Citrus Cheesecake with Buttercream and Lemon Curd...this calls for a celebration

My sister Sylvia is a master at a number of things, cheesecake making being one of them. Here is a celebratory cheesecake recipe if I ever saw one. It combines the citrus flavours of lemon, lime and orange.

Cheesecake Ingredients:

• 2, 250 gram blocks of Philadelphia cream cheese
• 500 g ricotta cheese
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 4 eggs, separated into yolks and whites
• 1 teaspoon pure lemon extract
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
• 1/2 cup full fat Greek-style lemon yogurt .

Crust Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs

Buttercream Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 cups icing sugar
• 1/2 Tsp lemon extract
• 1//4 tsp lime powder (called True Lime, and available in grocery stores)

Final Topping Ingredient:

• a jar of lemon curd

Methods: 

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees F. 

Combine the crust ingredients and pat them into the bottom of a 12 inch springform pan. 

Beat the egg whites to form stiff peaks. Set aside.

Beat together the cream cheese, ricotta and sugar. Add the egg yolks, citrus and yogurt and mix well. Fold in the egg whites. Pour over the crust in the springform pan. Bake for 1 hour. 

When cool, top the cheesecake with a layer of the citrus buttercream. Carefully spread 1/2 cup of lemon curd over the buttercream. Chill. Slice into 8 large or 12 more moderate pieces. Sylvia suggests that you can serve the cheesecake with a dollop of whipped cream if desired. 

My gallbladder has started aching.

Perfectly baked prior to 'icing'

Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts from NYT Cooking

The NYT Cooking columnists, (as wonderful as they are), seem to assume that everyone has a stand mixer and that it is essential for mixing things. Just not the case. A run-of-the-mill electric mixer works just as well here, as would vigorous mixing with a wooden spoon.

I happened to get a doughnut pan for Christmas, cuz' that's what happens when you order your own presents online, but a muffin pan will also work for this recipe.

It turns out that I am no longer reading recipes all the way through these days, but am only giving them a cursory scan. So, I dumped all the cinnamon into the batter, rather than leaving half for the cinnamon sugar. They taste fine. 

Ingredients:

•  nonstick cooking spray
• 1 ¾ cup/225 grams all-purpose flour
• 1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 cup/225 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature (divided)
• ¾ cup/165 grams light brown sugar
• ¾ cup/150 grams granulated sugar (divided)
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup/120 milliliters apple cider

Methods:

Heat your oven to 350 degrees F. 

Lightly grease a 12 cavity doughnut pans (or a 12-cup muffin tin) with nonstick spray. 

In a medium bowl, add flour, baking powder, salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and nutmeg and whisk to combine. Set aside.

Cream 10 tablespoons of the butter, the brown sugar and 1/4 cup of granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time and mix until well incorporated after each addition, scraping the bowl as necessary. Beat in the vanilla extract.

Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until incorporated. Add the apple cider in a slow, steady stream and mix to combine. Scrape the bowl well to make sure the batter is homogeneous.

Spoon the batter into prepared doughnut pans, filling them about 2/3 of the way. (You can also do this using a disposable piping bag or a resealable plastic bag with a 1/2-inch opening cut from one corner.) Bake until evenly golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the thickest portion comes out clean, 12 to 15 minutes. Rotate the pans halfway through baking. (If you are making muffins, divide batter evenly between the prepared cups and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, rotating halfway through.)

While the doughnuts bake, whisk the remaining 1/2 cup/100 grams granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon together in a small bowl to combine. In a separate small bowl, melt the remaining 6 tablespoons butter. Let the doughnuts cool for 5 minutes after baking, then unmold them from the pans, brush with the melted butter and dredge them in the cinnamon sugar while they are still warm. 

Cornmeal Muffins - Raspberries optional

This Barefoot Contessa muffin recipe was given to me by my neighbour Bob. They are, without a doubt, the best cornmeal muffins I have ever tasted, and would be great for a Christmas breakfast. Bob and I both changed up the recipe slightly by not infusing the muffins with raspberry preserves, but simply serving butter and jam on the side.

