Kevin’s favorite game show is “Wheel of Fortune.” It’s not every day that a contestant who makes it to the bonus round, actually solves the puzzle to win the grand prize. So it is the same with cooking new recipes. Not every recipe is worthy of grand prize recognition; however, this dessert is. This cheesecake is beyond amazing! I am so thankful Kevin requested that we make a cheesecake this week. We had never made a chocolate one. After tasting this cake, we have no desire to try any other recipe for a chocolate cheesecake. Kevin’s version of this cheesecake comes from Wheel of Fortune Collectible Cookbook.
Ingredients:
1 (14.3 oz) pkg chocolate sandwich cookies, finely crushed
1/4 stick butter, melted
4 (8 oz.) pkg cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 c. sugar
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips, melted
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 eggs
1/2 c. sour cream
3/4 c. flour
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, mix crushed cookies and melted butter until well combined. Press into bottom and halfway up sides of pan. Chill until ready to use. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with sugar just until smooth. Beat in remaining ingredients until well combined. Gently fold in the cup of chocolate chips. Spoon batter into crust. Bake 55 to 60 minutes, or until firm. Remove from oven and let cool 2-3 hours at room temperature. Remove sides of springform pan; cover and chill at least 6 hours before serving. (Chilling for that length of time is crucial to taste.)
This delicious and nutritious recipe comes from Paleo Lunches and Breakfasts on the Go. Not only did Kevin and I love these pancakes, but Buster Baxter, his Australian Shepherd loved it as much if not more so. These made 8 so we are freezing some to eat on another day.
Ingredients:
1 c. cooked, mashed sweet potatoes
1 apple, peeled and grated
1 egg
1 tsp. cinnamon
5 tbsp. potato starch for paleo or flour for non-paleo
1/4 tsp. salt
coconut oil for frying pancakes
Directions:
Combine all ingredients. Pour about 1/3 c. mixture into skillet for each pancake. Cook over medium heat until a brown crust is formed (about 5 minutes). Flip and flatten a bit with the back of the spatula. Cook for another 3-5 minutes and remove from heat.
Red Fruit Pudding
If this dish is truly reflective of Norway’s cuisine, then we are ready to travel to this part of Scandinavia, if nothing other than to delight in its fine fare. Easy to make and balanced with just the right amount of tartness and sweetness. We hope you enjoy this as much as Kevin and I did! Kevin’s version of “Red Fruit Pudding” comes from The Usborne Internet-Linked Children’s World Cookbook.
Ingredients:
1 lb. raspberries, blackcurrants or redcurrants (we used raspberries)
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 cups cold water
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
Optional: (Since we love chocolate, we added Scharffen Berger’s Semisweet Baking Chunks, Fine Artisan Dark Chocolate.)
Directions:
Put the fruit, sugar, and water in a pan. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes, or until the fruit is soft. Let the fruit cool, then use the back of a spoon to push it through a sieve into a bowl. Discard the seeds. Put the cornstarch in a cup. Mix it with a tablespoon of the cooked juice until smooth. Stir the cornstarch mixture into the juice. Then, pour the entire mixture back into the pan and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down low. Cook the juice for five minutes, stirring it with a wooden spoon the entire time. Take the pan off the heat and let the mixture cool. If desired, before pouring mixture into serving glasses or bowls, place 6-8 chunks of chocolate chunks in each of four dishes followed by an equal distribution of the cooled off mixture. Chill in refrigerator before serving.
This chili has us singing…
Oh give me a home where the buffalo roam,
Where the deer and the antelope play,
Where seldom is heard a discouraging word,
And the skies are not cloudy all day.
Chorus Home, home on the range,
Where the deer and the antelope play,
Where seldom is heard a discouraging word,
And the skies are not cloudy all day.
This chili ranks as a 5-star dish! This is Kevin’s version of JJ Virgin’s book One Pot Meals.
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 lb grass-fed ground bison 50/50
1/2 lb grass-fed ground bison 90/10
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 med. green bell pepper, chopped
2 Tbsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. ground ancho chili
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. ground cumin
3/4 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1 (28 oz.) can organic fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 (15 oz.) can organic no-salt-added red kidney beans, drained and rinse
Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the bison and cook until no longer pink. Stir in the onions, garlic, bell peppers, and all the seasonings, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are slightly softened. Add the diced tomatoes and beans. Bring to boil; reduce heat to low; cover and simmer for the next 30 minutes.
Looking for a light and tasty lunch? Then look no further. Kevin and I loved this version of “Tuna Salad with Apple and Cucumber Slices” from Lose Weight by Eating Detox Week by Audrey Johns. In fact, we have enjoyed so many of the recipes from this cookbook that we recommend it to all Kevin’s HomeCookedCuisine followers.
Ingredients:
1 can tuna in water, drained
¼ c. Kraft Real Mayonnaise
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
¼ tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. Kosher salt
2 Tbsp. finely grate sharp cheddar cheese
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and thinly sliced
Directions:
In a medium bowl, mix the tuna with all ingredients but the apples. Spoon the tuna salad on the apple slices. Enjoy each bite!
