OLD FRIENDS, A SIMPLE SUMMER LUNCH, AND TURTLE CHEESECAKE

What more could you want?  

Last week a group of my dearest college friends met in OKC for a few days of girl time.  At one time or another, we were all roommates or apartment mates during our fabulous days at Oklahoma Baptist University.  Sadly, just a few girls from across the country couldn't attend, but they were with us in spirit!

These ladies are so special.  We helped each other make it through the ups and downs of college life, have been to each other's weddings, celebrated children's births, and have laughed, cried, and spent time praying together.  Now we're all spread out but keep up through Facebook.    

Their first night in town, we met for dinner at the Melting Pot.  I'd never been before, and YUM!  If you didn't know, they offer "Happy Hour" between 4-6 where your group can choose 2 types of cheese fondue and 2 types of chocolate fondue, along with a variety of bread, veggie, and sweet "dippers", for around $10 per person.  Normally, the Melting Pot is a pricey dinner, but this was a perfect option for us girls and we all loved it.  Two words...DARK CHOCOLATE!

The next day I invited the girls over for lunch and we had the best time just chatting and relaxing, and eating!  

I wanted everything to be comfortable and laid back, so I made chicken salad to eat on the delicious croissants from Sam's, Spinach Salad, and Raspberry Chipotle Cream Cheese Dip.

I picked up a couple of bunches of grocery store flowers and used a few milkglass containers to make some colorful, low arrangements.  Some fun polka dot napkins, a chevron runner, and Ikea placemats finished off the setting.

For dessert, I served Turtle Cheesecake.  I saved this recipe out of a Kraft magazine that I got several years ago.  I've made it a few times and it's a winner!  Here's the recipe if you want to try it too.  1 caution that I've hand-written onto my copy... when you put the cake in the oven to bake, put a rimmed cookie sheet (maybe even lined with foil for less mess) under it.  I forgot to do that this time, not thinking about the butter in the oreo crust, and when that butter melted it made a huge mess in my oven!  Even with the mess, this cheesecake was totally worth it!

I don't have any photos of the process to share with you, because I made it at midnight the night before.  But, it's so easy you don't really need them!

Ultimate Turtle Cheesecake 

(from Kraft Food & Family Magazine)

2 cups Oreo cookie crumbs (about 24 cookies)

1 cup finely chopped pecans, divided

6 Tbsp. butter, melted

1 bag (14 oz.) caramels

1/2 c. milk

3 8 oz. packages cream cheese, softened

3/4 c. sugar

1 Tbsp. vanilla

3 eggs

2 sq. semi-sweet baking chocolate

Mix crumbs, 1/2 c. of the pecans, and butter.  Press onto bottom and 2 inches up the side of a 9 inch springform pan.

Place caramels and milk in microwavable bowl.  Microwave on high for 3 minutes or until caramels are completely melted, stirring after each minute.  Drizzle 1/2 of the caramel mixture onto crust.  Refrigerate 10 minutes.  Cover and reserve remaining caramel mixture in refrigerator for later use.

Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended.  Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended.  Pour over caramel mixture in crust. 

Bake at 300 degrees for 65-70 minutes or until center is almost set.  Run knife or metal spatula around side of pan to loosen cake, cool before removing side of pan.  Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.

Microwave reserved caramel mixture for 15 seconds just before serving cheesecake, drizzle over cheesecake.  Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup pecans.  Melt chocolate as directed on package, drizzle over cheesecake.  Store leftover cheesecake in refrigerator.  Makes 16 servings.

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