Author: Denise

My name is Denise and I love good food, but enjoy preparing it more. I spend a good portion of my free time searching recipes, experimenting in the kitchen and coming up with tasty creations. Some of my other favorite things are my pets, family, friends, traveling (especially to tropical destinations and Paris), the beach, music, movies, and shopping, to name just a few ;)

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Mini-Cheesecakes


So what can I possibly say about this decadent dessert? I think the name itself speaks volumes. First of all, I love chocolate chips cookies. I mean, really, really love them. And then there’s cookie dough. Well, I know I’m not the only one who’s purchased a package of dough with the intention of making chocolate chips cookie, only to eat spoonful after spoonful… even though it’s considered “risky” because of the raw eggs. The good news about this recipe is that you don’t have to worry about salmonella as the cookie dough doesn’t contain any eggs!! Woo hoo! Okay, next up is cheesecake. Simply put, I can’t get enough of it! And the combination of cookie dough and cheesecake together, is like a little slice of heaven! I highly recommend you try this recipe if you adore all of the above as much as I do!

Ingredients

Crust

  • 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
  • 2 tbsp. sugar
  • 1/4 cup butter

Cheesecake

  • 8 oz. Philadelphia cream cheese
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Cookie Dough

  • 5 tbsp. butter
  • 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 2/3 cup chocolate chips

Directions: 

  1. Preheat the oven to 325 F. Spray mini-cheesecake pan with cooking spray (you can also use a muffin pan with cupcake liners). Set aside.
  2. Mix the melted butter, sugar and graham cracker crumbs until thoroughly combined. Press the mixture into the bottom and going up the sides of the prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 6 minutes. Remove pan to a cooling rack. Leave your oven on while you prepare the dough.
  3. While the crust is cooling, prepare the chocolate chip cookie dough. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt and vanilla until smooth and thoroughly combined, about 1 minute. Stir in the flour a little bit at a time, on low-speed, and mix until just incorporated. Add the chocolate chips and blend in with a spoon. Set aside.
  4. In another bowl, using a mixer, cream together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Mix in the egg and vanilla on low-speed just until incorporated. Pour the cheesecake batter into the prepared crust.
  5. Using your hand, form round teaspoon-sized clumps, and distribute the cookie dough onto the top of the cheesecake batter.
  6. Bake for about 25 minutes, until the top (cookie dough) feels dry. Since cooking times vary with different ovens, I’d recommend checking them at 20 minutes.
  7. Move pan to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.
  8. Remove mini-cheesecakes by pushing up on the bottom of pan. *
  9. Chill in refrigerator overnight or for at least a couple of hours.

Note: You may think that baking the cookie dough will produce an actual cookie, but since it doesn’t contain eggs, it won’t truly “mature” into a real cookie, and ends up tasting like cookie dough 🙂

* If you’re not familiar with mini-cheesecake pans, they’re basically like muffin pans except the cups are thinner and taller, and there are holes in the bottom. They come with small, round discs which lay in the bottom, on top of the circular holes, so you can push up the bottom with your finger or the end of a wooden spoon to get a nice looking mini-cheesecake. I recently bought one of these pans from Amazon made my Chicago Metallics that cost about $13.

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Crock Pot Loaded Baked Potato Soup


Back in January, I came down with a bout of the flu, and had little to no energy, with not much of an appetite. But, knowing that I had to eat, I wanted something warm and comforting that would require minimal effort on my part. The first thing that came to mind, was my crock pot, and what naturally followed was soup. I’ve always been a fan of baked potato soup, although I had never made it before. I perused quite a few recipes online and  decided to adjust a couple that looked really tasty. The end result thoroughly pleased me, and definitely hit the spot!

