Sweetened Condensed Milk Caramel part 2

Regina inspired me.  Yesterday we baked with  Sweetened Condensed Milk Caramel. We made chocolate thumbprint cookies and filled them with the caramel and chopped up M&M's.  They were easy, look festive and taste great. 

Great entertaining recipes

I originally posted this recipe on November 2, 2008, on my sister blog, Virtual Dinner Group (which is my sister-blog, as in it is written by my sisters, and sister-in-law, and honorary sisters, and myself). This recipe stands the test of time, it is still a great way to get a special dinner on the table with a minimum of effort.

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This is a really versatile idea. You can make it with beef tenderloin, chicken breast, or salmon or other firm-fleshed fish. Basically, you pair the protein with cheese and something else sweet or savory, and wrap it in puff pastry. They can be made ahead and frozen, then just baked off when you need them. Perfect for a dinner party or house guests.

Last week or the week before, Rachael Ray did chicken breasts with fontina cheese and fig preserves, seasoned with rosemary. I used to have a client that loved chicken breasts with goat cheese, spinach, toasted pine nuts, and sundried tomatoes, seasoned with basil and garlic.

The very first meal I ever cooked for my husband was chicken cordon bleu (with gruyérè and black forest ham). I’ve changed it up over the years to make it with fontina and prosciutto or imported provolone and prosciutto for an Italian flavor or manchego and parma for a Spanish flair. These little rolls are also great en croute (enclosed in puff pastry).

You can also do individual beef wellingtons this way. Use individual servings of beef tenderloin and top with sautéed mushrooms or pate (or both, if you prefer).

Necessity is the mother of invention. Use whatever you have on hand or want to use up. Or make it seasonal: Cranberries or apple butter and blue cheese in the fall, spinach and goat cheese in the spring. Keep some of the staples for your favorites in the pantry and freezer and you’ve always got a company-ready meal on hand. You can make it as fancy or as mundane as you like.

I roll the flattened chicken breast around the fillings, Rachael Ray layers them on the pastry; I might try her way next time, it seems easier. Rachael Ray browns the chicken breasts before layering and wrapping, I don’t; who needs an extra step?

Chicken (or beef or salmon) en croute

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (if you’re having a large dinner party/buffet, cut the breasts in half, people don’t eat as large servings at a larger party)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
spice
1 sheet puff pastry (11 by 17-inch)
8 slices cheese
something sweet or savory
1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

Preheat oven to 475°. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and spice. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut pastry into 4 pieces (8 for dinner-party-sized pieces). Place a piece of cheese on each pastry square and top with spoonfuls of sweet or savory and chicken breast. Pinch and seal the dough up and over the meat and cheese, seal with egg wash, flip the pastry packets over and brush the tops with remaining egg wash. You can roll the puff pastry scraps and use cookie cutters to decorate the bundles with seasonal shapes or simple decorations. (Bundles can be frozen at this point: Freeze on baking sheet without wrapping to set the egg wash and puff pastry. Wrap bundles individually in foil and store in a zipper freezer bag until you’re ready to use them. May be frozen up to three months.)

(If frozen, defrost in refrigerator the day before you plan to eat. Preheat oven to 475°. Unwrap the thawed bundles and place on parchment-lined baking sheet.) Put the pastries in oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 400°. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown and the juices run clear.

Chicken with fontina and fig preserves variation: Season chicken with ½ t rosemary along with salt and pepper. Use 8 slices of fontina and ½ c fig preserves.

Chicken cordon bleu variation: Season chicken with ½ thyme along with salt and pepper. Use 8 slices of gruyérè and 8 slices black forest ham. Serve with mornay sauce.

Chicken marsala variation: Season chicken with ½ t sage along with salt and pepper. Use 4 oz sautéed mushrooms, 8 slices of provolone, and 8 slices of prosciutto.

Chicken fontina variation: Season chicken with ½ t Italian seasoning along with salt and pepper. Use 8 slices of fontina and 8 slices of prosciutto.

Chicken manchego variation: Season chicken with ½ oregano along with salt and pepper. Use 8 slices manchego and 8 slices of parma ham.

Chicken with goat cheese and spinach variation: Season chicken with ½ t basil along with salt and pepper. Use 4 oz goat cheese and 10 oz frozen spinach (thawed and squeezed), mixed with 2 T toasted pine nuts, 2 T chopped sun-dried tomatoes, and ¼ t minced garlic.

Chicken with blue cheese and caramelized onion variation: Season chicken with ½ t thyme along with salt and pepper. Use 4 oz blue cheese and ½ c caramelized onions.

Individual beef wellington variation: Substitute 4 6-oz beef tenderloins for the chicken breasts. Season with ½ t rosemary along with salt and pepper. Use 8 oz sautéed mushrooms (or 4 oz mushrooms and 4 oz paté of your choice). Sear the tenderloins before you layer and wrap them.

Individual beef wellington with spinach and blue cheese variation: Substitute 4 6-oz beef tenderloins for the chicken breasts. Season with ½ t rosemary along with salt and pepper. Use 4 oz blue cheese and 10 oz frozen spinach (thawed and squeezed). Sear the tenderloins before you layer and wrap them.

Salmon en croute variation: Substitute 4 6-oz salmon fillets (skin removed) for the chicken breasts. Season with 1 T dill weed along with salt and pepper. Use 4 oz neufchatel cheese (light cream cheese) combined with 2 T dijon mustard and & 4 oz sautéed mushrooms.

Salmon with lemon-spinach variation: Substitute 4 6-oz salmon fillets (skin removed) for the chicken breasts. Season with lemon pepper and salt. Use 10 oz frozen spinach (thawed and squeezed).

Chicken or salmon and asparagus variation: Use chicken breasts or substitute 4 6-oz salmon fillets (skin removed) for the chicken breasts. Season with garlic salt and pepper. Use 4 oz havarti and 8 asparagus stalks.

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What combinations can you come up with? Post comments for us to try!
 

Shrimp ceviche bites

Inspired by my sister, Regina’s recent post about shrimp bruschetta and this Weight Watchers recipe for shrimp ceviche cocktail I just had to make this version of shrimp ceviche + gazpacho + margarita, in a bite-size version, for a party we’re attending tonight.

