Lemon Berry Tiramisu

Don't you just love being pleasantly surprised when you order a dish at a nice restaurant and the menu description sounds good, but when the server places it in front of you, the presentation is eye-catching and then the first bite (and every bite thereafter) totally blows your expectations off the charts?!  Yeah, me too! :)

Apparently that's what happened when my brother ordered a lemon berry napoleon dessert at the Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill in Las Vegas...it made such an impression on him that he described it to Mom and me as "the best dessert I've ever eaten!"  Now that's a pretty bold statement, especially for Jon!  Haha :)  I asked him to describe it to me so I could try to re-create my own version of this delectable dessert.  I found several recipes that sounded pretty close to what he described, each with slight variations, so I decided that I would attempt to make it for him sometime soon after that...and I had good intentions of doing just that.  Except that was nearly 5 years ago now...ooooops, sorry Jon! :P  I even put a reminder on my calendar on several occasions when I knew I was going to be home for a weekend, but something always came up...I didn't have the ingredients I needed, there were already too many desserts in the house, I filled up my schedule and didn't end up having time to make it, we weren't both home at the same time, etc.

Oh, and did I mention that phyllo dough was a necessary ingredient?  Yeahhh...I even bought frozen phyllo sheets, and they stayed in my freezer for like, a year.  I don't know why the idea of using phyllo dough is so daunting to me...I'm sure it's really not bad at all.  In fact, it's probably quite simple and I just need to buck up and do it for the first time to show myself that it's not a big deal.  But alas, I was still looking for an easy way to avoid it.  So, I was thrilled to find this Lemon Tiramisu Trifle recipe from FoodNetwork.com, which includes the same lemon cream and summer berries as the napoleon recipe, but replaces the phyllo pastry with ladyfingers! Yesss!!! Now I was eager to give it a shot and see whether this variation would meet Jon's approval, so I decided to make it for the 4th of July. Ladies and gentlemen...I present "Lemon Berry Tiramisu!"

Lemon Berry Tiramisu

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 12 oz. (1 plus 1/2 pkg) neufchâtel cream cheese, softened
• 1 - 8 oz. jar lemon curd
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 packages soft ladyfingers (usually found in the bakery section of certain grocery stores)
• 3 cups mixed berries (strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, & blueberries)
•  Powdered sugar (if desired)

In a small bowl or glass measuring cup, mix the lemon juice, sugar, and 1/4 cup water until the sugar is dissolved.  Set aside.

Blend together the cream cheese, lemon curd, and heavy cream with a hand mixer until smooth and somewhat fluffy.  Set aside.

To assemble the tiramisu, place half of the ladyfingers in the bottom of an 8x8 square baking dish, tearing several as needed to completely cover the bottom of the dish.  Drizzle ladyfingers with half of the lemon syrup. 

Spread half of the lemon cream over the ladyfingers...

Then, arrange 1 cup of mixed berries over the cream.  

Repeat the layers (ladyfingers - lemon syrup - lemon cream).

Cover with plastic wrap or tight-fitting lid and chill overnight.  Before serving, top with remaining berries and dust with powdered sugar, if desired.

So, the verdict?  Jon's response: "It's not quite Wolfgang Puck's, but it's still pretty d*mn delicious!"

Thanks Jon - I will take that as a compliment.  Mission (somewhat) accomplished. :)

Although I still intend to overcome my fear of phyllo dough and try to make the real thing...hopefully it won't take me another 5 years to make that happen ;)

Summer Squash & Couscous Casserole

Nothing says summer quite like fresh garden-grown veggies and the delish dishes that you can make with them!  That's my opinion, at least.  When I was home for the July 4th weekend, Mom sent me back to RVA with a bag full of zucchini and yellow squash from her garden.  I always really appreciate when she does that, because I enjoy finding new recipes and pulling out tried and true ones to put the veggies to good use!  However, I always feel a bit guilty for taking them, considering all of the time and effort that Mom puts into garden (i.e. tilling, weeding, planting, watering, picking veggies, etc.).  Most of you know that I'm not exactly someone who likes getting my hands dirty or working outside (unless I'm running haha), so despite watching her work in her garden year after year, I've never actually helped out in that regard (sorry Mom!).  Yet, she never hesitates to send me home with some of my fave produce!  I know I don't say it enough, but thanks Mom! :)

After finishing a short run one night earlier this week, I was hungry and didn't feel like going to any elaborate measures to make dinner, so I just sautéed some yellow squash with red onions, garlic, and lots of black pepper and oregano. Topped it off with some grated pecorino romano cheese...totally simple and delicious!

