Uncle Bill's Whipped Shortbread Cookies

                                                                                                                                          Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup icing sugar or 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
1/4 cup red maraschino cherry
1/4 cup green maraschino cherry
Total Time:32 mins
Prep Time:15 mins
Cook Time:17 mins
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a mixing bowl and using an electric mixer, combine butter, flour, icing sugar and vanilla extract; mix until mixture is a smooth consistency.
Prepare cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Spoon out dough onto parchment lined cookie sheets by teaspoonfuls or by tablespoons for larger cookies, spacing about 2 inches apart.
Cut maraschino cherries into quarters and place one piece in the middle of each cookie, alternating with red and green cherries.
Bake in preheated 350 F oven for 13 to 15 minutes or until bottom of cookies are lightly browned, DO NOT OVERBAKE.
Remove from oven and let cool on cookie sheet for about 5 minutes.
Transfer onto wire racks to finish cooling.
Store in a container with a lid and separate each layer with wax paper.
NOTE: If you wish to add some flavor to the cookies, add 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract or almond extract.
Use sprinkles, half an almond or half a cashew or chocolate to the top of the cookies before baking.
A thumbprint in the cookie, filled with your choice of jam is very tasty.
It has been suggested that the cookies be refrigerated for at least 1/2 hour before baking for a different texture.

Low Carb New York Ricotta Cheesecake

Ingredients

24 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup extra-fine whole milk ricotta cheese (to refine, process in a food processor for 1 minute)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups sugar substitute (recommended: Splenda)
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon no sugar added vanilla extract
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 eggs
3 egg yolks
Special Equipment: 1 (8-inch) springform cake pan

Total Time: 10 hr 15 min
Prep  30 min

Inactive  8 hr 0 min
Cook   1 hr 45 min
Yield:  12 servings
Level:
Intermediate

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Spray the springform pan with nonstick vegetable oil cooking spray. Set aside. In a shallow roasting pan big enough to fit the cake pan, pour about 1-inch of water and place it on the center rack of the oven to preheat.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat softened cream cheese, ricotta, sour cream and sugar substitute on low speed for about 1 minute until well blended.

In a separate bowl, using a wire whisk, mix heavy cream, vanilla, lemon juice, eggs, and egg yolks until blended.

Turn the mixer on medium speed, and slowly pour the egg mixture into the cream cheese mixture. Beat just until blended and then turn off; be careful not to over-whip.

Pour batter into the greased springform pan. Place pan into the heated water bath. Bake for 15 minutes, and then lower the oven temperature to 275 degrees F. Continue baking for 1 1/2 hours, or until top is light golden brown and cake is pulling away from the sides of the pan. Turn the oven off when finished cooking and leave the cake in the oven to cool for 3 more hours. (This will keep the cake nice and tall.) Then remove cake and refrigerate before serving. Serve chilled.