Passover Lemon Cheesecake & Seder

Last night was the first night of Passover.  Traditionally, we gather our family that is nearby and read the Haggadah together.  Once we finish reading the story of Passover, the feast begins!

This was the first time hosting Seder for me.  The menu planning wasn't too difficult because we have certain dishes that we always serve and everyone would be disappointed if something was left off of the menu. 

Our Seder Menu:
Gefilte Fish
Matzah Ball Soup (I linked to the recipe I use, but made them much smaller than I did in that post)
Roasted Chicken
Brisket
Spinach Pie
Cranberry Sauce
Carrot Souffle
Noodle Kugel
Passover Brownies
Passover Lemon Cheesecake
Fresh Fruit Platter
Chocolate Covered Matzahs

Yes, it is quite a feast!  And, of course, there are tons of leftovers!  The menu shown above does not include the matazah and charoset that we also eat during the telling of the story of Passover.  So, you can imagine that the next morning you may still be full from dinner the night before!

I have shared several of the recipes from this menu before, so I thought I'd share the Passover Lemon Cheesecake this year since it is new for me.  When I told my Sis-in-Law, who lives much too far away in Phoenix, that I was hosting Passover this year she suggested a dessert that would knock our socks off.  The recipe comes from Gourmet magazine (so bummed it was shut down last year) and is a refreshing addition to the dessert portion of our meal as many of the treats have chocolate in them.  It is an extremely simple recipe to put together, just make sure you prepare it a day in advance in order to allow it plenty of time to chill. 

I was busy serving and cleaning dishes throughout the evening, so I didn't take the time to plate up a slice and take a drool-worthy photo... but, let me tell you this is a perfect springtime dessert!  You could use a traditional graham cracker crust or as Gourmet suggests try using shortbread for the crust. 

I know I'll be making this one again and again.  You can find a printable version of the recipe HERE at Epicurious. 


Passover Lemon Cheesecake
Source:  Gourmet, April 2008

Yield: Makes 8 to 10 servings

For crust
3/4 cup sliced blanched almonds, toasted and cooled
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup matzo cake meal
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Equipment: a 9-inch springform pan

Garnish: julienned lemon zest

Make crust:
Preheat oven to 350F with rack in middle.

Pulse almonds, sugar, matzo cake meal, and salt in a food processor until finely ground. Transfer to a bowl and stir in butter until combined well. Press onto bottom and 1 inch up side of springform pan. Bake until crust is firm and a shade darker, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool crust completely in pan on a rack.

Make filling and bake cheesecake:

Reduce oven temperature to 300°F.

Beat together cream cheese and sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low and add eggs 1 at a time, mixing until incorporated. Mix in zest and vanilla.

Put springform pan in a shallow baking pan and pour filling into cooled crust. Bake until filling is set 1 1/2 inches from edge but center is wobbly, 45 to 50 minutes (filling will continue to set as it cools). Transfer cake in pan to a rack and immediately run a knife around edge, then remove side of pan. Cool completely, 2 to 3 hours.

Cooks' note:  Cheesecake can be made 2 days ahead and chilled, loosely covered.
Please note that all photos and content belong to Patsy Kreitman, unless otherwise noted. If you want to use something please ask first.

Weekly Tasty Tidbits

Something I've been wanting to do is post links to the TONS of blogs with fabulous recipes I come across each week. 

I came across this Tuscan Garlic Chicken recipe on Joelen's Culinary Adventures and the photo had my mouth watering! 

Robin Sue at Big Red Kitchen made the simplest version of the Buckeye - ever!  I'm so going to make this after Passover!

Love the way Stephanie's Kitchen made Monkey Bread in a muffin pan!  I have a friend who raves about monkey bread and this may be the ideal way for us to try it without buying a special pan. 

Over at For the Love of Cooking, she cooked up a flank steak and let everyone in her family choose how they wanted it served... I love her choice of the Flank Steak and Avocado Salad.  So perfect for spring!

Katie at goodLife {eats} pulled out her pressure cooker and made Shredded Pork Tacos.  Great way to use the pressure cooker!

