The Savory Cheesecake

Everyone is familar with the sweet cheezsecake, but diid you know it can be an appetizer as well.
The following are some great savory cheesecakes to make and serve as an apetizer.

Cheddar-Chile Cheesecake recipe

1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup fine breadcrumbs, toasted
1/4 cup Cheddar cheese, finely grated
6 ounces ham, thinly sliced
1 1/2 pounds cream cheese (at room temperature)
3/4 pound sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup cottage cheese
3/4 cup chopped scallions
4 eggs
3 tablespoons jalapeño pepper, minced
2 tablespoons milk
1 clove garlic, halved

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch springform pan.

Mix breadcrumbs and the 1/4 cup Cheddar cheese. Sprinkle mixture into pan, turning to coat. Refrigerate.

Dice about half of ham; reserve remaining slices. Mix diced ham with remaining ingredients in blender or processor until smooth. Pour slightly more than half of filling into prepared pan. Top with reserved ham slices in even layer. Cover with remaining filling. Set pan on baking sheet. Bake for 1 1/4 hours

Turn oven off and cool cheesecake about 1 hour with door ajar.

Transfer cheesecake to rack. Remove sides of pan. Cool to room temperature before serving.

Country Vegetable Cheesecake recipe

3 cups packed coarsely grated zucchini
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 cup coarsely grated carrots
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon dried whole basil
1/2 teaspoon dried whole oregano
1/4 cup packed chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 eggs, slightly beaten
3 cups ricotta cheese
8 ounces mozzarella cheese, grated
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
Salt and freshly-ground pepper to taste
1/3 cup fine, dry breadcrumbs, divided
4 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 (2 ounce) can anchovy fillets, drained
and rolled (optional)

Combine zucchini and 1/2 teaspoon salt; stir well. Let stand 15 minutes; drain. Roll zucchini in paper towels to squeeze out excess moisture; place in a bowl, and set aside.

Combine 1/2 teaspoon salt, onion, and butter in a large skillet; sauté 3 to 4 minutes. Add zucchini, carrots, flour, garlic, basil and oregano. Cook over medium heat 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat; add parsley and lemon juice.

Combine eggs, ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, and 2/3 cup Parmesan cheese in a large mixing bowl; beat well. Add vegetable mixture and salt and pepper to taste; stir until well blended.

Sprinkle 1 tablespoon breadcrumbs over the bottom of a greased 10 inch springform pan. Pour vegetable mixture into pan. Bake at 375 degrees F for 30 minutes. Remove from oven.

Dredge plum tomato slices in remaining breadcrumbs. Garnish cheesecake with tomato slices and rolled anchovies, if desired. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F, and bake 30 minutes.

Turn off oven, and open door; let cheesecake cool in oven 15 minutes. Remove from oven; cool on a wire rack 10 minutes.

Crab Cheesecake recipe

Make cracker crust to line bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.

1 cup crushed Ritz crackers
3 tablespoons melted butter

Bake 10 minutes at 350 degrees F. Set aside to cool.

Set oven to 325 degrees F.

To make filling, use electric mixer to beat until fluffy:

16 ounces cream cheese
3 medium eggs
1/4 cup sour cream

Add to the mixture:

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons grated onion
1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
1 drop Tabasco sauce
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Stir in 1 cup backfin crab meat. Pick it over well, shredding it while removing the shell. Mix well. Pour into cooled crust. Bake 50 minutes at 325 degrees F until cake is set.

Remove from oven. Run knife around edge of cake, loosening it from side of pan. Cool on wire rack.

Remove sides of pan. Spread the cake with 1/2 cup sour cream.

This cake is a versatile dish. Serve it warm for brunch to six people. When cold, serve it with crackers as a canapé to 12 or more.

Grilled Portobello and Roasted Garlic Cheesecake recipe

1 (9-inch) disk focaccia bread
2 large portobello mushrooms
1 tomato, sliced
1 1/2 pounds cream cheese, softened
3 large eggs
1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup roasted garlic cloves, see below
1 cup balsamic vinegar, optional topping
Toasted pine nuts, optional topping
Chopped basil, optional topping
Grated fresh parmesan cheese, optional topping

Roast garlic. Remove skins from 2-3 heads of garlic (enough to make 1/2 cup) and wrap cloves in tinfoil.

Place in a 375 degrees F oven. Bake about 45 minutes. Remove when golden brown and smash into a paste. Set aside until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Brush focaccia with olive oil; season. Bake until crisp. Don't turn off oven. Place in bottom of 9-inch springform pan. Preheat grill.

Slice portobellos from top to bottom. Brush with olive oil, season and grill. Place on inner rim of pan.

Beat cream cheese with salt until smooth; add eggs and blend.

In separate bowl, whisk sour cream and cornstarch. Add to cheese mixture; fold well. Season with salt and pepper. Fold in garlic. Fill pan until 1/4 inch from top.

Rap to knock out bubbles. Top with sliced tomato. Bake at 350 degrees F until firm, about 25 minutes.

Presentation options: Drizzle with balsamic vinegar syrup. Garnish plate with toasted pine nuts, chopped basil and grated parmesan cheese.

For balsamic vinegar syrup, place 1 cup balsamic vinegar in pot over high heat and cook until it reduces to the consistency of a fairly thick syrup, about 15 minutes.

Yield: Serves 12

Reuben Cheesecake recipe

1 1/3 cups whole grain rye cracker crumbs
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
16 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 eggs
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 (8 ounce) bottle Thousand Island dressing
1 1/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 (8 ounce) can sauerkraut, well drained and chopped
1/2 pound sliced corned beef, shredded

Combine cracker crumbs and butter; press on bottom and 1 inch up sides of a 9-inch spring-form pan. Set aside.

Beat cream cheese at high speed of an electric mixer until light and fluffy; add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour and salad dressing, mixing at low speed until blended. Fold in Swiss cheese and remaining ingredients.

Pour mixture into the prepared pan. Bake at 300 degrees F for 1 hour or until set.

Turn oven off, and partially open oven door; leave cheesecake in oven for 1 hour.

Remove from oven, and let cool completely on a wire rack. Cover and chill

Taco Cheesecake recipe

1 cup crushed tortilla chips
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 pound lean ground round
1 (1/4 ounce) package taco seasoning, divided
1/3 cup salsa
16 ounces cream cheese
2 large eggs
2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
2 tablespoon flour
1/2 cup shredded lettuce
1 tomato, chopped
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
4 slices avocado

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Stir together crushed tortilla chips and butter; press into bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Cook beef in large skillet over medium heat, stirring until it crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain, pat dry with paper towels. Return beef to skillet.

Reserve 1 teaspoon taco seasoning mix. Stir remaining taco seasoning and salsa into beef. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or until liquid evaporates.

Beat cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy; add eggs and reserved teaspoon taco seasoning mix, beating until blended. Add Cheddar cheese; beat until blended.

Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over crust and 1 inch up sides of pan. Spoon in beef mixture.

Combine sour cream and flour; spread over cheesecake. Bake 25 minutes. Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes. Run a knife around edges; release sides.

Serve warm with topping of lettuce, tomato, bell pepper and avocado.

Serves 10.