Hazelnut Cheesecake
Ingredients:
Polvorones Cookie Crust
282.5 Grams Polvorones Cookies*
4 Tb melted Butter
Hazelnut Cheesecake Layer
32 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups Nutella Spread
1 cup Heavy Cream
1 /2 tsp salt
Hazelnut Ganache
2 Tb Nutella
1 Tb Heavy Whipping Cream
*Substitute Polvorones for Sugar Cookies
Instructions:
Preheat Oven to 400F. Meanwhile wrap a 9-inch springform cheesecake pan in aluminum foil and set aside. This is to prevent leakage. Place an inch of water in a 10 to 12-inch cake pan to create a water bath.
In a food processor (or by hand) crush cookies and combine with butter to form the crust. Press evenly across the bottom of the cheesecake pan, pulling some of the crust up the sides. Bake for 10 minutes and allow to cool.
Lower oven to 375F.
In a stand mixer (or with a hand mixer) with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on high. Scrape sides of the bowl and then with mixer on a lower setting, add one egg at a time. Stir and scrape the bowl after each egg.
Add the Nutella, heavy cream, and salt. On a low speed, beat mixture until smooth.
Pour into the prepared pan with cooled cookie crust and place pan into the water bath. Bake for 15 minutes and then without opening the oven door, lower the temperature to 325F and bake for an additional 50-60 minutes, or until set. (Should still jiggle slightly in the center)
Once ready, turn the oven off and crack the oven door. Leave the cheesecake inside for 20 minutes to allow to set without cracking.
Remove cheesecake from the oven, the water bath, and allow to cool for 60 minutes at room temperature. When pan is able to be handled, also remove the foil. When ready, cover the top of the cheesecake with paper towels and loosely cover pan plastic wrap. Cool in fridge overnight, or for at least 4 hours.
While the cheesecake is cooling, make the ganache by combining Nutella and heavy cream in a small pan and melt until combined and smooth. Allow to cool slightly before pouring over the cheesecake.
**Serve cheesecake with Ganache, toasted Hazelnuts, and a dollop of Plum or Blackberry Jam
Chocolate Chip and Black Salt Cookies
Is there anything better than a freshly baked cookie? Yes, the only thing better is a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie with a sprinkling Black Lava Salt. It is the the perfect balance of sweet, salty, chocolate, and perfection!
Inspiration for this dish came from a cooking workshop I put together to teach people how to put together the perfect picnic. This was one of three recipes I demonstrated and one of six recipes that I provided to attendees of my class. These cookies are perfect make ahead treats for a picnic, a get together, or just to have around your house for an afternoon treat. Why did I choose Black Lava Salt as the topping? It is has a distinctive earthy yet mildly smoky flavor that goes perfect with chocolate. If you do not have access to Black Lava Salt you can use Kosher Salt.
Chocolate Chip and Black Lava Salt Cookies
Prep: 10 Min | Cook: 10 Minutes | Servings: 15 cookies
Ingredients:
2 sticks butter, unsalted and melted
1 1/4 cup Sugar
1.5 Tbs Molasses
1 Egg
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 Tbs Milk Powder
1 1/4 tsp Kosher Salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
12 oz semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 tsp Black Lava Salt ( I used Pasolivo Black Lava Salt )
1 1/4 cup flour
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In a mixing bowl, with a paddle attachment, or by hand with a wooden spoon, mix together sugar and melted butter. Stir vigorously for about 1 minute.
In a separate bowl mix together egg and vanilla. Add to sugar mixture and stir until mix is combined with a glossy sheen (about one min).
In a separate bowl whisk together flour, milk powder, salt, baking powder, baking soda. Stir into sugar mix until just combined. Do not over mix, Stir in chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
Using an ice cream scoop or hands, form dough into balls roughly the size of a golf ball. Place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper (place about 2 to 3 inches apart).
Bake for 9 to 11 minutes until golden brown. Cool on a rack.
