Aunt Anita’s Fruit Pizza

 

Summer time cookouts and picnics are the perfect places for a delicious fruit pizza.  My Aunt Anita gave me this recipe and I have been thankful ever since.  It’s an old warm-weather standby.  While many fruit pizzas are a sugar cookie crust with a whipped/Cool Whip topping, this one is different.  It’s a yummy pastry crust with a cream cheese frosting.  I like the versatility of adding your favorite in season fruits to it.  Everyone will certainly enjoy this at your next get-together.  I’ve never had a complaint yet!

 

Aunt Anita’s Fruit Pizza

Pastry Crust:

1 Cup flour

1 stick margarine/butter

3 oz cream cheese

 

Mix together and bake 375 degrees for approximately 12 minutes

 

Frosting:

8 oz cream cheese

½ cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

 

Mix together, spread on crust, refrigerate

 

Add fruit (strawberries, kiwi, grapes, mandarin oranges, blueberries)

Devil’s Food Cheesecake

Oh. My. Goodness! Yes, this is as delicious and rich as it looks!

I love birthdays and I think that they should be celebrated. My dear friend, Jonathan, was having a birthday and I wanted to make him something special. My offers to jump out of the cake were met with a request to make the cake by some of his friends. Sounds just as fun for me!

Whenever Jonathan and I venture to NYC we always end up at Junior’s, which are known for their cheesecakes. Since we both love chocolate we go for the gold with their layered devil’s food cheesecake which is rich and decadent. Neither of us can ever finish a piece. Of course this was my inspiration for the dessert I was preparing for him.

So here it is!  You’ll notice that the cake part is the Black Magic cake, which can be found on a previous post here but this time I made it with Choffy (brewed coco beans instead of coffee beans).  You can get Choffy here

For the cheesecake layer:

3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese (use only full fat), at room temperature
1 1/3 cups sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
3 extra-large eggs
2/3 cup heavy whipping cream

For the cake layers (makes 3 layers)

 1 3/4 cup all purpose flour

2 cups  sugar

3/4 cup cocoa powder

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 eggs

 1 cup Choffy (you can substitute coffee, but why would you want to do that??)

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 tsp real vanilla extract

For the dark fudge frosting (I recommend making this in 2 batches):

12 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar (1 1/2 pounds)
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups (6 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

12 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled
4 tablespoons dark corn syrup
4 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup heavy whipping cream

Whew!  That’s a lot of ingredients!  Better give you another sneak peak at the finished product so you don’t get discouraged!

Now, the instructions!

The Cheesecake layer:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and generously grease the bottom and sides of one 9-inch springform pan and wrap the outside with aluminum foil, covering the bottom and extending all the way up the sides.To make the cheesecake layer, put one package of the cream cheese, 1/3 cup of the 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 a couple of times. Blend in the remaining cream cheese, one package at a time, scraping down the bowl after each. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat in the remaining 1 cup sugar, then the vanilla. Blend in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after adding each. Beat in the cream just until it’s completely blended. Be careful not to overmix!Gently spoon the batter into the foil-wrapped springform and place it in a large shallow pan containing hot water that comes about 1 inch up the sides of the springform. Bake the cake at 350 degrees F until the edges are light golden brown and the top is slightly golden tan, about 1 1/4 hours. Remove the cake from the water bath, transfer to a wire rack, and cool in the pan for 2 hours, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate (while still in the pan) until it’s completely cold.

For your cake layers (3):

Very important: Line the bottom of all three pans with parchment paper (don’t let the paper come up the sides).

Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl or stand mixer.

 Add eggs, coffee, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla.

Beat at medium speed for two minutes. Batter will be thin.

 Pour batter into  cake pans.

 Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 20 minutes (be sure that tooth pick comes out clean)

For your Frosting:

In a large bowl, sift the confectioners’ sugar, cocoa, and salt together.

In another large bowl, cream the butter with a mixer on high until light yellow and slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.

With the mixer still running, beat in the chocolate, corn syrup, and vanilla.

Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the sugar-cocoa mixture in two additions, beating well after each.

Blend in the cream until the frosting is a spreading consistency, adding a little more cream if needed.

Whip the frosting on high until light and creamy, about 2 minutes more.

Don’t get discouraged!  You’re in the home stretch!  See!!

