Irish Cream Cheesecake

I received an Irish Pub Cookbook and am getting super stoked to cook through the entire thing!

Ingredients
 1 1/2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs
 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
 1/4 cup butter

 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
 1 1/4 cups white sugar
 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
 3 eggs
 1/2 cup sour cream
 1/4 cup Irish cream

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F . In a large bowl, mix together the cookie crumbs, confectioners' sugar and 1/3 cup cocoa. Add melted butter and stir until well mixed. Pat into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes; set aside. Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees F
In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, white sugar, 1/4 cup cocoa and flour. Beat at medium speed until well blended and smooth. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Blend in the sour cream and Irish cream liqueur; mixing on low speed. Pour filling over baked crust.
Bake at 450 degrees F  for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 250 degrees F, and continue baking for 60 minutes.
With a knife, loosen cake from rim of pan. Let cool, then remove the rim of pan. Chill before serving. If your cake cracks, a helpful tip is to dampen a spatula and smooth the top, then sprinkle with some chocolate wafer crumbs.

Beef & Stout Pies

1 1/2 lbs stewing beef, diced
sea salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons flour (heaping)
2 -3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
4 sticks celery, roughly chopped
2 parsnips, peeled and roughly chopped
rosemary, thyme, bay (fresh herbs, pick leaves and add about a handful)
2 1/2 cups Guinness stout or 2 1/2 cups other dark stout beer
28 ounces tomatoes
puff pastry, defrosted (1 lb. 2 oz. package)
1 egg, beaten

Directions:
Season your beef generously with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the flour and toss around until all pieces are well coated.
Heat olive oil, over med.-high heat, in a large casserole type pan and brown the meat. Make sure to not crowd your meat. You may do this in two batches, if necessary.
Add the onion and cook for 1 more minute. Then add the carrot, celery, parsnips and fresh herbs. Cook for another 4 minutes. Add the Guinness and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Stir and turn down the heat to simmer. Simmer this mixture for about 2 hours or until the meat is very tender. The sauce should be thick and intensely flavored. Season if needed.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.

Put your meat filling into a large, round baking dish. You could also make individual pies. Any high-sided round ovenproof bowl is fine.

Roll out the pastry, dusting with flour as you go, until it is about 1/4 inch thick. Cut out a large circle (or individual circles for smaller servings) - about 1/2 inch bigger than the top of your bowl. Brush the rim(s) of the bowl with the beaten egg, then place the pastry circle(s) on top, pushing the excess pastry down the outside of the bowl to secure. Lightly score the top of the pastry in a criss-cross manner and brush with more of the beaten egg.
Bake in the middle of the preheated oven for about 45 minutes or until golden and bubbling.

I am not kidding, this is the most delicious thing you will ever taste!

Now I am not a big cheesecake fan whatsoever, so seeing this in the latest issue of #BonAppetit was not something I took note of.  The thing that stood out was the use of Greek yogurt and the yummy pomegranate syrup, so I thought I would give it a whirl. The result was amazing.  This was one of the best things I have ever tasted and I love food, cooking,  and a great pallet.

You have to try this version, creamy, delicious and irresistible!

I bought a graham cracker crust to save time and it did not affect the taste at all, but feel free to make your own!

For the filling:
1 1/2 lbs of cream cheese at room temp.
2 c of Greek yogurt
2 tbs lemon juice
3/4 c sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 tbs dry gelatin
1/4 tsp kosher salt

In a food processor pulse cream cheese, yogurt, lemon juice, vanilla, sugar and salt.

Take the dry gelatin and dissolve in 2 tbs of water in a heat proof ramekin or bowl. Let this stand for 5-10 minutes.  Take a small sauce pan and heat water, place the container of gelatin inside until liquefied.  Once gelatin in liquefied pour into food processor and mix thoroughly.

Spoon filling into crust and refrigerate for a few hours.

For Pomegranate sauce:
2 C. Pom juice (don't use fresh pomegranate juice, it will turn brown)
2 tbs sugar
3 tbs light corn syrup
Contents of one pomegranate separated to seeds only.  (use for topping and garnish)
Mix juice, sugar and syrup in saucepan.  Bring to a low boil and then simmer for 40 minutes.  Remove from heat and refrigerate.

Ready to serve!  Cut cheesecake and top with syrup and seeds.  Enjoy!