Golden Beet and Meyer Lemon Compote
Golden Beets and Meyer Lemons make for the perfect flavor match in this super tart and delicious vegetable and citrus compote. If you do not know how to use this compote, I suggest using it as a topping for Sourdough French Toast, as the base for vinaigrette, or tossed on a Goat Cheese and Arugula salad. The possibilities are endless!
Inspiration for this dish came to me while I was preparing food at the bed and breakfast where I create and serve brunch. We had a guest who had gifted the property with beautiful Meyer Lemons and while I was looking around for how to use them, a glimpse of some vibrant golden beets caught my eye. Stewed with brown sugar, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt, the golden beets in this dish become sweet and sticky and perfect for your next breakfast sweet tooth craving. If you would like to serve them the same way they are in the picture, I served them atop a Turmeric Sourdough French Toast.
Roasted Grape Crostini
Prep: 10 Min | Cook: 25 Minutes | Servings: 8
Ingredients:
1 Pound Golden Beets, peeled and diced
2 Cups Brown Sugar
2 Cups Meyer Lemon juice
1 tsp Salt
3 Tb Meyer Lemon Zest
Directions:
In a heavy pot, stainless steel recommended, add all ingredients and stir.
Over medium high heat, bring ingredients to a boil while stirring. Once at a boil, reduce to a simmer and allow to simmer for 20 to 30 minutes until mixture has thickened and beets become soft. If liquid evaporates too quickly add water or additional lemon juice.
Allow to come to room temperature before chilling in fridge. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
Roasted Grape Crostini
Roasted Grapes? If you have never thought about tossing grapes in the oven, I suggest you give it a try! Tossed with a little olive oil, salt, herbs, and roasted the flavors of the grape become richer, sweeter, and much more complex.
This recipe is something I created to be served as an Amuse Bouche at the bed and breakfast where I create and serve brunch. The dish mixes the complex flavors of roasted Grapes with the creaminess of Cream Cheese and a slight crunch and saltiness from the toast points and roasted Almonds. My favorite thing about this dish is that it can be totally readjusted to fit the needs of your event. Try switching up the flavors by substituting in some other delicious flavors and ingredients like Goat Cheese, Thyme, Blueberries, Orange zest, Oregano, and much much more.
Roasted Grape Crostini
Prep: 10 Min | Cook: 25 Minutes | Servings: 12
Ingredients:
5 Cups Red Grapes
1/4 Cup Olive Oil (plus additional for serving)
3 tsp Salt (divided)
1 Tb black pepper
1.5 Tb fresh rosemary, minced
2 Cups Creamed Cheese
Aged Balsamic Vinegar, to taste
1 Tb Honey
1/2 roasted Almonds, chopped
toast points or good toasted and sliced bread
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
If making you are making your own toast points you can do so by slicing bread into thin slices, drizzling with salt, pepper, olive oil and baking for 5 to 10 minutes until crispy and golden. Allow to cool before using.
In a bowl toss together the grapes, remove stems, 2 tsp of salt, olive oil, rosemary, and black pepper. Ensure grapes are well covered and then pour onto a baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes until grapes begin to burst and soften. Allow grapes to cool and hold in the fridge until ready to use.
While grapes are roasting, in a mixing bowl add Cream Cheese, honey, 1 tsp salt. Whip ingredients together using a mixer, hand mixer, or whisk. Mixture should be soft and airy like frosting.
Build the crostinis with a layer of cream cheese, grapes, a sprinkle of almonds and a drizzle of Balsamic Vinegar and additional Olive Oil.
Lemon Zest and Ginger Pancakes
Blueberry, Ginger, Basil and Lemon; flavors that at first glance may seem like they’re intended for a savory dish but with the right composition they are perfect flavors for these light yet flavorful pancakes.
This recipe uses premade Buttermilk Krusteaz Pancake mix. I can and do make my own pancake batter for clients but at home I like to keep a box of this mix on hand. It comes out perfect every time, and on the special occasion that I wake up craving pancakes I don’t have to scramble getting all the ingredients together and then waiting half an hour for the batter to set. By that time, I don’t even want pancakes anymore! The mix is also a great go-to when you have expected or unexpected visitors and you don’t feel like going out for breakfast. This is 100% not a sponsored ad, it’s just a brand I love and always recommend.
