Black Forest Cheesecake Cupcakes

Ingredients
Crust
12 Oreos
1 1/2 Tbsp salted butter, melted
Cheesecake
4.5 oz (3/4 cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips or chopped semi-sweet chocolate, melted and cooled slightly
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 pinch salt
12 oz. cream cheese, softened well (1 1/2 8 oz. pkgs)
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup sour cream
Topping
Store-bought (canned) or homemade cherry pie filling*
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
2 1/2 Tbsp granulated sugar
Finely chopped or shaved chocolate, for garnish (optional)


Directions
For the crust:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a mixing bowl, using a fork, blend together crushed Oreos and butter. Divide mixture evenly among 12
paper lined muffin cups, adding a heaping 1 Tbsp to each. Press crumbs into an even layer. Bake in preheated oven 5 minutes. Remove
from oven and allow to cool while preparing filling.
For the cheesecake filling:
In a mixing bowl, whisk together 2/3 cup granulated sugar, cocoa and salt until no clumps of cocoa remain. Add cream cheese to a mixing
bowl and pour sugar mixture over cream cheese, then using an electric hand mixer set on low speed, whip mixture just until smooth. Mix
in eggs one at a time, blending just until combined after each addition and adding in vanilla with second egg. Pour in melted chocolate
and mix just until combined, then add 1/4 cup heavy cream and sour cream and mix just until combined. Forcefully tap bowl against
countertop, about 30 times, to release some of the air bubbles. Divide mixture among muffin cups (over crust layer), adding about a
slightly heaping 1/4 cup to each. Bake in 325 degree oven 17 - 20 minutes until centers only jiggle slightly. Remove from oven and allow
to cool at room temperature 1 hour, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 hours.
For the topping:
In a mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer, whip 1 1/4 cups heavy cream until soft peaks form then add 2 1/2 Tbsp sugar and whip
until stiff peaks form. Pipe or spread the heavy cream into an even layer over cupcakes then pipe a rim around edge over that layer (or if
spreading whipped topping, just create a small well into the center). Spoon a heaping tablespoon (about 2 tbsp) Cherry pie filling into the
center of each. Store in refrigerator in an airtight container (I preferred to let them rest about 10 minutes at room temp before serving.
Also, preferably add topping within 2 hours of serving.).
*I considered making it homemade but finding and pitting the right type of cherries didn't seem worth the hassle so I just used canned. I
used about 3/4 of a 21 oz can

Okay, so, as I said in the chocolate croissant post, this series of recipes use only 1/4 of the croissant dough each (i.e. 1 piece
of dough).
That means you can make:
a batch of croissants,
a batch of chocolate croissants,
a batch of these cinnamon swirly things,
and make a batch of something else too!
All from that one batch of dough, wooooh!
These Cinnamon-Raisin Danish Swirls are probably my favourite out of all three things I made from the dough; theyre crisp,
flaky and little chewy from the generous amount of caramelised cinnamon-sugar, plus everyone knows that cinnamon is the
best (P.S the above photo is currently my phone background, ahaha, they really are one of my faves!)
You will need:
1 piece of croissant dough (1/4 of the whole recipe), the step-by-step tutorial for the dough can be found here
1/3 cup sugar mixed with 1 tbsp cinnamon
1/4 cup raisins
To shape the Cinnamon-raisin Danish swirls:
1. Remove 1 piece of dough from the fridge, unwrap it and roll out on a lightly floured surface into a 10 x 8 rectangle.
2. Sprinkle evenly with a the cinnamon sugar mixture. Then sprinkle on the raisins.

3. Starting at the short edge, roll the dough up into a log.

4. Cut into 1 pieces, using a piece of thread / unflavoured floss or a sharp knife (yup, Im re-using a .gif from before, haha
Im lazy, okay).
5. Place, cut side down, 2 apart, onto a lined cookie sheet.
Bake:
Cover loosely with cling film and leave to rise in a cool place for around 2-3 hours ( if youre making these the night
before, you can actually shape them and leave them to rise in the fridge overnight instead).
Once ready to bake, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (22o degrees C) . Brush the chocolate croissants with beaten egg using
a pastry brush and put into the oven. Immediately lower the temperature to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C), and bake for 10
minutes. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and bake for a further 3-6 minutes until well browned
and puffy.
Let cool on a wire rack. Enjoy your 2 to I-literally-dont-know-how-long-these-took-to-make-any-more day labour of love.

