Jan's Faves

Deep Dark Chocolate Cheesecake

jansfaves — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 03:17:04 +0000

I finally found a true chocolate cheesecake where the chocolate flavor and texture is not overshadowed by the cream cheese and sugar. The dark chocolate crust, and the ganache topping really make this a hit with all chocoholics. Personally, this may have sealed my self-bestowed daughter-in-law-of the-year award for 2011 after I served this up over Thanksgiving to my dark chocolate-loving Mom-in-law! Note: recipe calls for Scharffen Berger cocoa and it really is worth seeking it out. I found both the bar and powder at my local Whole Foods. Another bonus: can be made 3 days ahead! How nice is it to get a homemade, high-quality dessert made ahead of time to concentrate on the main course?!

Crust

24 chocolate wafer cookies (from one 9-ounce package)
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted

Filling

1 9.7-ounce bar Scharffen Berger 70% Cocoa Bittersweet Chocolate,* chopped
4 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Scharffen Berger)
4 large eggs

Topping

3/4 cup whipping cream
6 ounces Scharffen Berger 70% Cocoa Bittersweet Chocolate,* chopped
1 tablespoon sugar

Bittersweet chocolate curls

For crust: Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 3-inch-high sides. Blend cookies in processor until finely ground; blend in sugar. Add melted butter and process until well blended. Press crumbs evenly onto bottom (not sides) of prepared pan. Bake just until set, about 5 minutes. Cool while preparing filling. Maintain oven temperature.

For filling: Stir chopped chocolate in metal bowl set over saucepan of simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove bowl from over water; cool chocolate until lukewarm but still pourable. Blend cream cheese, sugar, and cocoa powder in processor until smooth. Blend in eggs 1 at a time. Mix in lukewarm chocolate. Pour filling over crust; smooth top. Bake until center is just set and just appears dry, about 1 hour. Cool 5 minutes. Run knife around sides of cake to loosen. Chill overnight.

For topping: Stir cream, 6 ounces chocolate, and sugar in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until smooth. Cool slightly. Pour over center of cheesecake, spreading to within 1/2 inch of edge and filling any cracks. Chill until topping is set, about 1 hour. Do ahead: Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover with foil and keep refrigerated.

Release pan sides. Transfer cheesecake to platter. Top with chocolate curls. Let stand 2 hours at room temperature before serving.

Baja Butternut Soup

jansfaves — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 02:43:32 +0000

By far, the most popular, tastiest, and skinniest of soups I made for our team cleanse before Thanksgiving. Adapted from Chef Jesus Gonzalez at Rancho La Puerta, I added the grilled corn, and left out the nonfat yogurt dollop. We’re talking serious yummy and satisfying, low-cal soup with 168 calories per 2 c. serving. Can be made ahead and refrigerated for 5 days. If you can find precut squash, cook in steamer basket over boiling water for 10 minutes, or until tender, and skip past the first 2 directions. This will be a huge time and effort saver! Precut and peeled squash readily available at Jimbo’s and Whole Foods.

1 1/2 pounds (1 small to medium) butternut or other winter squash
1 teaspoon canola oil
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 small onion, diced
1 carrot, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4-1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
6 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 ears corn, husked

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Cut squash in half and seed. Place the halves on a baking sheet, cut-side down. Bake until tender when pierced with a knife, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Scoop out flesh when cool enough to handle.
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add celery, onion and carrot and stir to coat. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring frequently, until soft, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the squash flesh, cumin, chipotle powder to taste, and cloves. Add broth and simmer, covered, until the vegetables are very tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat grill to medium heat and grill corn, turning occasionally, until lightly grilled, but not charred. Slice kernels off of cobs.
Puree the soup with an immersion blender or a regular blender (in batches) until smooth. (Use caution when pureeing hot liquids.) Add corn kernels. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with and sprinkle of chives (or parsley).

