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Thu Jan 02, 2014 11:49 pm |
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Thanks, I have been looking into trying some new items that i have never eaten before. I mean what is the point in watching all those great cooking shows if i am never gonna take a chance of making a new dish.
I made this one a few times, but it's been aehile since i had it, I am thinking of making it pretty soon
Strawberry Margarita Parfait Pie
Source: Eagle Brand
Makes one 9-inch pie.
1 1/4 cups finely crushed pretzels
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons margarine or butter, melted
1 (14 ounce) can EAGLE BRAND Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/4 cup lime juice from concentrate
1/4 cup tequila
2 tablespoons triple sec or other orange-flavored liqueur
1 cup chopped fresh or frozen unsweetened strawberries,
thawed and well drained
Red food coloring, optional
1 1/2 cups whipping cream, whipped
Combine crushed pretzels, sugar and margarine; press firmly on bottom up side to rim of lightly buttered 9-inch pie plate to form crust.
In large bowl, combine EAGLE BRAND, lime juice, tequila and liqueur; mix well. Divide mixture in half. Add strawberries and food coloring if desired to one half of mixture. Fold half the whipped cream into each mixture. Spoon mixtures alternately into prepared crust. With table knife or metal spatula, gently swirl through mixtures to marble. Freeze 4 hours or until firm.
Remove from freezer 10 minutes before serving. Garnish as desired. Freeze ungarnished leftovers.
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 Dedicated Citizen
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Wed Feb 12, 2014 3:40 pm |
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Lollypop Cookies for Valentine's Day
Ingredients
Original recipe makes 1 dozen
12 craft sticks
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
12 (1 ounce) squares white chocolate
1 egg white
1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
3 drops red food coloring
Directions
Soak craft sticks for one hour in a bowl of cold water.
In small heavy saucepan over very low heat, stir chocolate chips until melted and smooth.
Remove from heat; let cool.
In large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed, beat butter, brown sugar and vanilla until fluffy.
Beat egg in well; beat in cooled chocolate. With mixer at low speed, beat in flour, cocoa powder and salt until smooth.
Divide dough in half.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and grease 2 large cookie sheets.
Roll each half out to 1/8 inch thickness between 2 sheets of wax paper; freeze, in wax paper, 5 minutes.
Peal top sheets of wax paper off dough; cut dough out using 3-inch heart-shaped cutter.
Reroll scraps; freeze again 5 minutes; cut out.
Place half of the hearts 1 inch apart on prepared cookie sheet.
Drain sticks, pat dry.
Place one stick on each heart to make 2 1/2 inch handle, pressing lightly into dough.
Place remaining hearts on top; press edges gently to seal. Bake about 12 minutes until firm to touch. Cool on wire racks.
In 2-quart heavy saucepan over very low heat, or in top of double boiler set over barely simmering water, stir white or milk chocolate until melted and smooth; if using both chocolates, melt in separate 1-quart pans.
Remove from heat.
Holding each lollipop by handle, dip into chocolate to coat on both sides; let excess chocolate drip back into pan.
Place each lollipop as it is coated on wax-paper-lined cookie sheet; refrigerate 20 minutes until chocolate is set.
To Make Icing: In large bowl with electric mixer at high speed, beat egg white and confectioners' sugar until very smooth. If desired, remove small portion of icing to separate bowl; tint with drops of food coloring. Spoon icing into decorating bag fitted with small writing tip; pipe over lollipops in desired patterns. Decorate with assorted candies and decors; attaching with dots of icing.
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Wed Feb 12, 2014 5:11 pm |
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Found this nice recipe online one day and I have decided to give it a go.
CHOCO-BERRY
Bavarian Cream
I am guessing you can use any type of mold that you like
Things You'll Need
1 package (10 oz.) frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed OR 1 cup sweetened sliced fresh strawberries
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup HERSHEY'S Mini Chips Semi-Sweet Chocolate
2-1/4 cups milk, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (1/2 pt.)cold whipping cream
STRAWBERRY CREAM (recipe follows)
Fresh strawberries (optional)
How to Make
1
1. Lightly oil 5- or 6- cup mold; set aside. Drain strawberries; reserve syrup. Add water to syrup to equal 3/4 cup. Sprinkle gelatin over liquid; set aside. Refrigerate drained berries.
