FoodFixe

Hooray! It's National Cheesecake Day!

This Saturday, July 30, is National Cheesecake Day. To celebrate the occasion, I thought I’d share some of my favorite cheesecake recipes—sweet and savory. What’s a savory cheesecake, you ask? Think of it like an appetizer, warm and cheesy spread on crackers or crostini. If you’ve never tried savory cheesecake, you don’t know what you’re missing! (And nothing smells better baking in the oven. Yum!!) I’ve also included some tip that will help ensure cheesecake baking success.

Sweet

Peach Buttermilk Crisp Cheesecake

Pumpkin Hazelnut Cheesecake

Savory

Stilton-Port Wine Cheesecake

Wild Mushroom-Smoked Gouda Cheesecake


Tips & Tricks

7 Summer Favorites

Just in time to celebrate our country’s independence, I thought I’d share some of my favorite summer recipes. They run the gamut from cocktails and appetizers to entrees and desserts. Truly, there’s something to suit everyone’s tastes and time constraints.

Happy 4th of July!

Lemon-Parmesan Artichoke Bottoms

Guest post by Elaine Leffler, aka the Mix Mistress and Green Garlic Goddess

Needing an appetizer to take to a paella-powered party, naturally I consulted with Siobhan and we threw around a few ideas, settling on a few time-tested goat cheese options. She excitedly called me back, suggesting a stuffed artichoke bottoms recipe she's made for years.

I dearly love artichokes, but sometimes I just don't want to deal with their mean little spikes (sometimes food fights back!) and the cleaning and soaking and steaming and general fuss that accompanies them. However, Siobhan told me (sit down for this one!) canned artichoke bottoms can be purchased at your local grocery store. (I've since heard that you can frequently find frozen ones at Middle Eastern grocery stores as well, though I haven't yet explored this option). I truly had no idea, nor did several of my kitchen-accomplished confederates; so, as far as I'm concerned, Siobhan invented this item.

Krazy for Kale

For those of us who started the year trying to stay on the nutritional straight and narrow, the food universe doesn’t make it easy. In the span of six weeks, we’ve had to endure National Pie Day, National Chocolate Cake Day, National Carrot Cake Day, world Nutella Day and, of course, Valentine’s Day. Fortunately, I had recently joined a CSA—Farm Fresh To You —which at least ensured I had fresh fruit and veggies on hand as a way to counterbalance or bypass all together the sweet temptations.

Among my bounty of veggies was my first ever bunch of kale. I like greens of all kinds, but I’d never cooked with kale. When I mentioned my excitement about acquiring some kale on Facebook, I was astounded by the comments and conversation it inspired. People are crazy about kale! And, as coincidence would have it, at a team-building off-site for work that same week at Paulding & Co.,a delicious Butternut Squash and Kale and Chestnuts was among the dishes we were preparing.

5 Favorite Fall Recipes

I love autumn. It’s my favorite season—from the warm days and cool nights and the changing colors of the trees to the food. It’s the time of year when I most enjoy cooking and being in my kitchen.

While baking a Pumpkin Hazelnut Cheesecake [http://www.foodfixe.com/foodfixe/pumpkin-hazelnut-cheesecake.html] recently, I was musing about all the dishes I look forward to making this time of year. Here are some of my go-to fall recipes.

Tomato Tart

Before summer exhales its last gasp, I want to share this Tomato Tart recipe with you while the big and little darlings are still around. When my friend Shelly bestowed upon me the gorgeous assortment of heirloom tomatoes you see below, I felt compelled to find some way to show them off. This tart was it.

Shelly’s uncle, Dave Robeson, has a farm stand in Morgan Hill, called Dave’s Famous Old Tomatoes, and these nightshade beauties are the fruits of his labor. Sadly, I’ve yet to make it to Uncle Dave’s in person. But I can tell you, I’ve never tasted anything like these tomatoes … or peppers … or cucumbers. (Who knew there was a lime cucumber?!)

The best birthday recipe: food and friends

A couple weeks ago I threw myself a small birthday party. Because food and friends are my two favorite things (not necessarily in that order), any chance to bring them together is always a special gift.

I wanted to keep things simple. After all, the birthday girl wants to have fun, too, and not spend the entire day and night in the kitchen. I pulled out some of my favorite recipes and created a menu for the party that included a couple heartier dishes that I then supplemented with nibbles and noshes. I chose sangria as the signature drink for the evening.  

Crazy for Crostini

 

Crostini have been my appetizer of choice this season, for no particular reason, just happenstance. It started when my friend Shelly Greenhalgh was bragging on Facebook about a bounty of fresh figs she was coming into and how she was going to use them to make crostini with Gorgonzola.

After making a nuisance of myself, Shelly finally kicked down with the recipe and just in time for my housewarming party. Sadly, I had missed the last of the season’s figs by a mere day or two. In their place, I used thin slices of fresh pears, which were tasty, too. I omitted the drizzle of honey at the end, though, as I find pears sweet enough as is. Sautéed Mushrooms with Thyme would be another yummy topping for these crostini.

Easing in the New Year

 The holidays are winding down and the year is almost over. As tired as we are from all the fa-la-la-la-la’ing, there’s still one more celebration to get through. So, I thought I’d offer up some dishes to help you ring out the old and ease in the new, with little effort on your part.

Here are my picks for an easy New Year’s Eve sip and nibble as well as breakfast for “the morning after.”

Wild Mushroom-Smoked Gouda savory cheesecake

Today’s recipe for my Wild Mushroom-Smoked Gouda savory cheesecake was a request (well, a demand, really) from my friend ShellyG. After I mentioned it in my Facebook status earlier this week, she said “I need something fabulous for next week.” I assume she was referring to Thanksgiving, and this savory cheesecake is perfect for the fall holiday – warm, earthy, and just a little smoky.

(Actually, I owe Shelly one. She sent me the recipe for a terrific appetizer that I made for my housewarming soiree last weekend. A recipe I will post soon.)