Shrimp ceviche bites

¼ c red onion, finely chopped
4 small limes, squeezed
1 orange, squeezed
2 t olive oil (I used blood orange olive oil that my sister brought me from The Tubby Olive
1 lb small shrimp, raw, peeled, and deveined
1 avocado, diced into small chunks
1 tomato, finely chopped
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
½ serrano pepper, seeds removed and minced
2 T cilantro, finely chopped, plus more for garnish
⅛ c tequila
salt and fresh black pepper to taste
2 heads endive, for serving

Combine all ingredients except endive in a non-metal bowl and toss to mix well, but gently, so as not to mash the tomato and avocado. Refrigerate for 6 hours, the citrus will “cook” the shrimp. When ready to serve, place one shrimp and a teaspoon of vegetables on each endive leaf. Garnish each with chopped cilantro or one whole cilantro leaf, if desired.
 

Sweetened Condensed Milk Caramel

I am in love with caramel made from sweetened condensed milk. My sister Eileen told me about this last spring, but I never quite found the time to try it out. Finally, this fall I made the time! Yes, the few minutes it took to peel the paper off a can of sweetened condensed milk and submerge in a crockpot full of water and leave it on low for 8 hours. Yup, that's it! 

Caramel & Chocolate Ganache Bites

I finally did this and discovered it worked. My next concern, what to do with it? Sure, you can dip apples in it, or even marshmallows or any other tasty treats (Eileen placed it alongside her chocolate fountain, I believe, at her daughter's First Communion celebration). Since discovering it actually worked and how easy it was, I have been on a quest to find new uses. Below, take a look at what we have done with this little bit of caramel yummy-ness.

First, for Thanksgiving we made Milky Way Tarts. We used the store-bought graham cracker crumb crusts in the small sizes. Filled them with: a spoonful of caramel, topped with chocolate mousse and then drizzled with melted chocolate and more caramel. They were a huge hit. So huge, that I didn't get my own, just tastes of my daughters'.:)

Next, we were going to a party and I wanted more bite-sized, so we got the phyllo shells and baked them for a few minutes, layered a little caramel and some chocolate ganache, then drizzled with a little more caramel.

In the midst of all of this, we also discovered that it is delicious on fudge topped with a little sea salt. 

Next up: I will be looking for chocolate cups (or breaking down and making my own) and filling with some combination of the above. Thinking a little caramel, a little mousse, and a little ganache. After that, maybe on some shortbread, with some chocolate of course! Oh, the possibilities are endless!

Update, February 2015: We just recently used this delicious caramel as the filling for a cake for my mother's 80th birthday. My mother loves chocolate and caramel. We made a wonderful chocolate cake, filled two layers with this delicious caramel and topped it with the best chocolate frosting. It was wonderful!

Shrimp Appetizers - Two Ways

I love, love, love shrimp in most ways. It is truly one of my favorite things to have and I love how many things you can do with it. I thought I'd share with you two great shrimp appetizers that we have discovered this fall. They are both, homey and cozy and delicious, as well as elegant and beautiful. The perfect appetizer!

The first, Shrimp & Chorizo Tapas, a friend brought to a dinner party. George and I loved it so much, she brought it to a party we were having. It is to-die-for. (Thanks, Alicja!)

In a large skillet, heat 1 Tbsp of olive oil and saucte 1 lb sliced chorizo until it begins to brown around the edges, about 7-8 minutes. Add 1 1/2 c thinly sliced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, about 4-6 minutes. Add 1 Tbsp minced garlic, cook, stirring for another minute. Add 1/4 c of sherry, cook 1 more minute. Add 1 1/2 lb. peeled and deveined raw medium shrimp, 1 Tbsp Spanish paprika, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper and cook, stirring occasionally until shrimp are pink and cooked through, about 4-5 minutes. Add remaining 1/4 c of sherry and 1/4 c olive oil, 3 Tbsp lemon juice, 2 Tbsp minced parsley, remaining tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper; stir to combine and remove from heat. Serve immediately on small plates with accumulated cooking juices spooned over top and pass some nice crusty bread to accompany it, or in a large dish surrounded by crusty bread. Serve with more bread than you think necessary or people will be licking the dish clean! It is THAT good! 

The second, Shrimp Bruschetta, was a recipe my daughter and I saw Giada DeLaurentis make and my daughter requested for her confirmation party. It was soooooo good. It will certainly become a go-to appetizer for us, I think. (We enjoyed the leftovers the next day just as much!)

Toasts: Put an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice a 1 lb. ciabatta loaf into 14 1/2 inch-thick slices and arrange in a single layer on a baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and bake until light golden, about 10 minutes. Cool for 2 minutes, rub with the cute side of a garlic clove and set aside.

Topping: In a medium skillet, heat 3 Tbsp of olive oil over med-high heat. Add 1-2 sliced shallots and 1 chopped clove of garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until soft, about 2 minutes. Season shrimp with salt and pepper and add to skillet. Cook about 2-4 minutes, remove the shrimp and chop into 1/2-inch pieces. Set aside.

In the same skillet, add 6 chopped Roma tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium-high heat until the tomatoes start to soften, about 4 minutes. Turn the heat to high. Add 1/4 cup of white wine and scrape up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Cook for 2 minutes.Stir in 1/4 c chicken (or veg) stock and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add 3 Tbsp chopped tarragon, 1 c packed chopped arugala, 1/2 c marscapone cheese and cooked shrimp. Stir until the mixture is creamy. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Arrange the toasts and serving plates and drizzle with the sauce.

I hope you will enjoy these great recipes!

We don't have to eat everything we cook ...

It’s fun to have new ornaments. It’s even more fun to involve the kids in making them. These two recipes make fun ornaments for the tree. They’re also fun to write on with a Sharpie and use as gift tags. The cinnamon ones smell great! The bread dough ones, when coated with polyurethane spray, last more than one season. 

(When I was growing up, my mom used to make bread baskets with the bread dough. I’ve never had success at that, I don’t think I’m patient enough, basically, you use the same ornament bread dough recipe, and cut it into strips with a pastry or pizza cutter, then you “weave” the dough over an upturned oven-safe bowl or casserole dish. Bake according to ornament recipe directions, cool, remove from bowl or dish, and spray well with polyurethane.)

Cinnamon ornaments

¾ c applesauce
1 c plus 2 t ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 200°. Mix applesauce and cinnamon into a smooth ball of dough. (You may need use your hands to incorporate all of the cinnamon.) Using about ¼ of the dough at a time, roll dough to ¼" to 1/3". 

Cut dough into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Make a hole at top of ornament with drinking straw or skewer. Place ornaments on parchment-lined baking sheet. 

Bake 2½ hours. Cool ornaments on wire rack.

Insert ribbon through holes and tie to hang. DO NOT EAT.

