Ginger Snaps

I spent part of my summer hanging out with my dad in his cute little house in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. We have bonded a lot through food over the years and without fail, my dear ol’ always requests that we bake when I’m there. “We” mostly means me, but I’m more than happy to oblige. This time, he requested ginger snaps – one of his favorites and also something I had never made before. I’m always up for a challenge in the kitchen! My poppa’s palate was pleased by these wholesome morsels and they are just perfect for the autumn and upcoming winter season with all of their aromatic spices.

Time: 30 minutes                   Yield: 18 cookies

Ingredients

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• 1/2 cup butter or Earth Balance, softened
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 cups flour (I used brown rice flour)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1  tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/8 tsp ground cardamom
• 1-2 tbsp fresh grated ginger (these are strong in ginger flavor, if you want less use 2 tsp)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

How to make it

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• Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine brown sugar and butter. Mix until creamy and well incorporated. Add molasses and egg and mix well.
• In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and cardamom . Slowly add dry ingredients into wet, mixing well to incorporate. Next, fold in ginger and mix well.
• Place granulated sugar in a small shallow dish. Form dough into about 1″ balls. Roll dough in granulated sugar. Place on prepared baking sheet, allowing room between each as these spread as they bake.
• Bake for 16 minutes in middle rack. Remove from oven, lift silpat or parchment paper and gently move to cool off of the hot baking sheet.

Deep Dish Lemon Soufflé Cheesecake with Blueberry Topping

One of my dearest friend’s, Ashley, and I made this on my birthday last month. It’s a riff on another friend’s recipe. I am in love with the flavor combo of lemon and blueberry so to me this is pure perfection!

Time: 30 minutes + 90 bake + cool                      Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

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• Crust

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• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 30 Canelitas cookies (Mexican cinnamon cookies), processed to crumbs equaling 2 1/2 cups
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 13 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

• Filling

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• 32 oz cream cheese, room temperature
• 4 egg yolks
• 6 egg whites
• 1/3 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 1/2 tbsp lemon zest
• 1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 2 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt

• Blueberry Topping

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• 3 cups blueberries
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tbsp lemon zest

Here are the Canelita cookies. And me! With my Mexican feast and delicious cocktail. Not a bad way to spend a birthday, not at all.

How to make it

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• Crust

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• Combine cookie crumbs, cinnamon, and melted butter (reserve one tbsp)  in a mixing bowl.
• Spread remaining tbsp of melted butter on bottom and sides of a 6-inch spring-form pan. Sprinkle brown sugar around bottom.
• Press cookie crumb mixture into the bottom of the spring-form pan. Press down to make an even crust, going up the sides to create a deep-dish effect.
• Wrap pan in aluminum foil to prevent the water bath from seeping in. Place in refrigerator to firm up while you make the filling.

• 

• Filling

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• Preheat oven to 325F.
• Put a pot of water on to simmer.
• Place cream cheese in a large mixing bowl and beat until creamy. Continue beating, and gradually add 3/4 cup sugar. Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl after each addition. Mix in the lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla, 1/4 tsp salt and heavy cream until well blended.
• In a separate bowl, with clean dry beaters, combine egg whites, 1/3 tsp salt, and cream of tartar. Begin to beat, gradually adding remaining 3/4 cup sugar. Beat until soft peaks form, about 3-5 minutes. Do not over-beat.
• In three parts, fold egg white mixture into cream cheese mixture.
• Remove pan from refrigerator. Place pan in a large roasting pan and pour hot water around it, going about 3/4 up the sides.
• Place in middle rack of oven and bake for 90 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
• Once cooled, place in refrigerator for at least two hours before you plan to serve.

• 

• Topping

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• Combine 1 1/2 cups of blueberries, sugar, and lemon zest in a small saucepan. Cook on medium heat for 6-8 minutes until the berries burst. Remove from heat and stir in remaining berries. Set aside to cool.
• Once cooled completely, spread over top of cooled cheesecake.

Orange Mango Banana Poppy Seed Bread

One of my fellow MasterChef 4 competitors invited me to write a guest post for her blog. I decided to share this delicious quick bread (or muffins – your choice!). Oh, and would you believe it’s low-fat and gluten-free?! Oh, yes!!! Please visit Celebration Generation for the recipe and other interesting tidbits about our MasterChef 4 experience.

