Valentine's Day Food--Pasta, No Bake Cheesecake, Lemon Blueberry Donuts

I made this for our Valentine's dinner along with her divine breadsticks.  My kids loved this. Lucy still asks for me to make it. It was really easy which was nice. 

20-Minute Tomato Pesto Pasta

YIELD: SERVES 4-6

Don't skip toasting those almonds! It adds a delicious depth of flavor that you don't want to miss.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup slivered almonds
• 10 to 12 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes (about 2 to 3 cups)
• 1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves
• 1 medium garlic clove, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• 3/4 teaspoon coarse, kosher salt
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound linguine or spaghetti noodles
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving (optional)
• Fresh basil for garnish (optional)

1. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the noodles according to package directions.
2. While the noodles are boiling, toast the almonds in a nonstick skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, until lightly golden and fragrant, 1-2 minutes.
3. In a food processor, combine the almonds, tomatoes, fresh basil, garlic, red wine vinegar, red pepper flakes, and salt. Process for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and process again until the mixture is mostly smooth (there will be small bits of almonds but everything else should be pretty smooth). With the food processor running, slowly pour in the olive oil and mix for 20-30 seconds. Set aside.
4. Drain the noodles and return to the pot.
5. Pour over the pesto sauce, add the Parmesan cheese, and toss to combine.
6. Serve immediately with extra Parmesan and fresh basil, if desired.

Recipe Source: adapted slightly from Jodi at 5BoysBaker, originally from The Best of America’s Test Kitchen 2011
https://www.melskitchencafe.com/20-minute-tomato-pesto-pasta/

For dessert, I made these. Mark doesn't love cheesecake so these weren't his favorite but I do! I loved these and it was easy to make. I just had plain greek yogurt so I added a little powdered sugar to it.

1. No-Bake Berry Yogurt Cheesecakes
   YIELD: SERVES 8
   I use thick Greek yogurt (vanilla or honey-vanilla flavored). If you use non-Greek yogurt, the cheesecake mixture might be a bit thinner so experiment accordingly. If you have homemade yogurt, that could work as well - the thicker the better (if your yogurt is plain, consider adding a bit of honey or agave nectar or sugar to sweeten it up just slightly). Keep in mind that since the fruit mixture is spooned over the crust, if the assembled desserts are refrigerated or sit longer than 30 minutes, the crust may get a bit soft or dare I say, soggy. If you want to avoid that, you can omit spooning berries over the crust and instead top the cheesecake filling with the entire allotment of berries for each serving. If your fruit isn't really ripe/juicy, you may want to increase the sugar just a bit in the berries.
   INGREDIENTS
   Berry Topping:
   • 16 ounces fresh strawberries, washed, hulled and diced
   • 6 ounces fresh raspberries, washed and patted dry
   • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
   Crust:
   • 9 rectangular graham crackers (1 sleeve of crackers), crushed into fine crumbs
   • 4 tablespoons butter, melted
   • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
   Cheesecake:
   • 16 ounces light cream cheese, softened
   • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
   • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (just a squeeze)
   • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
   • 1 cup low fat Greek vanilla yogurt (see note)
   • 
     
   1.For the berry topping, combine the strawberries, raspberries and sugar in a medium bowl. Give the mixture a good stir and let it sit for 10-15 minutes while the rest of the dessert is being made and assembled. The berries will macerate - which basically means the sugar will help the fruit become a bit syrupy while resting.
2. For the crust, combine the crushed crackers with the sugar and butter; mix. Divide the mixture evenly among 8 (6- to 8-ounce) bowls, ramekins or individual trifle dishes and press lightly into the bottom of the dishes.
3. For the cheesecake, in a medium bowl (or in the bowl of an electric stand mixer), beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar together until the mixture is very light and creamy, 2-3 minutes. Mix in the lemon juice and vanilla. Add the yogurt and beat until well-combined and fluffy, 30 seconds to a minute.
4. Give the fruit/sugar mixture a good stir. Spoon a bit of the fruit mixture on top of each crust (keep in mind you'll only use half for this layer; the other half will go on top of the cheesecake layer).
5. Spoon an even amount of cheesecake filling on top of the fruit (about 1/3 cup or until all the filling is divided evenly among the dishes) and top with a spoonful of the remaining fruit.
6. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Recipe Source: Mel’s Kitchen Cafe
https://www.melskitchencafe.com/no-bake-berry-yogurt-cheesecakes/

We had these for breakfast on Valentine's Day with my new donut pan. My kids thought it was so fun and these were pretty tasty. They were no more work than making muffins. 