INGREDIENTS
Coarse salt
1 pound elbow macaroni
4 to 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups whole milk
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground white or black pepper
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard (optional)
A pinch to 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
3 cups (12 ounces) shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese
1/2 cup coarse fresh or dried bread crumbs
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 375F (190 C).
2. Salt a large pot of water generously, so it tastes like the sea. Bring to a boil, then add the macaroni and cook according to
the package directions.
3. Meanwhile, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a medium, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Sprinkle the flour over the
butter and whisk until smooth and pastelike. Cook, whisking constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Still whisking vigorously, slowly pour in the milk. If the sauce gets lumpy, dont worry; just keep whisking until it becomes
smooth again. Lower the heat and simmer (yes, still whisking frequently!) until creamy and smooth, 7 to 8 minutes.
5. Add 1 to 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, the pepper, and the mustard and/or nutmeg, if using. Take the pan off the heat and add 2
1/2 cups of the Cheddar and 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese. Whisk until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth.
Taste and add more seasonings, if you like.
6. Drain the macaroni and return it to the pot. Dump the sauce on top of the macaroni and toss thoroughly to coat. Turn the
macaroni mixture into a large cast-iron skillet, a 13-by-9-inch baking dish, or other generously sized casserole dish. Sprinkle
evenly with the remaining Cheddar and Parmesan.
7. One last thing. Melt the remaining butter in a small skillet. (Use 2 tablespoons for uber-buttery bread crumbs, 1
tablespoon for swimsuit-season bread crumbs.) Drizzle the butter over the bread crumbs in a bowl and toss to coat. Sprinkle
the bread crumbs over the macaroni.
8. Bake until the crumbs are browned and the macaroni is warmed through, 20 minutes if youre in a hurry or, if youre in no
rush and prefer a creamier sauce, up to an hour or so. Youll need to cover the dish after 15 minutes or so to prevent the
crumbs from browning too much. Let the macaroni and cheese rest at room temperature for about 10 minutes before
scooping it out in heaping portions.

Read more at http://leitesculinaria.com/74494/recipes-baked-macaroni-and-cheese.html#0kRefW7CBsc4Kr5u.99

Vegan Alfredo Sauce with Brown Rice Pasta and Spinach
Alfredo Sauce
1/2 cup cashews, pre-soaked
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup almond milk
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon spelt flour
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Pasta
1 packet 16oz brown rice penne
2 tablespoons water
1/2 cup rice water from boiling pasta
Dash of salt and pepper
1 cup baby spinach
Note: You can substitute the brown rice pasta if you cant find it with any pasta of your choice.
Soak the cashew in warm water for about 15 minutes first. Then, add the cashew, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice,
almond milk, nutritional yeast, spelt flour, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder and nutmeg into the blender
and blend until its very creamy and smooth.
Bring a saucepan of water to boil and add the penne pasta. Let it cook on high heat for about 10-15 minutes
until the pasta is nice and soft, but still chewy. Meanwhile, spoon the Alfredo sauce and 2 tablespoons of water
into the frying pan and bring it to a low simmer (4) for about 15 minutes while the pasta is cooking. Once the
pasta is cooked, add it to the saucepan with 1/2 cup of water from boiling the pasta and a dash of salt and
pepper to taste.
After simmering another minute or two, add the spinach and let it cook for a further 5-7 minutes until the
spinach leaves are soft.
If you like a thinner sauce, add more water.