My Favorite Soup For Fall

Ingredients

For the soup:

• 2 1/2 quarts chicken stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 pounds asparagus, cut into 1-inch lengths (tough ends removed and discarded) 
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
• 3 white onions, chopped
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour (approximately, or as needed to create roux)
• 1 pint heavy cream

For the crab souffle:

• 1 pound  crabmeat
• 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons freshly chopped thyme leaves (I like Lemon thyme)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 lemon, juiced plus 1 or 2 lemons cut in wedges, for garnish

For the soup:

Directions

Bring stock and bay leaves to a boil in a large pot. Cook asparagus until tender and add to stock pot. Melt butter in a separate saucepan and gently saute onions until tender, then gradually add flour (with a non-reactive utensil such as a wooden spoon), and cook until similar to a roux. Transfer to the pot of stock to thicken soup. Let simmer for 45 minutes. Remove bay leaves from soup. *Blend to a puree with an immersion blender, or in batches in a blender or food processor. Add cream to the soup, and keep warm over low heat.

For the crab "souffle," mix crab, mayonnaise, thyme, salt and pepper, and squeeze of fresh lemon juice, trying to avoid breaking up the lumps of crabmeat. Place a scoop of the crabmeat in the center of soup bowl and ladle the asparagus soup around. Garnish with a lemon wedge.

Minestra

If you want an amazing soup this is great for entertaining.  Serve with fresh parmigiano-reggiano and crusty bread.

Serves 6

1 head escarole (chopped) or Kale  
6 quarts chicken broth
3 large carrots, chopped

For the meatballs
1 pound veal or ground pork
2 large eggs
1/2 cup minced shallot
1 cup plain bread crumbs
1 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper
8 oz ditalini or tubetti

In a large pot, combine the escarole, broth and carrots.  Bring to a simmer and cook until the escarole is almost tender, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile mix together all of the meatball ingredients.  Shape into tiny balls (less than 1 inch diameter). Stir in the pasta and drop the meatballs into the soup.   Cook over low heat, stirring gently, until the meatballs and pasta are cooked.  About 20 minutes.  Serve with grated parmesan.

My Mom's Applesauce Cookies

Do you remember coming home from school and your house smelling amazing?  My mom always had something yummy cooking.  This is one of my favorites, thanks mom :).

Preheat oven to 375 | Place parchment paper on your cookie sheets | Yield 40 cookies
1/4 lb butter
1/2 C brown sugar
1/2 C sugar
1 egg
1 C applesauce
2 C flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground cloves

Cream butter and two sugars.  Stir in egg and applesauce.  Mix flour, soda, salt and spices.  Add to other mixture until smooth.  Bake for 5-7 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Spanish Tortilla- Tapa or side dish

This is an amazing way to put potatoes together in a different way.  Serve it with a garlicky mayo for lots of love.
1 1/2 C Olive Oil
2 lb. Yukon Gold Potatoes, peeled, quartered and sliced (about 1/4")
1 White onion, quartered and thinly sliced
2 1/2 tbs Kosher salt
8 Eggs beaten

Heat olive oil in ovenproof skillet over medium heat.  Add potatoes, onion and salt.  Coat potatoes with oil, turn to medium-low heat.  Turn frequently until tender (about 25 min.)

Transfer potatoes and onion to large bowl, add eggs and combine, do not break potatoes.

Heat 3 tbs. reserve oil over  medium head.  Add egg-potato mixture. Stir until eggs start to set (eggs will look scrambled). About two minutes.  Spread mixture in an even layer; reduce heat.  Preheat broiler.

Transfer skillet to oven cook for about two minutes. Remove from oven.  Invert large plate over skillet, hold firmly and flip releasing tortilla onto plate.  Let sit at room temp. for at least twenty minutes.

3/50 Project

So If you haven't heard about this you need to check it out!  It is built upon bringing back local small businesses to America.

-It starts with taking 3 local businesses that you would miss.  Stop in and bring your business to these 3 businesses. Remembering that what you purchase helps keep these businesses around in your community.

-If 50% of the population spent $50 a month in local businesses, it would generate more than $42.6 billion in annual revenue.  Imagine the impact on small business...

-For every $100 that is spent at local businesses $68 stays in the local community!!!  If you spend it at a national chain, less than $43 stays here, online = 0 in the community.

So all you do is pick 3 businesses, spend $50 per month at those businesses and watch the community strengthen...

