Coconut Cheesecake anyone?

It's Sunday evening as I'm writing this, my clock says 6:31pm but my mind, body and sunshine outside tell me its really only 5:31pm but due to Daylight Savings time we all must now pretend its really an hour later.  It sucks waking up on Monday after the time change, it's easy on Sunday to pretend it never happened but Monday morning is a different matter. 

I'm gearing up for a busy week ahead, a family member is coming to visit so we have lots to do to prep and I'm trying to get things done in advance so I can play this week instead.

I worked most of the day today on my Project Life pages for week 10 and they are done.  I'll photograph them and get Wednesday's blog post written tomorrow so that's a box I can check off my to-do's, yay!

I have lots of laundry to do and a house to clean, and prep for a big St. Patricks Day Dinner we are having here on Saturday night.  It's a holiday my family always celebrated due to some Irish blood deep within our roots.  It will be fun to have everyone over to help celebrate, and come on who doesn't love a good Corned Beef, Cabbage, Red Potato and Carrot dinner.  I'm thinking I might make my Coconut Cheesecake for dessert.  It's been awhile and it's always a big hit, here's the recipe if you are interested.

Barbara's Coconut Cheesecake

Prep Time: 15 min
Total Time: 6 hrs 25 min
Makes: 16 servings

1-3/4 cups Chocolate Graham Cracker Crumbs (approx. 1 ¾ sleeves)
1/3 cup butter, melted
1-1/4 cups sugar, divided
3 pkg. (8 oz. each) Cream Cheese softened
2 tsp. coconut extract
3 eggs
½ cup Sour Cream

½ cup Coconut Milk

2 cups Sweetened Flake Coconut

Topping

1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream (or more if you like)

1 tsp. Coconut Extract

2 tsp. sugar

½ cup toasted sweetened Flake Coconut

PREHEAT oven to 350°F if using a silver 8- or 9-inch spring form pan (or to 325°F if using a dark nonstick 8- or 9-inch spring form pan). Mix crumbs, butter and 1/4 cup of the sugar. Press firmly onto bottom and up side of pan; set aside.

BEAT cream cheese, remaining 1 cup sugar and coconut extract with electric mixer on high speed until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition until blended. Blend in sour cream and coconut milk. Then mix in sweetened coconut and pour into crust.

BAKE 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes or until center is almost set. Turn off oven. Leaving door slightly ajar and leave cheesecake in the oven for 1 hour. Remove from oven; cool completely. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.

SERVE: whip heavy whipping cream with coconut extract and sugar.  Spread on top of cheesecake and sprinkle with toasted coconut

I hope you like it if you try it.  See you back on Wednesday for more Project Life.