With my excess cheesecakes batter I opted to do some experimentation. I followed Giada’s cheesecake recipe again in terms of mechanics- using the blender for mixing the batter, same crust recipe as before, and still cooking at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. However, the rest was thrown out the window. Though I did not take exact measurements, here are- roughly- the changes I made, taking the excess batter (1x my original batter recipe) and adding in the following:

• Slightly over 1 pound of finely-chopped strawberries
• 1.5 cups whipped low-fat cream cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup mascarpone
• 1/4 cup ricotta
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 3 tablespoons potato starch

The result was closer to a mousse with a graham crust than a cheesecake, hence these being named ‘cheese mousse cakes’.  They’re lightly-pink-coloured thanks to the massive amount of strawberries inside, and rather light as far as cheesecake-like confectionaries go, due to the low sugar and low-fat cheese. It’s very, very creamy, and tastes rather like strawberries ‘n cream ice cream. Yum! :)

When I saw Giada (I know, I’m a bit of an Italian fanatic) make these adorable individual cheesecakes the other day, I knew I had to try it. However, I’m not a big fan of citrus in desserts (after all, she’s the Italian one, not me (everything in Italy is lemon-flavoured. Seriously.)) I opted to, naturally, alter things to be more to my liking. Thus came about vanilla cheesecakes, witha  honey graham crust rather than chocolate, piled high with strawberry chunks.

Mini Vanilla Cheesecakes with Strawberry Topping

Adapted from Giada de Laurentiis’ Individual Orange and Chocolate Cheesecakes

I mostly followed the recipe as it was, with these modifications:

• As the “6 servings” seemed to imply “6 mini cheesecakes”, I doubled the batter recipe… little did I know this actually made for 24 cheesecakes as opposed to my target of 12. No worries- I’m making a second batch with other alterations later this evening  :).
• Used honey Teddy Graham crackers for the crust rather than chocolate wafers. I also used a heaping cup to have a slightly thicker crust. The comments suggested using a 1/2 cup instead of 1/3 but keeping the butter proportion the same, and adding some sugar. I ended up doing a heaping cup of crushed crackers (with the doubling), a little under 4 tblspn of butter, and 1 tblspn of sugar.
• Also as per the suggestions in the recipe’s comments, I first laid in mini muffin liners, then brushed those with butter, then put in the suggested 1.3 teaspoon-ish of crust material per cup, and used a shot glass-sized candle (gift from the boyfriend… it smells like chocolate. Yum!) to push down the crust into the cups. I then baked them (at 350) for 3 minutes- this is supposedly meant to help it firm more.
• As far as the batter, I added the proportions exactly as suggested as the thought of cheesecake rather terrified me (it just sounds difficult), but did use low-fat ricotta, low-fat whipped cream cheese, and substituted half the cream cheese for mascarpone. I also added in a 1/2 tablespoon of vanilla extract.
• After cooling (still in the tin) on a wire rack for 20 minutes, I then put the entire tin in the freezer- and haven’t taken it out since. The cheesecakes are best eaten after being taken out of the freezer for 10-15 minutes.
• I then topped each cheesecake with some small pieces of chopped strawberry and a very light sprinkling of sugar.

They’re delicious, absolutely adorable, and would be cute for a party. Next time, I’m incorporating crushed strawberries into the batter to make them strawberry cheesecakes :). But for now, these little guys are yummy!

Want some of these mini cheesecakes? Go become a fan of Fruippe on facebook for a chance to win the cheesecake raffle!

Penne in almond sauce. Giada, when you made it, it seemed so delicious. So creamy and thick and flavourful, just as you said. And yet… well.

So, I saw Giada make this pasta a few weeks ago, and thus decided I would make it. I picked up the ingredients, read through the instructions, and got started. Unfortunately, the results were not anything that my sister, the boyfriend, or I enjoyed. On the upside, the other two recipients of it greatly enjoyed it… so though I was initially inclined to put this one in the ‘accident’ category, I am unable to do so. The boyfriend suggests ‘partial success’… hmm.

