Make Ahead | I Can Cook That

Plum Swirled Cheesecake Bars

This recipe for Plum Swirled Cheesecake Bars is a result of me going a little off the grocery list last time I went food shopping. Have you ever seen an ingredient in the supermarket and decided you just have to make something with it? This happens to me quite a bit.

Unfortunately, I normally do not have a recipe lined up to take advantage of my new purchase. I wanted to take a break from some peach recipes I’ve been making recently (Brown Sugar Cinnamon Peach Pie, Peach Cobbler, and Bourbon-Peach Lemonade to name a few) and focus on a relative of peaches: the plum. I haven’t worked with plums much in the past (I actually only have once recipe: Plum Sweet and Spicy Chicken) but I just could not resist how great they looked!

I decided to take a Martha Stewart recipe for Apricot Cheesecake Bars and instead make my own Plum Compote as a substitute for the Apricots, resulting in these Plum Swirled Cheesecake Bars.

Ingredients:

Plum Compote:

½ cup port wine
½ cup sugar
1 cinnamon stick
1 vanilla bean, cut lengthwise
The zest of one orange
6 plums, stones removed and sliced

Cheesecake:

18 graham crackers (I used cinnamon graham crackers)
¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided
2 teaspoons vanilla powder (I used Nielsen Massey)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract (I used Nielsen Massey)
Coarse salt, to taste
2 large eggs, room temperature

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Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas

My poor slow cooker never gets a break. Even in the summer, I use it quite a bit! Slow cooker meals are great because they don’t heat up your entire kitchen, and usually make at least 8 servings, great for a party or for leftovers. Plus, you can put the ingredients in a slow cooker, go to work, and have dinner nearly finished when you return!

My love of tacos is fairly obvious on my blog. I’ve made everything from Huevos Rancheros Tacos to Steak Tacos with Lime Mayo to even Kung Pao Chicken Tacos. But I’ve basically avoided doing a pork taco, mainly because I just don’t eat much pork.

But I need some variety every now and then, so I decided to finally try my hand at making some. This recipe for carnitas from myrecipes.com is really simple. All of the ingredients can be found in your local grocery store.

Ingredients:

1 (3-pound) boneless pork shoulder
10 whole garlic cloves, peeled
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup fresh orange juice
2 chipotle chiles canned in adobo sauce, drained and chopped
20 (6-inch) corn tortillas, warmed
2/3 cup chopped onion
2/3 cup fresh salsa (I have a Fresh Salsa recipe on my blog. Just omit the corn.)
2/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
10 lime wedges

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Brown Sugar Cinnamon Peach Pie

August is National Peach month! My boyfriend is a big fan of peaches so I’ve been buying them a lot lately. We were going to visit friends this weekend and I wanted to bring something down so I decided to try to make a peach pie.

This recipe is from Southern Living and sounded oh so good; I had all of the ingredients on hand so I figured I could at least try! My pie experience is a bit limited but this one turned out great. I even made the pie crust from scratch which was a lot more simple than I expected.

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cups cold butter
4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon or baking spice
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 to 3/4 cup ice-cold water
8 large fresh, firm, ripe peaches (about 4 lb.)
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, beaten
1 tablespoon granulated sugar

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Peach Crisp with Maple Cream Sauce

My boyfriend really likes peaches. But, strangely enough, he’s allergic to the skin of peaches so he really only eats them in desserts. I owe him a peach cobbler at some point, but when I saw this recipe from The Pioneer Woman I thought he’d love it. (Plus, it’s a bit easier than a cobbler… baby steps.)

I didn’t have real maple syrup, so I had to use the stuff you use on pancakes. Because of that, the recipe is slightly altered from the original to account for the sweetness.

Ingredients:

6 whole fresh peaches
1 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick) – cold
the juice and zest of one lemon
6 tablespoons pancake syrup, divided
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon light corn syrup

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Gazpacho with Grilled Pickapeppa Shrimp

Cooking Light’s August issue had a recipe for Pickapeppa Chicken and Mango Kebabs (that I plan on making soon) that required me to buy a bottle of Pickapeppa sauce. I had never heard of this sauce before and I was intrigued. It’s a Caribbean condiment referred to as “Jamaican ketchup” that is basically a sweeter A1 sauce, made with tomatoes, onions, mangoes, peppers, and other spices.

