SALTED CARAMEL CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE CAKE

This cake is super rich, but a beautiful cake for a holiday or special occasion.  I adapted this recipe from Shugary Sweets.

SALTED CARAMEL CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE CAKE
CHEESECAKE
2 8-ounce packages Philadelphia cream cheese at room temperature
2/3 cup fine sugar
2 large eggs
1/3 cup sour cream
1/3 cup heavy cream
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon PURE vanilla
pinch fresh ground Himalayan Pink salt

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Add a cake pan half full of water to lower shelf in oven.
• Prepare a 9 inch springform pan with non-stick spray. Wrap foil around the bottom and up the sides.  Cut a circle section of parchment paper to fit in the bottom and spray it also with non-stick spray.
• Beat cream cheese with sugar until light and creamy.
• Add salt and eggs one at a time, beating until creamy after each addition.
• Beat in sour cream, heavy cream, lemon juice and vanilla.
• Pour into prepared pan and place in preheated oven.  Immediately lower temperature to 325°.
• Bake 45 minutes.
• Turn oven off and leave cake in for 30 more minutes.
• Remove from oven and cool on rack until completely cool.
• When cool, wrap in saran and place in freezer for 2-3 hours.

CHOCOLATE CAKE
1 cup butter
4 cups sugar
4 JUMBO eggs
4 cups buttermilk
5 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoons PURE vanilla
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground Himalayan Pink salt

• Grease and “flour” 2 9-inch pans.  I use cocoa instead of flour so the coloring matches.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Cream together butter and sugar until fluffy.
• Add eggs and beat well.
• Sift together the flour, cocoa, salt and baking soda.
• Add alternately flour mixture, vanilla and buttermilk until well blended and smooth.
• Pour into prepared pan(s).
• Bake 30-50 minutes depending on pan until center springs back and toothpick comes out clean.

FROSTING
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup caramel sauce (recipe below or jarred is okay)
4 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons whole milk
pinch fresh ground Himalayan Pink salt

• Beat butter until fluffy.
• Add caramel sauce, milk, salt and powdered sugar gradually, beating until smooth and creamy between additions.

CARAMEL SAUCE

6 tablespoons light corn syrup

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

• Stir in the sugar until well incorporated and cook over a moderately high heat, undisturbed until a deep amber caramel forms.
• Turn off heat and carefully stir in butter with a long spoon.  Careful, it will spit.
• Add the heavy cream in a thin stream, stirring constantly until smooth.
• Add salt and blend well.
• Transfer the caramel to a heatproof container and allow to cool.

GANACHE
4 ounces dark chocolate
1/3 cup heavy cream

• In a double boiler or microwave at 30 second intervals, melt chocolate with heavy cream. Cool.

ASSEMBLY
1/2 bag Heath Bar baking pieces
2 tablespoons caramel sauce (recipe above or jarred is okay)
pinch fresh ground Himalayan Pink salt

• On a cake plate arrange 1 chocolate cake layer.
• Top with the cheesecake layer.
• Sprinkle half of the heath bar pieces on top of cheesecake and press down lightly.
• Add 2nd chocolate cake to the later.  Gently press the layers together.
• Frost cake.
• Add ganache to the top (some will run down sides).
• Sprinkle with salt and then add remaining Heath bar pieces.

JEZEBEL SAUCE

I found this recipe in an old cookbook and it sounded ODD and I have NO idea where the name came from, but just awesome enough to try. It made just a couple changes, but it really makes an awesome appetizer. The recipe apparently has a convoluted history of unknown origin... Billie's friend Nancy too the recipe to a garden club Christmas Party. She had gotten the recipe from her brother-in-law's niece...

JEZEBEL SAUCE 18 ounce jar SMUCKER'S pineapple preserves 18 ounce jar SMUCKER'S apple butter or jelly 3.75 ounce jar Inglehoffer (German) horseradish 1 tablespoon Coleman's dry mustard 1 teaspoon FRESH ground pepper 8 ounces cream cheese, softened 1 box wheat thins

• In a medium size bowl stir together the pineapple preserves, apple butter or jelly, mustard, horseradish and pepper.
• Chill at least 2 hours.
• Place cream cheese on a platter and pour sauce over top.
• Serve with crackers.

BBQ STEAK TIPS

Steak tips come from one of two areas of the cow, either the tenderloin (a more tender, expensive cut) or from the sirloin or round flap meat.

BBQ STEAK TIPS
2 tablespoons avocado oil
1 small container Greek yogurt
1 LARGE red onion, halved and sliced thin
Fresh ground salt and pepper
1 1/2 pounds steak tips
1 cup beef broth
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons of your favorite BBQ sauce
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cubed

• Stir steak tips with yogurt and let sit 45 minutes.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in skillet over medium-high heat.
• Cook onion with a sprinkle of salt covered until softened and slightly browned, about 5 minutes.
• Using a slotted spoon remove onions from skillet.
• Add additional tablespoon of oil.
• Pat steak tips dry and then generously season them with salt and pepper.
• Add steak to the pan and cook until browned all over to desired doneness (5-20 minutes).
• Transfer steak to platter and tent with foil.
• Add onion back to skillet along with the broth and BBQ sauce.
• Simmer 5 -10 minutes over medium heat until sauce begins to thicken.
• Season to taste.
• Whisk in butter pieces.
• Add steak tips into sauce, stirring to coat.
• Ladle steak tips and sauce over prepared pasta.
• Enjoy.

