Triple Peanut Butter & Chocolate Cheesecake

My husband always says, "No good deed goes unpunished."  Punishment was not what I had in mind when I made this peanut butter and chocolate delight for a very helpful neighbor. However, the following day I was informed that after eating just one slice, he had to retreat for a nap!

Triple Peanut Butter & Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe

Ingredients

Crust

1 cup chocolate cookies, crushed

3 tablespoons butter, unsalted, melted

1 tablespoons sugar

Filling

2 packages 8 ounce cream cheese, room temperature

2/3 cup peanut butter, natural with salt and peanuts only

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 each eggs

1/4 cup sour cream

Topping

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups

Reese’s Peanut Butter Chips

chocolate ganache (recipe follows)

Directions:

Crust

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Blend first three ingredients and press firmly into a 7-inch springform pan.

Cheesecake

Beat cream cheese and peanut butter for 3 minutes.  Add both sugars; beat 3 minutes. Beat in vanilla, then eggs, one at a time; then sour cream.  Pour into prepared pan. Bake 50 - 60 minutes or until barely firm - center should still be shaky.  Turn off oven; leaving door ajar, cool for 1 hour.  Remove from oven and cool completely in pan. Chill in fridge overnight or at least 8 hours.
Topping

Remove the side the of springform pan.  Halve the peanut butter cups and arrange over cheesecake, followed by peanut butter chips.  Drizzle with chocolate ganache (recipe follows).

Chocolate Ganache Recipe

8 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, cut into small pieces

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1 tablespoon cognac or brandy (optional)

Place the chopped chocolate in a medium sized stainless steel bowl. Set aside. Heat the cream in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil. Immediately pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Stir with a whisk until smooth. If desired, add the liqueur.  Allow to cool until slightly thickened; then pour over prepared cheesecake.

                         

                                                                                                         

Coquilles St. Jacques

At the beginning of every new year, we vow to do something different, new, more or better to enhance our lives.  For me, this year that promise is to spend more time with friends - and not just on holidays or special occasions.  I find that impromptu gatherings can bring the most joy.  So last week I invited two friends to lunch, dusted off an old recipe and treated them to an adult “time out.”

Coquilles St. Jacques has always been one of my favorites dishes.  There was a time when it was a menu staple at fine dining establishments.  I guess that with the advent of the “nouvelle cuisine,” it somehow lost its’ appeal.  But not for me!  It is traditionally offered as an appetizer, prepared with scallops and a mushroom sauce, and served in a large scallop shell.  I much prefer it as the main course, adding shrimp or lobster and lump crab.  Who could limit themselves to just a few bites of this deliciousness? 

Coquilles St. Jacques Recipe 

Ingredients

1/2 pound bay scallops

1/2 pound medium shrimp, shelled and deveined

1/2 pound lump crabmeat

1 cup dry white wine

1 bay leaf

parsley

kosher salt

pepper, freshly ground

1 small onion, sliced

2 shallots, sliced

2 cups sliced mushrooms

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

1/2 cups heavy cream

bread crumbs

swiss cheese, grated

Preparation

Place scallops and shrimp in a saucepan with wine and enough water to cover.  Add bay leaf, several sprigs of parsley, salt and pepper.  Bring to a simmer and cook slowly for 5 minutes.  In a pan with a little butter, saute the onions and mushrooms about 5 minutes.  Set aside.  Drain the scallops and shrimp, reserving one cup of the liquid.

Melt the remaining butter in a saucepan and whisk in the flour.  When the mixture bubbles, add the cup of reserved liquid and the cream, whisking until well blended and thickened.  Add the scallops, shrimp, mushrooms and crabmeat, and stir.  Bring to a simmer and adjust seasoning.  Fill the shells or au gratin dishes, sprinkle with swiss cheese mixed with bread crumbs, and place under broiler.  Broil until the mixture bubbles and the cheese is golden brown.  Makes 6 scallop shells (appetizers)  or 4 au gratin dishes (entrees)

Rainy Days and Mondays...

If ever there was a day I didn’t feel like cooking, it was today!  It was raining and windy and even my dog didn’t want to go outside.  A perfect soup day; but soup can be time-consuming.  Then I remembered the butternut squash I bought at the market.  I am not a big fan of butternut squash, but it is high in nutrients and easy to prepare.  So, roasted in the oven, pureed with sautéed onions and garlic and chicken stock.  And because I was feeling guilty about how little effort it took, I decided to sauté some scallops to go with it.  Easy!  

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Scallops Recipe

Ingredients:
1 butternut squash (about 3-4 pounds)
olive oil
1/2 large onion, cut in half and sliced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
3-1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
2 tablespoons madeira, or sherry
salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
grains of paradise
scallops
large croutons/crostini

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish with vegetable spray.  Cut squash in half lengthwise; and place, cut side down, in prepared baking dish.  Baked until squash is tender, about 45 minutes.

