Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Nutella Chocolate Dream Cheese Cake!

Nutella Chocolate Dream Cheese Cake! There is something so special about this chocolate
 hazelnut spread.  Make chocolate impressed leaves for decorate topping. Delicious and chocolaty.

1 box of cream cheese softened 8 oz
1 tub of mascarpone cheese              * equal parts for sweeter taste.
3 eggs
1/4 cup cane sugar                            *sweeten to taste
1  1/2 cups Nutellea spread
pinch sea salt
drop real vanilla

Pie crust:
1 1/2 cups of graham cracker biscuits
1/4 cup  butter
1/4 cup cane sugar                 Party ideas make individual cheese cakes in decorate glasses :)

Topping:
Fresh strawberries or raspberries for a color pop
Fresh mint leaf
semisweet chocolate chips white or chocolate
        *melt and impress a real lemon leaf. Cool and pull leaf off
          You can make hearts and different shapes with cookie cutter animal shapes as well
Shaved chocolate sprinkle on top
Fresh real whip cream
For parties you can put in small decorative glasses if you do no bake style or cut into individual sizes.

Pie crust whisk and mix in butter, sugar and crushed graham cracker. Refrigerate.

Pie Mix:
In bowl add softened cream cheese, mascarpone, add eggs, salt, sugar, vanilla and stir.
Bake in oven pre-heated oven 375  for 45 minutes until nice and firm. Middle will be soft.

Let cool. Put on pie crust. Add layer of Nutella on top.

Toppings:
Fresh real whip cream and decorate with strawberries and mint. Decorate with chocolate leaves.

#cheesecake #baking #pastry #dessert #pies #cooking #recipes #food #bakingblogs #dessertblogs




Friday, January 16, 2015

Valentines Day: Limoncello Blueberry Pie

Lemoncello Soaked Blueberry Pie is a new twist on this classic favorite. Ready to indulge in a sweet slice of blueberry pie with a hint of lemon? Extraordinary pie for Valentine's day. Serve with a kiss. Dip blueberries in melted chocolate and decorate top of pie.

Pie Dough Ingredients: You can make individual pies for special occasions like Valentine's day!

2 cups all purpose flour    substitute: coconut, almond or gluten free flour
t tsp sea salt
2/3 cup real butter    *healthy alternative applesauce, pureed prunes or bananas
5 tbsp of cold water

Filling:
3/4 Pure cane sugar or white sugar
1/2 all purpose flour
pinch of cinnamon
Lemon zest
6 cups of blueberries soaked 2-3 hours in Limoncello  *over night in refrigerator is ideal)
1/4 cup Limoncello
1 tbsp butter  *healthy alternative applesauce, pureed prunes or bananas

Mix flour in bowl. Knead and add water slowly. Make dough into 2 balls. Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate about 1 hour.

Mix topping ingredients in a bowl and spoon into glass pie pan with dough filling. Saving butter to cut slices on top of blueberries in pan. Place pie pan in oven. Cover with foil.

Preheat oven 450 and bake 35-45 minutes at reduced heat 350. Crust should be light golden brown and blueberries should be bubbling. Decorate with real fresh flowers on side of plate and Hersey kiss for special occasions.

Server and enjoy with a cool refreshing class of Limoncello wine spritzer.
#Italian #Italiancooking #Italian blogs #Italianbaking #Valelntinesday #Love #cooking #baking #dessert #pastry #cake #pies # pie #blueberrypie #blueberry

Mango Habanero Hot Wings

Spicy Mango Hot Wings with home made Habanero sauce.

2 1/2 pounds of chicken
2 cups fresh chopped mango
2 tablespoon of honey or 2  tablespoon spicy honey BBQ sauce
fresh ginger chopped
3 tablespoon cayenne Hot sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder or fresh garlic gloves
2 tablespoon fresh chopped habanero chilis
dash sea salt & pepper
Fresh red chili flakes
1 tablespoon scallions
1/4 cup fresh pineapple
1/3 cup fresh real butter
3-4 carrots
3-4 celery
Fresh Options to try:
Serve on top of  Fresh Romaine & Arugula
Tofu based Blue Cheese dressing

In sauce pan on low heat mix ingredients for spicy hot sauce.

Deep fry wings until crispy using a good healthy oil like Canola oil.
Serve with celery and carrots.



Italian Escarole Pizza

Italian Escarole Mini Pizzas is a modern twist on a classic pie favorite.

Pizza Dough:
4 cups of all purpose Italian flour
                                  Healthy substitutes: almond flour, rice flour, wheat or gluten free flour
2 cups warm water
2 tsp. sea salt
1 packet dry active yeast
1 tsp. Olive oil

Mix dough in bowl with mixer and roll into little balls 4 inches. You will make mini pizzas with these balls. Cover dough with plastic and let rise 1 hour and half.