Tips for following this recipe (linked above):

• I noted many a complaint regarding the grainy texture of the sauce on the comments at food network. To rectify this, I first put the almond slivers in a plastic ziploc, onto a wooden cutting board, and beat it with a rolling pin for 2-3 minutes. I then blended the crushed slivers until a meal formed. You can them pour the almond meal into the cream to start making the sauce, but blending them will curb the grainy texture.
• I overcooked the sauce and overtly reduced it. When hot, you really can’t see the effects of the reduction too much, but trust that it’s reducing. Mine ended up being so thick it just stuck to the pasta as a sort of coating- not a sauce. You can go over a bit in terms of time on the heat, but not too much- unless you’re interested in it not being remotely liquid.
• Probably due to my over-reducing, the almond taste intensified to a point that I wasn’t too fond of. Despite loving almonds, there was something about it that set me off. Then again, about half of the people who ate it loved it; about half didn’t care for it.
• Save some of the pasta water to add in afterwards- it’ll help in thinning out the sauce. I took this one for granted and assumed that in a cream sauce it would be unnecessary, but it really would have been very helpful.
• I used Kraft (the green can) parmesan for this as I knew it would take quite a bit of cheese and I wasn’t of a mind to use my good cheese for it. I think this, too, was a mistake- the Kraft cheese (which is not 100% natural parm, in many cases) has a very, very strong smell and taste… use domestic grated from a bulk section if you can, and if not, grate your own. This seems to be one of those cases where it really and truly makes a difference!

Clearly this one’s a hit and miss depending on your tastes. It could go well with other vegetables, too. The peas were very enjoyable, but broccoli or another green veggie could probably go nicely.

Unfortunately, I accidentally lost the pictures I had of this one when in production, so all I have are ‘finished product’ pictures… my apologies!

The boyfriend’s band was in need of a heartfelt home-made thank-you gift, and he and I decided brownies were the obvious solution. As he’s an expert of ramen- and ONLY ramen- when it comes to the culinary arts, naturally, I was tasked with the baking :).

These fudge brownie cups are rich, gooey, sinuous, and portable. The key to knowing they’re properly fudgy is that the middles should cave in. Some notes on these:

• No need to butter the muffin liners- just put them straight into the muffin tin and you’re set!
• Mix the batter as little as possible, and add as little moisture as possible. To really keep the fudgy consistency, go a bit lighter on the water and a bit heavier on the oil.
• I use EVOO rather than other oils, but canola would work well, too
• Keep them in the fridge and take them out 10-15 minutes before eating for optimal texture- this will keep them moist and yet crunchy on the outside!
• If you’re not in the mood to make these the “hard way”, get a box of low-fat fudge brownie mix and just add very, very little water… and you’re set! :)
• To make the tops shiny, I lightly brushed the tops right after they came out of the oven with a little melted soy butter.

This was, by far, my favourite of my mother’s lunch recipes. She would make this in large batches every few months, and I was delighted every time. It’s delicious, it’s very nutritious, and it’s incredibly cheap to make. If you’re looking for a recipe that can be easily made on a large scale, has health benefits but won’t cost you more than $8 for 5 meals, look no further. That’s right, this can make you a sandwich for lunch for under $2, all while giving you essential nutrients. Here’s how you do it:

