Sunday 28 April 2013

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake

How yummy does this dessert look? I am heading out to get cream cheese tomorrow to try this out! Can't wait!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake


3 (8oz)cream cheese, soft

3 eggs

3/4 c sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 (16.5-oz) cookie dough




1.  Preheat 350 degrees

2.  Beat together cream cheese, eggs, sugar, and vanilla until well mixed; set aside. Slice dough1/4-inch slices.

3.  Arrange slices from one roll on bottom of a greased 9- x 13 press together so there are no holes in dough. Spoon cream cheese mix over dough; top with remaining slices dough.

4.  Bake 45 to 50 until golden and center is slightly firm.




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M&M Shooter

Here is a fun shooter drink to try the next time you and the girls get together.

M&M Shooter

1/2 oz. Frangelico (Hazelnut Liqueur)

1/2 oz Creme de Cacao

*optional ~ whipped cream and M&Ms for garnish

Mix together and serve in a shot glass.

Top with Whipped Cream and garnish with M&Ms if desired.


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Quinoa Tabbouleh

A great substitution for an old faithful recipe. Using quinoa instead of couscous, bring Tabbouleh into this century.


Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup  (175 mL) quinoa
  • 1 cup  (250 mL) chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 cup  (250 mL) chopped English cucumber
  •  1/2cup (125 mL) chopped green onions
  • 1/4cup (60 mL)  chopped fresh mint
  • 1 tomato, seeded and chopped

Dressing:
  • 3 tbsp  (45 mL) lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp  (30 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
  • 1/4 tsp  (1 mL) pepper

Preparation

Rinse quinoa under cold running water. In saucepan, bring 1-1/2 cups water to boil; add quinoa and return to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until no liquid remains, 18 minutes.

Remove from heat; fluff with fork. Transfer to bowl; let cool. Add parsley, cucumber, green onions, mint and tomato.

Dressing: Whisk together lemon juice, oil, salt and pepper; pour over quinoa mixture and toss to coat. Serve at room temperature or cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

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Grilled Corn with Chive Butter


This is going to be a LOT more exciting than just plain butter on your corn. Woo! Exciting!!
 
 

 

Ingredients

6 medium ears sweet corn in husks

1/2 cup butter, melted  



2 tablespoons minced chives

1 tablespoon sugar

1-1/2 teaspoons lemon juice

Salt and pepper

                  Directions
                  • Soak corn in cold water for 1 hour. In a small bowl, combine the butter, chives, sugar, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Carefully peel back corn husks to within 1 in. of bottom; remove silk. Brush with butter mixture. Rewrap corn in husks and secure with kitchen string.
                  • Grill corn, uncovered, over medium heat for 25-30 minutes, turning occasionally.
                   Yield: 6 servings.
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                  Curried Chicken and Apple Lettuce Wraps

                  This wrap is a play on the regular and sometimes boring chicken salad sandwich, but without mayo and with the addition of sweet and crunchy apple and the spice of curry and turmeric


                  1 cup (250 mL) diced cooked chicken breast

                  1/4 stalk celery, diced

                  1/4 cup (50 mL) apple, skin on, diced

                  Small handful cilantro, finely chopped

                  1/4 cup (50 mL) low-fat yogurt

                  1 tsp (5 mL) curry powder

                  Juice of one lemon

                  Pinch each salt and pepper

                  4 big leaves red or Boston lettuce (Be sure the lettuce you choose as your wrap is sturdy enough to hold in the chicken).


                  1.  In a medium bowl, combine diced chicken, celery, apple and cilantro.

                  2.  In a separate small bowl, stir together yogurt, curry powder and lemon juice. Add to chicken mixture and fold together. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

                  3.  Lay washed lettuce leaves on a clean workspace. Place one-quarter of the chicken mixture on each leaf. Tuck in the sides of lettuce and roll up from the end. Cut rolls in half and secure leaves with a toothpick.

