2009 April | Dianasaur Dishes

Daring Baker’s Challenge: Cheesecake!

The April 2009 challenge is hosted by Jenny from Jenny Bakes. She has chosen Abbey’s Infamous Cheesecake as the challenge.

Yipes! Is it really the end of April? How did that happen? I realized it was getting late in the month and last night checked the Daring Baker forum to see when our challenge was due. It’s today! This is the latest I’ve ever made the challenge, but fortunately it’s a relatively simple one. You can find the original recipe here. Because I was in a hurry, and because Eric doesn’t really like many cheesecakes, I decided to make about 1/3 of the recipe and use cupcake and mini cupcake pans instead of a pie pan.

My sister Sharon loves to make mini chocolate and orange cheesecakes whenever she has a party, and Eric said that’s the one cheesecake he likes, so I decided to do something along those lines using crushed up Oreos for the crust and orange juice and zest in the filling. Also, just for fun, I took out a little bit of the filling before adding orange to it and added a pinch of espresso and a sprinkling of ginger powder and nutmeg, then used crushed up gingersnaps for the crust. My recipe below is just for the chocolate and orange. If you want to try the gingerbread latte version use 8 Oreos in your crust recipe and 2 TBS butter. 5 crushed gingersnap cookies and 1 TBS butter made 3 large cupcake sized cheesecake crusts. Confused yet?

For the water bath I would suggest pulling your oven rack out and placing the pans on it before filling with water. I had a hard time with sloshing boiling water around, it was a little scary and fortunately I didn’t get burned, but one of my mini cheesecakes got a little bath! These were pretty simple to make and I love that they’re little individual bites since I don’t eat a lot of dessert. I would definitely make these again and I also think that the cheesecake recipe is a great base to play around with.

Mini Orange and Chocolate Cheesecakes
makes 6 large and 12 mini cupcakes

Ingredients

crust:
12 Oreo cookies
3 TBS melted butter

cheesecake:
1 8 oz stick of cream cheese (softened on counter)
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 TBS fresh squeezed orange juice
2 TBS fresh orange zest

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Begin to boil water in a kettle for the water bath.

Use a food processor to turn the Oreos into fine crumbs. Mix with butter and press into bottom of cupcake pans. Set crust aside.

Combine cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of a stand-mixer and cream together until smooth. Add egg and make sure to scrape down the bowl. Add heavy cream, orange juice, and zest and blend until smooth and creamy. Spoon batter into prepared crusts and tap the pan on the counter a few times to bring all air bubbles to the surface. Place pan into a larger pan and pour boiling water into the larger pan until halfway up the side of the pan.

Bake 20 minutes, until it is almost done – this can be hard to judge, but you’re looking for the cake to hold together, but still have a lot of jiggle to it in the center. You don’t want it to be completely firm at this stage. Close the oven door, turn the heat off, and let rest in the cooling oven for 30 minutes. This lets the cake finish cooking and cool down gently enough so that it won’t crack on the top. After 30 minutes, remove cheesecake from oven and lift carefully out of water bath. Cover and put in the fridge to chill. Once fully chilled, it is ready to serve. Use a knife to separate the cheesecake edges from the pan. Garnish with sugared orange zest and spirals.

Buitoni Wild Mushroom Agnolotti with Red Pepper in Marsala Cream Sauce

I know what you’re asking, it’s “What are Agnolotti?”. I had the same question so I did a little research for you. Most sources agree that agnolotti are similar to ravioli but instead of being two pieces of pasta on top of each other with filling in between, it is one piece of pasta folded in half over the filling. So one edge is a fold rather than a crimp. That is pretty much the one thing that was in agreement, the other aspects of the definitions varied quite a bit. Some say that agnolotti can only contain beef (leftover roast specifically) and vegetables, if it’s just vegetables it’s really ravioli. Some say that it can have any variety of filling. Still others say it doesn’t even have to have filling and can just be folded over to be defined as agnolotti, and then be used in soups. I can’t tell you what’s the truly the original definition, but I’ll probably forget all together and think of them as ravioli.

