Cheesecake for Valentine's Day... or any day

Cheesecake is a special treat anytime. I made one yesterday and we ate it today in honor of Super Bowl Sunday (I had to eat a second slice after my Colts blew it at the end). This recipe for rich Cherry Almond Cheesecake would make a great surprise for your Valentine too.

Cherries and almond are a terrific combination, but try as I might I could not find a recipe for a cherry almond cheesecake that sounded good. I experimented with one at Christmas, and it reaffirmed by belief that although almond extract is delicious, it doesn't take much before you have too much in a dish. This one turned out much better. Instead of buying canned pie filling, which is chock full of artificial coloring and corn syrup, I found canned Oregon pie cherries and followed the directions on the back to make pie filling (which was super easy).

Hope you enjoy this recipe... on Valentine's Day or any day.

Cherry Almond Cheesecake
12 servings
Crust:
1-1/4 c. raw almonds
1-1/4 c. graham cracker crumbs
2 T. powdered sugar
6 T. butter, melted
1/4 t. almond extract

Filling:
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
2 8-ounce packages reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
1 c. sugar
3 eggs
2 t. vanilla
1 15-ounce can cherry pie filling (if possible, buy pie cherries and make your own pie filling)

Topping:
1 c. sour cream
2 T. sugar
1 t. vanilla

Toast almonds and let cool. Place almonds and graham crackers in a food processor and grind to fine crumbs. Pour into a medium-sized bowl and mix in powdered sugar. Combine butter and almond extract, then pour into crumb mixture. Stir until well combined. Press crumb mixture onto bottom and up the sides of an 8-inch springform pan.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time, mixing until just combined. Mix in vanilla. Pour into springform pan. Carefully spoon pie filling on top of cream cheese mixture. Using a butter knife, cut through fillings to swirl.

Bake for 45 minutes or until middle is almost set. While cheesecake is cooking, combine sour cream, sugar and vanilla in a small bowl.

Remove cheesecake from oven and pour sour cream mixture on top. Spread over cheesecake so it is completely covered. Return cheesecake to oven and bake an additional 10 minutes.

Cool cheesecake on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife around cheesecake to loosen from pan. Cool an additional hour on wire rack. Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight. Store leftovers in refrigerator.

Soups Help Ward Off The Cold

One of the best things about winter is eating soup. Soups are comforting and warming on cold days. Many of them freeze well, meaning they’re easy to store and pull out when I need a quick lunch or dinner.

Here’s my one piece of advice about soup: if it’s a broth-based delicacy, make your own stock. It’s miles better than anything you can find in a can or box, and usually lower in sodium. Here are some tips to make cooking your own stock easy and affordable:

**Make stock in a slow cooker. You can turn it on and leave it on the counter all day.

**If you want to make vegetable stock, toss your veggie scraps (carrot peelings, celery leaves, tomatoes cores, etc.) in a plastic bag and store them in the freezer until you’re ready to cook the stock.

**Many chicken stock recipes call for a whole chicken, which I never use. Instead, I buy a whole chicken; cut off the breasts, legs and thighs; and put the chicken carcass in the pot. If you don’t want to try cutting up a chicken, buy chicken wings or legs instead.

**Rather than skimming the fat off hot stocks made with meat, I pour the stock into a heat-proof bowl and put it in the refrigerator. Put a couple towels or hot pads underneath the bowl to protect the fridge, especially if you have glass shelves. The fat will solidify overnight, so it’s easy to skim off the top. Fat has a lot of flavor, so you might leave in a couple pieces.

I’m including a basic recipe for Chicken Stock. Try it out with this recipe for Minestrone, which I developed in college when I was trying to eat more vegetables.

Hopefully these soups will find a home among your favorites, and the stock can jazz up some of your old family recipes. The only problem with making your own stock? Once you taste the difference you may never go back to the stuff from the store.

Chicken Stock
Makes 5-9 cups
1 chicken carcass
2 carrots, coarsely chopped
2 celery stalks with leaves, coarsely chopped
½ yellow onion, cut into quarters
2 bay leaves
3-4 sprigs parsley, rosemary or thyme
10 peppercorns
1 t. salt

Place all ingredients in a large slow cooker. Add enough water to cover ingredients (usually between 6 and 10 cups depending on size of cooker). Cook on low heat for 8-9 hours, or high heat for up to 5 hours. Remove solids and skim fat.