BANANA PINEAPPLE SOUR CREAM CAKE

BANANA PINEAPPLE SOUR CREAM PUDDING CAKE
8 ounce can crushed pineapple in juice (DO NOT DRAIN)
1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
18 ounce yellow cake mix
7 ounce package Jell-O instant banana pudding mix
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1⁄4 cup oil

• In a small bowl, combine pineapple and the baking soda; mix well.
• 
In a large mixing bowl, combine remaining ingredients; stir in pineapple.
• Blend, then beat at medium speed with an electric mixer for 2 minutes.
• Pour into a greased and floured 10-inch Bundt or tube pan.
• Bake at 350° for 50-55 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched.
• Cool in pan about 15 minutes.
• Remove from pan and finish cooling on wire rack.
• 
Dust with powdered sugar

BUFFALO CHICKEN MEATLOAF

I saw this on Damaris Phillip’s show, Southern at Heart and fell in love almost immediately! I made just a few alterations to fit with what I had on hand, but we love it and have had it several times, several ways since.

BUFFALO CHICKEN MEATLOAF
TOTAL TIME: 1 hr 25 min          COOK TIME: 1 hour          PREP TIME: 25 min
SAUCE
1/3 cup ketchup**
1 tablespoon hot sauce

• Whisk together the ketchup and hot sauce in a small bowl and set aside.

MEATLOAF
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup diced celery (2-3 stalks) + leaves reserved for garnish
1 cup small diced onion or shallot
3 tablespoons Frank’s original hot sauce
1 1/2 pounds ground chicken
1 cup blue cheese crumbles (GORGONZOLA works well too as does sharp cheddar)
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons FRESH coarse ground black pepper
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups Panko breadcrumbs
1/3 cup grated Parmesan

• Preheat the oven to 350°.
• Grease a 9 X 5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside.
• Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat and saute the celery and onion until softened, 3- 5 minutes.
• Transfer the mixture, plus the drippings, to a large bowl.
• Add the hot sauce to the bowl and stir to combine.
• Add the chicken, blue cheese, salt, pepper, eggs and 1 1/2 cups of the panko and mix until well combined.
• Press the mixture into the prepared loaf pan, pressing more in the center of the loaf to create a divot. This will allow the meatloaf to bake evenly and not create a mound after it is baked.
• Spread half of the sauce over the top of the meatloaf.
• Mix the Parmesan with the Panko and sprinkle the mixture on top of the sauce.
• Bake until the center is set and the top is golden brown, 45 minutes to an hour.
• Let rest 10-15 minutes before cutting to serve.
• Garnish the meatloaf slices with remaining heated sauce and chopped celery leaves.

**NOTE: Use jalapeno ketchup if you want a bit more spice.

BACON CHEESEBURGER HAMBURGER HELPER NOT!!

For some reason hubby LOVES Hamburger helper. Must be left over from his bachelor days BECAUSE IT IS NOT SOMETHING I HAVE EVER MADE. Since I can’t have pre-prepared foods I made him a substitute recipe for his favorite box that he says tastes even better. I make in advance too which makes a great weeknight casserole ready to pop in the oven when you get home. Hubby likes the texture of Velveeta, but I find it a bit rubbery. So I tried Land of Lakes American cheese and it slices great while still giving you that smooth creamy cheese texture when it melts. 
BACON CHEESEBURGER HAMBURGER HELPER NOT!!**
6 bacon strips cooked crisp and crumbled
1 1/2 pounds hamburger
1 small Vidalia onion, chopped
2 cups green giant frozen corn, thawed
2 large Yukon potatoes, sliced
Land o’ Lakes American Cheese Slices
Grated Cheddar for garnish
Corn chips (optional)

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Toss bacon and corn together.
• Layer potatoes over top.
• Generously salt and pepper the potatoes.
• Place a thin layer of cheese slices over potatoes.
• Brown hamburger and onions together. Salt and pepper well while meat is browning. Drain off fat.
• Layer over the potatoes and top with another layer of potatoes.
• Salt and pepper again and layer with another layer of cheese.
• Cover and bake for 45 minutes.
• Uncover and bake another 15 minutes.

NOTE: **I like to make these back to back (that way I also have 2 meals ready to go with half the mess) so the left over bits of browned sausage and caramelized onion add flavor to the hamburger.

POTATO SALAD with RED ONION VINAIGRETTE

POTATO SALAD with RED ONION VINAIGRETTE
2 pounds baby yellow potatoes
FRESH ground sea salt and tri-color pepper
1/2 medium red onion , FINELY chopped
3 tablespoons champagne vinegar
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons avocado oil
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup FRESH chopped Italian Parsley

• Place potatoes in medium pot and cover with cold water.
• Bring to a boil, add 2 teaspoons sea salt, reduce heat and simmer 12-15 minutes until tender.
• Toss onion with vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Drain potatoes and run under cool water to cool.
• Halve potatoes.
• Whisk oil into vinegar mixture.
• Add potatoes and toss to coat.
• Fold in peas and Parsley.