                  Serves four.
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                  Tuesday 23 April 2013

                  Moroccan Grilled Scallops with Eggplant Confit

                  Although scallops are not Moroccan seafood, they stand up beautifully to the spicing. Serve this as a sophisticated first course or as a main course with couscous.  Sicilian eggplants are meatier than regular kinds but use the regular if that's all you have available.

                  1 ~ medium Sicilian Eggplant

                  1/4 cup ~ olive oil

                  Salt and freshly ground pepper

                  2 tsp ~ ground ginger

                  2 tsp ~ paprika

                  2 tsp ~ ground cumin

                  1/4 tsp ~ cayenne

                  1 tsp ~ grated lemon rind

                  1 cup  ~ Chopped onions

                  1 tbsp ~ chopped garlic

                  2 cups ~ chopped tomatoes

                  1 tbsp ~ lemon juice

                  2 tbsp ~ chopped parsley

                  12 ~ large scallops

                  2 tbsp ~ unsalted better

                  1.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees farenheit

                  2.  Cut strips of skin from eggplant to make striped effect. Cut eggplant into 1/2 inch thick slices.  Brush with 2 tbsp oil, season with salt and papper and place on a baking sheet.  Bake for 20 mins turning once or until browned.  Remove from heat and cool. 

                  3.  Combine ginger, paprika, cumin, cayenne and lemon rind.

                  4.  Heat remaining 2 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute for 2 mins.   Add half of spice mixture and cook another 30 seconds.  Add eggplant and tomatoes, stir together, reduce heat and cook slowly for 25 mins or until mixture is thick and tasty.  Stir in lemon juice and parsley and season with salt and papper.  Reheat when needed. 

                  5.  Sprinkel scallops with remaining spice mixture and season with salt and papper.

                  6.  Heat butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add Scallops and sear about 1 to 2 mins per side.  Scallops should be opaque in the centre

                  7.  Spoon eggplant mixture onto 4 serving plates and top with scallops.

                  Serves 4 as main course, 6 as appetizer.



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                  Indian Spice-rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Applesauce

                  Using Indian Spicing in a subtle manner enhances the flavour of the pork. Serve with curried lentils. If you don't have a spice grinder, you can start with already ground spices although they do not have the same depth of flavour. A Spy or Granny Smith is the best apple to use with this recipe.

                  Two 1 lb ~ pieces of pork tenderloin

                  Salt to taste

                  2 tbsp ~ vegetable oil

                  SPICE MIXTURE

                  2 tsp ~ Cumin Seeds

                  1 tbsp ~ Fennel Seeds

                  2 tsp ~ Coriander Seeds

                  1 tsp ~ Ground Cinnamon

                  ROASTED APPLESAUCE

                  4 ~ tart apples, peeled and chopped into 1 inch pieces

                  1 cup ~ choped onions

                  1 tbsp ~ chopped ginger

                  1 tbsp ~ maple syrup

                  1/2 cup ~ apple cider

                  1 tbsp ~ grated orange rind

                  1.  Heat a skillet over medium heat until hot. Add cumin, fennel and coriander seeds and toast until you can smell the spice (about 2 to 3 mins). Remove from heat. Grind spices in a spice grinder then combine with cinnamon. Sprinkle pork tenderloins with 2 tbsp spice mixture reserving 1 tbsp for applesauce. Season with salt.

                  2.  Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet. Add tenderloins and brown on all sides, about 6 mins in total

                  3.  Remove tenderloins from skillet then add apples, onions, and ginger. Saute until softened, about 3 mins. Stir in remaining spice mixture and saute 1 min longer. Add maple syrup, apple cider and orange rind and bring to boil. Return tenderloins, cover skillet and cook for 12 to 15 mins or until tenderloins are just pink inside and apples are tender.

                  4.  Slice tenderloin and serve with apple and onion mixture on the side as well as some lentils.

                  Serves 4. 