• Take two cans of tuna (this makes about 6 sandwiches- you can add or subtract cans of tuna as you like)- you can pick the brand and colour and whatnot. The essential part is that it be in a can, otherwise the consistency of this salad will go awry. Open the can about 3/4 of the way and press down on the lid to remove all the water you can (on that note, be sure to get tuna in water, as opposed to some sort of oil). Then open the can the whole way and continue pressing to remove all remaining moisture (you can either save this tuna water for your cat, for another dish (cooking pasta)… or give the drain a birthday present). Pour the dried tuna into a large mixing bowl and break it up a bit so that it’s not one large chunk.
• Add your spices: I’ve tried this recipe a good 5 times and tried adding a variety of spices, and have learned this is one where the ‘less is more’ principle comes into effect. My mother would add salt, pepper, and a large amount of nutmeg. After experimentation, I’ve found that this really is the triumvirate to go with… particularly the nutmeg. If you can grate it fresh, that’s wonderful- but if not, powdered will do just fine. Add as you like it- I add a teaspoon or so per can of tuna.
• Now add in the mayonnaise. Helm’s has a low-fat mayo that’s olive oil based, so go with that one if you can find it… if not, look for the healthiest one you can see, because this ingredient is the one real detriment to this recipe’s nutritional value. Sadly, though, for consistency, you can’t go without it. Add one soup spoon per can of tuna. Add each spoon one at a time and mix it in before adding the next. If you go a bit overboard on this one, you can compensate with extra potato pieces. You may prefer it to be drier or wetter- I’ve found that adding a bit less mayo is better than a bit more, for a drier salad will keep the pita crunchier (which I prefer).
• Take 3 medium-to-large-sized potatoes per can of tuna. Rinse these thoroughly, poke holes in them with a fork, and microwave them. You’ll need to microwave them for about 4 minutes at a time, flipping them after every 4 minutes, until they cave in lightly when you touch. This is one I can’t give an exact number for, but simply press down onto the potato lightly and if it immediately goes inward- a bit mushy, but nto so mushy that it loses its shape- then it’s ready.
• Rinse the potatoes in cold water so that your fingers won’t burn :) then either peel them (as my mother would do) or, if you enjoy potato skins, keep them on (just trim off any deformities or black areas). Then cut into cubes (doesn’t have to be exact) of approx. 1/2 inch x 1/2 inch.
• Mix the potato pieces into the tuna mixture, using a folding method- don’t smash the potatoes, you want to keep their form as much as possible. So try folding the tuna around and over the potato pieces until the potatoes are fully coated with the tuna-mayo mixture.

At this point you can eat it warm- it’s quite yummy- but for optimal results, refrigerate overnight and you’re set for the morning. It’s particularly yummy on toasted whole wheat pita as an easy and portable lunch!

It’s yummy, nutritious, and incredibly cheap. This recipe is, no doubt, a winner. (Thanks, Mom!) If you’re looking to add some crunch, you can go traditional and add some chopped chives, or go middle-eastern and add in some chopped pistachios. Drizzle a little honey on your pita to add a little sweetness, if so desired!

Important note: Eating an excess of tuna can lead to mercury poisoning. Try not to eat this more than 3x in one week to ensure good health! This will easily keep in the fridge for 1.5 to 2 weeks- even more so if you squeeze in a bit of lemon juice before adding in the mayo- so be sure to not overdo!

Gooey, warm chocolate cake + fresh strawberries + melting vanilla ice cream = rather heavenly. My friend Saloni had tipped me off that Martha Stewart had a rather incredible molten chocolate cake recipe, and as H had mentioned some time ago that we ought to make it, we decided it the perfect night to do so. These cakes are perfect because they’re individually-sized, and we already had all the necessary ingredients at home- I love it when that happens!

We opted to half the recipe (a tad bit complicated on the egg but nothing else) as H had half the necessary quantity of baker’s chocolate on hand- that, and having extra molten cakes waiting about the apartment seemed unproductive and potentially dangerous.

Thus we made the cakes, perfectly according to the recipe- it’s simple, very few ingredients! In they went to the oven (in rakemins, not a muffin tin) and as per suggestions on the recipe website, we cooked them for only 8 minutes. Despite the short time frame, the middle was gooey but not liquid- so clearly this one is difficult to master on timing. After a 5 minute cooling period, we turned them up-side down onto plates, dusted with powdered sugar, topped it off with fresh strawberry halves and a big scoop of vanilla ice cream and mmmh. Now I just want to go make some more of them :) It’s a nice cake- not too airy, not too dense, and with the ice cream, fantastic. They’re quick, easy, and make for a perfect dessert if entertaining with fairly large parties, as it’s easy to upscale the recipe and make more!

