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Cheesecake Swirl Brownies

Tomorrow is my grandmother's 88th birthday (HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NANA!!), and after a celebratory dinner, we are going back to her house for coffee and dessert. I wanted to bring something yummy, but wasn't sure what; after a quick peek through my starred recipes, these brownies by Kayte seemed perfect!

They were quick and easy to make (despite having to make a last-minute run to the store for vanilla... whoops!). The only problem I ran into was that my cheesecake part seemed runnier than I expected. But that may have been because I accidentally used the whole package of cream cheese instead of 7oz.


I haven't tasted these since they are for tomorrow, but if appearances and aroma are any indication, they will be delightful!

Ingredients:
Brownie Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp salt

Cheesecake Ingredients:

• 7 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1 tsp pure Vanilla
• 1 egg

Directions:
To make the brownies:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease an 8 inch square pan.
2. In a large bowl, blend melted butter, sugar and vanilla. Beat in eggs one at a time. Combine the flour, cocoa powder and salt in a separate bowl. Gradually blend dry mixture into the egg mixture.

For the cheesecake mixture:

1. In bowl combine cream cheese, sugar, flour and vanilla beat until smooth. Add egg and beat just until combined.

Spread 2/3 of the brownies batter into prepared pan. Dollop cheesecake mixture on top of brownie batter and dollop remaining brownie batter on top of cheesecake mixture. Run a knife through the batters, creating a swirl pattern. Bake in preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until a tester comes out with a few crumbs on it.

Menu: May 5

We're not going to be home much tomorrow, so I needed to do my grocery shopping today. Therefore, in order to make my list, I had to know what I was cooking... so I did my menu today. Most of these came from blogs...

Sunday: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NANA!! Out to dinner...

Monday: HAPPY CINCO DE MAYO! Chili Dog Cheeseburgers and French Fries

Tuesday: Fresh Raspberry Chicken and Garlic Carrots

Wednesday: Taco Bake

Thursday: Grilled Bruschetta Chicken and Creamy Orzo

Friday: Herb Roasted Pork with Honey Dijon Mustard and Scalloped Potatoes

Saturday: Ziti Bolognese and Florentine Meatballs

Chicken Meatball Soup

I was supposed to make a RR meatball-mac-and-cheese tonight, but I wasn't really in the mood for it. Besides, while my husband was out last night, I made boxed mac-and-cheese for me and Ryan, so I really didn't want to have that two nights in a row.

I already had ground chicken defrosting though, so I needed something to use it up, along with what groceries were left in my house at the end of the week. A quick search on myrecipes.com produced this recipe from an old issue of Cooking Light.



This wasn't bad, but probably not something I'd plan on making again. It was quick, and I had everything on hand, so that was good... but, to my dawg Randy Jackson, "it was just okay for me." First of all, the liquid is not NEARLY enough. I did halve the recipe, but I ended adding much more liquid than even the original quantity calls for - and I still didn't have enough. I've had better, I've had worse...

Ingredients

Meatballs:

• 3/4 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 pounds ground chicken breast
• 2 large eggs
• Cooking spray

Soup:

• 3 cups water
• 3 (14-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups chopped celery
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• 1 (16-ounce) package frozen mixed vegetables
• 1 cup uncooked small pasta shells
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°.

To prepare meatballs, combine the first 10 ingredients in a bowl; shape mixture into 48 (1-inch) meatballs. Place meatballs on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until done.

To prepare soup, bring water and broth to a boil in a Dutch oven. Add celery, onions, and frozen vegetables; cook 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add pasta; cook 8 minutes or until done. Add meatballs; cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Place 6 meatballs in each of 8 bowls; divide soup among bowls. Sprinkle evenly with parsley.

Yield

8 servings (serving size: about 1 1/3 cups)

Nutritional Information

CALORIES 302(13% from fat); FAT 4.4g (sat 1.5g,mono 1.3g,poly 0.8g); PROTEIN 36.3g; CHOLESTEROL 121mg; CALCIUM 109mg; SODIUM 920mg; FIBER 4.2g; IRON 2.8mg; CARBOHYDRATE 27.8g

Gloria Hafer , Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2004

Butternut Squash and Vanilla Risotto

Another Giada dish!


This was REALLY good, although I did learn a few things...