This recipe is used in conjunction with “Chicken Florentine” located under the chicken tab at this site. Recipe comes from “Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook.”
Ingredients:
2 medium zucchini (made into noodles using the Troodle or other noodle-maker gadget)
1 Tbsp olive oil
mineral salt
Directions:
Heat olive oil in a medium skillet. Add the zucchini noodles and sauté over medium-high heat for a few minutes. Season with salt. Serve on a plate. Add the chicken florentine.
We have recently learned that gluten can trigger seizures so we are working on reducing the gluten in our diet to help keep Kevin’s seizures at bay. We can truly say that we are enjoying this method of eating. Natural flavors tantalize our taste buds beyond our wildest dreams. Kevin’s version of this recipe is from “Trim and Healthy Mama Cookbook.”
Ingredients:
1 (16 oz) pkg. frozen chopped spinach
2 1/2 pounds thawed and drained chicken breasts or tenderloins
2 (8 oz.) pkgs cream cheese (reduced-fat, optional)
1/2 tsp. Himalayan pink mineral salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 1/2 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 large onion, chopped
1 1/2 c. chicken broth
Directions:
Place the frozen spinach at the bottom of a crockpot. Add the chicken breasts. Blend the cream cheese with the seasonings and add to the crockpot. Add the onion and broth. Cook on low heat all day or 5 to 6 hours on high. (Another option would be to place it in the same order in a Dutch oven and bake at 400 degrees F for one hour.) Serve over troodles. (Recipe for troodles can be found under the squash or zucchini tab on this site.)
Friends are a special gift from God. As we were visiting a friend of ours, Connie Johnson, we watched as she prepared a delicious soup for us. What amazed us is a kitchen tool she used that we had not seen before. The efficiency of the hand stick blender amazed us, so naturally we ordered one for ourselves immediately. Kevin used it in preparing this delicious, healthy stew. This is Kevin’s version of “Broc’n Cheese Soup” from Hungry Girl, Spring 2018 ed.
Ingredients:
4 c. chopped cauliflower
4 c. chopped broccoli
3 c. chicken broth
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 c. light/reduced-fat cream cheese
1 c. shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese, divided in half
1 rotisserie chicken, deboned
1/2 c. bacon bits
Directions:
Place cauliflower, broccoli, and broth in crockpot. Add seasonings. Stir to mix. Cover and cook on high 2-3 hours or on low for 4-5 hours, until veggies are soft.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer half of the veggies to a bowl. Add cream cheese, 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese, and about 1 c. of the liquid from the cooker. Puree with smart stick hand blender until smooth.
Return pureed mixture to the crockpot, and mix well. Ladle into bowls. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top, followed by bacon bits. Serve.
I am so glad Kevin made this recipe for supper tonight. Everyone raved about it! This is something we could eat several times a month. Kevin’s version of “Crunchwrap Supreme” comes from the website “Pinch of Yum.”
Ingredients:
Spicy Ground Beef:
1 tablespoon olive oil
half an onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. ground beef
2 tablespoons taco seasoning
Pepperjack Cheese Sauce:
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
8 ounces shredded Pepperjack cheese
Extras:
large flour “burrito” tortillas
lettuce
tomato
cilantro
sour cream
salsa
Directions:
Spicy Ground Beef: Heat the oil over medium heat in a large nonstick skillet. Add onion, garlic, and beef. Cook / break apart until the beef is browned all the way through. Drain grease. Add taco seasonoing.
Queso: Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add the flour and whisk until smooth. Let the flour cook for a minute or two, then slowly add in the milk, whisking after each addition. When the sauce is smooth, remove from heat. Stir in the cheese.
Wrap: Lay a large tortilla on a flat surface. Layer: beef, queso, sour cream, salsa / hot sauce, tomato, lettuce, cilantro. Fold the edges of the tortilla in. Place in a hot oiled skillet. Cook for a few minutes on each side until the exterior is firm, crunchy, and golden brown.
One year ago today, Kevin’s best friend was born into this world. The joy he has brought into our home is immeasurable! The love Kevin and Buster Baxter have for one another touches my heart. Kevin baked this special birthday cake to honor Buster Baxter on this special day. Just looking at the picture, you can see that he LOVED it!!!!! From the way he just about devoured the cake in one bite, we can confidently declare it’s the best thing Buster Baxter has ever tasted. For us, it was fairly decent. Kevin’s version of “Happy’s Happy Birthday Cake . . . Bananas and Pecans” comes from the book “Easy to Make Organic Dog Treats.” Happy Birthday, Buster Baxter! We love you!!!!
Birthday Cake
(Good for the whole family, not just their pets.)
Ingredients:
3 eggs, separate and slightly beaten
2 c. whole wheat flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/3 c. mashed, ripe bananas
¾ c. water
½ c. unsalted butter, softened
½ c. chopped pecans
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix flour, powder, and soda in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the butter, water, and bananas, and then pour it into flour mixture. Beat until mixture mixes well. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in pecans. Pour into greased and floured Bundt pan.
Bake for about 30 minutes. Cool for ten minutes, and then remove from pan.
homecookedcuisine 