Chocolate "Cheesecake"

Chocolate "Cheesecake" (inspired by The Sweet Gratitude Cookbook)

For the crust:
1 cup raw almonds
8 pitted dates, about 4 ounces
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the filling:
1 1/2 cups raw cashews, preferably organic, soaked overnight or 8 hours in 3 cups water and drained
1 cup water
1/3 cup raw cacao powder
1/2 cup raw agave syrup, or raw honey
2 Tablespoons pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons espresso powder (not raw, but highly recommended)
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
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1 1/2 Tablespoons soy lecithin granules
1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons coconut oil. preferably organic, melted

For the chocolate drizzle:
2 Tablespoons raw cacao powder
2 Tablespoons raw agave syrup
1-2 Tablespoons water
2 teaspoons coconut oil, melted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
pinch sea salt

Make the crust:
       Lightly spray an 8 inch springform pan with vegetable cooking spray, or brush with coconut oil, and set aside.
       In the bowl of a food processor, process the almonds until finely ground about 25-30 seconds. With the processor running add the dates one by one through the feed tube until chopped fine. Add the salt and vanilla through the feed tube as well, and continue to process until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the bowl. It might form a ball, depending on how fresh the dates are. Press the mixture into an 8 inch springform pan, going up the side about an inch. Set aside.

Make the filling:
       In the jar of a high speed blender, add the cashews. water, cacao, agave, vanilla. espresso powder and salt. Blend until smooth, about 2 minutes. With the blender running, through the lid opening, add the lecithin and blend another minute. Keep the blender running, and add the coconut oil. Blend one more minute, scraping down the sides of the jar if necessary.
        Pour into the prepared springform pan. Chill for at least 8 hours, or freeze for 4. Store in the refrigerator for up to one week or freeze for up to 2 months.

Make the drizzle:
       Before serving, in a small bowl, stir all of the ingredients together until smooth. Drizzle over the cheesecake.

To serve:
       Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Remove the ring and drizzle with the chocolate sauce. Slice with a knife that was heated under hot water and wiped dry. Drizzle with more chocolate sauce, if desired.

Makes 10 servings. YUM!!!

Lessons Learned:
1. Turn the base of the springform pan upside down with the edge raised up. That way, when you cut slices, they will easily slide off the base.
2. To neatly remove the cake from the ring of the springform pan, I take a few paper towels, run them under really hot water, wring them dry, and then go around the pan holding them up against the sides. I do this just for a few seconds to soften and release the edges.
3. To neatly cut slices, heat the knife under hot water, and thoroughly dry first.
4. Sweets are a part of my life forever! I'm going to have to learn to compromise to be happy. That means that if I fall off the bandwagon, and dive into the cookie jar, I just have to get back on that horse!!

Grandmas Chicken Soup

GRANDMA'S CHICKEN SOUP

Ingredients:
one 3 1/2 pound chicken, cut up into 10 pieces, including the neck, gizzards discarded.
10 cups of water
1 Tablespoon Kosher salt
2 large sweet onions, thinly sliced
4 large carrots, cut in 1/2" rounds
3 ribs of celery, cut in 1/2 inch slices
4 cloves of garlic, minced
10 whole peppercorns

Make the soup:
        In a large pot, add the chicken, water and salt. Bring to a boil and immediately turn down to a simmer. Skim all of the scum off of the top as it rises to the top.
        Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer partially covered for 30 minutes. Remove the chicken breast pieces and set aside. Continue simmering the soup for another 45 minutes. Remove the rest of the chicken pieces from the broth.

Makes 6-8 servings. YUM!


LESSONS Learned:
1. REALLY, get the BEST chicken you can find. That plastic wrapped bland looking one in the supermarket will always yield a flavorless soup.
2. You can embellish the basics here. A cored, chopped fennel bulb, or a parsnip or 2 are welcome additions, as is some chopped fresh parsley. I'm just a purist.
3. The easiest way to remove the extra chicken fat from the soup is to chill it. The fat will rise to the top and harden and will be easy to skim off. Do leave alittle though for extra flavor.
4. If you want to eat it right away, like I always do, you can skim the fat off of the hot soup. Use a large spoon or you can lay a piece of paper towel on top and quickly remove it and it will absorb the fat. You may have to do that more than once.

