Chocolate Orange Cheesecake with Chocolate Whipped Cream

Cheesecake. Some people I know claim to hate it. Yes, really they do.

I often wonder if cheesecake-haters have just yet to try a really good cheesecake.

Or, maybe they've only tried New York-style cheesecake, and they don't realize there's cheesecake life outside of New York.

We happen to love cheesecake. And my favorite style is creamy, rich, a little sliver'll do ya right, cheesecake.

Making cheesecake is fun too; it's so forgiving with flavors that you can mix and match all sorts of blends and most of the time it's amazing. I don't consider myself a baker even though I will bake, and I do on occasion like to make desserts. But, even though cheesecake is baked...I don't really consider it a baked good. Maybe that's why I love making it.

Eh. Who knows.

Here's a good one to try.

Chocolate Orange Cheesecake

with Chocolate Whipped Cream

[Print this recipe]
Prep: 20 minutes; Cook: 50 minutes; Chill: 2 hours


Ingredients
2 cups fine graham cracker crumbs
1 stick salted butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 teaspoons cocoa powder + 1 tablespoon
3 8-ounce packages cream cheese (at room temp)
1 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons orange zest
1/2 cup finely chopped chocolate
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 pint heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Coat the inside of a 10-inch spring-form pan with non-stick spray, and set  it aside.

In a medium bowl, use a fork to mix together the graham cracker crumbs, cinnamon, 4 teaspoons cocoa powder and butter. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and up 1-inch of the wall of the spring-form pan. Set the pan in the refrigerator while you make the filling.

Whisk the cream cheese and sugar together with a mixer on medium speed, until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, incorporating each one fully before adding the next. Add the sour cream, orange zest, chocolate and vanilla extract, and mix over medium-low speed until it's just combined.

Set a pot of water to boil on the stove. Remove the spring-form pan from the fridge, and wrap the outside with foil and place it into a large roasting pan. Pour the cheesecake filling inside the spring-form pan, using a spatula to smooth out the top. Set the roasting pan on the middle rack of the preheated oven, and pour the boiling water into the roasting pan, until it comes about 1-inch up the outside of the spring-form pan.

Bake for 45-50 minutes, until the cheesecake has firmed up but still jiggles. Remove it from the oven, and carefully pull the spring-form pan out from the roasting pan. Place it on a cooling rack, and allow it to cool for at 20 minutes at room temperature.

For the chocolate whipped cream:

Add the whipping cream, powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon cocoa powder to a medium bowl. Use an electric mixer set on high to beat the mixture until it thickens to whipped cream, about 2 minutes.

Spread the whipped cream in an even layer over the cheesecake. Refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 2 hours before serving, but it's even better if you wait overnight. Garnish with a little orange zest and cocoa powder, and slice with a warm knife (run it under hot water for a few seconds prior to each slice).

The Very Best Blueberry Pancake Recipe

January 28th happens to be National Blueberry Pancake Day, which is odd since blueberries aren't in season until summer months - but, hey. I'm not complaining. Frozen blueberries work just fine, and even the off-season fresh berries at the grocery store taste good too.

Pancakes are a weekend favorite in our house. I love them because they're so simple to make, and because pancakes on Saturday typically means leftovers for Sunday morning (and maybe even for Monday's before-school breakfast). The kids love them because they're sweet and buttery and, well, what's not to love about pancakes?

Blueberry Lemon Pancakes

[Print this recipe]
Prep: 10 minutes; Cook: 30 minutes; Serves: 4

Ingredients
1-1/4 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup whole milk
1 egg, beaten
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 pint fresh blueberries (or one cup frozen blueberries, thawed)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest (zest from 1 lemon)

Directions

Add 1 tablespoon canola oil to a large skillet over medium to medium/high heat and use a paper towel to spread the oil around the pan, coating the bottom entirely. Let the pan heat while you prepare the batter.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. In a separate mixing bowl combine the milk, egg, 2 tablespoons oil, lemon zest and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, whisking to just combine.

Pour the batter, about 1/4 cup at a time, into your preheated skillet and sprinkle each pancake with blueberries. Cook for four minutes, or until you see bubbles appear all over the top, and then flip the pancakes*. Cook for an additional three minutes, then remove the pancakes to a plate and cover them loosely with foil to keep them warm while you finish the rest. Repeat the process until batter has been used up.

Serve hot with butter and syrup.

*I start with the pan on medium/high to preheat, but once the first set of pancakes has finished, I reduce the heat to medium. After the first set, the remaining batches need less time - about three minutes the first side, and two minutes the second side.