2
2. Stir together sugar, small chocolate chips and 1/2 cup milk in medium saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and very hot. Add gelatin mixture, stirring until gelatin is completely dissolved.
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3. Remove from heat; stir in remaining milk and vanilla. Pour into large bowl; refrigerate, stirring ocasionally, until mixture mounds when dropped from spoon.
4
4. Beat whipping cream until stiff; fold into chocolate mixture. Pour into prepared mold; refrigerate until firm. Unmold; garnish with STRAWBERRY CREAM and fresh strawberries, if desired.
5
STRAWBERRY CREAM: Mash or puree reserved strawberries from Bavarian cream recipe to equal 1/2 cup. Beat 1cup (1/2 pt.) cold whipping cream amd 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until stiff. Fold in strawberry puree and 2 to 3 drops red food color. About 2 cups topping.
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Thu Feb 13, 2014 5:27 pm |
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I made this for dinner last night, and it was a big success. 
Ingredients:
1/2 pound lean ground beef
1/2 med onion, diced
1/2 bell pepper, diced (I used a red pepper because it's what we had.  )
1 16 oz. can of Bush's Best Cocina Latina - Frijoles Charros Machados. (It's smashed pinto beans with tomatoes, serrano pappers, and a touch of bacon.)
1 small box of cornbread mix (like Jiffy)
Cook the ground beef, onion, and bell pepper together. When the onion & pepper are tender, add the can of Bush's Best and heat through. While that is heating, mix up the cornbread according to the instructions on the box. Spread the ground beef mixture in a casserole dish ( I divided it between two individual serving dishes, but I think it can be done in one larger dish as well.). Put the cornbread mix on top and spread it over the beef mixture gently, until all or most of it is covered. Bake according to the cornmeal box instructions for corn muffins, @400 degrees for 15 - 20 minutes.
Enjoy!
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Thu Feb 13, 2014 6:26 pm |
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What great recipes, I'll have to try them all! 
I've been using this one a lot!
Vanilla Crepes:
Original recipe makes 12 crepes
1 1/2 cups milk
3 egg yolks
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons melted butter
Directions
In a large bowl, mix together the milk, egg yolks and vanilla. Stir in the flour, sugar, salt and melted butter until well blended.
Heat a crepe pan over medium heat until hot. Coat with vegetable oil or cooking spray. Pour about 1/4 cup of batter into the pan and tip to spread the batter to the edges. When bubbles form on the top and the edges are dry, flip over and cook until lightly browned on the other side and edges are golden. Repeat with remaining batter.
Fill crepes with your favorite fruit, cream, caramel or even ice cream or cheese to serve.
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Dedicated Citizen
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Mon Feb 17, 2014 9:07 pm |
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Cream Cheese and Red Velvet Brownies (From The Food Network)
Total Time:1 hr 25 min
Prep:25 min
Inactive:30 min
Cook:30 min
Yield:8 servings
Ingredients
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, for pan
Red Velvet Brownie Layer:
1 stick unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup cocoa powder
Pinch salt
1 tablespoon red food coloring
1 teaspoon vinegar
2 eggs
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts
Cream Cheese Layer:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
Special equipment: 8 by 8-inch baking pan
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Butter an 8 by 8-inch baking pan, and set aside.
Brownie layer: In a saucepan on medium heat melt the butter. Remove the butter to a large bowl and add the sugar, vanilla, cocoa powder, salt, food coloring, and vinegar, in that order, mixing between additions. Whisk the eggs in a small bowl and stir it into the cocoa mix. Fold in the flour until lightly combined. Stir in the walnuts and pour the batter into the prepared baking pan, saving 1/4 cup of the batter for the top.
