I hope things start heating up around here....

The dogs awoke us at 5:45 this morning and the first thing we noticed is that it was cooooooold in this house.  Our furnace had quit sometime during the night.  This happened a couple of weeks ago and Frank went down, reset the furnace and life was good.  This morning.....no such luck!

What is lucky is that our furnace guy is also our dear friend Kurt who should be here shortly.  In the meanwhile what do you do when the furnace is out?  We turned on all of the fireplaces, grabbed the electric heater from the basement and brought it up to the bedroom, turned on the heat vent in the master bath so we could shower without turning to ice and snuggled in bed until things warmed up a bit.  It is now 67* in the house.  Not too bad but still chilly.  So I turned on the oven and made some muffins.....warmed up the kitchen and warmed up our bellies so we are ready to face the day!

Raisin Bran Muffins.

Quick, Easy and Delicious.

Printable Recipe

Irish Cream Cheesecake for #FifteenCheesecakes

My friend, Camilla, of Culinary Adventures with Camilla is celebrating her 15th Wedding Anniversary and has invited all of us to join in the party.  Camilla served Cheesecakes at their wedding and thought it would be appropriate to have all of her food blogger friends make a cheesecake of their choice in acknowledgement of her their big day.  Cam originally asked for 15 friends who would be willing to help her out but within a very short time she had that many volunteers and several more that wanted in on the action.  Cam graciously opened it up to any that wanted to participate.  At last count there were 26 of us.....that is a lot of great cheesecake recipes for you to enjoy.  You will find links to all of them at the bottom of this post.

I was having a dinner party in celebration of St. Patrick's Day last Tuesday and, knowing this event was right around the corner, decided to serve cheesecake as one of the desserts.  I had originally planned on doing a Creme de Menthe cheesecake in keeping with the green theme but then I was thumbing through the March/April 2014 Issue of Cuisine at Home and came across this recipe for Irish Cream Cheesecake.  

Happy Anniversary Camilla!!

Irish Cream Cheesecake

as found in Cuisine at Home, Issue #104

1 1/2 c. Old Fashioned Rolled Oats

1/2 c. flour

1/2 c. brown sugar, packed

1 t. cinnamon

1/2 t. salt

1 stick unsalted butter, melted

3 (8 oz) pkgs. cream cheese, softened

3/4 c. sugar

1/2 c. brown sugar, packed

1/2 c. Irish Cream Liqueur

1/2 c. heavy cream

3 eggs, room temperature

Preheat oven to 375*.  Toast the oats in the oven on a baking sheet until they smell nutty, about 10 minutes.  Place the oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt and butter into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until blended and mixture clumps.  Press the oats mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a springform pan.  Bake crust until firm, 10-12 minutes.  Reduce oven temp to 325*, Let crust cool to room temperature, then wrap the base of the pan in aluminum foil and place into a roasting pan.

Beat the cream cheese with both sugars on medium speed until smooth.  Beat in liqueur and cream. Before adding eggs, beat slightly with a fork, then add to the batter, one egg at a time and mix to incorporate before adding the next.  Pour filling into crust.  Pour boiling water into the roasting pan, 1" up the side of the springform pan. Bake for 1 hr. until edges are set and center still jiggles.  Turn off oven and leave the cheesecake for 1 hour more without opening the oven door.  Let cheesecake cool to room temperature before covering with plastic wrap and chilling for 3-24 hrs before serving.

Print Recipe

This is the group helping Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla celebrate her 15th wedding anniversary with waaaayy more than #fifteencheesecakes.

And here is what we all brought to the cheesecake table, listed in alphabetical order. Enjoy!

Berry Cheesecake Bars by Baking and Creating with Avril

Cherry Cheesecake Bites by Cookaholic Wife

Chocolate Caramel Cheesecake by Dancing Veggies

Chocolate Cheesecake by My Hobbie Lobbie

Chocolate Topped Peppermint Cheesecake by Amy's Cooking Adventures

Classic Cheesecake with Strawberry Puree by Making Miracles

Cookies & Creme No-Bake Cheesecake by Hapa-tite!