(Sorry, iPhone pic)

I looked up some new yellow squash recipes during the week and came across this Cooking Light recipe for Baked Couscous with Summer Squash & Herbs.  Per usual, I used that recipe as my base, but tweaked some things to make it my own. :)

Summer Squash & Couscous Casserole

Ingredients:

• 1 (14 oz.) can vegetable broth
• 3/4 cup uncooked whole wheat couscous
• 2 cups sliced yellow summer squash
• 1/4 cup minced red onions (or yellow or green onions...I just used red b/c that's what I already had on hand)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 cup crumbled Feta cheese
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup grated pecorino romano cheese
• 1/4 cup egg substitute
• 1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 tsp. white pepper
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp. parsley
• Chopped fresh basil

Preheat oven to 400 F.  Bring 1 cup veggie broth to a boil in a small saucepan; gradually stir in uncooked couscous.  Remove from heat - cover and let stand 5 minutes.  Fluff couscous with a fork once all liquid has been absorbed.

Meanwhile, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Coat pan with cooking spray.  Add squash, onions, garlic, basil, oregano, and black pepper; saute 3 minutes or until squash is tender.

Combine couscous, squash, and half of cheeses in a large bowl.

Then, stir in remaining veggie broth, egg substitute, white pepper, parsley, and red pepper flakes.

Spoon mixture into a greased 8x8 baking dish.  Top with remaining cheeses.  Bake at 400 F for 35 minutes, or until golden brown.

Jalapeño Popper Dip

Last weekend, a group of us celebrated our friend Caroline's 29th birthday with a mid-afternoon get-together at her house.  That morning, as I was trying to decide what to make for the party (and therefore, perusing my Pinterest boards, per usual, haha), I almost settled on making the Spicy Maryland Crab Dip that I made for the Super Bowl and on several other occasions since.  But then I changed my mind and decided to try something new...thus I whipped up a Jalapeño Popper Dip, which I adapted from this recipe.  Turns out that was a good decision :)

Jalapeño Popper Dip

Ingredients:

• 1 - 8 oz. package Neufchatel (Light) cream cheese
• 1 cup fat-free or light sour cream
• 2 tbsp. light mayo
• 1 - 4 oz. can diced jalapeños, well drained or 4-6 fresh jalapeños, roasted & diced 
• 2 cups shredded (reduced-fat) cheddar cheese - I used 1 cup sharp + 1 cup mild
• 1/2 cup + 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
• 1 tbsp. dried parsley
• 3 tbsp. butter or margarine, melted

In a medium bowl, mix cream cheese, sour cream, and mayo until well-blended.

Add diced jalapeños, cheddar cheese, and 1/2 cup parmesan cheese. Mix together.

Transfer mixture into a greased 8x8 baking dish, spreading evenly.

Blend bread crumbs, 1/4 cup grated parmesan, and dried parsley together. Sprinkle topping mixture evenly over the cheese mixture. Pour melted butter evenly over topping (I was lazy and just dropped pats of softened margarine on top to let them melt in the oven, which worked out fine, but I would probably recommend actually melting the butter first and pouring it on top).

Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes, or until topping is golden brown and the dip is hot throughout.

Serve hot with whole grain tortilla chips, pita chips, crusty bread, or crackers. Enjoy! :)

This just might become my new favorite dip to bring to parties!  It's super simple to throw together, tastes like jalapeño poppers without all of the work, and tastes deliciously spicy with just the right amount of kick!

