Bailey's Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

Serving Size : 12

-----CRUST-----

1 tbs. butter

2 cups Graham cracker crumbs

1/2 cup Sugar

1/2 cup Butter -- melted

-----FILLING-----

2 1/4 (36oz) pounds Cream cheese -- room temp.

1 2/3 cups Sugar

5 Eggs -- room temperature

1 cup Bailey's Irish Cream

1 tablespoon Vanilla extract

1 cup Semisweet chocolate chips

-----Garnish-----

1 cup Chilled whipping cream

1 tablespoons Confectioner's Sugar

1 to 2oz. semisweet chocolate

For Crust: Preheat oven to 325°F. Coat a 10 inch springform pan with 1 Tbs Butter. Combine crumbs and sugar in pan. Stir in butter. Press mixture i nto bottom and 1 inch up the sides of the pan. Bake until light brown, usually about 7 minutes. Maintain oven temperature at 325°F.

For Filling: Beat cream cheese until smooth with and electric mixer. Gradually add sugar, then eggs one at a time, then Bailey's and finally the vanilla. Sprinkle half of the chocolate chips over crust. Spoon in filling. Sprinkle with remaining chocolate chips. Bake until cake is puffed, springy in the center and golden brown, about 1 hour & 20 minutes. Cool cake completely in refrigerator.

For Cream: Beat cream, sugar powder until peaks form. Spread mixture over cooled cake. Garnish with chocolate curls.

Notes: I used 5 250kg packages of Cream cheese. I actually melted chocolate and make the chocolate curls. I made this cheese cake for a fundraiser and it didn't even make it to the table. I'm very proud.

Mother's Day Cake

I made a cake for Mother's Day. My mom was having a party. So I made cake with French Vanilla Cake mix and Buttercream frosting.

1/2 cup butter

3 cups icing cugar

1 tsp. vanilla

2-3 tbs. milk

Cream all together until a nice smooth consistency.

I did this but the peach color I made very airy somehow, too much milk I think and it didn't go on the cake very well and then when I was making little flowers the icing was getting mushy from the heat from my hands, so I was doing a lot of fridge breaks. I tried my had at the top flowers for the first time ever, I definitely have to work with cooler icing to do that part. I also love the Wilton icing colors. I used 3 of the pastel colors.

I also need to practice with my new cake decoating tips I got at a yard sale. I got about 70 tips, some of them are doubles and some are no name brand but there were 3 nails and half dozen coupers so I'm pretty satisfied for the $20 I spent. Now I need to make a list of which tips I have, so I don't buy doubles if I do buy any in the future and figure out what designs they are. I'll have to go to the Wilton site and print what each looks like or something. It was a pretty simple cake but I used some instructions online to make is stable using dowelings and cardboard under each cake. I'm pretty happy with it, keep in mind I feel asleep the night I was going to work on it after the kids were in bed so I started first thing in the morning baking the top and bottom and then decorating with three children in my ear all day and bothering me. They seem to all get so needy when I want to do something. So maybe next time I'll do a better job of icing. I found the blue icing I made a lot nicer in consistency and nicer to work with and I feel it went on much better than the peach.

So here it is.

Asparagus Fettuccine

4 oz. uncooked fettuccine
1/2 lb fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 garclic clove
1 tbs butter
2 oz cream cheese, cubed
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 1/2 tsp lemion juice
1 tsp grated lemon peel
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper

Cook fettuccine according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet saute the asparagus, onion and garlic in butter until tender.

Add the remaining ingredients. Cook and stir over medium heat for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and sauce is blended. Drain fettuccine; toss with asparagus mixture. Yield: 2 servings.

Notes: I cooked this one following the ingredients exactly, except i had no lemon rind. It was very tasty, I'm sure to make this again. The asparagus was not overpowering as I usually find it. Both this and the last recipe where from Home Cooking magazine.

Crab Stuffed Portobellos

(Sorry this was the best picture I got of it.)

2 portobello mushrooms, (5 oz each)

2 tbs olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1 can (6 oz) crabmeat, drained, flaekd and cartilage removed

5 tsp. mayonnaise

2 roasted sweet red pepper halves, drained

2 slices provolone cheese

Remove and discard stems from muchrooms. Place caps on a greased baking sheet. Place caps on a greased baking sheet. Combine oil and garlic; brush over mushrooms. Broil 4-6 inches from the heat for 4-5 minutes or until tender.