Lemon Zest & Ginger Pancakes with Macerated Blueberries & Fresh Basil
Prep: 5 Min | Cook: 5 Minutes | Servings: (6-7 pancakes)
Ingredients:
1 cup Krusteaz Buttermilk Pancake Mix
⅔ cup water
1 Tb grated ginger
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 lemon
2 cups fresh blueberries
1 Tb sugar
1/2 tsp salt, divided
2 Tb fresh basil, chiffonade cut
¼ cup butter, sliced thin into 7-8 slices
Maple syrup (as much as you like, pure is the best)
Directions:
In a bowl add water, pancake mix, ginger, ¼ tsp salt, and lemon zest. Whisk until smooth, don’t over mix. Let stand for 2 minutes.
In another bowl, add blueberries, lemon juice, ¼ tsp salt, and ¾ of your basil (save the rest for garnish), and sugar. Stir to ensure everything is well coated and set aside.
Heat a nonstick or well seasoned pan over medium heat (adjust depending on the strength of your flame; you need a steady heat to get the same color on each pancake)
Add a butter slice to the pan and swirl around the pan to ensure an even coating. Using a 2 oz ladle or whatever you have on hand to ensure an even distribution of the batter, pour into the pan (I did one at a time because of the size of my pan) and cook for 1 to 1.5 minutes on each side. You’ll know it’s time to flip when the batter facing up is bubbly throughout. Adjust your heat if the pancakes are cooking too fast or too slow, and you need to adjust throughout your cooking to ensure a consistent heat.
Repeat the above until the batter is done.
Stack cooked pancakes on top of each other to ensure they remain warm.
Serve with blueberry mix, a sprinkle of fresh basil, and maple syrup to taste.
Pastelillos de Guayaba Y Queso
Guava and Cream Cheese …..a variation of this dish exists in many cultures but I’ve grown up eating them in Puerto Rico or from my local Cuban bakery shop when I was in L.A. They’re as complicated as you want to make them, but my suggestion is keep a package of puff pastry in your freezer and bust this recipe out whenever you need to take a dish to someone’s house.
If you have the time, patience, and arm strength I recommend trying this recipe with your own homemade puff pastry. If that seems like a lot, don’t worry because when it comes to this dish I’ve never gone that far down the “made from scratch” rabbit hole either. I think it is perfectly acceptable to use store bought ingredients when making this dish. If you want to get fancy with it, change up the guava for another fruit paste or for some homemade jams or chutneys you have on hand. Or, change up the cream cheese and go for a fancy queso fresco or Queso del País
Pastelillos de Guayaba Y Queso
Prep: 15 Min | Cook: 1 Hour 15 Minutes | Servings: 16
Ingredients:
1 package puff pastry (I like to use Pepperidge Farm)
1 egg
1 Tb milk
1 tsp flour or cornstarch
7 oz guava paste ( I like to use Goya)
6 oz cream cheese
2-5 Tb confectioner’s sugar (powdered sugar)
½ tsp salt
Directions:
Defrost the puff pastry. Don’t over defrost, you want the puff pastry to be malleable but not completely room temperature (about 20-30 minutes).
When pastry is thawed, set oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lay one sheet of puff pastry on it flat. Visually or with the back of a butter knife, make a 4x4 grid on the sheet. Spread the cream cheese and guava evenly across the squares in the grid, leaving a 1 inch space around the filling. Do you spread it like peanut butter? No, you can get away with just cutting pieces of cream cheese and pieces of guava and stacking them on top of each other.
Top with the second sheet of puff pastry and cut your 4x4 grid into 16 pieces. You can use a butter knife, a pizza cutter, a bench scraper…whatever helps you get the job done.
