Key Lime Cheesecake

Graham Cracker Crust:

- 1 1/2 c. graham crackers ground up in food processor
- 1/3 c. white sugar
- 6 tbsp melted butter
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Bake for 7 minutes at 375 degrees

Cheesecake:

- 1 package softened cream cheese
- 1 can sweet condensed milk
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla
- 1/2 c (or more) key lime juice

Pour filling into cooled crust, refrigerate overnight

Attempt #1:

Attempt #2:

Fine, so attempt #2 may not be that much more attractive than the first, but you have to believe me, it was amazingly delicious!

Key Lime Coconut Cake

My father requested a non-chocolate cake for his birthday, and only because I love him did I oblige.  Especially because I had made a non-chocolate cake the night prior (well, topped with chocolate ganache, so, not quite).  This is a unique, delicious cake and I'd make it again anytime I'm not craving chocolate.  So . . . never?

KEY LIME FILLING
First, make the key lime filling:
3/4 c. sugar
1 egg
1 egg white
1/4 c key lime juice
2 tsp key lime zest
3/4 c. water, divided
2 tbsp. cornstarch

Whisk sugar, eggs in saucepan until combined, then whisk in lime juice, zest, and 1/2c of the water, stirring over low heat
Stir together cornstarch and 1/4c water then whisk into saucepan as well, raising heat to medium-high until mixture boils and thickens
Transfer to heatproof bowl with a piece of plastic wrap (or wax paper) touching the entire surface so that a skin doesn't form.  Refrigerate for about an hour or until cool.

COCONUT CAKE
*note to self - double this recipe!
1 3/4 c flour (cake flour preferred)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c unsweetened coconut, although I made half of this the sweetened kind anyway
3/4c coconut milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 sticks of butter, room temp
1 1/3c sugar
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites

Combine flour, baking powder, salt, coconut shreds in one bowl
Coconut milk, vanilla in another
Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then add eggs and whites
Add 1/3 of the flour mixture in, use a spatula from here on out to gently mix things (until just incorporated, don't overmix from this point)
Add half of the coconut milk/vanilla mixture
Add more flour, the rest of coconut milk, then the last of the flour
Divide into two greased 9" cake pans (ideally, with a piece of parchment paper on the bottom - easier to get the delicate cake out without breaking)
Bake at 350 for about 35 min, until top feels springy and toothpick comes out clean
Cool cakes first in pans, then invert gently to cool on wire racks or plates
(I was in a rush and had to speed up the cooling process - put the pans in the freezer, then took the cakes out and put them back in the freezer.  Worked fine)
*The two layers were thinner than I'd hoped - I wanted to do four layers and cut them each in half.  I did manage to do it but the layers were very thin, only about an inch apiece.  Might double the recipe to make it towering.

WHIPPED CREAM FROSTING
2 cups cold heavy cream
6 tbsp powdered sugar
1-2 tsp vanilla

Whip all of this with electric mixer.  Super easy - it's basically just sweetened whipped cream, so you can tweak the sugar/vanilla amounts to taste.

Decorate with key lime wedges and sweetened coconut!

Recipes taken from:
http://leitesculinaria.com/73418/recipes-coconut-cake.html
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/key_lime_cake.html

Salted Caramel Chocolate Cake

This cake was definitely . . . different.  The layer of liquid caramel we spread on top of the cake before adding the ganache ended up bursting through and leaking down the sides of the cake, which led us to think of names like Side Vent Erupting Volcano Cake among others.  The buttercream by itself is amazing, but the chocolate flavors overwhelmed it.  Next time I might skip the ganache and just do the cake, buttercream, and possibly a drizzle of caramel on top.  Though poorly executed here, it's fun to drip caramel designs onto parchment paper and freeze them, resulting in fancy (or ugly) cake decorations.

Tip: Make it a day in advance and refrigerate it for best results!

Make 1 recipe Best Chocolate Cake, then . . .

