Butternut Squash and Vanilla Risotto

Boil 4 cups vegetable broth and add cubed butternut squash and 1 whole split vanilla bean scraped. Cook until tender (about 5 minutes) remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Leave broth and vanilla bean in pot and lower heat to low or simmer to keep warm.

In a large saute pan melt butter and add rice to coat in butter. Add wine and simmer until almost completely evaporated. Then add 1/2 cup simmering broth to rice and stir until almost completely absorbed. Continue cooking the rice adding 1/2 cup of broth at a time, allowing each addition to almost cook off before adding the next, until the rice is tender but still firm to bite. (about 20 minutes) turn off heat. Gently stir in butternut squash and grate fresh parmesan cheese, add remaining butter and salt.

Transfer to a bowl and serve immedietly.

This is the most amazing and aromatic risotto I've ever had. Risotto is a long cooking process of arborio rice that you must stand over the stove while this cooks, but it makes the most creamy delicious dinner or side dish ever. I omitted the onion this recipe originally called for and the chives to finish off the dish. I really like the vanilla aroma and I think the onion would cover it up. Recipe from foodnetwork.com from Giada at Home.

Ingredients:

4 cups vegetable broth

1 large vanilla bean

3 cups peeled cubed butternut squash

2 Tbsp butter, plus 1 Tbsp butter reserved

1 1/2 cups arborio rice

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp salt

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/butternut-squash-and-vanilla-risotto-recipe/index.html

Flourless Torte with Ganache Icing

Had such a fun time making this cake with my cousin. This is the most amazing cake with a rich and fudgy ganache icing. Well worth the time it takes to make this cake. Got this recipe from my "Williams-Sonoma Desserts" cookbook

Mix together 1/4 cup of the sugar, egg yolks, rum, vanilla and salt. Beat until pale yellow, thick and well incorporated.

Use a double boiler and combine chocolate and butter. Melt and whisk until well blended. Set aside to cool slightly.
Pour the slightly cooled chocolate mixture into the egg yolk and rum mixture and beat until blended

In a separate bowl beat egg whites until foamy, add 2 Tbsp sugar and continue beating until medium-firm peaks

Gently fold in egg whites into choclate mixture until well incorporated DO NOT OVERMIX

Pour into a prepared greased and cocoa powder dusted pan, bake on 300 degrees for 30 minutes
DO NOT OVERCOOK (Should be very moist but not liquid)

Cool completely before icing

Over a double boiler melt chocolate, buttter and corn syrup until melted.

Gently pour over cake. Chill before serving.

Ingredients:

Unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting

10 oz of bittersweet or dark chocolate

3/4 cup (6 oz) unsalted butter cut into pieces; plus extra for greasing

5 large egg yolks

1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp dark rum or brewed espresso

1 tsp vanilla extract

pinch of salt

3 large egg whites at room temperature

Chocolate Glaze:

1/2 cup unsalted butter cut up

8 oz chopped bittersweet chocolate
2 Tbsp light corn syrup

Sweet Fried Plantains

Ripen plantains about a week before cooking. Slice into 1/2 inch slices.

Fill pot 1 inch deep with oil (canola or vegetable) Heat on medium heat.

Fry until golden brown on each side cook until soft all the way through.

In a small or medium brown bag, fill with one cup of sugar, 1 1/2 tsp of ground cinnamon, and 1/2 tsp of allspice. Shake to mix.

After you remove plantains from oil drain on a pile of paper towels and sprinkle with a little bit of salt.

Then drop the warm plantains into paper bag and shake to cover in sugar mixture. Serve immediately.

Yummy Yummy Flan

Mix evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, cream cheese, eggs, and vanilla in a blender. (forgot to take a picture of the custard)

Melt sugar in a non-stick pan once it starts to melt and caramelize pour into your pan(s) of choice. Move the pan around to get caramel up the sides a bit.

Place pan with caramel into a hot water bath. Then pour custard mixture from the blender into pan. Bake on 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes

Invert allow to cool about 10 minutes or chill before serving.

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
6 large eggs
1 (14 ounce) can condensed milk
1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ounce cream cheese

Directions
1.Preheat oven to 350°F.
2.Select 2 oven safe containers, one that can easily fit inside the other.
3.The large one will be used for a water bath and the smaller one will actually house the flan.
4.Fill the larger container a little less than half way with water and place in the cold
oven to heat up while you prepare the caramel and the custard.
5.In a large pan, using a wooden spoon caramelize the sugar until it turns a light golden
brown.
6.While still hot, transfer the melted sugar to the smaller container, swirling it around until the entire bottom is covered then set aside.
7.In a blender add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.
8.Open up the oven where you have placed the water bath and then place the small pan with the caramel inside the large water bath pan.
9.Pour the custard into the pan being careful not to splash it.
10.Bake for 30- 45 minutes until the top is golden brown and the center passes a toothpick test.
11Remove from oven and allow to cool on rack.
12You may invert this onto a large serving dish with lip or just server out of container you cooked it in.