Vegan Alfredo Sauce with Brown Rice Pasta and Spinach
Serves: 2
Ingredients
Alfredo Sauce
cup cashews, pre-soaked
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
cup almond milk
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon spelt flour
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
teaspoon nutmeg
Pasta
1 packet 16oz brown rice penne
2 tablespoons water
cup rice water from boiling pasta
Dash of salt and pepper
1 cup baby spinach
Instructions
1. Soak the cashew in warm water for about 15 minutes first. Then, add the cashew, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, almond
milk, nutritional yeast, spelt flour, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder and nutmeg into the blender and blend until its
very creamy and smooth.
2. Bring a saucepan of water to boil and add the penne pasta. Let it cook on high heat for about 10-15 minutes until the
pasta is nice and soft, but still chewy. Meanwhile, spoon the Alfredo sauce and 2 tablespoons of water into the frying
pan and bring it to a low simmer (4) for about 15 minutes while the pasta is cooking. Once the pasta is cooked, add it to
the saucepan with cup of water from boiling the pasta and a dash of salt and pepper to taste.
3. After simmering another minute or two, add the spinach and let it cook for a further 5-7 minutes until the spinach leaves
are soft.
4. If you like a thinner sauce, add more water.

Brown Butter Apple Cheddar Pie Crescent Rolls
AUTHOR: GI RL VERS US DOUGH, ADAPTED F ROM PI LLS BURY
PREP TI ME: 20 MI NS
COOK TI ME: 10 MI NS
TOTAL TI ME: 30 MI NS
YI EL DS : 8 CRES C ENT ROL LS
I NGREDI ENTS
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and cut into 8-inch slices
cup packed light brown sugar
teaspoon cinnamon
teaspoon nutmeg
1 (8 oz) can Pillsbury refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
8 2-inch-long, thin slices extra-sharp white cheddar cheese
DI RECTI ONS
1. Preheat oven to 375F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Continue stirring until butter turns a dark caramel
color. Remove from heat; transfer to a small bowl.
3. Toss apple slices with butter in bowl.
4. In a separate small bowl, stir together brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.
5. Unroll and divide crescent roll dough into triangles on baking sheet.
6. Top each triangle evenly with brown sugar mixture, then top each triangle with an apple slice and a
cheese slice.
7. Carefully roll up triangles from the long end. Brush tops with remaining butter.
8. Bake 10 to 15 minutes until crescents are golden brown. Cool 5 minutes before serving.

Double Chocolate Mint Cheesecake
AUTHOR: GI RL VERS US DOUGH
PREP TI ME: 20 MI NS
COOK TI ME: 40 MI NS
TOTAL TI ME: 1 HOUR
YI EL DS : 8 TO 10 S ERVI NGS
I NGREDI ENTS
For the crust:
20 chocolate wafer cookies
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
Pinch salt
For the cheesecake:
8 oz semisweet chocolate chips
8 oz (1 package) cream cheese, softened
1 cups granulated sugar, divided
1 cups sour cream, divided
2 eggs, room temperature
cup creme de menthe
Whipped cream and chocolate shavings, for garnish (optional)
DI RECTI ONS
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8-inch round springform pan with cooking spray, then line with
foil.
2. Combine ingredients for the crust in a food processor; pulse until fine crumbs form. Press crust evenly
into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake 15 minutes to set.
3. Meanwhile, make the cheesecake: Place chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl. Heat chocolate chips
in microwave for 30 seconds; stir. Repeat until chips are completely melted.
4. Blend cream cheese, cup sugar and cup sour cream in food processor until smooth. Scrape down the
sides, then add eggs and melted chocolate. Pulse just until combined.
5. Carefully pour the filling on top of the pre-baked crust and spread into an even layer. Bake 20 minutes
until filling is just set in the center and the edges puff slightly.
6. Meanwhile, mix remaining sugar and sour cream with the creme de menthe in a medium bowl until
smooth. Carefully pour or spoon filling on top of set cheesecake in an even layer. Bake 15 to 20 minutes
more until filling is just set but still a little loose (it will completely set as it cools and is refrigerated).
7. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Once fully cooled, cover and chill at least 4 hours or
overnight.
8. When cheesecake is fully set, carefully remove the edges of the pan and the foil. Garnish top with
whipped cream and chocolate shavings, if desired.

