Red Pepper + Lemon Dip

The food processor is my best friend.

As much as I love to be in the kitchen, there is always a point that if I have to chop one more clove of garlic I just might snap. Let's face it, prep is no fun! That’s why all the big name chefs have prep cooks in their restaurants. The prep cooks do all the dirty work and the real chefs get to just throw things in a pan and light them on fire.

So the closest thing to a prep cook that I can manage in my meager kitchen is...THE FOOD PROCESSOR.

I call him Francesco.

There is nothing better than throwing a bunch of ingredients into Francesco’s able hands and suddenly having something, well...quite tasty! So I bring you yet another quick dip featuring my partner in crime, the food processor...

RECIPE:

2 Roasted Red Peppers

1lemon Juice and Zest

2Tbs Olive Oil

1.5tsp salt

1Tbs parsley

1Tbs basil

6oz cream cheese

      Put all ingredients in a food processor and chop until pureed and smooth. Serve on it’s own as a dip or over pasta, shrimp or chicken! ENJOY!

 

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Mango and Honey Crostini

Balance

It’s one of those words that's thrown around a lot when it comes to food...life...relationships...

EVERYTHING!

And as much as I would love to fix all your life's problems, let’s start with the food, this is only a food blog after all! 

Balance in a dish makes you want to keep on going back for that next bite.

You want your food to be sweet but not too sweet, salty but not too salty, creamy but not “food coma, never leaving the house” creamy.  

Well, may I present you BALANCE in the form of a crostini. 

Sticky sweet honey BALANCED by a sprinkle of salt, perfectly ripened mango BALANCED by bright and “wake up your taste buds” mint. And of course a spread of cream cheese which gives me BALANCE in my life just because...well...it is cheese...

(I’m a simple person :)

RECIPE:

1 small baguette, 16 ¼ to ½ inch slices

1 block Cream Cheese 

1 Lemon- Zest

2 Mangos 

 1/3 cup Mint leaves, loosely packed

¼ cup Honey

Salt

Toast bread slices till lightly toasted.  Let bread cool and top with approx 1Tbs of Cream Cheese and a couple grates of lemon zest.  Top that with finely chopped mango and mint.  Finally drizzle 1tsp honey over the mango and mint and finish with a sprinkle of salt.  Enjoy!! 

Notes:

• You could use most spreadable cheeses instead of cream cheese
• You could sub apricot, plum, pineapple, grapes or berries for the mango

 

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Cream Cheese Frosting

Cream Cheese Frosting

servings: 3½ cups, enough for a 2-layer cake

Ingredients:

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened (1 cup)
• 2 bars cream cheese, softened (16 ounces)
• 3 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• Pinch of kosher salt

Directions:

1. Add the room temperature butter and cream cheese to a mixer and mix until they are well combined. Then add the sugar, vanilla, and salt and mix until smooth.
2. Taste and add more sugar if desired. Enjoy spread on your favorite cookies or cake!

: @NikkiDinki

: @NikkiDinkiCooking

 

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Gnudi

Let's admit it, food can be sexy. The pleasure it brings, the sometimes sinful experience of eating it, and of course the tantalizing discovery of new textures, tastes and smells.

And yes, of course, if you have some good looking company that helps the overall experience too. ;)

And when it comes to sexy foods, Gnudi has its place at the top of the list.

Its name alone provokes an inner desire and the simple idea of a ricotta dumpling, light and airy but still indulgently cheesy only makes that desire burn stronger.

You see “Gnudi” literally means “Nude.” These little guys are in a sense ravioli filling without the ravioli, so in a way they are, well, missing their clothes...hehe, dirty I know...

Well, whether or not you find a ricotta cheese dumpling sexy, I promise you WILL find it delicious.

RECIPE:

One 15-16 ounce container Ricotta

½ pounds frozen spinach, thawed + drained, chopped fine

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon ground pepper

Pinch of nutmeg

1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

½ teaspoon dried Oregano

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

¼ cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup Panko bread crumbs

3 egg yolks

Combine all the ingredients together in a bowl, don’t over mix. Roll mixture into small 1-2inch balls. Cook in boiling water for 3-4 minutes until the Gnudi float. Toss gently with sauce and ENJOY!

NOTES:

• Depending on the amount of water in your ricotta you may need more flour or bread crumbs.  If you cannot roll the mixture into a ball, add more flour or bread crumbs.
• Be sure the spinach is finely chopped. Even if you're using frozen pre-chopped spinach, run your knife through the spinach once more to ensure it is finely chopped.
• Make sure the spinach is as dry as possible.