In medium saucepan make caramel for buttercream:

(Double this recipe to make enough for a layer of caramel on top of the cake)

1/2 cup + 2 tbsp fine sugar 

1/4 cup water

Bring to boil

Cook undisturbed until caramel is dark amber

Remove from heat, add 1/4c cream, stir with wooden spoon until smooth

Whisk in pinch of sea salt

Let cool

Make buttercream recipe in stand mixer:

- 2 sticks room temp butter

- 3.5 cups powder sugar (1 box)

- 1 tsp vanilla

- 3 tbsp milk

Switch to paddle

- on low, mix in caramel (3-5 min)

For chocolate ganache frosting:

- put 16 oz chocolate chips (preferably dark) in heat safe bowl

- bring 1/4 to 1/2c of cream just to boil, then add to bowl of chocolate, allow to sit 1-2min then mix gently until smooth

- let cool for a long while, then drizzle on top of cake

Lemon Meringue Pie

Make 1/2 recipe pie dough/crust, bake at 350 for 20 minutes until almost done.

LEMON FILLING:

Medium saucepan, whisk together:

1 1/4c sugar

2 tbsp flour

3 1/2 tbsp corn starch

1/4 tsp salt

Stir in:

1 1/2c water

2 oz of lemon juice 1 1/2 teaspoons of lemon extract - without the lemon extract it won't have a strong lemon flavor

Cook over medium-high heat, stir constantly, until boiling, then

stir in 2 tbsp butter

Gradually whisk half of this hot mix into a bowl of 4 beaten egg yolks

Whisk all of that back into saucepan

Bring to boil and cook until thick (or lower heat for about 15 minutes)

Remove from heat, pour into baked pie crust

MERINGUE:

In stand mixer whisk 4 egg whites until foamy

Add 1/2 tsp cream of tartar, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Add 6 tbsp fine sugar

Whisk for about 15 minutes
(Next time I would DOUBLE this amount of meringue)

Bake at 350 for 10 minutes 

Yogurt Chicken and Stuffed Mushrooms

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/yogurt-chicken/

Really simple, easy dinner.  Trim and steam green beans for 5-7 minutes

Chicken breasts: dip in yogurt and breadcrumbs.  Put on glass baking dish coated with olive oil.  Bake at 350 for 45 min or so.

Portobello mushrooms: brush, coat with olive oil, stuff with herbed goat cheese (and additional parmesan, breadcrumbs, anything you like) . . . bake at 350 for around 10-15 minutes (more if they're big).  

spinach frittata

Spinach Frittata Recipe

from http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/spinach_frittata/

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb spinach leaves (about 2 bunches), cleaned, chopped
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 9 large eggs
• 2 Tbsp milk
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Sausage, cut into small pieces
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 3-6 oz goat cheese

METHOD

1 Preheat oven to 400°F.

2 Cook spinach in 1/4 cup of water in a covered saucepan until just wilted, a couple minutes. Drain water and set aside.

3 In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, and Parmesan cheese. Add in chopped sun-dried tomatoes, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set aside.

4 Sauté onions in olive oil in an oven-proof, stick-free skillet, until translucent, about 4-5 minutes on medium heat. Add garlic and cook a minute further. Add cooked spinach and mix in with onions and garlic.  OR, sautee in regular skillet for about 5 minutes and then transfer to oven-safe dish.

5 Spread out spinach mixture evenly on bottom of skillet. Pour egg mixture over spinach mixture. Use a spatula to lift up the spinach mixture along the sides of the pan to let egg mixture flow underneath.  Transfer to oven-safe dish (I use pie dish).

6 Sprinkle bits of goat cheese over the top of the frittata mixture. Bake for at least 15 minutes (depending on how "set" mixture was in skillet, this could be as much as 45 min) until frittata is puffy and golden. Remove from oven with oven mitts and let cool for several minutes. 

Cut into quarters to serve. Serves four+

pies