I owe a humungous thank you to Foodbuzz and Buitoni. As a featured publisher and tastemaker for Foodbuzz, I got to try the new Buitoni Riserva line of fresh pastas. I must say that the refrigerated fresh pasta is so much better than dried pastas, and the wild mushroom filling was absolutely delicious! I decided to make mine with red bell peppers and a marsala cream sauce. I was excited to cook with Marsala wine since I never have before. It was an incredible dish and Eric and I really loved it. Honestly I don’t know if I would buy it in the store though. It has nothing to do with the quality or taste, I was very impressed, but I feel like store bought fresh pasta is a luxury item. I would have a hard time feeling comfortable with it in our budget. It’s around $4-$5 for a package with 12 agnolotti, which I used to serve two along with a side salad. If I had the time and energy, I know I could make my own fresh agnolotti for much cheaper, but then again I don’t know if I’d get around it. Bottom line is, if you can afford it, get yourself some because it’s delicious! If you can’t afford it, at least make this sauce and pour it over ravioli, chicken, grilled portabellos or other pasta. To make it vegetarian, simply leave out the Pancetta and substitute vegetable broth for the beef broth.

Agnolotti with Red Pepper in Marsala Cream Sauce
serves 2

Ingredients

12-16 Agnolotti
1/2 red bell pepper chopped
2 TBS butter
1/4 cup chopped red onion
3 thin slices Pancetta chopped
1/4 tsp finely crumbled dried bay leaf
1/4 tsp dried thyme
sprinkling of pepper
3/4 cup Marsala wine
1/4 cup red wine
1 cup beef broth
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Instructions

Put a pot of water on high for the agnolotti.

Melt the butter on high in a frying pan. As soon as it’s melted, add the onion, pancetta, thyme, bay leaf and pepper. Saute in the butter until pancetta is cooked through and onion is soft (about 3-5 minutes). Add the marsala and red wine, reduce by half (about 5 minutes). Stir in the beef broth and reduce by half again (another 5 minutes). Add the cream and turn heat to low.

Boil agnolotti according to package instructions. Add bell pepper to the boiling pasta during final 4 minutes of cooking time. Drain pasta and peppers in a colander. Dish onto plates and pour marsala cream sauce over the top.

Apartment Grilling Series: Going Greek with Gyros

I am a huge fan of Greek food, Eric doesn’t hate it but usually doesn’t prefer it, so we don’t have it very often. The one exception, as you can see in the above photo, is that he loves Gyros. Okay first of all, there is lots of confusion over the correct way to pronounce this Greek version of a sandwich. I have eaten at a lot of Greek restaurants and all the owners who were actually Greek (sometimes they’re Lebanese or another ethnicity with similar food) pronounce it as a cross between Year-oh and Euro. So that’s how I say it, if anyone out there is actually Greek feel free to correct me, I appreciate learning!

Now back to barbecuing: We decided it was time for our first BBQ of the year, and I gave Eric a few choices and was quite surprised (and pleased) when he picked Gyros. Now some of you may be thinking, “I live in a tiny apartment, I don’t have a lanai (that’s a balcony in Hawaii), or deck, or yard to have a BBQ on.” Don’t despair! We’re in the same boat, it just takes some creativity. Do you have a walkway, maybe a parking space no one uses, a front step? You only need a small spot to be able to fit a little hibachi. We live in a two story building and so set up on the sidewalk underneath the stairs, that way we’re not in people’s way. We use a couple camping chairs for sitting (but a blanket would work too) and an overturned box for our table.

One of the many nice things about grilling is that it’s a team effort. Eric takes care of the grill; gets it started, watches it, handles grilling the food. He always does a really good job. I take care of the prep and putting the food together. It’s always fun to grill out there because our neighbors are always amazed, I guess we’re the cool neighbors now, or the crazy ones! We end up getting to talk to our neighbors more than usual and we get to enjoy the weather and sunshine.

