CasiNada Cheesecake Appetizer
24 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 whole eggs
1 cup Monterrey jack cheese, grated
1/2 cup chopped green chiles,
skinned, or one 7oz. can
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or
cayenne
GARNISH WITH:
1 cup sour cream or crema agria
1 cup salsa
1/2 cup diced ripe olives
3 chopped green onions, including
tops
1 cup fresh cilantro, trimmed and
chopped
Cut a circle of parchment to fit the
bottom of an 8" spring form pan.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Beat the cream cheese briefly. Add the
eggs one at a time beating briefly
after each to incorporate. Stir in the
cheese, then the chiles, salt, and red
pepper. When all is mixed in, pour into
the prepared spring form pan making
sure the parchment stays flat on the
bottom. Bake in preheated 350°F oven
for 30 minutes.
Cool in the pan on a rack, then
refrigerate until ready to serve. To
serve, rim the pan with a knife,
remove the spring form, place the
serving plate upside-down on top of
the cheesecake and invert. Carefully
remove the bottom of the pan and
peel off the parchment paper. Spread
with sour cream. Pour the salsa evenly
over the sour cream, then top with
chopped green onions, olives, and
covering all with cilantro. Serve with
tortilla chips.
This will serve several people as an
appetizer.
For potluck, I usually garnish the
cheesecake at the party site rather
than try to transport with all the
toppings, BUT if I have to do it that
way, I put the ring from the spring
form pan around the cheesecake. You
don't need to clamp it down - wrap
with plastic wrap or Press'n Seal so
the ring, cheesecake, and plate are
stable for travel. Then I take a little
cilantro to dress it up on site.
24 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 whole eggs
1 cup Monterrey jack cheese, grated
1/2 cup chopped green chiles,
skinned, or one 7oz. can
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or
cayenne
GARNISH WITH:
1 cup sour cream or crema agria
1 cup salsa
1/2 cup diced ripe olives
3 chopped green onions, including
tops
1 cup fresh cilantro, trimmed and
chopped
Cut a circle of parchment to fit the
bottom of an 8" spring form pan.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Beat the cream cheese briefly. Add the
eggs one at a time beating briefly
after each to incorporate. Stir in the
cheese, then the chiles, salt, and red
pepper. When all is mixed in, pour into
the prepared spring form pan making
sure the parchment stays flat on the
bottom. Bake in preheated 350°F oven
for 30 minutes.
Cool in the pan on a rack, then
refrigerate until ready to serve. To
serve, rim the pan with a knife,
remove the spring form, place the
serving plate upside-down on top of
the cheesecake and invert. Carefully
remove the bottom of the pan and
peel off the parchment paper. Spread
with sour cream. Pour the salsa evenly
over the sour cream, then top with
chopped green onions, olives, and
covering all with cilantro. Serve with
tortilla chips.
This will serve several people as an
appetizer.
For potluck, I usually garnish the
cheesecake at the party site rather
than try to transport with all the
toppings, BUT if I have to do it that
way, I put the ring from the spring
form pan around the cheesecake. You
don't need to clamp it down - wrap
with plastic wrap or Press'n Seal so
the ring, cheesecake, and plate are
stable for travel. Then I take a little
cilantro to dress it up on site.
| Perfect for Pot Luck. . . Food that travels well Any food cooked with Love and shared with friends is nourishing. |
Chilled Plum Soup
1 1/2 pound ripe plums, red or black,
(about 4 cups when cut eighths)
1-inch fresh ginger root slices in 2 or
3 pieces)
2-inch piece stick cinnamon
5 whole peppercorns
3 whole allspice berries
2 cups organic unsweetened apple
juice
1/4 cup honey
fresh squeezed key lime juice (1 or 2
teaspoons as needed)
Wash plums and remove pits and
stems. (Do not peel.) Cut each into 8
pieces. Coarsely crush the cinnamon,
peppercorns, & allspice in a mortar
w/pestle - just to break each open, not
pulverize. Place the spices with the
ginger in a muslin bag or tea ball, or tie
them all up together in a piece of
cheesecloth.
Put all but the ingredients except the
lime juice in a 3-quart saucepan, bring
to a simmer and cook until plums are
tender, about 20 minutes.
Remove the spice bundle. Pour the
cooked plums and all the liquid into a
blender and puree until smooth. Add a
good squeeze of lime juice. Let cool,
then chill for several hours in the
refrigerator.
1 1/2 pound ripe plums, red or black,
(about 4 cups when cut eighths)
1-inch fresh ginger root slices in 2 or
3 pieces)
2-inch piece stick cinnamon
5 whole peppercorns
3 whole allspice berries
2 cups organic unsweetened apple
juice
1/4 cup honey
fresh squeezed key lime juice (1 or 2
teaspoons as needed)
Wash plums and remove pits and
stems. (Do not peel.) Cut each into 8
pieces. Coarsely crush the cinnamon,
peppercorns, & allspice in a mortar
w/pestle - just to break each open, not
pulverize. Place the spices with the
ginger in a muslin bag or tea ball, or tie
them all up together in a piece of
cheesecloth.
Put all but the ingredients except the
lime juice in a 3-quart saucepan, bring
to a simmer and cook until plums are
tender, about 20 minutes.
Remove the spice bundle. Pour the
cooked plums and all the liquid into a
blender and puree until smooth. Add a
good squeeze of lime juice. Let cool,
then chill for several hours in the
refrigerator.
