Green & Blacks

FOOD OF THE GODS

My FAVORITE Chocolate to eat and cook or bake with is Green and Blacks Organic Chocolates (and Scharffen Berger but we'll talk about that later). Amazing flavor and texture; it is far by the best. Their white chocolate is to die for and the fact that it is filled with little specks of vanilla beans makes it even better! There is something lovely, majical and Willy Wonka-ish about unwrapping a delicately foiled bar of chocolate. I always wait to find the Golden Ticket. My favorites are the White, Maya Gold, Ginger, Hazelnut and Current, and Dark 70%. Granted... I haven't had one that I don't absolutely love. Oh... They have many other amazing products, too, like Ice Cream and Hot Chocolate... the list goes on!

http://greenandblacks.com/us/

Icebox Raspberry Cheesecake adapted from Cook's Country

I used the same filling (sort-of) recipe as Icebox Oreo Cheesecake

COOKIE CRUST

1 Package of Newman's Own Chocolate ABC cookies

8 TBL Unsalted Butter, melted

CHEESECAKE FILLING

1 C. Half-n-Half (Divided 3/4 C. and 1/4 C.)

4 Large Egg Yolks

1/4 C. Cake Flour

8 Oz. White Chocolate, Chopped (I use Green & Blacks Organic White Chocolate)
2 lbs. Cream Cheese, cut into 1-inch chucks and softened

1/2 C. Confectioners' sugar

2 tsp.Vanilla Extract

1/8 tsp Salt

1 1/2 Pints Fresh Raspberries

1. For the chocolate cookie crust:

Process cookies in food processor until finely ground. Mix cookie crumbs and melted butter together. Line the 9x13 pan with waxed paper.

Press cookie mixture evenly into bottom and sides of a 9x13 pan (using and offset knife or a cake spatula is very handy for this). Refrigerate until set, at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.

2. For the Cheesecake filling: Heat 3/4 C. milk in medium saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Meanwhile, whisk yolks, flour, and remaining milk in large bowl until smooth. Slowly whisk hot milk into yolk mixture. Return mixture to saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until very thick and glossy, 1-2 minutes. Off heat, whisk in white chocolate until melted. Transfer pudding to bowl, press plastic wrap directly on surface, and refrigerate until cold and set, at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.

3. With electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and salt until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low and mix in chilled pudding until just combined, about 30 seconds. Gently turn in raspberries until evenly disbursed.

Pour Cheesecake filling over cookie crust and use a cake spatula (offset knife) to smooth the filling out evenly.

Refrigerate until set, at least 6 hours. Remove sides of pan and serve! Cheesecake can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Icebox Oreo Cheese Cake from Cook's Country

Serves 12 ... Depending on how you slice it :)



Oreo Cookie Crust
30 Oreo cookies, broken into rough pieces
7 TBL Unsalted Butter

Cheesecake Filling
1 C. Whole Milk (Divided 3/4 C. and 1/4 C.)
4 Large Egg Yolks
1/4 C. All Purpose Flour
8 Oz. White Chocolate, Chopped
2 lbs. Cream Cheese, cut into 1-inch chucks and softened
1/2 C. Confectioners' sugar
2 tsp.Vanilla Extract
1/8 tsp Salt
12 Oreo Cookies, broken into rough pieces

1. For the Oreo cookie crust: Process cookies and butter in food processor until finely ground. Press cookie mixture evenly into bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Refrigerate until set, at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.

2. For the Cheesecake filling: Heat 3/4 C. milk in medium saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Meanwhile, whisk yolks, flour, and remaining milk in large bowl until smooth. Slowly whisk hot milk into yolk mixture. Return mixture to saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until very thick and glossy, 1-2 minutes. Off heat, whisk in white chocolate until melted. Transfer pudding to bowl, press plastic wrap directly on surface, and refrigerate until cold and set, at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.

3. With electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and salt until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low and mix in chilled pudding until just combined, about 30 seconds. Pour one-quarter of cream-cheese mixture evenly into prepared pan and sprinkle one-third of the cookies over surface. Repeat process twice, then top with remaining filling. Refrigerate until set, at least 6 hours. Remove sides of pan and serve!

