strawberry swirl cheesecake ice cream

Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake Ice Cream
•1 cup sugar
•4 ounces softened cream cheese
•1 large egg
•1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
•3/4 cup half-and-half
•1 tsp. fresh orange zest , grated
•1 1/2 cup strawberries
•1/4 cup brown sugar
•1/4 strawberry jam or jelly
Directions:

Beat sugar and cream cheese together until smooth and creamy. Beat in egg and vanilla; set aside. Quarter some strawberries and mash the others. Combine strawberries and brown sugar in small bowl; set aside. Bring half-and-half to a boil in heavy, medium saucepan. Slowly beat the hot cream into the cheese mixture.

Pour all back into pan; place over low heat. Stir constantly with whisk or wooden spoon until custard thickens slightly. Be careful not to boil or the mixture will scramble. Remove from heat; pour though strainer into large, clean bowl. Allow custard to cool slightly, then stir in orange zest and cream. Cover and refrigerate overnight or until cold. Stir chilled custard; freeze in 1 or 2 batches in ice cream machine according to manufacturer's instructions. Add strawberries when ice cream is semifrozen and allow machine to mix in, then stir in the jam or jelly and do not overstir. When finished, ice cream will be soft but ready to eat. For firmer ice cream, transfer to freezer-safe container and freeze at least 2 hours.

Berry Berry Smoothie

1 pkg. silken tofu
1 pkg. frozen berry mix
1 tbsp. sugar
2 c. ice cubes
water to fill blender/smoothie maker

Thaw and drain berries for a few hours before mixing. Place all ingredients in a blender/smoothie maker and fill almost to the top with water. Pulse a few times and then blend for a minute or so. This recipe is great for those counting calories or who are lactose intolerant.

Roasted Chicken

Roasted Whole Chicken

Chicken
Salt
Pepper
Paprika
Rosemary
Apple
Onion
Sage

Soak frozen or fresh chicken in a bowl of water and a cup of salt overnight or all day. Just before cooking rinse the chicken and pat dry. Stuff the chicken with as much rosemary, apple and onion that fits. I had added sage since I ran out of rosemary, but I think rosemary is better. Sprinkle the outside with salt, pepper and paprika. Tie the wings and legs together. Preheat your oven as high as it will go and sear the chicken for 5 or 10 minutes to lock the juices in. Then reduce the temerature to 350 and bake until it's done. Some people will cover the breast or wings with aluminum foil if it's getting to dark before the chicken is done but I don't.

Salted Carmel Cupcakes

It takes me a few days but here you go....

Vanilla Cupcake

2 C. cake flour
1 t. baking powder
2 t. kosher salt
12 T. unsalted butter, at room temp.
1 1/2 C. granulated sugar
1 T. vanilla
2 large egg whites, at room temp.
2 large eggs, at room temp.
3/4 C. whole milk, at room temp.

1. Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Line 2 (12-well) muffin pans with paper liners. Alternatively, coat the wells with butter; set aside.
2. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to aerate and break up any lumps; set aside.
3. Place butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium-high speed until very light in color, about 3 minutes. Add sugar and vanilla seeds (if you’re using vanilla extract instead, you’ll add it later), and continue beating until mixture is airy, about 3 minutes.
4. Scrape down the paddle and the sides of the bowl, turn the mixer to medium speed, and add egg whites one at a time, beating well after each addition. Then add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Add milk (and vanilla extract, if you’re using it in place of seeds), and mix until combined (the mixture will look curdled, but it’s not). Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Reduce speed to low, add flour mixture, and mix until just combined, about 15 seconds.
6. Fill the muffin wells about halfway, and bake cupcakes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 18 minutes. Set the pans on a wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from the pans and let cool completely before frosting.

Salted Carmel frosting

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup powdered sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Briefly stir together granulated sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Continue cooking, without stirring, until mixture turns dark amber in color, about 6 to 7 minutes.
2. Remove from heat and slowly add in cream and vanilla, stirring with a wooden spoon until completely smooth. Set aside until cool to the touch, about 25 minutes.
3. Combine butter and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium-high speed until light in color and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low, add powdered sugar, and mix until completely incorporated.
4. Turn mixer off and scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add caramel. Beat frosting on medium-high speed until airy and thoroughly mixed, about 2 minutes. Cover and refrigerate until stiff, about 45 minutes, before using.

Cocktail Sauce

1 3/4 C Ketsup
2 T vinegar
1/4 C horseradish (grated)
2 drops tobassco sauce
1/4 C lemon juice
1 T worchestire sauce
3 stalks of celery

Blend all ingrediants together in blender. Makes a large batch.