Cream cheese layer: Blend together the cream cheese, sugar, egg, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Gently spread the cream cheese layer on top of the brownie batter in the pan. Dollop the remaining brownie batter over the cream cheese layer. Using a skewer or the tip of a knife, drag the tip through the cream cheese mixture to create a swirl pattern. Bake the brownies for 30 minutes. Remove to a cooling rack and allow them to cool completely before cutting.
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Dedicated Citizen
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Mon Feb 17, 2014 11:11 pm |
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This is great for a quick breakfast before I rush off to school!
Muffin Sized Breakfast Quiche
Ingredients
9 eggs
1 (10 ounce) bags Baby Spinach
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoon oil
1 cup cheddar cheese
salt
pepper
((I used red onion and added some green onions too only because they were going to go bad - works great! I also added some garlic with the salt and pepper part because garlic is awesome!))
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Lightly grease your muffin pan with spray or oil on a paper towel, set aside.
3. Saute the Chopped Onions in a pan with the tablespoon of oil, until translucent.
4. Crack the eggs in a bowl and beat as if making scrambled eggs. Salt and Pepper eggs to taste.
5. Into the greased muffin cups add about 3 or 4 leaves of Spinach. (You probably won't use the whole bag.).
6. Top the Spinach with about a teaspoon each of the sauted Onions.
7. Top the onions with about 1 Tablespoon each of the Cheddar Cheese.
8. Then ladle enough egg mixture into each muffin cup to fill the tin about 2/3 full.
9. Bake your little quiches for 10-20 minutes, (depending on the size of your muffin tin cups.) They should be nicely browned on top, but do not overcook. Check for doneness with a toothpick.
10. Let your quiche-muffins cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Then using a dinner knife, gently run the blade around the perimeter of each muffin to loosen. Then plop them carefully on a plate to finish cooling and serve.
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Tue Feb 18, 2014 1:19 am |
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So. Many. Recipes!! I think I have a menu made up for a few weeks here!
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Tue Feb 18, 2014 4:17 am |
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A couple days ago I was trying to figure out what to make for dinner, and I was thinking of white pizza, but I didn't want to make pizza dough. So I did a search on flatbread, and found that it was a little easier to make.
Flatbread ingredients:
2 cups flour
Water (Using yoghurt or milk will give you super soft flatbread! I used milk.)
Salt to taste
2 tbsps vegetable/ canola/ sunflower cooking oil ( I used olive oil)
Mix the salt into the flour, then make a well. Add the milk a bit at a time, mixing and kneading with your hand until you have a smooth, medium soft dough. Then knead the oil in. When the dough is smooth, let rest for 15 min. Divide the dough into equal portions, roughly the size of a golf ball. Roll between your palms, applying a gentle pressure, till the balls are smooth and without cracks. (I couldn't get them without any cracks at all, so just do your best.) Coat one ball lightly with flour, flatten with your hands on the rolling surface, and roll out until you have a circle that's 1/6" thick. (Coat with flour again during rolling, to prevent sticking.) Heat a pan (I used a cast iron pan.) on medium, and add one of the rolled out circles. Turn when you see raised bumps on the surface, and check the other side as it cooks. It may puff up...don't worry, this is steam, and will deflate when you let it cool. (There's a step to encourage the puffing, but it doesn't change the taste, so why bother?)
Topping:
Olive oil
Minced garlic
Tomato
Chopped parsley
Feta cheese
Once the flatbreads were done, I put them on a cookie sheet, and brushed them with olive oil, and spread a bit of minced garlic on top. Then I added thinly sliced tomato, chopped parsley, and feta cheese crumbles, and baked at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. It was great!
(This is a mix of a couple recipes that I saw while doing searches. I just picked out what I thought looked good...and it worked! )
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Tue Feb 18, 2014 4:34 am |
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Home-made Disappearing Meatballs: bake 350 for 25-30 minutes
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 egg
2 Tbsp. water
1/2 cup Andy's fish breading
1/4 cup panko
1/4 cup minced onion
1/4 cup minced pepper
A list of seasonings I use:
Salt
Pepper
Onion powder
Onion salt
Season all
Italian seasoning
And salt free Greek seasoning.
