Cheesecake Brownie Hearts

In honor of Valentine's Day, I thought it would be a great idea to make brownies in heart shaped pans.  They sell them in almost any grocery or party store.  I even saw them in a drug store the other day.  I found the silicone ones which are great for easy removal, but a metal one will work just as well.  If you can't find them then a regular muffin tin works just as well or a brownie pan.

Ingredients:
Brownies:
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetend cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Cheesecake topping:
1 8 ounce package cream cheese
1 egg
1/3 cup white sugar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Well grease whatever pan you are using, especially if it is a metal pan.

In one bowl mix together the oil, sugar, and vanilla.  Beat in one egg at a time until fully combined.  Carefully beat in the flour, cocoa powder and salt until combined.

This batter made about 12 hearts, which would be the equivalent of 12 muffin tins or one 9 x 9 in baking dish.  Distribute batter evenly between every muffin cup.

In a separate bowl beat together the cream cheese, egg, and sugar until light and fluffy.  Drop about a tablespoon onto each muffin cup.  Using a knife, swirl the cream cheese into the brownie.

Bake for 19-21 minutes or until cheesecake sets up on top.  Cool for an hour.  Gently remove from pan.  Serve and enjoy!

*Justine's Tip*- after greasing your pan, put it in the freezer for 15 minutes.  This creates a barrier so the food will not stick!

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Panera Bread's Macaroni and Cheese

It is pretty much a known fact that macaroni and cheese is my absolute favorite food.  When Panera came out with one, I could not wait to taste it!  The creaminess of their mac and cheese is unmatched and I tried hard to figure out how to do it at home.  After many trials and errors this is what I came up with.  And it is not only as good as Panera's, but it may be even a little bit better!

Ingredients:
1 pound shell shaped pasta
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup flour
2 1/2 cups half and half or whole milk
6 slices white american cheese
8 oz shredded Vermont white cheddar
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
salt

Directions:
Begin by boiling a large pot of water for the pasta.  This takes a while, so I always do it first.

In a small sauce pan heat the oil for about 2 minutes.  Then slowly stir in the flour and cook on medium high until it begins to bubble while whisking.

Cook this for another 2 minutes.  Then slowly pour in the half and half while whisking vigorously.  With the burner on low, allow the sauce to thicken while stirring occasionally.  

Once the water begins to boil, season the water with salt and cook the pasta based on the package directions.  Mine took about 14 minutes.  Make sure to stir the pasta so it does not stick together.  

While the milk is thickening, prepare your cheeses.  I like to grate my own cheese because it doesn't have any of the stabilizers of pre-shredded cheese.  Also cut your American cheese into small pieces.

Once the sauce has thickened, stir in the mustard and whisk until smooth.  Then toss in the American and Vermont White Cheddar cheeses and stir until the sauce is completely smooth with no unmelted cheese left.  

Once the pasta finishes cooking, drain the pasta and put back into the hot pot.  Put it on the stove over a medium flame and pour the cheese sauce over it.  Stir for about one minute over the medium heat.  Serve and enjoy!

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Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies

Shortbread cookies are one of the easiest and most versatile of all of the cookies and they also are absolutely delicious!  They are perfect with tea or really anything at all!

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Ingredients:

2 sticks of butter, softened (I know only one is shown here, that's because the other was in the microwave)

2/3 cup confectioners sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups flour

1 tablespoon water

1 cup chocolate chips

Beat using an electric mixer together the butter and sugar in a large bowl.  Make sure your butter is slightly soft.  Or pop it in the microwave for a few seconds.  

Once the butter and sugar is very creamy, add the vanilla and beat again for a few seconds.  Then slowly add in the flour.  Do this slowly because it might get everywhere (if you are wearing black everybody will know you have been baking cookies!).  

Once all of the flour is mixed in, put the electric mixer aside and use a rubber spatula.  Stir in the chocolate chips until they are well incorporated.  

