Syndicated column from week of May 6, 2013. Mother’s Day is coming. Soon. Are you ready? If you’re not ready, and your mother is expecting you to bring her a special treat, you might consider making her a Shortcut Cheesecake.  You’ll score points if she likes cheesecake. If she prefers flowers or golf, then you’ll want to consider another gift idea. Cheesecake is a generally appreciated dessert in my family. I’d have to say its right up at the top of the list with pie & ice cream and red velvet cakes. So a cheesecake would be a great gift idea for my mom. The nice thing about this recipe, you’ll find, is that you can personalize it to your own or your mother’s tastes. Shortcut Cheesecake Recipe 11 oz package of Ready to Make Cheesecake Mix 1 stick of butter 2 cups milk Topping of your choice (see Variations for suggestions) Prepare cheesecake according to package directions Usually this means mixing the stick of butter, melted, with the graham cracker crust and pressing into a pan. Then mixing the milk with the filling and pouring over the crust. Let cool for an hour in the refrigerator.  Top with your … Continue reading →