Satsuma Orange Cheesecake

This is by far my favorite cheesecake! Not too sweet, not too heavy and amazingly delicious. The orange and cream cheese combine into a complex orange cream flavor. I took this recipe one step beyond by making homemade whipped cream (with just a bit of sweetness) to dollop on the top. While not needed it is an awesome addition. I would not recommend store bought whipped cream as it would be too sweet for this cheesecake and overwhelm the delicate flavors.

Crust:

1 cup flour

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp salt

3 TBS sugar

3 1/2 TBS butter, softened

1 large egg yolk

Filling:

12 oz. reduced fat cream cheese, softened

8 oz. full fat cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup reduced fat sour cream

2 TBS grated satsuma orange rind

1/4 cup fresh satsuma orange juice

4 large eggs

1. Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees

2. To prepare crust, lightly coat bottom of springform pan with butter.

3. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup, level with a knife. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt.

Combine 3 TBS sugar and butter in a food processor, process until light and fluffy. Add egg yolk, process until smooth.

Add flour mixture to food processor, process until just combined.

Firmly press mixture into bottom of springform pan. Bake at 325 for 25 minutes until lightly browned. Cool 10 minutes on a wire rack.

4. Combine cream cheeses in a food processor, process 30 seconds until smooth. Add 3/4 cup sugar, process 30 seconds. Add sour cream, rind and juice; process 30 seconds. Add eggs 1 at a time, processing well after each addition. Scrape down sides of bowl, process 10 seconds.

Pour mixture into prepared crust.

Place pan in large baking pan. Add hot water to baking pan to a depth of 1 inch to form a water bath. Bake at 325 degrees for 50 - 60 minutes until cheese cake center barely moves when touched. Turn off oven, let stand 30 minutes before removing. Remove cheesecake from oven and water bath. Run a knife around the outside edge. Cool to room temperature. Cover and chill.

* optional whipped cream topping can be added just before serving.

Southwest Salad

This is a good salad and a great burrito filler. Eat it either way and if you want to make the salad a meal, add left over roast chicken.

Vinaigrette:

2 TBS white wine OR red wine vinegar

1 1/2 TBS EVOO

1 tsp honey

3/4 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1/8 tsp ground pepper

sprinkle of salt

Mix ingredients together with a whisk.

Salad:

5 - 8 cups torn romaine lettuce

container of fresh pico de gallo

1 avocado, peeled and diced

1/2 cup shredded or diced sharp white cheddar cheese

1/4 cup finely sliced green onion

1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1. Arrange lettuce, avocado, beans, onions and cheese in a large bowl.

2. Spoon pico de gallo onto the individual salads.

3. Drizzle with dressing.

Pork Chops with Red-Eye Gravy

This is a fairly easy and SUPER delicious dish loaded with unique flavor. Love it! I used a french press to make the strong coffee which worked out great. Serve with a side of grits or mashed potatoes and a dark green like wilted spinach.

Pork Chops with Red-Eye Gravy (Cooking Li.ght December 2011)

1 TBS olive oil

4 (6 oz) bone in pork chops

1/2 tsp salt, divided

1/2 tsp pepper, divided

1/4 cup shallots, chopped

1 tsp dried thyme

1 small package mushrooms, sliced

1/4 cup dry sherry

1/2 cup hot strong brewed coffee, divided

1/2 cup tomato juice

2 tsp sherry vinegar ( I used cider vinegar)

1. Heat a large skillet over med-high heat. Add oil to pan. Swirl to coat. Sprinkle pork with 1/4 tsp salt and pepper. Add pork chops to pan, and cook 3 -5 minutes on each side (or until done), covering partially with a lid. Remove pork from pan, keep warm.

2. Add shallots, thyme, and sliced mushrooms to pan. Saute 4 - 5 minutes. (I added a small amount of water to loosen the browned bits from the pan at this time.) Stir in sherry and cook 30 seconds, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Stir in remaining salt and pepper, 1/4 cup coffee, juice and vinegar. Bring to a simmer, cook for 3 minutes. Combine cornstarch and remaining 1/4 cup coffee. Add cornstarch mixture to pan, stirring with a whisk; cook 2 minutes until thickened, remove from heat.

Enjoy!

White Winter Root Veggie Stew

Here is a nice cream based stew that has lots of good root veggies in it for winter time.

White Winter Root Veggie Stew (adapted from cooking li.ght)

1 baking potato, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (or 3-4 yukon gold potatoes)

2 TBS butter

1 1/2 cups chopped onion

3 cups thinly sliced leek (about 3 large)

3/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 turnips, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 small celery root, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 cup veggie broth

1 cup water

1 cup low fat milk

1 cup half and half

1. Place potato in a medium bowl. Cover with cold water. Set aside.

2. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion to pan, and cook 5 - 7 minutes until soft but not browned, stirring occasionally. Add leek and the next 4 ingredients through celery root to pan. Cover with lid and reduce heat to low, cooking 15 minutes.

3. Drain potatoes. Add potatoes to pot. Stir in water and broth. Cover and simmer 20 minutes or until veggies are tender, stirring occasionally.

4. Heat milk and half-n-half in a small saucepan over medium heat to 180 degrees or until tiny bubbles from around the edges. Do NOT boil. Gradually stir in hot milk into veggie mixture, stirring constantly. Turn heat off and serve.