Grandma's Cheese Pie

At the request of my dear friend Sarah, I am posting the "secret family recipe" to my Grandmother's cheese pie.  Similar to a cheesecake, this pie is smooth and creamy but won't drop to the bottom of your stomach like a traditional cheesecake.  This is hands down one of my all-time favorite deserts.  

                                                                            

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Chill time: 5 hours

Serves: 6

INGREDIENTS: 

Filling:

4 3oz packages cream cheese, softened

2 eggs beaten

¾ cup sugar

2 tsp vanilla

½ tsp lemon juice

Topping:

1 cup sour cream

3 ½ tbsp sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Crust:

12-14 graham crackers

¼ cup melted butter

DIRECTIONS:
Combine butter and graham crackers into a 9’’ pan.  Soften cream cheese; whip and combine filling ingredients; beat until light and frothy.  Pour into graham cracker crust and bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Cool for 5 minutes.  Pour topping over pie.  Bake for 10 more minutes.  Place in refrigerator for at least 5 hours before serving. Top with fruit or garnish for a final touch.

Banana Walnut Bread

This is a Starbucks recipe that I snagged on one of my rare and desperate visits in need of coffee (you know it's bad when I settle for Starbucks).  I made this yesterday for the first time for an early morning meeting at work and my co-workers raved about it.  And since Starbucks was kind enough to share it with me, I will gladly share it with all of you!

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 45-60 mins

Makes: 1 loaf

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 egg

1 1/8 cups sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 tbsp buttermilk

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

3 large ripe bananas, mashed

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/3 cup chopped walnuts for topping

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 325F.  Grease a 9x5x3 loaf pan and dust with flour.

Blend together the flour, baking soda and salt and set aside.  Mix together the egg, sugar and vegetable oil until combined.  Add the flour mixture and when blended add the buttermilk, vanilla and mashed bananas and mix until combined.  Fold in 1/2 cup chopped walnuts and pour batter into prepared loaf pan.  Top batter with remaining 1/3 cup chopped walnuts.  

Bake for 45-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack before removing from the pan.  Cool for another 30 minutes before slicing the bread.

Pasta Fagioli

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 30 mins

Serves: 5

INGREDIENTS:

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped (or more)

1 celery stalk, chopped

1 carrot, finely chopped

15oz can cannellini beans

15oz can tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes

1 large bay leaf

1 tbsp basil

1 tbsp parsley

1 tsp oregano

2 (14 oz each) cans fat free chicken broth

2 cups water

1-1/2 cups (6 oz) dry Ditalini pasta or other small pasta

Grated Parmigiano or Romano (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

In a deep pot, saute onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat.  Add the beans, tomato sauce, celery, carrots, chicken broth, baisl, bay leaf, parsley, oregano, salt and pepper.  Add 2 cups of water and bring to a slow boil.  Let simmer for 20 minutes stirring occasionally.  Add pasta and cook uncovered until pasta is al dente, according to pasta directions.

Ladle soup into bowls and top with grated cheese.

Orzo Salad with Lemon, Feta and Pine Nuts

This recipe is from an old family friend, so I can't take credit for this one.   It is a great dish to take to a potluck or BBQ.  I have made it using pasta shells and it turns out just as delicious! 

Prep time: 30 mins

Chill time: 1 hour to overnight

Serves: 4
 

INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more as needed
1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper, plus more as needed
1/2 tsp of sugar
1 cup orzo
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup golden raisins (I used dried cranberries)
3 tbsp finely chopped red onion
3 tbsp chopped pitted black olives
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
2 ounces of feta cheese, crumbled
 

DIRECTIONS:
Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, salt, pepper and sugar in a small bowl.  Set aside.

Fill a large pot three fourths full of water.  Bring to a boil over high hear and add kosher salt. Add the orzo and cook until just tender but still firm to bite, 8 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, put the pine nuts in a dry, small skillet over medium heat.  Shake constantly until evenly toasted on all sides, about 5 minutes. 

Drain the orzo and transfer to a medium bowl.  Add the dressing to the hot pasta and toss to coat.  Let cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.  Add the pine nuts, raisins (or cranberries), olives, red onion and basil and stir to combine.  Add the feta and toss lightly.  Adjust the seasonings with more salt and pepper as necessary.
 

Cover and refrigerate until chilled, 1 hour to overnight.  When you are ready to serve, bring to room temperature, taste and adjust seasonings before serving.

Tom-Burgaler Buns

This is a recipe for hamburger buns appropriately named after Tom the "Ham Burgaler". If you have the time, they definitely will be a  crowd pleaser at your next BBQ. 

Prep time: 25 mins

Cook time: 15 mins

Total time: 2 hours, 40 mins

Makes: 8 buns

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 to 1 cup lukewarm water

2 tbsp butter

1 large egg

3 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/4 tsp salt

1 tbsp instant yeast

3 tablespoons melted butter, for topping

DIRECTIONS:

Mix and knead all of the dough ingredients — by hand, mixer, or bread machine — to make a soft, smooth dough. Cover the dough, and let it rise for 1 to 2 hours, or until it's nearly doubled in bulk.

Gently deflate the dough, and divide it into 8 pieces. Shape each piece into a round ball; flatten to about 3" across. Place the buns on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet, cover, and let rise for about an hour, until noticeably puffy.  Brush the buns with about half of the melted butter.

 Bake the buns in a preheated 375°F oven for 15 to 18 minutes, until golden. Remove them from the oven, and brush with the remaining melted butter. This will give the buns a satiny, buttery crust. Cool the buns on a rack.

*For best results (a smooth, slightly soft dough), use the smaller amount of water in summer (or in a humid environment), the greater amount in winter (or in a dry climate); and something in between the rest of the time.

Apple Crisp

This recipe is adapted from the Food Network. I have made it several times and it always turns out warm and gooey, in other words - perfect!

Serves: 8  

Prep time: 30 minutes  

Cooking time: 45 minutes

Filling:

6 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, chopped (about 3 1/2 pounds)

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/4 cup maple syrup

Topping:

1 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

8 tsp (1 stick) chilled butter, cut into pieces

1/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans

Bourbon Cream:

1 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup confectioners' sugar  

1 tbsp bourbon

DIRECTIONS: 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

For the filling: 

Butter a 9 by 13-inch casserole dish. In a large bowl mix all the filling ingredients together and toss to coat all the apples. Pour in the prepared baking dish.

For the topping:
In a food processor combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in large bowl. Pulse to blend. Pulse in the butter until mixture forms pea size lumps. Add the pecans and pulse 1 or 2 more times. Sprinkle over filling. Bake crisp for 45 to 50 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before serving.


For the Bourbon Cream:
In a medium sized bowl, beat the cream until it begins to thicken. While beating, add the sugar and bourbon and beat until soft peaks form. Dollop over servings of apple crisp.