1. Risotto is better when you actually buy Arborio rice! This is the 3rd time I've made risotto, but the first that I haven't used regular rice. Well, lo and behold, it makes a difference! ;)

2. The extra money spent to buy pre-chopped butternut squash is worth it. Cutting up those bad boys is annoying!



Okay, onto the recipe...

Ingredients:

• 4 cups vegetable broth
  
• 1 large vanilla bean (I didn't have any, so I used a splash of vanilla extract.)
• 3 cups peeled cubed (1-inch wide) butternut squash, about 12 ounces
• 2 tablespoons butter, plus 1 tablespoon
• 3/4 cups finely chopped onion (from 1 onion)
• 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice or medium-grain white rice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives

In a medium saucepan, warm the broth over medium-high heat. Cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise. Scrape out the seeds and add them, and the bean, to the broth. When the broth comes to a simmer reduce the heat to low. Add the butternut squash to the simmering broth and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. (I left mine in longer because I wanted the squash to be mashed, not chunky.) Using a slotted spoon remove the butternut squash to a side dish. Turn the heat on the broth down to very low and cover to keep warm.

Meanwhile, in a large, heavy saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until tender but not brown, about 3 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat with the butter. Add the wine and simmer until the wine has almost completely evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the simmering broth and stir until almost completely absorbed, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking the rice, adding the broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing each addition to of the broth to absorb before adding the next, until the rice is tender but still firm to the bite and the mixture is creamy, about 20 minutes total. Discard the vanilla bean. Turn off the heat. Gently stir in the butternut squash, Parmesan, the remaining tablespoon of butter, and salt. Transfer the risotto to a serving bowl and sprinkle with chives. Serve
immediately.

Chicken with Mustard Mascarpone Marsala Sauce

I've made this before, and it was really good, so I was excited to try it again! The sauce is delicious - a wonderful blend of flavor. I don't think I've ever had a Giada recipe that I haven't liked...


Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, each breast cut crosswise into 3 pieces
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 5 tablespoons butter, divided
• 3/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 cup dry Marsala wine
• 1 cup (8 ounces) mascarpone cheese
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves, plus whole sprigs, for garnish
• 12 ounces dried fettuccine

Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over high heat. Add the chicken and cook just until brown, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate and cool slightly.

While the chicken cools, melt 2 tablespoons of butter to the same skillet over medium-high heat, then add the onion and saute until tender, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and garlic and saute until the mushrooms are tender and the juices evaporate, about 12 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until it is reduced by half, about 4 minutes. Stir in the mascarpone and mustard. Cut the chicken breasts crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat until the chicken is just cooked through and the sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Stir in the chopped parsley. Season the sauce, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fettuccine and cook until al dente, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Drain. Toss the fettuccine with 3 tablespoons of butter and season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Swirl the fettuccine onto serving plates. Spoon the chicken mixture over top. Garnish with parsley sprigs and serve.

Meatloaf with Smothered Mushrooms and Cheesy Cauliflower

I thought this looked interesting when I saw it on the Food Network's website, but I wasn't a big fan. It was good, don't get me wrong, but nothing great; I much more prefer Rachael's Cheeseburger Meatloaf. Much more flavor and a little simpler.

I don't really have much else to say about this. I guess I'm just kind of "ehh" about tonight's meal...


Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 to 2 pounds ground beef, pork and veal mix (meatloaf mix) or ground sirloin – your choice
• 1 small onion, peeled and halved
• 4 sprigs fresh sage, finely chopped, about 2 tablespoons
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 2 handfuls bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, eyeball it
• 1 rounded tablespoon Dijon mustard
• Salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 large head cauliflower
• 1/3 cup, about 3 ounces, Boursin or other garlic and herb soft cheese
• A handful grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Romano
• 1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg, eyeball it
• 3 tablespoons chives, chopped or snipped, about 12 blades
• 20 crimini or baby portobello mushrooms
• 1 rounded tablespoon all-purpose flour
• A shot Scotch or dry sherry, optional
• 1 cup beef stock
• 1/4 cup half-and-half or cream, 1 turn of the pan

Place meat in a bowl. Grate onion using a box or handheld grater directly over the meat bowl. Add sage, egg, bread crumbs, Worcestershire and mustard, salt and pepper then mix meat to combine. Score meat into 4 sections and form 4 oval shaped loaves, 1 to 1/2 inches thick.