Lemon Truffle Pie

baked 9” pie shell

2 c. water

½ c. sugar

3 eggs

5 T. cornstarch

¼ c. sugar

zest of 1 lemon

¾ c. lemon juice (about 2 lemons)

2 T. butter

1 c. vanilla chips

4 oz. cream cheese

1 c. whipping cream

2 T. toasted almond slices

Put water and ½ c. sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. In a medium bowl, mix eggs, cornstarch, ¼ c. sugar and zest of lemon together. Slowly add hot sugar water to egg mixture in bowl; then pour entire mixture back into pan. Heat until thickened, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low. Add lemon juice, butter, vanilla chips, and cream cheese one at a time. Stir until each are melted then remove from heat. (If necessary, use a hand blender to make the mixture smooth.) Spread lemon mixture in a 9” baked pie shell. Chill for two hours. Whip the whipping cream and sweeten it. Spread whipping cream on top of the lemon mixture and sprinkle with toasted almonds.

Shauna Sabey

Moroccan Chicken with Olives and Preserved Lemons

2 tsps. paprika
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. tumeric
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
2 Tbsp. Olive oil
1 chicken, 3-4 lbs, cut into 8 pieces (or 3-4 lbs. of chicken just thighs and legs, the darker meat is more flavorful)
salt
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1 onion, chopped
Peel from 1 preserved lemon, washed in cold water, pulp discarded, cut into thin strips
1 cup green olives, pitted
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1. Combine all the spices in a bowl. Pat dry the chicken pieces and place them in the bowl, coat well with the spicy mixture. Let the chicken stand for one hour in the mixture.
2. In a large, heavy bottomed skillet, heat the olive oil on medium high. Add the chicken pieces, sprinkle lightly with salt (go easy on the salt, the olives and lemons are salty). Brown for five minutes. Lower the heat to medium -low, add the garlic and onions. Cover and let cook for 15 minutes.
3. Turn chicken pieces over. Add the lemon slices, olives and raisins, and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a simmer on medium heat, then lower the heat to low. Cover and cook for an additional 30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and quite tender.
4. Mix in cilantro and parsley right before serving. Adjust seasonings to taste.
Serves 4-6. Serve with rice or cous cous.

Preserved Lemons
8-10 Meyer lemons*, scrubbed very clean
1/2 cup kosher salt, more if needed
Extra fresh squeezed lemon juice, if needed
Sterilized quart canning jar
*You don't need to use Meyer lemons, regular lemons will do, it's just that the milder Meyer lemons work very well for preserving in this way

1. Place 2 tbsp. salt in the bottom of the jar.
2. Prepare each of the lemons in the following manner: Cut off any protruding stems from the lemon and cut 1/4 inch off the tip of each lemon. Cut the lemons as if you were going to cut them in half lengthwise, starting from the tip but do not cut all the way through. Keep the lemon attached at the base. Make another cut in the same way so that the lemon is quartered.
3. Pry the lemons open and generously sprinkle salt on the inside and outside of the lemon.
4. Pack the lemons in the jar, squishing them down so that the juice is extracted and the lemon juice rises to the top of the jar. Fill up the jar with lemons, make sure the top is covered with lemon juice. Add more fresh squeezed lemon juice if necessary. Top with a couple of Tbsp. of salt.
5. Seal the jar and let it sit at room temperature for a couple of days. Turn the jar upside down occasionally. Put in refrigerator and let sit, for at least 3 weeks until the rind softens.
6. To use, remove a lemon from the jar and rinse thoroughly in water to remove salt. Discard seeds before using. Discard the pulp before using, if desired.
7. Store in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.
Note: You can add spices to the lemons for preserving--cloves, coriander seeds, peppercorns, cinnamon stick, bay leaf

Salad De Masion

2 heads Romain
1 C shredded Swiss
1 C shredded Parmesan
Bacon Pieces

dressing:
3/4 C Vegi Oil
Juice from 2 lemons
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced

Tear Lettuce and top with cheese and bacon. Combine dressing ingredients and top on salad right before serving. You can add tomato' and croutons as well.

Scallions with Lemon Parsley Butter

5 bunches scallions
2 tbsps butter, softened
1 tbsp parsley
1/4 tsp finely grated lemon zest (or more)
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 freshly ground pepper

Trim roots from scallions, leaving ends in tact, and remove any bruised outer leaves. Trim greens, leaving scallions 9 inches long.
Cook scallions in a deep 12-inch skillet of boiling well salted water until just tender, 4-5 minutes.
Meanwhile, stir together butter, parsley, zest, salt, and pepper in a bowl until well blended.
With tongs, transfer scallions to a colander to drain. Arrange in a shallow serving dish and brush with lemon parsley butter.
* Scallions can be made up to one day ahead and refrigerated, covered. Reheat in microwave.

Lemon Pudding

Sorry that it has taken me almost a week to post this recipe, but it looks like I'm not the last.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 2 1/2 cups milk
• 3 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
• Pinch salt
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

Directions

Whisk the sugar and the cornstarch together in a medium saucepan. Add the milk and whisk until smooth. Add the egg yolks, zest, and salt and cook, stirring frequently at first and constantly towards the end, over medium heat until thickened enough to thickly coat the back of a spoon.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and butter. Pour through a strainer into a large serving bowl or 4 individual serving dishes.

Let cool to room temperature. Chill, loosely covered, for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days, or until set and thoroughly chilled. Serve chilled.