Spinach Minestrone
Makes 8 servings
1 T. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
4 c. chicken or vegetable stock
1 16-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 16-ounce can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, undrained
1 carrot, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
½ c. orzo (or other small pasta)
½ t. dried parsley
¼ t. salt
1 bunch spinach, stems removed and coarsely chopped
Shredded parmesan cheese and fresh cracked pepper, for serving (if desired)

Heat oil in a large stock pot. Add onion and garlic and cook until onion begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Add stock, beans, tomatoes, carrot, celery, orzo, parsley, oregano and salt. Bring to a boil, then lower heat, cover and cook until orzo is tender, about 15 minutes. Add spinach and return to a boil, then remove from heat. Serve with parmesan cheese and pepper if desired.

Cardamom Spices Up Recipes

Cardamom first came onto my radar screen when I was in high school. One of my best friends was of Norwegian heritage and I helped his family make Christmas cookies one year. His mother used a strange pale brown spice called cardamom in her krumkaka, a thin cookie pressed in a cast iron pan that was carved with an intricate scroll design. I learned that cardamom is prized throughout the Scandinavian nations, where it is used primarily in baked goods such as bread, abelskivers, cookies, and other sweets.

The next time I ran into cardamom was when I lived in England and developed a taste for Indian food. Several of the recipes I found called for green cardamom pods, which were readily available in grocery stores. Each lemon-shaped pod contained three or four black seeds that were intensely flavored. The pods would open during cooking and spill out their contents, which I would then carefully pick out so I wouldn’t be surprised by a sudden crunch when I was eating. In India cardamom is known as the “Queen of Spices” and featured in everything from meat dishes to rice pudding.

Cardamom is grown in warm climates and used in cuisines throughout the world. In addition to lending a spicy, slightly sweet flavor to foods, cardamom was used in medicines and as an aphrodisiac by many Indians. Ancient Greeks and Romans used it in perfume. Green cardamom pods are considered by most to be superior to white or brown ones, so watch for those if you want to buy cardamom whole. Cardamom loses its flavor quickly when it is ground, so buy whole seeds and grind them yourself, or buy the spice fresh in the bulk food section, where you can purchase small amounts.

My sister Angela lived in India for two and a half years and developed her own recipe for Chai Tea. Unlike the syrupy sweet chai of coffee shops, this milky beverage is light on sugar but still packs great flavor.

I make bread often, and if I ask that same sister to pick the recipe, nine times out of ten she’ll ask for Cardamom Braid. These loaves have a lovely presentation and smell delicious while they’re baking. Slices of it taste best toasted.

Angela believes cardamom can be suitably used in any recipe that calls for cinnamon, nutmeg, or ginger. The closest substitute is cinnamon, so if you’re feeling adventurous try using cardamom instead of or in addition to cinnamon in one of your favorite recipes. While you’re eating, think of the tropical climate where the Queen of Spices reigns supreme in gardens and fields. Hopefully it will help warm the cold January nights.

Cardamom Braids
Makes 2 loaves
1 ¼-ounce package yeast
1½ c. warm milk (110-120 degrees)
½ c. butter
1/3 c. sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2½ t. ground cardamom
¼ t. salt
5 to 5½ c. all-purpose flour

Pour yeast into warm milk and stir to dissolve. Let sit for five minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the milk mixture, butter, sugar, egg, egg yolk, cardamom and salt. Add 3 cups flour and mix until smooth. Stir in remaining 2 cups of flour, adding more flour if needed to form a soft dough.

Place dough on a floured breadboard and knead until smooth and elastic, 8-10 minutes. Grease bowl with oil or cooking spray. Place dough in bowl and turn until it is coated with oil. Cover bowl with a dish towel and let rest in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Punch dough down. Divide dough into six balls of equal size. Shape three balls into ropes about 14 inches long. Place ropes on a greased baking sheet and braid, pinching ends under firmly to seal. Repeat with remaining three balls. Cover with a dish towel and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Cook bread for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Place pan on a wire rack. Once bread has cooled slightly (about 5 minutes), remove from pans, place bread on wire rack, and let loaves cool completely.


