Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake

Happy Thanksgiving! We are hosting a feast at our house this year. It will be my first time cooking a complete turkey. We are making appetizers, the bird, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, and dessert. Guests are contributing the rest of the dinner. I'm sure we will have loads of great food and company.

This is my absolute favorite cheesecake. I eagerly wait all year until it is the right season to eat it. I have made it every year for the past eight years. I love the gingersnap crust; it is just different enough, and it complements the pumpkin flavor. This year, I brought it to our extremely late night rehearsal for Candlelight. Hopefully it helped people stay awake. I realize that everyone has probably made (and eaten) their Thanksgiving desserts already, but this cheesecake is a winner for anytime during the holiday season.


Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake
Adapted from Marbled Pumpkin Cheesecake
Gourmet, 1999

Crust:
1 ½ c finely ground gingersnap cookies
5 Tbs unsalted butter, melted
¼ c sugar
¼ tsp salt

Cheesecake:
20 oz (2 ½ 8-oz packages) cream cheese, softened
1 c sugar
2 Tbs flour
3 large eggs
½ tsp vanilla
2 large egg yolks
¾ tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground allspice
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1 c pumpkin puree (about ¾ of a 15 oz. can)

For the crust: Mix all ingredients together. Press onto the sides and bottom of a 9-inch spring form pan in an even, thin layer. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350˚F.

Beat together the cream cheese, sugar, and flour with an electric mixer. Add the 3 eggs, one at a time, beating between additions and scraping down the bowl. Add vanilla. In a separate bowl, beat the 2 egg yolks, spices, and pumpkin until smooth. Add about 1 ½ c of cream cheese mixture to the pumpkin mixture and stir until combined.

Place springform pan in a rimmed baking pan. Pour ¾ of the pumpkin filling into the crust. Pour the plain filling over it. Drizzle the remaining pumpkin filling over the surface and swirl to make a marbled pattern. Bake for 20 minutes. Lower oven temperature to 300˚F. Bake another hour. Do not open the oven door to check on the cheesecake while it bakes. After the hour, turn the oven off and leave the oven door cracked open for 20 minutes. Remove the cheesecake from the oven, and let cool on a wire rack. When cool, remove the sides of the pan and serve.

Chilled Butterbeer

I am a huge fan of the Harry Potter series. I was one of the people who stormed the bookstores at 12:01 a.m. when a new HP book was released. My son's middle name is James, and one of my friends asked me, "James, as in Harry James Potter?" As much of a fan as I am, this was not so.


I am lucky to have the Universal Studios theme parks practically in my backyard. I'm even luckier that back in June, when the Wizarding World of Harry Potter was getting ready for its grand opening, Universal decided to hire the local orchestra to play a private event a few days prior to the official opening. And I was the luckiest person ever, because Hubs and I got to play in that orchestra! This video is one of the pieces we performed that evening. You can see the back of my head and the scroll of my bass frequently during the performance.


The gig was fantastic - especially for a Potter-phile like myself. We got to wander around Hogsmeade when no one was there. We went on all the rides, were conducted by legendary composer John Williams, saw lots of stars from the movies, and tasted butterbeer (the chilled version and the frozen version.) I can't decide which one of those experiences I treasured more.

I found an awesome frozen butterbeer recipe on Cook Like A Champion. She used butterscotch schnapps and cream soda to create that delicious buttery taste. I thought that was ingenious! I got the ingredients the very next day. It tasted exactly like the butterbeer I tried at the park. I thought that the ice in the frozen drink diluted the flavor a little too much, so I actually preferred it chilled.

I've been trying to think of a way to make a non-alcoholic version. I'm thinking that substituting butterscotch syrup (the kind you use to flavor coffee) for the schnapps would work. I'm not sure how hard it is to get a hold of that flavor. Bakingdom uses butter extract in her version. I'll have to experiment further on that.

Butterbeer

adapted from Cook Like a Champion

12 oz cream soda

4 Tbs butterscotch schnapps
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 c whipping cream
1 Tbs butterscotch schnapps

Combine cream soda, the 4 Tbs of butterscotch schnapps, and vanilla in a pitcher with ice. Stir to mix. In a small bowl, whip the cream (with a whisk or a hand mixer) until it has thickened but has not yet turned to whipped cream. You want it to be pretty soft. Add the 1 Tbs of schnapps and stir to combine.

