Category: MISC

Favorite Ingredient Friday ~Valentines Chocolate ~ Chocolate Cheesecake

DECADENT CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE
  • 2 cups ground gingersnap and vanilla wafer mix (I prefer this mix to graham crackers for a little UMPF! in the flavor)
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • 6 squares Baker’s semi-sweet chocolate, melted & cooled
  • 4-8 ounce softened cream cheese
  • 1 1/2 cup sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon orange peel
  • 1 teaspoon Madagascar vanilla
  • 1 tablespoon Malibu Rum
  1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
  2. Combine cookie crumbs and melted butter. Press into well greased 9 inch spring form pan. Bake 8-10 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before filling.
  3. Melt chocolate squares in microwave using 20-30 second intervals so it doesn’t burn.
  4. Beat cream cheese until smooth and creamy, but DO NOT over beat. On low speed gradually add sugar, cooled chocolate, vanilla, rum and orange peel. Beat in eggs 1 at a time just until blended.
  5. Spread evenly over cooled crust.
  6. Bake 1 hour 25 minutes or until edges are set but center still jiggles when moved. Turn oven off and open door 4 inches. Leave cheesecake in oven 30 minutes.
  7. Remove from oven. Run knife around edge of an to loosen. Cool on cooling rack for another 30 minutes.
  8. Cover loosely and chill at least 6 hours.
  9. Remove pan sides.
  10. Garnish with whip cream, fresh raspberries and/or shaved chocolate.

Favorite Ingredient Friday ~Valentines Chocolate ~ Chocolate Glazed Cheesecake Ginger Bars

I tried a new cooking method and wasn’t happy with it so these are not great pictures this week, but that sure doesn’t affect the taste. Hubby has already eaten half of them. I wrote the recipe here like I normally do it.

CRUST
2 1/2 cups ginger snap crumbs
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
PURE
FILLING
2 large eggs
2~8 ounce softened cream cheese
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1/3 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 can sweetened condensed milk
optional: 3 Tablespoons dutch cocoa~using this makes them very rich!
GLAZE
6 tablespoons butter
1 cup milk chocolate chips

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  • Generously spray 9×13 pan with PURE
  • Finely grind gingersnaps in food processor. Add melted butter and pulse until evenly mixed. Press into bottom of pan. Bake 1 minutes and then cool 5 minutes before filling.
  • Sprinkle gelatin over milk and mix well. Beat together softened cream cheese, eggs, salt and gelatin mixture at medium speed until smooth.
  • Pour sweetened condensed milk into a tall bowl and microwave for 3 minutes in 3 minute increments. Allow to cool slightly. Fold in sweetened condensed milk until smooth.
  • Pour over cooled crust.
  • Bake 45 minutes or until center is set.
  • Cool on rack 2 hours.
  • After 2 hours, melt butter and chocolate chips together until smooth. Pour over cheesecake layer. Chill overnight before serving.
  • With a thin knife cut into squares. Be sure and wipe knife clean after each cut.


Thursday Thirteen post #3 (131) 13 of my favorite Words & their meanings

13 of my favorite misused or over used words

  • Adage ~ an old saying illustrating some universal truth
  • Analogy ~ particular resemblance between things otherwise unalike
  • Anecdote ~ an interesting or amusing story
  • Banality ~ overused, common and lacking originality
  • Cliche’ ~ something that has become overly familiar or commonplace
  • Epitome’ ~ the perfect representation ~ quintessential
  • Euphemism ~ a polite word or phrase used in place of an offensive one
  • Hackneyed ~ common place, pedestrian, dull from overuse
  • Insipid ~ lacking in qualities that interest, stimulate or challenge
  • Metaphor ~ a figure of speech comprised of a word or phase that transfers its meaning to to another use as a means of illustration EX: drowning in paperwork
  • Platitude ~ trite remark often spoken as original though
  • Quintessence ~ the purest essence of something
  • Vapid ~ stale, lacking liveliness

The Ultimate Lesson

“The ultimate lesson all of us have to learn is unconditional love, which includes not only others but ourselves as well.” Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, Swiss born Psychiatrist and writer

Starbucks, Krispy Kremes & Coffee

I love a good Starbucks just like the next guy, but I have 2 problems with it: 1) There isn’t a strabucks here in the UP for 100 miles and 2) I refuse to pay those prices on a daily basis. So I save those Starbucks cravings for a Caramel Mocha Frappacinno for really special trips into the city.
Here at home however I have my own special blend. Now I’m not a huge donut fan, I don’t think I even had a donut the day I met someone at Krispy Kreme, but I can only seem to drink my coffee out of this particular mug. And I can’t function until I’ve had my coffee so don’t hide my mug! It never tastes right out of any other mug. I keep trying and I always come back to this mug. It reminds me of a old diner blue plate special.