Flourless Chocolate Cookies

Francois Payard's
FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE WALNUT COOKIES (from Chocolate Epiphany)
Ingredients:
2 1 /2 cups walnut halves
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons dutch processed unsweetened cocoa powder
       (I like Valrhona)
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large egg whites
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Make the cookies:
       Position 2 racks in the upper and lower thirds of oven. Preheat the oven to 350°. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silpats. Place the walnuts on a separate large baking sheet and toast until fragrant, about 9 minutes. Let cool, and then coarsely chop them and set aside.
       In a medium mixing bowl, combine the sugar, cocoa and salt. Stir in the walnuts. and mix well. Add the egg whites and the vanilla; beat with a spoon or an electric mixer on medium speed until the batter is just moistened. (Do not overbeat or the batter will stiffen.)
       Using a 2 inch ice cream scoop (1/4 cup volume), portion 6 cookies on each pan. Bake cookies until tops are lightly cracked and glossy, about 15-18 minutes, rotating pans front to back and bottom to top halfway through. Once baked, slide the cookies with the parchment paper onto wire racks to cool completely. Store in an air tight container for up to 2 weeks.

Makes one dozen. YUM!


LESSONS Learned:
1. Use parchment paper to line the baking pans. Let them cool completely first before removing them from the pans.
2. Use a 2" ice cream scoop (1/4 cup ) to portion out the batter, that way every cookie will be the same size and bake evenly.
3. Like most other cookie recipes, you can PLAY with any number of other mix-ins. Switch out the walnuts for other nuts, add chocolate chips, dried fruits, candied ginger, potato chips and on and on.

Weeknight Bolognese

Weeknight Bolognese
(inspired by Cooks Magazine Jan-Feb. 2017--revised by me)

Ingredients:
4 cups beef broth, preferably unsalted or low sodium
4 oz. pancetta, 1/8th inch slices, chopped coarsely
1 medium onion, chopped into about 3/4 to 1 inch pieces, about 1 1/4cups
1 large carrot, chopped into about 3/4 to 1 inch pieces, about 3/4 cup
1 large celery rib, chopped into about 3/4 to 1 inch pieces, about 3/4 cup
1 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
one 6-7 oz. can tomato paste, (My organic paste comes in a 7 oz. jar)
1 cup dry red wine
1 cup tomato sauce (8 oz. can), or crushed tomatoes
3 Tablespoons grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1/4 cup heavy cream
2-3 Tablespoons mild honey
1/2 cup reserved pasta cooking water

Make the sauce:
       In a large saucepan, bring the broth to a boil and cook over high heat until reduced to 2 cups, about 15 minutes, or skip this step using the Better than Bouillon mixture.
       In the bowl of a food processor, add the pancetta and pulse 15-20 times. Add the onion, carrot and celery and pulse 12-15 times more until finely chopped and almost a paste-like consistency, scraping down sides as needed.
       Heat the butter and oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over a medium flame. Add the pancetta-vegetable mixture and the 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Spread the mixture evenly over the bottom of the pot and cook, stirring every few minutes until very browned dark bits form on the bottom of the pot, about 9-12 minutes. If the mixture is browning unevenly, rotate the pot.
       Stir in the tomato paste and cook until paste becomes rust colored and the bottom of the pot is dark brown, about 2-3 minutes. Again rotating the pot, if necessary.
       Add the ground meat and using a wooden spoon break the meat into pieces no larger than 1/4". Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
       Stir in the wine, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Turn the heat up to medium-high and cook until completely evaporated, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the broth, tomato sauce and parmesan. Cover and reduce the heat to a low simmer for 30 minutes.
       Stir in the cream and the honey, and cook another 2 minutes. Taste for salt and pepper.

To serve:
       Cook 1 lb. pasta of your choice, I like linguini or rigatoni. FYI, Bolognese sauce is traditionally paired with tagliatelle. Cook it al dente, reserving an 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Add the drained pasta to the Bolognese pot, and if it needs to be thinned out, add some of the pasta water and combine well. Serve with extra parmesan.

MAKES 4-6 servings. YUM!

LESSONS Learned:
1. Just because it's a published recipe, doesn't mean it's gonna be great.
2. The original recipe called for 93% lean ground beef. This is not a diet food, so I say go for some fat in the meat. I used half 80% ground beef and half ground pork-- bork. Meatloaf mix (beef, veal and pork) is a good choice too. And I found the meat to be tender without that baking soda trick.
3. If you've got one, a food processor is a great tool for this recipe.
4. Don't be afraid of the bottom of the pot getting very brown. Just make sure to rotate the pot every time you stir, so the browning evenly covers the bottom. All of those browned bits will disappear and flavor the sauce when the wine is added.
5. I prefer low sodium or no salt versions of the tomatoes and beef broth, if they are available.

Crustless Pumpkin Pie

CRUSTLESS LIBBY'S FAMOUS PUMPKIN PIE Ingredients:
2 cups canned pumpkin or 1 15oz. can Libbys pure pumpkin
1 12 oz. can evaporated milk
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 large eggs
whipped heavy cream (optional)

Make the Pie:
        Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9 inch round glass pie plate with cooking spray or melted butter. Set aside.
        Add all of the ingredients into a blender. Blend until smooth about 1 minute, and pour into the prepared dish.
        Place the dish onto a baking sheet and bake in the center of the oven for 55-6o minutes until a knife inserted close to the center comes out clean.
        Cool completely. Top with a dollop of whipped cream.