Bread dough ornaments

1 c flour
½ c salt
½ c warm water
food coloring, optional

Preheat oven to 200°. Combine the flour and salt and slowly add in enough water to form the dough. Mix in food color, if using. Knead the dough for 10 minutes and then let rest for another 40 minutes.

Using about ½ the dough at a time, roll dough to ¼". Cut dough into desired shapes using cookie cutters. Make a hole at top of ornament with drinking straw or skewer. Place the ornaments on a parchment-lined baking sheet. 

Bake for 4-6 hours (or until hard). Cool ornaments on wire rack. DO NOT EAT.

If desired, decorate ornaments with paints, glue, glitter, ribbon — you name it! Let the paint and glue dry.

If desired, spray with polyurethane to seal them. Let dry.

Insert ribbon through holes and tie to hang.

Leftovers by any other name ...

It’s a week to Thankgsiving. Don’t panic! You still have time to get your feast in order. Follow my Countdown to Thanksgiving timeline, to a flawless day. 

In the meantime, it’s a perfect time to make room in your fridge, freezer, and pantry for all the special ingredients you need for your Thanksgiving meal, and the holiday baking that is sure to follow.

 +  = 

I made pork and pumpkin enchiladas with leftover Apple Pork Roast from family dinner, leftover pumpkin purée from Pumpkin-Hazelnut-White Chocolate Biscotti, roasted garlic from Garlic Oil I made as gifts for clients, and lettuce, cheddar, and flour tortillas from the taco shindig my son had when his friends were home from college for the weekend. 

Enchiladas (or tacos or burritos or quesadillas) are a perfect way to remake leftovers. Use one meat (or none or several), whatever veggies and beans available, cheese, sauce (doesn’t need to be enchilada sauce or even red sauce, there are green chile enchilada sauces, cream-based enchilada sauces, try it with what you have), and flour tortillas (I always keep these in the freezer), and there you have it, enchiladas!


Pork and pumpkin enchiladas

1 c juice drained from 28-oz can of peeled whole tomatoes
1 c pumpkin purée
1 t–1 T hot sauce, to your preferred SQ (spicy quotient)

4 c leftover cooked pork, diced
1 15-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 c pumpkin purée
3 T roasted garlic
3 c shredded cheddar cheese, divided
2 c shredded lettuce
remainder of 28-oz can of whole tomatoes, squeezed and smashed
2 T hot sauce, to your desired SQ
12 flour tortillas

Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350°. Combine 1 cup juice drained from whole tomatoes, 1 cup pumpkin, and hot sauce in a shallow dish, set aside. In a large bowl, combine pork, beans, remaining pumpkin, garlic, 2 cup cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and hot sauce, and mix well.

Dip both sides of one tortilla in the shallow dish of sauce, fill tortilla with about ½ cup pork mixture, roll tortilla, and place seam down in the casserole dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas until all pork filling is used. Top with remaining cup of cheese, distributing so that all tortillas are covered. Cover with foil that has been coated with cooking spray. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake 5 minutes more until cheese is bubbly, by not brown.

Halloween, in home cooking-style

OK, so what do glow-in-the-dark cocktails and maraschino cherries have in common?

Nothing. Randomly they came to my attention at the same time, and I’m inspired to share.

Glow-in-the-dark cocktails    I’ve been teaching a Cupcake Wars class for twelve middle school girls, and we have been having so much fun. Last week, we were doing Halloween cupcakes, and we decided to experiment with glow-in-the-dark frosting (really dayglo, because they need black light to reach), and we discovered that regular old tonic water (quinine) reacts with black light. How fun! Who knew you didn’t need anything more than your gin & tonic or vodka & tonic and a black lightbulb to be super Halloweenie!

Maraschino cherries    My youngest son loves maraschino cherries, and I try to keep them in stock for him. However, I was recently informed that I bought the “wrong” cherries. Apparently I bought salad cherries, rather than maraschino cherries, I didn’t know there were salad cherries, what kind of salad would you put cherries in? Anyway, according to Jude, these cherries are the smaller cousin of maraschino cherries, and I should not buy them. Just thought I’d share ...

Marsala Mushroom Cream Sauce over Beer Braised Beef over Mashed Potatoes

Made this dish last week. It was awesome! A hit with the entire family. Such perfect comfort food for chillier weather. Doesn't it just look comforting?

This recipe is assembled in 3 parts. I took the recipe from the Mushroom Channel, but made some changes. 

Beer Braised Beef

1 (2 1/2 lb) boneless beef chuck roast, cut into 2-3 inch chunks.

1/2 c flour

4 Tbsp veg oil

2 med yellow onions, halved & thinly sliced

2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 (12 oz) bottles of lager beer

3 beef bouillion cubes

3 sprigs of fresh thyme

1 6in sprig rosemary

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Season beef generously with salt & pepper and place in a ziplock bag with added flour. Seal and shake until the beef until each piece is dredged and coated in flour. Add 3 Tbsp of oil to a large heavy duty pot and heat over med-high heat. Brown the beef on all sides, then transfer to a plate. Add remaining tablespoon of oil to pot and add onions, cook for 20 minutes until soft and slightly carmelized. Stir in balsamic vinegar, beef and boulion (*I used broth). Bring to a boil, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom. Add beef and juices back to the pot and give everything a good stir. *Cover pot with a lid and place in the oven for 2 1/2 hours. (*Instead of placing in the oven, I put it in the crockpot on low and left it for 4-5 hours. It came out perfect.)

Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

2 lbs yukon gold potatoes, washed and quartered

1/2 c butter, sliced

3/4 c buttermilk

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil, add potatoes and cook for 20 minutes until fork tender. Carefully strain and place in large bowl. Add butter and allow it to melt. Stir in the buttermilk. Using potato masher, carefully mash until creamy. Salt and pepper to taste.

(*This is what they recommended. I made regular mashed potatoes. I love to make mine from baked potatoes, so I baked the potatoes while the beef was cooking in the morning. Then I scooped and made the mashed the potatoes with butter and milk. I covered them and reheated at dinner time.)

Marsala Mushroom Cream Sauce

2 Tbsp butter

2 Tbsp oil

8 oz cremini mushrooms

8 oz button mushrooms

3/4 c marsala wine

1/2 c heavy cream

fresh thyme, salt and pepper

In a large skillet, heat butter and oil. Add sliced mushrooms and saute 3-4 minutes. Add marasala wine and cook 5 minutes. Stir in heavy cream and thyme. Reduce the heat to med and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

To serve: Layer in a bowl - mashed potatoes, beef, sauce. It sounds like a lot of work, but it really isn't... and it is SO worth it. It was decadently delicious! 