I had the pleasure of enjoying H’s company for another night of culinary fun on Friday, and what a terrific night it was! We had both seen Giada making frico cups during lunch earlier in the week while watching Food Network and had been entranced by her menu (I’m making a strawberry version of those mini cheesecakes ASAP!) and thus in an Italian mood. The challenge of frico cups seemed too exciting to pass up. We had previously decided on using a salad kit (berries and balsamic salad by Organic Girl) to fill the cups but had thought of adding chicken to the salad. H suggested a seemingly-amazing chicken parmesan recipe by Giada, and we decided to give it a whirl.

The results, I’m glad to say, were fantastic. The frico cups are indeed a difficult thing if for nothing other than the timing. You have to act VERY quickly, as they immediately begin to harden- thus the challenge of makin them into cups requires quick hands and coordination. Also, the glass we used wasn’t tapered, which thus hindered us in the depth of our cups. Lastly, we spread ours too thinly- though the recipe calls for upwards of 4 inches in diameter, ignore it and go smaller. And the courser the grate, the more meshed/cohesive your cup will be. A finer grate will result in more holes in the cup.

The chicken parmesan we followed quite closely to the suggested recipe. We did not add any butter, however, and only used dried herbs (basil, parsley, and rosemary). We also used a ready-made tomato sauce (oregano and basil, by O Organics)- and I inverted the cheese order (parmesan bellow, mozzarella on top). It’s also quite likely that I added more cheese than suggested, as we didn’t measure quantites in this one- same goes for the herbs.

It’s truly delicious. You may not think it would be- but it’s really, really good. I tried a different variation on it this evening to be sure it wasn’t a fluke- seared the herb oil-coated chicken in a sherry reduction with a hint of canola oil, and added even more cheese- and it was as superb as before.

This dish is quick, involves meat (good for your carniverous friends and loved ones!), and truly delicious. There’s no breading or butter, so what are you waiting for? Go make some and see for yourself- this is one of the simplest and most delicious recipes that will have you saying, “I could make this better at home than in the restaurant!”- I know I’m certainly never ordering chicken parmesan again.

The coming of spring means the coming of spring salads… and this one is a healthy yet delicious way to enjoy the flowers and sunshine! I needn’t tell you of spinach’s amazing health benefits- you can speak with Popeye regarding that one- but it’s a terrific base/starter for salads. A few additions make this bright and yummy:

• fresh (not cooked) spinach leaves
• sultanas (golden raisins)
• quartered cherry tomatoes
• garlic-ceasar fat-free salad dressing
• sprinkling of grated parmesan cheese
• salt & pepper

A little flavour can go a long way, and garlic-caesar dressing is a great way to add a big punch of flavour without the fat. Though caesar dressing is usually quite fatty, this garlic one (eating right brand, from Randall’s/Safeway/TomThumb) is punchy, to say the least. And garlic is also terrifically good for you, so what’s not to like? (unless you’re pale and sparkly) Add in sultanas for sweetness and tomatoes for some moisture and you’re set, my friend. Perfect springy lunch!

I really wanted to make brownies for this week because SXSW is in full swing, which means that portable chocolate snacks are a must (my most trusted form of headache medicine). I was going to make a sheet brownie and then cut it into pieces, but the boyfriend still has our square pyrex (my sister had made him a brownie cake for his birthday and we have yet to recover its pyrex)… thus I decided to try out brownie cupcakes (Chrissie makes some very yummy ones), and naturally decided to experiment a bit. My dinner guest is allergic to nuts, so I went with half tranditional, half not.

Vanilla extract went into the entirety of the batter, but in the latter half I added a cup of chopped cashews and three tablespoons of pralinutta. I made this batter be particularly fudgy by adding veeeery little water- the recipe I use calls for 1/2 cup, and I added closer to 3/4 tablespoon… I lined a muffin pan with cupcake papers and simply put the batter in- no need to butter first! I also made these with olive oil in stead of any butter. They’re yummy, and the nut ones are intensely nutty, but the flavour isn’t overbearing in the least. They’re my favourite iteration of brownies yet, very moist! To ensure that moistness and fudgy quality, be sure to undercook the brownies to JUST the point where they no longer are liquid/jiggly inside. Then after a short cooling period on a rack or stovetop, move to the fridge to cool for several hours.