Chai Tea
Makes two servings
16 ounces water
1 bag black tea (preferably Assam or English Breakfast)
½" thick slice fresh ginger, cubed
1 t. cardamom
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. vanilla
½ t. cloves
½ t. nutmeg
½ t. aniseed
¼ t. black pepper
1 T. sugar
8 ounces milk

In a small saucepan boil the water, tea and ginger until the water is dark. Add the spices and vanilla. Simmer for 2-3 minutes (longer if a stronger flavor is desired), stirring occasionally. Add the milk and sugar. Simmer for one minute. Strain to remove the spices and tea bag, if desired. Serve immediately.

Even better Carrot Cake

I think my recipe for Carrot Cake (see Halloween Cake! post) is pretty good. I developed that recipe after years of trying different cakes and making improvements to them. So when my dad presented me with a recipe called Best Carrot Cake Ever, I chuckled and told him it couldn't get as good as mine. I'm afraid I had to eat my words... after I ate two pieces of this terrific carrot cake.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Best-Carrot-Cake-Ever/Detail.aspx

Pumpkin pie that could make you a hero

I'm not known for my pies. Cheesecake? Check. Pavlova with hand-whipped egg whites? Easy enough. Four layer chocolate cake that takes three days to make? No problem. But pie crust? It's enough to make me shake in my boots. I know you're supposed to use cold ingredients. I know you're not supposed to work the dough too much. But no matter what I do the pie crust never turns out very good. Not nearly as good as, say, my sister Kathryn's.

So when my sister called me last night and asked for a pie recipe, I nearly jumped for joy. I wish I could say it's because of my stellar pie making ability, but it's really because the recipe is that good. Don't let the plain name - Pumpkin Pie - fool you. This particular pumpkin pie is spiked with chipotle chili powder, which gives it just a touch of smoky heat. It's the perfect accent for the pumpkin. Even though pumpkin pie "season" has passed, I'd recommend making it as soon as possible. It might make you a pie hero in your own home.

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/pumpkin-pie-with-chipotle

P.S. Hi Kathryn!

A Gift for the Cook Who Has Everything

Most people have someone on their Christmas list who is impossible to shop for. If that person enjoys cooking, let me offer a suggestion: a pressure cooker.

This may conjure images of your grandmother, but a pressure cooker is a great tool for people who are short on time and concerned about eating healthy. A pressure cooker works by trapping hot steam inside the cooker. Since the steam can’t escape, it builds pressure, and that pressure allows the cooking temperature to get much higher than it would under normal conditions. This means your food cooks faster. Food also retains more of its nutrients and flavor, so there’s no need for lots of salt.

Most modern pressure cookers have multiple safety features, such as a valve to make sure too much pressure doesn’t build up in the cooker. Still, it’s important to read the instruction manual before using it. “I look at a pressure cooker as an appliance,” says Nancy Becker, the Corporate Home Economist for National Presto Industries, which manufactured the cookers. “Any time you’re working with a new appliance there’s a learning curve on how to use it.” The manual will advise you about things such as how to check the vent pipe to make sure it is not blocked and how much to fill the cooker (never more than halfway).

You can make all kinds of things in a pressure cooker. Nancy recommends steaming corn on the cob in the pressure cooker. It takes 2-3 minutes and “the flavor is so intense,” she says. You can also cook squash (quartered, with the seeds removed) in about 10 minutes and artichokes in about 13 minutes. Dry beans cook in 25-35 minutes. You can even make desserts, such as bread pudding and cheesecake.

Roasts can cook in under an hour in a pressure cooker, which is a huge time savings. If the recipient of your gift wants to give that a whirl, try Garlic Studded Pork Loin with Vegetables, which comes from www.discoverpressurecooking.com.

I wanted a pressure cooker because you can use it to cook risotto. One of my favorite recipes is Lemon and Fava Bean Risotto. When fresh fava beans aren’t available I use frozen baby lima beans. Fresh or frozen asparagus spears are also great in this recipe.

Pressure cookers also save the home cook money by reducing cooking time. What could be better than the gift of time, money and good food this holiday season?

