Lemon Cheesecake with Blueberry Sauce

Ingredients:

Graham cracker crust
1 lb (2-8 oz) cream cheese
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 pint sour cream
1 lemon, zested
dash vanilla

Blueberry Sauce:

1 pint blueberries
1 lemon, zested nad juiced
2 T sugar

Preheat oven to 325. Beat cream cheese for 1 minute. Add egg one at a time. Gradually add sugar. Beat 1-2 minute. Add sour cream, lemon, and vanilla. Scrape sides and mix well. Pour in crust and bake 1 hour 15 minute (should still jiggle). Leave 30 minutes. Chill 4 hours.

For Sauce:
Simmer over medium heat 5 minutes.

Stuffed Chicken Roulades with Mushroom Sauce

Ingredients:
4-5 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into cubes
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1/4 cup fresh thyme, chopped or 2 tsp dried thyme
2 Tbsp non-dairy butter substitute (such as Earth Balance)
1/4 cup soy milk, plus more if needed
salt and freshly ground pepper
4 butterflied chicken breasts, pounded thin or thin sliced cutlets
olive oil
white button mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 Tbsp whipping cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring pot of water to a boil. Add potatoes and garlic, and cook until tender, about 20 minutes. While still warm, mash potatoes with a fork. Add thyme, butter, soy milk, salt and pepper to taste.

Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper on both sides. Place the mashed potato filling at one end of chicken breast, leaving a little space at the end to seal. Roll chicken around potato filling. Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to skillet, seam side down, and brown on both sides. Do not overcrowd pan, cook in batches if needed. Remove chicken to baking dish and place in oven. Bake for 15 minutes or until heated through.

Add mushrooms and saute till soft, about 5 minutes. Add wine to deglaze pan, and cook another 3 minutes. Add cream and stir for 1 minute. Slice chicken breasts into 1 inch slices with serrated knife and serve with mushroom sauce.

Chicken Piccata

Ingredients:
2 boneless chicken breasts, butterflied & cut in half
sea salt and fresh ground pepper
flour for dredging
4 Tbsp butter substitute (like Smart Balance or Earth Balance)
5 Tbsp olive oil
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup capers, minced
1/3 cup fresh chopped parsley

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour and shake off. In large skillet over medium heat, melt 2 Tbsp butter and 3 Tbsp oil. When sizzles add 2 pieces chicken and cook 3 minutes till browned. Cook 3 more minutes on other side. Transfer to plate. Melt another tablespoon butter and add 2 Tbsp oil. Cook other 2 pieces chicken and remove to plate. Add lemon juice, stock and capers to pan. Bring to a boil scraping up bits from pan. Return chicken to pan and simmer 5 minutes. Remove to platter. Add 1 Tbsp butter to sauce, whisk vigorously. Pour over chicken and garnish with parsley.

Green Goddess Salad Dressing

I found this amazing salad dressing recipe that can also be used with poached salmon or as a dip. Don't be scared off by the anchovy- you don't taste a fishy flavor at all.

Ingredients:
1/2 ripe medium avocado (about 7 oz)
3 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 oil-packed anchovy, very finely chopped
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp sugar
3/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
3 Tbsp chopped fresh Italian parsley (or 1 Tbsp dried parsley)
2 Tbsp chopped fresh tarragon (or 2/3 Tbsp dried tarragon)
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil (or 1/3 Tbsp dried basil)
1 small shallot, finely chopped (about 1 Tbsp)

Blend first 7 ingredients in processor until coarse puree forms. With machine running, gradually add oil through feed tube; blend well. Transfer mixture to bowl; whisk in cream. Add parsley, tarragon, cilantro, basil, and shallot; whisk to combine. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and chill at least 3 hours (dressing will separate if not chilled). Let stand at room temperature 20 minutes and rewhisk before serving.

Strawberry Tart with Hazelnut Crust

Ingredients:
FILLING:
2 12-oz baskets strawberries, hulled and diced
3/4 cup sugar
3 Tbsp vanilla
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Pinch of ground cinnamon

CRUST:
Matzo cake meal (for dusting)
2 cups husked toasted hazelnuts
1 cup sugar
1/8 tsp salt
Pinch of ground cinnamon
1 large egg
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
3 pints baskets strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced

Combine all filling ingredients in a heavy large skillet. Stir over high heat until sugar dissolves and mixture comes to a boil. Boil until very thick, stirring frequently, about 13 minutes. Cool in pan.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 11" tart pan with removable bottom with heavy duty foil, pressing firmly into scalloped sides of pan. Grease foil and dust with matzo cake meal. Finely grind nuts, sugar, salt, and cinnamon in food processor. Add egg and vanilla and process until mixture just holds together. Reserve 1/2 cup dough for another use. Using moistened fingertips, press remaining dough onto bottom and up sides of prepared pan. Bake until crust is golden, crinkled and feels dry, about 13 minutes. Cool crust completely in pan on rack. Remove tart pan sides. Carefully peel foil off crust. Return crust to pan.

Only right before serving fill crust with strawberries, making sure not to include too much liquid or crust will become mushy. Starting at edge of tart, cover tart with berry slices in overlapping concentric circles, with first circle leaning against crust edge. Remove tart from pan. Cut into wedges and serve immediately.

* Filling tart too early will result in crust become soggy. Only fill crust when ready to serve.

Coconut Tomato Soup with Ginger

This soup is amazing- I learned how to make it in my cooking class. It makes a huge stock pot of soup so you can divide the recipe in half for a smaller portion that still serves 8.

Ingredients:
3 Tbsp olive oil
6 oz red onion, small dice
3 oz carrot, small dice
3 oz celery, small dice
1 jalapeno, seeded + diced small
2 Tbsp ginger, minced very small
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp coriander
2 oz flour
3 quarts (12 cups) vegetable stock
4 lb canned tomatoes
2 quarts (8 cups) coconut milk
fresh cilantro, chiffonade (optional)
scallions, sliced thinly (optional)
salt & pepper to taste

In a heavy saucepan, sweat the mirepoix (onion, carrot and celery) for 3 minutes. Add jalapeno, ginger, cumin, and coriander. Sweat for another 3 minutes. When softened, stir in flour to make a roux. Slowly whisk in stock, bring to a boil. Add tomatoes and simmer for 30 minutes.

You can either strain the soup through a strainer, pressing down to get all the juices, or I prefer to blend with an immersion blender to make a thicker soup. Return soup to a simmer and stir in coconut milk. Simmer for ten minutes to heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with cilantro and scallions for garnish (optional).

Happy Purim Hamentashen!!

Ingredients:
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup OJ
5 1/2 cups flour
1 Tbps baking powder
1 cup fruit preserves or chocolate filling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease cookie sheets. Beat eggs and sugar until light and fluffy. Add oil, vanilla and OJ. Combine flour and baking powder. Stir into batter to form stiff dough. If dough is not stiff enough to handle, add more flour. Roll out to 1/4 " thick. Cut into circles and spoon 2 tsp of filling into center. Pinch edges to form three corners. Bake 12-15 minutes until light brown.