Pour butterbeer into glasses. Top with cream. Enjoy!

Phyllo-Wrapped Brie with Apricot and Rosemary Chutney

I saw this recipe a long time ago in Bon Appetit magazine. It took me over 10 years to gather the courage to try it. Working with phyllo scared me for a while. Luckily, it's not too hard to use. This dish has become our go-to appetizer for special occasions, especially the holidays. It gets rave reviews everywhere we bring it.


The recipe takes a little planning ahead. The good thing is that you can get most of the prep work finished a day ahead of time. The chutney can be made and kept in the fridge for up to a week in advance. In fact, the longer it chills, the more time the flavors have to meld.


The original recipe called for a 2-pound wheel of Brie. Unless you are making this for a party of 30 or more, there is no reason to use that much cheese. I scaled the recipe down to a more reasonable amount. If, by chance you are hosting a large scale party, then double the recipe, and make sure you have a rimmed baking sheet that the phyllo-wrapped finished product will fit onto.


Phyllo Wrapped Brie with Apricot and Rosemary Chutney
Adapted from Bon Appetit
January 1996

Chutney:
8 oz dried apricots, chopped
½ c chopped red onion (about ½ a medium)
½ c water
1/3 c cider vinegar
1/3 c light brown sugar
2 oz dried tart cherries, chopped
1 Tbs fresh chopped rosemary
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 ½ tsp grated lemon peel
¼ tsp salt
¼ c sliced almonds

½ c (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 roll frozen phyllo sheets, thawed (half a box)
2 Tbs fresh rosemary, chopped
1 lb Brie wheel

Baguette, sliced into rounds
Thin apple slices

Make the chutney 1 day in advance: Combine all the ingredients except for the almonds in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, until the mixture begins to boil. Reduce heat and cook for about 30 minutes until the mixture has thickened, stirring occasionally. Stir in the almonds. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and chill overnight.

Brush a rimmed baking sheet with some of the melted butter. Set aside. Unroll phyllo, and keep it covered with plastic wrap and a damp towel when not working with it. Arrange two stacked sheets of phyllo on a clean work surface. Overlap with another two stacked sheets of phyllo, arranging along the longside so the phyllo forms a large squarish shape. Brush the surface of the phyllo with melted butter. Repeat two more times, so you have 6 layers of phyllo, and three layers of butter. Sprinkle with one third of the rosemary.

Using a sharp knife, trim the corners of the phyllo. Place the Brie wheel in the center of the phyllo. Pile a generous amount of chutney on top of the cheese (use all if possible.) Sprinkle with another third of the rosemary. Fold phyllo over the cheese and chutney, patting gently to cover them snugly. Brush all the surfaces (including the sides) of the phyllo with butter as you go, being careful not to tear the phyllo. It’s okay if the phyllo on top doesn’t completely cover the top surface.

Brush another phyllo sheet with butter. Fold lengthwise into a 1-inch wide strip. Roll into a rose shape and place on the top of the phyllo-wrapped brie. Continue with more phyllo strips, forming a decorative top, and covering up any exposed chutney. Brush phyllo roses with butter. Sprinkle with the remaining third of rosemary. Using a spatula, carefully lift the wrapped cheese and place onto prepared baking sheet. Chill on the baking sheet for at least 3 hours. If chilling overnight, cover loosely with plastic wrap.

Position oven rack in bottom third of the oven. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place the baking sheet with the Brie in the oven and bake until the pastry is golden brown, about 30 minutes. If the roses brown too quickly, place a sheet of foil over them. If cheese leaks from the pastry, press a piece of foil over the opening and continue baking.

Let cheese cool for 45 minutes. Serve with baguette rounds and apple slices. (I recommend layering an apple slice on a baguette round, and topping with the baked Brie.)

Chocolate Pie

Chocolate pie was one of my family's favorite birthday desserts. Every year, it seemed that either my mother or father would request this. I always picked some crazy looking cake with a cool picture. Now that I'm a well-seasoned adult, I understand the allure of this pie....

Rich, chocolate pudding. Much better than the kind you make from a box. Darker, thicker, more chocolatey. It is what I made for my birthday this year. We've had this recipe in our family for-ev-er. It's another handwritten-on-an-index-card recipe. I have no idea where it came from. I'm just glad I have it.

