Vintage Refrigerator Cheesecake

I can honestly say that Cheesecake is my favorite dessert....... nothing evens comes close. However, I only make Martha Stewart's Cheesecake recipes. I will admit that it's complicated, but the end results are the best. If we have a family gathering, a church pot luck and even a neighborhood get together, I will make cheesecake.
I know that some people like a recipe with shortcut's ,so I decided to research some easy cheesecake recipes.
This one comes from the archive recipes of my Aunt Faye, you know, the aunt that is the reason that I created this Blog. If you read the beginning of the Blog, you'll see the stories and many recipes that were hers.
She was a professional personal chef.


Refrigerator Cheesecake:

1/2 C Butter, melted
3/4 C Sugar
2 C Graham Cracker Crumbs, Vanilla Wafer Crumbs, Gingersnap Cookie Crumbs or Chocolate Cookie Crumbs. (your choice) + additional for topping the cake.
2 tsp Cinnamon
1 C Cold Water
3 Eggs, separated
2 C Cream Cheese, softened
3 TBS Lemon Juice
1 TBS Grated Lemon Zest
1/4 tsp Salt
1/2 C Heavy Cream

In a bowl:
Butter
1/4 C of the Sugar
Crumbs
Mix well and press into a 9" Springform pan. ( I wrap the bottom and sides of my pan with heavy duty foil, whether I'm making a refrigerated dessert or a baked dessert)

In a small bowl:
Soak the gelatin in 1/2 C of the Cold Water for 5 minutes.

In a double boiler over medium heat:
Egg Yolks
Remaining 1/2 C Sugar
Remaining 1/2 C Water
Stirring constantly until it coats the back of a metal spoon.
Add Gelatin and whisk until dissolved.
Set aside

In a large mixing bowl.
Beat Cream Cheese until smooth with a hand mixer.
Add Lemon Juice
Lemon Zest
Salt
Beat until creamy.
Add the Gelatin mixture and beat thoroughly.
Cool mixture in the refrigerator.
When it begins to congeal, beat for several minutes with a hand mixer.

In a medium bowl:
Whip the Heavy Cream.

In a separate bowl:
Beat the Egg Whites until stiff.
Fold the Whipped Cream and the Egg Whites together.
Fold this into the Cream Cheese Mixture and blend well. Don't over mix.

Pour the batter into the pan.
Sprinkle with additional Crumbs.
Refrigerate until firm, overnight is best.


Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Hatch Chile Madeleines

What a great combination of French - Tex Cuisine. It's Hatch Chile Season now and our local Festival starts today. I thought it would be appropriate to post this recipe. I have many recipes using Hatch Chiles and I've been a finalist in the competition, many times.

You can search other Hatch recipes on the Blog.

Hatch Chile Madeleines:
2 TBS Olive Oil
1/4 C Diced Onions
1 C Cornmeal
1 C Flour
1 TBS Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1 Egg
1 C Whole Milk
4 TBS Honey
5 TBS Butter, melted
1/2 C chopped Roasted Hatch Chiles
1/2 C Pepper Jack Cheese ( I use Hatch Jack Cheese when it's available)


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
You can brush the pans with Pan Release Mix or a Vegetable Cooking Spray. I use the Pan Release Mix.

In a skillet on medium heat:
Oil, until Hot.
Saute Onions for 5 minutes.
Set aside to cool.

In a mixing bowl:
Cornmeal
Flour
Baking Powder
Salt.
Whisk well.

In another bowl:
Egg (whisk well)
Add:
Mik
Honey
Butter
Whisk well.

Whisk the Wet Ingredients into the Dry Ingredients, just until well combined. Don't over overmix.

Fold in :
Onions
Hatch Chiles
Cheese

Spoon 1 TBS into each mold and bake for 10 - 12 minutes.
Transfer pan to a cooling rack for 10 minutes.
Transfer the Madeleines to the rack and cool completely.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

All In One, Three Layer Cake

What a surprise to see that this cake creates it's own layers as it bakes. Pretty cool!
No cutting the layers, no filling to make...... none of that! Just mix and bake and see what happens. It's easy and delicious!