BAKED LEMON BLUEBERRY DONUTS

Serves:8 donuts

Prep time:20 mins

Cook time:10 mins

Total time:30 mins

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Lemon blueberry donuts topped with a simple two ingredient lemon glaze. These Baked Lemon Blueberry Donuts are incredibly easy to make and perfect for breakfast!

INGREDIENTS

For the lemon blueberry donuts:

• 1 cup (125 grams) all purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ⅓ cup (80ml) milk
• ⅓ cup (65 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons (30 grams) butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ⅓ - ½ cup fresh blueberries

For the lemon glaze:

• 1 cup (120 grams) powdered sugar
• 2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (or milk)

INSTRUCTIONS

To make the donuts:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 8 cavities in a donut pan (or pans) well with non-stick cooking spray. If using a 6-count donut pan, you will need to bake in separate batches. Set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a separate mixing bowl, mix together the milk, sugar, egg, butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla until fully combined. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined, making sure not to over mix the batter. Gently fold the blueberries into the batter.
4. Evenly distribute the batter between all 8 cavities of the prepared donut pan (a piping bag or spoon works well).
5. Bake at 350°F for 9-10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the donut comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool.

To make the glaze:

1. In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice until well combined. Add more lemon juice to thin out the glaze or add more powdered sugar to thicken the glaze as needed.
2. Place a piece of foil under the wire rack with the donuts to catch any glaze. Dip each donut into the glaze and place onto the wire rack. Allow the glaze to harden for a few minutes, then serve, and enjoy!
3. http://www.livewellbakeoften.com/2017/01/16/baked-lemon-blueberry-donuts/

Cinnamon Pancakes

I make pancakes a lot and was getting sick of my normal Betty Crocker wheat pancake recipe. I found this cinnamon one and liked it.

TOTAL TIME: Prep/Total Time: 15 min.

MAKES: 2 servings

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Maple syrup

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Directions
In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. In another bowl, combine the egg, milk, oil and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients just until combined. In a lightly greased electric skillet, drop batter by 1/4 cupfuls; press lightly to flatten. Fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side. Serve with syrup. Yield: 2 servings.
Originally published as Cinnamon Pancakes in Cooking for One or Two Cookbook 2003, p25

http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/cinnamon-pancakes

Lasagna soup

i used ground turkey instead and precooked the noodles so that I could just put them in when we were ready to eat instead of waiting another 30 minutes. I also didn't put it in the extra cup of water.
http://www.familyfreshmeals.com/2012/11/slow-cooker-crockpot-lasagna-soup.html

BBQ country style ribs-pressure cooker

I put about 3.5 pounds of frozen/slushy country style ribs (cut into 3 or 4 inch pieces) into the pressure cooker, with about 1/2 cup BBQ sauce drizzled over them and stirred to coat. I then cooked on high for 40 minutes and they were very very tender. If completely thawed, I will try 35 minutes next time and edit the recipe.

I then put them in a pot on the stove with about 1/2 cup more fresh BBQ sauce poured over them and heated until hot. (for some reason when I put sauce in the pressure cooker it separates into a watery liquid so I always have to reapply anyways after it's cooked) I've done this recipe before and it seemed pointless to do all the work when the sauce was unusable at the end because it was watery and never 'thickened' after boiling for a while. I usually use KC masterpeice and Bullseye mixed.

Valentines or Anytime Sheet Pan Eggs

I needed some type of egg that I could cut a heart out of for valentines so i used this as a guideline, but added cut up ham, 3 or 4 green onions, 1/4 tsp salt, pepper, about 1/3 cup sour cream and about 3/4 cups shredded cheese. It was so fast and tasted a lot like grandma glo's recipe. 

Sheet Pan Eggs – How to Cook 12 Eggs Quick!

Sheet Pan Eggs are easy way to cook 12 eggs quick! These eggs are great to feed a crowd, use for microwave omelets or for a big batch of make ahead freezer breakfast sandwiches!

