Eggplant Casserole

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds eggplant, peeled, cubed
• 1 medium onion, chopped, about 1/2 cup
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• Dash pepper
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, about 4 ounces, divided
• 1 cup diced tomatoes
• 2/3 cup fresh bread crumbs
• 3 to 4 basil leaves, chopped, or about 1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves
• 2 tablespoons melted butter

Preparation:

Butter a 2-quart baking dish. Heat oven to 350°.Put eggplant and onion in a saucepan; cover with water and add salt. Bring to a boil; cover and continue boiling for 10 minutes, until eggplant is tender. Drain well and set aside.In the saucepan over medium-low heat, melt 3 tablespoons of butter. Stir in flour until well blended. Add the milk and cook, stirring, until thickened. Stir in salt, pepper, and 3/4 cup of the cheese. Stir in the eggplant and diced tomatoes; turn into the prepared baking dish. Top with remaining cheese. Combine the bread crumbs with chopped basil and melted butter. Toss crumbs to mix then sprinkle over the eggplant mixture. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until bubbly and topping is browned.Serves 4.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Crust

• 1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup melted salted butter

Filling

• 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
• 3 eggs
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. 1
   1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. 2
   2. In medium bowl, combine crumbs, sugar and cinnamon. Add melted butter. Press down flat into a 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.
3. 3
   3. Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add pumpkin puree, eggs, egg yolk, sour cream, sugar and the spices. Add flour and vanilla. Beat together until well combined.
4. 4
   4. Pour into crust. Spread out evenly and place oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours.

 

Irish Creme White Chocolate Cheesecake

Crust

• 10 graham crackers, broken up
• 1 1/4 cups pecans
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling

• 1 1/2 lbs cream cheese, room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1/3 cup Baileys Irish Cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 ounces imported white chocolate

Topping

• 1 1/2 cups sour cream
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 ounces white chocolate, grated
• 24 pecan halves

Directions:

1. 1
   Break the white chocolate into pieces.
2. 2
   Preheat oven to 325°.
3. 3
   Lightly butter a 9-inch springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides.
4. 4
   Finely grind the graham crackers, pecans and sugar together in processor.
5. 5
   Add the butter and blend, using on/off turns.
6. 6
   Press mixture on bottom and 2 inches up sides of the pan.
7. 7
   Chill for 20 minutes.
8. 8
   Prepare the filling: With a electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl.
9. 9
   Beat until smooth.
10. 10
    In a medium bowl whisk eggs, Baileys and vanilla extract just until blended.
11. 11
    Beat mixture into the cream cheese mixture.
12. 12
    Finely chop the white chocolate in processor using on/off turns; add to cheese mixture.
13. 13
    Pour filling into crust.
14. 14
    Bake until edges of the filling are puffed and dry looking and center is just set, near 50 minutes.
15. 15
    Let cake cool on rack.
16. 16
    Make topping: Mix sour cream and powdered sugar in small bowl.
17. 17
    Spread topping onto cake when cooled; sprinkle chocolate over.
18. 18
    Place pecans around edges of cake.
19. 19
    Refrigerate until chilled, overnight or 6 hours

Butterfinger Cheesecake

1 1/2 cups chocolate graham-cracker crumbs
3/4 stick unsalted butter, melted
1/8 cup packed golden brown sugar
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (divided use)
3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 cup sugar, sifted
1 cup sour cream
4 large eggs
1 3/4 cups crushed Butterfinger bars (divided use)
5 ounces semisweet chocolate
5 ounces heavy cream (or a bit less)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter 9-inch springform pan. Blend graham-cracker crumbs, butter, brown sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla until moist. Press onto bottom and 2 inches up sides of pan.

For filling, beat cream cheese, sugar and 2 tablespoons vanilla in large bowl until well blended. Beat in sour cream. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition. Add 1 1/2 cups crushed Butterfingers. Pour into pan. Bake about an hour, until golden on top, cracked on edges and set a little in the center. Transfer to rack. Let cool.

Meanwhile, coarsely chop chocolate and place in medium bowl. Heat cream. When it begins to boil, pour over chocolate. Let sit 1 minute, then stir until smooth.

Take one-third of the mixture and put into plastic zip bag. Set aside. Put the remaining two-thirds in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes to thicken. Remove and spread over cake. Then sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup Butterfingers over the glaze. Finally, drizzle remaining chocolate from the plastic bag over the top. Refrigerate overnight.

Makes 12 servings.

Shrimp and Grits

Shrimp and Grits Recipe

 

 

Ingredients

• 1 cup stone-ground grits
• Salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined, left whole if small and roughly chopped if medium or large
• 6 slices bacon, chopped into tiny pieces
• 4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 cup thinly sliced green onions, white and green parts
• 1 large garlic clove, minced

Directions

• 1. To make the shrimp and grits recipe, bring 4 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the grits and salt and pepper to taste. Stir well with a whisk. Reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting and cook the grits until all the water is absorbed, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and cheese. Keep covered until ready to serve.
• 2. Rinse the shrimp and pat dry. Fry the bacon in a large skillet until browned and crisp, then drain on a paper towel. Add the shrimp to the bacon grease in the skillet and saute over medium heat just until they turn pink, about 3 minutes. Do not overcook! Immediately add the lemon juice, parsley, green onions, and garlic. Remove the skillet from the heat.
• 3. Pour the grits into a serving bowl. Pour the shrimp mixture over the grits. Garnish with the bacon bits.

Shrimp or Chicken Fried Rice

BETTER-THAN-TAKEOUT-FRIED-RICE


Serves: 5-6
Ingredients
... •4 cups rice, prepared
•½ pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked or shrimp cooked
•1 cup peas & carrots, frozen
•1 white onion, chopped
•2 cloves garlic, minced
•2 eggs
•3 tablespoons sesame oil
•¼ cup soy sauce


Instructions
1.Prepare rice according to package instructions to yield 4 cups cooked rice.
2.Heat sesame oil in a large skillet on medium heat.
3.Add onion, garlic, peas, and carrots. Stir fry until tender.
4.Crack eggs into pan and scramble, mixing throughout vegetables.
5.Add rice, chicken, and soy sauce to pan. Stir in soy sauce and remove from heat.

7 Cheese Macaroni

Ingredients

• Unsalted butter, for the baking dish
• 1 pound elbow macaroni
• 6 large eggs, at room temperature
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 cup (4 ounces) cubed Velveeta cheese
• 3 cups half-and-half, at room temperature
• 2 1/2 cups (10 ounces) grated sharp yellow cheddar cheese
• 1 cup (4 ounces) grated extra-sharp white cheddar cheese
• 3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated Asiago cheese
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated Gruyere cheese
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated Monterey Jack cheese
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated Muenster cheese
• Pinch kosher salt, or to taste
• 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly butter a 4-quart rectangular baking dish.
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until slightly al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain and set aside to keep warm.
Whisk the eggs in a large bowl until frothy. Add the butter, Velveeta, and 1 cup of the half-and-half. Add the warm macaroni and toss until the Velveeta has melted and the mixture is smooth. Add the remaining 2 cups half-and-half, 1 1/2 cups of the yellow cheddar, the remaining cheeses, the salt, and the pepper. Toss until completely combined.
Pour the mixture into the prepared dish, and bake for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup yellow cheddar and bake until golden brown on top, about 30 minutes. Serve hot.