Chocolate Cheesecake Strawberries

These are a pop-in-your-mouth incredible treat!

Start with the best strawberries you can find. I actually started out with a 2lb container that I bought because they smelled so fragrant and looked so good, I later found a recipe for strawberries.
Never before have I dipped them in chocolate and it was so easy! I used Ghiradelli milk chocolate, the small bowl over a small simmering pot method.

First, wash the strawberries so they can dry on paper towels and make the cheesecake filling:

8 oz softened cream cheese
1 Tb sour cream
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

I mixed with the whisk attachment in the stand mixer. Put filling into a piping bag fitted with a fancy tip or in a zip baggy you can snip the corner off.
Hollow out strawberries and squeeze filling into them, covering your cut edges.

Sprinkle crushed graham crackers over. Try to just get the cream cheese part. Do this over wax paper or the sink for easy cleanup. During this process you’ll find working near the sink handy or a wet towel because your hands will need to be rinsed every so often.
Next, pop a blueberry in the top for a little extra flavor boost. I microwaved a scoop of seedless black raspberry jam for 30 seconds (becomes liquid) and mixed the berries into that.

Finally, have a sheet ready, lined with wax paper, that will fit into the fridge for chilling.

Dip the strawberries in chocolate. This part is tedious, I tried a few different ways and truly the best was to just dunk them in. A small spatula helps take off excess.

Chill in the fridge for an hour to set before party time!

Lemon Bread

Dense and delicious, the perfect bread to have with tea! Very lemony. Don’t go overboard on the glazed topping, a light drizzle is all you need. 

In a medium bowl combine: 

1 1/2 cup flour

1 3.4oz package vanilla instant pudding 

1/2 tsp each baking powder, baking soda and salt

In a mixer, blend: 

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

2 Tb softened butter

1 tsp vanilla

2 tsp lemon extract

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup oil

3/4 cup Greek yogurt (plain, vanilla or lemon)

Zest of one lemon

Once blended, gradually add the dry ingredients. Pour into a 5x9 loaf pan lined with parchment (it will stick to the sides whatever you use) or 3 smaller pans.

Bake at 350 for 55 minutes. 

Let cool slightly then frost:

Mix 3 Tbs soft butter

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

3 Tb lemon juice

1 tsp lemon extract 

Refrigerate to set frosting and enjoy!

Apple Pie Bars

These are, dare I say, better than apple pie! Very simple to make and easy to eat. All you need is:

400 degree oven, 9x13 dish (I lined mine with foil for easy cleanup)

Roll out pie dough using flour so it doesn’t stick and line the pan. I cut off the sides and added to the ends to go from circle to rectangle. Crimp the sides. Basically this shell will bake as is.
For filling:
3 large apples, peeled and chopped. Put these in a large bowl and toss with 1/2 squeezed lemon (optional). Add 2/3 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup flour and apple pie spice. I just used a large dash of cinnamon, some ginger, nutmeg and cloves. Pour over crust and top with 2 tablespoons of bits of butter. Bake for 40 minutes until nice and brown, checking after 30 to make sure it’s not burning.

Taster approved!

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Made this from a Home Chef meal kit, it was so good I’d make it again! And next time try a chocolate ganache topping like we had on the pumpkin cheesecake at Thanksgiving.

8oz bar of cream cheese, softened
1/2 stick (2oz) butter, melted
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
8” pie dish
4oz Greek yogurt
3fl oz liquid egg (2 large eggs minus 1Tb or 6Tb)
3oz light brown sugar (6Tb)
2oz canned pumpkin
1 Tb pumpkin pie spice (4 parts cinnamon, 2 ginger, 1 cloves, 1/2 nutmeg)

Combine graham crumbs and butter, spread into baking dish using a cup (a measuring glass used to melt the butter) to press down and push up the sides a bit. Place dish in fridge to chill while making the filling.
Preheat oven to 350.
Using a blender or food processor, combine the remaining ingredients, adding a pinch of salt. Blend on high until smooth and light, 2-4 minutes.
Pour batter into crust and bake 25-35 minutes. Let cool 30 minutes then refrigerate 2 hours. We didn’t wait and it was yummy warm! Taster approved.

