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.