Next week, I'll be sharing some of our Passover Seder, but in the meantime you can check out previous Passover posts HERE. 

Please note that all photos and content belong to Patsy Kreitman, unless otherwise noted. If you want to use something please ask first.

Foodbuzz Family Bites: Sockarooni Bites

As promised, I've got another recipe to share today for the Foodbuzz Family Bites feature.  If you make the Chunky Sockarooni Bolognese from yesterday's post... you may have some leftovers, and if you do I've got the perfect way to use them!

Whenever I make a meat sauce, the leftovers frequently get served over pasta.  I didn't want to do that this time, I wanted to make something fun for My Boys to eat.  And, with a can of crescent rolls I came up with Sockarooni Bites!

Inside those buttery crescent rolls you will find the chunky, meaty sauce from last night's dinner!  What better way to use leftovers and get dinner (or lunch) on the table in no time at all... which with baseball and other spring sports on the horizon, we will be doing more often!

Sockarooni Bites

Source:  PatsyK Original

Prepare these bite-size puffs for an after school snack or a pre-dinner nibble when having friends over. They are full of flavor and would even make a fantastic meal if you made them a bit larger.

Ingredients
¼ pound of lean ground beef (80% or better)
2 ounces button mushrooms (or baby Portobello’s), sliced
1/2 cup Newman’s Own Sockarooni Pasta Sauce
1 package refrigerated crescent rolls (package of 8)

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place parchment paper on large cookie sheet and set aside.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and break up with a spatula as it cooks. It should be broken up into small bits. Once completely cooked add mushrooms and cook until liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat, drain and put in a large bowl.

3. Add Sockarooni pasta sauce to the meat and mushrooms and stir to combine completely.

4. Separate the crescent rolls and place about 1 tablespoon of the sausage mixture in the middle of one of the rectangles of pastry. Starting at the widest end, begin to fold up making sure to press the dough together to seal.

5. Place each crescent roll on the parchment lined cookie sheet. Cook for about 15 minutes or until nicely browned on top.

Special Notes: this is also a great way to use leftovers from the Sockarooni Bolognese Sauce.


Please note that all photos and content belong to Patsy Kreitman, unless otherwise noted. If you want to use something please ask first.

Foodbuzz Family Bites: Chunky Sockarooni Bolognese

A few months ago, Foodbuzz asked if I would like to participate in a new feature they were going to introduce - Family Bites.  Each blogger who signed on to do this would be provided some new products from Newman's Own and would need to come up with some recipes using these products. 

I had some fun using the products, and I was already a fan of Newman's Own from previous experience.  The first recipe I'm going to share this week is a quick and easy Chunky Sockaroon Bolognese.  This will come together in no time on a busy weeknight and the addition of Newman's Own Sockarooni sauce makes it so easy to put together a flavorful meal for your family.

The leftover meat sauce can be used in another recipe I will share tomorrow.  Be sure to check out my feature on Foodbuzz HERE each day this week.  I'm very excited to be a part of this new feature and welcome any new readers that found me via the Foodbuzz Family Bites feature!

Chunky Sockarooni Bolognese

Source:  PatsyK Original

A Bolognese is a sauce that is full of flavor and has a stick-to-your ribs taste to it. It’s simple to prepare and every member of the family will be sopping up the sauce with baguette slices.

Ingredients
1 ¼ pounds of lean ground beef (80% or better)
8 ounce package of button mushrooms (or baby Portobello’s), sliced
1 ½ cups Newman’s Own Sockarooni Pasta Sauce
½ pound of linguine, cooked to package instructions

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 6

1. Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once meat has been browned, drain any drippings.

2. Add sliced mushrooms and allow to cook until softened, about 2-3 minutes.

3. Add Newman’s Own Sockarooni Pasta Sauce and bring to a boil. Then, lower heat to a simmer and cover for about 10 minutes.

4. Serve over cooked linguine.

Please note that all photos and content belong to Patsy Kreitman, unless otherwise noted. If you want to use something please ask first.

