Orange Cheesecake with Candied Orange

Oranges came in the box from Boston Organics and cheesecake was requested for me to make. Recipe for the cake was taken from here, with the rum suggestion used, and the recipe for the candied oranges was taken from here.

Ingredients:

• Crust:
• 2 cups graham crackers (1/2 box)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 TBSP butter, melted
• Cake:
• 24 oz cream cheese (don't use reduced fat or low fat...it's cake), room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 eggs
• juice from 1/2 an orange
• 3 TBSP orange zest (I got enough from the same 1/2 I was going to juice)
• 1 TBSP vanilla
• 3 TBSP white rum (I used Bacardi)
• Topping
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 oranges cut into thin slices

 Directions:

1) Preheat the oven to 325F/160C
2) Pulse the graham crackers in a food processor until finely crushed.
3) Add sugar and melted butter and mix until combined.






4) Pat into the bottom of pan and bake for 10-12 minutes.
5) Let cool.
6) Lower the oven to 300F/150C







7) Beat cream cheese, flour and sugar until smooth.
8) Add eggs, vanilla, orange juice, orange zest and rum and mix until combined.







9) Pour into the crust and bake for 80 minutes or until the middle is set. Keep an eye on it due to the rum.







10) Let sit for 30 minutes.
11) Loosen the cheesecake from the side of the pan (either take off the spring form part or slide a knife around the sides).
12) Let sit for another 30 minutes.





13) Combine the water and sugar in a pot or pan with large sides and bring to a boil.








14) Add the oranges and let boil for 5 minutes on each side.




 



15) Reduce heat and let simmer for 30 minutes, turning over again if necessary.







16) Remove from heat and let cool on wax/parchment paper
17) Add the candied orange slices to the cheesecake and place in the refrigerator for 4-8 hours.

 

 my crust did not hold up too well, so I put some on top of the cheesecake which was great!

 This is the texture you want in a cheesecake

Mashed Potatoes with Cheddar and Chives

 As my last post will tell you, we get a box of fruit and vegetables once a week from Boston Organics. This box contained chives, thus this recipe was followed and altered a bit.

These do not turn into potato pancakes well. I think it is the cheeses and cream.

Ingredients:

• 4 lb baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-in chunks
• 10 oz sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh chives
• 1/2 cup low fat sour cream
• 1/3 cup low fat cream cheese
• 3 TBSP butter
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper

Directions:

1) Boil potatoes in a large pot in water for about 20 minutes, or until tender when stuck with a fork.
2) Scoop off 1 cup cooking water and reserve.
3) Drain.






4) Return potatoes to the pot and add the water and the rest of the ingredients.
5) Mash.

Chocolate Chocolate Cheesecake Cupcakes

Double Birthday! Recipe comes from The Big Book of Cupcakes: 150 Brilliantly Delicious Dreamcakes

Ingredients:

• Cupcake
• 1 cup cocoa powder
• 2 cups boiling water
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups superfine sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 3/4 cups all-flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 16 oz powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup whipping cream
• Bar of chocolate

Directions:

1) Combine cocoa and 2 cups boiling water in a large heatproof bowl, stirring until blended and smooth.
2) Let cool.
3) Preheat the oven to 350F/176C






4) Beat butter with a mixer until creamy.









5) Add sugar slowly, beating until blended.








6) Add eggs, one at a time, beating until blended after each addition.








7) Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.









8) Add to butter mixture alternating with cocoa mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
9) Stir in vanilla extract.

 10) Place paper baking cups in cupcake pans and coat with cooking spray.









11) Spoon batter into cups, about 3-4 spoonfuls each.
12) Bake for 12-15 minutes.

13) To make the frosting, mix the cream cheese, butter, vanilla and salt until creamy.







14) Combine powdered sugar and cocoa.
15) Add to the cream cheese mixture alternately with cream, beginning and ending with powdered sugar mixture.
16) Beat at high speed 2 minutes or until creamy.







17) Poke a hole in the top of the cupcakes.
18) Fill the cupcake with the frosting and then frost the top.






19) Microwave the chocolate bar for 20 seconds.
20) Use a vegetable peeler to make curls.
21) Place on top of the cupcakes.

 Special Birthday Cupcakes

 

Pepper, Tomato and Pesto Omeltte

Again, you need to eat well before an exam!

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• salt and pepper
• 1/4 of a pepper, cut into small bits
• 1 tomato, cut into small bits with the seeds taken out
• 1 TBSP parsley
• 2 tsp pesto
• 2 TBSP cream cheese

I was skeptical about how the cream cheese would taste, but it worked out well!

1) Place oil in a pan on medium heat.
2) Mix the eggs and seasoning in a cup.
3) Place the egg mixture in the pan.
4) After it is solid, add the pepper, tomato, parsley, pesto and cream cheese, making sure the cream cheese goes around the edges.




5) Flip over the half that does not have filling.
6) After a few minutes, flip it again.

Strawberry and Lemon Cupcakes

It was summer-ish today (i.e. the sun came out for 4 hours) and that made me want to make summer-y cupcakes!

Taken from here and modified.

Ingredients:

• Cupcakes
• 2 cups cake flour
• 2 cups all-purpose flour minus 4 TBSP
• 4 TBSP corn starch
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• zest of 1 lemon
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 eggs
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup milk
• Frosting
• 4 oz strawberries
• 1/8 cup sugar
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1) Combine flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.









2) Combine cream cheese, butter, sugar, lemon zest and juice and vanilla.








3) Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.
4) Add the oil.







5) Add the flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with 2 batches of the milk.








6) Fill the cupcake liners with 1/2 to 2/3 full.
7) Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
8) Cool completely before frosting.






9) To make the frosting, puree the strawberries with either a blender or food processor, cutting before.
10) Add the sugar and put over medium heat.
11) Reduce until the sauce can cover the back of the spoon.
12) Remove and let cool.





13) Add the rest of the ingredients.