Cake Batter Blondies

On Wednesday afternoon, I realized that I would actually have some free time after work to bake something for my Thursday night LIFE Group.  Thus, I consulted my "Delectable Desserts" Pinterest board to help me decide what to make, and after perusing for several minutes, I finally settled on this recipe for "Cake Batter Blondies."  I mean, cake batter, white chocolate chips, and other yummy ingredients combined into a moist, chewy, and richly delicious dessert bar....what's not to love?  Plus, they are super easy to make and don't require much time at all!  I managed to bake them when I got home from work and still had plenty of time leftover to go for a 9 mile run while it was still light outside. :)

Alas, my LIFE Group friends ended up missing out on these delish blondies due to the severe thunderstorms that passed through the area and thus cancelled our group meeting last night.  However, this was much to my coworkers' and neighbor's delight as they were the ultimate beneficiaries of my baked goods.

Cake Batter Blondies Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 box white or Funfetti® cake mix
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup skim milk
• 1 egg or 1/4 cup egg substitute
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup rainbow sprinkles (omit if using Funfetti® cake mix)

Instructions:

Grease 8x8 baking dish/pan with Pam for Baking (or any other cooking spray with flour). Pre-heat oven to 350°F.

Mix together cake mix, oil, milk, egg substitute, vanilla, and heavy whipping cream until well combined.

Add in white chocolate chips (and rainbow sprinkles, if using).

Pour batter into prepared pan and cook for 20-30 minutes, or until golden brown on top, but still slightly undercooked in the center.  *Do NOT overcook.*  Wait at least 20 minutes before cutting to give the bars time to set properly.

Notice the gooey cake batter center...this is why it is important not to over bake these.  The unbaked middle section makes these bars extra delicious! :)

These cake batter bars were a huge hit with my coworkers, which was evidenced by the fact that several of them hovered over my baking dish, scarfing down multiple bars in a matter of minutes! ;)

Be sure to make these for a gathering of some sort, or else be ready to pawn them off on your family/friends...you do not want to tempt yourself by keeping a whole pan of these sitting in your kitchen. :P

Extreme Peanut Butter & Chocolate Fudge Cake

I've been on an unplanned "poke cake" roll lately, ever since I made a tres leches cake for some friends' Cinco de Mayo party.  It received rave reviews and several people asked for the recipe.  Then, those same friends invited my b/f and I over for dinner several weeks later...under the one condition that I bring dessert...more specifically, another tres leches cake!  Haha.  I was totally flattered and excited to make the cake again!

Then, per usual, I signed up to bring dessert to a leadership planning dinner/meeting last week and stumbled upon a recipe from Something Swanky for a Reese's Cups & Pieces Better Than Anything Poke Cake (that's a mouthful, literally and figuratively haha ;)  It looked absolutely delicious, so I figured it was worth giving a try....the verdict from my friends affirmed that thought. :)

So, here's my version...renamed accordingly:

Extreme Peanut Butter Chocolate Fudge Cake

• 1 box chocolate fudge or Devil's Food cake mix (plus the oil, eggs, and water called for on the package instructions)
• 1 can fat-free sweetened condensed milk
• 1 - 12.8 oz. jar hot fudge sauce
• 1/3 cup peanut butter
• 1 - 8 oz. container Cool Whip Free (optional)
• 3 tbsp. peanut butter (optional)
• 1/2 cup Reese's Pieces
• 6 Reese's cups, broken into small pieces

Directions:

Grease bottom-only of a 13x9 cake pan with Pam for Baking non-stick spray.  Combine cake mix, oil, eggs, and water in a medium bowl.  Bake according to package instructions.  Once cake has been removed from the oven, allow to cool for at least 5 minutes.

Use a fork to poke holes evenly throughout the cake.

Slowly pour the can of sweetened condensed milk evenly over the cake.

While waiting for the cake to absorb the milk, spoon the hot fudge into a medium bowl.  Add the 1/3 cup peanut butter.  Microwave for 30 seconds, then for another 15-20 seconds, or until of a spreadable consistency.  Stir until the fudgy-peanut butter mixture is smooth, then spread over the cake.

If desired, mix the 3 tbsp peanut butter with Cool Whip and spread over the fudgy-peanut butter layer (I left this step out due to time restraints...either way is fine, but I'm sure it's a great added touch.

Chill overnight until ready to serve.  Top with Reese's Pieces and chopped Reese's cups before serving.

