Toblerone Cheesecake

If you follow my blog, you will see that many or most of my recipes are geared towards healthy eating.  We like to eat foods that not only taste good, but that are good for you.

Well, this recipe is contradictory to the above statement!  Forget the calories on this one - just go for it.  Every once in awhile you just need to let go and indulge.  Life is meant to be enjoyed, in moderation of course. 



Ooey gooey, sweet, caramelly goodness......

This recipe is from Kraft Canada:  http://www.kraftcanada.com/en/recipes/toblerone-topped-caramel-cheesecake-114427.aspx. 

I have to give my friend Debbie credit for making this first.  We had it at Debbie's house and it was so delicious, I had to make it myself.

Ingredients:

·         1-1/4 cups Oreo Baking Crumbs 1/4 cup butter, melted

·         3 pkg. (250 g each) Philadelphia Brick Cream Cheese, softened

·         3/4 cup packed brown sugar

·         1 Tbsp. vanilla

·         3 eggs

·         1/3 cup caramel ice cream topping

·         1 bar (100 g) Toblerone Swiss Milk Chocolate, coarsely chopped

Directions:

HEAT oven to 350ºF.

MIX crumbs and butter; press onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan.

BEAT cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Pour over crust.

BAKE 40 to 45 min. or until centre is almost set. Run knife around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim. Refrigerate 4 hours. Spread caramel topping over cheesecake just before serving. Garnish with chopped chocolate.

Tip:  although this definitely is not low in the calorie department, you can lighten the fat content a little by using Low Fat Cream Cheese.  I never use full fat cream cheese for anything and I find everything tastes just as good.

Roasted Vegetables with Goat Cheese

I am a vegetable "junkie".  I love all vegetables.  Well almost all - brussel sprouts don't really count as a vegetable do they?  This is one of our favourite dishes.  We make this a lot during the warmer months when our BBQ is going full-out.  However, it can be made at any time during the year.

Chop any of the following into bite-sized pieces:

• red, yellow, orange peppers
• red or yellow onion
• zucchini
• yellow squash
• eggplant
• mushrooms

Toss all with a balsamic vinaigrette (2 parts oil to 1 part balsamic, a litte dijon mustard).   Let sit for an hour or so.   Toss all into a veggie grill pan and grill on the BBQ, stirring every 5-10 minutes until roasted, but still "al dente". 

Toss with additional balsamic vinaigrette and spoon into a serving dish.  Top with goat cheese or feta cheese, which will melt slightly.  Enjoy!

Note:  Although we roast our vegetables on the BBQ, you could easily roast them in the oven at a high temperature (around 400) stirring often.

Butter Tarts

Butter Tarts are a Canadian classic, right up there with Tim Hortons and hockey (and maybe Nanaimo Bars too)! 

I usually make a Butter Tart recipe that is sweet and syrupy and drips all over your chin.  I came across this recipe from the Joy of Baking website (http://www.joyofbaking.com/ButterTarts.html).  This recipe makes a thick creamy filling compared to the syrupy version I'm used to.

The original recipe comes from the Best of Bridge cookbooks.  If you're not familiar with the Best of Bridge series, they are a great read full of good recipes.

Butter Tart Filling:

1/3 cup (70 grams) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup (215 grams) light brown sugar

2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup (60 ml) light cream (half-and-half) (10% butterfat)

1/2 cup raisins or 1/2 cup pecans or walnuts (toasted and chopped) (optional)

Unbaked tart shells (I use Tenderflake)

In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and then the vanilla extract. Stir in the cream. If using nuts and/or raisins, place a spoonful in the bottom of each tart shell and then fill the unbaked tart shells with the filling.  

Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for about 15 - 20 minutes or until the pastry has nicely browned and the filling is set. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

Makes 12 - 4 inch tarts.

Crab Salad on Endive Spears

I like using Endive Spears as an edible "container" for crab salad.  The creaminess of the crab salad coupled with the crunch of the endive is a satisfying combination.  Endive can be a little bitter on it's own, but when combined with other foods, it's flavour is much more subtle.