Use a fork to crimp the edges around each of your 16 pieces. Spread the pieces apart slightly so they’re not touching each other while they bake. If your puff pastry is too warm (very soft and at room temperature) I recommend popping the entire baking sheet into the freezer for 5-15 minutes. The cold is what activates the fluffy layers while baking.
In a small bowl whisk together flour or cornstarch with milk and then whisk in the egg. The flour/cornstarch is not vital but it will help give your pastries a shine. Also don’t skip whisking the flour and milk first and THEN the egg, you don’t want lumps.
Using a pastry brush or whatever you have on hand, brush the tops of your puff pastry evenly with the egg wash.
Bake for 20 minutes or until fully browned and puffed.
Allow to cool 10 minutes before eating (unless you like eating lava) and sprinkle with powdered sugar for an extra flare.
***If you’d like to make these ahead of time, you can prep them all the way through to step 4. Pop them in the freezer on the tray for about 2 hours then individually wrap them in plastic, throw them all together into a freezer safe bag, or just keep them on the tray (if you plan on baking them the same day). When you’re ready to bake, give them the egg-wash and move forward in the directions.
Lion's Mane Mushroom Carnitas
Vegan Carnitas…..two words that you never thought would go together. This recipe is something that I created in my mind over the course of a few weeks and I was so incredibly happy when it actually came together in practice.
Like I mentioned above, this dish is something that I worked on in my mind for a while. It was inspired by my first encounter with Lion’s Mane Mushrooms. Their texture is fibrous and chewy like meat and their flavor is rich and hearty. After eating them right out of the oven with a simple seasoning of salt, pepper, and olive oil I knew that I wanted to play with them more! Luckily I was able to grab these from the source, ordering them from a local vendor. If you are in the Paso Robles area, that vendor is Mighty Cap Mushrooms.
Given their texture and shredability when cooked, I knew that I wanted to play with Lion’s Mane as a Pork substitute. I ended up on the idea of Carnitas because honestly that’s what I wanted to eat and the stars lined up perfectly to make it so. If you like your Carnitas extra crispy I would follow the directions below but let them live under the broiler for longer. If you're scared of the broiler, skip that step entirely and just crisp up your mushrooms in the pan over high heat with a little extra oil. Also I could use this space to tell you everything about Lion’s Mane and all the beautiful positive effects it can have on your body, but this isn’t the platform and I don’t have the time. If you have the time though, do your research. Lion’s Mane is amazing and it truly is a versatile ingredient with benefits for your cooking and your body.
Lion’s Mane Mushroom Carnitas:
Prep: 10 Min | Cook: 2 Hours | Servings: 4
Ingredients:
1 cup Vegetable Oil
3.25 pounds of Lions Mane Mushroom cut into bite size pieces
½ white onion. Finely diced
1 cup milk (can use vegan milk if making vegan)
2 tsp oregano
1 sprig CIlantro
2 tsp cumin
1 bay leaf
½ cup water
Zest of 1 orange
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Heat oil in a saucepan. Add the onion and mushrooms and cook over medium heat for about 8 minutes. Stir occasionally and cook until browned.
Add milk, water, and remaining ingredients.
Reduce heat to low. Cook for 1.5-2 hours, stirring occasionally, until all the liquid has evaporated.
When the liquid is close to evaporating, turn your broiler to high and set a rack closer to the broiler.
When liquid has evaporated, remove the pan from the heat and use two forks to shred the mushrooms before placing the pan (make sure its heat safe) under the broiler. If you're prone to burning yourself, I would remove the mushrooms from the pan and shred them in a bowl then place them back in the pan and broil for 5-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until you reach desired crispiness.
****If your mushrooms are not shredding, add more liquid (water or broth) and let them cook down for longer until they reach that shreddable texture.
I served these with Poblano Rice, pinto beans, lime, tortillas, and salsa verde.
This recipe was adapted from Mexico: The Cookbook.