Chocolate Chip-Peanut Butter Brownies

Do you like peanut butter?  How about chocolate?  Thinking... something like the Reese's combo... if you are here, you MUST love chocolate since I tend to share something that has chocolate in it pretty often.  I'm almost afraid to go back through old posts and see just how many recipes I've shared that have chocolate in them... might explain why I need to work out a bit harder every time I go to the gym, huh?

These brownies are more like blondies in color... but, their dense texture and perfect pairing of peanut butter and chocolate makes them totally irresistable!  Don't wait to make them... go to your kitchen and preheat your oven to 350 degrees right NOW!  I made them two times in one week - yes, they were THAT good!

Don't you want to grab a few to nibble on right now?  Seriously, don't wait to make these... your family and friends will love you for it!

Chocolate Chip-Peanut Butter Brownies
Source:  Southern Living All-Time Favorite Cookie Recipes

Ingredients
1/3 cup buttter, softened
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate morsels

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease an 8-inch square pan (I covered mine in foil and then sprayed with cooking spray). 

Beat butter and peanut butter at medium speed of an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add sugars, beating well.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; add to creamed mixture, stirring well.  Stir in vanilla and choclate morsels.

Pour batter into prepared pan.  Bake for about 30-35 minutes. Allow to cool and cut into squares. 

Will keep well in a sealed container at room temperature for about 1 week - if they last that long!

Please note that all photos and content belong to Patsy Kreitman, unless otherwise noted. If you want to use something please ask first.

Foodbuzz Tastemaker: Bertolli Four Cheese Rosa Pasta Sauce

When I received the email from Foodbuzz with the Tastemaker Opportunity to sample new sauces from Bertolli, I was quick to respond with a "yes"!  I received a very nicely packaged box of their two newest sauces:  Four Cheese Rosa and Arrabiata.

My Husband prepared a quick meal one night with the Arrabiata sauce.  He sauteed some thinly sliced chicken breasts and then cooked in the sauce.  Then a quick toss with the sauce and dinner was done!  The sauce is full of flavor and has just enough kick to be deserving of the name Arrabiata.  I think it would be fabulous with the grilled and sliced turkey sausage tossed with it, and may just do that as the weather warms up.  There are some very busy nights ahead for us once baseball season begins for our boys.

The other sauce inspired dinner the other night.  It is a creamy Alfredo style sauce with a bit of tomato in it.  I decided to add it to crumbled cooked sweet turkey sausage.  To make it a bit chunkier, I added some diced tomatoes as it cooked.  Another quick and easy weeknight meal that I was able to throw together.

My Husband and I really enjoyed this sauce.  It was full of flavor and enough creaminess to fill that "comfort food" craving.  The dish reheated well for lunch as well!  My Boys were less than impressed by this meal, which just meant more for us. 

I am all for preparing your meals from scratch, but some packaged products are worthy of being used to make dinner time easier.  I will be adding these sauces to my shopping list so that I can keep them in my pantry.  With a few good quality ingredients, these sauces can make an excellent meal for your family.  I also loved that when I took a look at the ingredient list it wasn't filled with names of things I couldn't pronounce. 

Note:  These sauces were sent to me for review through the Foodbuzz Featured Publisher Tastemaker program.  No compensation was paid for a review of these products.

Please note that all photos and content belong to Patsy Kreitman, unless otherwise noted. If you want to use something please ask first.

Reese's Chocolate Cookie Bars

There's something about having kids over for a play date that makes me want to bake!  The more play dates we host at our house, the more I bake... which is fun, but means I need to share the goodies with the parents when they come and pick up their kids!

So, last weekend while My Oldest was playing with his friend from down the street, I decided to poke around the pantry to see what I had in there.  I found a bag of Reese's peanut butter chips.  I remembered my neighbor telling me that he would love a cookie that tastes like a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup.  So, I went searching for a chocolate cookie recipe that used the PB chips.

I found one, and since I knew I'd need the oven sooner rather than later for the pizzas we were making for lunch I decided to bake the dough into a bar cookie instead of drop cookies.  These bar cookies were spread in a jelly-roll pan rather than the usual 9x13 pan which means a thinner cookie which means a shorter baking time!

