Raspberry Cheesecake Crumble

There is something that happens to me when the weather starts getting a little cooler. The leaves begin to change color, Saturdays are football days, and I bake. Part of the reason I do this is to use all the great fresh fruit and vegetables that I have grown or received. So when I got some great raspberries I new I had to make something sweet. I love raspberries and have great memories picking them at my grandma's when I was younger. This crumble, is a great dessert and makes a lot. Give it a try and let me know what you think.


Raspberry Cream Cheese Crumble

www.lynnspin.com

Crust

2 cups of flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/8 cup of milled flax seed

1 cup of melted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix together and press firmly into a 9×13 baking dish.  I lined my with tin foil before starting.  Then bake for 15 minutes.

While that is baking make the Cheesecake mixture and the crumbles.

Cheesecake Filling

Three 8 ounce packages of cream cheese

1/2 cup sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon of almond extract

Mix in a bowl until smooth.  Then pour over baked crust.

Raspberries

2-3 cups of slightly smashed raspberries mixed with 1 tablespoon of sugar.

Crumble Topping

1 cup of brown sugar

1/2 cup of flour

1/2 cup rolled oats (quick oats)

1/2 cup smashed graham crackers

1/2 cup softened butter

Mix together and crumble with hands.

Spoon raspberries over the top of the cheesecake.  Then sprinkle the crumble over that.  Bake in oven for 40-45 minutes.  Let it cool in refrigerator, the longer the better. 

Rate the Plate

My great friend has started a blog that is so fantastic. On date night my man and I refer to it, to see what eatery we should consider. She and her adorable family (I am madly in love with her 2 year old) all rate different eateries in the area. Also when they are out of town they rate the places they go.  She also tells you all the deals out their for restaurants and where to find them. LOVE HER! She is really great at updating, better than I am. So check it often.  www.ratetheplateutah.com 

Tomato & Basil Chicken and Cashew Rice Pilaf

My garden is overflowing with basil. I have been searching for recipes that uses this great stuff.  I had this for the first at my cousin's home, and I loved it. This is her sisters recipe.  It was so simple with such great flavors. The chicken is great, but the rice is ridiculously good. The crunch of the cashews is so great.  Give it a try and you won't be disappointed. 

Tomato and Basil Chicken 

by Stephanie Jensen

1 T. Butter
1/2 c. finely chopped onion
1 can (14 oz.) Italian seasoned tomatoes (if not already cut up, coarsely chopped)
1/2 c. julienned FRESH basil leaves
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1/2 c. heavy whipping cream


Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Heat butter in skillet. Add onion and cook over medium heat until translucent, 5 min. Increase heat to high; add tomatoes and cook until liquid is almost evaporated, 5-10 min. Add cream and bring to boil; boil until slightly thickened, approx 3 min. Stir in basil, salt and pepper. Arrange chicken in shallow baking dish; pour sauce on top. Bake for 20-25 min.(Serves 4)

Cashew Rice Pilaf

by Stephanie Jensen

1/4 c. butter
1/3 c. finely chopped onion
1 c. uncooked regular long grain rice
2 c. chicken broth
1/2 - 1 tsp salt
1/2 c. cashews, coarsely chopped
1/4 c. chopped FRESH parsley


In large saucepan, melt butter. Sauté onion until soft. Add rice; stir until coated. Stir in broth and salt. Cover; simmer 24-30 minutes until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. Stir in cashews and parsley.(Serves 4)

Calzones

I am a sucker for a good calzone.  There is something about cheese, dough, and sauce that makes my heart happy. Maybe that is why I love pizza so much. These calzones freeze great and make a great freezer meal or lunch for my husband. The filling inside is up for interpretation. The inspiration for these calzones came from my freshman year in college. My man and I were dating and would go to the Cougar Eat at BYU and we would always get the cheese calzone with alfredo sauce. We would eat and study and because of our youthful metabolism it wouldn't matter on the hips. So grab a fork and enjoy these great calzones.

Pizza Dough

1 1/2 cups warm water
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. active dry yeast
1/2 tsp salt
3-4 cups flour

Fill your stand mixer with warm water and mix the sugar and yeast in. Cover for 10 minutes and let it get bubbly. Then add salt and 1 cup of flour. Mix. Add 1 cup of flour slowly. Mix. Put your dough hook on mix the remaining flour (you don't need to use all the flour). Spray a bowl with Pam spray and put your beautifully round dough ball in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Wait for it to double in size. Then roll it out in a rectangle shape on a floured surface. Cut 8 equal squares and fill with filling.

Pesto Filling

1 container of pesto (make your own if you so please)
1 15 oz container of ricotta cheese

Mix these together and and place 1/3 cup of filling in each dough square.  Fold your dough around the pesto filling and place on a cookie sheet. Seam Side down. Poke a couple of holes in the top and put in the preheated oven (375 degrees) and cook for 20 minutes.

We serve this with our favorite alfredo sauce

Alfredo Sauce

1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

bring to a boil then add. . .

1/2 tsp salt
1 cup grated parmesan cheese

bring to boil and then let simmer and thicken.