Sweet Potato Streusel

jansfaves — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 04:26:49 +0000

A tried and true winner at any Thanksgiving table or Pot Luck! Also a bonus because you can make it the day before. I make it as stated but leave out the coconut because we don’t care for it, and leave out the nuts because most of us are allergic. So flipping good!!

Filling

3 pounds sweet potatoes (about 3 large), peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup half and half
2 eggs
1/3 cup chopped crystallized ginger
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping

1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
1 cup chopped pecans

For Filling: Butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Cook sweet potatoes in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain; return to same pot. Stir potatoes over medium-high heat until excess liquid evaporates. Remove from heat. Add butter and sugar and mash potatoes until almost smooth. Mix in half and half, eggs, ginger and vanilla. Season with salt. Spread in prepared dish (filling will be about 1 inch thick).

For toppings: Rub together sugar, flour and butter in medium bowl until moist crumbs form. Mix in pecans and coconut. (Filling and topping can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover separately and refrigerate.)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Sprinkle topping over filling. Bake until filling is set and topping is brown, about 40 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes. Cut into squares and serve.

Soft & Chewy Sugar Cookies

jansfaves — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 00:52:24 +0000

These are so simple and so basic, yet my kids request them all the time! But nobody said it better than the 11 yr old son of my BFF: ”Mrs. Rooney’s sugar cookies are so are so good, I could sell the crumbs for a dollar each!” ‘Nuf said. Recipe from Cooks Illustrated, 2002.

Ingredients

2 cups unbleached all purpose flour, preferably Pillsbury or Gold Medal
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
16 tablespoons unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened but still firm
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar, for rolling dough
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Adjust oven racks to upper- and lower-middle positions; heat oven to 375 degrees. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl; set aside.
2. In standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment or with hand mixer, beat butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, and brown sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl with rubber spatula as needed. Add egg and vanilla; beat at medium speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Add dry ingredients and beat at low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds, scraping down bowl as needed.
3. Place sugar for rolling in shallow bowl. Fill medium bowl halfway with cold tap water. Dip hands in water and shake off excess (this will prevent dough from sticking to your hands and ensure that sugar sticks to dough). Roll heaping tablespoon dough into 1 1/2-inch ball between moistened palms; roll ball in sugar, then place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, moistening hands after forming each ball and spacing balls about 2 inches apart on baking sheet (you should be able to fit 12 cookies on each sheet). Using butter wrapper, butter bottom of drinking glass; dip bottom of glass in remaining sugar and flatten dough balls with bottom of glass until dough is about 3/4 inch thick.
4. Bake until cookies are golden brown around edges and just set and very lightly colored in center, 13 to 16 minutes, reversing position of cookie sheets from front to back and top to bottom halfway through baking time. Cool cookies on baking sheet about 3 minutes; using wide metal spatula, transfer cookies to wire rack and cool to room temperature.

Scallops & Oyster Mushrooms w/ Soy-Ginger Butter

jansfaves — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 00:15:20 +0000

Recently printed in Bon Appetit, this recipe hails from a bistro in Jackson Hole, WY. Not the first place I’d think of when looking for a great scallop recipe, but this is SO good, SO healthy (even though the sauce calls for a stick of butter, you just lightly brush it on the platter), and SO easy, I will make it again and again and again. Lots of do-ahead little steps makes it easily come together just before serving. Oyster mushrooms are readily available at Whole Foods. I use a combination of arugula and spinach, and sometimes serve with brown rice if craving a starch.

Vinaigrette:

4 1/2 Tbs Soy sauce

1 1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar

1 1/2 tsp sugar

1 tsp fresh lime juice

3/4 tsp wasabi paste (buy wasabi powder and mix with warm water)

1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil

1/4 c vegetable oil (use peanut oil if no allergy issues)

Soy-Ginger Butter Sauce

1/4 c. Mirin (sweet Japanese rice wine)

1/4 c. dry white wine

1 Tbs chopped peeled ginger

1 Tbs minced shallot

2 Tbs heavy cream

1 stick chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2″cubes

2 1/2 tsp soy sauce

Scallops & Mushrooms

4 Tbs oil, divided

1 lb. fresh oyster mushrooms, thickly sliced

Kosher salt

20 large sea scallops, side muscles removed

Fresh ground black pepper

8 oz. arugula and/or spinach

Vinaigrette: Whisk first 6 ingredients in small bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in oil. Can be made one day ahead. Cover and chill.