Cook onions in olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat, stirring until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic and cook an additional 3 minutes.  Add stock, cardamom and madeira and simmer uncovered, about 15 minutes.

Using a large spoon, scrape half squash into food blender; discard peel.  Add half of stock and puree until smooth, about 1 minute.  Transfer to a clean pot and keep warm and covered.  Repeat with second half of squash and stock.  Bring to a simmer and season with salt and pepper.

Sprinkle scallops with grains of paradise and chill for 30 minutes.  Heat oil in a skillet over moderately high heat until hot; then sauté scallops until just cooked through, about 2-3 minutes per side.  Transfer to a paper towel.

Spoon warm soup into bowls.  Add a crouton and cover with a scallop.

For croutons:  slice a baguette into 3/4" slices.  Toss with olive oil, granulated garlic and minced parsley.  Place on baking sheet and bake in 400 degree oven for 8-10 minutes, until brown.

Beef Braciole with Pappardelle

Beef Braciole does not require any introduction.  If you’ve had it, you love it; and if you haven’t, you will!  In preparing, most would agree on the expected outcome of these thin slices of beef - stuffed, rolled, pan fried and finished in tomato sauce.  It is the preparation itself that triggers the confusion.  

Many use flank steak, but the purists among us choose prime, lean beef.  (My butchers sells wafer beef steaks - cut from the sirloin tip - that are perfect for this application.)  The purists prefer to layer the stuffing ingredients onto the beef slices; others mix the ingredients in the food pro’ and gently spread them.  Some add raisins, some omit the bread crumbs.  Traditionally it calls for parsley; I use basil.  Use tomato sauce out of the jar; or take the time to make your own.  It’s your choice - made enough times, you will discover your own preferences!  However you make it, it only goes from being good to being better!

Beef Braciole Recipe

Ingredients:

6 thin beef slices

kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

6 slices prosciutto

1/4 cup pine nuts

1 cup grated mozzarella

1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

olive oil, for frying

1/2 cup red wine

1 quart tomato sauce

pappardelle noodles, cooked

grated parmesan cheese

whole basil leaves

Preparation:

Prepare tomato sauce in a dutch oven or deep pot.

Place beef slices between two pieces of plastic wrap; and pound meat with a mallet to about 1/4-inch thick. (If you don’t have a mallet, use a flat-bottom cast iron skillet.)  Season both sides with salt and pepper.  Cover each slice with a slice of prosciutto, and evenly divided portions of pine nuts, mozzarella, bread crumbs, and parsley.  Roll up beef slices and secure with butchers twine, every inch-and-a-half.  Put about two tablespoons olive oil into a large skillet; brown beef rolls on all sides, about eight minutes.  Add more olive oil if needed. 

Add beef rolls to tomato sauce.  Add red wine to the skillet and scrape down sides and bottom. Reduce by half and add to the pot with the Braciole.  Cover and simmer for 1-1/2 hours. (You can also bake in a 350 degree oven.)  Uncover and cook and additional 1/2 hour.

Serve over pasta with fresh grated parmesan cheese and fresh torn basil.  Remove strings before serving.

Double Peach Whammy!! Peach Pecan Scones with Peach Marmalade

The wonderful thing about living in the middle of peach country is having an abundance of "just picked" goodness.  And the combination of that fresh taste with homemade scones and marmalade is an anytime of the day treat that is sure to delight. Just ask my beta "tasters" - my neighbors - who left my house last week with happy tummies, smiling faces and goodie bags! 
Do not let a lack of canning experience stop you from attempting to make this marmalade.  You do not need the full kit of canning equipment; and the jars are easily sterilized in the oven.

Peach Pecan Scones Recipe 
Ingredients:
2-3/4 cups bread flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
zest of one lemon
2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cup into pieces
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 medium peaches, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
1/4 cup milk, or heavy cream
2 tablespoons sugar, for sprinkling on top
Glaze:
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 cup confectioner's sugar, sifted


Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
Using two knives or a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal.
Combine cream, egg, lemon zest and vanilla.  Stir into flour mixture with peaches and nuts until just combined. Pat dough into a 3/4" thick rectangle, about 6-7 inches wide.  Cut in half lengthwise; then cut each half into 6 wedges.
Place on a baking sheet.  Brush with milk and sprinkle with sugar.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
Mix the lemon juice and confectioner's sugar together in a bowl, stirring until sugar dissolves. Drizzle on warm scones. Makes one dozen scones.