Recipe request: Jambalaya

Maureen, I can’t find Michael’s Jambalaya recipe anywhere? Would you (would he) mind sharing it here where we can archive it?

Death By Chocolate - Choc Mousse Help

Hi All:

For the Dunican family Death by Chocolate Recipe, I have always used a box mix for the Chocolate Mousse layer. Unfortunately, I have had a really hard time finding it since we moved to PA. In NY it used to be with the pudding mixes or in the baking aisle. I can't find it with either here. The last time I made it I had to use something totally different. (I am not a fan of using pudding in my DbyC). I am bringing DbyC to a party in a few weeks and started looking around for it already because I remembered having trouble and again, I am not finding it in the stores around here. Has anyone else had trouble finding it near them? Is there another place I should be looking for it? I'm wondering if it is a local thing, or if the chocolate mousse in the box is no longer readily available. Would love to hear if you all have had a similar experience. 

Maybe I'll stock up on it next week when we are in NY...

Thanks,

Reg

September Meals

As always, when September rolls around, we suddenly find ourselves busy, like many of you, juggling school schedules, sports, activities, and more. Then throw in a few back-to-school-nights, and the question becomes not only, "what am I going to feed them?" but "WHEN am I going to feed them?" We really enjoy sitting down to a family meal, but it is just not always possible. So I try to look at about 2 weeks worth of our schedule and plan for meals when we can sit and eat together, and plans for eating in shifts. I also plan for days when I'll be able to do some work on the meal before I put it on the table, and for days when I need it to be good to go whenever we walk in the door. So for the first few weeks of school, here are some of the meals we have gone with - it is a mix of some old favorites and some new ones that I pulled from websites and/or magazines. Overall, I'd have to say my family has been pleased.

Old favorites:

Baked Stuffed Potatoes - This is always a favorite in my house and the best part is that it can be easily tailored to individual tastes (and what I happen to have on hand). I bake my potatoes, then slice them in half and scoop out the insides. I mix this with a little butter, milk and salt... AND some steamed, chopped broccoli and cauliflower. It ups the veggie factor of the meal, plus I get to mound the inside on the potato when I refill which just makes it looks so pretty (see photo). Also, if I offer the veggies as a topping, the kids have the option of NOT putting it on, but when it is already inside it, it is a done deal. I usually also add in some shredded cheddar cheese because when I pop it back in the oven, it gets nice and melty. YUM. Then I serve with toppings. Some great ideas: bacon, sour cream, chives, chili, more veggies, more cheese, salsa, and anything else you can think of that your family might enjoy. Serve with a salad and we are good to go!

Chicken Divan - I know we have the recipe on here somewhere. An old family favorite. I have switched from using cream of chicken soup in the sauce to using cream of broccoli soup. AND I always double this - one recipe for dinner, one for the freezer.

Black Bean Soup - This could not be easier and is another recipe that changes based on mood and/or what I have in, but is always a hit at my house. I usually drain and rinse about 3 cans of black beans, add in salsa or diced veggies and a can or two of diced tomatoes, some seasonings, some broth. I like it a little chunky, I usually use my immersion blender to make it soup-like, but still leave some chunks and add cilantro in at the end. I usually serve this with quesadillas and toppings for the quesadillas or soup, such as corn, tomatoes, avocado, cilantro, diced onion, salsa, sour cream. 

Tomato Soup & Cheesy Breadsticks - Much like the black bean soup, I throw in a mix of canned tomatoes, broth and veggies and blend. Then I wrap 1/2 mozzarella cheese stick in a crescent roll and bake for time on can. So easy, so yummy. Family favorite! (One of the new recipes I came across adds bacon and white beans to a tomato soup. May have to try this)

Korean BBQ Flank Steak - This recipe is also on the site. It is from Aunt Sarah on a visit a few years ago and has been a go-to grilled steak recipe here since. We love this one and the leftovers are great for a steak salad the next day for lunch.

Fajitas/Tacos/Burritos - Some version of wrapped Mexican-style food, choose meat, fish, bean or veggie and put it together as you wish. Easy to please everyone.

Some New Quick & Easy Favorites:

Thai Pork Wraps - I posted about this recipe that we found in the September issue of Rachael Ray's magazine and it is now a must-have in the rotation. I made our second batch last week and froze in single-size servings to be pulled out when needed before or after practices, etc. to accommodate different schedules. As I was packaging it, Holland came in and asked if she could have a bowl before soccer practice that day. 

Pan-fried Chicken - Marinade: 3 TBSP canola mayo, 2 TBSP low-sodium soy sauce, 2 TBSP fresh lemon juice, 1 TBSP chile pase. Marinate chicken breast in this for at least 15 minutes. Then dredge in 1 1/2 c panko bread crumbs. Heat large nonstick skillet over med high and cook chicken in two batches, 4 minutes each side. The flavor was great. Next time I'll try baking, though. 

Skinny Scampi - Spaghetti squash, cut in half, cut side down in large microwavable dish, add 1/3 c water and microwave on high until tender, about 10 minutes. Remove seeds. Meanwhile, heat 1 TBSP olive oil over med heat, add 1 chopped red bell pepper and 1 chopped clove of garlic and cook about 3 minutes. Add 1 1/2 lbs. large shrimp, peeled and deveined; 1/4 c vegetable broth and 1 TBSP fresh lemon juice and cook, tossing occasionally, until the shrimp are firm and pink, about 5 minutes. Stir in 1/4 tsp. lemon zest and 2 tsp. chopped flat leaf parsley and remove from heat. Using a fork, rake the spaghetti squash lengthwise to remove the flesh. Toss the squash with 2 tsp olive oil, season with salt & pepper. Serve shrimp on top of squash (serves 4).

Lamb & Turkey Burger - From Cooking LIght, this recipe had mixed reviews, but some are never going to like lamb, and some are never going to like burgers. Those of us that enjoyed it, really enjoyed it. I did not use the sauce with the recipe and instead did a chop of cilantro, mint & parsley, mixed with a little lemon juice and mayonnaise. We served it with a tomato-cucumber salad - thinly sliced cucs and tomatoes, tossed with chopped parsley, olives, lemon juice and olive oil. A bigger hit than the burgers with some!

Hope this gives you some ideas of new recipes to try. Would love to hear some of your favorites.

Transformations

What do you make with your ready-to-be-tossed bananas, besides banana bread (muffins) and smoothies? I’m ready for something new.

Also, any ideas for what I can make with leftover corn muffins? We had neighbors over for the Patriots game on Sunday, and I overbaked (surprise, surprise).

