Classic Sour Cream-Topped Cheesecake

Thursday was Chris' birthday. Every year I ask him what cake he wants, and he always says cheesecake. Even when I ask what kind of layered frosted cake he likes best, he doesn't budge, still deeming cheesecake the best. Honestly, who can blame the guy. Cheesecake is incredible, and also one of my favorites. It's such a treat to have cheesecake, since I hardly ever make it. Now that I think about it, I only make it once a year for his birthday! That being said, I think this is the best cheesecake I've made yet. It didn't crack at all which is an achievement by itself. Look how perfect it came out!

Since Chris had a 30-page paper due on his birthday (gross) and I had a concert in the evening, we celebrated with a small potluck last night. It was an interesting menu to say the least. We had a beautiful spring salad with goat cheese, pistachios, and dried cranberries, topped with a fig walnut vinaigrette (thanks Katelyn!), I made rice to go along with some awesome pinto beans (thanks Dan!), a very authentic Bah Kut Teh (thanks AikKhai!), a baguette, red wine (thanks Megumi!), and this cheesecake I made for my honey. It was such an odd combination, but I wouldn't have had it any other way. It was a great night, with good company, delicious food, and a rather intense puzzle (still working on it guys!). We are very fortunate to have such wonderful people in our lives. 

 

Anyhoo, back to the cheesecake! It was super easy to prepare, and I can't recommend it enough. This recipe didn't come from a big name magazine or website like Cooks Illustrated or Bon Appetit, but instead came from good ole Kraft. It's classic, simple, and perfect. If you're looking for a no frills recipe, I think this is it. It also makes for a great breakfast if I do say so myself! Enjoy!

Classic Sour Cream-Topped Cheesecake

Ingredients

1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided**
3 tablespoons butter
3 8 oz. packages cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla, divided
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups sour cream

Directions

Preheat oven to 325F.

Mix together graham cracker crumbs, 3 tablespoons sugar, and butter. Press onto bottom of a 9-inch spring form pan. Bake for 10 minutes.

While the crust is baking, beat together cream cheese, 3/4 cup sugar, lemon zest, juice, and 1/2 a teaspoon of the vanilla, until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating on low speed after each just until blended. Pour over prepared crust.

{I then placed a small metal bread pan in the oven with some hot water in it. I had intended on doing a water bath, but forgot. I don't know whether it did anything or not to prevent the cake from cracking, but it obviously didn't hurt!}  

Bake for 55 minutes to 1 hour, or until the center is almost set. Mix sour cream, remaining sugar, and remaining teaspoon vanilla until well blended. Carefully spread over cheesecake. Bake 10 minutes. Run a knife around the rim of the pan to loosen the cake. Cool before removing rim.

Refrigerate 4 hours before serving. Eat plain, or top with jam or a fruit compote (I had some leftover strawberry compote I made. Num!).

**I kept the sugar in a separate small bowl through out the whole process. I took what I needed, so in the end I dumped what was remaining into the sour cream for the topping.

Recipe Source: adapted from Kraft

Indian-Spiced Turkey Burgers

I am finished with the first year of my doctorate. Where did the time go? It seems like we just got back from China! This year has been mentally and physically exhausting, and I welcome this four month break. 

I have lots of plans for the summer, including spending time with friends. I'm thinking a barbeque for sure. If you all are thinking the same thing, might I suggest making these burgers?

These aren't the most beautiful burgers in the world, but boy are they flavorful. I made one immediately after combining all the ingredients, and per the author's suggestion, also waited until the next day to cook the rest to let the flavors marry. I'm so glad I did. I thought the flavor was great with the first one, but the second was incredible. Served on a toasted bun with lettuce and a little homemade tzatziki, these are probably my new favorite burgers!

Also, if you're in Cinci you should definitely pick up some ground turkey from Findlay Market. At $2.29/lb. for ground dark turkey meat, you can't beat it.

Bottom line...make these ASAP. They are wonderful, and an excellent way to start the summer (spring?)!

I am also submitting this to Souper Sundays over at Kahakai Kitchen, as they not only accept soups, but also salads and sandwiches!

Ingredients

1 lb. ground turkey (I prefer dark meat..yum!)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 large onion, finely diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced

1 tablespoon butter, olive oil, or cooking spray.

Directions

In a medium-large bowl, combine the turkey, seasonings, onion, garlic, and ginger. At this point you can cook the turkey right away, though I think it tastes better after marinating in the fridge for a day or two.

Form mixture into 3 ounce patties, about an inch thick. Try not to make patties too thin.

Place a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add your choice of fat.

Gently slide patties onto skillet. Cook for 3-4 minutes on the first side, allowing the patties to develop a good char. Carefully flip and cook for 3-4 minutes longer. Resist the urge to flatten or flip patties more than necessary. 

Serve on toasted burger buns with your favorite toppings (FYI..tzatziki totally wins here).

Recipe Source: adapted from chow.com

Cuban Black Beans

I'm going to be honest...I don't love black beans. I don't hate them either, but when given a choice I always go for pinto. I figured if I was going to like eating black beans, I was going to have to make them myself from scratch (isn't that how it always goes?).

This recipe did not disappoint. In fact, it's probably one of my new favorite beans and rice recipes. Though I must admit, I didn't love how the beans turned everything they touched purple. Maybe they should be called purple beans? 