Ingredients

  • 1 bag (32 oz) frozen O’Brien diced hash brown potatoes
  • 1 carton (32-oz) Progresso® chicken broth
  • 1 bag (8 oz) shredded American-Cheddar cheese blend (2 cups), plus additional for garnish
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 tbsp. all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. pepper
  • 1 tsp. dried basil
  • 1/4 tsp. dried thyme
  • 1/2 cup sour cream (I use light)
  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1/2 tsp. hot sauce (optional)
  • ¼ cup real bacon pieces (from 2.8-oz package)
  • 4 medium green onions, sliced (1/4 cup) for garnish

Directions

  1. Cook bacon in a skillet or microwave until crispy. Crumble & set half aside. Reserve 1 tbsp bacon drippings to add to crock pot (optional, but recommended).
  2. Put all ingredients in slow cooker, except for green onions and half of bacon.
  3. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
  4. Garnish with bacon pieces, green onion and additional shredded cheese (and sour cream, if desired).

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Goat Cheese, Fontina & Arugula Quiche with Hash-Brown Crust


I saw a picture of this quiche on Pinterest from another food blogger, and knew that I just HAD to make it. It is originally adapted by Martha Stewart, but in my opinion, her recipe is a bit bland (sorry Martha) as it only contains goat cheese and scallions as the flavor points. The other recipe, which added the fontina and arugula, seemed like it would be much tastier. I adjusted it slightly, added a few additional ingredients that suited my fancy, and wow… it is insanely delicious!

Ingredients

  • 3 oz. Arugula (this may seem like too much but don’t be concerned… it shrinks up in the microwave)
  • 2 tbsp. butter, melted, plus more for pan
  • 1 pound package frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
  • 8 large eggs
  • 1-½ tsp. sea salt
  • ½ tsp. ground pepper
  • ½ cup light sour cream
  • 1 cup half and half
  • 6 oz. grated Fontina cheese
  • 2 oz Goat cheese, crumbled
  • 5 sundried tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 onion slice, chopped
  • 2 sausage links, crumbled

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Place arugula in a microwave safe container and sprinkle lightly with water (just a little sprinkle with your hand). Cover with plastic wrap and cook on high for 1 minute. Remove from microwave and allow to cool.
  3. Brush 9-by-2 1/2-inch springform pan with butter. Line the sides of the pan with strips of parchment paper (the same height as pan); brush paper with butter (this part is essential, as it will give you the lovely golden crust and keep the crust from sticking to your pan).
  4. Squeeze excess moisture from hash browns using paper towels.
  5. Remove hash browns from paper towels and place in a bowl with butter, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon sea salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
  6. Pat into bottom and up sides of prepared pan, using your hands. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until set, 15 to 20 minutes.
  7. Take cooled arugula and remove excess moisture/liquid using paper towels and squeezing.
  8. In a large bowl, whisk 7 remaining eggs, sour cream, half and half, Fontina cheese, arugula, sun-dried tomatoes, onions, sausage, ½ teaspoon sea salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper until well combined.
  9. Pour into crust, and sprinkle with crumbled goat cheese, incorporating some into the mixture.
  10. Bake until set, 45 to 50 minutes.
  11. Remove outer ring of springform pan, and gently peel off parchment paper.

Note: This is a great recipe to tailor to your personal preference. Feel free to substitute your favorite cheese, leave out the sausage, or use bacon, and/or add some of your go-to spices.

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Parmesan Crusted Chicken


I am always looking for quick and easy recipes that are healthy, and was excited when I came across this one. It will be perfect for those times when I get home from work and don’t want to fuss in the kitchen. And I love the fact that it has only four ingredients, is ready in 30 minutes and is very tasty!

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup Hellmann’s® or Best Foods® Real Mayonnaise *
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1-1/4 lbs.)
  • 4 tsp. Italian seasoned breadcrumbs

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 425°.
  2. Combine Hellmann’s® or Best Foods® Real Mayonnaise with cheese in a medium bowl.
  3. Arrange chicken on a baking sheet with a little cooking spray. Evenly top with mayonnaise mixture, then sprinkle with bread crumbs.
  4. Bake 20 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked.

* To make this even healthier, use light, fat-free or canola mayonnaise.

Note: My personal preference is to cover the entire pieces of chicken in the mixture, instead of just on the top. Also feel free to use additional spices like garlic, salt & pepper, oregano, parsley, etc. in the mayo mix.