Cheesecake can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Zucchini Fritters By Chama Bovee

2 1/2 C. Shredded Zucchini
2 C. Shredded Cheddar Cheese
4 Eggs
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Pepper
1 tsp. Granulated Garlic
Pinch of Cumin
1 C. Panko Crumbs
Cooking Oil

1. In two separate bowls shred Zucchini and Cheddar Cheese

2. In a large bowl whisk eggs, salt, pepper, garlic, and cumin until well blended. Add Panko and mix well then add Zucchini and Cheddar Cheese.

3. Heat oil in pan and when hot place a 1/4 C. of batter in center of pan and use the back of a metal spoon to spread batter until it is about 1/2 inch thick all around. Cook on one side until golden brown and then flip and cook. Press on the fritter when almost done to make sure the juice has cooked out thoroughly.

Dutch Baby Pancakes from My Gramma Cate

2-3 Quart Size Pan

1/8 C. Butter

3 Large Eggs

3/4 C. Milk

3/4 C. Flour

1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

3-4 Quart Size Pan

1/4 C. Butter

3/4 C. Flour

3/4 C. Milk

1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

4-6 Quart Size Pan

4 Large Eggs

1 C. Milk

1 C. Flour

1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

Pre-heat oven with the pan inside to 425 F. Beat eggs in mixer on medium until blended. Add milk and mix for about 1 minute. Add lemon extract and flour and let stir. When oven has reached temperature, put butter in pan and let it melt (do not burn). Once the butter has melted, pour in mixture. Bake for 20 minutes. Serve with cream cheese, freezer jam, confectioner's sugar, whipped cream, or maple syrup .

FUN OPTIONS:

CINNAMON SUGAR sprinkled on top of the batter right after you pour it into the hot pan... lots of it :). It leaves a yummy cinnamony caramelized crunchiness on top (It looks like the top got over cooked, but it's not).

LEMON EXTRACT AND ZEST - Skip the vanilla extract and add 1/2 - 1 tsp of lemon extract to the batter after you add the milk. Zest half a lemon and muddle or use a mortar and pestle to press the two together with 1 tsp sugar and then sprinkle on top of the batter right after you pour into the hot pan.

Winter Minestrone from Gourmet Magazine

1/3 lb. Sliced Pancetta, chopped
3 Medium Red Onions, chopped
4 Celery Ribs, chopped
2 Medium Carrots, chopped
1/3 C. EVOO
1 Bunch Swiss Chard
6 Garlic Cloves, finely chopped
2 TBSP Tomato Paste
1 (28oz) Can Whole Tomatoes in juice
3 Quarts Hot Water
5 C. coarsely chopped Savoy Cabbage (6oz)
5 C. coarsely chopped Escarole (1/2 lb)
1 piece Parmigiano-Reggiano rind (about 3 and 1 1/2 inches)
1 (19oz) can Cannellini Beans, rinsed and drained

ACCOMPANIMENTS EVOO for drizzling; cooked *ditalini pasta tossed with oil (optional); grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

1. Cook Pancetta, onions, celery, can carrots in oil in a wide 7-to-9 quart heavy pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, while preparing chard.

2. Cut out stems from chard and chop stems, reserving leaves. Stir chard stems into Pancetta mixture with garlic, 1 tsp salt and 3/4 tsp pepper and continue cooking, stirring occasionally,until vegetables are very tender and begin to stick to bottom of pot, about 45 minutes total. (Set Aside chard leaves.)

3. Push vegetables to one side of pot. Add tomato paste to cleared area and cook, stirring constantly, until it starts to caramelize, about 2 minutes. Stir paste into vegetables and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. (Paste may stick to pot, but don't let it burn.)

4. Stir in tomatoes with their juice, breaking them up with a spoon, then add hot water (3 Quarts), scraping up any brown bits from bottom of pot.

5. Bring to a simmer. Stir in cabbage, escarole, and parmesan rind. Simmer, covered, until greens are tender, about 40 minutes.

6. Coarsely chop chard leaves and stir into soup along with beans. Simmer, partially covered, 10 minutes. Discard rind. Season soup with salt and pepper. If using ditalini, stir in just before serving.

COOK'S NOTES: Soup, without pasta, can be made 2 days ahead and chilled.