Chocolate Pie
Source unknown

9-inch baked pie shell

6 oz unsweetened chocolate
2/3 c sugar
½ c flour
2 2/3 c whole milk
¼ tsp salt
1 Tbs butter
4 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla

1 c whipping cream, chilled
¼ c powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Melt chocolate in top of a double boiler. Add sugar, flour, milk, salt, and butter to the melted chocolate. Blend with a whisk and cook over the bubbling water until thick, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks with a whisk. Continue beating the yolks, and gradually add in 1 c of the chocolate mixture (amount doesn’t need to be precise). Add the chocolate-egg yolk mixture back the rest of the chocolate in the double boiler. Cook another 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Cool slightly. Pour into the baked pie shell. Chill until firm.

Place whipped cream in a bowl that has been chilled (15 minutes in the freezer does the trick). Beat with a hand mixer until it begins to thicken. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla, and continue to beat until whipped cream reaches desired consistency. Use whipped cream to decorate the pie.

Banh Mi

I celebrated my birthday a few weeks ago. Hubs and I usually go out for dinner on each other's birthdays, but this year we decided to stay in. He asked me what I wanted for dinner, and I was craving banh mi sandwiches. All those episodes of "Food Truck Road Race" got me thinking about banh mi.

Hubs found this recipe on the epicurious site. I nixed the jalepenos, since I'm not a fan of them raw. When choosing bread, look for the skinny baguettes. We had them on both the wide, poofy baguettes, and much preferred the thin ones. Sometimes you can find pickled carrots and daikon already made at Asian markets. We intended on freezing half the meatballs to eat at a later date. However, we liked the sandwiches so much that we ended up eating them all within a few days.


Banh Mi
Adapted from Bon Appetit
January 2010

For the meatballs:
1 lb ground pork
¼ c finely chopped fresh basil
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 green onions, white and light green part, chopped
1 Tbs fish sauce
1 Tbs sriracha
1 Tbs sugar
2 tsp cornstarch

For the pickled vegetables:
1 c coarsely grated carrots
1 c coarsely grated peeled daikon
¼ c rice vinegar
¼ c sugar
1 tsp kosher salt

For the sandwiches:
1 Tbs sesame oil
Baguettes (2 or 3)
Fresh cilantro sprigs
Fresh mint sprigs


Line a rimmed baking sheet with plastic wrap. Mix all the meatball ingredients together. Using moistened hands, roll into meatballs, using a scant tablespoonful of meat for each one. Arrange on baking sheet. Cover and chill for at least an hour. (Can be made a day in advance.)

For the pickled veggies: Toss the carrots, daikon, rice vinegar, sugar, and salt into a medium bowl. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour, tossing occasionally.

Preheat oven to 250˚F. Heat sesame oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Cook the meatballs in batches, browning on all sides and cooking through. Lower heat if they start to brown too quickly. Transfer cooked meatballs to a clean baking sheet and keep warm in the oven.

Cut baguettes into sandwich-sized portions. Slice in half horizontally. Place meatballs, pickled vegetables, cilantro, and mint on the bottom half. Top with the other half and press together.

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

...with a cider cream.

That was such a long title, it didn't fit in the title bar.

I love butternut squash, and I love apples. This soup was a winner from the get-go. I found the finished product to be incredibly sweet, which is why I added the lemon juice. It toned down the sweetness, and the acid brightened the flavor. To keep the recipe vegetarian-friendly, I used vegetable stock, but chicken stock can be substituted. To keep the meal vegetarian, I would serve with a salad and crusty bread. For a heartier side, a chicken sandwich (hot or cold) would go well.


Butternut Squash and Apple Soup with Cider Cream
Adapted from Sunday Soup
By Betty Rosbottom

4 Tbs unsalted butter
A 2 ½ -lb butternut squash, peeled, seeds and pulp removed, and cut into 1-inch cubes
3 leeks, white and light green parts only, chopped
1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into chunks
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 tart apples, peeled, cored, and chopped into chunks
2 tsp dried thyme
6 c vegetable stock (can substitute with chicken stock)
2 c apple cider, divided
½ c sour cream
1 Tbs lemon juice

Melt butter in a large stockpot. When hot, add the squash, leeks, carrots and celery. Saute, stirring frequently, until vegetables begin to get soft. Add apples, thyme, stock, and 1 c of the cider. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until squash is tender, about 30-40 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

While soup is cooking, make the cider cream. In a small saucepan, boil the other 1 c of apple cider. Keep boiling until the cider has reduced by half. Let cool. Whip cider reduction and sour cream together and set aside.

