Hot Chocolate Cheese Cake

So.... this is the best cheese cake on earth! OK, so I didn't come up with it... it came from my new Chocolate cookbook I got for Christmas from my dear Aunt G. It it delicious!

Pie Dough
1 cup all purpose flour
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa
2 and 3/4oz butter, diced
2 tbsp superfine sugar
1/4 cup ground almonds
1 egg yolk

Filling
2 eggs, separated
1/2 cup sugar
12oz cream cheese, ROOM TEMPERATURE
1/2 cup ground almonds
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa, sifted
1tsp vanilla extract

Instructions
1. To make the pie dough, sift the flour and cocoa into a bowl. Add the butter *and rub it in until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Stir in the sugar and almonds. Add the egg yolk and enough water to make a soft dough. Roll out on a lightly floured counter and use to line an 8-inch spring form pan greased with butter. Let chill in the refirgerator while preparing the filling. *I believe it is best to do this by hand.

2. To make the filling, place the egg yolks and superfine sugar in large bowl and whisk together until thick and pale. Whisk in the cheese, almonds, cream, cocoa, and vanilla until blended.

3. Place the egg whites in a clean, greasefree bowl and whisk until stiff but not dry. Stir a little of the whisked egg whites into the cheese mixture, then folk in the remainder. Pour into chilled pastry shell. Bake in a preheated oven, 325 for 1 and 1/2 hours, or until risen and just firm to touch. Let cool for 10 minutes, then loosen pan from edges. Let chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before searving.

4. I like to top my with chocolate drizzle or with powdered sugar.

Enjoy my five foodie friends!

Peppermint Bark

This is a delicious and easy Christmas present to make for friends and neighbors.

Ingredients

1 cup crushed candy canes

2 lbs white chocolate

Preparation

Place candy canes in a plastic bag and hammer into 1/4-inch chunks or smaller. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler. Combine candy cane chunks with chocolate. Pour mixture onto a cookie sheet layered with parchment or waxed paper and place in the refrigerator for 45 minutes or until firm. Remove from cookie sheet and break into pieces (like peanut brittle.)

*We used Nestle white morsels and apparently that is not real chocolate and if you don't watch out your chocolate will turn into a big ball of sludge and will never melt. We looked it up online and you should try to use real white chocolate because the ingredients in the fake stuff make it harder to melt (not impossible because we did use it, but we had to throw out 4 cups of fake white chocolate!).

-Sarah

Lighter Sesame Chicken

Lighter Sesame Chicken

This is a yummy, healthy substitute to take out Chinese...enjoy!

(I borrowed this picture from the recipe's page online because I didn't take one!)

3/4 cup brown rice
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 garlic clove, finely chopped or crushed with a garlic press
2 large egg whites
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 2-inch chunks
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, such as safflower
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1 1/2 pounds broccoli, cut into large florets, stems peeled and thinly sliced

Directions
Place a steamer basket in a large saucepan, and fill with 1 inch water; set aside for broccoli. Cook rice according to package instructions.
Meanwhile, make sauce: In a small bowl, combine honey, sesame seeds, soy sauce, and garlic; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together egg whites and cornstarch. Add chicken; season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat.
In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. Add half the chicken; cook, turning occasionally, until golden and opaque throughout, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate; repeat with remaining tablespoon oil and chicken. Return all the chicken to skillet; add reserved sauce and scallions, and toss to coat.
Meanwhile, place saucepan with steamer basket over high heat; bring water to a boil. Add broccoli, and cook until crisp-tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Serve sesame chicken with broccoli and rice.

Taken From Everyday Food, December 2007

~Lynn

Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie - Scrumptious!

Thanksgiving and chocolate bourbon pecan pie - need I say more?!

And yes, I made the crust too!


Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
  
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup dark corn syrup
  
• 3 tablespoons bourbon liquor
• 1 1/2 cups pecan halves
• 1/2 cup mini milk chocolate morsels
• 1 (9-inch) unbaked pie shell
• Homemade whipped cream, recipe follows

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Melt butter in a small saucepan. While butter is melting, add beaten eggs to a medium sized bowl. Stir in brown sugar, flour, vanilla extract, corn syrup and bourbon until combined. Add butter when just melted.

Mix in the pecans and chocolate morsels. Mix all together. Pour mixture into pie shell.

Place on a sheet tray and bake for 50 to 60 minutes.

When ready to serve top with a dollop of whipped cream.

Homemade Whipped Cream

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 4 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pour heavy cream into a bowl and whip with an electric mixer for a few minutes, until it becomes thick. Add confectioners' sugar and beat until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Fold in vanilla extract.