Enjoy! :)

Hashbrown Casserole Makeover...Vegetarian Friendly Style ;)

If you grew up in the South, chances are you're probably a fan of the cheesy potluck favorite known as Hashbrown Casserole.  My mom makes the best hashbrown casserole, and it was usually one of the side dishes that I requested for her to make as part of my family birthday dinner.  I remember asking for her recipe after I began delving into the cooking world during college, and it has become the basis for my go-to casserole recipe (next to baked mac & cheese, of course ;) when I need to make something that requires minimal prep time or that can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated for several hours until I'm ready to pop it in the oven.  I made this casserole for Mother's Day lunch yesterday, and while it was baking, I realized that I had never actually posted the recipe on my blog, despite making it dozens of times over the past several years.  Time to fix that...

Although hashbrown casserole is a far stretch from being "healthy" by any means, I have tweaked the recipe to cut out as many calories and grams of fat as possible, while still maintaining the creamy texture and cheesy deliciousness of the original version.  My version also replaces the cream of chicken soup with cream of celery in order to make it a vegetarian friendly dish. :)

"Healthified" & Vegetarian Friendly Hashbrown Casserole

Ingredients:

• 1 (32 oz.) package frozen southern-style diced hashbrown potatoes, thawed
• 1 (10.75 oz.) can reduced-fat cream of celery soup (I've also used cream of mushroom before, but prefer cream of celery)
• 10 oz. fat-free sour cream (from a 16 oz. container)
• 1 1/2 cups reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup reduced-fat mild cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese
• 1 tbsp. paprika

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.  Grease 9x13 casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine soup, sour cream, mild & sharp cheddar cheese, onion, garlic powder, black pepper, hash brown potatoes, and melted butter (add butter last, pouring over top of the mixture).  Mix well and transfer potato mixture to the prepared casserole dish.  

3. Sprinkle parmesan cheese and paprika evenly over casserole.

4. Bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes, or until bubbly.

With summer potluck season upon us, consider making this for your next family or church picnic!  If my family's reaction is any indication, it is sure to be a big hit! :)

Qrazy for Quesadillas!

With Cinco de Mayo right around the corner, what better time to experiment with some Mexican recipes?  Several months ago, knowing how much I enjoy cooking and how excited I get about kitchen gadgets, a dear family friend gave me a quesadilla maker (thanks so much, Nealda! :)  Last night, after getting home from a short run (I donated blood on Tuesday and apparently it takes me a while to bounce back from that, since a 5.6 mile run was literally all I could muster...despite running a solid 12.3 miles on Sunday, but I digress), I decided that it was time to break out the quesadilla maker and concoct something tasty! The result...Black Bean Quesadilla for one!

Black Bean Quesadilla

Ingredients:

• 2 (10-inch) flour tortillas
• 1 can black beans (I prefer reduced-sodium)
• 1/2 cup medium salsa OR 1/2 cup diced tomatoes w/ green chilies
• 1/2 cup white corn (from frozen, zapped for 2 minutes in the microwave - next time I want to try it with Trader Joe's Fire-Roasted Corn, but I didn't have any on hand last night)
• 1-2 dashes cayenne pepper (alter to your own spice tolerance)
• 1/2 tsp. cilantro
• 3/4 cup reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend, shredded

Before assembling your quesadilla, wipe down the inside of your quesadilla maker with a damp cloth.  Spray both heating plates with cooking spray (I prefer using my Misto® olive oil sprayer).  Close the lid and plug-in the appliance to begin heating up.

Combine black beans, salsa/tomatoes, corn, cayenne pepper, and cilantro in a small bowl.

Lay 1 tortilla on a flat surface and spread filling over it (you will likely have some leftover filling, but don't over-fill or it will leak out during the grilling process).  Sprinkle shredded Mexican blend cheese over top of the filling.  Once the indicator light on the quesadilla maker shows that it is preheated, open the lid and transfer the tortilla with toppings onto the bottom heating plate.  

Top with 2nd tortilla, close lid, and cook for approximately 5 minutes.  When done, transfer the quesadilla to a plate and serve with sour cream, remaining salsa, and avocado/guacamole.

So, I went a little overboard with the salsa, but it was still tasty despite being a bit messy!

And there you have it!  A super simple, yet super tasty weeknight dinner that you can throw together in just a few minutes!  Ole! :)

Caramel Carrot Cake White Chocolate Cheesecake Trifle (a mouthful to say, but oh-so totally worth it!)

