Double Layer Marbleized Mocha Cheesecake

While I fully intended on making homemade chocolate pudding with whipped cream for dessert tonight, I went to the cupboard and pulled out the cocoa when I remembered I had a new package of semi-sweet baking chocolate in the cupboard and I thought perhaps I would make a chocolate mousse or even a chocolate silk pie instead. I then remembered I had some chocolate graham crackers I wanted to use up (leftover from s'mores last month) and in the end I went a completely different direction! I ended up taking three different cheesecake recipes, blending them together with my own twists and making a Double Layer Marbleized Mocha Cheesecake!



Double Layer Marble Mocha Cheesecake

Crust:

1 1/2 cups of crumbs; Crushed Oreos, chocolate grahams, honey grahams or a mixture
3 T butter, melted

Press into and up the sides of a 9 inch springform pan


Cheesecake

3 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
3/4 c sugar
1/4 c flour
2 t vanilla
1/3 c leftover coffee
1 box (8 squares) Baker's semi-sweet chocolate, melted
3 eggs


Preheat oven to 325. Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Add eggs one at a time and beat well. Divide batter in half. Add the melted chocolate to one portion and the coffee to the other. Beat each well.

Pour the chocolate layer over the crust. Spread gently. Pour the coffee layer over top as it will be thinner due to the coffee. Bake for 1 hour. Cool 2 minutes, run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the edges. Cool completely. Chill for 24 hours before serving.

To Marble the Coffeecake: After you layer the two cream cheese layers run a knife through the batter back and forth, in swirls and circles to marbleize it. Bake as directed.

*you can also bake this in a water bath which is to wrap a double layer of foil around the pan and place it into a larger pan with 1 inch of water up the sides. I found this baked well without the water bath however.

Press the crumb mixture into the pan and up the sides

Mix well after each addition of egg

Adding the chocolate to half the batter

And adding coffee to the other half

And dessert is ready!

Salmon Patties

I think my readers know our family loves seafood. Whether it's shrimp, catfish, salmon or crab, we have seafood at least once or twice a week. Last week my oldest daughters boyfriend came for dinner for the reason that she requested we had salmon burgers that night. He is strictly a meat and potatoes kind of guy and had never had salmon. While I would have preferred a nice grilled salmon for that evening, my daughter was craving salmon burgers and wanted to share them with him... (ok, force him to try them... LOL). At the end of the meal he professed to like salmon... burgers at least. Whether or not I believe him, I'm not sure. But we have another chance to see; salmon patties. This time baked. A little more healthy than fried.

I like these plain with a little lemon but you can eat them on a bun if you'd like. Give it a try!


Baked Salmon Patties

1 can salmon
1/2 onion, grated
salt and pepper
1 egg, beaten
5 saltines, crushed
3 T evaporated milk
melted butter

Remove bones from salmon, drain and set juice aside. In mixing bowl, place salmon, onion, pepper and salt, beaten egg, cracker crumbs and milk. If it's too dry just add a little of the reserved juice from the salmon. When it's a nice texture and easily formed, make 6 patties. Place in greased baking dish brushed with melted butter. Bake for 30 mins. in 350 degree oven, or until slightly browned.

Beer Braised Brats (a whole dinner)

I grew up in a tiny little town in the Midwest where city 'festivals' were often named after foods. You'll find "Strawberry Days" and "Watermelon Festivals" as well as "Bratwurst Days" and a "Chili-Fest" or two. What is funny to me is that growing up there I never actually ate a 'brat'. I never had one until we moved away, lived all over the USA and found ourselves back in the heartland after 17 years. Yes, I do purchase brats now... much to my dismay. LOL. This recipe is a good summer or Fall recipe from Cook dot com and isn't just for the brats themselves, but is a whole meal.



Beer Braised Brats

1 1/2 lb. brats
3 med. red potatoes
2 med. onions
1 sm. head cabbage
1 tbsp. salad oil
1 (12 oz.) can beer
1 tbsp. caraway seeds
1 tsp. chicken instant bouillon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

In skillet, cook brats until browned; remove. Cut potatoes into chunks, slice onions 1/2 inch thick, cut cabbage into wedges removing core. Place brats and cabbage in shallow 3 1/2 quart casserole. In skillet in hot oil, cook potatoes and onions until lightly browned, stirring. Add to brats an cabbage. In skillet, add remaining ingredients; heat to boiling. Pour over mixture in casserole. Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 1 1/2 hours. Makes 4 servings.

Chicken Crescent Wreaths: Brocolli Chicken and Buffalo Chicken

About 5 years ago a recipe hit the Pampered Chef's parties and took off like wildfire; it was the Chicken Crescent Wreaths that you make by putting a filling in crescent roll dough, folding over and baking. Since then many versions have appeared, even from big name companies like Taste of Home. I applaud the people that took those recipes, played with them a bit and made new ones! Here are two recipes for versions of that original Pampered Chef.



Chicken Crescent Wreath

2 tubes (8 ounces each) refrigerated crescent rolls
1 c (4 oz.) shredded colby-jack cheese
2/3 c cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1/2 c chopped fresh broccoli
1/2 c chopped sweet red pepper
1/4 c chopped water chestnuts
3/4 cup diced, cooked chicken (or 1 - 5 oz. can cooked chicken)
2 tablespoons chopped onion

Arrange the crescent rolls on a 12-in. pizza pan, forming a ring with pointed ends facing the outer edge of pan and wide ends overlapping. Combine the remaining ingredients; spoon over wide ends of rolls. Fold points over filling and tuck under wide ends (filling will be visible). Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.


Buffalo Chicken Crescent Wreath

2 tubes (8 ounces each) refrigerated crescent rolls
3/4 c cooked, diced chicken or 1 - 5 oz. can cooked chicken
1/2 c onion, sliced and briefly sauteed
Store bought or home made buffalo wing sauce of your choice (about 1/2 - 2/3 cups)
1/3 c ranch dressing
1 c shredded pepper jack cheese

Arrange the crescent rolls on a 12-in. pizza pan, forming a ring with pointed ends facing the outer edge of pan and wide ends overlapping. Spoon and spread the ranch dressing over the crust. Combine the chicken, onion, cheese and sauce; spoon over wide ends of rolls. Fold points over filling and tuck under wide ends (filling will be visible). Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

The First Fruits of Our Garden... Cucumbers and Tomatoes with Feta

Ok, so the feta cheese didn't come from the garden, but I wish it did as we go through so much of it in our household! We love it.

This years garden is rather slow compared to other years due to the incredibly wet season we've had. Great for the yards but bad for my vegetables! The tomatoes are just now starting to ripen and I've only gotten 3 cucumbers so far! But I have a lot of tiny 2-3 inch cucumbers on the vine so it won't be long now! Especially with the hot sunny days we should have ahead.

This photo is of a simple side dish we had earlier this week;


Simple Cucumber and Tomato Salad with Feta

1 large cucumber sliced thin
1 c cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/3 c Tuscan Italian Salad Dressing drizzled over all

Chill if you have time or just serve room temperature.