Kitchenbelle

Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake

Posted on December 14, 2011 by kitchenbelle

Folks, before you read this recipe I need you to promise me you will not look at the nutritional info on this one. This is one of those “holiday indulgences” where you savor every bite and don’t think twice. It is rich + creamy + salty + sweet: a formula for heaven if you ask me. Bring this to a holiday party and you will be the most popular guest.

I found the recipe on food.com (my new favorite site) and I owe ShannonA in AZ a million thanks for putting it out there.

Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake:

35 Oreo cookies
4 tablespoons butter ( melted and cooled)
2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup sugar
24 ounces Philadelphia Cream Cheese ( at room temperature)
2 eggs
8 ounces sour cream
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
16 Reese’s Peanut butter cups roughly chopped +3 for garnish
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons butter
5 ounces whipping cream

Prepare crust

Preheat oven to 375 F. Cover the bottom of a 10-inch spring-form pan tightly with aluminum foil. Using a food processor, finely crush all the Oreo cookies. Add melted butter, water and sugar to the cookie crumbs and continue using processor until the mixture is well blended. Turn this cookie mixture out into the spring-form pan and using your fingers, gently work the cookie mixture until the bottom of the pan is covered with about one inch up on the sides. Bake for only 6 or 7 minutes, no longer or the crust will be too hard.

Prepare filling

In a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese until it is light and fluffy. When cream cheese is fluffy, add in one egg and mix well. Add second egg and mix well. Add in sour cream and sugar. Remove electric mixture to gently fold in the chocolate chips and chopped peanut butter cups. Pour batter onto the crust and spread the mixture out from the middle to all the sides to help it bake evenly.

Cover a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and place spring-form pan in middle and bake at 375 F for about 45 minutes, or until top is light brown. Transfer the cheese cake to a rack and cool while still in the spring-form pan. Lay a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the cheesecake and refrigerate (still in spring-form pan) for at least four hours or more- overnight is best.

Prepare glaze: Melt chocolate chips, butter and only 1/3 of the heavy whipping cream in a double boiler over medium heat until just at the melting stage. Remove from heat and stir mixture until smooth. While still warm, stir in remaining heavy whipping cream and mix until well blended.

Run a small sharp knife around the edges of the spring-form pan to gently separate the cheesecake from the pan sides. Release the spring-form and remove from the cheesecake. Place cheesecake on serving dish and pour the chocolate glaze into the shallow crater. Garnish with remaining peanut butter cup pieces.

Refrigerate to allow the glaze to set.

Adapted from Sinful Snickers Cheesecake found here on Food.com.

Filed under: Uncategorized | 4 Comments »

Easy Broccoli Quiche

Posted on December 3, 2011 by kitchenbelle

Quiche is one of my favorite things to eat for lunch. A slice of quiche alongside a pile of mixed greens feels like a wonderfully complete meal. I love it because it is rich enough that you feel as though you have indulged, yet because you typically only have a slice or two you don’t feel overly stuffed. And it’s the richness that makes the meal feel special–it’s not every day you have quiche for lunch, after all! I especially enjoy serving quiche when I have a friend over for a lunch date. It is something that is easily prepared ahead of time and then served at room temperature. There isn’t anything unusual about this particular recipe. It is a straightforward way to make a tasty vegetarian quiche. (Of course you can make your own crust or use prepackaged.)

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Entirely unrelated, I feel as though I must acknowledge that I am probably the only recipe blogger in the blogosphere who did not post anything Thanksgiving related. “Why?” you may ask. The answer is because my brother-in-law prepares our entire Thanksgiving meal without an ounce of help from anyone else! (Well, without any help except for the Minnesota-style mashed potatoes made by my other brother-in-law. ) He is a fabulous cook and he makes the most delicious and unconventional Thanksgiving dinner leaving guests in awe year after year.

The only item the menu required was something light that guests could snack on while sipping a drink prior to dinner. I made these ol’ standbys: SPINACH SQUARES. My sister-in-law refers to them as spinach brownies. How cute, right?! Give them a try if you are looking for an easy holiday season go-to app that transports well.

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Easy Broccoli Quiche:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, minced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 cups chopped fresh broccoli
1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
4 eggs, well beaten
1 1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Over medium-low heat warm the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add onions, garlic and broccoli. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are soft. Sprinkle 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese over the crust and press into the dough. Spoon vegetables into crust and sprinkle with the remaining Mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Combine eggs and milk. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in melted butter. Pour egg mixture over vegetables and cheese. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until center has set.

Recipe adapted from this one on AllRecipes.com

Filed under: broccoli, eggs, Main Dish, mozzarella, VEGETARIAN | 5 Comments »

Brown and Wild Rice Salad with Mandarin Oranges (and Cooking Matters)

Posted on November 3, 2011 by kitchenbelle

Over the past six weeks I have been a volunteer chef for Cooking Matters. If you haven’t heard of Cooking Matters, I suggest you check it out. Their website articulates their impressive mission:

Cooking Matters courses teach family members skills that will last a lifetime and more as they share them with relatives and friends. When families practice what they’ve learned in Cooking Matters courses—how to plan, purchase, and prepare healthy, tasty, and affordable foods at home—they are winning the fight against childhood hunger and protecting themselves from the destructive consequences of poor child nutrition.

Once a week, approximately 15 participants, a volunteer nutritionist, a volunteer assistant, the course coordinator, and myself all gathered to prepare a healthy meal together and discuss nutrition and technique. Each week we focused on something different and each week participants took home a bag of fresh groceries so that they could replicate for their families the meal we made in class. I find the whole idea brilliant!

