Category: Food & Wine

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Cheesecake with Amarula, Peanut butter, White and Milk Chocolate

Chocolate, Peanutbutter and White Choc cheesecake

Peanut butter and Chocolate is such a natural combination that folks have tried to incorporate the pair into almost every imaginable creation. However, one of my favorites is cheesecake.

Now, after some experimentation, I have found a few shortcuts to making a great PB and C Cheesecake. Obviously, in this age when we can buy store prepared chocolate (known commonly as chocolate bars) , peanut butter and ‘Oreos’…. we become less ‘baker’ and more ‘assembler’. Be that as it may, this does not distract too much from this exquisite dessert. Tomorrow is my wife’s birthday… and she deserves nothing less… especially since she had the fun in making it!

The recipe is here.

This cheesecake is especially decadent given the chocolate cap with the glazed pecans. The ‘marbled’ cheesecake is accomplished by splitting the batter into two parts: one with peanut butter and white chocolate and the other with milk chocolate… and then rippling them together!

Peanutbutter, White and Milk Chocolate Cheesecake!

Aaaaah… bake it for someone you love.

Roger

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What every happened to Cadbury Chocolate?

Chocolate Cheesecake like you never had before!

Laura’s birthday is coming up and she requested a Chocolate & Peanut butter Cheesecake. Sounded simple enough, I had vowed not to open a  coveted  10 lb. block of Peter’s Chocolate as it only came in this single serving size. ahem…

My plan was to find a ‘well konched’ chocolate alternative like Cadbury for my needs… but I couldn’t find it at Albertson’s anywhere? And the locals didn’t know where it had gone? So, I did discover that it still existed and here hangs a story of modern times of mergers and acquisitions.  Hershey holds the license in the United States.

So, I looked for something acceptable and found a couple of bags of plain milk chocolate miniatures made by Mars, Inc. under the  title of Dove... should be good.

By the way, the easy part of turning a chocolate cheesecake into a peanut butter cheesecake is rather simple. Divide the cheesecake mixture into two sections (depending on how much of one virsus the other you prefer… I like a 2/3 chocolate section and 1/3 peanut butter section).. after you pour the chocolate mixture into the pan, then in a swirling motion pour the peanutbutter mixture into the chocolate mixture leaving a spiral trail…. then bake.

We learn something new every day… I am glad Cadbury is still here… somewhere.

Roger Freberg

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Building a better Pizza!

A real Meaty Pizza!

Pizza isn’t as bad as you think diet wise… unless you think it comes in the ‘single serving pan.’

The real key is portion control and the types of ingredients you choose to add. Obviously, for those of us who love meaty additions, we will include: seasoned tender steak, Linguica, bacon, ham, sausage, pepperoni, pheasant and Andouille sausage and …. just about every meat one would like to have! Obviously, an assortment of cheeses makes it wonderful along with Mozzarella. Adding onion, mushroom, sliced olives and some of the typical Italian flavors such as Oregano, Rosemary, Purple Basil.

So was this Pizza good?

Oh… I’d buy someone elses… but I just can’t find one as good as the one you can make yourself!

Roger

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Jenny Craig : it’s a family thing!

Jenny Craig success Stories!
A short while back, jenny Craig asked some of their clients and those considering becoming clients to express a little about themselves and their “ideal Size”. Karen, then me and finally Laura wrote in and they posted each of our individual yet highly related stories. Here are a few links to our stories:

Laura’s : SIZE PROFESSIONAL! 

exerpt: “I’ve tried many diets before, but the great thing about Jenny Craig is that it’s so easy….Even better is the maintenance program, which was always a major obstacle for me before. I have now maintained my weight loss for a year, varying only in a 3 pound range.

Karen’s: SIZE STRONGER!

excerpt: “I am very thankful for Jenny Craig—I have lost 75 lbs and I am wearing a size 8 pair of pants- a size that I would have never believed that I would have gotten into! Jenny Craig has also given me the strength to do challenging physical activities—I ran in my first 5k race” 

Roger’s: SIZE SKINNY CHEF! 

exerpt: “…Unfortunately, the expression ‘don’t trust a skinny chef’ is based on some truth. I was not skinny. My weight caused other problems, I became diabetic and that was a journey I wanted off…… So (today), if I am preparing some éclairs, Seafood Gumbo, Boston Cream Pie, Bobotie or one of many other favorite items, you can depend on it being good. It will also be portion controlled and only once a week. Thank you Jenny Craig. Signed, Roger Freberg The skinny chef”

So why am I posting all of this stuff over the past couple of years?  It’s ‘Compassion’… I know if you lose weight so many things in ones life look better… it’s not a cure… but it’s a step in the right direction. Been there.

Roger Freberg

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Quiche me baby!

President Woodrow Wilson supported this short lived RepublicCertainly one of my favorite foods, be it as a small snack or as the American tradition requires — a full meal packed with goodies — Quiche is wonderful! I make a mean crab quiche.

“Quiche Lorraine” and it’s many varieties has evolved from a German, yes German, dish. The word evolved from “Kuchen” to “Kuche” to “Kische” and finally to “Quiche” as it stands today. So, let’s pay  homage to the homeland of this great dish and the short lived Republic of Alsace-Lorraine.

Although there are still arguments as to the history of this delectable dish, I will side with the French classic “Larousse Gastronomique” (1962 first English Version, 1939 first French Edition… I have both) that says this classic is of German origin. After all, who would know better?

Laura has requested a ‘Mexican style’ quiche for Saturday… and I want a traditional Quiche Lorraine with bacon… so, we’ll probably have something with a south of the border flare…. she would like one of my pie crusts rather than a tortilla shell… so I am still working on it.

Stay tuned.

Roger Freberg