COOKIE MONSTER ICE CREAM SANDWICH
a recipe by Jennie Schacht from I Scream Sandwich!
For the Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
2 cups (480 ml) whole milk
cup (67 g) granulated sugar
2 tablespoons golden syrup or light agave nectar
2 tablespoons tapioca starch
teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
teaspoon pure vanilla extract
cup (100 g) bittersweet (60 to 70 percent) chocolate, chopped or chips
1 tablespoon neutral vegetable oil or coconut oil
Whisk cup (120 ml) of the milk with the sugar, syrup, tapioca, and salt in a medium saucepan until
no lumps remain. Stir in the remaining 1 cups (360 ml) milk and the cream. Heat the mixture over
medium-high heat, stirring with a heatproof spatula, until it begins to steam and slightly bubble at the
edges. Adjust to a simmer and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens to the consistency
of a cream sauce, about 3 minutes longer; do not fully boil.
Transfer the mixture to a metal bowl set over a larger bowl of ice and water. Stir occasionally until
the mixture is cool, taking care not to slosh water into the bowl. Stir in the vanilla, then cover and
refrigerate until very cold, at least 2 hours. Transfer the bowl to the freezer for the last half hour
before spinning it.
Freeze the mixture in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturers directions. While the
mixture spins, melt the chocolate and oil in the microwave or in a small saucepan until you can stir it
smooth. Let cool to room temperature, keeping it fluid.
With the machine running, drizzle in the cooled melted chocolate during the last minute of spinning.
(Alternatively, drizzle the chocolate over the ice cream as you transfer it to the container, folding it in
with a spatula or ice cream paddle to break it up as you go.) Transfer the ice cream to a chilled
container, cover, and freeze until firm but still spreadable, at least 4 hours.

For the Cookie Dough
cup (1 stick / 113 g) unsalted butter
cup packed (67 g) light brown sugar
cup (50 g) granulated sugar
2 tablespoons milk, whole or 2%
teaspoon pure vanilla extract
teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup (165 g) all-purpose flour
1 cup (200 g) mini chocolate chips
Neutral vegetable oil, for the waxed or parchment paper
Melt the butter with the brown and granulated sugar in a small saucepan, stirring to dissolve the
sugar. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the milk, vanilla, and salt until well blended. Stir in the flour until
completely smooth. Let cool completely, then stir in the chips. (If the chips begin to melt, stop
stirringthe swirls will be pretty.)
Line an 8-inch (20-cm) freezer-safe baking pan with two pieces of lightly oiled waxed paper or
parchment paper so the papers extend well beyond the edges of the pan on all four sides as a sling
for easy removal. Scatter half of the dough into the pan and use your fingers to pack it into an even
layer. Top with lightly oiled waxed or parchment paper, oiled side down.
Place another lightly oiled waxed or parchment paper in the pan, leaving 2 inches (5 cm) of paper
extending at each end. Scatter and press the remaining dough into an even layer. Top with lightly
oiled waxed paper or parchment, oiled side down. Freeze the dough layers until firm, at least 1 hour.

To Assemble the Sandwich:
Use the flaps to lift out the top cookie dough layer. Peel the paper from one side and loosely replace
it. Flip the layer over and do the same to the other side. Repeat with the second cookie dough
layer. Place both layers back in the freezer.
Form sandwiches in the baking pan, using the bottom two pieces of parchment extended on all sides
to line the pan. Place one slab of cookie dough top-side down in the pan and spread softened ice
cream over it in an even layer. Top with the second slab of cookie dough, top-side up, pressing
firmly to evenly distribute the ice cream. Wrap tightly in the plastic wrap and freeze until very firm, at
least 6 hours or overnight, for easiest cutting.
When the ice cream is very firm, take the pan from the freezer, remove and unwrap the block, and
place it on a flat cutting surface. Use a sharp, heavy knife to cut the block into 4 strips in each
direction to form 16 bars. To make 64 bite-size treats, cut each bar into quarters. Dip the knife in hot
water and wipe it dry between cuts.