In a small bowl, combine crab and mayonnaise. Place a red pepper half on each mushroom; top with crab mixture. Broil for 2-3 minutes or until heated through. Top with cheese; broil 1-2 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Yield: 2 servings.

Notes: There is a reason for the roasted red pepper, I used fresh pepper and it was not tender at the end. I used shredded parmesan instead of provolone, I'm chicken when it comes to cheese I stay with the may 4 usually, cheddar, mozza, parmesona and havarti. I put the cheese on a step too soon but it was a nice crunchy cheese after it was all done. The whole thing was really good and I plan on making it again.

Pineapple Banana Bread

1 cup b utter, softened
2 2/3 cups sugar
1/4 cup honey
3 eggs
1 tbs. vanilla
4 ripe bananas, mashed
1 (20oz) can crushed pineapple
4 1/2 cups flour
1 cup chopped walnuts
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 3 (8 x 5 x 3 inch)large loaf pans.
In a large bowl, beat butter with sugar and honey; beat in eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Stir in banana and pineapple. Stir in flour, walnuts, cinnamon , baking soda and salt until moistened. Pour into prepared loaf pans. Bake for 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cook 10 minutes. Remove from psn. Makes 3 loaves.

I got this one from Sept/Oct 2005 isuse of Home Cooking, I went looking through my old mags for some banana recipes being sick of the current recipes I use.I've had a lot of bananas to use up lately so wanted something different and this one looked interesting.

I didn't have a 20 oz can of pineapple so I used a 14 oz and it worked great! I can't imagine how much moister this loaf would be if I used more. It's got great flavor and texture. I of course did not sure the walnuts and it didn't take away from the recipe at all. This is a 5 star recipe in my eyes.

Strawberry-rhubarb Frenchtoast

1 loaf of french bread (cut into 1.5 inche thick pieces)
1 cup frozen rhubarb
1 cup frozen strawberries
1 tbs sugar
5 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla

Mix frozen fruit together and add sugar.
Cut the bread pieces then cut a 2 inch long pocket into the bottom of bread.
Drain thawed fruit and spoon fruit into the pocket.
Spray a 13 x 9 inch glass dish.
Lay stuffed bread in the dishes.
Mixed up the eggs with cinnamon and vanilla and pour over bread, flipping the bread once.
Let sit for a few hours or overnight in the fridge.
Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes or until a golden brown.
Serve with leftover fruit and whipped cream or maple syrup.

Food meme from Jen.

1. What are your favorite types of food? Are they foods you grew up with? Any specific cultures you tend to cook the most?

We grew up on the standard food, three course meals starch, veggie and meat. One of my favorites to this day is shake and bake pork chops with mashed potatoes and corn or peas. But I use rice now and growing up my dad never ate rice because my gramps never ate it. I love rice myself and have it most nights. I also loved Sunday night roast with gravy, mashed potatoes, peas and yorkshire pudding. Summers when my nana used to visit were filled with sweets. We used to have a bakery two doors down and we get sent often to pick out an after dinner treat. My dad is English to food was pretty plain growing up.

2. Describe your fall-back dish when you don't feel like cooking (no take out!).

Something easy like hamburger hot dish, just fried up hamburger with whatever veggies I feel like mixed with eithe rice or kraft dinner and cream of mushroom soup. Or what we've been doing lately is haveing fish and chips or rice more often.

3. Could you create a foodie Haiku or poem? Would you care to share with us?

I make up many creations in my kitchen.
No one but me is aloud in my kitchen.

From chili to pepper steak, baked goods and stove tops.
I always follow a recipe in my kitchen.

My kitchen aid, my blender, my spoons and cups.
I have many a help in my kitchen.

Measure and pour, measure and pour.
I teach my kids many a thing in my kitchen

Clean up is a big part of cooking or baking.
I don't do it though, I leave it to my husband in my kitchen.


4. What is your favorite holiday food-wise? What do you typically eat during that holiday?

We usually have one big meal during the holidays be it New Years, Easter or Christmas. It's usually a big turkey or ham meal. Lately my parents have been going for prime rib. Christmas morning hubby and I have started a Bruch tradition where we invite his family and mine. It's a big breaksfast of egges, meats, pancakes or french toast, hashbrowns, toast. I also do a lot of baking during the Christmas holidays.

5. If you could find one recipe that would satisfy your palate for the rest of your life, what would it be and why did you choose that one recipe?

The first two things that pop into my head are Sausage, onion and peppers with mashed pototoes and hot chicken salad which has lot's of veggies and protein. Not sure if I can pick just one. Though.