Thai Pork Wrap-Ups

Trying to get into Back to School and fall activity mode, I did some pre-planning for easy meals. I just found this in the new Everyday with Rachael Ray magazine in an article on 16 FAST IDEAS and had it tonight. It is great for a quick meal. It comes together very fast. In this case, I made it ahead of time and popped it in the freezer - took it out and had it for a quick-on-the-go-dinner. These are ingredients that are easy to have on hand and ones I intend to make sure I have in. Whether I cook it a-up ahead of time or make it on the go, we will be having this one again. We really liked it.:)

**Two notes: 1. It says it serves 4. I have some large nephews that I could see eating all, or at least half, of this meal in one sitting. 2. If you like it spicy, feel free to add some extra sriracha sauce on top at the end. It is delicious!

1 lb. ground pork

1 clove garlic, grated

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

1/2 c chopped cilantro

1 Tbsp lime juice

1 Tbsp fish sauce

1 tsp sriracha

1 tsp brown sugar

1 head butter lettuce
veggies of choice -- bok choy, peppers, onions, grated carrots or zucchini, whatever you have on hand! It is a great way to add in a lot of veggies. Chop them and sauté them with the meat.

Cook pork and garlic in oil over high, 7 minutes. Off heat, stir in next 5 ingredients. Serve with lettuce. Serves 4.

Back to school breakfast

Today I made Pumpkin waffles a great fall treat and nice for the first day of school.  But as every year I struggle with breakfast especially Erin, she loves big breakfast pancakes, waffles and such.  But does not like them frozen she is out the door by 6:45 so it is hard to do fresh of those and get her out on time. This summer she got better about eating Smoothies for breakfast but even that is time consuming I made a double batch of the waffle mix and plan to freeze in cups so she can pull out one cup of mix at night and make a waffle in the AM.  What works in your house?  Here are some of the suggestions form other years as well. 

Camping for 40

Brad is taking the High School Cross Country team on an overnight campout 40 people. I am in charge of the food.  We are doing easy, filling foods that they can run on.  Runs before each meal.

Menu

Spaghetti Dinner

 Breakfast - Granola Bars/Fruit/Bagels

 Lunch PBJ Sandwiches/Fruit

I'm looking for suggestions or help on quanity

I'm thinking 16 lbs of spaghetti, 6 jars of sauce, 8 -10 loaves of bread, 10 -15 lbs of baby carrots

10 -12 boxes of granola bars, 50 -60 beagles, butter and honey, 5 bunches of bananas, 5 bunches of grapes

lunch  - 6 loaves of bread, 3 large jars of Peanut butter, 50 -60 apples

Stuff for S'mores

Kids are to bring power bars for snacks.

Eggplant Recipes? What is your favorite way to use eggplant? I love Eggplant Parm, Grilled Eggplant (especially in the Grilled Veggie Terriene, previously posted), Garlicky eggplant with Meat Sauce (will post later)and Caponata. I want some new ideas as it is so good and plentiful at this time of year! Share your favorite recipes PLEASE!!!!

Pull apart cupcake cake

Molly wants a pull apart cupcake cake for her birthday. Didn't give any suggestions. I can only find a few examples on line - a turtle or an owl.  Has anyone made one? Or seen cute ones? 

Awesome General Tso's Chicken

General Tso’s Chicken Serves 4 as part of a multi-course meal, 2 to 3 as a main entree 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, sliced into 1-inch cubes 1 1/2 cups cornstarch 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 3 peanut or vegetable oil for frying, plus 1 tablespoon for stir-frying 8 dried whole red chilis, or substitute 1/4 teaspoon dried red chili flakes 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon white sesame seeds, for garnish Scallions, green parts thinly sliced, for garnish Marinade: 1 tablespoons soy sauce 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry 2 egg whites Sauce: 1/4 cup chicken stock, or substitute water 1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon rice vinegar 1 teaspoon hoisin sauce 1 teaspoon chili paste 1 teaspoons sesame oil 1 tablespoon sugar 1 teaspoon cornstarch 1. Prepare the marinade: In a large bowl, combine the soy sauce, rice wine, and egg whites. Coat the chicken to the marinade mixture and let sit for 10 minutes. 2. Prepare the sauce: In a small bowl, combine the chicken stock, tomato paste, sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, chili paste, sesame oil, sugar, and the 1 teaspoon of cornstarch. Stir until the sugar and cornstarch are dissolved. Set the sauce aside. 3. In a large bowl or deep plate, toss the 1 1/2 cups cornstarch with the salt and pepper. Coat the marinated chicken in the cornstarch and shake off any excess before frying. 4. Heat the 3 cups of peanut or vegetable oil in your wok until it registers 350°F on an instant-read oil thermometer. Working in 2 or 3 batches, add the first batch of chicken cubes and fry until golden brown on the outside and cooked through, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Repeat with the rest of the chicken. 5. Drain the oil into a heatproof container and save for discarding. Wipe the wok with a paper towel to remove any brown bits, but don’t wash. 6. Reheat the wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add another 1 tablespoon of oil and swirl to coat the base and sides. Add the dried chilis and garlic to the wok and stir-fry until just fragrant, about 20 seconds. Pour in the sauce mixture and stir until thickened, about 1 to 2 minutes. 7. Return the chicken to the wok and stir well to coat with sauce. Transfer the chicken to a serving dish. Garnish with white sesame seeds and scallions. Serve with white rice and vegetables. You have got to try this!!!

Inspiration from the Produce Aisle!

Although I enjoy cooking, too often the planning, shopping and preparing, not to mention the cleaning, becomes a chore and is not so enjoyable. Lately, I have felt very uninspired and uncreative, and I've felt like our meals have shown that. This week began not much differently, except that it was so hot on Tuesday when I went shopping that I just went right to the produce area and loaded up on fresh fruits and veggies. Thus, my week was born and we have had a week of salads and sandwiches.

The best part, it has been one of those weeks that I have done well thinking ahead and prepping extra to make the following days a little easier. Yeah. 

Tuesday - Grilled steak, peppers and onions sandwiches with salad
I shopped, came home and prepped fruits and veggies for the week and marinated steak and chicken breast. 

Wednesday - Make Your Own Tacos
I cooked some bacon and grilled some chicken breast first thing in the morning.