Gooey Caramel Filled Chocolate Truffles
Yields 10
Decadent Chocolate Truffles with a yummy surprise inside!
Ingredients
1. 28 Hershey's Kisses Milk Chocolates
2. 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons heavy cream
3. 10 Hershey's Kisses Milk Chocolates filled with Caramel
4. 1 cup pecans, finely chopped
Instructions
1. 1. Remove wrappers from Milk Chocolates and place in a bowl together with the heavy cream. Put into
microwave and heat in 30 second intervals or until chocolates are melted. Stir mixture until well
combined. Cover with clear wrap and place into refrigerator until completely hardened, about 4 hours.
2. 2. Unwrap the wrappers of the Milk Chocolates filled with Caramel and set aside. Place the chopped
pecans into a bowl and set aside as well. Remove chocolate mixture from the fridge, and working
quickly, shape 1 tablespoon of the mixture around each Chocolate Caramel Kiss. Roll each truffle in the
chopped pecans and refrigerate until needed or at least 1 hour.
Notes
1. Recipe can easily be doubled.
2. Gooey Caramel Filled Chocolate Truffles will keep up to 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge.

TWIX COOKIE DOUGH CHEESECAKE BARS
YIELD: Makes one 99 pan
Ingredients:
CRUST AND TOPPING
one 16-oz. package of ready-made chocolate cookie dough
one 16-oz. pacakage of ready-made chocolate chip cookie dough
5 Twix, king size packages or 8 regular packages
CHEESECAKE LAYER
8oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup caramel sauce (homemade recipe here)
1/3 cup mini chocolate chips (for topping)

Directions:
PREPARATION
Create a sling by lining the pan with foil so that there is a one inch overhang on each side. Cover foil with bake
spray. Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
TO MAKE COOKIE LAYER (CRUST AND BOTTOM)
Flatten chocolate fudge cookie dough to a 1/4 inch thickness using a rolling pin. Pinch off chocolate chip cookie
dough into pieces and then drop it on top of fudge cookie dough. Using a rolling pin roll chocolate chip cookie
dough into chocolate fudge cookie dough; set aside.
TO MAKE CHEESECAKE
Add cream cheese, sugar, egg, vanilla and caramel sauce into a bowl and beat until blended. Set aside.
ASSEMBLY
1. Cover the bottom of the pan with a little more than three-quarters of flatten dough. Set aside remaining
dough to sprinkle on top. Place Twix bars side-by-side directly on top of crust. Pour cheesecake mixture on
top. Crumble remaining cookie dough and sprinkle on top of cheesecake layer along with remaining 1/4 cup
of mini chocolate chips all over top.
2. Transfer pan to oven and bake for about 30-40 minutes at 375 degrees F. Remove from oven set on wire
rack to cool.
A few notes:
I used ready-made cookie dough to scale down the prep time, but if ready-made is not your thing use your
preferred homemade cookie recipe.
As always, I recommend using homemade caramel for the caramel portion of cheesecake layer since pre-
made caramel sauce tends to be too sweet and lacks the flavor of homemade caramel sauce. It doesnt take
long to prepare and makes a huge difference in flavor. For a step-by-step tutorial on how to make homemade
caramel sauce click here.
For ease of cutting and to keep the edges of the bars nice and clean make sure to wipe the knife down
between slices.

Angel Food Cake Churro Bites

If you love churros, you'll love this quick and easy recipe to make some churro bites!
Ingredients
1 Sara Lee Angel Food Cake
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cinnamon
oil
Instructions
1. Let your Angel Food Cake thaw. Once thaw, cube the cake. My cubes were about 1.5 inches
x 1.5 inches.
2. Heat vegetable oil on low-medium heat. Fry cubes until golden brown.
3. Once golden brown, immediately put them in the bowl with cinnamon and sugar and toss
around. Continue doing this until they're all done.
4. For even more flavor, mix 1 cup powdered sugar with a tablespoon and milk, mix and
drizzle over the bites. ENJOY!