Makes 8 servings. YUM!


LESSONS Learned:
1. Use pure canned pumpkin--in a lot of cases the "pumpkin" in those cans is actually some kind of large sweet squash such as hubbard or butternut. And forget the whole fresh pumpkin thing--steaming, mashing, and draining---I've done it and it's never worth all that effort. Stick to the can.
2. You could gild the lily by changing up the spices, or adding 2 Tablespoons of brandy, rum, or an orange liqueur. But at my holiday table, I never want any of my flavors to change or it doesn't officially feel like Thanksgiving.
3. This doesn't have to be a pie. You could make it in a square pan and cut it into square servings, or bake them in single portions in ramekins.
4. The whipped cream is mandatory for me.

Pecan Diamonds

PECAN DIAMONDS (originally from a 1970's Family Circle magazine)
For the shortbread base:
1/3 cup (5 1/3 Tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened (I use Land 'o Lakes)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 1/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour (I use Heckers)
pinch salt

For the pecan topping:
8 Tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/3 cup dark brown sugar, packed
3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1/3 cup honey
2 Tablespoons heavy cream
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped pecans

Make the shortbread base:
     Place the rack in the center of the oven, and preheat it to 375 degrees. Butter or spray with cooking oil an 8" x 8" square pan, (I like a glass pyrex one). Cut out a 12 " x 12" square piece of parchment, and cut 3 " diagonal slits into each corner. Fit the parchment into the pan, (You may have to tweak it a little to fit). Set aside.
     In a medium bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until well combined. Add the egg, combine, and then stir in the flour. You can knead the dough a few times to get the flour incorporated.
     Press the dough evenly into the prepared pan and bake for 13-15 minutes, until the dough is slightly puffed no longer shiny. Remove the pan from the oven and turn the temperature down to 350 degrees.

Make the pecan topping:
     In a small heavy bottomed saucepan, add the butter, 2 sugars and honey. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil, and continue to boil for 2 1/2 minutes more.
     Remove the pot from the stove and stir in the heavy cream. Be careful, because the mixture will bubble up. Return the pot to the heat and boil for 1 minute more. Remove from the heat and stir in the pecans, completely coating them. Immediately pour the mixture over the shortbread base. You can gently nudge the pecans around to more evenly redistribute them if you like. Bake for exactly 25 minutes. The topping will not be quite set, but will set up as it cools. Cool completely. Cut into diamond shapes. I cut diagonal lines 1 " apart and then vertical lines 1" apart to create the diamond shape. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

Makes about 64 small cookies. YUM!


LESSONS Learned:
1. Make sure to butter or spray the pan with cooking spray before you line it with the parchment and then again after.
2. Don't over-bake the shortbread crust. It will still have time to bake more with the topping.
3. With the pan still slightly warm, you can gently lift the cookies out of the pan, parchment and all and place them directly onto a cutting board. Just let them COOL COMPLETELY before cutting them into cookies.
4. I like to cut off about 1/2" around all 4 edges first, so that all the cookies look uniform.

Extreme Creamed Corn

EXTREME CREAMED CORN with a SIMPLE MUSHROOM RAGU
INGREDIENTS:
For the Creamed Corn:
2 pounds of fresh corn kernels, cut from about 8 ears of corn
3 1/2 cups water
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3 Tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon salt or more to taste
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

For the Mushrooms:
1 pound button mushrooms, sliced about 1/8th inch thick
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste

Make the Creamed Corn:
        Place the corn kernels and water in a sealed container in the fridge overnight or for up to 2 days.
        When ready to use, place the corn kernels, their soaking water and the salt in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Place strainer over an heatproof bowl and drain the corn, saving the cooking liquid. Add the corn kernels to the bowl of a food processor and process for about 3 minutes. You want the kernels to be broken down. If it becomes too thick to process, add the cooking liquid a Tablespoon at a time.
        Return the mixture to the pot, add the butter, and more salt if desired, and heat through. If the mixture is too dry, add more of the cooking liquid. Alternatively, if it's too thin cook for a few more minutes.

Make the Mushrooms:
        In a large saute pan, heat the oil and add the mushrooms with a pinch of salt. Cook over medium high heat until the mushrooms have released their liquid. Then continue cooking until very browned stirring frequently, about 5-8 minutes. Season with more salt and serve over the corn.

Makes 4-6 servings. YUM!