Awesome!!! Read more at http://www.the350project.net/home.html

Grilled Pork Chops and Peaches

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh marjoram, divided
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• Freshly cracked black pepper
• 4 1 1/2-inch-thick bone-in pork chops (about 1 pound each)
• 4 teaspoons kosher salt plus more
• 8 cups (1 1/4 pounds) pole beans (such as Romano, haricots verts, yellow wax, or green beans), trimmed
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced shallot rings
• 3–4 semi-ripe peaches, halved, pitted
• 
  

Preparation

• Combine 1/2 cup olive oil and vegetable oil in a measuring cup. Combine 2 Tbsp. marjoram, Dijon mustard, garlic, and vinegar in a medium bowl. Slowly whisk oil mixture into herb mixture until creamy. Season to taste with pepper. Transfer about 1/4 cup dressing to a small bowl; cover and chill.
• Season pork chops with 4 tsp. salt. Transfer to a resealable plastic bag; pour remaining dressing over, spreading evenly to distribute. Seal bag; chill for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours. Cook beans in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender, 3–5 minutes. Drain; transfer to a large bowl of ice water to chill. Drain beans; pat dry. Transfer beans, remaining 1 Tbsp. marjoram, and shallot to a medium bowl; toss with enough reserved dressing to coat and season with salt and pepper.
• Build a medium fire in a charcoal grill, or heat a gas grill to medium-high. Remove pork chops from bag, scraping off excess dressing. Grill chops, turning occasionally on all sides, until browned and cooked through, about 20 minutes total. (Be sure to cook thick chops on the edges, too, and melt the thin strips of white fat; they'll cook more evenly.)
• Place peaches in a medium bowl; drizzle with some olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Toss to coat. Grill peaches, cut side down, until they begin to soften and char, 4–6 minutes. Transfer pork and peaches to a cutting board; let pork rest for 10 minutes.
• Slice peaches. Carve bones from pork and thinly slice meat. Serve pork and peaches with bean salad.

Low Country Boil

http://wrengoodeats.blogspot.com/2012/07/rodney-t-wrens-big-city-boil.html

My Dad's "Yankee" version of Low Country Boil... so yummy!!

It is so good, makes enough for 15, so invite some friends over!

Avocado Melon Salad

This salad is full of power foods that are so so good!  Avocado with healthy fats, great for your heart and succulent honeydew melon that provides a wallop of vitamin C! Great summer salad with a grilled chicken breast or add some grilled shrimp. Try this with baby greens, arugula and fennel, you can't go wrong!

Dressing:  (combine all ingredients and whisk together)
2 Tbs rice wine vinegar
1/4 C lime juice (zest of one lime)
1 Tbs grated fresh ginger
2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
1/4 C fresh basil chopped
1Shallot minced
1 Clove of garlic minced
2 Tbs honey
Kosher Salt
Pepper

Toss 4 C of lettuce with dressing.  Top off with:
1 Avocado diced
1 C Honeydew melon cubed
1/3 C Red onion diced

Done!

Are Organic Foods Better For You???

Can organic foods really improve my health?

Yes. Consumption of organically grown food is a great way to reduce your exposure to contaminants commonly found in foods that have been grown using conventional agricultural practices. These contaminants may include not only pesticides - many of which have been classified as potential cancer-causing agents - but also heavy metals such as lead and mercury, and solvents like benzene and toluene. Minimizing exposure to these potential toxins is an important benefit for your health. Heavy metals can damage nerve function, contributing to diseases such as multiple sclerosis, and interfere with hemoglobin production in a way that increases risk of anemia. Solvents can damage white blood cell function and lower the immune system's ability to resist infections.

In addition to lessening your exposure to these potentially harmful substances, organically grown foods, on average, contain higher levels of many nutrients including vitamins and minerals.

These two aspects of the organic consumption - decreased intake of contaminants and increased intake of nutrients - have both been topics of controversy in research. While we understand the reasons for this controversy, we are also firmly convinced that organically grown foods contain significantly fewer contaminants than their conventionally grown counterparts, as well as significantly richer nutrient content.