I thought this sauce sounded like it would be great on shrimp, so I decided to incorporate it into another Cooking Light recipe from the same issue: Gazpacho with Shrimp.

Ingredients:

1 (10-ounce) container grape tomatoes, divided
1 1/2 cups sliced English cucumber, divided
1 cup diced red bell pepper, divided (about 2 peppers)
3/4 cup diced Vidalia or other sweet onion, divided
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
5/8 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
3 garlic cloves
1 (28-ounce) can San Marzano tomatoes, drained
The juice of one lemon
1 garlic clove, minced
¼ cup pickapeppa sauce
20 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (about 8 ounces)

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Bourbon Peach Lemonade

I am on a bit of a peach kick at the moment. They have looked oh so amazing at the store recently, and my boyfriend is a huge fan, so why not? Expect a couple more peach recipes to show up on here in the coming weeks. (I’ll try to space them out a bit.)

A friend of mine made this absolutely delicious Honey-Ginger Sparkling Bourbon Lemonade a few months back that I haven’t stopped thinking about. It was SO good! So when I spotted Cooking Light’s recipe for a Peachy Bourbon Lemonade, I had to make it immediately, hoping it would be similarly delicious.

This lemonade is such a treat during this uncomfortably hot weather we are having. It would be just as yummy and refreshing without the bourbon (either as a non-alcoholic drink or with another spirit of choice).

Ingredients (Serves 4):

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
3 cups water
2 cups chopped, peeled peaches (I used white peaches)
¼ cup lightly packed mint leaves
6 tablespoons sugar
¾ cup bourbon
Ice

Note: Bourbon does include grains that contain gluten. However, distilled alcohol is considered gluten-free because the process of distillation removes the harmful gluten protein, which is why I have this recipe listed as gluten free. If you are highly sensitive to gluten, bourbon may be off limits for you.

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Vegan Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

I made these Vegan Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting for a lovely vegan bride-to-be for her bridal shower this weekend. I’m not going to lie, I was going to do a test run of these, and if I didn’t like them, she was getting normal egg-filled, buttercream-topped cupcakes. But. These are good. Really really good.

So when I did my test run, I passed them around to friends and family and conveniently left the word “vegan” out of the description until after they tasted the cupcakes. My “test subjects” didn’t seem too upset with my experiment, many went for seconds!

These cupcakes use dark chocolate (versus milk chocolate), and have no eggs, butter, or milk. And they are still super fluffy and moist. The best part, most of the ingredients are probably either in your pantry or really easy to find!

Ingredients (makes 2 dozen) adapted from the Curvy Carrot:

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes:

2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon cream of tartar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup dark chocolate cocoa powder
2 oz vegan dark chocolate, finely chopped
3/4 cup sunflower oil
1 1/4 cups vanilla almond milk
3/4 cup cinnamon applesauce
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon cider vinegar

Peanut Butter Frosting:

1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup vegan margarine
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons vanilla almond milk

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Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

It is too darn hot to be using the stove/oven, don’t you think? The grill is a great option for hot days, but we have recently been getting the most inconvenient thunderstorms right around dinnertime. I wanted to find some recipes that are perfect for summer but can also be made in a slow cooker so your whole kitchen doesn’t heat up. This one for Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken Sandwiches is really easy to make: you brown the chicken, line the slow cooker with onions and garlic, pour the sauce over the chicken, and let it cook for 3 hours. You’re left with a really tender pull-apart chicken perfect for summer evenings!

Ingredients:

1 large onion, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons molasses
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika powder
1/2 teaspoon Sriracha
8 hamburger buns, toasted
radicchio, sliced

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Fresh Salmon Burgers

Everyone loves a good hamburger at a summer barbecue, but sometimes you just want something a little different. Salmon burgers are a really delicious option and are healthier too. Homemade salmon burgers are really easy to make and blow the frozen ones in the supermarket out of the water. This recipe from Coastal Living takes about 5 to 10 minutes to prep and then just another 5 minutes to cook. To snazz up the salmon burger a bit, I also made a Greek yogurt topping and added some lemon and garlic to the buns before toasting.

