Green Tea Mousse Cheesecake

Prep Time:
20 Min

Cook Time:
1 Minute

Ready In:
7 Hrs 21 Min

Original Recipe Yield 1 9-inch cheesecake

Ingredients

• 1 (4.8 ounce) package graham crackers, crushed
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
•  
• 2 tablespoons green tea powder (matcha)
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 2 tablespoons unflavored gelatin
• 1/2 cup cold water
•  
• 2 cups whipping cream
• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 eggs

Directions

1. Combine the graham cracker crumbs with 2 tablespoons of sugar in a mixing bowl. Drizzle in the melted butter and mix until evenly moistened. Press into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan lined with waxed paper; set aside.
2. Stir the tea powder into the warm water; set aside. Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water; set aside.
3. Whip the cream to stiff peaks; set aside. Beat the cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, vanilla, and honey in a clean mixing bowl. Beat in the eggs one at a time until evenly blended. Cook the gelatin mixture in the microwave until melted, about 45 seconds. Beat the gelatin and tea into the cream cheese mixture, then fold in the whipped cream until smooth. Pour into the springform pan. Refrigerate 7 hours to overnight before unmolding and serving.

Mac and Cheese

Image and Recipe Copyright
© 2003-2010 Jennifer Iserloh

An American classic that hits the waistline and hips pretty hard! My version softens the blow of cheese by mixing in non-fat cream cheese and parmesan.

Serves 4

Ingredients

(1 1/2 cup uncooked) 3 cups whole wheat pasta cooked
1 1/2 cups cheddar (about 8 oz), grated
1/4 cup (4 ounces) non-fat cream cheese
1/2 cup non-fat, skim milk
1/4 cup reduced-fat Parmesan
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
non-stick cooking spray

Directions

Coat a large skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the flour. Reduce the heat to medium, cook 1-2 minutes stirring constantly until mixture resembles a thick paste.
Stir in the milk and cook 3-4 minutes until the mixture begins to thicken. Stir in the Parmesan, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, salt, paprika, and pepper. Mix until cheese is smooth and melted. Stir in the macaroni and serve.

Lemon Cheesecake

Lemon Cheesecake

Ingredients

      Line and grease a 8" springform cake pan

     100g Marie biscuits, crushed

     80g Melted butter

• Combine crushed biscuit crumbs and melted butter together in a mixing bowl. Press the biscuit crumbs onto the base of the prepared pan and chill in the refrigerator for later use.

      250g Cream Cheese
      30g Sugar
      3 Egg yolks
      65g Whipping cream
      1 Lemon zest
      3/4 tbsp Lemon juice
      1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
      1/2 tbsp Orange contreau
      20g Butter, melted
      2 tbsp Plain flour, sifted
      3 Egg whites
      35g Sugar


      Method:

• Cream the cheese and sugar together and slowly add in whipping cream, beat till creamy at medium speed.
• Scrape bowl and add egg yolks one at a time until all combined then add lemon zest, lemon juice,vanilla extract and orange contreau ~ beat to mix well.
• Scrape bowl,  lower speed add in melted butter and plain flour, mix well and transfer cheese mixture to a large bowl.
• Whisk egg whites and sugar till peak form. Use a rubber spatula to fold egg whites to cheese mixture.
• Pour cheese mixture into prepared cake tin.
• Steam bake at 160C for about 1 hour. Cool to room temperature and chill cheesecake before serve.

You may like to mix some cocoa powder and snow powder together and dust on cheesecake.

 

http://www.anncoojournal.com/2012/01/lemon-cheesecake.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+AnncooJournal+%28Anncoo+Journal%29&referrer=LuxeFinds.com

Fish Fingers

I created this recipe so that little people will find fish more appealing! Many parents aren’t sure how to cook fish and this recipe not only makes it easy, but is a big hit with kids. I noticed that the frozen fish sticks are usually loaded with trans-fat and other unwanted preservatives – things that don’t help little bodies grow strong.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 pound fish filet, (wild salmon or tilapia) skinless, boneless, cut into long strips 3-4 inches long
1 cup of whole wheat or white breadcrumbs
1/4 cup yellow corn meal
2 egg whites
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
non-fat cooking spray

Directions

On a piece of wax paper or aluminum foil, stir breadcrumbs, corn meal, Parmesan, and paprika, garlic, and onion powder together. Spread the fish out on a piece of wax paper or aluminum foil. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. In a shallow dish, beat egg. Dip the chicken chunks into the egg and then coat in the breadcrumb mixture.
Coat a large skillet with cooking spray. Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown the fish nuggets on the first side, cooking 3-4 minutes, until breadcrumb coating is crispy and golden. Turn fish sticks and cook an additional 2-3 minutes until fish is no longer translucent and cooked through. Serve immediately or cool completely before packing in an air-tight container.

Make It A Meal

Serve with Pickled Cucumber Salad or Sauteed Spinach.

Wine Pairing

Sauvignon Blanc, Sancerre

Lemon Chicken

Lemon Chicken

Can we talk about lunch for a minute?