Fry the onion and pepper before using in the meatballs, it'll cook them fully.
Mix everything together, seasoning the way you like it, and roll into balls. Put them into a baking pan and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until no longer pink in the center. Made a pan full of 20 meatballs.
We had two guests over the other day and I had been making meatballs, since my hubby loves them so much, and playing with a simple recipe. They didn't last very long at all.. I had three out of a pan of 20.
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Dedicated Citizen
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Tue Feb 18, 2014 5:35 am |
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I had some of this when I was visiting my husband's family, though exact measurements were not given to me, I tried making it and it turned out okay:
Apple Cider Vinegar Potatoes
Ingredients:
Potatoes
Red Onion
Apple Cider Vinegar
Olive Oil
Dill
Directions:
Peel and cube potatoes, boil until soft
Chop onion
Drain potatoes, add onions, apple cider vinegar, olive oil and dill
She said it was a 50-50 ratio with the vinegar and olive oil. Also, keep in mind that the potatoes might soak up the vinegar and olive oil. You just want enough for the flavor - the apple cider vinegar is pretty strong.
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Dedicated Citizen
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Tue Feb 18, 2014 8:01 pm |
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Taco Salad
What you'll need
6 (6-inch diameter) flour tortillas
3 cups shredded iceberg or romaine lettuce
1 cup diced Cheddar or Monterey Jack
1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup halved grape tomatoes
HONEY-LIME DRESSING
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
How to make it
Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Set six 6-ounce custard cups upside down on a baking sheet. Cover the tortillas with a damp paper towel and microwave them until they are pliable (about 30 seconds). Working with one tortilla at a time, lightly coat both sides with cooking spray and then place each one over a cup. Gently press the tortilla edges against the cup.
Bake the tortillas until they are light golden brown (about 8 to 10 minutes). Remove the baked tortillas from the cups and place them upright on serving plates.
Toss together the lettuce, cheese, beans, and tomatoes in a large bowl.
In a medium bowl, whisk together all the dressing ingredients. Add the dressing to the large bowl and toss the mixture well.
Spoon the salad into the taco cups just before eating. Serves 6.
Mickey Mouse Sandwich
What you'll need
Mickey Sandwich Template
2 slices dark rye bread or pumpernickel
Turkey
White cheese (such as American or provolone)
3 raisins
Freezer paper
Sharp knife
How to make it
Print templates and then trace them onto freezer paper.
Cut Mickey's head and ears from dark bread, using the template as a guide. Reserve the crusts.
Stack turkey and cheese, then trim fillings to size using Mickey's head template. Cut eyes from white cheese using the eye template as a guide.
Begin construction of your sandwich by placing Mickey's bread "head" on your plate.
Top bread "head" with cheese and turkey. Be sure the turkey is on top -- this will be Mickey's face.
Place Mickey's bread "ears" on top of the turkey.
Position Mickey's eyes in the center of his face. Add raisin pupils and a raisin nose.
For Mickey's mouth, cut a small crescent shape from the reserved crusts of bread.
Cinderella Bento Box
What you'll need
Cinderella Bento Contents:
Cucumber and cream cheese sandwich with Cinderella topper
Fairy Godmother Pretzel Wands
Berry Jewel Bracelets
Cinderella Sandwiches: 2 slices of bread, cream cheese, thinly sliced cucumber, two colors of cheese, boiled egg, cucumber, red lettuce
Tools needed: Cinderella template, cutting board, small sharp knife, spreader, cookie cutters if desired
Helpful Tip:
Sandwich shaped boxes are a perfect starter bento. They can hold a full lunch when stacked or packed tightly and are easily available in grocery stores.
How to make it
Spread cream cheese on sandwich, top with thinly sliced cucumber for a princess treat!
Using template as a guide, cut Cinderella's face shape from lighter colored cheese.
Cut hair, using template from darker colored cheese. Place together and use dots of cream cheese to hold in place if needed.
