Happy Easter!

Not having my parents and siblings around for the first time on Easter called for some odd adjustments. Last night, 2 of my roommates and I went to my Aunt Candy and Uncle Phil's house for a great Easter dinner with the cousins and their kids. Its so great to be around family and kids when mine is so far away. I took some homemade cheesecake with fresh strawberries at top. Probably my favorite recipe ever - and best thing to eat! I hope you enjoy as much as I do!

CARRIE'S BAKED CHEESECAKE

Crumb Crust: 11 whole graham crackers

1/4 C butter, melted

2 Tbsp sugar

Filling: 5 pkgs (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened

1 1/3 C sugar

3 Tbsp all-purpose flour

3 large eggs

1/2 C sour cream

2 tsp finely grated lemon peel

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Topping: 2 pints strawberries, sliced

1/2 C raspberries

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees

2. Crush crackers into fine crumbs. Add melted butter and sugar; mix. Press into base of ungreased 9" springform pan. Chill.

3. Beat cream cheese on medium-high for 2 minutes. Blend in sugar. Add flour and beat until combined. On low speed, beat in eggs, one at a time, just until blended, scraping sides of bowl often. Add sour cream, lemon peel, and vanilla; beat just until blended. Pour over crust in pan. 

4. Bake for 75 minutes. Turn off oven and place a wooden spoon in oven door to prop it open. Let cheesecake sit 1 hour in oven to allow for slow cooking. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Run a knife around sides. Cover; chill for 6 hours or overnight.

5. Remove pan sides. Slide cheesecake onto a plate. Overlap strawberries around edges of top cheesecake. Fill the center with raspberries. 

Do not refrigerate cheesecake with toppings on it. Juices will bleed through the cheesecake make it runny or soggy. 

The Easter bunny came for my roommates this morning. I got them each a little easter basket and a fun friend movie for the apartment. I made a good breakfast and it felt good to sit around the kitchen table as a "family". I miss having my parents and siblings around so this was the closest thing and we really enjoyed it! 

Vanessa, Neoma, and Brooke's Easter Basket

Easter has so much meaning and I'm incredibly grateful for the Gospel to teach me these things. Christ sacrifice is an amazing blessing for each of us to have the power of the Atonement and the opportunity to be resurrected and return to our Father in Heaven. I felt this today as I sat in church and listened to my Bishop speak about the significance of Easter. I also found strength in knowing how much the Lord knows each of us as I taught the Sunday School lesson today. I really enjoy my calling and being able to teach about becoming childlike and being able to forgive. I've been struggling with forgiveness lately so this lesson really meant a lot to me and I felt the Spirit so strongly.