Fresh Fig Cheesecake

So, this isn't really made in a cheesecake pan and it does not use the typical oodles amounts of cream cheese (1 package compared to 4 packages) that is in cheesecake, but I'm not sure what else to call it. I know I can call it AMAZING! I found the recipe in a coupon catalogue for one of the grocery stores I shop at in Annapolis - the Fresh Market. I had been wanting to make it for quite some time, but I didn't have any figs. This past weekend we went to Costco with my parents, and my mom and I decided to split a container of fresh figs. Even with half the amount of figs, I still had close to 20! I ate a couple - and they were so good. I knew I wouldn't be able to eat them all before they went bad, so I made the recipe. Greg said the fresh fig cheesecake is a sophisticated and mature taste - and that it was really, really good. We served it for dessert the other night and our guests loved it. They said it was one of the most delicious and refreshing desserts they have ever had. This elegant dessert is super easy to make and it is the perfect late summer treat. Figs are in season right now (late summer through early Fall) & the dessert is also pretty light, since it doesn't have too much cream cheese or sugar.  Enjoy.

Recipe for Fresh Fig Cheesecake 

INGREDIENTS:

For the crust
1 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour
1 1/2 Tbsp. of granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. of salt
8 Tbsp. of very cold butter, cut into small cubes
2 - 4 Tbsp. of ice cold water
For the filling
3/4 cup of granulated sugar
1 8-ounce package of cream cheese, slightly softened at room temperature
1 1/2 cups of part-skim ricotta cheese
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
8 - 10 fresh figs, sliced lengthwise
Honey (for topping each slice)

DIRECTIONS: 
For the crust
Put the flour, sugar, and salt into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse a couple times to combine. Scatter the very cold butter pieces over the mixture. Pulse about 10 times, or until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs the size of peas. With the processor running, pour a tablespoon of the ice cold water through the feed tube. Let it run for a few seconds, then add another tablespoon of the water through the feed tube. The dough should form into a ball and leave the sides of the bowl. If it doesn't after about 10 seconds, add a little more of the water through the feed tube. Once it forms into a ball, turn off processor and gather the dough up with your hands and wrap it in plastic wrap or put it into a plastic bag and seal. Put into the fridge for 30 minutes. Wipe the food processor and blade clean, since you will be using again for the filling.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Take the dough out of the fridge and use your hands to evenly press it onto the bottom and up on the sides of a 9-inch pie pan.  Prick the dough all over with a fork (don't go all the way through the dough). Place in the oven and bake for 12 - 15 minutes, checking frequently to make sure the dough is not rising up. If it is, prick it down with the fork. Remove from oven and allow it to cool. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees.

For the filling
While the crust is cooling, make the filling. Put the sugar into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse a few times so that the sugar becomes a little finer, but not powdery. Add in the cream cheese, ricotta cheese, and beaten eggs. Turn on food processor and run for several seconds, until mixture is smooth. Pour the mixture into the cooled pie crust. If the pie crust is still warm, transfer the mixture to a container and store in the fridge until crust is cool enough. Then put pie with filling into the oven and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Arrange the fig pieces on top. Place back in the oven and cook for about 30 minutes, or until the top is just starting to brown and just firm in the center. Remove from oven and allow it to cool completely. Then cover and place in the fridge for a couple hours before serving.

Slice the fresh fig cheesecake into 8 pieces. Top each serving with a couple drizzles of honey. Yum!

Recipe Adapted from: The Fresh Market Inspirations

CPK-Style Miso Salad

A good friend and I have been getting together at the California Pizza Kitchen for lunch twice a year to celebrate our birthdays. Last year when we got together, we found out that our favorite California Pizza Kitchen salad had been taken off the menu! We had been getting the Miso Salad for many years. At first the salad came with shrimp and crabmeat, and then it just came with shrimp...and then it didn't come at all. How devastating! The last time we went, I ordered something different and recreated it at home - that was the quinoa salad with arugula. My friend and I decided that we should try to recreate the Miso Salad too. We finally got around to getting together last Friday afternoon. We both found a couple recipes on the web, and we ended up adapting from this recipe. I couldn't find white miso paste, so I settled on brown miso paste. It did the trick! We used to always wonder why the salad was so expensive at the CPK, and now we know why - the ingredients are very pricey! But it was well worth it. We thoroughly enjoyed the salad. We left off the crabmeat too because we couldn't find a good price, but if you can find it cheap I'm sure it would be a nice addition to the salad. Backfin crabmeat would probably be best for the salad. The Miso salad is a beautiful salad full of crunch, yummy flavor, and health benefits. I can't wait to make it again! Enjoy.

Recipe for CPK-Style Miso Salad with Shrimp 

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups of frozen edamame (soybeans)
1 head of Napa cabbage
1/3 cup of cilantro leaves (stems removed)
1 Daikon radish (white radish), peeled

Me so hungry for Miso salad! 