~*~EASTER BASKET SWAP~*~

hosted by Bella-Enchanted.
It is an Easter Basket Swap!
A swap for all of those that make many a basket at Easter time and would love a big girl Easter Basket of their own! Baskets may include craft supplies, candy, décor, soaps,bunnies,chickies etc… At least one item should be handmade but not mandatory. Baskets should be mailed by March 10th so that everyone receives their Easter goodies on time!

Email her at: bella-enchanted@hotmail.com to sign up.
The last day to sign up will be Feb.20 and Partners will be assigned on the 21st!

~*~Dinner Challenge Update~*~Stuffed Spinach Manicotti Shells~*~

1 1/2 pound ground beef
1 medium finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic or 2 teaspoons minced jar garlic
1 box chopped frozen spinach (thawed & drained)
salt & pepper to taste
14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
1 can Contadina tomato paste
10 ounces beef broth (I use granules and make my own)
2 tablespoons Classico sun-dried tomato peso
1/4 cup butter
2-8ounce shredded mozzarella cheese packages
1 box organic pasta Manicotti Shells, prepared very Al dente
  • Brown hamburger. Add garlic and onion about half way through. When the hamburger is browned, add spinach and heat through. Salt and pepper to taste. Drain off fat.
  • Mix all other ingredients together except the shells and cheese and bring to a simmering boil. Add one third of the sauce to the meat mixture.
  • Stuff the shells with the meat mixture. Continue until all shells are full. This recipe serves 4, but at this point since there are just the 2 of us now, I tend to either A) have leftovers or B) try to think ahead and prep meals to freeze for easy cooking on the nights we’re busy with appointments, but still need a home cooked meal. This Manicotti recipe is great for that. The shells come in a box with 2 layers of plastic protectors. I make sure to save one to protect the shells I’m going to freeze. I prepare the recipe like normal, but split it in half before baking and freeze half. As you can see it all slips easily into a gallon size ziploc bag. After removing everything, I roll the bag up and stick in the freezer door until the next time I prep the whole recipe.
  • In a small greased casserole layer some sauce on bottom. Lay in half the shells, pour more sauce over top reserving half the sauce for the freezer. Put that sauce in a quart size ziploc. Top with the cheese. Cover with foil and bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove fol and return to oven for an additional 20 minutes.
  • In the gallon sized ziploc bag slide the extra tray of shells into it. Slide the bag of sauce on top of that as well as the second bag of mozzarella cheese. Zip shut and freeze. You now have a home cooked meal for another night.

Super Bowl Hot Wings & Nacho Buffalo Bleu Cheese Dip

It doesn’t matter who you were rooting for, you CAN’T, I repeat CAN’T watch the SUPER BOWL unless you have hot wings and buffalo cheese dip!


Personally I’m so glad the Giants won. What more could you ask for but to have back to back years with boy next door American quarterbacks (brothers no less). These two give the whole sports image icon a super boost. I’d rather have my kids looking up to either Eli or Payton Manning over say Michael Vick. It just oozes, American flag, fireworks, Chevy, hot dogs and apple pie. Oh and mom was there too!

8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup bleu cheese dressing **
1/2 cup Frank’s hot sauce
1 can Rotel Original tomatoes & chiles (drained)
1/2 cup bleu cheese crumbles

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat cream cheese in mixing bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds to soften it. Whisk in the bleu cheese dressing, hot sauce, tomatoes and bleu cheese crumbles until smooth. Pour into a 9 inch stoneware casserole. Bake 20-30 minutes or until cooked through. Serve immediately with Hot wings. **

**See recipes on side bar