Preheat 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan, in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meatloaves and cook 6 to 7 minutes on each side. Remove to a platter and cover with foil to keep warm.

While meatloaf cooks, add chicken stock and 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan, to a deep pot. Trim away greens and stems from the base of cauliflower. Cut away the core with a sharp paring knife. Set cored head into pot with broth. Cover pot and bring liquid to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and cook cauliflower, covered, until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Uncover the pot and mash the cauliflower. Let some liquid cook off as you smash the cheeses into the cauliflower. As the mixture thickens, turn off heat and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stir in chives and transfer cauliflower to as serving dish.

Once meatloaves are removed, place the skillet back over medium heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan, and the mushrooms. Cover the skillet with foil and nest the foil into pan with a second smaller skillet, smothering the mushrooms. Cook until deep brown and tender, 7 to 8 minutes. Remove the foil, add flour and cook a minute longer. Add in a shot of Scotch or sherry, if you have either on hand, then whisk in the beef stock. Stir in half-and-half or cream and bring to a bubble. Season the mushroom gravy with salt and pepper, to taste.

Place the meatloaves on dinner plates and douse with hot, smothered mushroom gravy, spoon the cauliflower alongside.

Chicken Piccata with Lemon, Capers, and Artichoke Hearts

I like Chicken Piccata and I really liked the Chicken/Artichoke dinner I've made, so when I saw this Robin Miller recipe on the Food Network's website, I saved it immediately.


It's super easy to make and it really tasted great. I didn't make enough for leftovers, though - bummer! But I was very satisfied with this dish; I'd make it again for sure.

Ingredients:

• 4 (4-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, quartered
• 1/4 cup drained capers
• 1 cup quick-cooking brown rice
• 1/2 cup frozen lima beans (I omitted.)

Place chicken in zip-top bags and pound with a meat mallet or rolling pin until 1/4-inch thick. Remove chicken from bag and season all over with salt and black pepper. In a shallow dish (or plastic bag), combine flour, lemon zest, paprika, and garlic powder. Mix well. Add chicken and turn to coat. Remove chicken from flour mixture and shake off excess flour.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and saute 2 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through. Add lemon juice, wine and chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Simmer 5 minutes, until chicken is cooked through and sauce thickens. Add artichoke hearts and capers and simmer 1 minute to heat through.

Cook rice according to package directions, adding lima beans at the beginning of cooking process. Serve chicken and sauce with rice.

WC Recipe Exchange: Banana Bread

See? Now THIS is why I love the What's Cooking? board.

I entered, for the second time, the recipe exchange. You submit a recipe of your own, and you get "assigned" someone else's to make and blog about. This time, the theme was "Family Recipes."

I would never, ever have thought to put pineapple in banana bread. And making it with Bisquick?? That is PERFECT for a not-very-great-baker like me. The woman running the exchange must know me very well. :)


I had this loaf in the oven in no time. Seriously. I preheated the oven, started the bread, and I was done before the oven was ready. And my oven is quick.

The only addition I made to this recipe was to sprinkle some chocolate chips on top. Really, what CAN'T be improved with the addition of some chocolate chips??

This was DELICIOUS. I will for sure make this again. My husband and son LOVED it; Ryan even cried when "his" piece was gone. THANK YOU for a wonderful addition to my files!!


Ingredients:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup Canola oil
• 2 eggs
• 2-3 over-ripe mashed bananas
• 2 cups Bisquick
• Small can crushed pineapple, mostly drained

Beat first 3 ingredients until fluffy. Add bananas and blend. Add last 2 ingredients and beat until mixed well. Put in a greased loaf pan. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes to 1 hour. This is best served warm with a pat of butter.

Menu: April 28

I usually go through my saved recipes on various websites, my Google Reader, cookbooks, computer files, etc... This week, for some strange reason, I didn't even finish going through my recipe box on the Food Network's site before I had my whole menu done. Thanks mostly to Rachael and Giada, here's what's cooking at my house this week!

Monday: Chicken Piccata with Lemon, Capers, and Artichokes

Tuesday: Meatloaf with Smothered Mushrooms and Cheesy Cauliflower

Wednesday: Chicken with Creamy Mustard Marsala Sauce and Butternut Squash and Vanilla Risotto
Thursday: Florentine Mac and Cheese with Roasted Chicken Meatballs

Friday: Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Pork

Saturday: Chili Dog Cheeseburgers and Fiery Fries