Chile Citrus Shrimp

A quick, flavorful recipe that can be served as an appetizer or main course. I served the shrimp over brown rice seasoned with butter, salt, and green onions as well as black beans with sauteed onion, garlic, cumin, oregano, coriander and salt.

Time: 15 minutes                   Serves: 4

Ingredients

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• 1 pound jumbo shrimp, peeled & deveiend (I used Black Tiger)
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/3 cup lime juice
• 1/3 cup Dijon mustard
• 2 1/2 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp oregano
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tsp coriander
• 2 tsp rainbow peppercorns
• 1 tsp salt, or to taste
• 2 garlic cloves, minced

How to make it

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• Heat a large skillet over medium heat.
• Combine all ingredients except shrimp in a mixing bowl. Whisk to incorporate.
• Pour mixture into skillet. Bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and cook until thick and reduced by half, about 10-12 minutes.
• Add shrimp and cook for 2 minutes, turn and cook for another minute. Remove from heat and serve.

Lavender Lemonade

Summer in a glass. Refreshing and delicious, the light floral notes compliment the sweet and tart so nicely.

Time: 10 minutes                Serves: 7

Ingredients

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• 1 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp dried lavender buds
• 1 3/4 cups fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tbsp lemon pulp
• 5 cups cold water

How to make it

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• Combine water, sugar, and lavender buds in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, whisk, then reduce and simmer for two minutes. Remove from heat.
• Strain lavender syrup into a large pitcher. Add lemon juice, pulp, and cold water. Stir and serve over ice.

Bacon Jam

Oh yes I did!!! I whipped this up to go with the turkey burgers (recipe to follow) but the possibilities are endless! It takes some time to cook, but not long to prepare, and it is well worth it. Here are some ideas of how to enjoy this sweet, savory, and smoky delight: spread on toasted baguettes or crackers for a savory appetizer, pour some on top of brie and bake, spread on biscuits, waffles, pancakes and various sandwiches like fried egg, make a grilled cheese with it or a bacon jam BLT!

Time: 20 min prep, 1 hour+ cook                   Yield: 2 cups

Ingredients

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• 1 pound apple wood smoked bacon, roughly chopped
• 4 large red onions, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 Bay leaves
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup Balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup apple juice
• 1 cup water

How to make it

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• Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook until it begins to render fat crisp a bit.
• Add onions. Turn temperature up to high until they start caramelising slightly.
• Add the garlic and bay leaf and fry for another minute.
• Add the smoked paprika, salt and balsamic vinegar and stir to combine.
• Add the sugar, apple juice and water. Stir until the sugar has dissolved and bring to a boil.
• Cook for about 5 minutes, then reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered, until the liquid has reduced to about 1/4 and thickened to the consistency to be able to cover a spoon easily but not be too syrupy or thick.
• Skim excess fat off top if needed. Then transfer to a food processor fitted with an S-blade or use an immersion blender to blend the jam until there are no big chunks of onion/bacon left.
• Carefully transfer the jam into a sterilised jam jar and allow to cool before placing in the fridge. Best eaten at room temperature.

Nutella Pretzel Bars

These are a fun way to celebrate National Pretzel Day! I got inspiration for this dessert from a cook named nicoled on Tasty Kitchen’s website.

Time: 40 minutes                Serves: 9

Ingredients

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• 8 tbsp butter, melted plus extra (about 1tbsp) for greasing the pan
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup Nutella
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup crushed pretzels, divided (I used cajun seasoned pretzels)

How to make it

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• Preheat oven to 350F. Brush an 8×8 baking pan with butter, line with a sheet of parchment leaving 2″ overhang on both edges. Butter the parchment.
• In a large bowl, whisk butter, sugars, and Nutella until smooth. Whisk in egg and vanilla. Add flour, mix just until moistened (do not overmix). Fold in 1/2 cup of crushed pretzels. Transfer batter to prepared pan and spread in an even layer with a spatula. Sprinkle evenly with remaining crushed pretzels.
• Bake until tip is golden brown and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20-30 minutes (mine took 25 minutes). Set pan on a wire rack and let cool completely. Using parchment overhang, lift bars from pan and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into squares (I cut mine into 9 large ones, you can make them smaller if you wish). Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days – if they last that long!