Make you own tacos: sliced grilled Chicken breast, avocado, tomato, Corn & Chili Salsa (trader joe's), black beans, sour cream and salad

Thursday: Sandwiches
BLTs (Bacon that I cooked Wed) &/or chicken and apple salad (reserved some chicken breast from Wed), black bean salad (beans, avocado, tomato and corn & chili salsa - all leftover from make your own tacos), roasted baby potatoes

I'm not sure what we are having tomorrow, but I boiled the baby potatoes (white, red and purple - so pretty) and then roasted half for Thursday's dinner. The other half I chopped and put a little olive oil and vinegar on and am planning to turn into a potato salad to accompany something, probably grilled.

4th of July Party

To celebrate my 14-year-old son's birthday he wants a "Hot Dog Extravaganza"! So we'll borrow the menu from our "Franks N Stein" Halloween Party! Of course we'll have the ketchup, mustard, hot dog relish, Saurkraut, bacon and cheese.

One of my old time favorites: Spicy Onions (sautee sliced onions cut in half, once they are soft, add in tabascco, ketchup, salt and pepper, I don't measure just shake and taste. Should be well coated but not to saucy, simmer until desired tenderness and sauce consistancy. Sometimes, I also add a bit of cooking wine to them:)

The Chicago Dog (which we experienced last summer when visiting my brother) http://www.hotdogchicagostyle.com/chicagodog.php

mustard, relish, chopped onions, tomato slices, pickle spear, Sport Peppers (imported from Chicago), and a dash of Celery Salt on a poppy seed bun (we could not get these in NY)

Thai Dog: Thai peanut sauce, diced cucumbers and chopped scallions.

Chili Dog: mustard, homemade chili, chopped onions and nacho cheese.

Of Course we have to have my homemade Baked Beans (my neighbor Kathy's recipe):

1/2 pound Bacon, browned and crumbled

1 medium onion, chopped and browned in 1T bacon fat

In crockpot, combine 2 large cans of B&M Baked Beans, 1 can Kidney beans, 1 can Butter Beans. Add bacon and onion. Then stir in 1/2 C ketchup, 1/4 C molasses and 1 t dry mustard (Coleman's). Original recipe also called for 1/2 pound of browned ground beef or turkey, I have never felt it needed it. Cook until heated through.

We'll wash it down with Beer and Root Beer! And finish it off with Carvel Ice Cream cake:) HAPPY 4th of JULY to all!!

snacks

After school the girls often have popcorn for a snack. Erin now has braces so that is out. I want a quick,easy, simi health but filling snack to have on hand. We all love trail mix. I was thinking of having a container and making seasonal snack mix. I might do 2 containers and keep one peanut free for when we have peanut allergy friends over. Here is a link to one fun one, Seasonal snack mix. I'd love to collect a whole bunch to keep it interesting. I like one I posted here a while ago.

Southwest snack mix, maybe without the popcorn.

Quick Spring Dinner Ideas

With Baseball, Art Shows, concerts, etc... in full swing I try to plan ahead and use the crock pot for meals that whenever someone gets home to eat there is dinner ready! For tonight I decided to try Shephard's Pie, as I had leftover Lamb from Easter. All I needed to do was make Mashed Potatoes and mix frozen veggies and gravy with the lamb. I will post later to let you know how it turned out! Thursday I will be doing

Beer Brisket (from Prevention Slow Cooker)

2 large onions

3-4 Lbs Beef Brisket, fat trimmed

1 bottle of beer

1/2 c chili sauce

2 tsp dried steak seasoning

Place onion in slow cooker, top with beef. Mix chili sauce, beer and steak seasoning. Pour over beef. Cook on low 10-12 hours. Thinly slice across grain. Use slotted spoon to remove onions and place on top of meat. Drizzle some cooking liquid over meat and serve on rolls!

“Food is the most primitive form of comfort.” ― Sheilah Graham
My family has a difficult weekend ahead of us. We lost our dad a year ago Sunday. On top of that, it’s my sister’s birthday, and Easter. Lots of emotional stuff going on for us. So, ... when Said Birthday Sister asked for the recipe for the peanut-butter-chocolate birthday cake I had made her last year while we were all together with my dad (dodging the woman cooking up a Caribbean storm in the kitchen), I wanted to oblige. The problem was, I think I made it up as a I went along, and I don’t think I wrote it down (if I did, I sure can’t put my hands on it now). Here’s an attempt at re-creating it. (I hope my sisters will weigh in if they recall things differently.)
Maureen’s peanut-butter-and-chocolate semi-homemade birthday cake

cake
1 box double chocolate cake mix
½ c peanut butter

ganache
1 c chocolate chips
¼ c peanut butter

frosting
1 can chocolate fudge frosting
¼ c peanut butter

Prepare and bake cake in two or three layers according to package directions, adding peanut butter while mixing.
While the cake is baking, prepare ganache. Melt chocolate chips and peanut butter together in a double boiler over slowly simmering water. (I use a Pyrex bowl over a saucepan so I can keep an eye on how high the water is boiling. The water should never touch the bottom of the bowl (top pan) itself.)
Combine frosting and peanut butter and whip with an electric mixer until fluffy.
When cake has cooled, cover each layer top and sides with ganache, then assemble layers into cake with frosting.
 If you like, you can drizzle some additional melted peanut butter for decoration (and additional deliciousness). Happy Birthday, Maureen. Happy Easter, all.

Quickest cookies ever

OK, so a batch of chocolate chip cookies doesn’t really take a long time, but sometimes you just don’t feel like getting out all of those ingredients (or in my case, putting them all away when you’re done), or maybe you’re out of something, or maybe you have a small helper and all that measuring can make a real mess. Whatever your reason for not baking your go-to batch of cookies, here’s a recipe that is super-easy and super-delicious and super-flexible, and definitely worth trying.

+

=

5-ingredient cake mix cookies

1 box cake mix
1 stick butter, softened
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
2 c mix-in (or combination of mix-ins)

Combine all five ingredients in a bowl until well-mixed. The batter will be very stiff. Drop by spoonful (whatever size you prefer) on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake in preheated 350° oven for 10-12 minutes. Cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes, remove to cooling rack, and continue cooling.

