Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

This one is for Kasey's next birthday.....maybe we will try it before then?? Whenever we come across a cheesecake recipe we always think of Kasey. He loves cheesecake. I can get him to do about anything for me if I promise him cheesecake. Anyway Lisa found this recipe and left it on my desk with a note that said, "KASEY'S BIRTHDAY CAKE PLEASE!!!" So before I lose it in this mess of papers I am going to post it so I can find it when the time comes to make it.

July 2010 - Well I did actually make this for Kasey's Birthday this year. It was a hit!!! Lisa actually made 2 boxes of his all time favorite boxed Jello Cheesecake just to make sure he got enough cheesecake. Much to her dismay....the graham crackers or something was rancid and she had to throw it all away. And NO they were not old, she just bought them the week before. So it was a good thing I had made this Cheesecake and that it was good.

I think this recipe has lots of possibilities!! It is a definite keeper!! Baking the cheesecake in water really made it creamy and wonderful. Before when I have baked cheesecakes I felt like the texture was weird and dry...not this one!!

Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake
1 1/2 c. cream filled chocolate sandwich cookie crumbs
2 T. melted, butter
4 - 8 oz. pkgs. cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 c. sugar
1 c. sour cream
1 t. vanilla
3 eggs, lightly beaten
9 oz. semi-sweet chocolate pieces (1 1/2 c.)
1/2 c. raspberry jam
TOPPING - (AKA: Ganache)
6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate pieces (I prefer milk chocolate - 1 c.)
1/3 c. heavy whipping cream (I added 1 T. corn syrup & 1/2 t. vanilla)
optional: fresh raspberries & whipped cream OR make a raspberry sauce
Place a greased 9 in. springform pan on a double layer of heavy duty foil. Securely wrap foil around pan.
Combine cookie crumbs and butter, press into bottom of prepared pan.
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in sour cream and vanilla. Add eggs, beat on low just until combined. Set aside 1 1/2 cups of batter and pour remaining batter over crust.
In a microwave bowl melt chocolate on 50% power stirring every minute until melted. Stir in jam until well blended. Stir in reserved batter just until blended. Drop by tablespoonfuls over the plain batter - do NOT swirl. (NEXT TIME I THINK I WILL SWIRL IT) Place springform pan in a large baking pan and fill large outer pan with 1inch of hot water.
Bake at 325 for 65 to 75 minutes or until center is just set and top appears dull. Remove springform pan from water bath. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen, cool 1 hour longer.
For topping place, chocolate pieces in small bowl. In a saucepan heat cream just to a boil. Pour over chocolate, whisk until smooth. Cool slightly. Spread over top of cheesecake. Refrigerate overnight. Garnish with raspberries and whipped cream and serve.
HaPpY BirThDay KaSeY!!!!!!!!

August 2010 - I made it again.  This time I did swirl in the chocolate.  Just make sure you swirl carefully so as not to disturb the crust.  I also made a raspberry sauce to pour over it.  I used milk chocolate this time and it didn't melt as good as the semi-sweet and it wasn't pretty and shiny like before.....but it was yummy!!

Pork Linguine

Here's a new one from Laurie Charley.
Laurie says, "This was the second time I made this recipe. I made some notes last time and made a couple changes. My whole family loved it! I doubled the recipe to be sure I would have leftovers for my lunch."

Asian Pork Linguine
6oz uncooked linguine
2 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 c. water
2 T. honey
2 T. soy sauce
1/8 tsp. ginger
1/8 c. creamy peanut butter
1 lb. pork loin, cubed
3 tsp. sesame oil (I love sesame oil!)
2 med carrots, sliced
1 med onion halved and sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Cook linguine. Sauce:cornstarch, water, PB, soy sauce, honey, ginger, blend and set aside.
Stir fry pork in 2 tsp. oil until no longer pink. Remove from pan. Stir fry carrots,onion,garlic in 1 tsp oil until tender. Add sauce, bring to boil cook and stir 2 min until thickened. Add pork, drained linguine. Stir to coat.