We still use all our regular dishes and things (Save the environment!) and I try to keep the serving dishes fun even though our table and chairs are ghetto. Using real dishes for BBQs or picnics is a great way to save money. As far as affordability goes, using chicken makes this recipe a little more pricey, but I cut chicken breasts into strips rather than using tenderloins so that saves some money. You can also save money in this by leaving out the chicken, or making homemade pitas. The total cost of the recipe is around $10 but that makes 6-8 gyros and you’ll have plenty of leftover hummus and tzatziki to dip chips or vegetables in. If you want to make this vegetarian, make the salad and toast your pitas then tear them into large chunks and mix in your salad, drizzle with sauces.

There were a few parts to our Greek meal. Although a typical Gyros has tzatziki, we also like hummus with ours. So the meal consisted of making two sauces, a salad mix, and grilling chicken. It was more prep time than grilling time but still only took about 20 minutes. I haven’t found tahini in any grocery store I’ve been to, I know I can get it up in Seattle but I can’t justify the gas to get it. So I just toast some sesame seeds and then pound them with my morter and pestal. It works great and since I buy my sesame seeds in bulk I’m probably saving money.

I make both sauces in the blender. The tzatziki first because it’s easier to rinse out, then the hummus. Most people prefer to make tzatziki with English cucumbers, but I used the regular one I had in the fridge and it worked great. I didn’t strain the cucumbers because of time so our tzatziki was a little soupy, if you want it thicker just blend your cucumbers and then press the liquid out through a cheesecloth and use the remaining cucumber pulp in your sauce.

Tzatziki

Ingredients

1/2 of a cucumber

6 oz Greek yogurt

tiny pinch of kosher salt

1 clove of garlic minced

1 tsp olive oil

1/2 tsp red wine vinegar

1 TBS dried mint

Instructions

Chop the cucumber and then whirl in a blender. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth.

Hummus

Ingredients

2 TBS sesame seeds

1 15 ounce can of chickpeas

1 clove of garlic minced

pinch of kosher salt

2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp cumin

2 TBS olive oil

2 TBS lemon juice

Instructions

Toast the sesame seeds in a small pan, shaking the pan often so they toast evenly. Pound into a paste (or you can use a small food processor). Open the chickpea can and drain it but save the liquid.

Dump the chickpeas in the blender and blend for a minute. Add sesame seeds, garlic, salt, ONE tsp of paprika, cumin, ONE TBS olive oil, and lemon juice. Blend for another minute while adding the liquid from the chickpeas until it’s the consistancy you want (if your blender lid doesn’t have a pour hole than just stop blending to add a little at a time, I use almost all of it). Put into a bowl and drizzle with remaining TBS olive oil and sprinkle with remaining tsp of paprika.

Chicken Gyros
serves 6-8

Ingredients

3 chicken breasts
6-8 pita breads
2 TBS lemon juice
1/2 cup Olive Oil
3 TBS Red Wine Vinegar
1 TBS dried oregano
2 cloves of garlic minced
1 large head of Romaine lettuce rough chopped
2 roma tomatoes chopped
1/2 cucumber
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (or one TBS dried)
1/4 cup chopped red onion
10 or more pitted kalamata olives (optional)

Instructions

Slice the raw chicken breasts lengthwise into 4 thin strips each. Place in dish and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

In a small bowl whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, vinegar, oregano and garlic. Pour half the dressing over the chicken and turn it to coat well. Grill the chicken about 4 minutes on each side.

Combine the vegetables, parsley and cheese in a large bowl. Mix with remaining dressing.

Grill the pita bread until golden brown and crispy. Place 1-2 strips of chicken in a pita, top with salad mixture, drizzle with tzatziki and hummus and fold in half.