Blend the soup in batches in a blender or with an immersion blender. Return to pot. Stir in lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper. Garnish soup with cider cream and thinly sliced apples.

Ghiradelli Luxe Chocolate Review and Chocolate Hazelnut Gelato

I had the opportunity to try a few samples of Ghiradelli's Luxe Chocolate as part of Foodbuzz's Tastemakers program. The Luxe line of chocolates uses 100% all natural ingredients. I received three flavors, the plain milk chocolate, the almond, and the hazelnut. My father-in-law ate one before I tried it, so technically I only tasted two of the flavors.

The chocolates are delicious. The individual squares are the perfect snack size. The ground nuts add a pleasant crunch. The hazelnut chocolate inspired to make a chocolate hazelnut gelato, topped with toasted hazelnuts. I love this gelato. It freezes softer than ice cream, so I don't have to wait for it to partially melt before I scoop it out. And the topping enhances the hazelnut flavor.


Chocolate Hazelnut Gelato
Adapted from Giada De Laruentiis

2 c whole milk
1 c heavy cream
¾ c sugar
4 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla
2/3 c chocolate hazelnut spread

½ c toasted hazelnuts, ground
2 Tbs sugar


Combine milk, cream, and ½ c of sugar in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves.

In a medium bowl, whip the egg yolks and ¼ c of sugar until the eggs have become thick and pale yellow. Pour ½ c of the milk mixture into the egg mixture, stirring as you pour. Pour this mixture into the remaining milk mixture. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon, about 7-10 minutes. Remove from heat and add the vanilla and chocolate hazelnut spread. Stir until spread has dissolved.

Chill mixture completely before pouring into an ice cream maker. Follow manufacturer’s instructions for churning, and freeze.

Preheat oven to 300˚F. Spread the hazelnuts in an even layer on a baking sheet. Toast nuts in the oven until browned, stirring once (about 10 minutes.) Place hazelnuts in a clean towel, and rub the skins off. Let the hazelnuts cool off, and grind. Mix with the 2 Tbs of sugar. Sprinkle over a scoop of gelato.

Pad Thai

I've begun replacing some of my older posts. The pictures are not at all good, and I like to think that my writing style has developed for the better. This is one of the first dishes that I posted, nearly two years ago.

I'm not sure where I got this recipe from - it's handwritten on an index card. I've had it since my college days (oh so long ago.) It's my favorite pad thai recipe, and I've tried many. I've swapped out all sorts of proteins - shrimp, pork, beef, tofu...and they all taste great.



The hardest part is cooking the noodles to just the right consistency. You want them to be slightly chewy, but completely cooked. They will finish cooking when you mix together the ingredients. If you overcook them, the will turn into a sticky, goopy mass. You can make the dish spicier by adding more sriracha, or throwing in some chopped Thai chiles.


Pad Thai
Source unknown

8 oz dried rice noodles
1/4 c fish sauce (nam pla)
1/4 c sugar
1/4 c rice vinegar
2 Tbs hoisin sauce

3/4 lb shrimp, pork, or chicken (or whatever protein you wish to use)
2 Tbs to 1/4 c vegetable oil
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 tsp of chili sauce (sriracha)
2 eggs
4 green onions, thinly sliced
10 oz fresh bean sprouts

3/4 c ground unsalted peanuts
1/4 c chopped cilantro
lime wedges

Soak noodles in hot water according to the package directions. Drain.

Peel and devein shrimp; slice chicken or pork across the grain into thin strips.
Mix fish sauce, sugar, vinegar, and hoisin sauce in a bowl; stir until sugar is dissolved. Set aside.

Heat a wok over high heat. Add 2 Tbs of oil, garlic, and chili. Stir fry until golden. Add meat (not shrimp), and stir fry 2 minutes. Add noodles and toss lightly to coat with oil. Push noodles to one side, and add more oil if necessary. Add eggs; cook until slightly set, then break up into pieces and toss with noodles. Add shrimp, most of the bean sprouts, the green onions, and 1/4 c of peanuts. Stir fry until shrimp just turns pink - 1-2 minutes. Add sauce and toss to coat.

Remove to a serving platter and top with cilantro and remaining peanuts. Garnish with bean sprouts and lime wedges. Serve immediately.