Let's take the contamination aspect first. One of the largest scale studies, conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture on more than 94,000 food samples, found at least one pesticide residue on approximately 75% of conventionally grown fruits and vegetables, in comparison to approximately 25% of organically grown vegetables. Almost half of the pesticide residues found on organically grown vegetables involved DDT or its metabolites. (DDT is a pesticide that has been banned for 40 years for use on food, but because it can be very persistent in the environment, it often shows up in foods decades later.) When DDT and related pesticides were excluded from the results, the percentage of organically grown foods with pesticide residues dropped to about 13%. Studies have been conducted in countries throughout Europe and the Mediterranean comparing one or two specific, organically grown foods to their conventional counterparts, and the results have consistently shown lower contaminant levels in the organically grown foods.

With respect to nutrient content, organically grown fruits and vegetables - on average - appear to contain about 15% higher levels of nutrients than conventionally grown fruits and vegetables. Results in this area have not always been consistent, however, and in some cases, conventionally grown fruits and/or vegetables have been analyzed as having higher nutrient levels than organically grown vegetables. One early piece of research in this area - a review of 34 studies comparing the nutritional content of organic versus non-organic food - was published in 1998. In this research, compared to conventionally grown food, organically grown food was found to have: similar or slightly lower amounts of protein, but higher protein quality (in terms of amino acid composition); higher levels of vitamin C in about half of all studies; and 5-20% higher mineral levels for a majority of minerals. Higher flavonoid content has also been shown in one study of organic versus non-organic foods.

From our perspective at the World's Healthiest Foods, we are not surprised at either set of results. Organics regulations are quite extensive in their lists of prohibited substances, and lower levels of contaminants in certified organic foods make perfect sense. Foods depend on soil and water for their nourishment, and cleaner soil and water means cleaner food. It's that simple.

The nutrient concentrations in organic versus non-organic food are another matter, however. Here the relationship is not so simple. Soil quality can vary greatly from region to region, and many differences in soil quality cannot be overridden by organic farming practices. Neither can genetic tendencies in plants, which can be very closely connected with the plants' harvest-stage nutrient content. In short, nutrient composition in plants is the result of many different factors that interact in a complex way, and organic farming practices - while beneficial - would not be expected to function like an "overriding factor" in terms of nutrient content. The idea of an average improved nourishment level of 5-20% makes good sense to us given this complicated mix of factors.

When you combine a significantly lower exposure to food contaminants with a 5-20% greater intake of nutrients, what you get is a winning combination. That's exactly the way we think about certified organic foods with respect to health: they are a winning combination, and clearly deserve a place in your meal plan.

Yummy Avocado Summer Salad

• Avocado, Onion Tomato Salad
• This salad is the perfect salad for warm summer nights.  Goes well with a medium rare rib-eye or perfectly blackened skirt steak.
• 
  
• 2 Hass avocados, peeled, pitted, and sliced
• 1 pound Roma tomatoes, quartered
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion 
• 1 cup sliced English cucumber
• For Dressing-
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons sliced basil
• 1 tablespoon sliced parsley
• 1 sliced shallot
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• Wisk together, and add to vegetables.  Serve right away.  

Bok Choy

The cancer fighting veggie. Throw it in a wok with organic peanuts,  green onion, peppers, fresh Ginger, chicken, tbs of peanut butter, dash of soy and rice wine vinegar ....yum!

Cedar Planked Salmon with Lemon Dill

Soak cedar planks for two hours.

Makes 8 servings

1C kosher salt
1/3C brown sugar
1C chopped fresh dill
Finely grated zest of two lemons
Eight 6oz salmon fillets with skin
2C sake
Olive oil for drizzling

Combine salt and brown sugar with dill and lemon zest. Coat and rub on salmon. Refrigerate one hour.

Rinse and cover with sake. Return to refrigerator for one hour.

Light grill.  Drain salmon from sake and place on planks skin down. Brush with olive oil. Place on grill. Cover and cook for 25 min. Serve with fresh lemon slices and dill sprigs.

Pizza with NY Strip, Blue Cheese and Balsamic Glaze

This is one of my most favorite recipes from Bobby Flay, adapted a bit!  Enjoy....

I

Balsamic Glaze:

2 cups balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Steak:

1 (12-ounce) NY strip steak

Canola oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Pizza:

 2 store-bought pizza dough

Canola oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese (recommended: Cabrales)

Grilled steak

1 bunch watercress, coarsely chopped

Balsamic Glaze

Shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano

Directions For the glaze:

Bring vinegar to a boil in a small nonreactive saucepan and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced to 1/2 cup. Stir in the honey and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

For the steak:

Heat grill to high. Brush steak on both sides with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill until golden brown and slightly charred on both sides and cooked to medium-rare doneness, about 5 minutes per side. Remove from the grill to a cutting board, tent lightly with foil and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice into 1/4-inch thick slices.