Here's what you'll need:
1 - 8"X 8" pan, brushed well with Pan Release Mix. (equal parts of Crisco, Vegetable Oil and Flour. I tart with 1 C of each and mix it in a jar. Keep it refrigerated. I always have some available for all of my baking needs.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

4 Eggs, separated
1 tsp Almond Extract
3/4 C Granulated Sugar
1 Stick ( 8 TBS) Butter, melted
4/3 C Flour
2 C Lukewarm Milk
Confectioner's Sugar for dusting.

In a small bowl:
Whip the Egg Whites until stiff.
Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl:
Egg Yolks
Sugar
Beat until light and creamy yellow.
Add:
Butter
Almond Extract
Beat until combined well.
Gradually add the Flour until well combined.
Gradually incorporate the Milk until blended well.
Gently fold in the Egg Whites with a rubber spatula.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40 - 70 minutes. The top should become golden brown. Check after 40 minutes.

Remove the pan to a cooling rack and cool completely.
Just before serving, dust with Confectioner's Sugar and spoon it out onto individual dessert plates.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen.

Nurnberger Lebkuchen

I'm convinced that I'm going to make this complicated cookie for Christmas this year.
I'm fascinated with these cookies.  I lived in Germany when I was in my 20's and Christmas in Germany is....... well, amazing!  We also went to the Frankfurt German Market during Christmas in Birmingham, England in 2012. We have a German Store in our town and I buy my Oblaten there.

1/2 C Butter, softened
1 C Granulated Sugar
4 Eggs
3 C Flour
1 - 2 TBS Lebkuchen spices, recipe to follow if you don't have access to it.
2 TBS Cocoa Powder
1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1 C Whole Milk
1 3/4 C Ground Almonds
1/2 C Candied Lemon Peel, chopped
1 TBS Grand Marnier

Glaze:
1/2 C Granulated Sugar
1/4 C Water
1/2 tsp Vanilla
2 TBS Grand Marnier
1/2 C Confectioner's Sugar
32  - 3" Oblaten Wafers
1/2 C Raisins, soaked in Rum and chopped.


Homemade Lebkuchen Spice Mix:

In a small bowl:
2 TBS Cinnamon
2 tsp Ground Ginger
1/2 tsp Ground Allspice
1/4 C Nutmeg
1/2 tsp Coriander
1/2 tsp Cardamom
1/2 tsp Ground Ginger
1/2 tsp Ground Anise
Whisk well and store in a jar.
Use 1 - 2  TBS per recipe.


In a Stand Mixer with a paddle attachment:
Butter
Sugar
Eggs
Beat until light and creamy.

Gradually Add:
Flour
Lebkuchen Spices (1 - 2 TBS)
Cocoa Powder
Baking Powder
Alternating with Milk.
Mix well.

Fold in:
Almonds
Lemon Peel
Stir in:
GrandMarnier
Raisins
Mix well.

Drop 3 TBS of the dough onto each Oblaten.
Spread out and smooth the dough to the edges, slightly mounding the dough in the center.
Bake  on a parchment paper lined sheet pan at 375 degrees for 15 - 20 minutes.
Reduce the oven temperature to 350 if the cookies are browning to quickly.
Remove the sheet pan and cool on a rack for ten minutes.
Transfer cookies to a rack and cool completely.
While they are still bait warm prepare the Glaze.

Glaze:
In a small saucepan, on medium low heat:
1/2 C Sugar and 1/4 C Water.
Bring to a boil for a few minutes.
Add:
Vanilla
Grand Marnier
Stir often.
Sift the Confectioner's Sugar over the Hot Sugar Syrup and stir continuously.
Use a Pastry Brush and Brush the Glaze over each cookie and allow to dry completely.
Allow them to sit at room temperature overnight.
Store them in an airtight container.


Genießen Sie!
Frieden in der Küchen!

Layered Bar Cookies

Can we really get enough recipes for Bar Cookies?
I don't think so.........