Peach Marmalade Recipe
Ingredients:
4 pounds firm, ripe peaches (about 5 large peaches)
1 orange, thinly sliced, seeds removed
4 cups sugar

Preparation:

Drop peaches into boiling water to loosen skins - about 3-4 minutes; then into cold water. Gently peel off skins. Halve and pit the peaches and coarsely chop enough to yield 4 cups. Wash the orange; cut off ends and thinly slice and quarter. Discard seeds.

Combine peaches, orange, and sugar in a large saucepan; stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Increase heat and cook rapidly until clear and thick, stirring frequently to prevent sticking - about 40 minutes. (Cooking time will vary with degree of ripeness and type of peach.)

Meanwhile, put five half-pint (8 ounce) jars in a 300 degree oven for 20 minutes, to sterilize.  Put lids in a pot of boiling water for 10 minutes; leave in water until ready to cap jars.

Remove marmalade from heat and skim off any foam. Immediately fill the hot sterilized jars and seal. 

Make sure to stir up the marmalade as you go so that the fruit remains evenly distributed. Leave a 1/2 inch headspace in the jars; wipe clean the rims, and apply the lids.

Process for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath and then remove.  Leave jars undisturbed for at least 12 hours before checking the seals.  Wipe clean the jars and lids, and store for up to one year. Yields 5 half-pint (8 ounces) jars.

Crab-Stuffed Shrimp with Bucatini Alfredo

My favorite pasta was just plain spaghetti - that is until I was introduced to bucatini.  Like spaghetti, only with a hole running through the center of it.  A spaghetti straw, it doesn't get any better than this! Unable to find it in my neck of the woods, my husband and I drove all the way to Baltimore, only to find it at Three Brothers Italian Market near my in-laws. With the car loaded up with bags of bucatini, along with panettone, amaretti cookies, biscotti and ladyfingers, I did not complain about the ten and a half hour drive...both ways!

Crab-Stuffed Shrimp Recipe
Ingredients:
1 pound jumbo or colossol shrimp
1 teaspoon grains of paradise
1/2 pound lump crabmeat, optional
4 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup white wine
2 cups fresh breadcrumbs *
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated
1-1/2 teaspoons parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
lemon juice
1 pound Bucatini, or pasta of choice, cooked
Alfredo Sauce (see below)


Preparation:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Peel and devein the shrimp, leaving the tail intact. To butterfly them, make a slit along the back side, taking care not to slice all the way through the body. Sprinkle shrimp with the grains of paradise. Line a baking pan with aluminum foil, spray with nonstick spray and arrange the shrimp in a single layer.
Melt the butter over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, soft and just beginning to turn golden - do not brown. Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, parsley, oregano, crushed red pepper, salt and black pepper. Mix well.   If adding crabmeat, allow sauteed vegetables to cool before adding to the crabmeat.

Spoon even portions of the breadcrumb mixture over each of the butterflied shrimp. Using your fingers, gently mold each portion of stuffing around the shrimp. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the shrimp turn pink and opaque. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with lemon juice and serve immediately with the pasta.

* If using dry, processed breadcrumbs, you will need to increase the amount of butter and wine


Alfredo Sauce Recipe:
Ingredients:
1 pint heavy cream
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
white pepper
kosher salt
parsley or basil, chopped


Preparation:
Heat cream over medium-low heat in a heavy saucepan.
Add butter and whisk to melt. Add cheese and stir. Cook approximately five minutes until slightly thickened.  Season with salt and pepper.
Add pasta and toss to coat the noodles in the Alfredo sauce.  Transfer to a warm serving bowl and top with more grated cheese and chopped parsley.  Serve immediately with the stuffed shrimp.

The (not so) Secret Life of Bees....and Honey-Molasses Bread

When I recently discovered that one of my neighbors is a beekeeper, my first reaction was to run get the EpiPen.  But Laura Linn, owner of Star Bee Honey, was only too happy to give me a quick insight into the art of beekeeping.  What started out as a hobby has turned into a business, with Laura nurturing tens of thousands of bees in six hives. While totally fascinating - and let's not overlook the bravery involved - being the foodie that I am, I was more interested in the final results of her labor. The honey!!
With my complimentary jar, I made red chile honey, using cayenne peppers from my vegetable garden. Laura shares her bread machine recipe for honey-molasses bread.  (You bread-baking aficionados will know how to convert this for oven-baking.) And, when she is not busy as a bee, she finds time to enjoy the honey in yogurt as a veggie dip, or mixed with peanut butter for dipping pretzels and also making honey butter. Thanks Laura!

Honey-Molasses Bread Recipe (one loaf):
1 cup water
5 tablespoons molasses
2-2/3 tablespoons honey
1-1/3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1-1/3 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons oats
3-1/3 cup bread flour
2-1/2 teaspoons yeast


Contact Laura at: Star Bee Honey, 803.663.1052

A queen bee with her drones

One of the six hives

Bees, bees and mo' bees....at work!

My red chile honey