*Ditalini ("little thimbles" in Italian) is a short tube shaped pasta

Pie Dough from Cooks Illustrated

2 1/2 C. (12.5 oz) Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
2 TLB Sugar
1 tsp. table salt
12 TBL (1.5 sticks) Cold Unsalted Butter, cut into 1/4" pieces
1/2 C. cold Vegetable Shortening, cut into 4 pieces
1/4 C. cold *Vodka
1/4 C. cold Water

1. Process 1 1/2 C. flour, sugar and salt in food processor until combined, about two 1-second pulses. Add butter and shortening and process until homogeneous dough just starts to collect in uneven clumps, about 15 seconds (dough will resemble cottage cheese curds and there should be no uncoated flour). Scrape bowl with rubber spatula and redistribute dough evenly around processor blade. Add remaining cup of flour and pulse until mixture is evenly distributed around bowl and mass of dough has been broken up, 4-6 quick pulses. Empty mixture into medium bowl.

2. Sprinkle vodka and water over mixture. With rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix, pressing down on dough until dough is slightly tacky and sticks together. Divide dough into 2 even balls and flatten each into 4-inch disks. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 45 minutes or up to 2 days.

* Dough Tenderizer
Pie dough gets its structure from gluten, long chains of protein that form when flour mixes with water. But too much gluten will make pie dough tough. That's why traditional pie doughs are so stingy with the water. We discovered that Vodka lets you add more liquid (so the dough is easy to roll out) without toughening the crust. Why?
Eighty-proof Vodka consists of 60% water and 40% Ethanol. While gluten forms readily in water, it does not form in Ethanol. Thus, our recipe, which contains 4 TBL each of cold water and vodka, get the benefits of 8 TBL of liquid (supple, easy-to-roll dough) but actually has the equivalent of about 6.5 tablespoons of water - an amount that limits gluten formation and ensures tenderness, As for the alcohol, it vaporizes in the oven! - J.K.A.

If you are needing to make the pie crust for a no-bake pie, then use a fork to prick the dough to eliminate air bubbles, line the inside in tin foil and then pour 2-3 cups of uncooked beans in and evenly disburse them. Bake the pie shell at 400 F for 20 minutes and let cool.

Cheese Cake from Excelsior Restaurant

CRUST
2 C. Grahm Cracker Crumbs
1 C. Butter, melted

FILLING
2 lbs. Softened Cream Cheese
1 C. Sugar
2 Eggs
1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1/2 tsp. Almond Extract

TOPPING
1 Pint Sour Cream
3/4 C. Sugar
1/2 tsp. Almond Extract
1/2 tsp. Lemon Juice

1. Mix graham cracker crumbs and butter together and press into the bottom and sides of a 9" spring form pan.

2. Combine all filling ingredients and mix until smooth. Pour over crust. Place into COLD oven in a shallow pan to catch melting butter and bake at 350 F for 30 minutes. Top will be a very light golden color when finished.

3. While cheese cake is baking, mix topping ingredients until blended and set aside. When cheese cake is done, pour topping gently over the cheese cake and smooth over (an off set knife is perfect use for this). Bake for 5-8 minutes.

Let the cheese cake cool in the refridgerator for at least 5 hours before serving.

Corn Chowder from Saveur Magazine

8 Ears Fresh Corn, shucked
8 Strips Bacon, Chopped (Applegate Farms is the best!)
4 TBL unsalted Butter
1TBL finely chopped fresh *Thyme
4 Cloves Garlic, finely chopped
2 Ribs Celery, finely chopped
1 medium Yellow Onion, finely chopped
1 Fresh Bay Leaf
6 Cups Whole Milk
3 Medium New Potatoes (About 1 1/2 lbs), peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes
Kosher Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper, to taste
1/4 C. thinly sliced fresh *Basil, for garnish

1. Working over a large bowl, slice the corn kernels off the cob, scraping the cob with the knife to extract the flavorful juices. Halve 5 of the bare corn cobs crosswise, discarding the rest. Set corn and cobs aside.