2 medium carrots, peeled
1 very small red cabbage
2 medium cucumbers, peeled
2 avocados, cut into smallish cubes
Fried or baked noodles for topping
25 - 30 medium sized quick thaw & fully cooked frozen shrimp

For the Miso Dressing
1 Tbsp. of brown rice miso paste
2 Tbsp. of honey
1 Tbsp. of sesame oil
1 1/2 Tbsp. of rice vinegar
2 Tbsp. of canola oil
A pinch of crushed red pepper flakes (optional)


DIRECTIONS:
Cook the edamame according to package directions to desired tenderness. Drain water and put into a small bowl. Allow to cool.

Wash the cabbages, carrots, cilantro, cucumbers, and radish thoroughly. Chop the Napa cabbage into desired sized pieces and then put into a large salad bowl. Add the cilantro to the bowl with the cabbage. Cut the radish into thirds and then put into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse a few times until it is chopped to desired size, then add to the salad bowl. Clean out the bowl with a paper towel to get any radish pieces out, and then slice the carrots in half and put into the processor. Pulse a few times until chopped to desired size, add to salad bowl, and clean out processor. Cut the tough end off of the red cabbage. Put it into the food processor (cutting down if necessary) and pulse until the cabbage is chopped to desired size (I like it chopped pretty small). Add the chopped red cabbage to the salad bowl. Clean out the food processor (you will be using it again for the dressing). Slice the cucumbers in half and then into quarters, and add to the salad bowl. Add the cooled edamame to the salad. Stir the salad so that all the veggies are incorporated.

Make the dressing. Add all the dressing ingredients to the bowl of the food processor. Pulse several times until the dressing is smooth. Taste and adjust ingredients as needed. This should make enough dressing for each serving of salad (1 Tbsp. of dressing per salad). If you want more dressing, double the recipe.

Thaw the frozen shrimp according to package directions (probably by running under ice cold water for several minutes).

Divide salad amongst plates. Top each salad with dressing and use a fork to toss. Then top each salad with avocado, noodles, and shrimp. Sprinkle each salad with a little salt and pepper, if desired. Although I like shrimp, this salad is still excellent without it. Leave if off if you are vegetarian or allergic to shellfish!

Salad serves 4 - 6. 

*If you want to do leftovers, you can save the salad for up to a couple days. Store in an airtight container in fridge. Do not save shrimp or cut avocado. Add fresh avocado slices and shrimp when you reserve. You can also save the dressing in an airtight container in the fridge.*

Recipe Adapted from: Tasty Kitchen

How to Make Homemade Almond Butter

A few days ago I posted a recipe for zucchini brownies that do not have any flour, butter, sugar, oil, or egg. They are my favorite thing to make right now. On Monday night, we had three missionaries over for dinner. I made them Maryland crab cakes - a promise that I made to one of them a few weeks ago if he wasn't transferred to a different area. It was an expensive promise, but well worth it! For dessert, I wanted to keep it simple, so I decided on the zucchini brownies and some fresh berries. At the store, I couldn't find any almond butter. Seriously. I couldn't find anything at the store that I needed and I was so annoyed that I just didn't want to do any more grocery shopping. I remembered seeing a recipe for homemade almond butter, so instead of going to another store and buying the almond butter, I thought I'd try to make it. It worked out great & it was so exciting to see the almonds and other ingredients turn into almond butter. It's the little things in life. I used the homemade almond butter in the brownies instead, and I think it enhanced the flavor and they were even more amazing than usual. One of our dinner guests said they were seriously the best brownies he has ever had - I think he ate 5!

Making your own almond butter is a little cheaper than buying it. Plus, there is such satisfaction out of making it homemade! I think it tasted way better than almond butter that you can buy at the store. You'll love how your kitchen smells as the roasted almonds turn into the almond butter. Yum!

Recipe for Homemade Almond Butter

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups of whole almonds (you will roast them in the oven) - buy almonds at Sam's Club or Costco to save $$$!
1/3 cup of unsweetened coconut flakes
1/2 tsp. of coarse sea salt

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Put the almonds on a baking sheet and spread them into a single layer. Put them into the oven and cook for about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow them to cool.
Then put the almonds, coconut flakes, and salt into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Turn your food processor on and let it run for 7 - 10 minutes, depending on how creamy you want your almond butter. Scoop the almond butter into a container and let it cool slightly (it will get very warm in the processor). Then cover it with a lid and store in the fridge for up to a week. If you are making the almond butter to make the zucchini brownies, and you are making the brownies right away, there is no need to store the almond butter in the fridge.

Makes 1 cup of almond butter. 

Recipe Source: Delighted Momma

Zucchini Brownies (No Flour, Butter, Sugar, Oil, or Egg)!

Please visit my new website, Make It and Bake It with Beth, for the zucchini brownies recipe.