Happy 2nd Blogiversary to me! Let's celebrate with some cheesecake!

WOW! I can't believe that it has been 2 years since I started this blog! I originally started blogging per the request of a friend and to give me something to do while Nathan was deployed. I can't say that I ever saw myself stopping, but I never imagined that 2 years and 540+ posts later that I would still be doing this.

My blog has gone through highs in posting and lows in posting. I think that is true of most blogs. I try to maintain a steady stream of posts, but real life comes before blogging, so that doesn't always happen. Commenting has really fallen by the wayside lately and for that I apologize. I have been able to keep up with posting new recipes here for the most part but have had very limited time for commenting on other blogs. I do check out the posts in my reader and try to comment when I can, but that doesn't happen as much as I would like. So for those who take the time to comment here, please know I appreciate it! I know how time consuming it can become and I love reading whatever you have to say!

Thank you so much to all who have read, commented, and supported my blog over the last two years. I am so grateful for all of you and I hope you will continue to stop by!

To celebrate my blogiversary, I thought I would post my cheesecake recipe. I can't believe that after 2 years I have not posted this. It is probably one of my most requested desserts and I must say that it is fantastic. So rich, so creamy, so delicious!

Ultimate Cheesecake

Crust:

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup sugar

5 TBSP butter, melted

Filling:

5 (8 oz) blocks cream cheese

1 3/4 cups sugar

3 TBSP flour

1 TBSP vanilla

1 1/2 tsp orange zest

1 tsp lemon zest

1/4 tsp salt

5 eggs

Preheat oven to 525.

Mix crust ingredients; press into 9" springform pan. Set aside.

Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar through salt; beat well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Pour filling over crust and bake at 525 for 7 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300 and bake 40 minutes longer or until almost set. Remove from oven and cool to room temp.

Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours.