Chocolate Caramel Nut Cheesecake

  A snickerdoodle cheesecake that tastes like a candy bar.

  

3 tablespoons butter, melted
    1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
    1 tablespoon white sugar
    3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
    3 eggs
    3/4 cup white sugar
    2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    2 (2.16 ounce) bars chocolate-coated caramel-peanut nougat candy, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, graham cracker crumbs and 1 tablespoon sugar. Press into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Allow to cool.
3. In a large bowl, cream the 3/4 cup of sugar and cream cheese together until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, and vanilla. Stir in chopped candy bar, and pour into baked crust.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 minutes. Let cool and carefully remove the springform pans side.

Smoked Gouda Grits

You could use any melting cheese in this recipe, such as a sharp cheddar, fontina, or Gruyère—in which case, just call them "Cheesy Grits." No one has to know.

 

2 1/2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup coarse-ground grits (not instant)
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
4 ounces smoked Gouda, grated
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

 

Bring milk, salt, and 2 1/2 cups water to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Gradually whisk in grits until smooth. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook, whisking occasionally, until creamy but still with some bite, 20–25 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in butter and cheese; season with salt and pepper. Serve topped with chives. 

Gluten-Free Tiramisu Brownies

Ingredients Brownie Base

• 2 1/2 cups cashew flour
• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 cup bitter sweet chocolate chips

• 1/4 cup freshly brewed espresso (add 1 sachet instant coffee and dissolve for a more intense coffee flavor)
• 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1/4 cup raw virgin coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 tablespoon unsweetened apple sauce
• 2 eggs

Ingredients Tiramisu Cream

• 8oz mascarpone
• 8oz cream cheese
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 3 egg yolks (only if you have fresh eggs; it will taste good without yolks, too)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract (in place of Amaretto)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350F and line a baking dish with parchment paper.  Add coconut oil to a small saucepan and melt over low heat.
In a large bowl, mix all dry ingredients for brownie base: cashew flour, coconut flour, baking soda, cocoa powder and chocolate chips.
Using a medium sized bowl, mix all wet ingredients for brownie base: espresso, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla extract, apple sauce and eggs.
Make sure the eggs are mixed in well and there are no strings. If necessary, use a hand mixer.
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix (by hand) until well incorporated. The batter will be thick, that’s ok!
Fill brownie batter into your baking dish and bake for approximately 25-30 minutes. Do the tooth pick test: If you stick a tooth pick down the middle and batter crumbs stick to it, you need to continue baking.
Allow brownie base to fully cool off.

Mascarpone and cream cheese should be at room temperature. Combine all Tiramisu Cream ingredients and mix with hand mixer until you have a smooth cream.
Spread on top of your now cold brownie base and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Brownie base by itself keeps for up to 5 days. Tiramisu cream containing egg yolk should be consumed within 2 days.

Vegetable Enchiladas

 

They pack almost all your daily vitamin C.

• 1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into 3/4-inch cubes
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 12 corn tortillas (6 inches each)
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 1/2 tablespoons dark chili powder
• 1/2 tablespoon chipotle powder
• 1 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 cup roasted or thawed frozen corn
• 1 cup roasted red peppers
• 1 can (15 ounces) low-sodium black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups cooked shortgrain brown rice
• 1 can (8 ounces) enchilada sauce
• 1 cup shredded lowfat pepper Jack cheese, divided
• 1 avocado, thinly sliced
• 1 scallion, chopped
• 6 sprigs fresh cilantro

 Heat oven to 300°F. In a bowl, toss potatoes in 1 tablespoons oil; spread on a baking sheet. Bake until potatoes are soft and browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Wrap tortillas in foil; bake 10 minutes. In a large pan over medium heat, heat remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil. Add onion, chili powder, chipotle and cumin; cook until onion is tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add corn, peppers and black beans; cook 5 minutes. Set aside half of corn mixture. Add potatoes, rice and enchilada sauce to pan; cook 6 minutes. Place 6 tortillas on a baking sheet. Spread potato mixture and 1/2 cup cheese evenly among tortillas. Top with remaining 6 tortillas, remaining 1/2 cup cheese and reserved corn mixture; bake 7 minutes. Divide avocado, scallion and cilantro among enchiladas.

Spring Pizzas

This recipe is different and light. Perfect name for it because it reminds you of spring. Very tasty. This is definitely one of my favorites!

 

1 pound pizza dough
All-purpose flour, for dusting
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing and drizzling
6 ounces ramps or scallions, trimmed
Kosher salt
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Coarse sea salt
Coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
Grated parmesan cheese, for topping

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Divide the dough into 4 pieces on a floured surface. Brush a baking sheet with olive oil. Stretch the dough into four 6-inch rounds; place on the baking sheet and bake until golden, about 12 minutes.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Toss the ramps or scallions with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with kosher salt. Saute until just wilted, about 1 minute. Transfer to a cutting board and cut into pieces.

Mix the ricotta, lemon zest, the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and some sea salt and pepper in a bowl. Brush the crusts with olive oil (this will protect them from getting soggy), then spread with the ricotta mixture and season with sea salt. Top with the ramps or scallions. Return to the oven until warmed through, about 2 minutes.

