Paper Palate

Amy Tobin knows what it takes to inspire an at home cook. Create a beautiful cookbook full of dazzling photos and delicious sounding recipes. Add to that recipes impressive enough for company, but simple enough for a weeknight meal, and you have Amy’s cookbook, Amy’s Table: Food for Family and Friends, wrapped up in a nutshell.

Amy’s Table is a collection of recipes made with easily accessible ingredients, fresh fruits and vegetables, make ahead instructions and easy tips to make it all pull together easily. Absolutely one of the most beautifully designed cookbooks I have seen in a long time, Amy’s Table is pleasure to the eye as well as the palate.

Recipes that had my mouth watering at the very sight of the photos were: Baked Cinnamon Apple Pancakes, Tequila-Spiked Fruit Salad with Lime, Rosmary Roast Beef Crostini, Black Bean with Bacon Soup, Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas, Fruit Tart with Gingersnap Cookie Crust, and what I made … Creamy Cheesecake. Exactly as it sounds, this creamy cheesecake is full of calories, but worth every bite!

For a great cookbook experience with lots of eye candy and elegant, yet simple recipes, pick up Amy’s Table.

Creamy Cheesecake

4 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 eggs, at room temperature
2 cups sour cream, at room temperature
1 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons butter, melted and cooled to room temperature

Position oven racks to bottom and center positions. Place a roasting pan filled with water on the bottom rack. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 10-inch springform pan; set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat cream cheese and sugar until very smooth, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add remaining ingredients, beating just until incorporated. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Set cheesecake on the rack about the roasting pan filled with water. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Turn off oven, leaving door closed. Do not open oven door. Let cake sit in closed oven for 1 hour. Remove from oven; cool in the pan on a cooling rack. When completely cool, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

To un-mold, run a sharp knife around the edge of the pan. Place a plastic wrapped tray over cake and invert. Remove the base, then re-invert.