TWD: Tall and Creamy Cheese Cake

This is the last TWD recipe for this year! When I started baking with the group, I thought I needed to bake every week, until I realized how much time and ingredients that took! There are many bakers out there that do participate each week, but unfortunately I'm not one of them. So, it has been a couple of weeks since I last posted a TWD post, but this cheesecake was a great way to finish off December. Thanks goes out to Anne at Anne Strawberry for choosing this week's recipe. This is a nice basic cheesecake that I chose to dress up a bit. I've included the topping recipe, as it's not a Dorie Greenspan recipe. (PS. Happy Birthday, MOM!)



Cranberry Topping
3 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, coarsely chopped
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 cup water
2 Tbls cornstarch
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans, toasted

In a large saucepan, combine the cranberries, sugar and water. Bring to a boil. reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 3 minutes. Combine cornstarch and orange juice until smooth; stir into cranberry mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in pecans. Place in small bowl to accompany cheesecake or spoon over cheesecake once mixture has cooled to room temperature.

Barefoot Bloggers: pappa al pomodoro

This is a classic Italian soup in which leftover bread is used as a thickener. This recipe was chosen by Natalie at Burned Bits, thanks Natalie!

Pappa al Pomodoro (Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics)
1/2 cup good olive oil
2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
1 cup medium-diced carrots, unpeeled (3 carrots)
1 fennel bulb, trimmed, cored and sliced (I substituted celery)
4 tsp minced garlic (4 cloves)
3 cups diced ciabatta bread, crusts removed
2 (28 oz) cans good plum tomatoes
4 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Topping:
3 cups diced ciabatta bread
2 oz thickly sliced pancetta, chopped (or you can use thick bacon)
24-30 whole fresh basil leaves
3 Tbls good olive oil, plus more for serving

Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, fennel (celery), and garlic and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, until tender. Add the ciabatta cubes and cook for 5 more minutes. Place the tomatoes in the bowl of food processor fitted with steel blade and process just until coarsely chopped. Add the tomatoes to the pot along with the chicken stock, red wine, basil and 1 Tbls salt, and 1 1/2 tsp pepper. Bring the soup to a boil, lower the heat, and allow to simmer, partially covered, for 45 minutes. For the topping, place the ciabatta, pancetta (bacon), and basil on a sheet pan large enough to hold everything in single layer. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss well. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 20-25 minutes, until all ingredients are crisp. The basil leaves will turn dark and crispy. Reheat the soup, if necessary, and beat with a wire whisk until the bread is broken up. Stir in the Parmesan and taste for seasoning. Serve hot, sprinkled with the topping and drizzled with additional olive oil. Serves 6.

Merry Christmas!

I love Christmas and all that it means. A baby was born on this day to save me and the world! I especially love that Christmas to me means spending cherished time with my family and eating wonderful food. My husband and I are fortunate to be spending this holiday with our family, as we know many military families are continents apart and only get a phone call. We are thinking of all those serving our country right now and hope everyone has a MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Asian Pork Tenderloin and Horseradish Baked Potatoes

My husband and I enjoyed this the other night for dinner. We liked how the glaze on the tenderloin made a nice crust and the horseradish in the potatoes was very subtle. I'm sure we'll enjoy this meal again!
Asian Pork Tenderloin

2 pork tenderloins, 1 pound each

2 Tbls soy sauce

2 tsp dry sherry

1 1/2 tsp honey

3/4 tsp toasted sesame oil

1/2 tsp hot chili paste or crushed red pepper flakes

In a small bowl, stir together all ingredients minus the tenderloin. Preheat gas grill to medium high. Put the tenderloins on the preheated grill and cook for 4 minutes. Turn and brush with soy glaze. Cook an additional 4 minutes, turn again, and brush with glaze. At this point you will cook the tenderloin for another 4 minutes. Continue glazing the tenderloin until a nice crust forms. The meat should take approximately 13-15 minutes total of cooking time. The internal temperature should read 140 degrees. Once the correct temperature has been achieved, remove tenderloins from grill and let rest 5 minutes before slicing.

Horseradish Twice-Baked Potatoes

2 baking potatoes, scrubbed

3 Tbls unsalted butter, cut into pieces

3/4 cup whole milk or heavy cream, heated

2 Tbls prepared horseradish, drained

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

sour cream

chives

Bake potatoes until soft. Remove from oven, slice in half lengthwise. Remove flesh to a mixing bowl, reserving potato skins as you will put the flesh mixture back in to broil. Add butter, milk/cream, horseradish, salt and pepper to flesh. Mix until well combined and as smooth as you can get it. Add more milk/cream if mixture seems too dry. Pile flesh mixture back into skins, and broil on baking sheet 3-4 minutes or until tops are golden brown. Remove from oven, top with sour cream and chives.