 Layered Bar Cookies:

Here's what you'll need:
1- 9"X13" pan, spray with a vegetable cooking spray. I brush mine with Pan Release Mix. ( equal parts of Crisco, Vegetable Oil, Flour) Mix well and keep in a jar in the refrigerator. I start with 1 C of each and always have it available for all of my baking needs.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2 C Crushed Graham Crackers
1/2 C Butter, melted
2 C Chocolate Chips
1 C Chopped Pecans
1 1/2 C Peanut Butter Chips
1 1/2 C Shredded Coconut
1 can (14 oz.) Sweetened Condensed Milk

In a small bowl:
Graham Cracker Crumbs
Butter
Mix well and press evenly into the bottom of pan. (not up the sides).

Begin layering evenly in the following order:
Chocolate Chips
Pecans
Peanut Butter Chips
Coconut
Drizzle evenly with Sweetened Condensed Milk.
Bake for 25 minutes.
Remove pan from the oven to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Cut into squares to serve.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

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Lemon Bundt Cake

I get so many recipes from books, friends, family and online. I believe in giving credit when possible. However, it bothers me that some people post recipes and make it sound like they created them and when I research them online, I find that there are no real references to the origin and there are dozens of the same recipe available. I will give credit to well known chefs and Food Network Bloggers, Sites like Pillsbury, Kraft and Berry Crocker, but I'm not going to continue to give credit where I don't honestly believe it's deserved. If you are a blogger and you read this blog, pleas start giving credit to others when you did not create the recipe. All of my original recipes are noted.
So now that I've made that statement, here's a recipe I received and it's all over the internet so I am not giving anyone credit.
I happen to love the recipe.

I would give credit for this one to the Betty Crocker website since it uses a Betty Crocker Cake Mix.

Here's what you'll need:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
1 Bundt Pan, your choice of design.
Pan Release Mixture:
Equal parts of Crisco, Vegetable Oil and Flour. I start with 1 C of each, mix it well and store it in a jar, refrigerated. I always have it available for all of my baking needs.

Lemon Bundt Cake:

1 box of Betty Crocker Super Moist Yellow Cake Mix
1 C Whole Milk
4 oz. of Cream Cheese, softened
2 TBS Grate Lemon Zest
1/4 C Fresh Lemon Juice
3 Eggs

Glaze:
2 C Confectioner's Sugar
2 TBS Fresh Lemon Juice

Glaze:
2 C Confectioner's Sugar
2 TBS Fresh Lemon Juice

In a large mixing bowl:
Beat cake ingredients by hand with an electric mixer, on low speed about 1 minute.
Scrape the bowl as needed.
Increase speed to medium for an additional 2 minutes.

Brush the pan well with the Pan Release Mix.
Pour the batter into the pan.
Bake for 40 - 45 minutes, until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and cool on a rack for 15 minutes.
Invert the cake onto a serving platter and cool completely.
Make sure the platter is large enough to allow for the glaze to drip down the sides of the cake.

Make the Glaze in a medium bowl.
Beat Confectioner's Sugar and Lemon Juice, a little at a time until the glaze becomes thick.
Pour evenly over the cooled cake.


Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Homemade Apple Spice Tea Mix

I'm on a Tea kick........ off of coffee for awhile so I'm in pursuit of great tea recipes. I posted a recipe for homemade Chai Tea Mix and here's the next recipe that I'm passionate about.
The Tea Mix makes a great Holiday Gift with the instructions for making a cup of tea, attached to a Christmas Mug, or place the mix in a decorative Christmas Tin with a label.

Apple Spice Tea Mix:

Here's what you'll need:
Individual Tea Filters

2 TBS Loose Green Tea
2 TBS chopped Crystallized Ginger
1 tsp Whole Allspice
1 tsp Whole Cloves
6 -  Dried  Crispy Apple Slices, just make sure they're not the soft ones.
6 -  3" Cinnamon Sticks

In a mixing bowl:
Green Tea
Ginger
Allspice
Cloves
Mix well.

Divide the tea mixture among 6 tea bags and add 1 slice of Dried Apple.
Tie 1 piece of Cinnamon stick onto the bag as you secure the top with string.

Prepare the tea in individual mugs of hot water:
1 bag for 6 - 8 oz. of hot water.
Steep for 4 minutes.
Remove the bag and enjoy!

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!