Soy-Ginger Butter Sauce: Simmer first 4 ingredients in small saucepan over medium heat until almost all liquid is reduced. Add cream and simmer until slightly reduced, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to low and whisk in butter, a few pieces at a time, whisking until just melted and smooth between additions. Whisk in soy sauce. Strain into another small bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Keep warm, stirring occasionally. Can be made 30 minutes ahead; keep warm.

Scallops & mushrooms: Heat 2 Tbs oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt. Set skillet aside.

Heat remaining 2 Tbs oil in another large heavy skillet over high heat. Pat scallops well with paper towels; season with salt and pepper. Working in batches, sear until browned, 3 minutes. Turn and cook until just opaque in the center, another minute or two longer.

Rewarm mushroms over medium-high heat. Add greens and 1/4 c. vinaigrette, stir just until greens begin to wilt, about 1 minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Spoon soy-ginger butter sauce onto plates, dividing equally and spreading with the back of a spoon, Divide mushroom mixture, then scallops, browned side up; serve and enjoy!

Double Smoked Salmon Dip

jansfaves — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 04:12:46 +0000

Easy make-ahead and perfect to bring to a party. Because of salmon’s inherent saltiness, the unsalted chips are a must….Have fun with this. I was invited to a dog’s “Bark-Mitzvah”and molded the dip into the shape of a bone.

2 8-oz containers whipped cream cheese

3 Tablespoons whole milk

4 ounces thinly sliced smoked salmon, cut into 1/2″ pieces

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh chives

1 2-oz jar red salmon caviar

Using rubber spatula, mash whipped cream cheese and milk in medium bowl to blend. Fold in salmon and 1 Tbs chives. Season with pepper to taste. Gently fold in caviar. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours to blend flavors. Sprinkle dip with remaining chives. Serve chilled with unsalted potato chips.

Shrimp Risotto w/ Baby Spinach & Basil

jansfaves — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 03:22:05 +0000

Simply delicious. Do not veer from the recipe. I have tried to make more or less of the stated amounts, only to end up with softer, mushier rice. I use jumbo shrimp from Costco, peel, devine, and split them in half. I also add fresh parsley and go a tad heavy on fresh ground pepper.

6 cups chicken broth

1 pound uncooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 cups chopped onion

3 large garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 cups arborio rice

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 6-oz package baby spinach leaves

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Bring 6 c. broth to simmer in medium saucepan. Add shrimp. Turn off heat, cover, and let stand until shrimp are just opaque in center, about 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer shrimp to small bowl; cover with foil to keep warm. Cover broth to keep warm.

Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and stir 1 minute. Add rice and stir until edge of rice is translucent but center is still opaque, about 2 minutes. Add wine and cook until wine is absorbed, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes. Add 3/4 c. chicken broth. Simmer until almost all broth is absorbed, stirring often, about 2 minutes. Continue to add broth, 3/4 c. at a time, until rice is just tender and mixture is creamy, stirring often, and allowing almost all broth to be absorbed after each addition, about 25 minutes total. During last 5 minutes, add spinach to wilt after each addition. Mix in shrimp, 1/2 c. Parmesan, and basil. Season risotto to taste with salt and pepper.

