Aug 02

Almond Joy Cheesecake

This cheesecake is amazing! Creamy coconut filling with a chocolate coconut crust topped with whipped topping and hot fudge. If you don’t make your own whipped topping you are really missing out. It is so simple and takes your deserts to a whole new level. Sliced almonds would also be a perfect topper. Enjoy!

Almond Joy Cheesecake
1-1/2 C. chocolate graham crackers
4 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 C. shredded coconut
5 Tbsp. butter, melted
3 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 C. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. coconut extract
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
dash of salt
7-oz. sweetened condensed milk
3 eggs
1/2 C. shredded coconut
hot fudge sauce
freshly whipped cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper. Wrap the outside of the pan with aluminum foil.

In a food processor, process graham crackers until they are fine crumbs. Add the brown sugar and coconut. Process until combined and the coconut is fine. With processor running slowly drizzle melted butter in. Press in the bottom of the springform pan and bake for 10 minutes. Set aside while you make the filling and lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees.

Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, cornstarch, salt, and coconut and vanilla extract together until combined. Gradually add the sweetened condensed milk and eggs while still mixing.

Pulse the additional coconut in a food processor until fine. Add to cream cheese mixture and stir to combine.

Pour cream cheese mixture into crust and spread to the edges. Set the springform pan inside a larger pan. Add boiling water to the larger pan coming about 1/4 way up the springform pan.

Bake for about 55-60 minutes, it will be a little jiggly. Open oven door and let cool in the oven for about an hour. Then let sit on the counter top for a few hours. Then refrigerate for several hours before serving. Serve with plenty of fudge sauce and whipped cream.

Serves: 12
Taken from food blog: Little Dairy on the Prairie

Jul 27

Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers

If you like Philly Cheesesteak, but you don’t want all the bread that comes with one, here is your answer. These stuffed peppers are delicious and satisfying. The recipe I followed called for sliced roast beef from the deli. I wanted to take it up a notch and used a small piece of tenderloin. If you have left over roast beef that would work also. Enjoy!

Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers 1/2 lb. steak of choice, sliced thinly
8 slices provolone or pepper jack cheese
2 bell peppers, any color
1 medium onion, sliced
6-oz. Baby Bella mushrooms, sliced
1-1/2 Tbsp. butter
1-1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. garlic, minced
Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice the peppers in half lengthwise and remove the ribs and seeds. Place peppers, cut side up, in a baking dish and bake for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, add butter, olive oil, steak, mushrooms, onions, garlic and salt and pepper to a large saute pan and cook over medium heat. Saute until tender.

Line the inside of each pepper with a slice of cheese and fill with the meat mixture and top with another slice of cheese.

Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees. Bake peppers for 15-20 minutes until the cheese on top is golden brown.

Jul 15

Classic Vinaigrette

This vinaigrette is simple, fresh, and delicious. It is a basic vinaigrette that can be prepared according to your family’s taste by using a different vinegar, adding garlic, or a different kind of mustard. I love how simple a vinaigrette or salad dressing is to prepare with the items I already have in my pantry. Enjoy!

Classic Vinaigrette
1-1/2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. chopped shallots
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1/8 tsp. pepper
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Combine vinegar, shallots, salt, Dijon mustard, and pepper. Gradually add olive oil, stirring until incorporated.

Yields: 6 tablespoons

Jul 09

Broccoli Salad

Here is an alternative to the mayonnaise rendition of broccoli salad. This one comes from Jamie Deen, Paula’s son. When I first made this my husband and I thought it was too dry so I now double the dressing. I found this salad to be better the day you prepare it. Also, make sure to cut the broccoli into bite size florets. Enjoy!

Broccoli Salad
4 slices of cooked bacon, crumbled
Kosher salt
1-lb broccoli crowns, cut into
florets (3 crowns)
1 quart grape or cherry tomatoes
1/2 C. roughly chopped roasted almonds
1/2 C. Crasins
1/2 C. edamame
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 tsp. red wine vinegar
1/4 C extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the broccoli florets and boil until bright green, 1 to 2 minutes. Add to a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking, or add to a colander in the sink and run with cold water. Drain well and place in a large bowl.

Add the tomatoes, almonds, Crasins, and edamame to the bowl with the broccoli and toss.

Whisk together the mustard, vinegar and olive oil. Add the bacon and the dressing to the salad and toss.

Jun 24

Candied Kielbasa

If you like kielbasa you have to try this dish! So simple yet so very delicious. At first I was hesitant about the 2 tablespoons of horseradish, but it gave great flavor and wasn’t too spicy. If you are having a crowd this is simple to double and also works great as an appetizer when sliced thin. Enjoy!

Candied Kielbasa

1/3 C. packed brown sugar
1/4 C. ketchup
2 Tbsp. prepared horseradish
1-lb. kielbasa sausage, sliced to your liking

In a medium size frying pan combine the sugar, ketchup and horseradish. Add the sausage, and mix well. Cook on medium/high until it starts to boil. Reduce heat to low and cover. Cook until sauce thickens, 15-20 minutes.