Happy Easter, everyone!!!  I hope you all had a wonderfully blessed and happy one!

Last weekend, after a fun day in the Valley including lunch at Dave's Taverna, winetasting and a winery tour at CrossKeys Vineyard, and the Green Valley Book Fair with the b/f and our (newly engaged!) friends Patrick and Lila, I enjoyed a nice dinner with Mom and Jon at L'Italia.  It was an awesome, fun-filled Saturday, and at some point during conversation that night, I asked Mom what she wanted me to make for Easter dinner the next Sunday.  She thought about it and suggested that I could make a dessert, like carrot cake.  Now, I've made a couple of pretty awesome carrot cakes from scratch for various occasions in recent years, but this time I just felt like changing it up a bit.  So, I started searching for something carrot cake-ish, but a bit different from the norm.  Then, I happily stumbled upon this recipe for Caramel Carrot Cake White Chocolate Cheesecake Trifle from Something Swanky, and I knew I absolutely had to make this delectable dessert!  Game over!!!

I also volunteered to bring a dessert for a Young Professionals Ministry party last Tuesday night, so I figured I might as well go ahead and test out the new recipe!  It turned out to be a huge hit, with only about 1.5 servings left in the bottom of the bowl! :)  I took this as a good sign that the trifle was indeed worthy of being served at Easter dinner.  So alas, I whipped it up again yesterday afternoon and received rave reviews from my fam. :)

Caramel Carrot Cake White Chocolate Cheesecake Trifle

Ingredients:

• 1 - 9x13 carrot cake (baked & cooled), from scratch or from a mix...(if you go the mix route, I highly recommend Duncan Hines Decadent Classic Carrot Cake mix)
• Caramel Sundae Sauce
• 2 cups pecan pieces, chopped (optional...I left these out)
• 1 - 8 oz. tub Fat-Free Cool Whip, thawed
• 1 - 8 oz. container Philadelphia White Chocolate Indulgences cream cheese, softened*
• 1 - 8 oz. container Neufchatel cream cheese, softened*
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

*The original recipe called for 2 containers of the white chocolate cream cheese, but I thought that would be a bit too rich, so I decided to go with 1 white chocolate and 1 neufchatel, which I think worked out well.

Instructions:

1. Using a hand mixer, blend the cream cheese and sugar together until smooth and creamy.
2. Blend in the cool whip, salt, lemon juice, and vanilla. Set mixture aside.
3. Once the carrot cake is completely cooled, cut the cake into 1″ squares. Place 1/3 of the squares in the bottom of a trifle dish. 

4. Drizzle caramel over the cake (feel free to adjust the amount based on your own personal preference).

5. Spread 1/3 of the cheesecake mixture over the cake and sprinkle with 1/3 of the pecans (if using).

6. Repeat layering, ending with the cheesecake and pecans (if desired) on top. 

Drizzle with some more caramel! Chill for at least an hour or overnight, serve, and be prepared to scrape the bowl clean! :)

Shrimp & Veggie Curry Fried Rice

It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of ethnic food, especially Indian and Thai....oh, and Ethiopian!  However, I tend to shy away from cooking many of these dishes at home, as it usually seems that my attempts to recreate some of my favorite Indian and Thai dishes turn out just mediocre instead of mouthwatering.  For some reason though, recently I was in the mood to give it another shot.  Thus, I bring you...

Shrimp & Veggie Curry Fried Rice

The first rule of making fried rice: Be sure to use leftover, day-old rice that has been stored in the refrigerator.  Freshly cooked rice will turn out mushy, and nobody wants mushy fried rice, right? :P

Ingredients:

• 5 cups cooked, day-old jasmine rice
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 green chile, chopped & seeds removed
• 3/4 cup frozen green peas, thawed
• 1/3 cup carrots, diced
• 1 medium red bell pepper
• 3/4 cup mushrooms, chopped
• 2 tbsp. Thai Red Curry Paste
• 1 tbsp. Spicy Thai Chili Sauce
• 1 1/2 tsp. curry powder
• 1/8 tsp. ginger
• 2 tsp. minced garlic
• 1 lb. raw shrimp, shelled & de-veined
• 1/2 cup egg substitute, black pepper added
• 2 tsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp. cilantro
• Vegetable oil

Heat wok over medium heat. Once the wok is hot, add oil and heat for several seconds.  Add onions and chilies and stir-fry until soft.