For eyes, take a slice of boiled egg white, cut into eye shapes. Using a small straw, cut small circles from red lettuce or spinach to finish eyes. For mouth, use template or small circle cutter to cut lips from spinach or lettuce.
Use headband template to cut the hair piece from red lettuce, a sharp knife or fine pointed scissors work well.
Assemble face and hair accessories, use dots of cream cheese on a toothpick to help stick them in place.
Fairy Godmother Wands:
Dip tips of pretzel rods in melted chocolate, roll in colored sugar sprinkles. Allow to dry on waxed paper before putting in bento.
Berry Jewel Bracelets:
Materials: 1 stick dry spaghetti, mixed berries (raspberries, blueberries & blackberries work well), toothpick.
Pierce each fruit with a toothpick to make a hole in the "bead."
Thread carefully onto dry spaghetti to make a pattern, leave a bit at each end open.
Refrigerate for a few hours until spaghetti softens from fruit juices, then carefully round into bracelet.
Tuck remaining ends into berries to hold the bracelet together.
Pumpkin Praline Muffins
What you'll need
PRALINE TOPPING
3 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
1/3 cup flour
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/3 cup finely chopped pecans
MUFFIN BATTER
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup canned pumpkin
1/3 cup unsulfured molasses
1/3 cup canola oil
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
How to make it
Combine all the topping ingredients in a small bowl and use your fingers to rub them into a crumbly topping. Set it aside. Heat the oven to 400° F and grease the bottoms only of 12 standard muffin cups.
Next, make the batter: In a large bowl, whisk together both flours and the sugar, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, molasses, oil, eggs, milk, and vanilla extract. Stir the pumpkin mixture into the dry ingredients just until the batter is blended.
Divide the batter among the muffin cups and sprinkle on the praline topping. Then bake the muffins for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean. Let the muffins cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 to 10 minutes before removing them. Makes 1 dozen.
Breakfast Sausage Pizza
What you'll need
Crisco® Olive Oil No-Stick Cooking Spray
1 cup Hungry Jack® Original Pancake & Waffle Mix (Add Milk, Oil & Eggs)
1 tablespoon Crisco® 100 % Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/3 cup warm water
1/3 cup prepared marinara sauce
3 tablespoons Hungry Jack® Microwave Ready Regular Syrup
4 large eggs
2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
Fresh ground pepper
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack or mozzarella cheese
3 links breakfast sausage, sliced into 1/4-inch thick rounds
2 scallions, thinly sliced
Additional shredded Parmesan cheese for garnish
How to make it
Heat oven to 450°F. Coat 12-inch pizza pan with no-stick cooking spray.
Stir pancake mix, olive oil and water until a soft dough forms. With fingers coated with additional pancake mix, press evenly into prepared pan. Combine marinara sauce and syrup. Spread on crust.
Whisk eggs, milk, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper in medium bowl. Heat large skillet on medium-high heat. Pour egg mixture into skillet. Cook and scramble eggs 1 to 2 minutes or until eggs are thickened and no visible liquid egg remains. Spoon evenly over sauce. Top with Monterey Jack cheese and raw sliced sausage.
Bake 16 to 18 minutes or until lightly browned. Garnish with scallions and additional Parmesan cheese.
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Wed Feb 19, 2014 11:09 pm |
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Chocolate (or White Chocolate) Cheesecake
This recipe uses half white chocolate and half semisweet. You can use all of one or any mixture, but half and half is a very nice combination. I also used to make it with some raspberry-flavored chocolate, but that has become unavailable, so I either add some raspberry extract or replace the heavy cream (in the cheesecake, not the ganache) with raspberry juice (squeezed from about a pint of raspberries).
This recipe calls for changing the oven temperature several times. Because of the low temperatures, I figured accuracy was important, so I used an oven thermometer and made sure it agreed with the oven control setting.
I give three choices for the crust. For the cookie crusts, I expect you can use almost any chocolate cookie, but I also give a separate recipe for those.