GLUTEN-FREE CINNAMON ROLLS
(with Dairy-free options)
makes approximately 18-20 rolls
Sweet Roll Dough
1 package active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
1/2 cup warm water (110 to 115 F)
3/4 cup warm coconut milk (or other dairy or non-dairy milk of your choice)
1/3 cup organic raw sugar
1/3 cup butter, coconut oil, shortening or non-dairy butter substitute, softened
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons whole psyllium husk
1 large egg, room temperature
3 1/2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour (plus a bit more for rolling.) I used this one.
1. In the bowl of your stand-up mixer, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Allow it to rest for approximately 5-10 minutes . Stir
in the milk, sugar, butter, salt, psyllium husk, egg and 2 cups of the flour. Beat until flour is incorporated and smooth and
then add the rest of the flour. It will be a bit stickier than a standard gluten containing dough. Dont worry about it being so
different, dont add more flour. This is its own beast.
2. Once the dough is fully mixed, divide it in half and place each in a greased bowl, lightly oil the top of the dough. Cover and
let rise in a warm place, for about 1 1/2 hours.
Filling
1/4 cup butter, coconut oil or non-dairy butter substitute, softened
1/3 cup granulated sugar of your choice
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1. After the dough has raised and it is nearly double in size, take one dough ball at a time and lay it on a piece of very light ly
floured parchment paper. I use a ruler and make tiny marks on the parchment paper ahead of time to mark 15 x 9 inches.
Lightly flour your rolling pin and roll the dough into a 159 rectangle. Spread the surface of your dough with half of the
softened butter (or coconut oil), mix together the cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle half of it over the rectangle.
2. Roll it up tightly, from the 15-inch side. Pinch the edge of the dough to seal it. A teeny bit of water may help. Very lightly wet
your hands and smooth out any tiny tears, etc. Stretch the roll gently to make even-ish. Cut into 9 or 10 1 1/2 inch slices.
Dont worry about the slightly smaller ones at the end of the roll, those work great for the trunk of the Christmas tree.
3. Place the rolls on a lightly greased cookie sheet if you are making a tree or in a greased 913 glass pan.
4. Repeat with the second ball of dough. Finish making your Christmas tree shape. Get the rolls nice and snug up to each
other. Tucking the ends of the rolls towards the middle, so they dont unwind while rising or baking.
5. Let rise in a warm place, about 40 minutes.
6. Preheat oven to 375F. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Spread with the icing while they are still slightly warm.
Icing
1 1/2 cups organic powdered sugar
2 tablespoons coconut oil, slightly softened or shortening
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 tablespoons non-dairy or dairy milk (I used full-fat coconut milk)
dash salt
1. Beat together with a mixer until smooth and creamy. If its too thick, add a bit more milk, if it is too thin, add a bit more
powdered sugar.

Spaghetti and Spicy Meatballs

INGREDIENTS:
For the Spicy Meatballs
1 pound lean ground beef
6 uncooked rashers of bacon or pancetta, blitzed in a food processor
or very finely chopped
1 medium size yellow onion, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 Tablespoon butter
1 slice of white bread, sliced into cubes
1/4 cup milk
1 whole egg
1-2 teaspoons Tabasco Chipotle Pepper Sauce (optional)
1 Tablespoon chopped chives
1 Tablespoon chopped Italian parsley
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
(dried mixture of marjoram, thyme, rosemary, savory and sage)
1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs (Seasoned Italian or Plain)
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
(or any store-bought parmesan cheese)
1 teaspoon sea salt
(if you prefer to use table salt, use 1/2 teaspoon or you can totally omit the salt since bacon and parmesan
cheese are quite salty)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon chilli flakes (optional)
1/2 cup canola oil (for pan-frying the meatballs)
For the Sauce
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter (why? it mellows the acidity of the tomatoes and makes the sauce rounded
and more tasty)
1 whole head of large garlic, finely minced
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 (14 oz) cans of diced/chopped stewed tomatoes
(preferably Italian brand)
1 cup chicken stock
2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning
(dried mixture of marjoram, thyme, rosemary, savory and sage)
salt and pepper to taste
2 teaspoons to 1 Tablespoon sugar - according to taste (to cut the acidity of the tomatoes)
2 Tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
Whole or chopped Basil leaves for garnish
Extra grated Parmesan Cheese (on the side)
500 grams Spaghetti pasta, cooked al dente.
PROCEDURE:
For Meatballs
- Put ground beef and blitzed or finely chopped uncooked bacon/pancetta into a bowl.
- In a skillet, saute onion and garlic in butter until soft, set aside.
- Soak cubed white bread in milk until bread is mushy, set aside.
- In a small bowl, mix herbs and spices (fresh and dried) and salt and pepper.
- Into the bowl of ground beef and bacon, add milk-soaked white bread, dry breadcrumbs,
sauteed garlic and onion, egg,Tabasco Chipotle Pepper Sauce,
grated parmesan cheese and mixture of herbs and spices.
- Mix all ingredients by hand, but dont squish and overwork the meat mixture.
- Measure a teaspoon of meatball mixture and form into balls.
- Fry meatballs by batches so they brown evenly. Set cooked meatballs aside.
For the Sauce
- In a Dutch oven or large braiser pan over medium heat, put extra virgin olive oil, butter and minced
garlic.
Slowly and gently saute the garlic until fragrant. Add tomato paste and cook for a minute.
- Deglaze the pan with white wine and let it bubble for 10 seconds,
then add the chicken stock, stir and simmer for a minute.
- Add the 2 cans of chopped/diced stewed tomatoes.
Let the sauce simmer for 15 mins. then add the Italian Seasoning
(dried herbs). Season with salt, pepper and sugar.
- Simmer sauce for 20 mins until sauce reduces into 2/3. Check for seasoning adjustments.
And finally add the fresh chopped basil.
- Place cooked spicy meatballs in the sauce and gently stir.
- Serve meatballs sauce over cooked spaghetti pasta.
Serves 4-6