Creme Brulee Cheesecake Bars by Tara's Multicultural Table

Easter Basket Mini Cheesecakes by Little Bit of Everything

Everyday Cheesecake by Things I Make (for Dinner)

Irish Cream Cheesecake by A Day in the Life on the Farm
Layered Cinnamon Streusel Cheesecake Cake by Famished Fish, Finicky Shark

Lowfat Blackberry Cheesecake by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures

Matcha-YuzuCheesecake with a Meyer Lemon Gelée by Culinary Adventures with Camilla

Mini Churro Caramel Cheesecake by Cheese Curd In Paradise

Mini Maple Pecan Cheesecakes by Join Us, Pull up a Chair
Mom's New York Cheesecake by Taste Cook Sip

Mudslide Cheesecake by Sew You Think You Can Cook

{No Bake} Marshmallow Cheesecake by An Affair from the Heart

No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake by Angels Homestead

Ricotta Cheesecake with Shortbread Crust by Living the Gourmet

Samoa's cheesecake by Goodie Godmother
Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars by The Savvy Kitchen
Sopapilla Puff Pastry Cheesecake by Pink Cake Plate

Skinny Vanilla Bean Cheesecake by Renee's Kitchen Adventures

Twix Cheesecake Brownie Torte by Making Memories With Your Kids

Look who's sitting and reading too!!

Melody Elizabeth

6 mos. old, 2 teeth and now sitting on her own while she reads her story.

She is amazing!!

Summer Cocktails

I know that we are just welcoming Spring and for some of us it is very sloooooooow coming, but my friend Cam, of Culinary Adventures with Camilla, is already thinking Summer.  Of course, she lives in Sunny California so it is much closer to Summer there than it is here in Michigan. Not that I'm jealous or anything, not at all....not me....nope.....

Cam has gotten together a great group of people to put together a weeks worth of Summertime recipes and we are going to be sharing them with you the first week of June.  They will get you through the whole summer....for every bbq, cookout, picnic, ice cream social, bonfire.....that you will have.  We are all excited about it and cannot wait to share all of our ideas with you.

Cam has also rounded up some sponsors.  You know what that means....Right.....that means giveaways to you, our lucky readers.  Our sponsors are very excited too.  They want to ensure that our party is a great success so they have already climbed aboard and are sending us out packages early so we have plenty of time to create wonderful and memorable feasts, parties, picnics and casual get togethers to pass on to you.

One of our sponsors is Quirk Books and they sent us this fantastic book, Summer Cocktails, by Maria Del Mar Sacasa. 

When I got home from running errands this afternoon this book was waiting for me on my doorstep.  I was very excited and immediately sat down to flip through it.  The photography is stunning and the recipes are intriguing.  I am going to have a lot of fun with this book.  And it is not just a cocktail book....there are kitchen tips and recipes too.  Wooohooooo.

When Frank came home, I handed him the book to look at while I started dinner.  Next thing I knew he was pulling a bottle from the bar, squeezing limes and making simple syrup.

When dinner was ready so were these lovely, refreshing cocktails.  These, my friends, are daquiris. Maria writes "Forget the fruity drinks the cabana boy hands you at the pool in a resort. The real daquiri is spare and certain."  I am not a daquiri fan and when I think of daquiris I picture those frozen strawberry or lime green concoctions that give me brain freeze.  Well, these drinks have changed all of that and now I AM a daquiri fan!!!

Daquiri

from Summer Cocktails by Maria Del mar Sacasa

2 oz. light rum

3/4 oz. fresh lime juice

1/2 oz simple syrup

Ice Cubes

Lime slices for Garnish

Cobine rum, lime juice and syrup in an ice filled shaker.  Shake vigorously and strain into a chilled glass.  Garnish with lime slice and serve.  Print Recipe

Braised Beef Rolls with Risotto Cakes

Our dinner yesterday was from another cookbook written by Lidia Bastianich.  I shared her recipe for Risotto in my #SundaySupper post.  We enjoyed that delicious Risotto on Friday topped with Salmon and a White Wine Cream Sauce.

This recipe for Braised Beef Rolls comes from Lidia's Italian-American Table.  I love taking inexpensive cuts of meat and braising them into a tender, delicious, company worthy meal.  This recipe definitely fits the bill and will be making regular appearances on our dinner table.

I made some adaptations to the original recipe.  I didn't have any parsley so I used some Gourmet Garden Italian Herbs instead.  I substituted a Mozzarella String Cheese Stick for the Provolone called for in the original recipe.  I didn't have any onions in the house so I used shallots and the canned tomatoes I had were diced tomatoes when the recipe asked for Italian Plum Tomatoes. I had some beef broth in the refrigerator so I added that instead of water to the sauce and I also forgot to add any crushed red pepper to the sauce.