Pineapple Carnitas & roasted Pineapple Salsa
Pineapple in everything! Pineapple Carnitas and Roasted Pineapple Salsa
Check out my recipe for Pineapple Carnitas and roasted Pineapple Salsa. I’ve broken out the recipe and instructions into two in case you want to try one without the other. The Carnitas recipe is a labor of love, but if you don’t have 4 hours to dedicate to them I suggest you check out this much faster version at Two Peas and Their Pod.
Carnitas:
PREP TIME: 15 min
Cook Time: 4 Hr
Servings: 10
5# boneless pork shoulder
salt/pepper
2 cup chicken broth**More may be needed
3/4 cup Dole Pineapple Juice
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 Tb brown sugar
1 Tb minced garlic
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
4 Tb Canola or Vegetable Oil
Instructions:
Pat pork dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Set aside
In a bowl, stir together broth, pineapple juice, lemon juice, brown sugar, garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, and cinnamon. Set aside.
In a heavy bottom pot (with a lid) over medium high heat, add oil. When oil is hot (not smoky) brown pork shoulder on all sides. If too big for the pot, cut up the pork into workable chunks and sear in batches.
When browned on all sides (if pork was cooked in batches, add all pork back to the pot) pour in the juice/spice mix** Make sure not to fully submerge the pork, leave about 1 inch of the pork uncovered by liquid.
Bring to a boil, cover tightly with a lid and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 3 hours until the meat is shreddable with a fork. Remove from heat, keep lid on, and allow to come to room temperature.
Set the broiler to high.
Remove meat from pot, reserving liquid. Shred meat by hand or with forks. Spread meat onto a baking sheet and pour over 2 cups of the reserved liquid.
Broil on High for 5-10 minutes, stirring every few minutes to avoid burning.
Roasted Pineapple Salsa
Prep: 15 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients:
1 can (20 oz) Dole Pineapple Slices in 100% Pineapple Juice (reserve liquid)
1/2 cup cilantro, minced
1 small white onion, sliced thin
1 Red Jalapeno Pepper, stemmed and seeded, finely chopped (Green Jalapeno works too)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 green onion, minced (including white)
Juice of 1 large lime
1/4 cup of reserved pineapple juice
5 Tb Olive oil, (3 TB reserved)
salt/pepper to taste
Instructions:
Set broiler to high, in a baking sheet add pineapple slices and onion slices. Drizzle with olive, salt and pepper to taste. Roast for 5 minutes until ingredients are browned.
Allow to cool. Finely chop the pineapple and onion.
In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients. Stir until well combined. Adjust salt/pepper as needed. Allow to sit for 10-15 minutes, serve chilled or at room temperature.
*This post and these recipes are in collaboration with Dole and their #SunshineforAll campaign and I was compensated. They also donated 1,000 Fruit Bowls to the El Camino Homeless Organization on my behalf.
Quick Sofrito
This is the Sofrito that scents my Grandma’s home every day. It’s the Sofrito I grew up on and it’s the same I use for most recipes in my own cooking. So why do I call this Quick Sofrito? It utilizes the same core ingredients found across most Sofrito recipes, and can be used as the base for any recipe that calls for it. You can also tweak it with extra herbs/spices to make it more specialized for different dishes. My favorite thing about this recipe, aside from the delicious smell/flavor, is that you can make a huge batch and freeze it into portions. Whenever you need a little flavor boost, you can easily grab a cube out of the freezer!
Quick Sofrito
Yield: 3-4 Cups
Ingredients:
8 Aji Dulces or 4 Cubanelle peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into large chunks (about 2 cups)
18 medium Garlic cloves, peeled
1 large bunch Cilantro or 1/2 bunch of Recao, rinsed and roughly chopped
10-15 Spanish Manzanilla Olives Stuffed with Pimiento
Instructions:
If using a mortar and pestle, give all the ingredients a rough chop and slowly mash them together into a paste.
If using a food processor or blender, add all ingredients and puree until a paste.
If not using all right away, use an ice cube tray to portion and freeze the sofrito. Once frozen, add cubes to a freezer safe bag or container.