Ingredients:

Salmon Burgers:

1 slice white bread
1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 pounds salmon fillet
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons fresh dill finely chopped
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
sliced cucumbers, optional

Buns:

4 hamburger buns
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
the zest of one lemon
1 teaspoon dill, chopped

Greek yogurt sauce:

1 cup Greek yogurt
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon dill, finely chopped
the zest and juice of 1 lemon

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Cherry Ricotta Bruschetta

I continue to struggle with looking at a bunch of ingredients and imagining a meal. In general, I follow recipes and make a few changes to account for ingredients available or to suit my tastes. But yesterday, a friend and I came across fresh ricotta and the most beautiful fresh cherries. The cherries were slightly tart so I thought they would make an amazing “dessert alternative” or a somewhat sweet appetizer.

We topped toasted baguette pieces (also from the market) with some of the ricotta, pitted cherries, mint, and a touch of honey to make this Cherry Ricotta Bruschetta.

Ingredients (serves 4, multiply as needed):

1/2 a baguette (or 8 pieces)
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 oz fresh ricotta
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon mint, chopped
24 cherries, pitted
1 teaspoon local honey

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“Dirt” Flower Pots

“Dirt” cake reminds me of hot summers, barbecues, and outdoor eating. When I was a kid, I used to get so excited for dessert once I spotted the flower pot set out on checkered tablecloth with the other desserts. This “Dirt” Flower Pots dessert is really easy to make, requires no cooking, and looks just adorable. You can really dress it up with flowers, worms, or even mini Scottie dogs.

As a member of the Walkers Shortbread Ambassador program, I was sent packs of Walkers’ pure butter Scottie Dog Shortbread cookies, which help support the company’s sponsorship of The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty (ASPCA). Walkers has recently launched a Chocolate version of the cookie as well. In 2012 (the original Scottie Shortbread was launched in January 2012, Walkers raised over $25,000 for the ASPCA. For 2013, the company has doubled its minimum donation amount to $50,000. Ten cents from the sale of every Scottie Dog Shortbread 3.9-ounce carton and 20 cents for larger cartons will be donated to the ASPCA.

To help spread the word about these cookies and their partnership, Walkers is giving away a Scottie Dog Tin! To enter, just use the widget below. Note: This Giveaway is now closed.

Now, back to the recipe.

Ingredients (serves 8, or makes 4 small flower pots):

1 package of Oreos
2 graham crackers (optional)
2 packs of instant chocolate pudding
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
3 cups milk
8 oz cream cheese
8 oz whipped topping
1 box of Walkers Scottie Dog Shortbread Cookies (Chocolate or Original)
Gummy worms (optional)

For decoration (optional):

small flower pots (I used 6 inch pots)
organic flowers, or fake flowers
straws

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Meatball Subs

When I know I have a busy week coming up, I try to think of quick dinners I can make during the week. If I can make a huge batch of something on Sunday and just reheat the meal on a weekday, even better. So this weekend, after a visit to the Italian Market, I decided to make a bunch of meatballs so that we could have meatball subs later in the week. The tomato sauce is basically a more chunky version of my normal tomato sauce. I also added sausages to the sauce so that we could also make Sausage and Pepper Sandwiches if we so choose. The best part is that you can make a huge portion of this, freeze it, and use when needed. The sauce, although heavy on the meat, would also work as a yummy pasta sauce.

Ingredients (serves 8; with added sausage, serves 12):

2 lbs ground sirloin
1 lb sweet Italian sausage, cut from its casing
1 cup Italian breadcrumbs
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons dried basil, divided
2 tablespoons dried parsley, divided
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon olive oil
1.5 lbs sausage (optional)
1 can (28 oz) strained tomatoes (or 1 box of Pomi strained tomatoes)
2 cans (28 oz) chopped tomatoes (or 2 boxes of Pomi chopped tomatoes)
1/3 cup dry red wine
8-12 Italian rolls/subs
Provolone cheese, optional

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Diner en Blanc Picnic Food Inspiration

Today is International Picnic Day, so what better time to do a roundup of some of my favorite foods that are picnic friendly? With Diner en Blanc fast approaching, it’s also time to start thinking about what to make for the big event!