They’re portable, simple… great as snacks or gifts. Try it out and make some friends happy- they’re delicious and, with the nuts and olive oil, more nutritious than the average brownie!

Last night I had an old friend joining us for dinner and when I asked the boyfriend what I should make, he of couse replied, “meat!”- no surprise there- and so meat it was. The lamb roulade had been a hit and I had been wanting to experiment with roulades a bit further, so I decided to simply go on my memories from last time and see what I came up with. A recent grocery trip had yielded some new pestos, so I decided that meant stuffing was in order.

Here’s a quick description of how to replicate this dish and make your meat-eating friends or significant other happy:

• Take meat (pork loin, chicken breast, lamb, what have you) and either a) get a piece that is thick enough to be stuffed, or b) flatten it (as I did). To flatten, place the meat on a cutting board and cover with a sheet of plastic wrap. then beat vigorously (I hit it with a rolling pin- a meat tenderizer should work just as well!)
• Place stuffing ingredients in middle of meat pieces, leaving room on the sides and bottom/top so as to (mostly) avoid spilling. You can stuff with a large number of ingredients. I went with traditional basil pesto, red bell pepper pesto, salt, pepper, and grated parmesan cheese this time around. You can experiment, however, with a wide range of sliced meats (meat in meat! the boyfriend loves the idea), cheeses, spreads, vegetables, and more.
• Roll up the meat and tie with kitchen twine (or some similar string (you can purchase this at your local culinary wares store if you want to be fancy- or just get some twine from the craft/home store for much less, it’s really the same)) in as many places as necessary to ensure no spillage. This can be 3-5 times per roll, depending on how poorly you stuffed them (I once had to tie 6… that was not a fine stuffing job, I can tell you!)
• You can now rub the rolls in some spice to add extra flavour if you so desire. I used cumin and pepper- I bet red pepper flakes would have gone well, too.
• Take 3 cloves of garlic and 1 tablepsoon of butter (or vegan soy butter! I will continue to plug this substitution because there’s no reason not to do it) and bring to a simmer. Add in the meat rolls and begin searing. Add in 1/3 cup of dry sherry or a dessert wine (something that will caramelize) to give a nicely-coloured searing.
• Once the meat is well-coloured on all sides, transfer to a baking dish and bake in a 380 degree oven for 8-10 minutes depending on the thickness of the meat.
• Remove from oven and cut the strings, then slice as per your desired thickness.
• For the rice, I made a traditional spanish rice but 1) cooked it in a home-made lamb stock I had been meaning to find use for, and b) added in freshly-sliced cherry tomatoes for a bit of a crunch

As per usual, I perhaps had a bit too much fun with the plating, but the boys enjoyed it :). I should have cut the strings down so that there wouldn’t be such an excess, but I have an odd fear of them coming apart during roasting… but it’s probably a better idea for you to do so!

You can make this dish in so many different ways- what meat and stuffings would you use?

I think the most amusing part of this one is that the recipe I started with is labeled “Eggplant Dumplings in Cherry Tomato Sauce” in my Antipasti recipebook. Sadly, this recipe didn’t quite completely work out- hence it being labeled in the accident category. But it was an educational experience, and one I was able to turn around… mostly… in the end.

My mistakes began with the eggplant filling. I made far too many changes here, wanting to be adventurous. Here’s what went into the filling:

• 3 zucchini squashes (I misread the recipe and didn’t realize it called for eggplant…)
• 1 stem of green onion
• 2/3 cup chopped cilantro
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 tablespoon organic low-fat vanilla yogurt (not cooked- added right before blending into puree)
• salt and pepper

I took the lot, covered the pot, and let it simmer on medium heat for quite some time (perhaps about 20 minutes?) until the zucchini was fairly creamy. I then transferred the mixture to a bowl and put it in the freezer for about 20 minutes- then the fridge for another 15- then out on the counter for another 5 (it picked up a number of frequent flyer miles what with all this travelling). Meanwhile, I chopped about 1.5 cups of carrots, a handful of cherry tomatoes, added a little dark brown sugar, closed the pot again (after having scrubbed it thoroughly, o’course) and let it simmer. Unfortunately, I decided it was safe to sit with the boyfriend and sister to eat the strudels at this point… and thus the mixture had burned and caramelized to tar (I have issues with tar! Just like the failed tarte tatin…) and I had to throw the thing out. This meant no carrot-tomato sauce to put the bundles in- which, in the end, was for the best, as my crepes were too thick to bundle!

