christmas eve jambalaya and cheese cake

Christmas Eve is the time we count on having all the Bedenbaugh kids together for the holidays.  We attend Christmas Eve service, then return home to a late dinner, stockings and gift exchange.  This year, I made Jambalaya from a recipe Ned Wert gave me after dinner at his house one evening when I went to visit his studio.  He's known as an awesome cook and his hospitality if reknown if you have the privilege of an overnight stay.

jambalaya

In a large soup pot, bring to a boil and cook until chicken is opaque in appearance:

4 cups chicken stock

1 chicken breast split

Remove the chicken, tear meat loose from bones and return to simmer with the broth.

in a large saute pan (a fry pan works just as well), heat 3 tbs. olive oil, then add and saute:

1 lb. sausage or kielbassa, cut into pieces

1 large onion, chopped

1 lb. cooked ham, cubed

3 stalks of celery, chopped

2 large green peppers, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

Add to the pot with the chicken.

Add the following, stir, and bring to a boil:

2 1/2 cups plum tomatoes, drained and seeded, torn into pieces

1 tsp. oregano

1/2 tsp. thyme

1 tsp. basil

1 bay leaf

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 1/2 cup long grain rice, or up to 3 cups cooked leftover rice

1/2 c. chopped fresh parsley

Cover and simmer until rice is tender.

Add and simmer low all day long until ready to eat:

1 lb. medium shrimp, deveined and shelled 

Christmas Eve dessert has traditionally become our favorite Cheesecake, a recipe I altered years ago to accommodate diabetes and healthful eating for all of us.  This delicious cake has no fat, and little carbs, save the butter in the crust, and the topping.

cherry cheesecake

Prepare a graham cracker crust as follows:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Grease the sides of a springform pan, and cut a sheet of parchment or waxed paper to fit the bottom.

In a large ziplock bag, cruch about 20 graham crackers with a rolling pin until you have fine crumbs.  Put 1 2/3 cups of crumbs mixed with 2 tbs. white sugar in a 4 cup glass measuring cup with a 1/4 cup butter buried in the center.  Put in a microwave for 30 seconds to melt butter, then combine the ingredients with a fork until evenly wet.

Line the side and bottom of the springform pan with the crumbs, pressing until somewhat firm.  Bake for 8-10 minutes.  Turn oven down to 325 degrees.

Meanwhile, combine the filling ingredients in a mixer, or by hand:

First add:

2 8-oz. non-fat neufachel cheese, softened

1/2 cup non-fat sour cream

Then add the remainder and beat until smooth with no lumps:

3/4 cup egg beaters, or another egg substitute

14 oz. can non-fat Eagle Brand milk

1/4 cup lemon juice

Bake in oven at 325 degrees for about an hour and a half.  The original recipe called for baking one hour, and I always start checking it at an hour, but have never baked one for less than an hour and a half.  It's done when a knife comes out fairly clean and the center no longer wobbles like liquid.

Top with a 16 oz. can of sugar free cherry pie filling.