Once the onions and chilies are tender, add all of the other vegetables that you're using.  Cook until veggies are almost tender, then remove veggie mixture from wok into a bowl and set aside.

Add red curry paste, spicy thai chili sauce, curry powder, ginger and garlic to the wok.  Add shrimp and cook until they turn pink.

Add rice and toss thoroughly until coated with curry mixture.  Spread the rice all over the surface area of the wok and let it heat up.  Don't stir until you hear the rice grains sizzle.  Toss rice, moving it around the wok and again spreading it out.  Drizzle soy sauce over rice and toss again.  Return veggies to wok and mix in with rice and shrimp.

Meanwhile, cook eggs in small frying pan, stirring as if you are making scrambled eggs, until they just start to set.  Add to rice mixture and continue cooking until everything is heated through.  Remove wok from heat, stir in cilantro, and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Weeknight Tuna Noodle Casserole...with a bit of a kick! :)

For some reason, I've really been in the mood to bake casseroles recently...not sure why, but hey, I don't question these things, I just go with them! :)  So, tonight after work I went for a 5 mile run, then came home and thew together a Tuna Noodle Casserole.  After perusing several recipes, I decided to take elements from all of them, while also tweaking it to my personal preferences...aka adding a few ingredients like cayenne pepper and red pepper flakes. :)

Below is the result of my latest culinary experiment, which I must admit, made for a pretty tasty dinner...even despite the fact that it wasn't actually ready until 9 p.m...but hey, all good things are worth waiting for, right?

Weeknight Tuna Noodle Casserole with a Kick!

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. Ronzoni Healthy Harvest Whole Grain egg noodles (from 12 oz. bag)
• 1 can Campbell's Healthy Request Cream of Celery soup
• 1/2 cup low-fat mayo (or mayo substitute)
• 1 (4 oz) can mushroom stems & pieces, drained
• 2 ribs celery, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup sweet peas (frozen or canned)
• 1 cup fat-free evaporated milk (or fat-free half & half)
• 2 cups shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
• Several dashes grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 (5 oz) cans tuna (packed in water), drained
• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp dry mustard
• 1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper, plus more for top
• 1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat mexican blend cheese
• 1/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs
• Several dashes Butter Buds

Cook noodles in salted water until al dente. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 325°.  Grease 9x13 casserole dish with cooking spray.

Mix all ingredients (except mexican cheese, breadcrumbs, Butter Buds, and reserved cayenne pepper) together in large mixing bowl, adding cooked noodles last.  

Transfer tuna noodle mixture to the prepared casserole dish.  Sprinkle 1/2 cup mexican blend shredded cheese over casserole, followed by the breadcrumbs, cayenne pepper, and Butter Buds.

Bake in preheated oven for 25-35 minutes, or until bubbly and lightly browned.

Of course, if you have an aversion to spicy stuff, you can omit the cayenne pepper, but I personally think it is the perfect added touch!

Hope y'all enjoy! :)

Amici Ristorante...An Italian Delight in Carytown!

For Valentine's Day, the b/f took me out for a lovely dinner at Amici Ristorante, a Carytown restaurant that specializes in Northern Italian cuisine.  I have walked or driven past this establishment dozens of times over the past (nearly) 3 years of living in the Fan, and despite the fact that it has been on my "Jules' Richmond Restaurants To Try" list for almost as long as I've lived here, it was one of those special occasion places that I just hadn't made it to yet.  So, on Thursday evening when Michael told me where we were going for dinner, I was pretty ecstatic to finally try it out!

When we arrived, we were greeted by several of the friendly staff.  Once they confirmed our reservation, we were led upstairs (we didn't even realize the restaurant had a 2nd level!), and were given our choice between the only two vacant 2-person tables.  One of them just so happened to be in the back corner, so we snatched that one up, as it offered a bit more privacy.  Since I rate restaurants based on ambiance as well as quality of food, I immediately appreciated the pleasantly romantic atmosphere of the Amici dining room.  Pale yellow walls adorned with eye-pleasing framed prints and attractive decor, dimmed lighting, white tablecloths, and a relatively low noise level conducive to intimate conversation collectively set the mood for a romantic dining experience.