My muffins basking in the late day sun

Recipe direct from Ina Garten

Red Lentil Dip

This recipe comes to you from my sister Sylvia and Alive magazine. Looks yummy. Great to serve with fresh veggies and toasted pitas. I believe Sylvia added a bit of dill to her dip. Whatever works.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dried red lentils
• 3 large garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp tahini
• 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 2 tsp blonde miso
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• chili oil and fresh cilantro or parsley for garnish (optional)

Methods:

Rinse the lentils to remove any fine debris. In a large saucepan, bring 3 cups of water to a boil, then add the lentils and garlic and bring to a boil again. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes until the lentils are soft. Drain the liquid, reserving a bit for later. Slightly cool the lentils and garlic before whizzing them with the lemons juice, tahini, sesame oil, miso and seasonings. If the mixture is too thick, add a bit of the lentil cooking water. Transfer the dip to a bowl and refrigerate. Drizzle with chili oil and garnish, if you like, with cilantro or parsley. 

Salted Double Dark Chocolate Cookies from the Holiday Edition of the LCBO Magazine

The Liquor Control Board of Ontario produces a particularly fine cooking magazine 4 times a year, and it's free! My friend Janice and I have frequently tried their recipes. And here, Janice has produced the LCBO salted double dark chocolate cookies for Christmas. They look great.

Ingredients:

•  1½ cups (375 mL) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) baking powder
• 1/4 tsp (1 mL) baking soda
• 2 tsp (10 mL) flaked sea salt, divided
• 1 cup (250 mL) dark brown sugar, lightly packed
• 3/4 cup (175 mL) granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup (175 mL) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla
• 1 bar (100 g) 78% cacao chocolate, finely chopped

Methods:

Preheat your oven to to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.

Sift the flour with the cocoa powder, baking powder and soda in a small bowl. Using your fingertips, lightly crush 1 tsp (5 mL) flaked sea salt, then add the salt to the same bowl and set aside.

Beat the sugars with butter until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the egg and vanilla until almost combined. Add the flour mixture and continue to mix at medium-low speed just until a dough comes together. Add the chocolate until combined.

Scoop 1 tbsp amounts of the dough on prepared sheets, 2 inches apart. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tsp salt.

Bake in the top and bottom thirds of oven, switching sheets halfway through, until the edges are beginning to set, 10 to 12 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool completely, Repeat with the remaining dough.

Pea and Bacon Crostini

For the crostini in the background of the photo, I roasted some cherry tomatoes in the oven with a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar, mashed them, then mixed in some salt, Parmesan and herbes de Provence... but that's another story.

Ingredients for the out-of-focus Pea and Bacon Crostini:

•  some canape toasts 
• 2 cups of frozen peas, the small ones if possible (les petites pois)
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 2 tablespoons of plain yogurt
• 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• about 1/4 cup of crumbled feta cheese
• 4 strips of fried bacon, crumbled

Methods:

Pour the peas into a strainer and defrost them with warm running water. Drain them, then dry them on paper towels. In a blender, or with your hand-held whizzer, blend the peas, garlic, yogurt, olive oil, salt and pepper until just combined. You want the texture to remain a little bit chunky. Place the mixture in a small bowl and stir in the crumbled feta. Mound a generous spoonful of the pea mixture on each canape toast and garnish with the bacon.

Roasted Root Vegetable Salad with Shallot Vinaigrette by Deb Perelman of the Smitten Kitchen

The salad that I made was a slight variation of a recipe in Deb Perelman's Smitten Kitchen cookbook. Basically, I left out the quinoa that she included. By the way, it was the first time I had tried roasting radishes....and hey, they're not just for raw veggie trays anymore.

I served this dish at room temperature but suspect it equally good if served warm or cold.

Roasting Radishes (and other things)

Ingredients:

• 3 small shallots
• olive oil
• 1 and 1/2 pounds of mixed root vegetables ( I use baby turnips, radishes, potatoes and carrots)
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar plus more for finishing
• 2 big pinches of coarse salt
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• pepper

Methods:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.

Peel the shallots and separate the cloves. Place the shallots in a square of aluminum foil, coat with olive oil, then wrap the foil around the cloves to create a packet and place it in the oven.

Arrange the rest of the vegetables in one layer on a baking sheet and coat them with olive oil. Squeeze lemon juice over the vegetables and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Place the vegetables into the oven with the packet of shallots and roast until tender and slightly caramelized. (Perhaps 30 minutes). 