Monday, January 18, 2010

Cheddar Potato Chowder

This recipe came from Laurie Charley. Laurie is my daughter that I share with Marcia. I am Mom #2. Laurie is a wonderful cook. Laurie said, "This soup is one of my families favorites! I found this recipe while doing Weight Watchers so I use low fat cheese to keep the points low. We invited friends for dinner after church tomorrow and this is what I am going to serve, with crescent rolls. I will put all the veggies in the crock pot to cook while at church and then just make the cheese sauce when I get home so it will be quick to serve."
I can't wait to try this one!!!

Cheddar Potato Chowder
2 cups water
2 cups red potato, diced
1 cup carrots, diced
¼ cup onion, chopped
½ cup celery, diced
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
¼ cup flour
2 cups skim milk
8 ounces reduced fat cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup lean ham, diced
Combine first seven ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10-12 min. Place flour in sauce pan whisk in milk, bring to a boil over med. heat; cook and stir until thickened. Remove from heat, add cheese, stir until melted. Stir in ham and cheese mixture into undrained vegetables.
1 c.=4 pt. in Weight Watchers

Savory Leek & Ham Quiche

This recipe was sent to me by Laurie Charley. She found this recipe online and changed it up a bit to her liking (this is the changed version). When she was Relief Society President she had a Birthday bash every other month to celebrate those sisters who had birthdays in those months. It was on Saturday and brunch was served. This recipe went over so well, the sisters started spreading the word, and many were looking forward to their birthday month so they could try it.

SAVORY LEEK & HAM QUICHE
1 Tbsp. oil
2 leeks halved lengthwise, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
3/4 cup chopped OSCAR MAYER Smoked Ham
1 ready-to-use refrigerated pie crust (1/2 of 15-oz. pkg.)
1 cup cheddar cheese
6 eggs
1-1/2 cups half-and-half
PREHEAT oven to 375°F. Heat oil in large skillet on medium heat. Add leeks; cook and stir 8 to 10 min. or until tender. Stir in ham. Remove from heat; set aside.PREPARE pie crust as directed on package for unfilled 1-crust pie using 9-inch pie plate. Sprinkle half of the cheese evenly onto bottom of crust. Top with leek mixture and remaining cheese. Beat eggs and half-and-half with wire whisk until well blended; pour over ingredients in crust.
BAKE 35 to 40 min. or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 10 min. before serving.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Need a NEW Main Dish??? here's a couple to try...

I sent these recipes to Loralyn and I thought you might like them too. I got them off of Realmomkitchen.com. Alisha

Thank you Alisha!!!

South-of-the-Border Chicken & Pasta Skillet
2 cups medium-size pasta
1 chicken breast, cubed
2 cups salsa
4 oz.Cream Cheese, cubed
2 cups corn
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1 cup Cheese, divided
Cook pasta as directed on package. Cook and stir chicken in large nonstick skillet sprayed with cooking spray on medium-high heat 6 min. or until done. Add salsa, cream cheese, corn and cumin; simmer on medium-low 6 min. or until corn is heated through and cream cheese is melted, stirring occasionally. Drain pasta; add to skillet with half the shredded cheese. Simmer 3 min. or until heated through. Top with remaining shredded cheese; cover. Remove from heat; let stand 5 min. or until cheese is melted.


Applesauce BBQ Sauce Shredded Pork
1 pork loin (around 3 pounds)
some apple juice, if desired
Applesauce BBQ Sauce
1 cup applesauce
1/2 cup BBQ sauce or ketchup
2 cups brown sugar
6 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Place pork loin in crock pot and cook on low for 8 hours. Add a little apple juice, if desired. Remove from crock pot and shred. Remove any juice or fat left in crock pot. Place meat back in crock pot and add prepared applesauce bbq sauce. Heat until warm.
To prepare sauce: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, mix applesauce, BBQ Sauce OR ketchup, brown sugar, lemon juice, ground black pepper, salt, paprika, garlic powder and cinnamon. Stirring frequently, bring mixture to a boil. Remove from heat. (Also good with chicken)

The recipe calls for ketchup, but when Alisha made it she said, "I accidently put in BBQ sauce and we loved it". Since the recipe has BBQ in the title, I was just thinking BBQ sauce. Kinda funny! A lot of good recipes come from mistakes.
So with that....you choose which way you prefer to make it!??!?!?!?

Lacey Making Teddy Bear Cookies