Suzy's Pie Crust
(For a 9" two-crust pie)

• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 2/3 c lard or 2/3 c Crisco + 2Tbls.
• 1/4 c water

1. Measure flour
2. Cut in shortening
3. Sprinkle with water, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing with fork until flour is moistened.
4. Gather dough together with fingers so it cleans the bowl
5. Press into 2 discs and wrap with plastic wrap
6. Chill dough at least 1 hour
7. Roll out pastry

Pasty Chef Note:
If you have extra pie dough, you can make some little leaves and place them in the center of the pie, like I did - cute and adds an extra special touch!

Happy Thanksgiving!
~Priscilla

P.S. - I chopped my hair off!

Cranberry Bread

This is my favorite bread recipe ever! I like it even better than banana bread! And it's a great seasonal recipe, great for gifts as well because it's beautiful.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1 T baking powder

1/2 t. salt

2 t. finely shredded orange peel

1 beaten egg

1 cup orange juice

1/2 cup cooking oil

1 cup coarsely chopped cranberries

1/4 cup chopped almonds, pecans, or walnuts, toasted (I do not like nuts in baked goods so I left his ingredient out)

Preparation

1. Grease the bottom and 1/2 inch up sides of loaf pan; set aside. In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and orange peel. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture; set aside.

2. In a medium bowl combine the egg, orange juice, and oil. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened. Fold in cranberries and nuts. Spoon batter into prepared pan.

3. Bake at 350 degrees 50 to 55 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack. Wrap and store overnight before slicing (yeah right, who can wait that long?!).

*Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens Bridal Edition Cookbook

-Sarah

Mediterranean Pasta Salad

I made this pasta as a more interesting alternative to my boring yogurt and granola lunches that I usually take to work. It's very delicious.

Ingredients

kosher salt

1 pound tricolor pasta, such as bow tie or fusilli

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

2-3 t. dijon mustard

pepper

2/3 to 3/4 c. olive oil

1/3 c. diced sun-dried tomatoes

1/4 c. fresh basil, julienned

1/4 c. diced onion

2 large pickled pepperoncini pepper, diced

3 T. halved black olives

2 t. chopped fresh oregano

1 1/2 oz. crumbled feta

1 1/2 T grated romano cheese Mediterranean Pasta Salad

Preparation

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente; drain, then rinse with cold water to cool.

2. Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette: Whisk the vinegar, mustard, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in enough of the oil to make a smooth dressing; season with salt and pepper.

3. Combine the sun-dried tomatoes, basil, onion, pepperoncini, olives and oregano in a bowl. Add the cooked pasta, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Add the vinaigrette and both cheeses and toss. Chill until ready to serve.

*Here are the changes I made to the recipe: 1) I did not add olives or pepperoncini peppers, 2) I used grape tomatoes instead of sun-dried (however I'm sure sun-dried is good), 3) I added 4 oz. of feta instead of 1.5, 4) I added about 4 T of romano instead of 1.5 (it's always better with more cheese), and 5) I used campanelle pasta because I could not find tricolor bowtie and I'm bored with fusilli. I decided to give you the original recipe instead of my adaptation because I know that many people like olives and might prefer sun-dried tomatoes over grape. Either way, delicious!

*Recipe from Food Network Magazine, October 2009

-Sarah

Corn Butternut Squash Soup

I realized that my last two posts are about soups, so I figured I shouldn’t stop at 2! Fall is one of my favorite times of the year because of soups…it truly can’t be beat on a chilly Fall day. Especially delicious are pumpkin and butternut squash soups fit for the season. I tried a new combination this week: butternut squash and corn and I was surprisingly very pleased. The batch made plenty for Michael and I at dinner, as well as soup for me throughout the week and two servings in the freezer!

Priscilla gave me a brilliant idea to store soups: Freeze them in individual sandwich bags so when it is time for just one serving, defrost the sandwich-bag size and voila!

I hope you like it!


Corn and Butternut Squash Soup

2 tbsp oil
1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch chunks (the squash can be tough, so be careful with the knife!)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 box (10 ounces) frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 ½ tsp curry (I didn’t have curry, so did combo of tamarind, ginger and chili powder)
salt & pepper
2 cans vegetable broth
¼ - ½ cream OR milk

In a large heavy stockpot, heat oil over medium-high heat; add squash and onion. Cook until onion is soft, about 5-6 minutes. Add spices and cook another 4-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add broth and simmer until squash is tender, about 25-30 minutes. In a blender with the small top off and a towel over the lid, blend the soup in batches until smooth. Return to pot and stir in cream/milk; heat through over medium-low heat.

Enjoy!
Lynn