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                  Pudding Pops ~ Chocolate Cookies and Cream

                  I can just remember the Bill Cosby Jello Pudding Pops commercial from when I was a kid.... Yes I am sort of dating myself with that comment lol. My mom never bought them for us, so these are a REAL treat for me :)


                  1 ~  Pkg. (4 serving size) Jello-o Chocolate Instant Pudding

                  2  ~ Cups cold milk

                  6  ~ Oreo Cookies

                  1/2 cup ~ thawed Cool Whip Whipped Topping




                  1.  Beat Pudding mix and milk with a whisk in a large bowl.for 2 minutes.

                  2.  Place cookies is a resealable plastic bag; seal the bag.  Use rolling pin to crush the cookies.

                  3.  Add crushed cookies and cool whip to pudding.  Stir just until blended.

                  4.  Spoon into 9 small paper or plastic cups

                  5.  Insert wooden popsicle sticks or plastic spoons into each  for a handle. 

                  Freeze for 5 hours or until firm. To remove from cup, place the bottom of the cup in a bowl of warm water for 15 seconds. Press up on bottom of the cup.

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                  Monday 22 April 2013

                  Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownie Bombs

                  I can't wait to try these!! I am going to put a couple in the freezer to see what they are like cold. Yum Yum for my tum tum

                  Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownie Bombs

                  3/4 cup butter, softened

                  3/4 cup brown sugar

                  1/4 cup white sugar

                  2 Tbsp milk

                  1 tsp vanilla extract

                  2 cups all-purpose flour

                  Pinch salt

                  2 cups miniature chocolate chips, divided

                  1 pkg fudge brownie mix, baked and cooled

                  1 pkg Candiquik or chocolate almond bark


                  1. Let’s make some dough! In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter and sugars until creamy. Add the milk and vanilla; beat to combine. Lastly, beat in the flour and pinch of salt until a soft dough forms. Stir in ONE (1) cup of the mini chips.

                  2. On a foil-lined baking sheet, drop rounded, (scant) Tablespoon-sized balls of dough. I used a cookie dough scoop for this and just scantily filled it so the cookie dough balls wouldn’t be so big. Freeze the cookie dough balls for about an hour to firm up.

                  3. Cut the brownies into small squares, about 1″ in size. Pick up a square and gently flatten it with your palm. Fudgy brownies will flatten easily and retain their moisture which is why it’s important to make sure you use a fudgy brownie mix rather than a cake-y one.

                  4. Place a cookie dough ball in the middle of the flattened brownie and very gently, wrap the brownie around the cookie dough ball. If the brownie cracks, that’s okay; just kind of roll it in your fingers until the brownie completely surrounds the cookie dough. Repeat until all cookie dough balls are covered, then return to the freezer for 30 minutes or so.

                  5. Prepare chocolate bark according to package directions. Using a fork, dip each brownie truffle into the chocolate, coat completely, and allow excess to drip off. Return to the foil-line sheet and sprinkle the tops with the remaining cup of mini chips, for garnish. Store these bad boys in the fridge or freezer, in an airtight container.

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                  Old Fashioned Rice Pudding

                  There's nothing like a good old fashioned rice pudding, especially one that isn't too hard to make! Yum!

                  2/3 c. Minute Rice

                  2 3/4 c. milk

                  1/3 c. sugar

                  1 tbsp. butter

                  1/2 tsp. salt

                  1/2 tsp. vanilla

                  1/4 tsp. nutmeg

                  Cinnamon

                  1/2 c. raisins (optional)
                  Combine Minute Rice, milk and raisins, sugar, butter, salt, vanilla and nutmeg in a buttered 1 quart baking dish. Bake in 350 degree oven for 1 hour, stirring after 15 minutes and again when pudding is done. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

                  Serve warm or chilled. Pudding thickens as it stands. Serves 4-5.

                  Note: Ingredients can be doubled for more servings with the exception of milk using just 4 cups of milk.