For the pizza:

Heat the grill to high.

Brush both sides of the pizzas with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill until golden brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Remove from the grill, divide the Monterey Jack cheese over the top of each one and then sprinkle with the blue cheese. Place back on the grill, close the cover of the grill and grill until the cheese has melted, about 1 minute. Remove to a flat surface, divide the steak between each pizza, then top with the watercress Drizzle with some of the balsamic glaze and sprinkle with some of the shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano.

BACON CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

INGREDIENTS

• 12 ounces bacon, cut into 1/4-inch dice*
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup reserved bacon fat, chilled

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons bourbon liquor
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 8 ounces dark chocolate 65-percent or higher cocoa content, chopped into small pieces**

DIRECTIONS

In a large saute pan, cook out the diced bacon until the bacon pieces are golden and crisp. Remove the bacon pieces from the fat and drain on a paper towel. Strain the fat through a fine sieve and measure out a 1/2 cup bacon fat and chill the bacon fat until it congeals and is set.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Although I am not a huge fan of Valentine's Day my little guys always love treats.

Red Velvet Pugcakes

Red velvet is all the rage in the world of cupcakes these days. So why not try these crimson-hued beauties on your best friend? Beet juice gives them their color, an whole-wheat flour gives them fiber. The cottage cheese icing helps make these trendy treats a balanced meal.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 cup applesauce
• 1/3 cup beet puree or fresh beet juice
• 1 and 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese

Cooking Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a six-cup muffin tin with muffin cups.
2. In a large bowl whisk together oil, applesauce and beet puree.
3. In a separate bowl, combine flour and baking powder. Slowly stir flour mixture into the wet ingredients.
4. Spoon batter into muffin cups to three-quarters full and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. Remove cupcakes from the pan and cool on a rack.
5. In the bowl of a food processor, puree cottage cheese until smooth, about 30 seconds. Keep frosting refrigerated until cupcakes are completely cool. Frost and serve.

Polenta Eggs Benedict- A vacation for your pallet

Have you ever had something so special that whenever you think of it, or taste it again it takes you back to exactly where you were when you first experienced it?  This recipe will be one of those things... guaranteed!!!
Worth every minute preparing it!!

Polenta Benedict

First Step- Grilled Polenta

Ingredients

• 8 chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 cups polenta/yellow cornmeal
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup grated Parmesan
• Fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
• Olive oil

Directions

Bring chicken broth and salt to a boil in a large saucepan. Gradually whisk in the cornmeal in a slow steady stream. Lower heat and continue to whisk until the polenta is thick and smooth, about 20 minutes. Add the cream and butter and continue to stir until incorporated. Remove from heat, fold in Parmesan and black pepper. Pour the polenta into a buttered 9 by 13-inch shallow baking dish and spread evenly with a spatula. Cover and chill a few hours. Cut the polenta into squares. Brush both sides with olive oil and transfer to a hot grill. Grill on both sides until golden brown.

Eggs Benedict-

Ingredients

• 1 lb bacon
• 4 tablespoons  lemon juice
• 1 Large sliced tomato
• 2 Cups arugula
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 12 eggs
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 3 dashes hot pepper sauce (recommended: Tabasco)
• Hollandaise sauce, recipe follows
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, for garnish
• 
  

Directions

Place the bacon on lined cookie sheet.  Cook at 425 degrees for 12-15 minutes. 

Preheat a nonstick pan filled with water on stove ( for the eggs).  Add 1 tbs vinegar and salt and bring to simmer. Add eggs and cook for 3-4 minutes by dropping into water. Remove from water and pat dry.

Hollandaise Sauce:

3 egg yolks

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon golden sherry

Pinch cayenne pepper and hot sauce

1/2 cup melted butter

Pour yolks into a blender and add lemon juice, sherry, hot sauce, and cayenne. With the motor running, add the melted butter in a slow, steady stream, blending until the sauce is smooth and thickened.

Top polenta with eggs and bacon, add tomatoes.  Pour hollandaise on top, add arugula.  Garnish with chives. Serves four :)