Jun 16

Barbecued Potatoes

Creamy red potatoes roasted with honey, chili powder and garlic powder are a great side dish to any meal. Simple and quick prep, then just toss in the oven. If you are grilling, toss ingredients in heavy-duty foil and add to your grill. Enjoy!
Barbecued Potatoes
2 lbs. small red potatoes,
cut in half
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 Tbsp. honey
3 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. pepper
Place the potatoes in a 15×10 baking pan coated with cooking spray. Drizzle with butter and honey. Sprinkle with chili powder, salt, garlic powder and pepper; toss to coat.
Bake, uncovered, at 450 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until potatoes are tender and golden brown, stirring once.
Yields: 6 servings

Jun 02

Vanilla Almond Granola

Skip the store-bought granola, this is so easy to make and it’s delicious! This granola is sweet, crunchy, and bursting with vanilla and almond flavors. I like to eat mine with Greek yogurt for a healthy breakfast or snack. When you bake this your house will smell amazing! Enjoy!

Vanilla Almond Granola
2-1/2 C. old-fashioned rolled oats
3/4 C. slivered almonds
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
pinch of salt
1/2 C. pure maple syrup
1/4 C. melted coconut oil
1/4 tsp. almond extract
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Prepare baking sheet with cooking spray.

Toss the oats, almonds, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk the maple syrup and the melted coconut oil together until combined. Whisk in the almond and vanilla extracts. Pour over the oats and toss to coat. Make sure all the oats are moistened.

Spread onto the prepared baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Allow granola to cool completely.

May 17

Coconut-Almond French Toast Casserole

Just baked this dish this morning and it was delicious! The next time you entertain special guests or serve a brunch this dish needs to be included. If you like, you could serve with maple syrup or whipped topping. Mini chocolate chips would also be a great garnish. We did not wait 1 hour for this to cool and it was great. I could not find Texas toast, so I bought a loaf of Italian bread and sliced it thick myself. Doing as much prep work as I could last night made finishing this dish a breeze this morning. Remember to remove the dish from the refrigerator about 1/2 hour before placing in the oven. Enjoy!

Coconut-Almond French Toast Casserole
French toast:
unsalted butter, for greasing dish
9 slices Texas toast or other
thick-sliced bread
6 large eggs
3 1/2 C. half-and-half
5 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
pinch of salt

Coconut-Almond Crust:
1/2 C. plus 3 Tbsp. sweetened
coconut flakes
1/3 C. plus 1/4 C. sliced almonds
5 Tbsp. sugar
5 Tbsp. flour
pinch of salt
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter,
softened
1 large egg plus 1 large
egg yolk
Powdered sugar and berries for
garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Lightly butter a 13×9 casserole dish.

For the french toast: Lay the bread slices in one layer (they can overlap) on a baking sheet. Bake the slices ( to dry them out a little) for 6 minutes, then flip and bake for 6 minutes more. Set aside to cool.

Whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl. Dunk each bread slice in the egg mixture to coat thoroughly and shingle the slices in the buttered casserole dish. Pour any remaining egg mixture over the bread. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.

For the coconut-almond crust: Put 1/2 cup of the coconut, 1/3 cup of the almonds, sugar, flour, and salt in the food processor and process until very fine. Add the butter, egg and egg yolk and process well to form a smooth paste.

To assemble the casserole: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the coconut-almond mixture evenly over the soaked bread slices. Top with the remaining 1/4 cup sliced almonds and 3 tablespoons of coconut and bake until puffed and lightly golden and the custard is set (the center of the casserole will no longer jiggle when shaken), 45 to 50 minutes. Allow to cool 1 hour before serving, or serve at room temperature.

Serve with powdered sugar and berries if using.

May 04

Oven-Barbecued Salmon

Need a quick yet healthy dish for a busy weeknight? This salmon is a great option that is bursting with flavor that only takes minutes to prep and minutes to cook. Served with a tossed salad and you have dinner ready in 15 minutes. Though this salmon is great for a weeknight, it is also impressive to serve at a dinner party. If you’d like a smoky flavor, substitute smoked paprika for the plain paprika. Enjoy!

Oven-Barbecued Salmon
5 salmon fillets (6-oz. each)
3 Tbsp. orange juice
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. ground cumin

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place salmon fillets in a greased 15×10 baking pan; drizzle with orange and lemon juices.

In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients; sprinkle over fillets. Bake 13-15 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Apr 26

Bacon Pecan Garlic Mushrooms

Great for dinner parties or a family dinner, these savory stuffed mushrooms get a delicious crunch from pecans and bacon. When I haven’t had large mushrooms to use, I will make only half of the filling and bake for 10 minutes. These guys will go fast so make sure to make plenty. Enjoy!

Bacon Pecan Garlic Mushrooms
12 large fresh white mushrooms
2 strips bacon
2 cloves garlic, finely diced
4 oz. cream cheese
1/2 C. finely diced pecans
1 Tbsp. sliced green onion (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degree. Wipe mushrooms off with a damp paper towel. Remove stems from the mushrooms, mince and set aside. Place mushroom caps hole-side up in a baking pan.

Cook the bacon in a medium skillet until it is crispy; remove bacon, crumble and set aside.

Add the garlic and minced mushroom stems to the bacon fat in the skillet. Cook 3 minutes or until the stems are cooked through. Stir in the cream cheese and cook until it is melted. Stir in the diced pecans and reserved bacon.

Fill mushrooms with a rounded spoonful of mixture. Bake for 20 minutes or until the mushroom caps have cooked through. Sprinkle with green onion, if desired. Serve immediately.