Rice Noodle Bowl with Peanut Sauce and Roasted Tofu

Spicy peanut sauce that will make you want to lick your bowl clean! with rice noodles and roasted tofu. Add a side of steamed broccoli to round out the meal. The month of March happens to be National Noodle Month, National Peanut Month, and National Sauce Month and this bowl of goodness delivers on all three of those. So, enjoy and cheers to the rest of March!

Time: 30 minutes             Serves: 5

Ingredients

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• Tofu

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• 14 oz. pack extra firm tofu, drained and pressed to release moisture
• 1/4 cup tamari
• 2 tsp each olive oil and toasted sesame oil, combined

• Sauce & Noodles

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• 2 tbsp sambal oelek
• 6 stalks fresh lemongrass – inner bulbs only, finely chopped
• 2 large shallots, minced
• 8 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 thumbs ginger, grated/finely minced
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp tamari
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp brown sugar or honey
• zest and juice from a lime
• heaping 1/3 cup peanut butter (smooth or crunchy will do)
• 1 pound brown rice noodles or soba
• 2 green onions, chopped
• handful of cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

How to make it

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• Tofu

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• Preheat oven to 400F.
• Cube tofu. Toss with tamari and oil.
• Place in roasting pan and bake for 25 minutes, until edges are browned.

• Sauce and Noodles

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• Fill a large pot with salted water and bring to a rapid boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions.
• Process in a blender, processor, bullet…lemongrass, garlic, ginger, shallot, and chile paste.
• Heat oils in a large skillet over medium-high. Add mixture to pan and cook, stirring, until fragrant – about 2 minutes.
• Add tamari, vinegar, honey (or brown sugar), peanut butter, and lime. Whisk to combine.
• Add cooked pasta and toss to coat.
• Serve the roasted tofu right on a mound of these yummy noodles. Top with cilantro and green onions. And don’t forget to eat your veggies!

 

Light Nutella Brownies with Hazelnuts

I was in the mood for brownies but didn’t want them to be too rich. These came out great!

Time: 30 minutes               Serves: 8

Ingredients

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• 3/4 cup AP or brown rice flour
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup Nutella
• 2 tbsp butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp 0% plain Greek yogurt
• 1 large egg
• 1 egg white
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup hazelnuts – peeled *See note
• (1 1/2 cup water, 3 tbsp baking soda)

How to make it

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• *Note: To easily remove peels from hazelnuts, bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil on the stovetop. Add baking soda and hazelnuts. Boil for 3 minutes then remove from heat and run under cold water, using your fingertips to remove loose skins.
• Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare a 9-inch round or 8-inch square glass baking dish with cooking spray.
• Sift dry ingredients into a mixing bowl and mix to combine.
• Combine wet ingredients in a separate mixing bowl. Slowly mix dry ingredients into wet and mix just until incorporated. At this point you can fold in the nuts or reserve them to drop into the top as I did.
• Pour batter into prepared baking dish. Bake on middle rack of oven for 22-25 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.

Michigan Cherry Crisp

February is National Cherry Month here in our United States of America. Today also happens to be Presidents Day and though George Washington’s birthday isn’t until the 22nd, why not celebrate with this cherry delight? If you’re unfamiliar with the legend of George Washington and the cherry tree, please click here. The moral of the fable emphasizes the importance of being honest. Being true to ourselves as well as honest with loved ones and the universe that surrounds us can be challenging at times but essential to our survival. So, be honest with yourself and admit that you want to try this recipe for dessert this evening if not sooner!

I first made this up to take to our friends’ home for Christmas dinner. The man of the house is a professional baker and he liked it so I’d say it was a success! I had a couple of cans of Michigan tart cherries that were perfect for this.

Time: 10 min prep, 40 min cook                  Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

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• Topping

  ---

• 1 cup AP flour
• 3/4 cup oats
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 3/4 cup butter

• Filling

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• 4 cups sour pitted cherries (I used canned but fresh or frozen work also)
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 tbsp cornstarch

How to make it

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• Preheat oven to 375F.

• Topping

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• In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Cut in butter until crumbly.

• Filling

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• In a separate large mixing bowl, combine cherries, sugar, and cornstarch. Stir well.
• Pour into 8×8 glass dish. Add topping. Place in oven and bake for 40-50 minutes, until top is golden brown.
• Best served warm with vanilla ice cream.