I'd be all for eliminating the idea of lunch altogether and replacing it with second breakfast (brunch, perhaps) or a (really) early first dinner. I almost never have trouble deciding what to make for breakfast or dinner, but, day in and day out, I still struggle to come up with a plan for lunch. The best case scenario is that we have leftovers from the previous night's dinner I can reheat. It's quick and easy, and even if whatever we had wasn't a great candidate for reheating, I much prefer it over the alternative. And that would be 20 minutes spent opening and closing the cabinets and the refrigerator and freezer doors waiting for inspiration to strike. On more days than I'd like to admit I resort to options I wouldn't really be proud to tell you about :)



This lemon chicken would typically fall squarely in the dinner category here, and when I bookmarked the recipe I'd actually intended to add it to our meal plan the following week. Before I could though, I found myself whipping it up for lunch one day when I was particularly hungry and happened to have all of the ingredients on hand. It's super fast and easy to make, and chances are, you probably have everything you need to make it too. The lemony sauce that tops the chicken is bright and fresh, and really flavorful. Served with some asparagus on the side, it made for a really great lunch. Much more satisfying than the popcorn I'd had the previous day...

What are you guys eating for lunch? Help!

Lemon Chicken
adapted from Southern Living (via MyRecipes.com)

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 8 oz each)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup lemon juice
8 lemon slices
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Place the chicken on a cutting board. Working with one breast at a time, place your hand on top and use a sharp knife to cut the breast in half horizontally, to make two thinner chicken cutlets. (Don't worry if they're not perfectly even, mine never are!) Place each cutlet between two sheets of plastic wrap and use a meat mallet or skillet to pound to 1/4-inch thickness.

Season the chicken on both sides with the salt and pepper. Lightly dredge each cutlet in flour, shaking off the excess.

Set a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter and the olive oil to the pan. Once the butter is melted and the pan is hot, add the chicken. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side, or until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.

Reduce the heat to medium, and add the chicken broth and lemon juice to the pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened slightly, scraping the bottom of the skillet to loosen any brown bits. Add the lemon slices to the sauce and let sit undisturbed for about 30 seconds. Remove the pan from the heat and add the parsley and remaining tablespoon of butter. Stir until the butter is melted and the sauce is smooth. Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve (you can garnish with the lemon slices if desired).

Serves 2-4

http://traceysculinaryadventures.blogspot.com/2012/03/lemon-chicken.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+traceysCA+%28Tracey%27s+Culinary+Adventures%29&referrer=LuxeFinds.com

German Spice Cake

Image and Recipe Copyright
© 2003-2010 Jennifer Iserloh

German’s are famous for their gingerbread and this cake is my moist version using the same spices that make the cookies so flavorful. Serve this at your next winter celebration with mulled hot spiced tea.

Serves 8-10

Ingredients

2 sticks of trans-fat free margarine or butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 cup skim milk
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup honey
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon salt
Icing:
1/2 pound of confectioner’s sugar (about 2 1/4 cup)
zest and juice of one lemon
1/2 cup non-fat, skim milk
1 cup of slivered almonds, toasted

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375° F. Lightly grease and flour a jelly roll pan or cut a piece of parchment paper to fit neatly in the bottom of the pan. In a large bowl, cream the butter or margarine and brown sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy.
In a small separate bowl, mix milk, vinegar, and baking soda. Blend in egg whites, vanilla, and honey. Set aside. In another large bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and salt.
On low speed, add the flour mixture to the butter in three batches, alternating with the milk, until just combined. Do not overmix. Smooth the batter into pan and bake for 18-20 minutes until cake springs back to the touch or a toothpick comes out clean when inserted. Place pan on a cooling rack while you prepare the icing.
Combine all ingredients for the icing (except nuts) in a large bowl. Beat on medium speed for several minutes to make a loose, pourable icing. While the cake is still warm, spread icing with a spatula and sprinkle with nuts. Cool an additional 30 minutes before slicing.

Crock-Pot Baked Apples

Crock-Pot Baked Apples

Image and Recipe Copyright © 2008 Jennifer Iserloh

This was an old stand-by in our family home on icy Pittsburgh winter nights when cold weather kept us indoors. This dessert has the same flavors as apple pie without the guilt of a fattening crust!

Makes 6 baked apples

Ingredients

1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
2 tablespoons trans-fat free margarine
1 teaspoon cinnamon
6 Gala or Macintosh apples, cored
1/2 cup apple juice or apple cider
2 tablespoons orange liquor (optional)

Directions

Preheat a large crock-pot on high heat and preset it for 3 hours. In a large bowl, mix brown sugar, walnuts, margarine, and cinnamon. Fill the apples with the filling and place them in the crock-pot. Pour in the apple juice or cider and the liquor, if using. Cover and cook 2 1/2 to 3 hours on high heat until the apples are soft and begin to collapse.

Orange Blossom Cake

Orange lovers, unite! The perfect orange cake for your get-together uses orange marmalade, orange juice, and Betty Crocker's own SuperMoist yellow cake mix. It will truly be super moist, and super yummy, too!

Serves: 20

Cooking Time: 50 min

Ingredients

• 1 box Betty Crocker SuperMoist yellow cake mix
• 1 10-ounce jar orange marmalade
• 2 teaspoons grated orange peel
• eggs, oil and water per cake mix
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon grated orange peel
• 2 tablespoons orange juice

Instructions

CAKE

1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
    
2. Grease Bundt pan and flour generously.
    
3. Prepare cake according to directions, but reduce water to 1 cup and add marmalade and 2 teaspoons orange peel. Mix well.
    
4. Bake 45-50 minutes.
    
5. Cool 10 minutes in pan.

GLAZE

1. Mix sugar and 1 teaspoon of orange peel, adding orange juice a teaspoon at a time until pourable consistency.
    
2. Pour over cooled cake.