The number of combinations you can come up with is endless. Here are some suggestions.

cake mix flavor	+	mix-ins	=	voilá
chocolate fudge	+	Andes mint chips	=	chocolate-mint cookies
yellow or chocolate	+	butterscotch chips, Heath bits, and walnuts	=	Heath bar cookies
chocolate	+	peanut butter chips	=	chocolate-peanut butter cookies
carrot cake	+	raisins and coconut	=	carrot cake cookies
white or chocolate	+	M&Ms	=	M&M cookies
chocolate	+	chocolate chips	=	double chocolate cookies
spice	+	chopped dates and chopped walnuts	=	hermits (substitute molasses for vanilla)
butter	+	chopped pecans	=	butter pecan cookies
chocolate	+	white chocolate chips	=	reverse chocolate chip cookies
“funfetti”	+	sprinkles or mini M&Ms or both	=	Child's Delight
chocolate	+	mini-marshmallow, mini chocolate chips, and chopped nuts	=	Rocky Road cookies
chocolate	+	Raisinettes and peanuts	=	Chunky cookies
yellow or spice	+	mini-marshmallows and mini chocolate chips	=	S’more cookies

Freezer Meals (Mostly Crockpot)

My daughter and I spent an hour and half prepping meals today to fill our freezer. Here is what we did:

Chicken Teriyaki

Pork Loin Teriyaki (used the same ingredients - teriyaki marinade, broccoli, carrots & pineapple, then added pork to one, chicken to the other)

Chicken Tacos

Beef Tacos (onion, peppers, salsa - one with chicken and one with browned ground beef)

Shredded Roast Pork (BBQ sauce, can of cola)

Pineapple Skirt Steak (pineapple, olive oil, lime, garlic and soy sauce)

2 bags of meat sauce

While she chopped and put together the most of the bags, I browned ground beef for tacos, meat sauce and lasagna, browned sausage for sauce and lasagna, cooked the sauce and put together the lasagna.

We labeled the bags and will just pull one out and pop in the crock pot when needed. I can't believe how easy it was with 2 of us doing it together and how much we got done. Yeah!

Crockpot dinner party

For our school silent auction the big push is hosting an event. So I am hosting a crockpot dinner and prep night. The idea is that some adults will join me for an evening. I will provide dinner (from the crock pots) and supplies we will do prep so they also go home with bagged meals that can be frozen, when needed pull out, put into a crock pot and have a meal or such. That is the big concept. Menu ideas :

Appetizers

Creamy Spinach Dip

Bridget's caramelized onion pizza

Soup

Mom's clam chowder

Bridget's corn chowder

Main dish

Fejoida (Brazilian Black Beans)

Healthy Mama BBQ chicken

Dessert

Chocolate Fountain (caramel or marshmallow creme in the crockpot to go with.)
Crockpot Carmel 

To keep it simple and easy, the prep meals to go will be the corn chowder and Fejoida. I will also probably send them home with a jar of caramelized onions. I will include all recipes. I am trying to come up with a non meat option along the lines of Fejoida. We will also have bread and salad with the meal. 

Any help or suggestions would be great, I'm a little worried about being overwhelmed.

Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Wings

Ingredients
5 1/2 pounds chicken wings, split and tips discarded
1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle chile sauce
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup molasses
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
3 drops hot pepper sauce
1 tablespoon salsa
2 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons salt

Directions
1.Place chicken in slow cooker. In a medium bowl combine the chile sauce, lemon juice, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce, salsa, chili powder, garlic powder and salt. Mix together and pour mixture over chicken.
2.Cook in slow cooker on Medium Low setting for 5 hours.

From http://allrecipes.com/recipe/easy-slow-cooker-chicken-wings/

I would make them spicier next time. More hot sauce! I also removed them from the crock pot and broiled them as we like our wings crisper and "drier". They were so easy and very tasty!

Cupcake Bowl

 
I modified my Car Bomb Cupcake recipe slightly to take it to a neighbor’s for the Super Bowl. First, I added 2 tablespoons of Jameson’s to the ganache, because, really, what’s a car bomb without the whiskey? 



Second, I made a more kid-friendly chocolate-peanut butter version by making chocolate-peanut butter ganache for the filling and peanut butter buttercream for the top.



Finally, I made them all in miniature so everyone could try one of each.



Mini car bomb cupcakes
makes 24 regular or 48-60 mini cupcakes

1 c stout (such as Guinness)
2 c butter, divided, plus 1 T
3/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder
2 c flour
2 c sugar
1½ t baking soda
3/4 t salt
2 eggs
2/3 c plain nonfat yogurt
4 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/3 c heavy cream
1 T Irish whiskey (such as Jameson’s)
4 c powdered sugar
4 T Irish cream (such as Bailey’s, I use homemade)

Make the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350°. Line cupcake cups with liners. Bring stout and 1 cup butter to simmer in saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly. Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in large bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and yogurt in another large bowl to blend. Add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine. Add flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed. Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined. Divide batter among cupcake liners, filling them 2/3 to 3/4 of the way. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 17 minutes (12-15 minutes for mini cupcakes). Cool cupcakes on a rack completely. (At this point, you can freeze the cupcakes, well wrapped, up to two weeks.)

Make the filling: In a double boiler, melt chocolate and cream together, stirring until smooth. Add 1 tablespoon butter and Irish whiskey and stir until combined.

Make the frosting: Whip 1 cup butter in the bowl of an electric mixer for several minutes. You want to get it very light and fluffy. Slowly add the powdered sugar, a few tablespoons at a time. When the frosting looks thick enough to spread, drizzle in the Irish cream and whip it until combined and fluffy.

Fill the cupcakes: Let the ganache cool until thick but still soft enough to be piped. Put the ganache into a piping bag or plastic bottle, poke the tip into the top of the cupcake and squeeze until some comes out at the insertion point. (Also, at this point, you can freeze the cupcakes, well wrapped, up to two weeks.)

Ice and decorate the cupcakes: Put the frosting into a piping bag or plastic bag. Using a decorative tip, or just cut the corner off the plastic bag, and put dollops of frosting on the cupcakes. Drizzle any leftover ganache over the tops. Filled and frosted cupcakes will keep in the fridge for a day.


Mini chocolate-peanut butter cupcakes
makes 24 regular or 48-60 mini cupcakes

1 c stout (such as Guinness)
2 c butter, divided, plus 1 T
3/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder
2 c flour
2 c sugar
1½ t baking soda
3/4 t salt
2 eggs
2/3 c plain nonfat yogurt
4 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/3 c heavy cream, plus 4 T, divided
½ c plus 2 T creamy peanut butter, melted, divided
4 c powdered sugar

Make the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350°. Line cupcake cups with liners. Bring stout and 1 cup butter to simmer in saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly. Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in large bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and yogurt in another large bowl to blend. Add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine. Add flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed. Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined. Divide batter among cupcake liners, filling them 2/3 to 3/4 of the way. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 17 minutes (12-15 minutes for mini cupcakes). Cool cupcakes on a rack completely. (At this point, you can freeze the cupcakes, well wrapped, up to two weeks.)

