPPED it on the way to the oven!  After that, I just gave up and agreed with her assessment, ha ha.)

Although it should be well chilled after you make it, it should do fine sitting out for a few hours before serving. 

The directions are long because I wanted to spell out every step for new bakers, but I promise it's really easy!

WISCONSIN LEMON CHEESE PIE 

1 1/2 cups crushed graham cracker crumbs [can buy premade crumbs, or just put graham crackers in a Ziploc bag and pound them with something hard]

1/3 cup sugar 

6 tablespoons melted butter

1 teaspoon cinnamon

8 oz cream cheese [leave out of the fridge for an hour or two to soften]

2 tablespoons butter [also softened]

1/2 cup sugar [I use a little less because I don't like things too sweet]

1 egg

2 tablespoons flour

2/3 cup half-and-half

1/4 cup lemon juice [real tastes great, but from a bottle works too]

2 tablespoons grated lemon peel [just the yellow part -- can use a grating tool, a small cheese grater, or even just cut off portions and mince them till tiny] [if you used bottled lemon juice, you could either buy 1 lemon for the rind or just skip this ingredient]

1.  Mix together the graham cracker crumbs, 1/3 c sugar, melted butter, and cinnamon till the butter is well-distributed.  If you'd like, you can reserve some to use as topping.  [I skip the topping. If I want to fancy things up, I prefer pretty dollops of whipped-cream-in-a-can.]  Press into the bottom and up the sides of a 9" pie pan.  [If you don't have a pie pan, I imagine an 8" or 9" square pan also would work.]  Either chill thoroughly to set the butter, or bake at 350 degrees for 7-10 minutes.  [I prefer to bake it.]

2.  For filling, put softened cream cheese and 2 tbsp butter into a medium-to-large bowl and cream them together.  [Could use a spoon, but an electric mixer will be easier on the arms!]  Add sugar and eggs and beat together well.  Stir in flour and cream, mixing well.  Add lemon juice and peel and beat till they're mixed in.

3.  Pour filling into crust [if you baked the crust, cool for at least a few minutes first].  If you saved crumbs for topping, sprinkle them on now.  Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes [long enough that the center no longer seems jiggly, but not so long that it starts to look too brown].  Chill well before serving [ideally, avoid temperature extremes by letting it cool on the counter for an hour or so, then putting in the fridge for a few more hours].  Will keep for a couple of days if kept covered and chilled.