Chocolate: I use Callebaut for baking, which is available at Whole Foods Market. Most brands may work well.
Ingredients
White Chocolate Curls
long white chocolate bar or block
Almond Crust
3 C sliced almonds (10 oz., 283 g)
½ C sugar (100 g)
4 T unsalted butter (57 g)
Thick Chocolate Cookie Crust
10 Deep Dark Chocolate Fudge Cookies (207 g, 7.3 oz., 2½ C chopped)
3 T and 1 t unsalted butter (47 g)
Thin Chocolate Cookie Crust
3 Deep Dark Chocolate Fudge Cookies (62 g, 2.2 oz., ¾ C chopped)
1 t unsalted butter (5 g)
Cheesecake
9 oz. white chocolate (255 g)
9 oz. semisweet chocolate (255 g)
½ C heavy cream (116 g) or 116 g raspberry juice
1¾ lb. cream cheese (794 g), softened
1 C granulated sugar (200 g)
1 t salt (optional, 5 cm3)
6 large eggs
1 t pure vanilla extract (5 cm3)
Chocolate Ganache
1/3 C heavy cream (78 g)
1 T unsalted butter (14 g)
1 T granulated sugar (12 g)
3 oz. semisweet chocolate (85 g)
Equipment
measuring cups
measuring spoons
small nonstick saute pan
9"×3" springform pan (about 23 cm × 8 cm)
food processor with metal blade
stainless steel bowl
double boiler with lid or film wrap
whisk
electric mixer with paddle
rubber spatula
baking sheet with sides
instant-read test thermometer
1½-quart (1.4 l) saucepan
large cotton towel
serrated knife
vegetable peeler
serving plate or cake circle
a cake lifter and/or two spatulas
White Chocolate Curls
long white chocolate bar or block
Warm the white chocolate. Marcel Desaulniers suggests leaving it between burners on the stove while other stuff is cooking. I warm the block in my microwave for 99 seconds on 10% power, but microwave ovens vary. You want the chocolate warmed only a little bit, so that it is firm but a bit flexible when peeled.
Once warmed, use a vegetable peeler to shave off curls. You can cut a bunch and save the curls for future recipes. Set aside two ounces (57 g) for the current cheesecake. If you are making the white chocolate cheesecake, you can use the remains of the block in the cheesecake.
You can skip the curls, but they make the cake look very fancy.
Almond Crust
3 C sliced almonds (10 oz., 283 g)
Chop the almonds in a food processor until very fine. Depending on the size of your food processor, you may need to do this in two batches.
½ C sugar (100 g)
Add sugar and blend in food processor.
4 T unsalted butter (57 g)
Melt butter and add to almonds and sugar. The mixture should barely stick together.
Press the mixture around the side of a 9"×3" springform pan. It may help to hold the pan vertically and rotate it as you press crumbs down onto the side of the pan. When the side is done, press the mixture onto the bottom of the pan. The quantities above are enough for a thick crust, so it is okay if you make a thinner crust and have some left over.
Place the pan in the freezer for 15 minutes. (You may leave it there 1 or 2 days, which I recommend to break up the work; the cheesecake takes all of an evening to bake.)
Thick Chocolate Cookie Crust
10 Deep Dark Chocolate Fudge Cookies (207 g, 7.3 oz., 2½ C chopped)
Chop cookies in a food processor until very fine. Depending on the size of your food processor, you may need to do this in two batches.
3 to 4 T butter (43 to 57 g)
Melt butter and mix with cookies so that they barely stick together.
1 t chilled butter (5 g)
Coat the inside of a 9"×3" springform pan with 1 t chilled butter (5 g).
Press the mixture around the side of a 9"×3" springform pan. It may help to hold the pan vertically and rotate it as you press crumbs down onto the side of the pan. When the side is done, press the mixture onto the bottom of the pan.
Place the pan in the freezer for 15 minutes. (You may leave it there 1 or 2 days, which I recommend to break up the work; the cheesecake takes all of an evening to bake.)