Serves 4

Recipe courtesy of Best Foods

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Slow Cooker Sweet and Spicy Chili


I had been thinking about making chili for quite a while, and after recently chatting with a friend about one he tried (and said was delicious) that was sweet, but also had a good amount of heat, I decided to start researching similar recipes. As you can probably imagine, there are a TON of different chili recipes on the net to choose from! So, after looking at a bunch, and narrowing it down, I decided to go with one that appealed to me the most (of course, with some of my own modifications). I was a little taken-back with the number of ingredients this recipe has, but decided to just go for it. And I’m glad I did, as this is possibly the best chili I’ve ever tasted.

To be noted, this recipe yields a lot of chili (it almost filled up my 6 quart crock pot), so unless you’re feeding a large family (serves 10-12) or plan to bring it to a party, I recommend dividing the recipe in half.

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 16 oz. sweet Italian turkey sausage
  • 12 oz. top sirloin, cubed into 1/4″ chunks
  • 2 medium yellow onions, chopped into 1/4″ dice
  • 1 shallot, diced fine
  • 2 tbsp. finely chopped garlic
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced 1/4″
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced 1/4″
  • 1 cup tomato paste (I like Hunts)
  • 1/2 tsp. fine-ground instant espresso
  • 1 15 1/4 oz. can pineapple bits/chunks, chopped
  • 1 tbsp. dark brown sugar
  • 4 tbsp. chili powder
  • 1 tbsp. ground cumin
  • 1 tsp. dried oregano
  • 1 tsp. ground cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 tsp. paprika
  • 1 tsp. ground coriander
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 3 15 oz. cans kidney beans
  • 2 cups beef stock
  • 1 28 oz. can peeled plum tomatoes, chopped (drained, but reserve juice)
  • 12 oz. dark beer (I recommend Guinness)
  • 3 jalapeños peppers, seeded and chopped
  • 1 serrano pepper, seeded and chopped
About 3 hours to go, but already tasty!

Directions

  1. In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté the onions in the vegetable oil. (This step is optional, but I prefer the onions softer by this process).
  2. Add the sausage to the pan, and brown. You may need to do this in batches.
  3. Remove the browned sausage and set aside.
  4. Add the steak to the pan and sear on both sides.
  5. Chop/dice all of the vegetables, and add all of the ingredients to the slow cooker, including the meat.
  6. Set the crock pot on low and cook for approximately 6 hours.
  7. Serve and garnish with cheese, sour cream (or substitute plain or honey Greek yogurt)  or your favorite topping.

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Panda Express Orange Chicken


My copycat Panda Express orange chicken

I was recently in the vicinity of a Panda Express, and somehow found myself standing inside staring down at all of their entrées trying to decide what to get. Who am I kidding… the only thing I’ve ever ordered from the popular “Chinese” fast-food chain is their Orange chicken and quite simply, I’m a creature of habit. Mind you, I don’t go there often for the mere health/calorie factor, but sometimes I like to indulge. I did try a taste of their Mongolian beef, and have now added that as my second favorite dish of theirs. After I got home and ate (okay, devoured) my meal, I made it my mission to try to duplicate the recipe at home. I was quite surprised to find out that there is no orange whatsoever in the recipe, but assume the name is derived from the orange-ish color it takes on. My first attempt was decent, but the sauce was much different and it was, in no way, up to my usual standards. So, as they say, if at first you don’t succeed…

Needless to say, my second attempt (which is this recipe) was a winner in my book.

My PE Orange Chicken

I made the chicken first before starting anything else, and just set it aside for later.

Chicken pieces draining on a paper towel.

I suggest you combine the ingredients in the “orange sauce” prior to adding it to the wok (which will make more sense when you see the instructions below).  The sauce has been doubled from a previous version, which I think is necessary if you like having extra.