Remove the vegetables from the oven and set aside. Toss the cooked shallots into a blender along with the sherry and balsamic vinegars and salt and pepper. Drizzle in the olive oil and blend thoroughly. Adjust the seasonings to taste, then spoon the vinaigrette over the vegetables. Finish the dish before serving with some drops of reduced balsamic vinegar. 

Caviar Dip

 From Fast Appetizers by Hugh Carpenter and Teri Sandison. It's delicious, dramatic, and dead easy.

Ingredients:

• 2 to 3 tablespoons of mayonnaise
• 6 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
• 1 and 1/2 cups of finely chopped red onion
• 8 ounces of cream cheese at room temperature
• 2/3 cup of sour cream
• 4 ounce jar of black or red lumpfish caviar

Methods:

In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise and the finely chopped eggs. Spread the mixture over the bottom of an 8 inch springform pan and layer the onion on top. Combine the cream cheese and sour cream and spread this mixture evenly over the onions. Sprinkle with the caviar and refrigerate. This recipe can certainly be made a day before it is served. 

To serve, remove the sides of the spring form pan and transfer the bottom of the pan and the dip to a platter. Surround the layered dip with thinly sliced baguette or crackers of your choice. 

As you can see in the photo, I used a pedestal bowl rather than a springform pan to hold the dip. Whatever serving dish that you have available will work.

Tarantulas

These chocolate treats are delicious, easy to make and fun to include in a cookie gift box. I don't know the origin of the recipe. Just know that it's been around forever.

Ingredients:

• 6 oz. chocolate chips
• 6 oz butterscotch chips
• 1 cup broken chow mein noodles (available in grocery stores)
• 1 cup chopped walnut 

Methods:

Melt the butterscotch and chocolate chips. You might be able to use a microwave for this, but I melted the chips on the stove, over a pot of simmering water. Slowly mix the melted chips together with the noodles and walnuts. Drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper placed on a cookie sheet. Leave the tarantulas somewhere coolish until they harden, then store them in a cookie tin.

Red Cabbage Salad

This recipe comes from Edna Staebler's Mennonite cookbook entitled Food that Really Schmecks. It is a colourful, crisp, tart salad that goes well with chicken, turkey or pork, so it's a great holiday side dish. If you like purple food, you’ll like this salad. Unfortunately, my photo of the salad was quite out of focus, so I ditched it. 

The boiled salad dressing has a very old-worldy feel to it.

Ingredients:

• 6 cups of finely shredded red cabbage
• 1 cup of cranberries (I used dried cranberries but you could use cooked cranberries)
• 1 cup of sliced celery
• sour cream mixed with 2 tbsp. 'Mother’s Salad Dressing' 

Mother’s Salad Dressing Concentrate (not sure whose mother)

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon flour
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• pinch of salt
• ½ cup of water
• 1 egg, well beaten
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup vinegar
• sprinkle of cayenne pepper
• whipped or sour cream

Methods:

Mix the flour, mustard and salt with the water and add to the beaten egg and brown sugar. Slowly stir in the vinegar and add the cayenne. Thicken the mixture in a heavy-bottomed pot or double boiler on the stove stirring continuously. Chill this concentrate and keep it in the refrigerator tightly covered. (It keeps well). Blend a couple of tablespoons of the concentrate with enough whipped cream or sour cream to dress the cabbage salad.

Monster Cookies

My sister Sylvia recently received a KitchenAid Mixmaster as a gift. To celebrate its inaugural use, she developed a monster of a cookie recipe. These cookies just scream 'Bite Me'.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla
• 1 egg
• 1 cup flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 cups large flake oats
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup smarties
• 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 cup pecan pieces
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup raisins

Methods:

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. 

Beat the butter and sugar until light. Add the salt, vanilla and egg. Beat another minute.

Mix in the flour, then the oats and all of the other (3 cups total) of yummy additions. 

Chill the dough for 1/2 hour. When ready to bake, scoop 1/4 cup of the dough/cookie onto parchment-lined baking trays and flatten the cookies slightly (4 per tray).

Bake for 12 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven and leave them on the baking sheet for about a minute before transferring them to a cooling rack. 

This recipe makes 1 dozen very large monster cookies,  or 2 dozen regular-sized cookies.