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                  Rolo Cheescake bars!

                  Rolo Cheesecake bars....need I say more? =P



                  CRUST:


                  3 cups of graham cracker crumbs
                  1 cup sugar
                  2 STICKS MELTED BUTTER (16 TABLESPOONS)


                  STIR ALL TOGETHER AND PRESS INTO A 9X13 PAN LINED WITH NONSTICK FOIL.
                  BAKE AT 350 FOR 7-10 MINUTES AND COOL.


                  FILLING:
                  BEAT: 2 8-OUNCE PACKAGES OF CREAM CHEESE
                  2 EGGS
                  1C. SUGAR
                  1/4C. FLOUR
                  ONCE SMOOTH, ADD ONE PACKAGE OF MINI ROLOS (THE UNWRAPPED ONES)

                  POUR ONTO THE COOL CRUST AND BAKE AT 350 FOR 30-35 MINUTES.

                  LET COOL AND ADD GLAZE.

                  GLAZE:

                  MELT IN THE MICROWAVE:
                  1 STICK BUTTER & 6 OUNCES CHOCOLATE CHIPS.
                  STIR SMOOTH AND ADD 4 TSP. LIGHT CORN SYRUP.
                  POUR SMOOTHLY ON BARS AND CHILL OVERNIGHT.
                  CUT WITH A BIG KNIFE! I ADDED A CHOCOLATE DRIZZLE AND A HALF A ROLO ON TOP!

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                  Monday 1 April 2013

                  Pull apart Pizza bread

                  Pizza Bread!!! I love pizza - its my second fave food group behind ice cream ;) I can't wait to try this recipe out!


                  1/3 cup favorite flavored dipping oil
                  2 teaspoons garlic powder
                  2 (16 ounce) pkgs pre-made pizza dough or homemade pizza dough
                  1 (7 oz) pkg sliced pepperoni
                  1 (8 oz) pkg shredded mozzarella cheese


                  1. Preheat oven to 375F


                  2. Separate pizza dough into small bite sized pieces.

                  3. In a bowl add your favorite flavored dipping oil. Toss dough pieces in dipping oil to lightly coat.

                  4. Layer dough pieces in bottom of bundt or fluted tube pan, next layer sliced pepperoni, shredded cheese
                  and sprinkle with garlic powder. Repeat layers again, and end with final layer of dough pieces.

                  5. Bake in the preheated oven until the bread is browned and cooked through in the center, 30-40 min

                  6. Remove from oven, and invert the pan on a cutting board; the bread will fall out of the pan in one piece.

                  7. Serve by pulling the bread apart into individual servings with optional marinara dipping sauce on the side.

                   Layer the pan until about 2/3  full.  Best if served warm.

                  As found on the website. inthekitchenwithkp

                  Peanut Butter Chocolate Eclair Cake

                  Ok another peanut butter with chocolate recipe...how can you go wrong, really? Well never in my world...unless you tried to sell me on peanut butter and chocolate with liver or something crazy like that lol. Try this recipe out, it sounds like a real winner!


                  1 bx   chocolate graham crackers
                  2 bx   3-1/4-ounce boxes vanilla instant pudding
                  1 c     peanut butter
                   3-     1/2 c milk
                  8 oz container cool-whip (thawed)
                  1 can chocolate frosting



                  1.  Spray the bottom of a 9x13 pan with cooking spray. Line the bottom of the pan with whole graham crackers.

                  2.  In bowl of an electric mixer, mix pudding with milk and peanut butter; beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Fold in whipped topping. Pour half the pudding mixture over graham crackers. Place another layer of whole graham crackers on top of pudding layer. Pour over remaining half of pudding mixture and cover with another layer of graham crackers.

                  3.  Heat the container of prepared frosting, uncovered in the microwave for 1 minute. Pour over the top of the cake.

                  4.  Refrigerate for at least 12 hours before serving.