Thin Chocolate Cookie Crust
3 Deep Dark Chocolate Fudge Cookies (62 g, 2.2 oz., ¾ C chopped)
Chop cookies in a food processor until very fine.
1 t chilled butter
Coat the inside of a 9"×3" springform pan with 1 t chilled butter (5 g).
Dump cookie crumbs into springform pan and swirl to coat. You can alternately spray the pan with a baking spray and swirl the crumbs to get more to stick, but it is not necessary.
Place the pan in the freezer for 15 minutes. (You may leave it there 1 or 2 days, which I recommend to break up the work; the cheesecake takes all of an evening to bake.)
Cheesecake
Put the cream cheese out to soften.
Make sure the bottom rack of your oven is at least three inches below the center rack on which you will bake the cheesecake. Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C).
9 oz. white chocolate (255 g)
9 oz. semisweet chocolate (255 g)
Break chocolate into pieces, perhaps ½ oz. (14 g), for easy melting.
½ C heavy cream (116 g) or 116 g raspberry juice
Heat ½" of water in the bottom half of a double boiler over medium-high heat. Place the semisweet or white chocolate and heavy cream in the top half of the double boiler. Tightly cover the top with film wrap or put the lid on. Allow to heat for 10 to 12 minutes.
Stir to be sure all chocolate is melted or almost melted, then remove from heat and stir until smooth. Put aside.
1¾ lb. cream cheese (794 g), softened
1 C granulated sugar (200 g)
1 t salt (optional, 5 cm3)
Place the softened cream cheese, sugar, and optional salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle. (Desaulniers is specific about the paddle. The "paddle" for my mixer is an open plastic oval, not solid. If you do not have a paddle, try one balloon whip.)
Beat on low for 1 minute, on medium for 1 minute, and on high for 1 minute.
Scrape down the side of the bowl, then beat on high for 1 more minute.
Scrape down the bowl.
6 large eggs
1 t pure vanilla extract (5 cm3)
Add the eggs, 2 at a time, beating on medium for 15 seconds after adding, and scrape down the bowl after each addition.
Add the vanilla extract and the melted chocolate mixture, then beat on medium for 15 seconds.
Remove the bowl from the mixer.
Use a rubber spatula to finish mixing the batter until it is smooth and thoroughly combined.
Pour the cheesecake mixture into the prepared springform pan, spreading evenly. (That's what Desaulniers' instructions say, but the batter with white chocolate flows fluidly, so there's no need to spread it. If you use all semisweet chocolate, the batter might need a little spreading.)
Place a baking sheet with sides partially filled with 4 C of hot water on the bottom rack of the oven (the bottom rack should be at least three inches below the center rack).
Place the springform pan on the center rack of the oven and bake for 15 minutes.
Lower the temperature to 250°F (121°C) and bake for 15 minutes.
Lower the temperature to 225°F (107°C) and bake for 15 minutes.
Then lower the temperature to 200°F (93°C), and bake the cheesecake until the internal temperature of the cheesecake filling reaches 170°F (77°C), about 2 hours and 45 minutes. (The cheesecake is liquid and will slosh, so do not lift the pan. Gently pull the rack partially out of the oven to bring the cake into reach so you can insert the thermometer.)
Turn off the oven and allow the cheesecake to remain in the oven undisturbed for an additional 2 hours.
Remove from the oven and cool at room temperature for 1 hour. (That's 6½ hours from start of baking until you are done for the day!)
Refrigerate the cheesecake for 12 hours (do not remove the cake from the pan).
Chocolate Ganache and Finishing the Cheesecake
After the cheesecake has been refrigerated for 12 hours, prepare the chocolate ganache.
3 oz. semisweet chocolate (85 g)
Break the chocolate into very small pieces, 1/8 oz. (4 g) or smaller, and place it into a stainless steel bowl.
1/3 C heavy cream (78 g)
1 T unsalted butter (14 g)
1 T granulated sugar (12 g)
Heat heavy cream, butter, and sugar in a 1½-quart saucepan (1.4 l) over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil.
Pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for 4 minutes.
Stir with a whisk until smooth.
