BLOG

Ever get the urge for cheesecake but you don’t want to take the time to do all the steps for making it? Well, here is a recipe that can help take care of your craving. I added some blueberries, but you can make the recipe without any fruit and put on some room-temp preserves of your choice when you eat it.

QUICK CRUSTLESS CHEESECAKE

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 egg plus one yolk

1 tsp vanilla extract [or rum or coconut extract, if desired]

½ cup powdered sugar

Optional fruit or fruit preserves.

Coat a small [7½  x 5½ ] baking dish with butter flavored cooking spray. Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. Mix the softened cream cheese, extract, egg and egg yolk until smooth. Scrape into the greased dish and bake for about 20 minutes.

Yup, we sampled it before I took the picture to see if it was any good. It was delicious!

I grew up regularly eating salmon soup. It is one of my favorite soups and it also brings back fond memories of my childhood. Mom made the soup with white onions, milk and canned salmon. Often, my  job was to remove the bones and skin. The crunchy bones and slippery skin do not need to be thrown away, as they can be eaten, so their removal is according to taste. The canning process makes the skin and bones edible. Red salmon has a deeper flavor than the pink salmon,

Over the years, I have added diced red potatoes that I pre-cooked in the microwave, various types of rice, chopped celery, sliced sautéed mushrooms, diced peppers and/or any veggie leftovers.

Mom always used milk, but I prefer to use heavy cream for the texture that  it brings to the dish. Some people like their soups thinner, so more cream/milk will be needed, so just add to taste.

I have always used the entire can of fish for this dish, but in the picture, you will see some stuffed mushrooms that I tried with some of the salmon.

We like eating this soup with a warm, crusty slice of whole grain bread. A garnish of chopped cooked bacon and/or chopped fresh parsley is tasty and adds a nice spot of color.

BASIC SALMON SOUP

1 can of salmon

2T chopped red or green onions

Garlic powder, to taste

2T and 1T butter

1T olive oil

Cream or milk to taste

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt two tablespoons of butter along with the olive oil. [The olive oil will help prevent the butter from browning too fast].

Add the onions and cook until translucent. While the onions are cooking, place the salmon in a bowl and take out the skin and bones, if desired.

Add the salmon and juice to the saucepan. Stir in the garlic powder.

Add cream/milk to the desired amount and bring to a simmer

When heated through, ladle the soup into a bowl. Split the one tablespoon of butter to top the servings of soup.

To make the stuffed mushrooms, I used most of the salmon for the soup and the rest I combined with about a tablespoon of softened cream cheese and garlic powder. I pre-baked the mushrooms, with the stems removed and placed cap-side up on a cookie sheet in a 350 degree oven and baked until they started to turn brown and stopped releasing juices. I removed them from the oven and drained the juices and placed the mushrooms back on the pan, gill-side up. I then topped them with the salmon mixture and then sprinkled  parmesan and/or asiago cheese. I returned them to the oven and heated them until the cheese was melted.

I first learned of monkey bread about thirty years ago, when the youngest of our three boys came home one day after his preschool class talking about it. The teacher told me that she used refrigerator canned biscuits to make it. I don’t happen to care for the flavor of those biscuits. Since I had made cinnamon and caramel rolls for years, as well as my Christmas Raspberry Candy Cane Bread [a future recipe that I will share with you] I thought I would try using bread instead of biscuits. 

Fast forward to the present, and now I use frozen sweet bread dough to speed up the process. I prefer the taste of homemade sweet dough, but I don’t make bread like I used to when our children were still home.

Our young grandchildren love helping me make this recipe when they come to visit which has become a fun family tradition.

I used this painting in our Baby Calves Adventure Series book Real butter is best!

https://www.janstommesart.com/workszoom/3701451/real-butter-is-best#/

 [you can see the "before" look of the cabinets and counters at Riverhaven in this shot."]

NOTE: When I went to bake these on Saturday, I found out that I was out of pecans, so I used walnuts instead. I used walnut oil instead of the olive oil, and added chopped, partially cooked bacon and rum extract.

When I create a painting, I try something new, large or small, each time.

This often happens when I cook/bake, as well.

BUTTERY CARAMEL NUT NUGGETS

Ingredients:

One frozen sweet bread dough loaf

½ cup of sugar

1-2 tablespoons cinnamon, to taste

¾ cup brown sugar

1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

½ - ¾ stick of butter

1 teaspoon real vanilla extract

1-2 tablespoon of olive oil [or a nut oil if you have it]

Spray oil

8x8 baking pan

Directions:

• The night before you want to bake, place the frozen bread dough into a sealable plastic bag and drizzle the oil over it. Seal the bag and rub the oil around to cover all parts. Place it into the refrigerator for it to thaw by morning.
• Take the dough out the next morning and let it come to room temperature which takes about 45 minutes. [I put it on a heater vent to speed up the process.]
• Spray oil into a square 8”x8” baking dish.
• Place the nuts evenly over the bottom of the dish, unless you have some family members like I do, who prefer no nuts, so I don’t cover the entire pan.