Top the pizzas with basil, parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil.

Chocolate Strawberry Shortcakes

 

Super-chocolatey, and the berries are perfect with the unsweetened whipped cream! The dusting of sugar makes for a nice little sweet crunch, with a hint of molasses flavor.

 

1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3 ounces milk chocolate, roughly chopped
2 large eggs
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Raw or turbinado sugar, for sprinkling
For the toppings:
1 quart strawberries, hulled and halved or quartered (about 3 cups if large

1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup heavy cream

Position a rack in the middle of the oven; preheat to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Make the shortcakes: Whisk the flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Using your fingers, rub the butter into the flour mixture until sandy. Add the chocolate. Whisk 1 egg, the cream and vanilla in a glass measuring cup; stir into the flour mixture with a fork to make a shaggy dough (there will be some dry bits). Turn out onto a lightly floured surface; pat flat until 1 1/2 inches thick. Cut into 6 rounds with a knife or cookie cutter, using the scraps for the last cake.

Place the rounds on the baking sheet; freeze for 20 minutes. Beat the remaining egg; brush onto the cakes and sprinkle with raw sugar. Bake until firm, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool.

Meanwhile, make the toppings: Toss half of the strawberries with half of the sugar in a bowl; set aside. Place the other half of each in a saucepan; cook over medium-low heat, mashing with a fork to make a thick puree, about 10 minutes. Cool completely. Whip the cream with a mixer until medium peaks form; swirl in the strawberry puree.

Split the shortcakes in half. Layer some of the strawberry cream and reserved fruit on the bottoms; cover with the shortcake tops. Finish with more strawberry cream and the remaining berries.

3-Ingredient Easy Nutella Brownies

I am about to change your life.  I am about to make you the happiest person on the planet.  I am about to show you how to make Nutella brownies with only three ingredients. 

1 cup Nutella
2 eggs
10 tbsp flour

Put it in a bowl. Mash it up.  Pour into a pan or muffin tin.  Top with hazelnuts if you're feeling extra fancy.  Bake at 350F (180C) for around 30 minutes. Marvel!

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Molcajete Salsa Guacamole Recipe

Roasted peppers, tomato and garlic crushed in a traditional molcajete or mortar and pestle create an earthy, spicy base for this authentic guacamole. Use more chiles if you really love the heat! 

 

1 large ripe Roma tomato

2 serrano chile peppers, or more to taste

1 clove garlic, unpeeled

1/2 tsp. salt

4 ripe, Fresh Hass Avocados, seeded, peeled and roughly mashed

1. In an iron skillet over medium-high heat, roast the tomato and chiles until they are soft and charred, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic clove to the skillet during the last three minutes, cooking just until it starts to turn golden.
2. Place the tomato in a paper bag, and close. Allow to cool for about 5 minutes.
3. When the tomato is cool enough to touch, peel and discard the charred tomato peel.
4. Trim stems from roasted chiles and squeeze the garlic clove from its peel.
5. In a large molcajete** or mortar and pestle, grind the roasted chiles and garlic until roughly chopped. Add the peeled tomato and crush to combine into a chunky salsa. Season with the salt.
6. Gently stir in the mashed avocado and serve immediately, preferably in the molcajete. 

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100% Fruit Smoothie

Sometimes, you just need a nice burst of fruit to wake you up and start the day. For that, this yummy smoothie delivers.

1/2 cup sliced, frozen bananas

1/4 cup blackberries

1/3 cup blueberries

1/4 cup juice

In a blender, blend together all the ingredients until smooth.

 

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Strawberry Lemon Yogurt Cake

This is one amazing cake... so soft and delicious! You'll absolutely love it ♥

Strawberry Lemon Yogurt Cake
adapted from Shockingly Delicious

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Zest of 1 lemon
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature (if you use unsalted, add another 1/2 teaspoon of salt)
1 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 ounces plain Greek yogurt
12 ounces (about 2 cups) fresh strawberries, diced

GLAZE
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1-2 tablespoons lemon juice

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-inch bundt pan and set it aside.

In a bowl, stir together flour, baking soda and salt. Mix in the lemon zest and set aside.

With an electric mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in lemon juice and vanilla extract until incorporated. Alternate beating in the flour mixture and the yogurt – starting and ending with flour – and mixing just until incorporated. Gently fold strawberries into the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan. Bake for 70-75 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool 25 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely. Once cooled, whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl. Drizzle glaze over top of the cake, letting it drip down the sides.

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Delicious Ravioli With Tomato-Basil Cream

 

 

1 20 oz. package refrigerated four-cheese ravioli
1 16 oz. jar sun-dried tomato Alfredo sauce
2 tablespoons white wine
2 medium chopped tomatoes, fresh
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated finely
Garnish: fresh basil strips

  

Prepare pasta according to directions on package. Meanwhile, pour Alfredo sauce into a medium saucepan. Then, pour wine into the old sauce jar; cover tightly and shake well. Stir wine mixture into saucepan. Stir in tomatoes and basil, and cook over medium-low heat 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Toss with pasta, and top evenly with Parmesan. Garnish and serve!

This recipe is just as delicious as it looks - and it looks pretty delicious! A great, easy meal to impress your family without intense work. Source.