Roasted Sweet Potato, Fig & Gruyere Grilled Cheese with Balsamic Reduction
Makes 2 sandwiches
Ingredients
1 medium sweet potato, cut into 1/3-inch-thick planks (you can peel or not peel it)
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
4 slices bread
2 tablespoons fig jam
6 thin slices (2 1/2 ounces) Swiss cheese (I used Sargentos Ultra Thin Sliced Swiss)
2 tablespoons butter
Preheat oven to 350F. Toss the sweet potatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil and salt and roast for 20 minutes, until soft and
tender. They wont get all that brown Set aside and let cool.
Meanwhile, make the balsamic reduction. Put vinegar and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Decrease heat and
simmer for 2 minutes, until syrupy. Scrape into a little bowl to cool.
Spread the bread with the fig jam. Place a piece of cheese. Top with sweet potato planks. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar.
Place second piece of cheese on top. Layer on the second piece of bread. Repeat for the second sandwich.
Melt 1/2 tablespoon of the butter in a frying pan over medium-low heat. Place the sandwich in the pan with a weight on top
for best results. I use this Lodge weight, but you could try a second frying pan, or just press down occasionally with your
spatula.
Cook for 5-6 minutes, until the bread is golden and the cheese starts to melt. Lift the sandwich up, add another 1/2
tablespoon of butter, flip the sandwich, and cook about 5 minutes on the second side. Repeat with the second sandwich (or
do them both in one large frying pan). Cut in half and serve.

Sauteed Garlic Bacon Brussel Sprouts
Ingredients:
4-5 cups brussel sprouts, ends removed and sliced in half (or quarters, if you prefer)
6 strips bacon, diced
1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 cup water
Salt
Pepper
Directions:
1. In a large pan over medium-high heat, cook your diced bacon pieces until they start to brown and release their
natural oils.
2. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant.
3. Dump your sprouts into the pan and gently toss with a spatula to coat each sprout with bacon grease.
4. Allow sprouts to cook in bacon grease for 3-4 minutes, stirring every few minutes to avoid burning.
5. Pour your water into the pan, then cover the pan and allow your sprouts to cook until water has evaporated
about 4 minutes.
** Sprouts should still be nice and green, but soft enough to pierce easily with a fork. Add more water and steam
longer if theyre not soft enough for you. If you want slightly crispier sprouts, you should skip this steaming step
and just keep sauteing your sprouts uncovered without water.
6. Add salt/pepper to taste, check to see if the consistency of the sprouts is where you want it, then remove sprouts
from heat.
7. Enjoy!