Pour over the top of the chilled cheesecake. Use a rubber spatula to spread the ganache evenly over the top of the cake, being careful not to spread it over the edge and down the side of the cheesecake. (I do not use a spatula; if you pour the ganache immediately after preparing it, then you can get a smooth top just by tilting and rolling the cake. Avoid letting the ganache drip down the side.)
Refrigerate for 30 minutes to set.
The cake can now be released from the springform pan. To do this, wrap a damp, hot cotton towel around the side of the pan (the towel should be large enough to wrap completely around and cover the side of the pan) and hold it around the pan for about 1 minute. Carefully release and remove the springform pan. Use a serrated knife to trim the crust so that it is level with the ganache (trim the crust away from the cake so that it does not fall into the ganache).
Toss the white chocolate curls onto the cheesecake. Transfer the cake to a serving plate or cake circle.
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Thu Feb 20, 2014 1:49 am |
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Crispy Cheddar Chicken
2 lbs chicken tenders or 4 large chicken breasts
2 sleeves Ritz crackers
1/4 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup whole milk
3 cups cheddar cheese, grated
1 teaspoon dried parsley
Sauce:
1 10 ounce can cream of chicken soup
2 tablespoon sour cream
2 tablespoon butter
Crush crackers. If using chicken breasts and not tenders, cut each chicken breast into 3 large pieces. Pour the milk, cheese and cracker crumbs into 3 separate small pans. Toss the salt and pepper into the cracker crumbs and stir the mixture around to combine. Dip each piece of chicken into the milk and then the cheese. Press the cheese into the chicken with your fingers. Then press the cheesy coated chicken into the cracker crumbs and press it in.
Spray a 9×13 pan with cooking spray and lay the chicken inside the pan. Sprinkle the dried parsley over the chicken. Cover the pan with tin foil and bake at 400 degrees for 35 minutes. Remove the tin foil, bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the edges of the chicken are golden brown and crispy.
In a medium sized sauce pan combine the cream of chicken soup, sour cream and butter with a whisk. Stir it over medium high heat until the sauce is nice and hot. Serve over the chicken.
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Homemade King Hawaiian Rolls & Loaf
Ingredients
•6 cups all-purpose flour, plus an additional 1/2 cup flour, divided
•3 eggs
•2 cups pineapple juice, room temperature
•3/4 cup sugar
•1 teaspoon vanilla
•2 (1/4 ounce) envelopes yeast
•1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) butter, melted
Instructions
1.In a small bowl, beat your 3 eggs. Add the 2 cups pineapple juice, sugar, vanilla, and melted butter.
2.Measure 3 cups of the flour into a large bowl. Stir in your egg mixture until well-combined. Sprinkle in the yeast packets, one at a time, mixing well.
3.Add the remaining 3 cups of flour and mix well. If it becomes to difficult to stir with a wooden spoon, just use your hands! Make sure all of the flour is well incorporated—the dough should be tacky to the touch but not overly sticky. If it appears too wet, sprinkle in a bit of extra flour, just a tablespoon or so at a time. Cover your bowl with a clean kitchen towel and set it in a warm place to rise for 1 hour.
4.Remove your dough from the bowl and knead in an additional ½ cup of flour. I kneaded mine 10 to 15 times, making sure the flour was well incorporated. Form the dough into rolls, and/or loaf. Place in buttered pans. Cover and place in warm place to rise for an additional hour, or until the dough doubles in size.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Brush tops with melted butter, and serve warm
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Sat Feb 22, 2014 5:48 pm |
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A very simple snack for those days you realize you haven't eaten enough fruit for the day:
Apple-nut bowls.
Ingredients:
1 large apple (I prefer Granny Smith's green apples)
2 TSP peanut or almond butter, divided
1 TSP jam (your choice), divided.
What to do:
Cut your apple in half
Remove the seeds and core from the center of each half, being careful not to cut through.
Add 1 tsp peanut/ almond butter to each half
Top with 1/2 tsp of jam
Enjoy! ^___^
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