2. Heat the bacon in a 6 Quart pot over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 12 minutes. Reserve 3 TBL bacon for garnish, leaving the remaining bacon in the pot. Add butter, thyme, garlic, celery, onions, and bay leaf. Cover the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions soften, about 6 minutes. Add the reserved corn kernels and cobs, milk, and potatoes. Cover, bring chowder to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender, about 25 minutes. Skim any foam from the surface of the soup. Discard the cobs and bay leaf; transfer 1 1/2 C. of the soup to a blender, and puree. Stir puree into the chowder to thicken it. Season with salt and pepper and serve garnished with reserved bacon and basil.

* Tip: Finely chop all herbs, measure out what is needed for recipe and put the remaining in small freezer jam cups or small zip lock bags and put in your freezer. They top off hot soup really nicely and are a great way to cool it down a bit with out diluting it!

Mallow Cream Frosting by Chama Bovee

1 7oz Jar Marshmallow Cream
3/4 C. Butter, Room Temp.
1/2 C. Confectioners Sugar
8oz Cream Cheese, Chilled
1 tsp. Vanilla

Blend Marshmallow Cream and Butter until completely blended. Add Sugar and blend. Add Cream Cheese and blend until smooth.

Olive Oil Roasted Chicken with Mediterranean Vegetables from The Mediterranean Cookbook

Serves Four

1 41/2 Roasting Chicken
2/3 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 Lemon
Few Sprigs of Fresh Thyme
1lb Small New Potatoes
1 Small Eggplant, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 Red Pepper, seeded and quartered
1 Fennel Bulb (some grocer's call it Anise; Same-same), trimmed and quartered
8 Large Garlic Gloves, unpeeled
Coarse Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Rub the chicken all over with the olive oil and season with the pepper. Place the lemon half inside the bird, with a sprig or two of thyme. Put the chicken breast side down in a large roasting pan. Roast for about 30 minutes.

2. Remove the chicken from the oven and season with salt. Turn the chicken right side up, and baste with the juices from the pan. Surround the bird with the potatoes, roll them pan juices, and then return the roasting pan to the oven. Continue roasting for about 30 minutes.

3. Add the eggplant, red pepper, fennel and garlic cloves to the pan. Drizzle with the remaining thyme to the vegetables. Return to the oven and cook for about 30 - 40 minutes more, basting and turning the vegetables occasionally.

4. To find out if the chicken is cooked, push the tip of a sharp knife between the thigh and the breast. If the juices run clear, it is done. The vegetables should be tender and just beginning to brown.

Pineapple Mango Salsa from American Favorites by Betty Rosbottom

1 1.25 lb peeled fresh pineapple, core removed cut into 1/2 inch dice
1 mango, peeled, pitted and cut into 1/2 inch dice
1 red bell pepper, seeds and membranes removed, cut into 1/4 inch dice
1 green bell pepper, seeds and membranes removed, cut into 1/4 inch dice
1 jalapeno pepper, stems and seeds removed, finely chopped
1 bunch green onions (white part and 2 inches of green tops) finely chopped
3 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/4 cup chhopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup fresh lime juice1/4 cup honey

1. combine pineapple, mango, peppers, green onions, garlic and cilantro in a medium bowl. stir to combine. add lime juice and honey and mix well to blend.

2. bring to room temperature 30 minutes before serving.

Grilled Spicy Lime Chicken with Black Bean & Avocado Salad

Serves Eight

1/3 C. Lime Juice
1/2 C. Chopped Fresh Cilantro
1/4 C. Olive Oil
2 Chipotle Chiles, roughtly chopped, plus 2 TBL adobo sauce
1 TBL Honey
3 Medium Garlic Cloves, minced
2 tsp ground CuminSalt and Pepper
8 Boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
2 (16oz.) cans Black Beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 C. chopped Scallions
1 Red bell pepper, sliced thin
1 Ripe Avocado, sliced thinLime wedges for serving

1. Light grill. Whisk lime juice, cliantro, oil, chiles and sauce, honey, garlic, cumin, 1/2 tsp, salt, and 1/4 tsp peper together in small bow.

2. Toss chicken with 1/4 C. lime juice mixture in separate large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Marinate chicken in refriderator while grill continues to preheat.

3. Toss beans, scallions, red pepper, and avocado with 1/4 C. lime juice mixture in serving bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Grill chicken over very hot fire until well browned on both sides and cooked through, 8 to 13 minutes. Transfer chicken to serving platter and drizzle with remaining lime juice mixture. Serve immediately with black bean and avocado salad.