28 Kitchen Tools Worth Buying - Jan '12 Houzz Ideabook

Ever wondered what tools you really need in your kitchen to get the job done, but not waste a lot of space? Alton Brown (one of my all-time fave Food Network personalities) hates utensils and gadgets that only perform one task, and aside from a select few - I agree. There's no easier way to gunk up your kitchen then to have endless one-use tools filling up drawers and counters.

My January Houzz.com Ideabook showcases 28 of my favorite "Kitchen Tools Worth Buying," and most of them have multiple uses, for maximum versatility.

I have I left anything off the list?

Guest Picks: Versatile Kitchen Tools Worth Buying

Houzz- Kitchen Remodel, Bathroom Remodel and More»

Browse Bath Products on Houzz- For Example:

Bath And Spa Accessories · Bath Mats · Bathroom Countertops · Bathroom Faucets · Bathtubs · Shower Caddies · Showers · Towels ·

Chicken Stew & Drop Biscuit Dumplings

It snowed last night in Maryland, not a lot, but enough to make things feel cozy and wintry. When winter finally sets in (it's nearly the end of January, but we've had as many 60-degree days here as we have 40-degree days, so it hasn't felt like it yet), I love lazy Saturdays and Sundays when we can relax - as much as young kids will allow - and eat hearty comfort food.

Today I desperately wanted something simmering on the stove all day, with wafts of deep, savory smells permeating the house. Growing up my grandmother always made chicken and dumplings in the winter, southern-style with drop biscuits on top, not with the doughy pasta strips. Fond memories I have of those warm bowlfuls of yum! Perfect for a cold, snowy Maryland day.

Here's my version:

Chicken Stew & Drop Biscuit Dumplings

[Print this recipe]

Prep: 15 minutes; Cook: 2 hours 20 minutes; Rest: 1 hour; Serves: 4

Ingredients

5 chicken thighs, bone-in & skin on

1 medium onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon dried parsley

1 tablespoon sea salt

1 teaspoon garlic salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning

2 dried bay leaves

1 cup whole milk

For the dumplings:

1/8 cup canola oil

1/2 cup whole milk

1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

Directions

In a Dutch oven or a large heavy-bottomed soup pot, add the chicken, onion, garlic, parsley, sea salt, garlic salt, pepper, poultry seasoning and bay leaves. Fill the pot with water, just enough to cover the chicken. Set to boil over high heat, then cover and reduce heat to medium-low and continue simmering for 2-hours.

Remove the pot from the stove and pull out the chicken (be careful - it will be very tender, and it may fall apart as you grab it); set the chicken aside. Throw out the bay leaves. Place the pot of stock in the fridge, uncovered, and let it cool for an hour. Pull the chicken off the bone, chop into bite-sized pieces and store it in the fridge while the stock cools. 

After the stock has cooled down, skim off the fat that's risen to the top and throw it away. Place the pot back on the stove, add the chicken and the milk, and bring it back to a boil. Reduce heat and continue to let  it simmer while you make the dumplings.

To make the dumplings:

In a medium bowl, mix together the oil and milk. Add the flour, baking powder, salt, pepper and parsley, and stir together until the dough just comes together - don't stir too much, or the already stiff dough will turn gummy and tough.

Drop the dumplings by rounded tablespoonfuls gently onto the simmering chicken stew - they should rest  on top, half-way submerged. Once you've used all the dough, cover the pot tightly, and then let them cook (undisturbed - don't peek!) for 20-minutes.

Serve hot over rice, or just by itself as a stew. Delicious as leftovers!

Stuffed Chicken Parm

If your family's anything like mine, gooey, melty cheese stuffed into the middle of any other food is considered awesome. Meatloaf or burgers, bread, mushrooms - the list could go on and on.

I don't disagree. I happen to love cheese. In fact, I'm not sure I could imagine my life without it.

I know I'm not the only one.

Here's a twist on a classic. (With lots of gooey, melty cheese stuffed inside.)

Stuffed Chicken Parm

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Prep: 20 minutes; Cook: 60 minutes; Serves: 4

Ingredients

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/4" thin

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 large eggs, beaten + 1 tablespoon water

1 cup Italian bread crumbs

2 mozzarella string cheese sticks, cut in half

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup marinara sauce

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Pour 1/2 cup marinara in the bottom of a 9x9" baking dish, and set it aside.

Sprinkle each chicken breast with, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, basil and parsley. Place one of the string cheese halves in the middle of each chicken breast, fold the short sides inward, and then roll each of the chicken breasts up to make a little bundle.

Add the flour, egg and water mixture, and Italian bread crumbs to three separate bowls. Coat each chicken breast bundle lightly in flour, followed by the egg and water mixture, then lastly in the bread crumbs.* Set aside while you warm a large skillet.

Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Once hot, add the chicken bundles and sear each side (about 2 minutes per side). Remove the chicken and add them to the baking dish. Pour 1/2 cup marinara on top, followed by the remaining Parmesan cheese.

Bake for 50 minutes, until the cheese starts to ooze and the sauce is bubbly. Serve with hot spaghetti and marinara.

*At this point you can place the chicken bundles in an airtight container and refrigerate up to 24-hours, and then proceed with the remaining steps.

Guest Post: The History of Coffee

I happen to be a coffee drinker. Actually, I happen to love coffee, in a "can't start my day without a cup or three" kinda way. When Caffé Society approached me about doing a guest post for (a)Musing Foodie, I thought, "Sure - let's talk about the history of coffee." And there you have it.

_______________________________

History of Coffee

By the fifteenth century, the Arabs were cultivating and trading coffee in the area we now know as Yemen. Within a hundred years, coffee had spread to areas of Turkey, Syria, Persia and Egypt, possibly because alcoholic beverages were forbidden to Muslims. Coffee had that strong energizing property that became a pleasant substitute.

Photo courtesy Stepheye via Flickr Creative Commons

Although, its popularity stems from this early fifteenth century trade, writings about coffee date back to the thirteenth century. From the Middle East, the coffee bean spread to Italy and beyond to the rest of Europe and eventually on to the Americas.

The name, coffee, has been derived time and time again from an original Arabic word, qahwa, which is a shortened form of a term that means "wine of the bean". The Turks borrowed the term, qahwa, to form their own word for coffee, which was: `kahve`. The word entered the English language in 1598 by way of the Dutch word, koffie.

Coffee houses may seem like a modern fad, but they actually date back to the original Arab cultures that first consumed the beverage. These public coffee houses were called qahveh khaneh and they appeared in cities throughout the Near East. They were places in which people could drink coffee, listen to music, socialize, play chess and watch performers. These coffee houses became so important to people`s daily lives, in fact, that they were often called, "Schools of the Wise."

By the time coffee came to Europe, public coffee houses already had established a place in history. London even saw over 300 coffee houses spring up by the mid-17th century. Like the Near East coffee houses, Londoners were attracted to the social setting and delicious black beverage.

Arabic cultures struggled to hang on to the monopoly they had enjoyed over coffee, but then the Dutch obtained coffee seedlings and began to create plantations in Batavia on what is now, Indonesia. At the time, the island was known as Java. There, the seedlings thrived and the term, Java, would become fused with the coffee culture.

Coffee grown in the Caribbean and Central and South America came directly from a stock of 18 million trees that were planted on the island of Martinique. By this time, coffee was a huge commodity and even missionaries were carrying coffee seeds to new lands in an attempt to cultivate the crop worldwide. Plantations flourished on tropical islands and even on mountain highlands and nations rose from economies driven by the commodity. By the end of the 18th century, it was clear that coffee had become one of the world`s most profitable, if not the most profitable, export crops.

It`s no surprise then that coffee has created such a deeply steeped culture in our modern world. Whether you frequent the trendiest coffee shops in town or brew your own Java with a commercial coffee machine at home, our love affair with coffee is here to stay.

Kielbasa & Peppers with Ziti

Holidays are finally over and things should be settling down, right? Well, if your house is anything like mine then you're still moving full speed ahead.

I have a theory - it's winter's fault. When the winter solstice brings darkness at 5:00pm, it's hard not to feel rushed once you get home from work. Something about long, bright summer evenings lure a slower pace, even if bedtimes stay the same and you still need to accomplish the same never-ending to-do list after work.

Maybe it's just me.

Point is, let's take a peek at another quick fix weeknight dinner, shall we?

Kielbasa & Peppers with Ziti

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Prep: 5 minutes; Cook: 15 minutes; Serves: 4

Ingredients

1/2 box ziti pasta

2 tablespoons salt for the pasta water (optional)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 14-oz. package Polska Kielbasa

1 green bell pepper, chunky diced

1 medium onion, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon dried parsley

3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup pasta water

Directions

Add the olive oil to a large skillet and preheat it over medium-high heat. Set a large pot of salted water to boil - then add the ziti and cook until it's just al dente, about 9 minutes. 

While the pasta's cooking, add the kielbasa link to the preheated skillet and brown it for 3 minutes on both sides. Remove it from the skillet and slice it into bite sized chunks. Reduce the skillet heat slightly and add the peppers, onions and garlic - sauteing until the onions get translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add the cooked ziti and the kielbasa into the skillet, along with the Parmesan, parsley and pasta water. Toss to combine, and continue cooking for another minute or two.

Serve with a warm loaf of crusty Italian bread.