Ingredients

• 12 large eggs(I had 15 so i used all of mine)
• 2-3 tablespoons water

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Prepare a 12 x 17 sheet pan with non-stick cooking spray.
3. Whisk the eggs and water together and pour on the sheet pan.
4. Bake for 12 - 15 minutes until eggs are cooked through (no loose liquid) but not too browned

Here's another comment/twist I'd like to try:
Yes, I have been making eggs this way for more than thirty plus years. One of my favorite things to do is after cooking the eggs, immediately invert the pan on to a piece of parchment paper which is laid on top of a clean lint-free towel to help insulate and keep the eggs hot. Quickly spread precooked vegetables and herbs of your choice almost to the side ends, but not quite, similar to making a jelly roll or a roll of cinnamon roll bread (broccoli, onions and mushrooms make a great combination), and top with shredded cheddar cheese or cheese of your choice and bacon, sausage or ham or all three. Now roll up the long way, meaning from the shorter width, being careful to not tear your eggs. Then sprinkle cheese on top and baked for a few minutes until cheese is melted and roll is hot. Serve with garlic toast or toast of your choosing. This is one of my family’s favorite meals and after 30 plus years, they never tire of it. I also use the baked eggs to make egg sandwiches and so on. I introduced a lot of vegetables in this way to my children when they were little. My mother made this when I was a child and we loved it too. Happy cooking, everyone!


OR THIS!
 http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-freezer-friendly-frittata-breakfast-sandwiches-227329

My favorite Pumpkin Bread Recipes

I have tried different recipes before and this one and the last bottom one that my visiting teacher brought me are my favorite. I decreased the sugar to 2 cups and it was plenty sweet I thought.  

Perfect Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

http://www.melskitchencafe.com/perfect-pumpkin-chocolate-chip-bread/

YIELD: MAKES 2 (9X5-INCH LOAVES) OR 3 (8X4-INCH LOAVES)

This bread tastes best when it has cooled completely for a few hours and tastes even better the next day.

Over the years, I've decreased the sugar and the bread still tastes delicious. The ingredient list calls for 3 cups, but I often use 2 cups for a slightly less sweet bread.

You can easily replace part of the oil with applesauce (many commenters in the thread below have done so with great results). My favorite is 1/2 cup applesauce, 1/2 cup oil.

If you have trouble with the chocolate chips sinking to the bottom of the loaf, try tossing them with the dry ingredients before adding the wet ingredients.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 1/2 cups (12.5 ounces) white flour
• 1 cup (5 ounces) whole wheat flour (white wheat preferred)
• 3 cups (22.5 ounces) granulated sugar (see note above)
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
• 1 cup canola, vegetable, avocado or melted coconut oil (see note above)
• 4 large eggs
• 2/3 cup water or buttermilk
• 1 to 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 
  

DIRECTIONS

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1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 9-inch by 5-inch loaf pans or three 8 1/2-inch by 4 1/2-inch loaf pans.
2. In a large bowl, mix flours, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt together. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl or in a large liquid measuring cup, whisk together canned pumpkin, oil, eggs and 2/3 cup water (or buttermilk) until well combined and stir into dry ingredients, just until the dry ingredients are moistened and no dry streaks remain.
4. Stir in the chocolate chips. Pour batter in prepared pans.
5. Bake the bread for 50 to 70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the bread from the oven and let sit for 10-15 minutes. Run a knife gently around the edge of the bread and turn the bread out, right side up, onto a wire rack to cool completely.
6. This bread freezes beautifully. After cooling, wrap the bread in a layer of plastic wrap and then a layer of tin foil. Freeze for up to 2 months.

Recipe Source: my brother, Nate W.


Kneaders Pumpkin Bread Recipe
http://burntapple.com/2010/09/29/kneaders-pumpkin-chocolate-chip-bread/

INGREDIENTS

• 3-⅓ cups unbleached all purpose Flour
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tbsp Cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons Baking Soda
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1-½ teaspoon Salt
• 2-⅔ cups Sugar
• ⅔ cups Softened Butter
• 4 whole Eggs
• 1 pound (or 1 30oz can or 2 15oz cans) Mashed Pumpkin
• ⅔ cups Water
• 1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (I highly recommend Ghiradelli)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Sift together dry ingredients and set aside. Cream sugar and butter until well incorporated. Add eggs one at a time and then add the mashed pumpkin. Alternate adding dry ingredients with water. Fold in chocolate chips.

Pour into three large greased bread pans and bake at 325 degrees for 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out clean. Leave in pans until cooled. 

Makes 3 loaves. That won’t make it very long at your house before being devoured.