Tamale Pie

I'm all for complicated recipes but after looking through many tamale recipes, I decided I wasn't ready for it yet. So I used a recipe I found on Foodnetwork.com for a tamale pie. I really hope it tastes as good as all the reviews said it did, cause it's for a friend.

First chop one large yellow onion, one bell pepper (whatever color you like) and add olive oil to a skillet, add chopped pepper, onion and one pound ground turkey, saute until turkey is no longer pink. Add garlic cook one more minute. Drain off any excess fat.

Sprinkle the meat and veggie mixture with cumin, then add pinto beans (drained), diced tomatoes, and 2 chipotle in adobo chopped plus adobo sauce. Bring to a boil then reduce heat til thickened. Add cheese and cilantro. (I forgot this step so I topped the corn bread with it)

Use an 8 oz package of corn muffin mix ( I used self rising corn meal so it wouldn't be so sweet) Add egg and milk. I decided to tweak the recipe a little and added a small chipotle in adobo, and a small scoop of rotel. Mix thoroughly. (You may have to add more milk)

Put meat mixture into a casserole dish press down firmly, put corn bread on top of meat mixture and spread until it's covered.

I topped mine with the cheese cause I forgot to put it in with the tamale mix. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 20-25 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Recipe:
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature (for greasing pan)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound, lean ground turkey
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, any color, diced
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed (I like the brine they're in so I didn't rinse mine)
1 (8-ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 chipotle chiles, plus 1 teaspoon adobo sauce, from can chipotle in adobo
1 cup grated Cheddar
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 (8.5-ounce) package cornbread mix or 8 ounces self rising corn meal (if you don't want a sweet corn bread topping)
1 egg
1/3 cup milk

Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake

For the base: grease bottom of a 9x9 pan with butter. Line with parchment paper. In a food processor, combine sugar, cinnamon, and graham crackers (short bread or Oreo cookies) until you have the texture of bread crumbs. Then add melted butter until fully incorporated. Pour into lined pan and pat down gently with the bottom of a glass. Bake 10-12 minutes on 325 degrees until lightly browned. Let cool.

For the filling: Add cream cheese, egg, lemon juice, lemon zest, and sugar in the food processor and process to a smooth consistency.

Pour into cooled base...
Cover with blueberries. Bake in 325 degree oven about 35 minutes or until center only slightly jiggles.

Remove from oven and cool completely then refrigerate for 3 hours before cutting.

Recipe...

• For the base:
• Butter for greasing
• 9-12 graham crackers (shortbread or Oreo cookies)
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 stick of butter melted
• For the filling:
• 16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 2 eggs
• 2 lemons, zested and juiced
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
• Powdered sugar (optional) for dusting

Blueberry, Coconut, Macadamia Nut Muffins

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray or use liners. Combine coconut, 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour, 2 Tbsp brown sugar and 2 Tbsp macadamia nuts in a small bowl. Drizzle with 1 Tbsp oil; stir to combine. Set aside

Whisk the remaining 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl. In another bowl combine remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar, remaining 1 Tbsp oil, egg, egg white, buttermilk, butter and coconut extract (vanilla can be used also) stir well. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients; stir until just combined.

Add blueberries and remaining 3 Tbsp nuts; fold gently. Divide batter into muffin cups. Sprinkle with the reserved coconut topping and press gently into batter.

Bake muffins until golden brown and wooden skewer comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan and let cool on a wire rack at least 5 minutes more before serving.

*Note: if you don't have buttermilk just combine 1 tsp lemon juice with regular milk and let stand for 5-10 minutes before using

Ingredients:

1/4 cup coconut (sweet or unsweet)

2 Tbsp plus 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, divided

2 Tbsp plus 1/2 cup brown sugar, divided

5 Tbsp chopped macadamia nuts, divided

2 Tbsp canola oil, divided

1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour or whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/8 ts salt

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 large egg

1 large egg white

*3/4 cup nonfat buttermilk

2 Tbsp butter, melted

1/2 tsp coconut or vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries (can use frozen but do not thaw before using)

Nutrition info: Per muffin

202 calories; 9g fat; 23 mg cholesterol; 28g carbs; 4g protein; 2g Fiber; 122 mg sodium; 55mg potassium