Nigella's cheesecake

We had a special birthday around our house last month, and the requested dessert was a peanut butter and chocolate cheesecake.  Having made my 1st cheescake in April, I was a teensy concerned about the time factor of a Saturday night birthday party and a completed cheesecake.  This recipe, however, came to my rescue.  I did it on Friday night and it was completed before 9 p.m.  Say what!?  Yes, I started it at 7 p.m. and was on the couch watching House Hunters by 9 p.m.!

It turned out delicious, particularly for my PB and C fans. I am not going to call it "light," but it isn't too heavy, either.  I'm a dessert lover, for sure, but the ones that make me fall out of my chair in a sugar coma after one bite? Well, those are not my favorites; I prefer to savor it the entire way through.  This was a deliciously balanced endeavor, and one that I plan to make again.

The recipe is Nigella's, another reliable favorite of mine.

Real Simple's book

Real Simple magazine has a great new book out: Easy, delicous home cooking.  RS's books are always good - clean spreads, ideas to use up extra ingredients, new takes on common ingredients.  Their books are always wonderfully visual, too - a picture for everything (just the way I like it.)

Something I loved in this book was a little visual frosting help.  By just taking various basics (butter, powdered sugar, chocolate, cream and sugar), you have 6 options on hand to choose from!  There is nothing better than homemade frosting.  Nothing.  Start using it and it will change your cake baking life.   I'm very phobic about canned frosting anyway - they all have trans fat, so watch out.

Also included in the cake seciton of this book are basic recipes for chocolate and yellow cake and tips for baking and frosting your cakes.

Guacamole

I love guacamole.  Love.  I eat it for lunch a lot at work because it makes me happy and because I consider it healthy. (Yes, avocados have a good amount of fat.  But they grow on trees and are not purchased at McDonald's.  So.)

My go-to recipe is Martha Stewart's.  Here it is:

2 ripe avocados, peeled, pitted, and lightly mashed

1/2 cup minced onion

1 jalapeno chile, minced (remove seeds and ribs for less heat)

1 plum tomato, seeded and diced

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Coarse salt

If I'm in a hurry or don't have an ingredient on hand, guacamole is very adaptable and eater friendly.  I sometimes just use salt and lime juice and I'm still okay, but I'm an avocado fan, so that is easy. 

Sweet Potatoes with Rosemary

Since sweet potatoes are a power-house, by all means, let's eat them more.  Jason made this dish and it was so simple and so, so good!  They're a bit like sweet potato fries, but the insides seem softer, more substantial, and definitely less fried.  The outside is crispy enough for a great taste - rosemary making these really shine.  Does anyone else use garlic salt with as much frequency as us?

Slice your sweet potatoes and toss in oil (we to use Canola this time).  Lay out on a baking sheet and sprinkle with garlic salt and rosemary.  Bake  @ 350 for 30 minutes, turning at the half-way mark and sprinkling the other side with a pinch of garlic salt and rosemary.

Garden Pasta

After an afternoon of swimming, we came home after our regular dinner time (hungry and mama getting edgy!) only to find in our crockpot dinner the beans were not quite done.  Hmmm. Out to eat? Popcorn?  Thankfully, Jason is truly gifted in the kitchen, a trait he earned with lots of sweat and little sleep while owning his own restaurant.  In the face of dinner desperation, I can be less than helpful.  Case in point: I went to take a shower.  Not one second more than 20 minutes later, this lovely pasta was on our table, complete with the first of garden zucchini and squash.

Thankful.

Popcorn Cups

These little cuties are perfect for company.  They're the perfect thing to have sitting out and ready so that kids can go ahead and get started while parents either chat or get things organized for the official start of dinner.  Dinner with kids is funny, isn't it?  Like a mad dash? A scramble to the table just so you can get up 100 more times?  Well, these help, at least a pinch.  Put the popcorn in first and just a small handful of M&Ms on top.  They'll drop down on their own, and be like "treasure."

Ham & Cheese Scones

This recipe ran in my local paper, and I tell ya, I was pleased.  First, I love scones.  Second, savory scones?  Even better.  Third, the recipe specifically lists plans for freezing and baking on the spot, as needed.  Yes!

So definitely try these.  They are so easy to pull together and busy-mom-who-likes-special-breakfast-treats approved.

Ham & Cheese Scones

2 3/4 cups All Purpose Flour, unbleached
2 T sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
10 T unsalted butter, emlted
1.5 cups shredded sharp cheddar 10 oz deli ham OR some leftover dinner ham chunks in whatever quantity you have
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup sour cream

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.  Drizzle in melted butter and stir well.  Stir in 1.5 cups of cheddar, ham and chives.

In a small bowl, whisk the heavy cream and sour cream and then add to the dough - just stirring until dough is moistened and it just comes together.

Turn dough onto lightly floured surface (I like to use wax paper on the counter to save a mess).  Shape with your hands into a round shape, approximately 1 inch thick.  Cut into wedges or squares - about 8 to 10, depending on size.  Transfer to a baking sheet and freeze until ready to bake (at least 10 minutes).  After they are frozen, transfer into a freezer safe bag.  These little goodies will be ready for you on a Saturday morning, just pop in oven and bake!  Yum!

Bake 375
20 to 25 minutes