The orange sauce beginning to cook

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken, chopped into bite sized pieces
  • 1 egg
  • 1½ tsp salt
  • Pinch of white pepper
  • 2 tbsp oil, divided, plus more oil for frying
  • ½ cup + 1 tbsp cornstarch, divided
  • ¼ cup flour
  • 1 tbsp ginger, minced
  • 1 tsp garlic, minced
  • ½ tsp crushed hot red chili pepper
  • ¼ cup green onion, chopped
  • 1 tbsp rice wine (not rice wine vinegar)
  • ¼ cup water

For the “Orange” Sauce

  • 3 tbsp soy sauce
  • 3 tbsp water
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ½ cup white vinegar

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, mix together the egg, salt, pepper, and 1 tbsp of oil. Mix well. Stir in the chicken pieces.
  2. In medium bowl, stir together the flour and ½ cup cornstarch. Add the chicken pieces, stirring to coat.
  3. Heat oil for deep-frying in a wok or deep fryer to 375°F.
  4. Add the chicken, small batches at a time, and fry for 4-5 minutes until golden crisp (but avoid overcooking the chicken). When done, remove the chicken from the oil with tongs or a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
  5. Clean the wok if you used it and heat for 15 seconds over high heat. Lower to medium high and add 1 tbsp of oil.
  6. Add the ginger and garlic and stir fry until fragrant, about 10 seconds.
  7. Add the crushed chiles and green onions, then the rice wine, stirring for a few seconds.
  8. Add the orange sauce and bring to a boil.
  9. Take the remaining 1 tbsp of cornstarch, put in a small bowl, and add the water to it and mix well. Add this cornstarch mix to the wok and heat until the sauce has thickened.
  10. Add the cooked chicken, stirring until well incorporated.
  11. Remove from heat, and serve over white, brown or fried rice.
Voilà!

Note: To make this healthier, you can substitute rolling the chicken in the flour and cornstarch and frying, with coating it in seasoned breadcrumbs and baking in the oven. Then follow the rest of the recipe.

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Beef Wellington


Happy New Year (a bit belated)! I realized that it’s been over a month since I added some new, delicious recipes on here, so I’ll start off 2012 with this exquisite taste bud pleaser that I made for Christmas dinner in Florida. My only regret is I didn’t stick a big slice in my bag to take home with me when I left the following day to return back to California. Guess I’ll have to make it again in the near future 😉

Fresh out of the oven

The traditional Beef Wellington is made with liver paté, which I opted to substitute a mixture of chopped onions, mushrooms, and a herb cheese pesto instead. Truly mouth-watering!

Ingredients

  • 1 beef tenderloin (2 – 2 1/2 lbs.)
  • Ground black pepper (optional)
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbsp. butter
  • 1 tbsp. water
  • 2 cups finely chopped mushrooms
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
  • 1/2 cup tightly packed fresh basil leaves
  • 1/2 cup tightly packed fresh parsley leaves
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
  • 3 tbsp. olive oil
  • All-purpose flour
  • 1 sheet Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Sheets, thawed

Directions

  1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Place the beef into a lightly greased roasting pan. Season with the black pepper, if desired. Roast for 30 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the beef reads 130°F. Cover the pan and refrigerate for 1 hour.
  2. Reheat the oven to 425°F. Beat the egg and water in a small bowl with a fork.
  3. Heat the butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and onion and cook until the mushrooms are tender and all the liquid is evaporated, stirring often.
  4. Combine the 3 tablespoons olive oil, basil, parsley, Parmesan cheese and a pinch of salt in a food processor. Process until smooth.
  5. Sprinkle the work surface with the flour. Unfold the pastry sheet on the work surface. Roll the pastry sheet into a rectangle 4 inches longer and 6 inches wider than the beef. Brush the pastry sheet with the egg mixture. Spoon the mushroom mixture and pesto onto the pastry sheet to within 1-inch of the edge. Place the beef in the center of the mushroom mixture. Fold the pastry over the beef and press to seal. Place seam-side down onto a baking sheet. Tuck the ends under to seal. Brush the pastry with the egg mixture.
  6. Bake for 25 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the beef reads 140°F.
Recipe adapted from Pepperidge Farms®

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Healthy Chicken Wings


Growing up in Upstate New York, Buffalo wings were practically a staple in everyone’s diet. I recall ordering them numerous times, okay, a LOT, while in college, and having them delivered to my dorm. Needless to say, I was amongst the many who gained “the freshman 15”, which then carried over into my sophomore year, as those wings were nowhere close to being in the healthy category. I do still love having wings from time to time, but now choose to have them baked and not fried, thus allowing my conscience to remain at ease. I’m happy to report that this recipe will do the same and is guilt-free.