These cookie bars were so gooey and chocolatey when they came right out of the oven! They were a huge hit with the kids and the neighbors... I hear that they made it into the lunchboxes for dessert on Monday!  I should tell you that they are best eaten by the 2nd or 3rd day since they start to dry out a bit after that - even with keeping them in a sealed container (or perhaps someone has been sneaking a few and not closing the container.... hmmmmm... I think I can figure out the culprit with a bit of interrogation!). 

You can find the recipe HERE.  Go ahead, indulge your peanut butter and chocolate craving... I dare you!


Please note that all photos and content belong to Patsy Kreitman, unless otherwise noted. If you want to use something please ask first.

Pizza for Lunch with a little help from Mezzetta

When we got back from our vacation, our neighbor's told us that a couple of boxes had been delivered.  One I was expecting and will share about the contents of that one later... but, the one from Mezzetta was a surprise.  A pleasant surprise at that.  In it was one bottle each of marinated artichokes, roasted red bell peppers and their pesto which uses Napa Wine in it. 

The PR folks who sent them to me suggested that they might be used to make some munchies to eat while watching the Oscars tonight.  Now, I don't have Cablevision so I actually CAN watch them tonight, but there are many folks in my area who will be missing all of their favorite shows on ABC until yet another fight between Cablevision and a network can be worked out.  Just one more reason we are no longer with that cable company. 

So, rather than say what I created is in honor of the Oscars, which I do try to watch (I love the red carpet pre-show and try to see the opening number as well), I'll suggest making pizza using these fabulous ingredients just for the fun of it!

So, yesterday I was actually feeling a bit productive for a Saturday and put together the Olive Oil Pizza Dough from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day.  Such a simple dough to put together and you can just pull off the amount you need.  It has so many purposes and I hope to make some calzones from it later in the week. 

Today, we made several "personal" pizzas to fit everyone's favorites.  My Boys each had a regular sauce & cheese pizza, then a total cheesey pizza with no sauce.  My Husband worked hard on trying to get the thin crust that we love, but this dough does puff up a bit and it was hard to get it thin enough before baking.  Anyone have a favorite thin crust dough that they make at home?  Please do share in comments as we'd love to try it!

Now, my pizza is where things got a little different than the "usual".  I started by sprading a thin layer of the Mezzetta pesto over the dough, then I chopped up a few of the marinated artichokes and roasted red peppers.  Did I mention that each on of these ingredients is a favorite of mine already?  Really made sharing them with you so easy!

I loved this pizza!  So much more flavorful than the typical plain cheese pie that we order from the local pizzeria.  And, another bonus is that we all had fun stretching the dough and playing in flour together today.  So, lunch was fun and a great family activity. 

I have enjoyed Mezzetta products since I was first introduced to them well over a year ago.  So, I'm always thrilled when they send me new products to sample.  I do turn away quite a few products so, you can be rest assured that what I do choose to share here is something I enjoy and would by for my family.

Disclosure:  The link to the Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day will take you directly to Amazon where you will find more information on the book and have the option to purchase.  If you choose to purchase the book, I will receive a small referral fee.  As noted above, I received the products from Mezzetta in exchange for a review, and I will always share my honest opinion of any products I choose to discuss here on Family, Friends and Food.

Please note that all photos and content belong to Patsy Kreitman, unless otherwise noted. If you want to use something please ask first.

A Pantry Meal: Artichoke & Tomato Pasta with Chicken

This meal came together through inspiration of reading various blogs and not really remembering a specific recipe to make.  We have a tendency to make our "go-to" meals the same way all the time.  You know the type, no recipe required and you do it based on some memory in your mind.  Many times, My Husband will make some variation of his Arriabiata sauce for a quick dinner.  Or we'll make another version of a picatta sauce on a whim.