Oriental Cole Slaw
serves about 15
1 Chinese Cabbage (Napa), shredded
1/2 head green cabbage, shredded
2 bunches green onions, chopped thin
1 1/2 inch ginger, chopped
3 cloves garlic
1 cup rice vinegar (or apple cider
vinegar)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
3 teaspoons Chinese chili garlic paste,
optional
2 teaspoons honey
1 3/4 cups vegetable oil
Toss the cabbage and onion in a bowl.
Process the ginger and garlic to a paste
in a food processor or blender.Add the
vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and
honey, blend well, then add the
vegetable oil. Toss with the cabbage
and onion.
For a little zip, add a tablespoon of
Chinese chili garlic paste to the dressing.
GARNISH: Top with some crunchy egg
noodles or toasted almond slivers.
serves about 15
1 Chinese Cabbage (Napa), shredded
1/2 head green cabbage, shredded
2 bunches green onions, chopped thin
1 1/2 inch ginger, chopped
3 cloves garlic
1 cup rice vinegar (or apple cider
vinegar)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
3 teaspoons Chinese chili garlic paste,
optional
2 teaspoons honey
1 3/4 cups vegetable oil
Toss the cabbage and onion in a bowl.
Process the ginger and garlic to a paste
in a food processor or blender.Add the
vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and
honey, blend well, then add the
vegetable oil. Toss with the cabbage
and onion.
For a little zip, add a tablespoon of
Chinese chili garlic paste to the dressing.
GARNISH: Top with some crunchy egg
noodles or toasted almond slivers.
CasiNada Cornbread
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/3 cup sugar, Plus 1 tablespoon
1 pinch salt
2 whole eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk, or half & half
w/lemon juice
1/3 cup oil
1/2 cup queso quesadilla, grated
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 small yellow onion, copped fine
4 ounces green chiles (drained if using
canned)
Mix dry ingredients. Stir eggs, buttermilk
& oil together. Stir into dry ingredients
until all are just wet. Stir in grated
cheese, then add remaining ingredients
and stir until mixed.
Spread into an oiled 6 1/2 x 9 1/2-inch
baking dish or 24 mini-muffins. Bake
400°F until edges are golden and center
is done, about 30 minutes for baking
dish; 10-minutes for mini-muffins.
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/3 cup sugar, Plus 1 tablespoon
1 pinch salt
2 whole eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk, or half & half
w/lemon juice
1/3 cup oil
1/2 cup queso quesadilla, grated
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 small yellow onion, copped fine
4 ounces green chiles (drained if using
canned)
Mix dry ingredients. Stir eggs, buttermilk
& oil together. Stir into dry ingredients
until all are just wet. Stir in grated
cheese, then add remaining ingredients
and stir until mixed.
Spread into an oiled 6 1/2 x 9 1/2-inch
baking dish or 24 mini-muffins. Bake
400°F until edges are golden and center
is done, about 30 minutes for baking
dish; 10-minutes for mini-muffins.
Lasagna w/ Spinach, Mushrooms &
Three Cheeses
olive oil
9 whole lasagna noodles, cooked al
dente
bechamel sauce, about 2 cups
1 pound spinach, wilted over heat,
chopped & drained (or frozen chopped,
thawed & drained)
2 teaspoons minced garlic
3 cups ricotta cheese
1 pound portabella mushrooms, sliced
& sauteed w/white wine
basil
Simple Tomato Sauce (see recipe)
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded,
more if needed
1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
Spread a little olive oil on the bottom of
a lasagna dish. Lay 3 of the lasagna
noodles in the bottom of the dish.
Spread w/bechamel sauce, dot with
spinach and sprinkle w/garlic. Cover w/3
more lasagna noodles, spread w/ricotta
and arrange mushrooms over the top.
Sprinkle with basil and spoon w/tomato
sauce to cover. Cover with the last 3
lasagna noodles, top with mozzarella,
sprinkle with more basil, and spoon on a
thick layer of tomato sauce. Sprinkle
parmesan liberally over the top. Bake in
pre-heated 350°F oven about 45
minutes. Edges will be bubbly and
lasagna should be hot in the middle.
Three Cheeses
olive oil
9 whole lasagna noodles, cooked al
dente
bechamel sauce, about 2 cups
1 pound spinach, wilted over heat,
chopped & drained (or frozen chopped,
thawed & drained)
2 teaspoons minced garlic
3 cups ricotta cheese
1 pound portabella mushrooms, sliced
& sauteed w/white wine
basil
Simple Tomato Sauce (see recipe)
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded,
more if needed
1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
Spread a little olive oil on the bottom of
a lasagna dish. Lay 3 of the lasagna
noodles in the bottom of the dish.
Spread w/bechamel sauce, dot with
spinach and sprinkle w/garlic. Cover w/3
more lasagna noodles, spread w/ricotta
and arrange mushrooms over the top.
Sprinkle with basil and spoon w/tomato
sauce to cover. Cover with the last 3
lasagna noodles, top with mozzarella,
sprinkle with more basil, and spoon on a
thick layer of tomato sauce. Sprinkle
parmesan liberally over the top. Bake in
pre-heated 350°F oven about 45
minutes. Edges will be bubbly and
lasagna should be hot in the middle.
| Do you have good Pot Luck Etiquette? See my article What to Bring for Pot Luck |