Make the filling: In a double boiler, melt chocolate and cream together, stirring until smooth. Add 1 tablespoon butter and 2 T melted peanut butter and stir until combined.

Make the frosting: Whip 1 cup butter in the bowl of an electric mixer for several minutes. You want to get it very light and fluffy. Slowly add the powdered sugar, a few tablespoons at a time. When the frosting looks thick enough to spread, add ½ cup melted peanut butter, continue whipping. Finally, drizzle in the heavy cream and whip it until combined and fluffy.

Fill the cupcakes: Let the ganache cool until thick but still soft enough to be piped. Put the ganache into a piping bag or plastic bottle, poke the tip into the top of the cupcake and squeeze until some comes out at the insertion point. (Also, at this point, you can freeze the cupcakes, well wrapped, up to two weeks.)

Ice and decorate the cupcakes: Put the frosting into a piping bag or plastic bag. Using a decorative tip, or just cut the corner off the plastic bag, and put dollops of frosting on the cupcakes. Drizzle any leftover ganache over the tops. Filled and frosted cupcakes will keep in the fridge for a day.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cupcakes

Therese can't wait to make these and they come from a box mix. http://www.justapinch.com/recipes/dessert/cake/peanut-butter-cups-cupcakes.html?p=1

These will have to wait as tomorrow we are having "Big Blue" Velvet cupcakes http://www.keyingredient.com/recipes/233138/blue-velvet-cupcakes/ and Lemon Lime Cupcakes. Go Giants.

NE Patriots vs. NY Giants Superbowl

What are you making for Superbowl Sunday? While we will be rooting on the Pats, we are thinking we'll make food to honor both teams. NE Clam Chowder (Mom's recipe) seems like a must. In addition to that, for NY, we had a few thoughts - either pizza (a classic and a favorite of all of us) OR Holland's idea of "NY Street food," such as soft pretzels and hot dogs, OR Brendan's idea, "NY Deli".

I'll report back on what we choose, but would love to hear what others are making.

Prep Sunday for a Week of Meals

SELF magazine had an article this week about prepping for an hour on Sunday and cooking all week. The recipes were for one, but I increased them to feed my family of 6. I did not do the entire program, but we enjoyed 3 meals - the Chicken with Black Bean Mango Salsa (I added a little peach as well, I think next time I'd add a little red pepper for color also), the Drunken Sausage (after browning the sausage, I threw it all in the crockpot for the day, worked great!) and finally, the Cheesy Shrimp. All were big hits with the entire family!

Here is the link: http://www.self.com/fooddiet/2012/02/cook-once-eat-healthy-all-week?in%20%20tcid=trail0123

cheesecake 101

I love a building block recipe that follows the same basic ingredients and instructions, but offers variations to cater to one’s own tastes.



Building block cheesecake
based on recipe from finecooking.com
serves 10 to 12

8 oz (2 c) crust option
1¼ c plus 3 T sugar
7 T butter, melted
4 8-oz packages cream cheese, at room temperature OR 3 8 oz packages cream cheese plus one add-in
2 T flour
pinch salt
1 T vanilla extract
4 large eggs, at room temperature

Make crust: Position rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 375°. In a medium bowl, stir the crust option of your choice and 2 T sugar. Mix in melted butter until the crumbs are evenly moist and clump together slightly. Press crust mixture evenly into a 9-inch springform pan along the bottom and 2 inches up the sides using your fingers or the flat bottom of a glass. Bake 9-12 minutes, until crust is fragrant and slightly browned (if you’re using lighter colored crumbs). Let cool. Reduce oven to 300°.

Make filling:In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, add-in, if using, flour, and salt on medium speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl often, until filling is very smooth and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Make sure the filling has no lumps. Add 1¼ c sugar and continue beating until well blended and smooth. Add the vanilla and any flavoring or spices, if using, and beat until blended, about 30 seconds. Add the eggs one at a time, beating just until blended. (Don’t over-beat once the eggs have been added or the cheesecake will puff too much and crack as it cools.) Pour the filling into the cooled crust and smooth the top.

Bake in preheated 300° oven 55-65 minutes, until the center jiggles like Jell-O when nudged. The cake will be slightly puffed around the edges, and the center will still look moist. Turn oven off, and prop oven door open with a wooden spoon. Cool for 1 hour. Remove from oven, set on a rack and cool completely. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 8 hours, and up to 3 days. The cheesecake can also be frozen for up to 1 month.

Unclasp and remove the sides of the springform pan and run a long, thin metal spatula under the bottom crust. Carefully slide the cake onto a flat serving plate. Add your topping and/or garnish, if using. To cut, run a thin knife under hot water, wipe it dry, and cut the cake into thin slices, heating and wiping the knife after each slice.

To freeze: Put the unmolded, cooled cake on a rimmed baking sheet in the freezer, uncovered, until the top is cold and firm, then wrap it in two layers of plastic wrap and one layer of foil.

To thaw: Thaw overnight in refrigerator.

crust options	add-ins	flavorings	spices	toppings	garnishes
choose one (pulse in a food processor until crushed to fine crumbs): chocolate wafers gingersnaps graham crackers vanilla wafers	substitute one of the following for one eight ounce package of cream cheese: crème fraîche, 1 cup dulce de leche, 3/4 cup fruit purée (strawberry, blueberry, or banana), 1½ cups mascarpone, 1 cup, at room temperature milk, semisweet, or bittersweet chocolate, 10 ounces, melted and cooled pumpkin purée, 1 cup ricotta, 1 cup sour cream, 1 cup white chocolate, 8 ounces, melted and cooled	choose up to two of the following: creamy peanut butter, 1/3 cup fresh or crystallized ginger, 2 tablespoons, finely chopped instant coffee, 2½ teaspoons (or 2 teaspoons instant espresso) lemon zest, 2 tablespoons, finely grated lime zest, 2 tablespoons, finely grated liqueur (amaretto, Bailey’s, Chambord, Kahlúa, Grand Marnier), 3 tablespoons mini chocolate chips, 1/3 cup orange zest, 2 tablespoons, finely grated	choose up to four, for a total of two teaspoons: ground cinnamon ground cloves ground ginger ground nutmeg	burnt sugar caramel sauce ganache glazed fresh fruit	choose up to three of the following quick garnishes: chocolate-covered espresso beans chocolate shavings chopped toasted nuts cocoa powder, sifted over cake crushed amaretti cookies fresh fruit lemon curd powdered sugar, sifted over cake toasted whole pecans whipped cream