Gnudi Shown with Kabocha Sqaush + Tomato Pasta

 

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Homemade Ricotta

RECIPE:

Makes 2 cups ricotta

4 cups whole milk

2 cups heavy cream

1-1.5 teaspoons kosher salt

4 tablespoons white wine vinegar

Combine milk, cream and 1 teaspoon of the salt in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Once boiling shut off heat and add vinegar. Wait 3 minutes and strain in a cheese cloth for 10-20 minutes. Taste and add more salt if necessary.

 

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Chickpea Crunchies

RECIPE:

1 15-19oz can of Garbanzo Beans aka Chick Peas, rinsed, drained + dried

1 + 1/2tsp Paprika

1+1/2tsp Garlic Powder

1/2tsp Dried Thyme

1/2-1tsp Cayenne (depending on how spicy you want)

1/4tsp Cinnamon

1+1/2tsp Onion Powder

1tsp Salt

1Tbs Oil

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and toss till well combined and chickpeas are evenly coated.  Spread on a baking sheet and bake at 400degrees for 35-45 depending on how crisp you want them.  Enjoy!!

 

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Butter Free Garlic Bread

RECIPE:

3Tbs Low-Fat Mayo

1 container Oikos Plain Greek Yogurt

1/4tsp salt

8 Garlic Cloves, finely chopped

1/8-1/4tsp Cayenne Pepper

1tsp Fresh Thyme, finely chopped

¼ cup Parmesan Cheese, grated

1 loaf bread

Combine mayo, greek yogurt, salt, garlic, cayenne pepper and thyme together. Cut loaf of bread in half and spread yogurt mixture over the cut side of the bread. Top with the parmesan cheese and cook under your broiler until top is brown and bread is crisp. Serve warm and ENJOY!

 

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Cheesecake

Half Recipe

(6-8 Individual Cheesecakes or 30 mini Cheeseccakes)

2 8oz Bars of Cream Cheese

1/3 and 1/2 Cup Sugar

1/8 Cup Corn Starch

1/8 Cup and 1/4 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream

1.5Tsp Vanilla Extract

1 Egg

In a food processor or mixer combine 1 Bar of Cream Cheese, 1/3 Cup Sugar and 1/8 Corn Starch until combined. Add 1 more Bar of cream cheese and combine. Add Heavy Whipping Cream, 1/2 cup Sugarand Vanilla Extract and combine. Finally add 1 Egg and combine. Pour mixture into individual graham cracker crusts and bake in a water bath for 25-30min in a 350degree oven. Or pour batter into a mini muffin tin lined with paper cups and some graham cracker crust and bake for 10-15minutes,

Full Recipe

(8-9inch Spring Form Pan)

4 8oz Bars of Cream Cheese

2/3 and 1 Cup Sugar

1/4 Cup Corn Starch

3/4 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream

1 Tbs Vanilla Extract

2 Eggs

In a food processor or mixer place one 8-ounce package of the cream cheese, 1/3 cup of the sugar, and the cornstarch and combine. Then beat in the remaining 3 packages of cream cheese. Next add 1 1/3 cups of the sugar, the vanilla extract and heavy cream and combine. Blend in the eggs, one at a time, beating the bating only until completely blended. For an 8inch spring form cake bake about 1hr-1:15hr at 350 in a water bath.

Gluten-Free: Skip the graham cracker crust for a great gluten free dessert. Add some ground nuts to the top of the cheesecake if you still want a little crunch.

 

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Chicken Marsala

RECIPE:

2 Tbs Olive Oil

2 Tbs Butter (divided)

2 Chicken Breasts (pounded thin) or 8 Chicken Tenders

1/4 Cup Flour, 1 tsp dried Oregano and Salt

10 Oz Baby Portobello Mushrooms

1 tsp fresh Thyme

1 tsp fresh Rosemary

2 Garlic Cloves

3/4 Cup Marsala Wine

3/4 Cup Chicken stock

1 Tbs Heavy Cream

Salt + Pepper

Combine Flour, oregano, salt and pepper and coat each side of chicken with flour mixture. Heat Oil and 1 Tbs butter, Sear Chicken breast on both sides, chicken doesn't need to be cooked through. Set chicken aside. Add Mushrooms to pan, cook for 4 minutes, add garlic, herbs and salt, cook 4 more minutes till mushrooms are brown. Add Wine and reduce by half, add stock and chicken back to pan and cook till reduced again by half, add cream and more salt if needed. Serves 2.

 

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