Cranberry Brie Bites

YIELD: 24

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tube crescent dough
• Cooking spray, for pan
• Flour, for rolling out dough
• 8 oz. wheel Brie
• 1 c. whole berry cranberry sauce
• 1/2 c. chopped pecans
• 6 sprigs of rosemary, cut into 1" pieces.

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375° and grease a mini muffin tin with cooking spray. On a lightly floured surface, roll out crescent dough, and pinch seams together. Cut into 24 squares. Place squares into muffin tin slots.
2. Cut brie into small pieces and place inside the crescent dough. Top with a spoonful of cranberry sauce, some chopped pecans, and one little sprig of rosemary.
3. Bake until the crescent is golden, about 15 minutes.
4. Serve warm.
5. 
   

Kale, Avocado, Apple, Wild Rice and Pomegranate Salad

Made this a couple days ago and as you can see, it keeps pretty well for a leftovers lunch!
Inspired by a salad I got from B. Good, I simply replicated it. Their salad includes thick-cut pieces of bacon which is yummy! I left that out but of course you can add that -or- as I tried today at work, falafel! The falafel works great. This could also be a satisfying side at Thanksgiving or for turkey leftovers.

1 bunch of kale, washed and torn into bite-size pieces, into a large bowl.
dressing for kale: a light drizzle of olive oil and cider vinegar, salt & pepper
After dressing, use your hands to blend it into the kale, squeezing it a bit so it absorbs and tenderizes. The kale will turn a bright green.

Squeeze half a lemon into a cereal-bowl size of water. As you chop the apple, then avocado, this prevents it from browning.

1 chopped apple of your choice. I went with an Empire. Crispy and tart, not too sweet.
1 pomegranate, seeded (you only need half the seeds). Watch a YouTube tutorial if you've never seeded a pomegranate. The trick is cutting it open properly thus not destroying the seeds in the process.
1 avocado, chopped into same size pieces as apple. 
dried cranberries (1/2 cup)
sunflower seeds (1/2 cup)
wild rice (the variety I bought took 55 minutes to prepare) (1 cup)
2 stalks of snipped scallion greens

Toss it up and enjoy!

Red Curry Ginger Squash Soup

This is great to freeze and reheat! I’ve been enjoying it for light lunches lately- microwave for 5 minutes. I found freezing them in coffee cups super handy rather than the plastic container. 

You can use any squash, I made this a couple times using a kabocha squash and a butternut. You could even save time and buy the squash precut. 

2 Tb unsalted butter (or olive oil for vegan version)

1 small yellow onion, chopped

2 Tb peeled and finely chopped ginger

1 Tb Thai red curry paste  

1 1/2 pounds squash, peeled and cut into 2” pieces

1 stalk lemongrass

One 13.5 ounce can coconut milk

2 makrut lime leaves or zest of 2 limes

2 Tb fresh squeezed lime juice, more to taste

1 Tb sugar, more to taste

2 tsp kosher salt, more to taste 

In a large stock pot (too large for regular but good if doubling the recipe) melt butter over medium heat and cook the onions and ginger 4-5 minutes to soften. Add the curry paste and cook a minute, until fragrant.

Add the squash and 2 cups of water and cook until mushy, about 15 minutes. 

Peel off the outer leaves of lemongrass, chop off the very bottom and top third and discard. Split the bottom third lengthwise and add to soup along with the coconut milk and lime leaves. Simmer for 30 minutes. Fish out the lime leaves and lemongrass and discard. Season with lime juice, sugar and salt. 

Purée the soup using a stick blender, blender or food processor. Pass soup through a strainer (not necessary but will find some bits of ginger).

Can be made up to 4 days in advance or frozen up to 2 weeks.