The only thing that I felt was missing was a candle on each table...I mean the ambient lighting was nice in itself, but dinner by candlelight on Valentine's Day just seems appropriate.  I've been to far less classy joints that at least have a votive candle on the table.  Totally being knit-picky though.  Oh, and the other minor thing that struck me as a bit odd was the music...the playlist/radio station played an interesting mix of tunes that ranged from current country music to 90's alternative rock, the latter of which is one of my favorite genres, but it just felt a bit out of place in this particular environment.  Seems to me like some Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin standards would be a much better complement to the overall vibe of the place, but maybe that's just me being cliche.  Haha.

Okay, moving on to the most important factor when it comes to rating a restaurant: the FOOD!  We started by perusing the wine list and decided on a Riesling for me (sweetest white I could find on the menu haha) and a red that I don't remember for him (but I'm sure it was the driest red on the menu...our tastes in wine are on complete opposite sides of the spectrum lol).  We both found our respective glasses of wine to be very enjoyable, so that got our meal off to a great start.  Anyway, on to the dinner menu...In my typical indecisive fashion, I waffled back and forth between several menu items and changed my mind at least 3 times before finally settling on the "spaghettini al nero con trota affumicata."  Translation: homemade black ink spaghettini with smoked trout, arugula, and cream sauce.  I was intrigued by the uniqueness of this dish, which is part of the reason I decided to order it...I'm always a fan of trying new, unique things!  However, I don't think I had ever eaten trout before ordering this dish, so I was a bit nervous about how "fishy" or salty it might taste.  Imagine my excitement when this delightful dish was placed in front of me...

Black ink spaghettini w/ trout, arugula, & cream sauce...just wow!

The first bite removed any skepticism I might have had about whether I ordered the right thing or not....omg...this was so incredibly delish!  I savored every bite, but as much as I wanted to devour the whole thing, it was too much to finish in one sitting (plus, I needed to save room for my homemade cheesecake that we were having for dessert ;), so I enjoyed the leftovers for lunch on Friday.  Michael sampled my pasta dish and agreed that it was fantastic.  He ordered the ribeye, which came with potatoes and asparagus...I obviously didn't sample his entree, but he said that it was awesome, and his clean plate supported that statement. :)

So, Amici Ristorante earns high marks from me for an overall wonderful Valentine's Day dining experience.  It's definitely worthy of a spot on my list of fave special occasion dining spots, which means I will most certainly be back!  The next time you find yourself looking for a quality date night spot in RVA, you should definitely give Amici a try! :)

And since this post is about my Valentine's Day dinner, I can't help but share a pic of the beautiful bright pink roses (my fave flower) that the b/f surprised me with. :)

NY Style Cheesecake for an RVA Style Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day one day late, y'all! :)

Based on the title of this post, you probably already guessed that a cheesecake recipe will follow...and of course, you are correct.  However, I want to preface the recipe with the backstory for why I made it.

As many of you know, I really enjoy baking (way to state the obvious, huh? lol), and I especially love sharing those baked goodies with my family and friends.  However, my boyfriend doesn't really care for desserts.  I know, I know...crazy, right?  But then again, most people think I'm weird for being a vegetarian, so I have no room to judge.  Haha.  Besides, he still indulges my Sweet Frog obsession despite the fact that he doesn't really care for fro-yo, so he wins brownie points there (except he wouldn't really enjoy eating them after he won them...Sorry, that was a terrible joke, but I couldn't resist :P)  Anyway, the one dessert that he does actually enjoy is cheesecake, so I decided several weeks ago that I would bake him a cheesecake for Valentine's Day.  In those rare instances (like once a year) when I decide to put forth the time and effort to bake a cheesecake in my tiny kitchenette, I usually like to experiment by making a different flavor each time (i.e. pumpkin, white chocolate, Bailey's, caramel apple, cranberry orange, etc).  So, one night earlier this week, the b/f was reading and I was sitting on the couch next to him perusing foodgawker (aka my fave recipe site), just looking for any recipes that particularly jumped out at me as being pin-worthy.  He glanced over my shoulder at one point and an appetizing photo of a cheesecake slice apparently caught his eye as he gushed "Mmmm cheesecake."  So here was my opportunity to nonchalantly figure out what kind of cheesecake he would prefer.  "Haha yup!  So what's your favorite kind of cheesecake?" His response: "Just plain cheesecake...."  My response: "Oh..."  To which he added: "I mean, sometimes I like it with fruit topping, like cherries...or whipped cream."  Hmm okay, I decided to keep digging.  "Well, have you ever had coffee or Kahlua cheesecake?  I thought you'd like that since you love coffee so much."  His response: "I'd rather just drink coffee with my cheesecake."  Well, so much for my game plan to make a creative cheesecake.  Haha.  But hey, it was part of his Valentine's gift, so I wanted to make what he would enjoy most...NY Style Cheesecake it is!