Spending time with the participants was humbling. Their enthusiasm was contagious and their appreciation obvious. At the end of the course, each one gave me a big hug and expressed the most sincere gratitude. It was incredibly touching.

Not only was I enthralled by the participants, but also I fell head over heels in love with the Cooking Matters recipes! They exceeded my expectations in the best way possible. Each recipe was interesting, delicious, loaded with healthy grains and nutrients, and easy to prepare. I found myself making several of the recipes over and over at home for my family. (In fact, there is a chicken recipe that I have made four times, yet every time we have eaten it before I have had the chance to photograph it!)

I found this Brown Rice and Mandarin Orange salad to be particularly wonderful. It is a perfect side to a protein, yet stands up well on its own for a vegetarian lunch or dinner. It is very filling and fresh tasting. I jazzed it up by adding one of my favorite ingredients, wild rice, however, using only brown rice works just fine. I left a large bowl of this in my fridge for a week and ate a healthy helping for lunch every day!

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If you are interested in reading about other blogger experiences with Cooking Matters you can check out these posts:

Kerry Coughlin of Recipes That Fit
Michelle Collins of The Economical Eater

Brown and Wild Rice Salad with Mandarin Oranges:

1 cup brown rice
1/2 cup wild rice
1 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1 cup mandarin oranges, canned in light syrup
3 scallions
1 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup canola oil

Cook both types of rice according to package directions and set aside.

Drain mandarin oranges and reserve juice.

Rinse and chop scallions.

In a medium bowl mix Mandarin oranges, dried cranberries, scallions,
almonds and rice.

In another bowl whisk together lemon juice, mandarin orange juice,
and pepper. While still whisking, slowly drizzle in the oil until dressing
forms.

Pour dressing over salad and mix well. Let rest at room
temperature for 10 minutes to allow flavors to combine.

Filed under: Main Dish, orange, rice, Side | 2 Comments »

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

Posted on October 31, 2011 by kitchenbelle

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!

This is probably my favorite holiday. I have wonderful childhood memories of this holiday, some of which I have discussed on the blog in years past.

This year the pumpkin cupcakes made a reappearance, this time with Smitten’s Maple Cream Cheese Frosting. No fancy decorating, just plain and delicious.

If you are looking for some other last minute ideas, check out these festive baked goods from past years!

Chocolate Peanut butter Cake

Mini Chocolate Cupcakes with Silver Peanut butter Frosting

Apple and Meringue Tartlets

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Mini Chocolate and Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Caramel Apple Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

Mini Pumpkin Cupcakes (and Halloween cupcake decorating ideas)

Mandarin Orange and Pomegranate Tart

Peanut butter cup cookies

Maple Pumpkin Muffins

Rich Chocolate Cupcakes with Honey Cream Cheese Frosting

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

Orange White Chip Cookies

Enjoy!!!!!

Filed under: cream cheese, cupcakes, Dessert, Fall, pumpkin | 1 Comment »

Ladybug Birthday Cake and Smash Cake

Posted on October 7, 2011 by kitchenbelle

Note: I attempted to scramble the name in the photo above but it turned out looking like a botched decorating job! Does anyone know how to make a black box or to blur a photo in Picasa?

I love making first birthday cakes and my trademark cake has evolved to be the following: A large sheet cake topped with one small three dimensional round cake. The purpose of the round cake is to add interest, dimension, and decoration. I then replicate that same round cake for the purpose of a smash cake. A smash cake is what we call the small cake given to the birthday boy or girl to mash and squeeze between her fingers (and in rare circumstances, actually eat!). You’ll see I used the same formula for the Clown Cake and a similar idea for the Monkey Cake. I like how the matching cakes reinforce the party theme. And there is something so cute about a miniature version of the larger cake made specifically for the guest of honor!

The pan I use to make the three dimensional round cakes is a pan my mom ordered from an infomercial several years ago. I have tried to find it online but I have not had any luck. It is the perfect pan to use to make a baseball or soccer ball cake. I have used the pan more times than I can count!

I was definitely happy with how the cake turned out, though I still can’t wrap my head around the fact that it was for MY little girl’s first birthday?! For goodness sake…where does the time go?! Next thing I know I’ll be baking her wedding cake.

(If she’ll let me. )

Brown Sugar Cake:

(I doubled the below recipe for each 15-inch pan. As-is, this recipe yields enough batter for two 8 or 9-inch cakes)

shortening and flour for pan prep
1/2 cup butter, melted
8 oz. sour cream
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Rub shortening on the bottom of cake pans. Sprinkle with flour. Set aside.

Combine melted butter and sour cream in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Add sugars and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Beat with a mixer at medium speed 3 minutes or until well blended. Add eggs; beat 2 minutes or until well blended.

Lightly spoon 2 cups flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 2 cups flour, baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, stirring well with a whisk. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix after each addition. Pour batter into prepared pan(s). Sharply tap pan once on counter to remove air bubbles. Bake at 350 F for 20-25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pans. Cool completely on wire rack.

For the frosting I used the Wilton recipe.

Frosting (I made this recipe about three times for this cake):

1 cup vegetable shortening, at room temperature
1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
4 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons water (or milk or heavy cream)
1/2 teaspoon meringue powder

Cream together shortening and butter using an electric mixer. Add vanilla. Add confectioners’ sugar, one cup at a time and continue to beat with mixer. Add cream and meringue powder. Add more confectioners’ sugar or more cream to reach desired consistency.

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Check out these GORGEOUS cookies! I cannot take an ounce of credit except for ordering them from a friend’s friend. If you are in the Boston area and looking for AWESOME cookies/cookie favors, send me an email and I will provide the contact info.