Mexican Hot Chocolate

I made this Mexican Hot Chocolate mix for my friend, Laura, and included it in her Christmas basket. There was a little mix that wouldn't fit into the jar, so I was able to use it for my "taste-test". I liked how the mix was "chocolaty" enough and had a hint of cinnamon. It wasn't an overpowering cinnamon taste, but it was almost an afterthought once you swallowed the drink. I'm thinking I need to make more to keep here!

Mexican Hot Chocolate (Taste of Home)
1 1/3 cups instant nonfat dry milk powder
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup nondairy creamer
1/2 cup baking cocoa
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup miniature marshmallows
Additional ingredient:
3/4 cup hot milk

In a bowl combine all dry ingredients; mix well. Store in an airtight container in a cool dry place up to 3 months. Yield: 18-19 servings (about 3 1/2 cups total). To prepare hot chocolate: dissolve about 3 Tbls hot chocolate mix in hot milk.

Black Bean Soup

I needed something quick and easy to throw together for dinner last night, as I had another function to attend. (I'm looking forward to a night at home soon!) This soup fit the bill and had a lot of flavor for something so simple. I used canned black beans which really cut down on the time. Besides, since living in a high altitude location, I didn't want to mess with dry beans and the experiment to see how long it would actually take them to soften up when cooking. Black Bean Soup (Mesa Grill by Bobby Flay)

1 pound dried black beans, or 3 cans black beans, drained and rinsed

2 Tbls olive oil

1 medium carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 medium Spanish onion, coarsely chopped

3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

1 cup red wine

3 jalapeno chiles, roasted, peeled, and seeded

1 poblano chili, roasted, peeled, and seeded

4 cups chicken stock, low-sodium chicken broth, or water

2 Tbls fresh lime juice

salt and pepper to taste

I also used shredded cheese and sour cream as a topping.

If using dried beans, pick over them to remove any stones, put them in a large bowl, and add enough cold water to cover by at least 2 inches. Let soak for at least 8 hours or overnight. Drain well. Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the carrot, onion, and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes, or until onion is translucent. Add the wine, bring to a boil, and cook until reduced by half. Add the beans and reduce the heat to medium. Add the jalapenos, poblano, and stock and simmer for 30 minutes if using canned beans, or 1 1/2 hours if using dried, until the dried beans are cooked through. Remove from the heat and add the lime juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Using a blender or food processor, puree half of the soup and return it to the pot. Bring to a simmer before serving. Ladle the soup into individual bowls. Serves 6-8.

easy sticky buns

These are SO easy and SO delicious! My husband and I had friends staying with us the past weekend, and I made these easy sticky buns for breakfast Sunday morning. It's one of those recipes that after you make it, you wish you had never discovered as they could be addicting.

Easy Sticky Buns - Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics

12 Tbls unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

1/2 cup pecans, chopped in very large pieces

1 pkg (2 sheets) puff pastry, thawed

Filling:

2 Tbls unsalted butter, melted and cooled

2/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

3 tsp ground cinnamon

1 cup raisins

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place a 12-cup standard muffin tin on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the 12 Tbls butter and 1/3 cup brown sugar. Place 1 rounded Tbls of the mixture in each of the 12 muffin cups. Distribute pecans evenly among the 12 muffin cups on top of the butter and sugar mixture. Lightly flour wooden surface. Unfold one sheet of puff pastry with the folds going left to right. Brush the whole sheet with half of the melted butter. Leaving a 1-inch border on the puff pastry, sprinkle each sheet with 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, and 1/2 cup of the raisins (I omitted the raisins and substituted with more pecans). Starting with the end nearest you, roll the pastry up snugly like a jelly roll around the filling, finishing the roll with the seam side down. Trim the ends of the roll about 1/2 inch and discard. Slice the roll in 6 equal pieces, each about 1 1/2 inches wide. Place each piece, spiral side up, in 6 of the muffin cups. Repeat with the second sheet of puff pastry. Bake for 30 minutes, until the sticky buns are golden to dark brown on top and firm to the touch. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, invert the buns onto the parchment paper, easing out the filling with a spoon. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Barefoot Bloggers: Coq Au Vin

