...such as death or a curdled cheesecake...

I have never made a pie crust that wasn't horrid. Until Diggy, my best friend from the first 2 year of college, sent me her recipe for an easy peas pie crust.

Pie Crust

Ingredients:

2c flour-sifted

1/2c heaping Crisco

1/2tsp salt

Method:

combine with fork until clumpy...the more incorporated the better

when combined, add5-6 Tbsp cold water

divide in half (makes two crusts or a top and bottom)

350 degrees until golden brown

**poke holes in crust before baking**

So I made this bad boy and while it didn't have the perfect flavor (I used the whole wheat flour which has proven time and again that it just not the same as the white bleached stuff) the consistency was great and it wasn't so tough that it was icky! Hooray!

Now on to the super yummy stuff: the Filling!

Cheese Cakey Portion

Ingredients:

8 oz cream cheese

2 eggs

1 yolk

1/4 cup Greek yogurt

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon vanilla

Method:

Cream the cream cheese in a mixer and add the eggs and yolk one at a time, mixing until well combined.

Then add the remaining ingredients and pour mixture into the pie crust.

Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees

The lower heat to 225 degrees and allow to bake for an hour

Berry Topping Portion

Ingredients:

2 cups of frozen berry triple medley

1 cup of sugar

1 tablespoon of cornstarch

Method:

While cheese cakey portion is baking, in a saucepan, heat the berries with sugar.

After sugar is dissolved, taste test to see it it is sweet enough. 

As the berries heat through, their juices will be released.

Spoon a quarter cup of the juices into a small mixing bowl and combine well with the cornstarch. 

Pour cornstarch and juice concoction into the saucepan and allow the berries to simmer for 5 minutes to thicken.

After the cheese cake comes out of the oven, pour the berries on top. 

Allow to cool before refrigerating or serving.

This was "a look at what I have and decide what will require the least amount of new ingredients" choice. The only thing that needed to be purchased was a lemon and some creamy cheese. Thus this proved to be a rather inexpensive delight to make for DJ's birthday party. 

Mike showing off his slice!

I hate to say this, but I didn't manage to have a slice. I was told that it was yummy though. Thinking that I will be looking forward to making a proper cheesecake next. 

Until the next birthday...

**Today's title in full: “Some people think destiny is something you cannot escape, such as death or a curdled cheesecake, both of which always turn up sooner or later.” From the mouth of Lemony Snicket from The Penultimate Peril**