Shrimp and Asparagus Curry

It’s official, I’m passionate about food blogging. I must be or I wouldn’t be bothering to type with the agony it causes my arm/shoulders/back. I finally sucked up my pride and told Eric I needed to go to the doctor (I waited until just turning my head caused me to start to black out from the pain, and I have a high pain tolerance!). I keep rotating doctors, every time I get a new one they decide to leave for some reason. Is it me? Anyway, I really like the doctor I saw and he said he’s 99% sure I have a muscle spasm in my neck causing the pain and stiffness. He was amazed at how hard my muscles were, all knotted up and said it’s probably pinching nerves. So I’m on muscle relaxants when I don’t have to drive, tons of prescription Aleve, and for bed Vicodin. I just work as long as I can stand it and still drive home, which is not good on our already tight budget. But I know we’ll get everything we need.

So since I’m in pain, I need to cook things that are relatively easy. This recipe requires almost no stirring, and a little chopping (which I’ve learned husbands are very good at!). I buy my pre cooked shrimp with shells on because it’s cheaper, but it’s even less work if yours are already shelled. I happen to think the pile of shrimp carcasses is kinda cool looking

The ingredients are simple, you can add other vegetables if you like, or stick to the recipe. Make sure to start your rice cooker (or pot of rice) before you start the curry as it only takes about 10 minutes to cook and rice usually takes around 20. This recipe is great for leftovers too. I make individual servings of rice with the curry poured over it and try to mix it a little so the rice doesn’t dry out. It reheats great for lunches or if you’re staying in a hotel with a microwave and need to save money by not eating out. That’s the real reason I made this dish, I put some in a nice bowl for photos, but then dumped it into a tupperware for The Great Wolf Lodge, where we went for Eric’s 25th b-day (yes he is younger than me!).

Shrimp and Asparagus Curry

serves 4

Ingredients

3 cloves garlic minced

2 TBS Olive Oil

1 TBS Thai red curry paste
20 shrimp cooked and shelled (thaw in fridge overnight if frozen)

1 can coconut milk

6 asparagus stalks

1/2 head of Napa Cabbage

1/4 red onion

2 cups cooked rice

Instructions

Heat the olive oil on medium in a large pan or wok and sautee garlic for 30 seconds. Add curry paste and mash it slightly until you can smell it. Add the shrimp and stir once to coat shrimp. Add coconut milk.

Chop asparagus in 1 inch pieces, dice onion, and slice the cabbage into shreds (this should take a couple minutes, if you do your chopping ahead, let the shrimp sit in the coconut milk in the pot for 2 minutes before adding veggies). Add vegetables into pot. Stir once and reduce to a simmer. Let simmer for 4 minutes. Serve over rice.

Grossness!

I came home from meeting a friend last night and Eric said, “Sit on the couch, I have something really gross to show you!” Now I’m not easily grossed out, I used to want to be a paramedic so blood, guts, protruding bones, hasn’t really bothered me. Bugs are cool, I’ll eat pretty much any food, sometimes including bugs. I was very curious what he had to show me that he thought would gross me out (I knew it wouldn’t be mucus because that’s the one thing that does gross me out and he just knows better!). He had the camera’s memory card in our Wii and popped up the picture below on the screen (I added the drawing part).

Our window was covered in mold! We only open the curtains and blinds in the summer, when we need to let air in to cool the room down (our apartment gets over 100 degrees). Apparently the condensation on our window all winter was causing mold to grow rampantly. It was all over the sill, inner walls, and window.

I’ve also lately noticed some yellowish stains like water drips on our walls and ceiling in the bathroom. Eric said it’s probably just water drops but now I’m wondering if it’s some kind of mold or mildew.

Eric cleaned it up with a bunch of Clorox wipes (We got hundreds of these individually wrapped wipes for free). I’m wondering if there’s more we need to do, and if this is related to all the health problems I’ve been having. I’m going to the Doctor right now because of a very painful shoulder/neck/back that I can’t figure out or seem to get better. I guess I’ll mention the mold to him, and do some research later tonight. Have any of you had mold problems before? Any advice?