Admittedly, when I first taught myself to make cheesecake in college, I was one of those health food nuts who attempted to make everything as low in fat and calories as possible...yes, even desserts.  You can probably guess where this is going....the first cheesecake I made contained part fat-free and part neufchâtel cream cheese. Dessert failure right there, folks.  LOL.  If you've ever attempted to do this, you now also realize that fat-free cream cheese doesn't actually get creamy when beaten, it gets clumpy.  So, the end result was a lumpy cheesecake that was...edible at best, but definitely lacked the rich, creamy texture that makes cheesecake so decadent.  But hey, some of life's best lessons are learned by trial and error, right? :)  Anyway, after that experience, I learned that attempting to make cheesecake less terrible for you totally defeats the purpose...desserts are supposed to be enjoyed in moderation, so when you do, you might as well make them splurge-worthy! :)

Anyway, enough rambling and on to the cheesecake recipe!  When I think of "authentic" New York style cheesecake, Junior's and Carnegie Deli are the first names that come to mind.  I wasn't actually expecting to find either of those recipes posted online, however, I figured it was worth a quick Google search, and surprisingly, I found this recipe for Junior's Original New York Cheesecake.  Whether it's actually the real thing, I can't say, however it turned out pretty delightful, so it's a keeper in my book!

Ingredients:

Crust: (The original recipe calls for Junior's Sponge Cake Crust, however, I changed this up because I'm a fan of graham cracker/vanilla wafer crust).

• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 2/3 cup vanilla wafer crumbs
• 2.5 tbsp butter or margarine, melted

Cheesecake Filling:

• Four (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 1 2/3 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
• 2 extra-large eggs (or 1/2 cup egg substitute, which is what I used)
• 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream 

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously spray the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan with Pam For Baking (or any other cooking spray).  Wrap the outside of the pan with aluminum foil, covering the bottom and extending all the way up the sides.  Process graham crackers and vanilla wafers in a food processor until ground into fine crumbs.

Pour crumbs into the greased springform pan. Pour in melted butter, blend, then pat the crumb/butter mixture on the bottom of the pan to form the crust. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Remove to cool.

Combine one package cream cheese, 1/3 cup sugar, and the cornstarch in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low until creamy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl several times. Blend in the remaining cream cheese, one package at a time, scraping down the bowl after each one. 

Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat in the remaining 1 1/3 cups sugar, then the vanilla. Blend in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after adding each one. Beat in the cream just until completely blended and smooth. Be careful not to overmix! 

Gently spoon the batter over the crust. 

Place the cake in a large shallow pan containing hot water that comes about 1 inch up the sides of the springform.

Bake until the edges are light golden brown and the top is slightly golden tan, about 1 1/4 hours. Remove the cheesecake from the water bath, transfer to a wire rack, and let cool for 2 hours (just walk away - don't move it). Then, leave the cake in the pan, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until completely cold, preferably overnight or for at least 4 hours.
To serve, release and remove the sides of the springform, leaving the cake on the bottom of the pan. Place on a cake plate and top with fruit topping or whipped cream, if desired.

Refrigerate overnight or until ready to serve (at least 4 hours).  Slice the chilled cheesecake with a sharp straight-edge knife.


After a lovely Valentine's Day dinner at Amici Ristorante (more on that in my next post ;), we came back to my apartment and each enjoyed a slice of this cheesecake with coffee.  I should note that I sent the leftover 8/10 of the cheesecake home with him...didn't need that kind of temptation in my fridge!  Haha.

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend! :)