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs. chicken drummettes (or wings)
  • 2 tbsp. honey
  • 2 tbsp. ketchup
  • 2 tsp. red pepper sauce
  • 1 tbsp. Worchestershire sauce
  • Blue Cheese Dipping Sauce
  • Celery sticks, if desired

Directions

  • Remove skin and fat from chicken.
  • Mix honey, ketchup, pepper sauce and Worchestershire sauce in heavy-duty resealable plastic food-storage bag.
  • Add chicken, turn to coat with honey mixture.
  • Seal bag and refrigerate at least 15 minutes, but no longer than 24 hours, turning occasionally.
  • Make Blue Cheese Dipping Sauce, if desired.
  • Heat over to 350.
  • Line jelly roll pan with aluminum foil.
  • Place chicken in pan.
  • Bake uncovered about 30 minutes or until crisp, and juice of chicken is no longer pink when centers of thickest pieces are cut.
  • Serve with blue cheese dip and celery sticks.

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Blue Cheese Dipping Sauce


Here’s a healthier version of the traditional blue cheese dressing/dip to accompany my healthy chicken wings, or use in your salad.

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup light or fat-free small curd cottage cheese
  • 1/2 tsp. white wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp. fat-free/skim milk
  • 1/8 tsp. white pepper
  • 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp. crumbled blue cheese

Directions

  • Place cottage cheese, vinegar, milk, white pepper, garlic and half of the blue cheese in a blender or food processor.
  • Cover and blend on low speed until smooth & creamy.
  • Spoon into serving dish and stir in remaining blue cheese.
  • Cover and refrigerate until serving.

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Brie en Croute


Ahhhh… brie. I wasn’t always a fan, but now, I sing a different tune and can make a meal out of it (and have). This past Thanksgiving, I hosted dinner at my house, and wanted to have some appetizers for my guests to snack on before the big “event” (aka dinner), and decided to make a brie wrapped in a puff pastry as one of the hors d’oeuvres. It’s quite simple to make and there are so many different variations you can try. For this recipe, I just used cherry Craisins and honey because I was low on time. However, the original recipe I found, called for cherries, rosemary, pecans and honey. I think cranberries would be also be great, as would orange marmalade, but feel free to experiment. Also, if you want to cut down on calories and fat, Président makes a light Brie which is 50% less fat and about 30% less calories than regular Brie.

Ingredients

    • 1 egg
    • 1 tbsp. water
    • 1/3 cup Craisins
    • 1/4 cup honey
    • 1/2 of a 17.3-ounce packagePepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Sheets (1 sheet), thawed
    • 1 (12-ounce) Brie cheese round

Directions

  1. Heat the oven to 400°F.  Beat the egg and water in a small bowl with a fork or whisk.  Stir the craisins and honey in a small bowl.
  2. Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Roll the pastry sheet into a 14-inch square.  Cut off the corners to make a circle.
  3. Spoon the mixture in the center of the circle.  Top with the brie.
  4. Brush the edge of the circle with the egg mixture.  Fold the pastry up over the cheese to cover.  Trim the excess pastry and press to seal.  Brush the seam with the egg mixture.
  5. Place seam-side down onto a baking sheet.
  6. Decorate the top with the pastry scraps, if desired.
  7. Brush with the egg mixture.
  8. Bake for 25 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown.
  9. Let stand for 45 minutes – 1 hour.  (Very important to let it stand, otherwise all of the cheese will ooze out)

Serve with the crackers.

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