Cut your round steak into 5-6" pieces and pound to 1/2" thick.

Mix together the ingredients for the stuffing.

Layer the ingredients to make your rolls.

Roll them up and secure them with toothpicks.

The Risotto Cakes cook up relatively quickly so you can wait until the Beef Rolls are done braising before starting them.  The Beef Rolls will stay hot in the dutch oven off heat.

Enjoy!!!

Braised Beef Rolls

Adapted from Lidia's Italian-American Table

2 c. cubed bread, from day old bread with crusts removed

1 1/2 c. milk

2 hard boiled eggs, peeled and coarsely chopped

3 T. Italian Herbs

1/4 c. Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, shredded

1/4 c. raisins

1/4 c. pine nuts, toasted

1 clove garlic, minced

2 lbs. round steak, cut into pieces and pounded to 1/2" thickness

4 oz. package Prosciutto

1 Mozzarella Cheese stick, cut into 1/4 x 1/4" sticks

For the Sauce: 

3 T. olive oil

4 shallots, peeled and chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 (14 oz) cans diced tomatoes

1/2 c. dry red wine

3 T. tomato paste

2 bay leaves

Beef broth or water as needed

salt and pepper to taste

Combine bread cubes and milk in a bowl.  Set aside while preparing the beef, by cutting the steak into pieces 5-6", trimming them and pounding them with the toothed side of a meat mallet to 1/2" thickness.  

Squeeze out the excess milk from the bread and place it in a bowl.  Add the eggs, herbs, Parmesan cheese, raisins, pinenuts and garlic.  Mix well.

Place each piece of meat in front of you with the short side closest to you.  Place a slice of Prosciutto on top of the beef and tap it to make it adhere.  Spread about 2 T. of the bread filling on the Prosciutto and Beef, leaving a 1" border.  Place a stick of the Mozzarella crosswise over the edge of the stuffing closest to you.  Fold the beef into rolls, turning in the sides if possible.  (This was easier said than done).  Secure the rolls with toothpicks

In an enamel lined, cast iron dutch oven heat oil over med heat.  Add the shallots and garlic and cook until wilted.  Add the beef rolls, in batches if necessary, to the pan and brown on all sides.  Remove to a plate and set aside as they are browned.

When all beef rolls are browned add the wine to the pot.  Bring to a boil and cook until most of the wine is evaporated, scraping up any brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.  Add the tomatoes and bring to a boil.  Add the bay leaves and tomato paste.  Season with salt and pepper.  

Return the beef rolls and any accumulated juices to the pot, arranging the rolls so that they are completely submerged in the sauce.  Add beef broth or water if needed to allow the beef rolls to be submerged.

Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 3 hrs or longer until the beef is fork tender.  Print Recipe

Risotto Cakes

2 c. leftover risotto, room temperature

1 lg egg

3 T. olive oil

Combine the risotto with the egg.  Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over med heat. Add about a 1/4 c. of the risotto mixture into the pan and gently push down to form a round cake.  Put in as many as the pan will allow without crowding.  Cook the cakes until brown and crisp on the bottom.  Using a large spatula, flip the risotto cakes over and cook until the other side is golden brown and crisp. Remove to a serving platter and keep warm while cooking the remaining risotto cakes.  Print Recipe

Little Miss meets the Easter Bunny

We had a very nice day yesterday.  We went to Mass in the morning and then out to breakfast.  Then we took a ride along the river and looked at all the ice flows that had broken up an were moving rapidly.  We ended up at a Mall in the area where we had Little Miss Melody's photo taken with the Easter Bunny!!

When we got home, I put dinner together.  I made Braised Beef Rolls so once they were put together they slow cooked for the entire afternoon.  This gave me time to go through all the wonderful posts and recipes to the #SundaySupper Spring Fling.  When you have a free moment you are going to want to stop by and see these great offerings.  In fact, I stopped in the middle of my browsing so I could bake up one of the recipes.

These wonderful cookies were submitted by Tara of Noshing with the Nolands.

As I was reading the recipe, my mouth started watering.

I had all the necessary ingredients and a few hours on my hands while dinner cooked.

These cookies went together in a snap and were like eating a little piece of carrot cake.

DELICIOUS!!

I made these cookies just as submitted by Tara, omitting the nuts in the interest of marital harmony and frosting the cookies with a knife because I didn't feel like digging out my pastry bag and tips.