This is one recipe that had it not been chosen by Bethany, it would have never been made in my house. I frequently see recipes for this dish in various cookbooks and cooking magazines, but it's always been somewhat intimidating to me. I now know I CAN make Coq Au Vin! I have yet to be disappointed with a Barefoot Contessa recipe, and this was no exception. I will say, I'm not sure that I will make this dish again, now that I have completed the recipe. It was good, just not something my husband and I would enjoy all the time. In our opinion, this dish was very rich; perfect for a cold winter's night. I omitted the mushrooms, as neither my husband nor I like them. The other change we would make to the recipe (if we were to make it again) is to take the skin off the chicken. The original recipe didn't indicate that you should remove the skin, but I felt it would have allowed the chicken to soak up more of the wine/broth during the cooking process. Overall, this was a success!
Coq Au Vin (Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics)
2 tablespoons good olive oil
4 ounces good bacon or pancetta, diced
1 (3 to 4-pound) chicken, cut in 8ths
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound carrots, cut diagonally in 1-inch pieces
1 yellow onion, sliced
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1/4 cup Cognac or good brandy
1/2 bottle (375 ml) good dry red wine such as Burgundy
1 cup good chicken stock, preferably homemade
10 fresh thyme sprigs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 pound frozen small whole onions
1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, stems removed and thickly sliced (I left out)

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Add the bacon and cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove the bacon to a plate with a slotted spoon.
Meanwhile, lay the chicken out on paper towels and pat dry. Liberally sprinkle the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. When the bacon is removed, brown the chicken pieces in batches in a single layer for about 5 minutes, turning to brown evenly. Remove the chicken to the plate with the bacon and continue to brown until all the chicken is done. Set aside.
Add the carrots, onions, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper to the pan and cook over medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the Cognac and light to burn off alcohol. Put the bacon, chicken, and any juices that collected on the plate into the pot. Add the wine, chicken stock, and thyme and bring to a simmer. Cover the pot with a tight fitting lid and place in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is just not pink. Remove from the oven and place on top of the stove.

Mash 1 tablespoon of butter and the flour together and stir into the stew. Add the frozen onions. In a medium saute pan, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and cook the mushrooms over medium-low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until browned. Add to the stew. Bring the stew to a simmer and cook for another 10 minutes. Season to taste. Serve hot.

Aunt Mary's Cheese Ball

I'm not a huge fan of cheese balls, but I do like ones with a cream cheese base. My Aunt Mary has made a corned beef and cream cheese ball for several years. When I got married, I asked her for the recipe and have made it every holiday season since. I am attending a potluck this evening and thought the cheese ball would be perfect.



Aunt Mary's Cheese Ball
3 (8 oz) pkgs cream cheese, softened
3 pkgs corned beef, diced
2 bunches scallions, thinly sliced
dash garlic powder
dash onion poweder
1 Tbl worchesture sauce

Mix all ingredients until well blended, reserving half package of corned beef to cover the outside. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

TWD: Grandma's All-Occasion Sugar Cookies

I always enjoy trying new sugar cookie recipes, and this one didn't disappoint. In fact, the dough was so tasty, I almost didn't get any baked cookies out of it! I had high hopes of getting the cookies decorated before I needed to get this post up and ready, unfortunately I have about 50 other things I need to get done before tonight....so no decorated cookies....just the main thing. I dare say, the plain cookies won't be around long enough to decorate which means at some point I'll just have to make another batch. (Some point being possibly next year for the holidays!) Thanks to Ulrike for choosing this week's recipe!

Monster Mix

This is an easy snack that travels well and gives you a boost of energy. It will also satisfy your salty and sweet cravings! I have bought a mix like this at the grocery store, but after looking at the list of ingredients, I figured it would be very easy to throw the mix together myself and it would end up being a few dollars cheaper in the end. The container in the picture is one I decorated (with the help of my friend, Wanda). It's a glass mason jar with a sticker/wall applique rubbed on the side and jingle bells glued to the top (so you always know who's sneaking in the jar!).

Monster Mix
2 cups cocktail peanuts
1 1/2 cups raisins
1 cup M&M's
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter chips

Pour all ingredients in mixing bowl and mix with spoon or hands until well combined. Put into container of choice. Easy, quick, and satisfying!

Quick post

Sorry for the lack of posts this last week. My husband and I were able to fly back to Indiana to spend Thanksgiving with our families. We hadn't been home for Thanksgiving since we were married (5 years ago). It was great seeing our families (and surprising my mother-in-law who didn't know we were coming). Now I can explain that the post regarding Thanksgiving, that was posted ON Thanksgiving, was actually ready to go before we left. We did have a "mock" Thanksgiving with a couple of friends the Saturday before we left for our trip.

I hope to be back in the kitchen this week, trying some new recipes, and to start my holiday baking. In the meantime, I'm catching up on all my messages and checking in on the blogs that I've missed reading during our trip.