1 Endive

Crab Salad:
Fresh Crab Meat chopped into small pieces (or tinned will do just as well)
Diced Red Pepper
Thinly Sliced Green Onions
Thinly Sliced Celery
Mayonnaise
Lemon Juice
Cayenne Pepper to taste
Salt to taste

Combine the first 4 ingredients.  Combine the last 4 ingredients together.  Gently fold the mayonnaise mixture in with the crab meat.

Cut off the end of the endive.  Gently pull off each leaf.  If the leaf is too big, cut it in half. 

Spoon the crab mixture onto each leaf.  Serve immediately. 

Bloody Mary Shrimp

This recipe is a bite-sized shrimp cocktail infused with vodka.  A Bloody Mary on a spoon!  This recipe is from www.epicurious.com, one of my favourite recipe websites.

I like the idea of serving it on spoons - you can tip your head back and slide the entire thing in your mouth in one fell swoop.  These chinese soup spoons can be purchased from any kitchen store for a reasonable price.  I bought mine at Pier 1.

Yield:  Makes about 50 hors d'oeuvres

For shrimp:
1 pound medium shrimp in shell, peeled and deveined

1 1/2 cups thinly sliced celery (3 to 4 ribs)

1 cup thinly sliced green onions (about 6) 

For sauce:
1/2 cup ketchup

1/4 cup vodka

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons bottled horseradish (not drained), or to taste

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon Tabasco

Prepare shrimp:

Bring a large saucepan of salted water (2 tablespoons salt for 2 quarts water) to a boil. Add shrimp, then remove from heat and let stand in water until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Drain in a colander and cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Cut shrimp into thirds and transfer to a large bowl with celery and scallions.

Make sauce:

Whisk together all sauce ingredients, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste.

Just before serving, stir sauce into shrimp mixture. Spoon 2 shrimp pieces with vegetables and sauce into each soupspoon and arrange spoons on a platter.
  

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Notes:

• I don't use horseradish as I never have it on hand, but I am quite liberal with the hot sauce.
• I also add diced tomatoe to mine.
• I use previously cooked shrimp as it saves time.  However, if you prefer to use uncooked shrimp, shrimp can be cooked and tossed with vegetables 4 hours ahead, then chilled. Bring to room temperature, about 30 minutes, before tossing with sauce.  Sauce can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. 

Phyllo Tart Shells

I usually make my own phyllo tart shells, and although it's not difficult, it is a little time consuming.  So when I came across these ready-made ones, I was ecstatic.  I've only been able to find them in the U.S., so if anyone has seen them in Canada, please let me know where.

These ready-made shells make easy and delicious appetizers.  For cold appetizers, fill with any of the following:

• mango salsa
• crab or shrimp salad
• bruschetta topping with a little balsamic glaze
• tomatoe and boccacini with a little basil and balsamic glaze on top

For hot appetizers, simply fill with any of the following and bake around 325 to 350 until heated through:

• goat cheese topped with sundried tomatoe or fig compote
• goat cheese topped with caramelized onions
• brie cheese topped with mango chutney, raspberry or blueberry jam

Although, I've not used them for desserts, I could see filling with them with a cheesecake filling, chocolate mousse, or creme caramel. 

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Banana Muffins

Yet another Peanut Butter recipe to appease my addiction to peanut butter.  These are healthier muffins as they're made with oatmeal, flax seed and peanut butter - all good for you.   I cheat and use a pre-packaged oatmeal muffin mix, then add in some additional ingredients.

1 PC Organics Oatmeal Muffin Mix or 1/2 package of Quaker Oatmeal Muffin Mix

Make muffins according to directions and add in the following:

2 mashed very ripe bananas

1/3 cup flax seed, ground

1/2 cup natural peanut butter

1 not too ripe banana cut into small cubes (1/4" or so)

Fill muffin tins 3/4 full and bake at 425 degrees for 16-18 minutes.