Carrot Cake Cookies

from Noshing with the Nolands

1 1/2 c. flour

1/2 t. baking soda

1/4 t. baking powder

pinch of salt

1 t. cinnamon

1/4 t. ground ginger

1/8 t. ground nutmeg

1/2 c. butter, softened

1/2 c. sugar

1/4 c. brown sugar, packed

1 lg. egg

1 t. vanilla

1 c. grated carrots

Icing:

4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 c. powdered sugar

pinch of salt

1/2 T. milk

Preheat oven to 350*.  Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment.  

Combine flour and next 6 ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.

In large bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter with sugars until light and fluffy.  Add the egg and vanilla, beat well.  Mix in 1/2 of the flour mixture.  Incorporate the carrots in to the dough and add remaining flour mixture until just combined.

Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon place dough onto parchment lined cookie sheets spacing about 2" apart.  Bake in preheated oven for 12 minutes or until browning on the edges but still soft to the touch.

While cookies cool, beat cream cheese until smooth, slowly add the powdered sugar and salt. Add the milk and mix until incorporated and smooth.

Make sure cookies are completely cooled before frosting.  Print Recipe

Breakfast....the Most Important Meal of the Day for SRC

Oh Happy Day....Oh Happy Day....

Today is Secret Recipe Club Reveal Day.  One of my favorite days of the month.  This month I was lucky enough to get two SRC days because I stepped in for a blogger who was unable to complete her assignment in week B.  You have to hate when life gets in the way of your blogging but it does seem to happen every now and then.  I was happy to help her out and I was lucky to get a new member to our club to spy on. You can read all about it here.

Now, back to our regularly scheduled program....

This month I was assigned Nora of Natural Noshings.  Nora is a wonderful food blogger who creates healthy and delicious recipes that are mostly gluten free and use little or no refined sugars.  Let me tell you, I had a very difficult time narrowing my choice down this month.  There are so many delicious noshings from which to choose.

How about a Banana Split for breakfast?  Or some homemade baked Cheezits? I almost decided on the Moroccan Chicken Stew but I was in the middle of St. Pat's week and needed to concentrate on using up my leftovers.  I am definitely putting Nora's Healthier Fried Rice with Shrimp on the menu for a Fish Friday very soon.

I finally chose a recipe from her plethora of breakfast noshings.  After all, it is the most important meal of the day.  I chose Nora's Banana Bread Quinoa Flake Bake  and oh boy....was it a great choice!  I chose this recipe because I had a huge bag of quinoa in my cupboard from a past Crazy Ingredient Challenge post where I made a wonderful Quinoa Bowl with Lemongrass Pork Meatballs.  Unfortunately, when I went to make the recipe, I found that my quinoa was not flakes.  Fortunately, Nora was prepared and had given oats as an alternative to quinoa and I did have some old fashioned rolled oat in the cupboard.

I slightly adapted Nora's recipe to accommodate what I had available in my pantry and refrigerator and to make enough for 3 servings.  I used strawberries instead of banana, also a Nora approved substituion.  I used lowfat regular milk instead of coconut milk.  My coconut was sweetened and I used flax seeds instead of chia seeds

We topped ours as we do any oatmeal.  I used a dried mixture of berries and a touch of cream, Frank used raisins and milk and Ting ate hers with no topping at all.

This was like taking a bite of Heaven, made even better because you knew it was healthy for you.....I didn't bother telling Frank or Ting that part....I  just let them think that they were luxuriating with a delicious, leisurely weekend breakfast.

Strawberry Oatmeal Bake
adapted from Natural Noshings

Makes 3 servings.  Preheat oven to 350*.

1 1/2 c. Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
1 pint strawberries, hulled and pureed (or other ripe fruit, mashed or pureed)
9 T. milk of your choice
3 T. shredded coconut
1 t. vanilla
1 t. cinnamon
6 t. flax seed
3 T. honey, or sweetner of choice, if desired

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.  Grease 3 ramekins or oven safe bowls (I used coconut oil).
Distribute the oatmeal mixture evenly among the ramekins and bake for 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool slightly and then invert ramekins over shallow soup bowls and serve with assorted toppings.

Topping ideas: dried fruits and raisins, shredded coconut, diced apples, sliced bananas, chopped nuts, chocolate chips, honey, brown sugar or maple syrup.

Take a look at what everyone else cooked up this month

An InLinkz Link-up