Garlic Studded Pork Loin with Vegetables
View at http://www.discoverpressurecooking.com/recipes/garlic_studded_pork_loin.html

Lemon and Fava Bean Risotto
Makes 4 servings
5 c. vegetable stock, divided
1 T. butter
1 T. olive oil
1 shallot, chopped
1 c. Arborio rice
¼ c. dry white wine
1 t. grated lemon zest
2 T. lemon juice
½ c. parmesan cheese
½ lb. cooked fava beans

Melt butter and oil in pressure cooker. Add shallot and cook 1-2 minutes. Add rice and stir for 2-3 minutes (each rice grain must be well coated in oil before you add any liquid). Add white wine and cook, stirring, until almost all the wine is absorbed. Add 4 c. stock and close cover securely.

Place pressure regulator on vent pipe. Cook 6 minutes with pressure regulator rocking slowly. Cool cooker at once. Make sure most of the liquid has been absorbed. If not, cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until liquid has absorbed. Test rice for doneness; it should be tender but not mushy. If needed, add additional stock, ¼ c. at a time, and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until desired consistency is achieved.

Remove the pan from heat and add lemon zest, lemon juice, and parmesan cheese. Add beans and salt and pepper and stir gently. Serve immediately.

Start Holiday Mornings Right with Breakfast

The holiday season is upon us, and I have visions of houseguests dancing in my head. We have guests who are with us at Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Eve every year. The evening meal is always planned well in advance, but come holiday morning I find myself scrambling to answer the question: what do I serve these people for breakfast?

Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. Eating in the morning breaks the “fast” you’ve experienced overnight and helps activate your metabolism. If you skip breakfast you may go as long as 18 hours without food. This is especially bad for children, who depend on regular meals for mental and physical development.

Skipping breakfast is a bad idea even if you’re trying to lose weight. Numerous reports have shown that people who don’t eat breakfast actually gain weight in the long run. By not eating breakfast, you’re more likely to eat more at lunch or snack on high-calorie foods throughout the morning. Your body does best if you eat small meals several times throughout the day. No matter how busy you are or how much turkey you’re planning to eat later in the day, make time to eat breakfast.

Growing up, my favorite breakfast was Swedish Pancakes. These thin, sweet delicacies are similar to crepes. My siblings and I would spread a layer of butter and jam on them, then roll them up and eat them with a fork. You can also use Swedish Pancakes as a base for blintzes, which are filled with sweetened cream cheese or ricotta cheese. A savory filling (perhaps containing turkey leftovers) rolled up in Swedish Pancakes would also make a great lunch item. You don’t need a crepe pan to make Swedish Pancakes; any non-stick skillet will work. No matter what you do the first pancake will turn out less than perfect, so plan to eat that one yourself or give it to someone who isn’t picky.

Chili Cheese Egg Puff came from a family friend and is a standard brunch item at our house. Served with fresh black beans and salsa, it’s a meal in itself. The dish is good served hot or cold. You can make it the night before and pop it in the fridge, making breakfast a snap the next morning (and giving you fewer dishes to wash as you start preparing the next meal).

If you expect your guests to wake up at varying times, you might set out a simple breakfast buffet. It might include the Chili Cheese Egg Puff, a couple high fiber cereals with milk, low sugar granola and yogurt, and hard boiled eggs. People can take food as they need it, and you avoid interruptions as you’re trying to prepare the main meal of the day.

I hope these recipes will come in handy when you’re entertaining, but don’t feel like you have to wait until a special occasion to try them. Even a small breakfast is a good idea every day, so give them a try whenever you’re ready to start the morning right.

Swedish Pancakes
Makes 14 pancakes
2 c. flour
3 T. sugar
½ t. salt
2½ c. milk
2 eggs, beaten
Butter, for cooking and serving
Jam, for serving

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt. Add milk and eggs and mix until all lumps are gone (batter will be very thin).

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add a small pat of butter and swirl pan to coat. Add about ¼ c. batter and swirl pan so batter is distributed evenly over the entire bottom of pan (not the sides). Cook until batter is set, about 1 minute. Using a spatula, flip over pancake and cook an additional 30 seconds or until lightly browned.

To serve, spread warm pancake with butter and jam. Roll up and cut into pieces.

Chili Cheese Egg Puff
Makes 12 servings
10 eggs, beaten
1 16-ounce container cottage cheese
2 4-ounce cans diced green chilis
1 lb. pepper Jack cheese, grated
½ c. flour
¼ c. butter or margarine, melted
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9” x 13” pan and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well. Pour into prepared pan and bake until golden and set in the middle, about 1 hour.