LESSONS Learned:
1. Once you get the corn home, take a few minutes to cut the kernels off the cob and add the water. It needs to sit in the fridge overnight anyway. Up to 2 days is ok.
2. Save the cooking water to thin out the corn mixture, just in case. But you probably won't need it.
3. Want to eat your corn now? Skip the soaking part, and make sure to save the cooking water. The unsoaked corn will most likely need some extra liquid when you process it.
4. Both the creamed corn and the mushrooms can be frozen separately for a fresh taste of summer in the winter.
5. Wash those mushrooms! I know what you're thinking-- they'll absorb the water and wiping them with a brush or dry cloth is the only way to go--but Alton Brown disproved that theory.

gingerbread cookies

Martha Stewart's Gingerbread Cookies (slightly adapted)
Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour (I like Heckers)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper (optional, I omit it)
1 large egg
1/2 cup unsulphured molasses

Make the dough:
       In a medium size bowl, sift the flour, baking soda and baking powder. Set aside.
       In the bowl of a stand mixer at medium speed, cream the butter and dark brown sugar. Add the ginger, cinnamon , cloves and salt and mix until well combined. Add the eggs and molasses, mixing to combine.
       At low speed, add the flour mixture and mix just until all the flour is incorporated.
       Divide the dough into thirds, forming into one inch disks. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill at least one hour or overnight. This can be made and chilled up to one week in advance.

Make the cookies:
       Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line rimmed cookie sheets with parchment.
       On a floured work surface, roll the dough out 1/4 inch thick . Using floured cookie cutters, cut out as many cookies as you can. Re-roll the scraps and cut out once or twice more. Brush off any accumulated flour at the bottom of the cookies before placing them on the cookie sheet. Chill for 15 minutes, and bake for 10-15 minutes, depending on size, until the edges are lightly browned.
       Cool completely before decorating. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
Makes alot!....YUM!

LESSONS Learned:
1. You can make the dough well in advance, up to a week.
2. Make sure the dough is very well chilled. I make flattened one inch disks wrapped in plastic wrap, so it warms up faster and it's easier to roll out.
3. Roll the dough out on a good amount of flour, it's get's sticky fast. And, re-roll the scraps until all of the dough is used up.
4. Use parchment to bake on. Why make it hard on yourself?
5. These cookies will last forever, stored in an airtight container. So if you decide to make them this year, MAKE ALOT!

meatballs

MEATBALLS and TOMATO Sauce (adapted from Daniel Holzman's Meatball Shop)

The Tomato Sauce Ingredients:
1/2 cup good quality olive oil
1 cup medium diced onion
3/4 cup small diced carrot
4 cloves garlic minced
3 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
pinch red pepper flakes
2 28 oz. cans crushed tomatoes ( San Marzano, or Muir Glen)
2-4 Table spoons honey (optional
) 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt or to taste

Make the sauce:
       In a large oven-proof saucepan or Dutch oven heat the olive oil. Add the onions, and carrots. Cook until the onions are softened and translucent, about 8 minutes.
       Stir in the garlic and the tomato paste, and cook about 3 minutes until the paste is lightly caramelized.
       Add the bay leaf, oregano, tomatoes, and the red pepper flakes and bring to a simmer. Cook over medium low heat, stirring occasionally until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Add the honey, if desired, and salt to taste, and keep at a low simmer while making the meatballs.

The Meatball Ingredients:
1/4 cup Italian style dry bread crumbs
2 Tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 large egg
1/4 cup minced onion
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 Tablespoons water
1/2 lb. ground beef
1/2 lb. ground pork

While the sauce is cooking, make the meatballs:
       Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a medium size bowl combine all of the ingredients except the meats. Add the meats and mix with your hands or a fork until well combined. Using a 1 1/2 inch wide ice cream scoop, so they're all the same size, scoop out 20 meatballs, hand-rolling to make them round.
       Add the meatballs to the sauce, and gently spoon some of the sauce over the meatballs. Bring to a boil, cover the pot and place in the preheated oven. Braise for 30-35 minutes, until the meatballs are firm and cooked through. Discard the bay leaf. Serve with extra grated parmesan.

Makes 4-6 servings. YUM!!

LESSONS Learned:
1. A lot of recipes use a combination of beef, pork, and veal, for flavor, fat and tenderness. I have an organic, grass-fed butcher shop up here in Kingston, NY, Fleischers, and they don't sell veal. So I got their Bork--half ground beef and half ground pork. I think I like it better--the veal might make them too tender. But you could substitute the classic meatloaf mix, beef, pork and veal.
2. I like to combine all of the meatball ingredients except the ground meats first. That way I know all of the flavors will be evenly distributed throughout the meat.
3. Buy the tomato paste in a tube for the sauce. You only need a few tablespoons, and you won't waste a whole can.
4. For evenly sized meatballs, use an ice cream scoop to portion out the meatballs. And then hand roll them.
5. If you have a chance to get a recipe for something delicious, Grab IT!