Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Easter Basket Mini Cheesecakes - Fifteen Cheesecakes

My blogging friend Camilla is celebrating her wedding anniversary with the blogging event, Fifteen Cheesecakes.  You see she's been married 15 years and served cheesecake at her wedding!  How fun is this!!!  I love cheesecake and paired with a celebration ...  it doesn't get any better than this!!  Happy Anniversary Camilla.  Thanks for sharing it with me!!

Cheesecake is one of my favorite desserts.  There's so many delicious varieties of this creamy dessert.  Personally I am a big fan of mini desserts.   Mini desserts are great when you just want a little something sweet!  Also, perfect for family dinners or parties.  Everyone can serve themselves!!

I found so many cheesecakes I thought about making but settled on a regular cheesecake recipe, decorated for the upcoming Easter holiday.  These would be a fun one to make with the kids.  They can help color the coconut and put the jelly beans on top.  You could also use malted milk eggs.  Fun and easy!!



 Easter Basket Mini Cheesecakes
12 vanilla wafers
2 pkg.  (8 oz. each)  Cream Cheese, softened

1/2cup  sugar

1/2tsp.  vanilla

2 eggs

1-1/2cups  coconut, tinted green

36 small jelly beans

HEAT oven to 350°F.
PLACE 1 wafer in each of 12 paper-lined muffin cups. Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with mixer until blended. Add eggs; beat just until blended. Spoon over wafers.
BAKE 20 min. or until centers are almost set. Cool. Refrigerate 2 hours.
TOP with coconut and jelly beans just before serving. 




Today we are helping Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla celebrate her 15th wedding anniversary with waaaayy more than #fifteencheesecakes.



Here's what everyone brought to the cheesecake table, listed in alphabetical order. Enjoy!



Berry Cheesecake Bars by Baking and Creating with Avril
Cherry Cheesecake Bites by Cookaholic Wife
Chocolate Caramel Cheesecake by Dancing Veggies
Chocolate Cheesecake by My Hobbie Lobbie
Chocolate Topped Peppermint Cheesecake by Amy's Cooking Adventures
Creme Brulee Cheesecake Bars by Tara's Multicultural Table
Easter Basket Mini Cheesecakes by Little Bit of Everything
Everyday Cheesecake by Things I Make (for Dinner)
Irish Cream Cheesecake by A Day in the Life on the Farm

Layered Cinnamon Streusel Cheesecake Cake by
Famished Fish, Finicky Shark
Lowfat Blackberry Cheesecake by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
Matcha-Yuzu Cheesecake with a Meyer Lemon Glaze by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Mini Churro Caramel Cheesecake by Cheese Curd In Paradise
Mini Maple Pecan Cheesecakes by Join Us, Pull up a Chair
Mudslide Cheesecake by Sew You Think You Can Cook
No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake by Angels Homestead
Samoa's cheesecake by Goodie Godmother
Skinny Vanilla Bean Cheesecake by Renee's Kitchen Adventures
Twix Cheesecake Brownie Torte by Making Memories With Your Kids

Sunday, March 15, 2015

Baked Macaroni and Goat Cheese - SRC

It's my second month participating with Group C in Secret Recipe Club.  If you want to learn more about Secret Recipe Club, take a look here!

This month I was assigned the blog Rainstorms and Love Notes.  Don't you just love that name?  Who doesn't love rainstorms and love notes!!  Ashley is the creative blogger behind Rainstorms and Love Notes!  She says, "Rainstorms and Love Notes is where I share new recipes, write about life and love, and talk about my obsession with binge-watching TV shows, our 3 cats and the Pittsburgh Steelers."


Ashley has some great recipes on her site, it was hard to choose just one.  Since we're big Mac n Cheese fans at our house, her Goat Cheese Mac n Cheese spoke to me!!  I've never had goat cheese mac n cheese before and wasn't sure what to expect.   The tang of goat cheese makes a delicious mac n cheese.  I love the crunchy addition of panko on the top!!  If you're looking for a new Mac n Cheese recipe, give this one a try!!!




Baked Macaroni and Goat Cheese 
Recipe Courtesy of Rainstorms and Love Notes
Serves 4
ingredients:
2 cups milk
1/4 cup flour, plus 1 tbsp
4 1/2 tbsp butter
1/2 pound macaroni
6 oz goat cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
4 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
olive oil, for drizzling
instructions:
Heat the milk in a pan over medium heat just until it starts to bubble, or about 5 minutes.

In a separate pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Meanwhile, boil the macaroni according to package directions.

Add the flour into the melted butter and whisk constantly, until the mixture is slightly thick.

Remove the butter mixture from heat and slowly add in the milk, whisking constantly. Once the milk has been added, set back over medium heat and continue to whisk until the mixture is silky and thick, about 3 minutes.

Add the goat cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, and green onions to the milk mixture and melt over low heat, just until the goat cheese has melted.

When the macaroni has finished boiling, drain and stir in to the goat cheese mixture.
Pour the mixture into a casserole dish and top with the Panko breadcrumbs.

Bake at 400 for 10-12 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs have started to brown.

Drizzle with olive oil and enjoy!



Sunday, March 8, 2015

Spaghetti with Brussels Sprouts

We love brussels sprouts at our house.  Unlike the brussels of our childhood that were overcooked and a soggy mess, today's brussels are crispy and delicious.  Normally brussels are a side at our house.  This recipe is our hands down favorite!  When I saw this recipe in Food and Wine featuring brussels as a main dish, of course I pinned it for a future dinner.

We liked the flavors in this dish but found it a little dry. I think next time, I would combine a little pasta water with the pasta, brussels and sausage, toast the panko and toss them on top. 





Spaghetti with Brussels Sprouts and Sausage Breadcrumb Topping

1/2 pound spaghetti 
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling  
1/2 pound brussels sprouts, thinly sliced (about 3 cups) 
1/2 pound loose pork sausage  
1 cup panko 
2 tablespoons snipped chives  
Kosher salt 
Pepper  
Lemon wedges, for serving
In a pot of salted boiling water, cook the pasta until al dente. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, heat the 1/4 cup of olive oil. Add the brussels sprouts and sausage and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until the sausage is browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Stir in the panko and cook until crisp, 3 minutes. Stir in the chives and season with salt and pepper. Drain the spaghetti. Top with the brussels sprout mixture, drizzle with olive oil and serve with lemon wedges.