Cheesecake year round

By Christine Boatwright

Peggy Wood’s cherry cheesecake, whether made with light ingredients or fully flavored, makes for a luscious homemade dessert for any occasion.

“Years ago, maybe 20 years, someone gave the recipe to me,” Wood said. “I added more Cool Whip, and I make my own crust.”

To make the cheesecake healthier, Wood said it could be made with light ingredients, as cream cheese, sour cream, Cool Whip and cherry pie filling come in lower-calorie varieties. She makes the dessert in a springform cake pan for a more attractive result.

For Wood’s husband, Steve, the cheesecake is “his favorite thing I bake,” Wood said, laughing.

Wood is the treasurer of the Novella Club of Columbiana and the chairperson for the club’s annual cancer survivor dinner. In October, Wood prepared the cherry cheesecake for the more than 100 cancer survivors and guests attending the dinner, and didn’t have any leftovers to bring home afterward.

“You don’t even have to make the crust,” she said. “I make the crust out of graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter, and I let it chill while mixing the rest.

“I started making the crust so I could get more servings out of it,” she added.

The recipe only takes 30 minutes to create, as all the ingredients are combined at room temperature and then chilled, Wood said.

“I’ve just enjoyed cooking from way back,” Wood said. “I remember making cookies as a teenager. My grandmother was very talented. She would make beautiful cakes for my birthday.”

Wood said the cheesecake could also be topped with blueberry or strawberry pie fillings for different occasions.

Cherry Cheesecake

Ingredients:

8 ounce package cream cheese

1/3 cup sugar

1 cup sour cream

2 tsp. vanilla

1 (12-ounce) carton Cool Whip

Cherry pie filling

Graham cracker piecrust

Directions:

1. Mix first five ingredients until creamy. Pour into graham cracker pie crust and top with cherry pie filling.

Graham Cracker Pie Crust

11/4 cups graham cracker crumbs

3 Tbsp. sugar

1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted

1. Combine crumbs and sugar in bowl. Stir in melted butter until thoroughly blended. Press into 10-inch springform pan. Chill one hour before filling.

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