Let’s put it all together!

Place one layer of devil’s food cake, top side down, on a cake plate and spread with some of the frosting.

Release and remove the ring of the springform, then remove the frozen cheesecake from the bottom of the pan.

Place top side down on the frosted cake layer and spread with some frosting.

Top with the second devil’s food layer, top side down.

Spread with more frosting and cover with the third devil’s food layer, top side up.

Frost the sides and top of the cake with the remaining frosting, spreading the top with frosting about 1/2 inch deep.

                 

Feel free to add fancy chocolate curls and chocolate chips (which is what I did) or oh heck!  Go put your feet up and serve it as is!  It’s beautiful and they will think it’s delicious!

Don’t hate me because I’m beautiful

Happy birthday Jonathan!  Here’s to many more!

Perfectly Prepared Chicken Breast

 

We’ve all been there.  Bland, dried out chicken breast.  Ugh!  Such a bore.  You’re afraid of getting that pink strip inside your chicken (seriously, is there anything worse than biting into raw chicken??) and so you cook the heck out of it until all the moisture has been sucked out!  No fear!  I have your solution!!  Perfectly juicy, flavorful, this can be served hot as a main or cold as a delicious salad topper.

2 boneless chicken breasts

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon  garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon paprika

2 tablespoons coconut oil (I actually think you could cut back and use 1)

Mix salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika.

Coat the chicken breasts in the seasoning

Heat coconut oil in a cast iron pan over medium-high heat

When nice and hot, add chicken to the pan and cook 2-3 min per side

Place chicken in skillet in a 350 degree F oven for 25 minutes

Let sit on a plate 5-10 minutes before cutting, shredding, chilling or eating

AHHHH!  Perfection!!

Spices for the chicken
(very artsy, no?)

 

Delicious serving option

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheeseball

This is a classic.  Before there was Pinterest I was making this indulgent party dessert for people who subsequently always begged for the recipe.  So here it is in all of it’s delicious glory!

8 oz. Philadelphia Cream Cheese

1/2 cup Butter

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 bag mini chocolate-chips

Mix cream cheese, butter, and brown sugar together until smooth.  Add almost all of the chocolate-chips, and form into a ball.  Roll in remaining chocolate chips.  Serve with vanilla wafers and/or graham cracker sticks.

You’ll notice in the picture that you can serve it both ways: as a dip or as a cheeseball.  Both taste delicious; it’s simply your preference.

I will say that this is sometimes my party go-to when I don’t have very much time but I need something that is easy, quick, and yummy!

Quinoa Mango Salad

 

This quinoa mango salad is the perfect thing to take to barbecues and outdoor cookouts.  In fact, that’s just what I did this past weekend.  My friend Jay had a fabulous cookout and I took this, which was a nice accompaniment and was different from everyone else’s contributions.

1 cup of uncooked quinoa (makes a little over 2 cups cooked)
1 14 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 medium mango, peeled and diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1 handful chopped cilantro (about 1/2 cup)
4 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (or less, which is what I prefer)
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

combine all ingredients and mix well.

I like to make ahead to let the flavors combine.  It can be served cold or room temperature.

Sweet Potato Chili

Yuuum!  This is a great comfort food, but it’s really healthy too!  It’s quick and easy to boot.  You can just throw everything in the pot and simmer on the stove while you’re getting other things done.  This is a vegan recipe but it’s a dish that even meat eaters will enjoy.

• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• Approximately 4 peeled and cubed sweet potato
• 2/3 cup diced zucchini
• 2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 28-oz can diced tomatoes
• 1 1/2 T chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp orange zest
• 1 cup water (or broth)

Combine all ingredients in a big pot, and bring to a boil. Then lower and cook until the sweet potatoes are soft.

Be sure not to add any more orange zest or it will be too sweet.

The chili tastes even better the next day, after the flavors have had a chance to combine.

Upscale Simple Appetizers to Impress

These are simple, elegant appetizers that look impressive and taste delicious!

 

I made these for a fall school luncheon.  I didn’t have time to put together a dish that took a lot of prep time so I grabbed some Bosc and bartlett pears, goat cheese, dried cranberries and pistachios.  In no time I had a delicious appetizer.

What you need:

Bosc pears

Bartlett Pears

Goat Cheese

Pistachios

Cranberries