[Yes, that's right, you are seeing bacon on the nuts. Yum! I had some partially cooked bacon that I chopped up.] 

• Slice the bread lengthwise, then slice each half lengthwise again to make four strips.  

• Turn the strips so you can slice them into one inch pieces.
• Place sugar and cinnamon into sealable bag and mix.
• Place a few pieces of the dough into the bag and shake to coat, then put the into the nut-lined pan. Repeat until all are used.

 [I put some of the leftover cinnamon and sugar on top.]

• Melt the butter in the microwave, then add the vanilla and brown sugar. Mix well and pour over the bread. [This is where I added the rum extract.] 

• Allow the bread to rise for 30-40 minutes in a warm place.
• Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes until the bread begins to brown. Cover with foil and bake another fifteen minutes.

• Test for doneness by taking the pan out of the oven and use toothpicks to separate a ball and check the inside for doneness. Bake further if necessary.
• When the bread is baked through, place a plate over the top and invert the pan, allowing for the caramel and nuts to drip down on the bread.
• Carefully lift the pan and remove. Allow the bread to cool slightly before eating.

• Slather on more butter to the nuggets when you open them for more flavor.                

If you want to double this recipe for a larger group, use a 9x13 pan.

Four Cheese California Ciabattas

Several years ago, while we were visiting our middle son and his family in California, we explored Carmel. We found an open-air restaurant where we ordered ciabattas. This recipe is often  made by us and we have tried many different ingredients.

Our favorite combination is what I am sharing with you.

Ingredients that you will need:

• Ciabatta rolls [package of six]
• Soft fresh butter
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• One bundle of asparagus
• Garlic seasoning
• One 3 0z. package of prosciutto
• 1 cup of shredded mozzarella
• 1 cup of shredded asiago
• 1 cup of shaved parmesan
• Six slices of provolone
• Red onion, thinly sliced

Directions:

• Break asparagus to remove the tough ends.
  • Cut or break them into about 3” sections.
  • For easy cleanup, place aluminum foil on a rimmed  baking sheet.
  • Place the asparagus on the pan and lightly drizzle extra virgin olive oil, spreading to coat.
    • Bake in a 350 degree oven for approximately 10 minutes, but up to 15 for thick spears.
    • Remove from the oven to slightly cool.
      • Sprinkle with garlic seasoning, as desired. 
• Put the asparagus on a plate so that you can put the ciabatta halves on the aluminum foil. Do not remove the oil from the foil.
• While the asparagus is cooking, open the ciabattas and slather on soft, fresh butter on both halves.
• On one half, place folded prosciutto slices.
  • Top with shredded mozzarella and shredded asiago.
  • On the other half, place the asparagus so they all face the same direction.
    • Top with a slice of provolone and shaved parmesan.
    • Finely slice red onion sprinkled on top. 

Place the baking sheet back into the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes until the cheese begins to brown.

Put the two halves together and enjoy.

Note 1:

I usually make the entire package of ciabatta buns so that I will have leftovers. After a couple of days, I slice the ciabattas sandwich rolls into thirds and place them on their side on an aluminum foil lined rimmed baking sheet. I put more cheese on top of the pieces and bake for 10-12 minutes in a 350 degree oven until the cheese begins to brown. YUM!

Note 2:

A ciabatta loaf also works with this recipe for serving slices instead of rolls.

Note 3: I LOVE truffles, so I put truffle butter and truffle zest on mine which you can see in the picture.

To see my food paintings, you can click on this web address:

https://www.janstommesart.com/?keyvalue=23694&page=ViewCollection&subkeyvalue=61483&startrec=1&displayperpage=9999&displayhorz=1

When I created a website for our ag business, I decided to share a monthly easy to make dairy recipe with you. 

I will share one of my paintings to go along with it or a picture that I have taken of the result of my creation.

My interest in creating recipes began when I was thirteen. Most of my  cooking involves combining tastes, not measuring ingredients, so you can use more or less, according to your taste.

Dairy products come in such a wide variety of flavors and textures, that the potential for creations are endless.

One such recipe that I created I call Dilly Goats. 

After trying several types of crackers for the base, I decided on toasting a slice of multi-grain bread.

While it is toasting to a golden brown, I heat about a fourth cup of goat cheese in the microwave until it is warm enough to stir.

Shredded asiago cheese is added as well as some grated parmesan, about a couple of tablespoons of each.

Garlic, granulated or powder is added to taste, along with a dill blend that I like.

After this is stirred, I spread it thickly on the warm toast, and cut each slice into four squares.

Upon the squares I place a piece of peeled and sliced cucumber, that I top with a little more dill seasoning.

Sometimes, I will add a square of cooked bacon on the cheese before I add the cucumber, because who doesn't like bacon?

Ingredients you will need for Dilly Goats:

whole grain bread

goat cheese

asiago cheese

dill seasoning

garlic seasoning

PS. You can see some of my food paintings if you click on this link to my art website:

https://www.janstommesart.com/collections/61483