Here is the best trick I have ever come up with.  Take a 1 gallon zip top bag and put all of the dough inside of it.  Using a rolling pin, a large glass, or even your hands, spread out the dough to fit in the entire bag.  It is the perfect amount and is the best way to roll this out!  

It will be very light in color and probably a little warm.  Chill it like this on a flat surface in the refrigerator for 2 hours, or longer.  This is great because you can make the dough the night before and bake it off the next day!

Once the dough is done chilling it should be darker in color and very firm.

Cut the bag on the sides to release the dough and place the dough on a cutting board.  Cut it into square using a very sharp serated knife.  I got 36 cookies out of this dough, but you can make them as big or as small as you like.

Place the cookies on a baking sheet and bake in a 325 degree oven for 18-20 minutes.  Cookies should not be too dark and will not grow very much, if at all.  Allow to cool for little bit before removing.  Enjoy!

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Homemade Pasta

Ingredients:
1 pound all-purpose flour
4 whole eggs, plus 1 yolk
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
1 to 2 tablespoons water, sometimes more needed

Directions:
Put flour on a clean dry work surface or inside a large bowl.  Make a hole in the center of the flour pile that is about 8 inches wide.  Crack the eggs and the yolk into the hole and add the oil, salt, and water.  Using a fork, beat the eggs together with the oil, water and salt.  Begin to incorporate the flour into the egg mixture, being careful not to break the sides of the well or the egg mixture will run all over the place.

When enough flour had been incorporated into the egg mixture so that it will not run all over the place when the sides of the well are broken, begin to use your hands to really get everything well combined.  If the mixture is dry, wet your hands and begin kneading with wet hands. Once the mixture has come together, you can begin kneading.  Really stretch the dough, but do not tear it using the palms of your hands.  The dough should be very smooth when done.  It typically can take from 8-10 minutes.


Once the pasta is kneaded, wrap in plastic and let rest for 1 hour.  Do not put in refrigerator if using immediately. You can roll and cut into any shape, but I decided to cut the dough into fettuccine.


When cooking fresh pasta, it usually takes much less time than dried pasta.  Probably about 4-5 minutes instead of 8-10.  Then toss it in your favorite sauce. I used my pasta with garlic and oil and basic tomato sauce recipe. 

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Pecan Shortbread

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons powdered sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into chunks

1 teaspoon water

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Add the flour, salt, and powdered sugar to a bowl and stir with a fork. Add in the vanilla, the butter and the 1 teaspoon of water. Using the fork or yours hands, mix the dough together just until a dough is formed. Add the chopped pecans and mix. Put the dough on a sheet of plastic wrap and roll into a log, about 2 1/2 inches in diameter and 5 inches long. Tightly twist each end of the wrap in opposite directions. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.


Slice the log into 1/3-inch thick disks. Arrange on nonstick cookie sheets. Bake until the edges are just light brown, about 12 to 14 minutes, rotating the pans half way through the baking process. Remove from the oven and let cool on the cookie sheets for 5 minutes. Tansfer to wire racks and cool until room temperature. 

In the microwave melt the chocolate chips.  I do about 30 second intervals, stirring in between.  Usually it takes 1-1/2 minutes.  Then dip half of the cookie into the chocolate and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Put in the fridge for about 30 minutes just so the chocolate can harden.  Enjoy!

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Cream Puffs

Ingredients:
Dough:
1 stick butter
1 cup water
4 eggs
1 cup flour

Filling:
2 boxes instant vanilla pudding
2 pints heavy whipping cream

Directions:
Preheat oven to 500 degrees. 

In a small pot on the stove, boil the water and butter until the butter melts and begins to bubble.  Once it boils, shut off the heat and stir in the 1 cup of flour.  Once it begins to pull away from the sides, add one egg at a time, stirring vigorously in between each egg.  Once the dough has formed, drop tablespoons on a greased cookie sheet.  Bake in the oven for 10 minutes.  Then turn the oven down to 350 and bake for another 15 minutes or until brown. 