Apple Pecan Cinnamon Rolls

Print
Prep time
30 mins
Cook time
180 mins
Total time
3 hours 30 mins
Recipe: by Mary
Ingredients
1 cup whole milk
8 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided
2 tsp yeast
3 cups (or more) flour, divided
cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp salt
1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
2 Tbsp ground cinnamon
2 golden delicious apples
cup pecans
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp milk or cream
Instructions
1. Heat the milk and 3 Tbsp butter together in the microwave (or stovetop) until the butter is melted. Let cool to 115F before adding
the yeast, and letting proof for 5 minutes.
2. When foamy, add to a stand mixer bowl with 1 cup flour, sugar, egg, and salt. Mix for 3 minutes, scrape down the sides of the bowl,
then add an extra 2 cups of flour add more as necessary to keep the dough from sticking to the sides of the bowl.
3. When the dough has come together, turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for about 5 minutes until the
dough is very smooth and not sticky (add flour as necessary, but try to add as little as possible).
4. Place the dough into an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel, and let rise until doubled in size: about 2 hours.
5. Butter a 912 baking dish, or two 88 pans.
6. When the dough has doubled in size, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, and roll out into a 11x18 rectangle. If it is pulling
back too much, let it rest for five minutes before trying again.
7. Using a box grater, shred the two apples. Wrap in cheese cloth and squeeze the excess liquid out of the apple shreds. Roughly chop
the pecans.
8. Pour 5 Tbsp melted butter over the rectangle of dough, and spread it over the surface leaving 1 cm around the edges without
butter. Spread the brown sugar and cinnamon evenly over the buttered area, topped with the apples and pecans. Gently press into
the dough.
9. Roll the dough tightly, from the longer side, into a log. Pinch the seam closed.
10. If making traditionally-shaped cinnamon rolls, mark the log at 1 intervals, and then cut the rolls. Place the rolls into your dish,
evenly spaced with about 2 cm between each other.
11. If youre going for a twist, cut the log in half lengthwise, then carefully twist as you lay it into the pan.
12. Cover, and let rise for about 45 minutes.
13. Preheat the oven to 400F, and when the rolls have risen, bake for 20-25 minutes. The tops should be turning brown, but just barely
so. Remove from the oven. [I found that baking the twist required a bit more time than normal].
14. While the rolls are cooling, make the cream cheese frosting. In a stand mixer, combine cream cheese and butter, and beat until very
smooth scraping down the sides as necessary. Sift the powdered sugar into the mixture, then add the vanilla, and mix until
smooth. Add milk to reach desired consistency.
15. When the rolls have cooled significantly, liberally spread the frosting over the rolls.

GRAPEFRUIT HOT TODDY
2 cups of water

2 bags of black tea

cup fresh grapefruit juice (about 1 grapefruit)

2 shots of bourbon

1 tablespoon maple syrup (whatever liquid sweetener you got
will do)

2 cinnamon sticks (totally fucking optional)

Bring the water to a boil on the stove with a kettle or
whateverthefuck else you use. In a large measuring glass or
heat-safe pitcher add the grapefruit juice, bourbon, maple
syrup, and cinnamon sticks. When the water is boiling, pour
it into the pitcher, add the tea bags, and cover that
motherfucker to keep it warm while the flavors mix. Let the
tea steep for 3 minutes. Take out the tea bags and cinnamon
sticks and serve that shit immediately.

Makes 2 drinks or one big ass cup of comfort
TWC feat. SORTED {Video}: Salted Caramel + Nutella Stuffed
Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
1/2 cup (110g) butter
1 1/2 cups (350g) light brown sugar
1/2 cup (55g) cocoa powder
2 eggs
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking powder
2 cups (260g) all-purpose flour
3.5 oz (100g) milk or dark chocolate chips
flaky salt/ fleur de sel/ maldon salt, for sprinkling
approx. 1/2 cup (8 tbsp) nutella
1x recipe for Salted caramel (see notes for recipe) OR 15-16 caramel-filled chocolates
Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C)
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Take off the heat and stir in the brown sugar and eggs. Then add the cocoa, salt and
baking powder and stir until well combined. Add the flour and stir until no floury patches are left. Lastly stir in the chocolate
chips.
Make the caramel, if using (see notes for recipe)
Take 1 heaped tbsp of dough, use your finger make a large indentation the centre of the dough; fill the indentation with a
small blob of nutella (like 1/2 tsp ish), and top it up with the still-warm salted caramel, or a caramel-filled chocolate. Top with
a flattened tablespoon of dough, and seal the edges. (see video at top of page)
Sprinkle with fleur de sel and bake for 8-10 minutes.