Milagros

So my man took the day off from work last week and we went out to eat at Milagros in North Orem. I did a little research about this eating establishment. It is a new restaurant that is in Orem across from the Winco. The man who started Milagros also started Rosa's Restaurant a while back. This was located in Provo over by Kneaders. When my husband and I were going to the BYU we would go and grab lunch at Rosa's. They had a great lunch special and they had a great salsa bar. We were really sad when it closed. This guy also started Bajio's! I love Bajio's. It is good stuff. He and his wife decided to sell the chain and retire. After a few years they decided to go back to the restaurant business. They started Milagros. This is very reminiscent of Bajio's and Rosa's. The food was good. I ordered the nachos which are one of their self-proclamed best dishes. They were really good. The sour cream and guacamole was amazing. My kids got some good sized quesadillas. The kids meals come with a very tasty ice cream sandwich. The salsa is great, they have a roasted tomatillo salsa that was my favorite. The one thing I wasn't too jazzed about Milagros are the prices. I feel like they are a little over priced for what it is. I would love for someone else to go and tell me what you think. Overall I would certainly recommend Milagros.

970 West 800 North Orem

Beyond Glaze

I love when friends share new little eateries to try out. I was lucky enough to be in the neighborhood of this one on Saturday. It is in Draper and it is called Beyond Glaze. This is a cute little doughnut shop in a new strip mall. You walk in and feel you are in a little bistro/cafe, with a huge leather couch with coffee tables with the great magazines, also some great lightning fixtures. There are so many different doughnuts to try. They are all the basic glazed doughnut with these beautiful toppings on them. They also have huge yummy cinnamon rolls and other baked goods. I loved this place, and think it would do really well in Provo area. Maybe we can get it some day. They just opened one in Salt Lake City. The girl that was working there was so delightful, she was so excited to tell me which ones are the favorites and which one she decorated. She was getting her degree in culinary arts. The price for a single doughnut is $1.95 and range from up from there. I got five of them and cut them up and we all got a taste of different kind. I really enjoyed the strawberry cream cheese one. When in the area you must give it a try.

www.beyondglaze.com

Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

I don't know about you, but on Sunday evenings when I am bored I tend to make cookies. I have been doing this since I can remember. Growing up my mom never bought chocolate chips. Isn't that weird?!? So we would always make oatmeal cookies. So, this recipe is the one that I would always make when I was little. It is so good. Seriously the best oatmeal cookies I have ever. So give these a try. You will love them.

Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

3/4 cup softened butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup water
1 tsp. vanilla
3 cup oatmeal
1 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp soda
3/4 cup raisin
3/4 cup coconut (optional but highly recommended)

Preheat oven 350 degrees. Combine butter and sugars and mix until creamy and light. Then add the rest of the ingredients. Bake on greased cookie sheet for 12-15 minutes.

Chicken and Dumplings

I know that my last post I claimed to be trying to loose weight. This is still true. This doesn't mean that I don't love me some good comfort food! Especially when I have sick kids at home and I am so done with the cold weather. So, I decided to make some great Chicken and Dumplings. I found this recipe on Our Best Bites. It is super easy and tastes so good. So if you are trying to loose weight just exercise portion control and then maybe hit the treadmill for 15 minutes. This is a winner.

Chicken and Dumplings
Recipe by Our Best Bites

6 cups chicken broth (1 1/2 boxes or 3 cans) OR 6 c. water + 6 chicken bouillon cubes
1 lb. cooked chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces (I use 1/2 of a fauxtisserie chicken and it's FABULOUS! You could also use leftover rotisserie chicken from the grocery store)
1 c. sliced carrots
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 onion, minced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 bay leaf
1 handful of chopped fresh parsley (or 1 Tbsp. dried parsley)
1/2 tsp. basil
1 14-oz. can evaporated milk (fat free is fine)
1 recipe of Bisquik dumplings (recipe is on the box) or 1 small package of Kluski noodles


In a large pot, heat some olive oil over medium heat and add onions and garlic. Saute for a few minutes and then add chicken broth, chicken, bay leaf, and basil. Bring to a boil. Add carrots and celery and reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook until carrots and celery are tender. When carrots and celery are almost done, add chopped parsley. Add evaporated milk. Increase heat to boiling and add noodles or add prepared Bisquik by small spoonfuls (they'll really puff up while they're cooking). Cook until noodles are tender or until dumplings are cooked through (they should appear moist but feel firm; this is after about 4-5 minutes).


Amanda's Dumplings 
 I use these as my dumplings! Super yummy. 


6 Tbsp shortening
3 cups flour
2 Tbsp dried parsley flakes
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup milk


Cut shortening into flour, parsley, baking powder, and salt. Do this until it resembles coarse meal. Then stir in milk.