To make the crepes, I followed the suggestions in the book, but halved the recipe: Mix a cup of milk (I used skim), 3/4 of a cup of AP flour, and an egg. Whisk, then let sit for 15 minutes. Then lightly coat a sautee pan with olive oil, ladle a bit of the batter on, and cook each side for about 3 minutes or until browned until you’re happy. For a more tortilla-looking crepe, add more oil- for a more burnt crepe, keep the pan as dry as possible.

Unfortunately, the zucchini puree turned out not yummy at all. It’s not unpalatable, but the boyfriend and I agreed the taste was off. Why do you think this was? Does anyone know? Which ingredient do you think is the main culprit? Is zucchini just not meant to be pureed? 

Clearly there was only one thing to do here: take picture with the puree, then take it out and replace it with a far better alternative. Out came the jar of pralinutta (yes, I know, it’s not nutella- I was curious to try the domestic alternative, and it’s quite nice)- just spread it on, roll up your crepe, and yum! Much better- though no longer an appetizer and now a dessert, at least it was partially saved.

…By the way, if anyone wants the puree, it’s sitting in the fridge, waiting for someone to show it some love (and that shan’t be me!) And if someone has suggestions on how to better make that puree in the future, I’m all ears!

I was on a mission to make some amuse-bouche items for dinner last night, and settled on two recipes, one of which was this strudel. My mother makes a very yummy apple strudel, but savoury (particularly sweet-and-savoury) strudel is something I’ve been experimenting with for some time. The recipe I followed in my book (Antipasti, by Simon and Schuster- yes, that makes me think of Glee (great book, by the way, I highly reccommend it for sophisticated appetizers)) called for pancetta… but as I don’t eat red meat and I did plan on having some of this one, I substituted for turkey in half of the strudels and no meat in the other half.

The process is quite simple: Prepare your ingredients before you deal with the phyllo dough (the ingredients could be just about anything) because it will dry quickly and tear and make you cry because it’s ripping and- you get the idea. I went with the following for this iteration (and did not use exact quantites, I apologize): chopped pear pieces, crushed cashews, mesquite deli turkey, shredded mozzarella, grated domestic parmesan, salt, pepper, olive oil, and freshly-grated gruyere. The original recipe suggested fennel seeds and butter for the top, both of which I decided to forgo. Once you’ve assembled your ingredients (aka tossed them haphazardly onto the phyllo (just pretend you’re Italian, making pizza, and know what you’d doing (gesticulating wildly and muttering melodically about your cousin Mario should do the trick))), roll your phyllo, and place it on a cookie sheet.

You can, at this point, do a number of things. Brush it with olive oil, butter (choose soy butter!), or egg (as I did for this strudel, then top with cheese and salt if savoury (I sprinkled on parm, grated on some gruyere, added large sea salt, cracked pepper, and some honey (that’s what burned/caramelized, but it tastes great, worry not)) or, if sweet, sugar. Bake them at 365 degrees for about 15 minutes and then eat them hot out of the oven or refrigerate overnight for a more dense, consistent strudel. If sweet, eat it hot with a scoop of vanilla ice cream- you can never go wrong with that combination.

It’s a yummy thing to make for dinner parties as you could make these even smaller than I did- I was too lethargic to attempt cutting the phyllo, but you can easily cut it to make tiny strudel rolls or square for strudel packages! A pizza cutter is the easiest way to cut the phyllo, but be careful- depending on the brand (or if you’re brave and made it yourself), you’ll have to be quick and efficient to avoid drying and tears.

Try it and see what ingredients you like filling your strudels with! Sweet, savoury, or a bit of both, these delectable treats can be eaten as a small appetizer or sliced thickly for a main course.