Prepared Escarole Topping.
Escarole  6 heads fresh
4 garlic gloves
1/4 cup Olive Oil
2 tsp. sea salt
1 tbsp. crushed red pepper

Optional to add variety:
1/2 cup black Olives
1/2 Sun Dried Tomatoes  1/4 onions
Fresh mozzarella cheese
Prosciutto or 1 cup white beans

You can make it  with or without Sauce:
Fresh roman tomatoes
Canned tomato sauce
Fresh basil, sea salt/pepper

Boil escarole until tender in water. Remove from heat and drain.  Add cold olive oil, chopped garlic and salt to taste.

On pie baking dish add escarole topping to mini pizza dough and place in oven. Pre-heat oven 400 degrees. Oven temperature 350 for fifteen minutes.

Your mini pizzas will be delicious with a healthy twist to a classic favorite.

Thursday, January 1, 2015

The Ultimate Italian -Greek Salad!

The Italian version of Greek Salad! To start off the new year for 2015 we are going to mix up some
exciting twists of your classic favorites. "You ready?"
The Italian- Greek Salad!

3 Persian cucumbers  shaved or chopped
1/2 cup of black Greek Olives
1 cup chopped red bell pepper and green bell pepper
6 Julianned sun dried tomatoes
 Fresh Mozzarella balls or Fresh crumbled Sheep or Feta Cheese
sprig of fresh basil leaves
dash of fresh oregano or parsley
dash sea salt & pepper
2 shallots chopped
1 tbsp chopped garlic optional
1/4 cup pepperonis


Traditional Dressing:
1 cup Olive Oil
2/3 cup Balsamic vinegar
dash of salt & pepper
dash of garlic powder
1 tbsp. of fresh lemon juice

New Italian Twist Dressing:
add Basil Pesto Dressing
2 cups fresh basil leaves
1 clove of garlic finely chopped
2/3 cup Olive Oil your favorite Extra Virgin is always great to use
dash sea salt & pepper to taste
dash of garlic powder optional
1/2 cup of Pecorino Toscano Cheese,  or  Grana Padano cheese
1/4 cup pine nuts or cashews nuts are optional to save calories & your waist line
dash cayenne pepper optional 
Add ingredients to blender or food processor and slowly add oil as you mix

PARTY IDEAS:
cut fresh bell pepper top and use as salad bowl
or
roast the red and yellow peppers in oven till golden for 25 minutes 375 degrees in oven
Open top of peppers and put salad inside
serve on tray


Carrot & Zucchini Skinny Salad with Ginger Pomegranate Dressing

Serve more salads & vegetables with meals to create a more slimming meal experience For The New Year 2015.
Carrot & Zucchini Veggie Lovers Skinny Salad:

2 cups thinly sliced strips of carrots-match box style like thin angel hair pasta or shaved thin
2 cups thinly sliced strips or shaved thin Zucchini cut same as above
2 cups fresh green beans OPTIONAL for veggie lovers or  thinly sliced shoe string Cucumbers
6-8 grape tomatoes
4 sprigs of fresh mint
2 sprigs of thyme optional for flavor kick
2 chopped up chives
1/2 red onion chopped optional
dash of sea salt and pepper
1 tbsp. chopped garlic optional
dash Cayenne pepper optional

Protein Option:
White beans
Pan Seared Salmon
2 tbsp Fresh grated Parmesan Cheese sprinkled on top of salad

Ginger POMEGRANATE Dressing
1 cup olive oil   (Optional to use)
2/3 cup pomegranate balsamic vinegar   (Balsamic vinegar with fresh squeezed Pomegranate juice drained from seeds and dash of lemon juice.)
1 tsp garlic powder
dash sea salt and pepper
1 tbsp chopped fresh ginger
dash of real vanilla

Cooking With Alkaline Foods For a Healthy New Year

Alkaline Foods are good for healthy life style so add some of these ingredients to your favorite
dishes today. It is said that if the body is alkaline it cannot get sick.  
Alkaline water is great for you so pick up some today and drink your way to a healthy New Year.
 Alkaline Vegetables:
 Beets, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Celery, Cucumber, Kale, Lettuce, Onions, Peas, Peppers, Spinach
 Alkaline Fruits:
 Apple, Banana, Berries, Cantaloupe, Grapes, Melon, Lemon, Orange, Peach, Pear, Watermelon
Alkaline Protein:
Almonds, Chestnuts, Tofu
Alkalizing Spices:
Cinnamon, Curry, Ginger, Mustard, Sea Salt