Multi Grain Granola

I apologize for my lazy blogging efforts. I have been attempting weight loss. My man and I have made a goal for losing weight, he and I make such a great pair, I love to make food and he loves to eat. Depending on how much weight we loose depends on where we get to go on our 10 year wedding anniversary this July. We have combined our weight, and if we loose over 60 pounds together by May 1 then we can go to Hawaii (my top choice). Then in ten lbs increments we go to other places like 50-59 lbs we go to Mexico and so on. I am very motivated by this, however my man is dragging his feet. So I am going to get his cute little rear end in gear. I have been experimenting with healthy dishes and have found some really great ones. I am going to share with you one that I found a while ago, that I just love. I have made this many times and it is like eating candy. I found this from friend of a friend's website that cooks without refined sugar and uses whole grains. This recipe is hers and I love it. So give it a try. We love it in yogurt or just handfulls.

                                                                 Multi-Grain Granola
                                                                 www.themayfiles.com

Combine:

4 c rolled oats

2 c puffed brown rice*

2 c puffed millet*

2 c puffed kamut*

1 c sliced raw almonds

2 c chopped raw pecans

1 c raw cashews (opt)

1 c raw sunflower seeds (opt)

3 c unsweetened large flake coconut*

1/2 c flax seed*

1 1/2 c raw pumpkin seeds*

In a saucepan, heat:

1 1/2 c unrefined, virgin coconut oil* (do not substitute)

2 1/2 c honey

1 1/2-2 T vanilla

1/2 t nutmeg

1 t cinnamon

2 t sea salt

Add any combination:

Raisins, blueberries, cranberries, apricots, dried apples.

My favorite is dried apples.

*All these ingredients should be available at your local health food store.

Pour warm mixture over oat mixture and stir until moistened. Line 3 cookies sheets with parchment paper. Spread mixture evenly on sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-25 minutes until just golden (do not overcook). Stir occasionally. Remove from oven and cool. Store in an air tight container.
Makes about 30 cups.

Cake Decorating

I had an opportunity last night to teach a little cake decorating class to some young women. We had such a fun time. I promised the girls that I would post some recipes that I used and some pictures.  I have never been trained as a cake decorator. I am pretty much self taught. With that being said, I don't think that you would be too surprised by that. I truly believe that the key to making great cakes is to PRACTICE!! Make lots of cake. Your family and friends will love it! Just see what works for you. It's a fun learning process. Here are some tips that I have come across.

Tip: 1 Make and freeze the cake the day before you will be decorating it. This is specific to two layered cakes. Cook them and then when cooled wrap them really good in plastic wrap. Lay them flat in your freezer.

Tip: 2 I have mentioned this before in a post. The best filling ever for a cake is very simple. You find a small package of instant pudding and mix it with heavy whipping cream and voila!! You have the best filling ever.

I am sure there are more tips, I just can't think of them right now. One of my favorite things about cake is the frosting. Here is the best buttercream!!

Buttercream Frosting


3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup of room temperature butter (no substitutions)
1 tsp. vanilla
3-4 Tbsp. milk


Mix the first three ingredients until well blended. Then add milk. Mix in mixer for around a minute or two for a nice and fluffy consistency. 

Another really fun cake decorating trick is fondant. I love using fondant it is labor intensive, but really fun to do. One thing that I am a true fan of is not reinventing the wheel. So I found this great video on you tube on how to make fondant. Rather than me doing this, here it is. 

Share with me, your favorite cakes, and decorating tips!!

Marie Calendar's Corn Bread

Who doesn't love some good corn bread?? I love corn bread. Especially with a great bbq chicken dinner. I usually love to make things homemade, but I have never found a recipe that knocks my socks off. I was eating some cornbread at my mom's with some great chili and asked for the recipe and she then showed me her Marie Calendar's Corn Bread mix. This is so good. I am sure most of you know of this, but it is so good. It deserved its own post. I got my mix at Costco. Gotta love Costco!!

Lettuce Wraps

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday. We started off a little rocky with 3 out of the 4 of us getting strep throat, but it all cleared up before Christmas. For Christmas Eve we spent the evening with my man's family. My mom-in-law decided to order Chinese for our meal. So we ordered from this great little Chinese restaurant ( I will be writing a post about it soon), and got every entree that you can imagine and enough rice to feed a small army. My mom in law made some lettuce wraps, which in my opinion are hard to do. Homemade Chinese food is tricky to do. So I was a little apprehensive, but these lettuce wraps were awesome. You must try them. She found the recipe on line and then made some tweeks here and there. I must say she did a great job. Let me know what you think.

Lettuce Wraps

3 Tbsp Combination Sesame & Olive Oil
1 lbs ground chicken/2 chicken breasts
1 cup water chestnuts
1 cup bamboo shoots
2/3 cup mushrooms
3 Tbsp chopped onion
1 tsp. minced garlic or 3 cloves minced
ginger

Mince all these together like crazy. Into fine little pieces (this PF Changs)

Stir Fry Sauce

2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp white rice vinegar

Stir these together and pour into ingredients above

Special Sauce

1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup hot water
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 Tbsp ketchup
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/8 tsp. sesame oil

This special sauce is to dip your wrap.

Find some nice big iceberg lettuce leafs and put some of the meat into the lettuce leaf and dip into the special sauce. You will love these.