KJL's TV Dinners: "The Golden Girls" Strawberry Cheesecake

Thank you for being a friend. Judging from the title of this post, you know exactly what I am referring to. The Golden Girls has become popular again in recent years. The sitcom of the 1980s and early '90s has a magical quality about it that just makes you feel good. No matter how tough your week has been, or how tired or stressed you might feel, you can always count on the show to lift your spirits.

The characters really are your friends. There's Dorothy (Bea Arthur), who always has a sharp wit and deadpan humor. She's often the leader of the group, and you can always relate to her. Then there's Blanche (Rue McClanahan), a sassy Southern belle who doesn't hesitate to brag about her many "gentlemen callers." Sophia (Estelle Getty) is Dorothy's mother, and she has some of the best one-liners of the show. She loves to tell stories about her days in Sicily, Italy. Finally, there's Rose (Betty White), who is extremely gullible, has wide-eyed innocence, and she sneaks a wild story about her childhood in St. Olaf, Minnesota into just about every episode. When you listen to Rose's stories, you sometimes have to stop and think about how this woman ended up in Miami, but you're glad she did.

“The Golden Girls” (photo/Consequence of Sound)

So many people aspire to be like the Golden Girls one day. They were women in their 50s (and 80s, for Sophia) and they were independent. They tackled difficult subjects. They leaned on each other during times of need. They had great social lives and they always had fun. They made "growing old" look like it's so much fun.

So, in honor of this timeless, humorous show, I'm sharing a recipe for a dessert mentioned more than 100 times on the show--cheesecake. Whenever the girls have a crisis or they need to talk, they get a box of cheesecake out of the freezer. This happens even if it's in the middle of the night (and it usually always was).

"The Golden Girls" eating cheesecake (photo/People Magazine).

When Sophia wanted to move out of the house, the girls talked about it over plain cheesecake. When they were scared after watching Psycho, they comforted each other over double fudge cheesecake. When Rose lost her job at a grief center, the girls ate chocolate cheesecake to heal Rose's broken heart. When the girls are trying to lose weight, they end up eating both a lemon cheesecake and Sophia's specialty double fudge amaretto ricotta cheesecake.

Whenever there was an occasion for cheesecake, the Golden Girls happily took it. They loved the dessert (even though Bea Arthur couldn't stand cheesecake in real life). Cheesecake will forever be associated with The Golden Girls. 

So, for this month's TV Dinners food blog, I'm honoring the Golden Girls with this recipe for strawberry cheesecake. Today is also National Cheesecake Day, so let's celebrate our favorite girls and their most beloved dessert. You know they would appreciate this blog post! 

Strawberry Cheesecake 

Strawberry cheesecake.

This strawberry cheesecake recipe has everything you want in a good cheesecake: a creamy cheesecake filling, a buttery graham cracker crust, and a sweet and tangy sour cream topping with a fresh strawberry sauce. This will be a delicious dessert for the summer season. If you love cheesecake just as much as the Golden Girls, your mouth is probably already watering. 

To make this cheesecake, you will need the following ingredients: 

• A premade graham cracker crust (You can make a graham cracker crust from scratch, but this is an easy option for a busy schedule.) 
• 4 packages 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/4 c. superfine granulated sugar (and an additional 1/2 c. for the strawberry sauce)
• 1/2 c. sour cream, room temperature (and an additional 1/2 c. for the topping)
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 5 large eggs 
• 2 tsp. powdered sugar 
• 1 lb. fresh strawberries, sliced 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place a large pan filled with 1-inch water in the oven. 

Use an electric mixer or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment to mix the cream cheese until it's creamed. Beat in 1 1/4 cup of granulated sugar and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add in 1/2 cup of sour cream and vanilla. Blend until it's smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. With the mixer on low speed, add in the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated. 

Pour the filling into the graham cracker crust. Carefully place the cheesecake in the preheated water bath. Bake until the top of the cheesecake turns golden brown, which should take about 60-70 minutes. Let the cheesecake cool on a wire rack. 

For the topping, combine 1/2 cup of sour cream with two teaspoons of powdered sugar. Spread over the cheesecake. Cover and refrigerate for at least four hours. If you're preparing the dessert in advance, you can chill the cheesecake overnight. 

For the strawberry topping, add two cups of the sliced strawberries and 1/2 cup of granulated sugar in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Let it come to a boil and boil for about 2-3 minutes. The sugar should be dissolved and a strawberry syrup should form. Remove from the heat. 

Stir in the remaining sliced strawberries. Pour into a bowl and cover with a plastic wrap. Chill for 2-3 hours before drizzling over the cheesecake. I also topped the dessert with frozen blueberries, but this is optional. Enjoy! You know the Golden Girls would devour this dessert, most likely in the middle of the night. 

-KJL-