Anyhoo, I stumbled upon the recipe on the New York Times site, and immediately knew this was the one to make. I had both the ham hock and the exact amount of bacon in my freezer, so hello spring cleaning for my freezer!! Also...ten cloves of garlic. That's what I'm talking about. Anything with that much garlic has got to be a winner. 

The original recipe called for 5 teaspoons of salt, and I thought it came out a bit salty. That didn't stop me and two of my girlfriends from licking our bowls clean. I've reduced the salt to 2 teaspoons in the recipe below, plus more to taste.

Ingredients

 

1 pound dried black beans, rinsed and picked over to remove any stones

1 1/2 green peppers, stemmed and seeded

10 garlic cloves

1 smoked ham hock

2 bay leaves

2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste

4 slices thick bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 Spanish onion, diced

1 jalapeño, stemmed and finely chopped

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground

black pepper

3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar

1 tablespoon brown sugar

Chopped cilantro, to garnish

Directions

Soak beans overnight in a large pot of water (or 6-8 hours).

Cut 1 green pepper into 1-inch squares. Smash and peel 4 of the garlic cloves. In a large dutch oven, add the green pepper and garlic, with the beans, ham hock, bay leaves and 1 teaspoon salt. Add 2 quarts water and bring to a boil. Cover the pot and simmer until the beans are tender, an hour or more. 

Meanwhile, make a sofrito. Finely dice the remaining ½ green pepper, then peel and finely chop the remaining garlic. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until it starts to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the green pepper and onion and cook, stirring, until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, jalapeño (leave out the seeds if you don’t want it too spicy, though I thought the seeds added a nice heat), oregano, cumin, black pepper and remaining teaspoon salt and stir for another minute. Pour in the vinegar and scrape any browned bits from bottom of pan with a wooden spoon. This is your sofrito.

When the beans are cooked, discard the bay leaves. Remove and set aside the ham hock and let it cool. Transfer 1 cup of beans to small bowl, mash them into a paste with the back of a fork and return to the pot. Add the sofrito, then the sugar. Pull the meat from the ham hock, leaving behind any white sinew or gristle. Chop the ham into ½-inch pieces and return it to the bean pot.

Stir the beans well and bring to a boil over medium heat, then lower to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes or so, skimming any foam from the top. Taste for salt and serve with white rice, topped with chopped cilantro.  

This makes a large pot of beans, but they freeze very well!!

Recipe source: seen on NYtimes.com, adapted from Tastes Like Cuba, by Eduardo Machado and Michael Domitrovich.

Shaved Asparagus Pizza with No-Rise Crust

FINALLY....Spring has made it to Cincinnati. It is gorgeous outside, and I am trying to soak it all up. That's why I jumped at my first chance to eat lunch on my balcony, using my new (to me) bistro set for the first time. It turned into an elegant little affair involving just little ole me.

This pizza is Spring in a pan. I've always loved asparagus, but never really thought to put it on a pizza. Of course this "recipe" is really more of a suggestion, as with all pizza, just add what you have! Deb added green onions, which I think would be lovely, but I didn't have any on hand. I simply added a pinch of crushed red peppers and some minced garlic, because garlic makes everything better. You could also add some lemon zest or other spring veggies, though I think too much would take away from the delicate asparagus. 

The no-rise crust has been a favorite of mine the past few months. If I can have a delicious homemade pizza in the amount of time it takes to preheat the oven, I am down. I've found that I prefer to bake it in a cast iron skillet, but you could also bake it on a parchment lined baking sheet. 

Happy Sunday everyone! 

P.S. um...so yeah...I definitely spilled my water on the tablecloth cutting the pizza. Excuse the water spots! :)

Shaved Asparagus Pizza with No-Rise Pizza Crust

Ingredients 

Crust

1/2 cup water, heated to 110 degrees

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

1 1/8 teaspoon instant yeast

1 3/8 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. sea salt

Shaved Asparagus Pizza Topping

1/2 pound asparagus

1 clove garlic, chopped
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 pound mozzarella, shredded or cut into small cubes
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

Pinch of crushed red pepper
Several grinds black pepper 

Optional Toppings: lemon zest, poached eggs, chopped green onions (sprinkle after pizza bakes), etc. 
 

Directions

Preheat oven to 500°

First prepare the pizza crust. Whisk water, oil, sugar, and yeast in a bowl. Allow yeast to proof for 5 minutes. Add flour and salt to yeast mixture, and stir until combined. Quickly knead dough until it comes together. If baking in a cast iron, press dough into lightly oiled skillet. If baking on a baking sheet, roll dough out on a lightly floured surface, then place on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Next, prepare asparagus. Wash asparagus, but don't snap off ends. Holding a single asparagus spear by its tough end, lay it flat on a cutting board and using a vegetable peeler (even my dull ikea one did the job!). Create long shavings of asparagus by drawing the peeler from the base to the top of the stalk. Repeat with remaining stalks. Discard tough ends. Toss peelings with olive oil, salt, red pepper flakes, and pepper in a bowl.

Now it's time to assemble the pizza. Sprinkle pizza dough with Parmesan, mozzarella, and garlic. Pile asparagus on top. Bake pizza for 10 to 15 minutes, or until edges are browned, the cheese is bubbly and the asparagus is lightly charred. Remove from the oven, slice, and eat.

Recipe Sources: Smitten Kitchen and The Fauxmartha