I've been wanting to branch out a bit, and change our usual sauce to something different.  I wanted something with more of a creaminess to it.  So, after a bit of rummaging in the pantry I came out with a can of artichoke hearts and a can of diced tomatoes.  Then, I defrosted a couple of chicken breasts.  A quick check in the refrigerator and I discovered a carton of heavy cream that was crying out to be used.  With a quick saute and and about 30 minutes all together, we now have a new tasty weeknight meal we can enjoy!

I love a simple meal like this that turns out to have a nice flavor combination.  Just enough cream added to give it a bit of texture to stick to the pasta.  The combination of the cream with the tomatoes and their sauce was what made this dish so hard to stop eating.  The seasoning added was just enough to compliment it without overpowering the primary flavor.  If had some parsley on hand, I would have chopped some and added a bit more color to the dish, but I know My Husband and I didn't miss it!  Add some breadsticks and a nice salad and you've got a complete meal!

Artichoke & Tomato Pasta with Chicken
Source: PatsyK

Ingredients
1-2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced into "1/4 inch thick pieces
1/2 pound of pasta (I used Campanelle pasta, but Farfalle or Penne would work, too)
14 ounce can diced tomatoes (do not drain)
14 ounce can of artichoke hearts (plain, NOT marinated), if you have whole artichoke hearts, cut them into quarters
1-2 teaspoons Italian seasoning (I use Penzey's Tuscan Sunset)
1/2 cup heavy cream
Salt to taste

Directions
Prepare pasta according to package directions.

Heat oil in a large skillet. Add chicken and Italian seasoning; cook until no longer pink.  Add diced tomatoes and artichoke hearts.  Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes.  Add salt to taste, then add heavy cream and allow to gently cook on medium-low heat for another 5-7 minutes.

Add pasta to sauce mixture, then serve immediately.

Please note that all photos and content belong to Patsy Kreitman, unless otherwise noted. If you want to use something please ask first.

Where Have I Been Lately?

I know, it's been quite awhile since I've posted... yep, like at least 3 weeks! I've never gone that long without something to share, but a lack of inspiration in the kitchen has kept me away... that, and a quick mini-vacation to Cancun last week!

Yes, in the midst of the Winter "blahs", we escaped to weather I've only been dreaming of since the first blast of Winter arrived back in early December.

It was a much needed chance to "un-plug" and spend some quality time together away from the everyday routine.  Even though our trip was short, we all enjoyed it quite alot and both of Our Boys want to go back so we can explore more next time.

We stayed at an all-inclusive resort which was ideal from the viewpoint of not having to budget beyond the original purchase price for food and drinks.  While we were less than impressed with the sit-down restaurants... let's just say that one of the descriptions said the entree was served with a "gray" sauce.  When has a "gray" sauce ever been appetizing?  And, it takes a real "talent" to overcook a piece of fish AND serve it cold.  Yes, the sit-down restaurants were not high on our list of favorites during this trip. However, the service overall was pretty good and we were not without a drink in hand very often during our stay.  The buffet was the biggest hit with the kids, and the breakfast was my favorite meal of each day. 

I would say that an all-inclusive is a great idea when you have kids and are trying to get away on a budget.  Your food and drinks are included and if you have kids with the never ending "bottomless pit" for a stomach (like I do), this will make your life much easier.  Buffets seem to work out really well with the kids in general.  Our stay was very short, so I didn't have time to really get bored of the buffet and pool-side offerings. 

We spent our days split between the beach and the pool, where I find just watching the waves come in so relaxing that it allows me to really become calm and let go of the stresses of everyday life.  If only I could get away like this every other month or so!  Since that is not possible, I still have some fabulous memories and photos to allow me to "drift away" whenever needed.

Even though I was M.I.A. the last few weeks, my blog was not far from my thoughts.  I may be sharing some additional family friendly ideas beyond recipes and such.  I also plan to start sharing favorite blog posts again, there have been so many fabulous recipes and other family fun ideas that I have come across that I want to share them here as well.

So, I hope to not be away for so long again and that you'll pull up your chair and a cup of coffee and join me in some on-line conversation about family, friends, food & fun!

Please note that all photos and content belong to Patsy Kreitman, unless otherwise noted. If you want to use something please ask first.