LIFE | Birthday Cheesecakes

So we finally got to eat it...

Clara's Birthday Turtle Cheesecake

I also ended up making a 2nd cheesecake for my sweet cousin, Kalie!
Her and Clara have been the best of cousins since they were born...
sharing May as their birthday month and only 2 weeks apart in age.
I decided to invite Kalie over for a double 17th birthday celebration on Sunday.
And as with Clara, I let Kalie choose ANY birthday dessert she wanted and she chose...

Classic Cheesecake

The birthday girls taking selfies with their iPhones

Happy Birthday Clara and Kalie!

The girls decided they would share their leftover cheesecake at our family Memorial Day get-together the following day.

Both cheesecakes got rave reviews from everyone...especially the Turtle Cheesecake.

J always says our secret family cheesecake recipe is "award-winning" - and it is.

There's no other cheesecake out there that's better. Seriously.

The only one close is the one at Brio Tuscan Grille - and it's not "better" - it's merely a great alternative when you aren't eating the homemade one!

(I think) I'll be sharing the Classic Cheesecake recipe(s) in a separate blog post...

both cheesecakes are the same recipe aside from the added "turtle topping" on the one.

Since it's a "secret family recipe" I have to get permission from my mom first - who is the one that shared it with me. *wink* 

KEEPiNG iT REAL

Clara's cheesecake sat for 3 days before I put the turtle topping on it.

Then it sat for another day before we actually ate it.

Kalie's was made the same day we ate it and had only been chilling for 4 hours.

Truth be told, it wasn't as awesome as it usually is when it's been allowed to be refrigerated for 24 hours.

Regardless of how "Old" Clara's was

and how "New" Kalie's was...

both of them were delicious.

I have to also mention today is Day 59 of the Whole30 challenge I've been doing.

Tomorrow marks "two-thirds of the way there" for me to reach my goal of 90 days.

No grains, legumes, sugar, or dairy for almost 60 days has been a serious challenge.

Needless to say...I was about to go crazy and eat Clara's entire cheesecake on Saturday before I put the turtle topping on it. Cheesecake is my FAVORITE dessert and it was SO difficult not to have even one stinkin' bite. My other daughter Ema intervened and "talked me down".  Let's just say I'm glad we took the leftover cheesecake to the Memorial Day celebration because I had to get them out of the house before I caved. *wink*

Oh...and we are headed to the doctor this morning to have Ema's stitches removed from her thumb!