Diner en Blanc is celebrating its 25th anniversary and has grown to include a dozen participating cities. The first Diner en Blanc was held in Paris and included just a few of its founder, François Pasquier’s, friends. Now, thousands worldwide congregate to be a part of this great event! Philadelphia’s Diner en Blanc will be held on Thursday, August 22 and the wait list is being formed now. You can sign up for the wait list here.

Philadelphia’s first Diner en Blanc was held last year and it was a huge success. This year, 2,300 participants will be notified of the secret location moments before. Guests arrive with their own tables, chairs, place settings, and meals and enjoy the outdoors and company together. Each attendee is dressed head-to-toe in white, with a white table cloth, and white chairs. Photos from last year’s event are truly beautiful! With the beautiful white place settings, the food can really be the star. So bringing a colorful, delicious, and easy meal is key! Here are some of my suggestions for the big night:

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Lower Calorie Sangria

Last year, I gave my dad sangria for Father’s Day. He loves sangria, so I thought I’d make it a yearly thing.

This time around though, I was also trying to sneak something by him. Instead of using sugar in the sangria, I used Monk Fruit In The Raw, a natural substitute. My father is diabetic, and Monk Fruit In The Raw is diabetic friendly (according to their website, “Monk Fruit In The Raw contains less than one gram of carbohydrates (by food exchange measure) and may be used in conjunction with food programs for people with diabetes as well as with guidelines for people with diabetes who use carbohydrate counting.”)

Now, I understand sangria in itself is not exactly diabetic friendly. But he is able to enjoy a glass or two once a year. The real reason I am trying the Monk Fruit In The Raw within the sangria is to see if he can taste a difference. You see, not only is he diabetic, but he is what some refer to as a “super taster.” He can tell you the secret ingredient in a recipe, and knows whether a wine is worth drinking. But, boy can he be picky too.

Unlike stevia, which leaves behind an aftertaste, Monk Fruit should be undetectable. So this is the first test to see if I can sneak Monk Fruit In The Raw into future recipes for my dad. So what is a Monk Fruit? Monk Fruit is a vine-ripened fruit found in Asia that kind of resembles a tiny watermelon. Monk Fruit In The Raw is made from Monk Fruit extract, which is about 300 times (!) sweeter than sugar. To make it measurable for consumption, dextrose (a natural bulking agent) is blended with the extract. Monk Fruit In The Raw also comes in a Bakers Bag, which is measurable cup-for-cup like sugar (in volume, not weight). The Bakers Bag contains Maltodextrin, which is also a natural bulking agent, that does not change the flavor of the sweetener. I used the Bakers Bag for this recipe.

Lower Calorie Sangria Ingredients:

1/2 cup brandy
1/2 cup fresh orange juice (~3 oranges)
1 bottle Rioja wine
1/4 cup Monk Fruit In The Raw (Bakers Bag)
1 apple, cored and sliced
1 orange, thinly sliced and quartered
1 lemon, thinly sliced
2 limes, thinly sliced
club soda, to taste

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Banana Bread Muffins

When I have time on Sundays (which isn’t terribly often), I like to make a batch of muffins so I have breakfast for the week. Because I had some overripe bananas, this week I decided to make Banana Bread Muffins. I was recently sent some coupons to try Kretschmer Wheat Germ products so I thought adding some of the Honey Crunch would add some nice texture and flavor to the muffins.

So what exactly is wheat germ? Wheat germ comes from the wheat kernel, which is the part removed when refining whole grains into white flour. Wheat Germ is a great source of Vitamin E, B vitamins and folic acid. You can find it in the cereal aisle. Wheat germ can be used in recipes calling for flour or breadcrumbs so its quite versatile. I’ve also used it in smoothies.

So that you can try wheat germ for yourself, Kretschmer is giving away some coupons good for free wheat germ products to an I Can Cook That reader! More on that below.

Ingredients (makes 12 cupcake-sized muffins, of 6 large muffins):

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup Kretschmer Honey Crunch Wheat Germ
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 3 bananas)
1/4 cup applesauce
1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
cinnamon, to taste

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