In a large bowl, beat the whipping cream until peaks begin to form.  Then beat in the two boxes of vanilla pudding until they become fully incorporated. 

Once the cream puffs have completely cooled, cut them in half and stuff the inside with a tablespoon of filling into each one and put the top back on.  Some of the cream puffs I filled with lemon curd instead of the vanilla filling.  Serve with a sprinkling of powdered sugar and enjoy!

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Cranberry Orange Scones

Ingredients:
2 c. unsifted flour
3 tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. buttermilk or milk
1 lg. egg
1 orange
1 cup dried cranberries
1 1/2-2 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.

 

Grease baking sheet. In large bowl combine flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Cut in butter with pastry cutter or a fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

 

In small bowl combine milk, egg and vanilla. Add to dry ingredients and stir until combined.  Then add in the cranberries. Zest the entire orange and add the zest to the batter, reserving the rest of the orange for later.  Dough will be sticky and elastic.  Using a large tablespoons, drop spoonfulls onto the baking sheet. Bake for 13-15 minutes until golden brown.

 

While the scones are baking, you can make the glaze, in a bowl stir the juice of one orange and gradually add powdered sugar to it until it becomes a little runny, but not too liquidy.  If it is too liquidy add more powdered sugar.  Once the scones have come out of the oven let them cool completely before drizzing the glaze on.  Once they are cool spoon the glaze over the top and allow to set a little before serving.  Serve and enjoy!

 

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Chocolate Chip Scones

Ingredients:
2 c. unsifted flour
3 tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. buttermilk or milk
1 lg. egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chip

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.

 

Grease baking sheet. In large bowl combine flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Cut in butter with pastry cutter or a fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

 

In small bowl combine milk, egg and vanilla. Add to dry ingredients and stir until combined.  Then add in the chocolate chips.  Dough will be sticky and elastic.  Using a large tablespoons, drop spoonfulls onto the baking sheet. Bake for 13-15 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm and enjoy!

 

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Fried Pork Cutlets

Ingredients:
12 pork cutlets, pounded
2 eggs
1 cup flour
3 cups bread crumbs
salt
pepper
2 tablespoons parsley
1 tablespoon paprika
lemon wedges for serving
oil for frying

Directions:
After you pound the pork about 1/4 inch thick, set aside for the breading station.  First, season the flour with salt and pepper and stir.  Then beat the eggs in a bowl as the second part of the station.  Finally mix salt, pepper, parsley, and paprika in with the bread crumbs as the third part of the station. 

In a large skillet, put about 1/4 - 1/2 inch of vegetable oil and heat on high.  While the oil is heating begin breading the pork.  Start with the flour, then go into the egg, and finish with the bread crumb.  Remember to shake excess off after each step.  Then place the pork in the hot pan.  If it does not sizzle, the pan is not hot enough.  Cook about 6-7 minutes on each side or until outside is golden and crispy.

After all the pork has finished cooking serve with lemon wedges and enjoy!

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Apple Pie with Crumble Topping

Ingredients:

Crust:

1 refrigerated pie crust, softened as directed on box or homemade crust
(you will only need a bottom crust)

 

Filling:

2 tablespoons lemon juice

3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2  teaspoon ground nutmeg
6 cups thinly sliced, peeled tart apples

Topping:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup cold butter
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Directions:
Heat oven to 400°F. Place pie crust in 9-inch glass pie plate as directed on box for One-Crust Filled Pie.

In large bowl mix sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon juice.  Peel each apple, core them and slice thinnly.  Then add to the sugar mixture. Gently stir in apples.  Pour filling into crust-lined pie plate.

In small bowl, mix topping ingredients: flour, sugar, butter, and walnuts until crumbly. Sprinkle over the top of the pie.  Loosely cover pie with sheet of foil and bake 1 hour. After an hour uncover the pie and bake 10 minutes longer or until apples are tender and topping is golden brown. Enjoy!

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