Almond New York Cheesecake

This cheesecake recipe is a deliciously dangerous.   I fell in love with cheesecake when I lived in Germany.  I would sit in a cafe and split a slice with a friend over a cup of hot espresso!   This is my adaptation for my almond obsession!

INGREDIENTS:

• ~ 15 graham crackers or German spice cookies, ground/crushed
• 2 Tablespoons melted butter
• 1 1/2 cups raw cane sugar
• 4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
• 3/4 cup milk
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 Tablespoon almond extract (or for a twist, substitute your favorite flavor!)
• 1/4 cup unbleached white flour
• 1/4 cup finely sliced blanched almonds

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 inch springform pan.
2. In a medium bowl, mix graham cracker/spice cookie crumbs with melted butter. Press firmly onto bottom of springform pan.
3. In a large bowl, mix cream cheese with raw cane sugar until smooth. Blend in milk, and then mix in the eggs one at a time, mixing just enough to incorporate. Mix in sour cream, almond extract and flour until smooth. Pour filling into prepared crust.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. Turn the oven off, and let cake cool in oven with the door closed for 5 to 6 hours; this prevents cracking.
5. Sprinkle top with blanched almonds and chill in refrigerator until serving.

Obatzda- Bavarian Cheese Spread

This is a delicious and fat-filled delight usually served with fresh veggies and warm pretzels (Brez’n). For a party, do the whole recipe, otherwise you can half it! :)

Ingredients:

• 8 oz of Camembert
• 8 oz of Brie
• 6 oz of Cream Cheese
• 1/4 cup sweet yellow onion minced finely
• 2-3 Teaspoons Paprika (add enough until it is a nice orange)
• 2-3 Tablespoons Caraway seeds
• 4-6 Tablespoons dark Weissebier (wheat beer)
• 1 bunch of chives/green onion tops finely chopped

Mash cheeses, butter, and beer together in a large bowl. When thoroughly mixed together, add in the onion, then slowly add in the caraway seeds and paprika until it is a light orange/pink.  At the end, mix in the majority of the chives.  Chill.  Serve with garnish of fresh chives on top and fresh pretzels and veggies.   Yum!

Daal (Indian red lentil soup)

This is a simple and delicious addition to any Indian meal you are making. Great accompaniment to a Masala dish!

Ingredients:

• 1  1/2 cups red lentils (well rinsed & soaked)
• 2-4 cups of water (depending on desired consistency)
• Olive oil/Untoasted Sesame oil
• 1 medium yellow onion (minced)
• 1-2 tsp Cumin
• 1-2 tsp Coriander powder/seeds
• 1 tsp Ginger- powder or fresh
• 1 tsp Turmeric
• 1 clove of garlic finely minced
• 1 tsp Garam Masala
• 1 large russet or 2 yellow fin potatoes (1 cm cubes)
• 1 large tomato (1/2 inch cubes)
• Salt
• Juice of 1 large lemon
• 1 small bunch of Cilantro (finely chopped with stems and leaves separate)
• 1 small tomato chopped for garnish
• cilantro tops chopped for garnish

First rinse and soak the red lentils in a bowl while preparing all your other ingredients.

In a medium pot, put a generous amount of oil into the pan.  When hot, fry the onion, garlic, Cumin, Coriander, Ginger, Turmeric, and Garam Masala.  When the onions begin to caramalize, add the potatoes and continue to fry for a few minutes, adding more oil as necessary.

Add the lentils and enough water to generously cover the potatoes and lentils.  Allow to boil, stirring often.  When the lentils begin to break down, creating a thicker texture, add the finely chopped stems of the fresh cilantro, lemon juice, salt, and chopped large tomato. Continue to cook, adding water if necessary until you have a thick soup.

Serve with jasmine rice and topped with fresh cilantro and tomato.  I enjoy putting in a tsp of Tumaric into the water when the rice is cooking, creating a bright yellow rice.  Another nice variation is to put 1 tsp – 1 Tbsp of Cumin into the cooking rice for a different flavor!

Orange-Fennel Glazed Beet Salad

This zesty, flavorful dish makes a great side salad to accompany a wide range of dishes!  It is particularly eye-catching if you use a mixture of chioggia (striped),  golden, and red beets.

Ingredients:

• 4-5 Beets peeled and cubed (1- 1  1/2″)
• 4 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 2 Tbsp White Balsamic vinegar
• 1/2-2/3 cup Orange or Tangerine Juice
• Salt
• Pepper

• Chevre (Blue cheese or another cheese of your choice works too)
• Walnuts (finely chopped)
• Sprigs of fresh Fennel (chopped or finely torn

First preheat your oven to 400 F.

In a glass casserole dish: marinade your beets in the olive oil, vinegar, orange juice, salt and pepper.  Leave at least a 1/4-1/2 inch of liquid in the bottom of the pan and continue to baste/stir the beets as they bake.  Remove from the heat when a fork can easily push into the beets.

When the beets are cool, mix in the walnuts, fennel, and chevre.  When serving top with more fresh chevre and fennel.

Avocado-Grapefruit Salad with Chili-Citrus Reduction

This salad is easy and delicious but awes guests with it’s fancy presentation!

Ingredients:

• 2 Avocados
• 2-3 large Grapefruits (peeled out of skins into succulent sections)

Reduction Ingredients:

• Juice of 1 Grapefruit
• 1/4-1/3 cup of raw cane sugar
• 1 tsp-1 Tbsp dried hot chili (depending on your spice preference)

Pour the fresh grapefruit juice, sugar, and hot chili into a sauce pan and bring to a boil and then turn down and let simmer until it has a thin syrup consistency.  Stir diligently so that it does not burn/stick to the pan!

Place slices of grapefruit and avocado on individual plates, alternating to create a fan or design. Pour reduction over and serve!  Makes a great appetizer or end of dinner digestive!

Ukrainian Borscht: Beet Soup!

Olive Oil
1 large Yellow Onion (cut thinly)
2 cloves of garlic (finely minced)
6-8 cups of water/broth
2-3 small yellow fin or red potatoes (cut into small cubes)

1 large bunch of fresh Dill (finely chopped and divided into stems and tops)

1 large Carrot (cut small)
4 large (6 small) red Beets (skinned and Julienned or cut into thin long strips)
1 small green cabbage (sliced in thin long strips by cutting from top to bottom) or with a mandoline.

1 Tbsp white vinegar

In a large pot saute the onions, garlic and finely cut dill stems in olive oil until the onions are golden-translucent.

Throw in your potatoes and generously cover with water and bring to a boil. This will create your vegetable broth.

Meanwhile, prepare your beets and cabbage.

Once your potatoes are mostly cooked throw in your carrots and continue to simmer.

Add your beets, cabbage, and vinegar and let simmer until tender.

salt/pepper/olive oil to taste.  Add 1/2 of the finely chopped dill tops and allow to continue simmering.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream or kefir cheese and fresh dill and a slice of fresh rye bread.

Gallery of Deliciousness!

Here are some photos of recent delicious meals!   Enjoy!