Homemade Pop Tarts

jansfaves — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 01:26:38 +0000

Easier than you might think, these mini treats please kids and adults alike. As an added bonus, you can make them and freeze them ahead of time. I made a double batch and made the dough in my food processor, whereas the recipe calls for doing it by hand. My dough came out great and was very easy to work with. The original recipe calls for making 5″ x 3″ rectangles, but I wanted to make mine “mini” so just cut the squares or rectangles as big or as little as you would like. Although I wouldn’t recommend going smaller than a couple inches, as the preserves would have a greater chance of leaking out. Drizzle a glaze* (optional) for a bit more decadence. They look beautiful on a platter with an assortment of fresh berries in the center.

2 cups plus 2 Tbs all purpose flour
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
4 tablespoons ice water
12 tablespoons strawberry, raspberry, or blackberry preserves
Powdered sugar
Fresh berries, as garnish

Whisk 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons flour, coarse salt, and sugar in large bowl. Add butter. Using fingertips or back of fork, blend in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add ice water by tablespoonfuls, tossing until moist clumps form. Gather dough into ball. Divide in half; shape each half into disk. Wrap in plastic. Chill at least 1 hour.

Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment. Working with 1 disk at a time, roll out dough on floured surface to about 13×11 inches. Trim to 12×10-inch rectangle, then cut into eight 5×3-inch rectangles.

Arrange 4 rectangles, spaced apart, on each sheet. Spoon 1 1/2 tablespoons preserves in row down center of each rectangle. Top preserves with second dough rectangle. Using fingertips, gently press all edges of each tart to seal; press all edges with tines of fork to double-seal. Using toothpick, poke a few holes in center of top dough rectangle. Cover; freeze tarts on sheets at least 2 hours and up to 1 week.

Position 1 rack in top third and 1 rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 375°F. Bake frozen tarts uncovered until golden, reversing sheets after 15 minutes, 25 to 30 minutes total (some preserves may leak out). Immediately transfer tarts to rack. Sift powdered sugar lightly over. Serve warm or at room temperature with fresh berries.

* For glaze, mix 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 2 tsp milk and 1/8 tsp vanilla extract. Just mix these three ingredients together and drizzle quickly back and forth over all the pastries.

Parmesan Roasted Potatoes

jansfaves — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 22:14:02 +0000

I haven’t figured out the correlation, but these are a favorite of all the men and boys in my life! A tastier twist on homemade baked french fries….

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

8 large boiling potatoes, peeled, sliced lengthwise into 1/2″-1″ wedges

1 stick unsalted butter, melted

Oven at 350°. Sprinkle cheese on wax paper or foil and dry 1 hour. Transfer to a large sealable bag with flour, salt and pepper, then shake to mix. Rinse potatoes and drain in a colander. Add potatoes to bag, tightly sealing bag, and shake to coat well.

Pour butter into a large shallow baking pan.

Lift potatoes from bag and arrange in 1 layer in butter.

Roast in the middle or lower third of oven, turning twice, until brown and crisped, about 1 1/4 hours.

Seared Tilapia w/ Orange-Ginger Sauce

jansfaves — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 18:40:59 +0000

Not only is this absolutely delicious, but is also easy and QUICK. It took the accompanying rice pilaf to cook than for the fish to be prepared and done. Adapted from Cuisine at Home and shared with me by my friend, Andrea. A new staple in my recipe box!

1/2 tsp Chinese five spice mix
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
3 Tb. vegetable oil, divided
1 lb Tilapia (4 to six filets)
2 tsp. minced scallions for garnish

Mix five spice powder, salt and cayenne with 2 Tb. Oil in a small bowl.
Pat the filets dry and brush both sides with the spice mixture. Heat remaining Ts of oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat. Add fillets and saute 3 minutes on each side.

Hot Orange-Ginger Sauce
1/4 cup orange marmalade
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
2 Tb. rice vinegar
1 Tb. minced fresh ginger
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
1 tsp minced garlic
1 Tb. vegetable oil
salt to taste

Whisk marmalade, orange juice, vinegar, gingerroot and pepper flakes together in a smalle bowl
Saute garlic in a saucepan with oil over medium high heat for 30 seconds. Add marmalade mixture and saute until sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Season with salt.