June has been the month of cheesecakes for me. Not that I'm complaining! Cheesecake has always been one of my favorite things, so getting to make (and taste!) lots of them without the guilt of eating the whole thing is great! Earlier this month I made four cheesecakes for our dear friend Lauren's graduation party. There were over 150 people in attendance and the cheesecakes were a big hit! Sadly, in all the craziness of the weekend, I didn't get any pictures. But here are some links to the recipes I used:
Biggest seller: Cappuccino Fudge Cheesecake - this one was the most complicated, with a crust and 3 different layers plus decorating. But it was also incredibly decadent and delicious and everyone fell in love with it!
White Chocolate Cheesecake - I was going to make the caramel sauce for the top, but just ran out of time (remember I said the weekend was crazy?). So I drizzled the top with a little melted white chocolate and it looked lovely and was really delicious. Although there's a lot of white chocolate in there, it wasn't overpowering - just a subtle something extra that was really yummy.
Perfect Plain Cheesecake - This was a really nice plain cheesecake with sour cream topping. We called it "classic" and it really is. Yummy. Personally I prefer a really dense plain cheesecake. This one has a little lighter, creamy texture which is lovely, but not quite "perfect" in my opinion. It was definitely a crowd-pleaser though and was the second cheesecake to disappear.
Kahlua Cheesecake - This is the one I was originally asked to make, a favorite of the graduate and I got the recipe from her mother. The recipe I've linked is almost identical - I think the only difference is the use of graham crackers instead of chocolate wafers for the crust. I drizzled this one with both white and dark chocolate and it was a big hit as well.
Right now I have a fifth cheesecake in my fridge for Lauren's sister Karoline's birthday party tonight. This one is Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough! I originally got the idea from this recipe, but I made lots of changes so it will get its own post, hopefully with pictures.
I have two more cheesecakes I really want to make - anyone have an occasion I can bake for? They are this Brownie Mosaic Cheesecake and an idea I have for a dark chocolate cheesecake with peppermint truffles mixed in. If I get around to making them, I'll let y'all know!
Friday, June 24, 2011
Monday, June 20, 2011
Rhubarb Marmalade
My mother is a marmalade lover. I have a soft spot for it myself. So when I saw this recipe, I knew I would be making it!
Rhubarb Marmalade
6 cups rhubarb
5 cups sugar
2 medium oranges
Chop rhubarb into 1/4" chunks.
Remove any seeds from oranges and then grind in food processor (rinds and all, so wash them well first). I ground them pretty fine.
Combine rhubarb, sugar and oranges in a large pot and bring to a full, rolling boil. (When you first combine them it will not look like a mixture that will ever boil. Resist the urge to add water or other liquid. Have faith and keep stirring a little bit. Before long you'll have a lovely soupy-looking mixture.)
Reduce the heat and simmer until mixture sheets off a spoon. I actually cooked a little longer than this until my mixture was somewhat reduced and thickened. Ladle into hot jars, wipe rims, apply lids and bands and process for 10 minutes in a hot water bath. Remove from canner, place on a towel on the counter and let cool undisturbed overnight. Check seals and store!
I haven't popped open any of the jars yet - I'm waiting until my homemade bread is done later tonight. I did scrape some from the pot, and it was delicious! So simple and unique.
Rhubarb Marmalade
6 cups rhubarb
5 cups sugar
2 medium oranges
Chop rhubarb into 1/4" chunks.
Remove any seeds from oranges and then grind in food processor (rinds and all, so wash them well first). I ground them pretty fine.
Combine rhubarb, sugar and oranges in a large pot and bring to a full, rolling boil. (When you first combine them it will not look like a mixture that will ever boil. Resist the urge to add water or other liquid. Have faith and keep stirring a little bit. Before long you'll have a lovely soupy-looking mixture.)
Reduce the heat and simmer until mixture sheets off a spoon. I actually cooked a little longer than this until my mixture was somewhat reduced and thickened. Ladle into hot jars, wipe rims, apply lids and bands and process for 10 minutes in a hot water bath. Remove from canner, place on a towel on the counter and let cool undisturbed overnight. Check seals and store!
I haven't popped open any of the jars yet - I'm waiting until my homemade bread is done later tonight. I did scrape some from the pot, and it was delicious! So simple and unique.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Southern Summer Sandwich
Pimento Cheese with Hot Pepper Jelly and if you want to go all the way, Bacon.
Warning: This is southern comfort food, NOT health food.
You can purchase ready-made pimento cheese spread in any grocery store in the south, but if you happen to live elsewhere in the country, you may not be so fortunate. So you make your own. I like to make my own anyway. It's better.
Here's how:
Grate a pound of extra sharp cheddar cheese. You can use sharp if you want, but I love extra sharp.
Add a jar of pimentos, drained. In case you don't know, pimentos are those red things that in the middle of olives. The only way I've ever seen them sold is in a tiny little jar. Use two if you like pimentos, but be sure you drain them.
Add a dash of hot sauce. Garlic, too, if you like.
Stir it all together with enough mayonnaise to blend. Not too much. That's why homemade is better. You can cut the mayo.
Now for the sandwich. You will need this ... Hot Pepper Jelly. In the south, you can find this in the grocery store, too. I don't know about other places. But if you can't find it and you really want to make this sandwich, you could, of course, make your own. I haven't done that yet, but I am planning to copy my friend, Amber, and make Jalapeño Strawberry Jam. Anyway, whether you buy it or make, spread some of your hot, sweet, spicy pepper jelly or jam on a piece of good bread. Sourdough is especially nice.
NPR's pimento cheese recipe. I'll have to try this one for Matthew who loves pickles in all forms.
Warning: This is southern comfort food, NOT health food.
You can purchase ready-made pimento cheese spread in any grocery store in the south, but if you happen to live elsewhere in the country, you may not be so fortunate. So you make your own. I like to make my own anyway. It's better.
Here's how:
Grate a pound of extra sharp cheddar cheese. You can use sharp if you want, but I love extra sharp.
Add a jar of pimentos, drained. In case you don't know, pimentos are those red things that in the middle of olives. The only way I've ever seen them sold is in a tiny little jar. Use two if you like pimentos, but be sure you drain them.
Add a dash of hot sauce. Garlic, too, if you like.
Stir it all together with enough mayonnaise to blend. Not too much. That's why homemade is better. You can cut the mayo.
Now for the sandwich. You will need this ... Hot Pepper Jelly. In the south, you can find this in the grocery store, too. I don't know about other places. But if you can't find it and you really want to make this sandwich, you could, of course, make your own. I haven't done that yet, but I am planning to copy my friend, Amber, and make Jalapeño Strawberry Jam. Anyway, whether you buy it or make, spread some of your hot, sweet, spicy pepper jelly or jam on a piece of good bread. Sourdough is especially nice.
Then spread your pimento cheese. If you are being decadent, fry up some bacon (you could use turkey bacon if you want to feel slightly more virtuous) and add a couple of slices to your sandwich. Spread the pepper jelly on the top slice of bread and enjoy the best sandwich you've had in a while. Sweet tea is optional.
NPR's pimento cheese recipe. I'll have to try this one for Matthew who loves pickles in all forms.
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