raspberry cheesecakesicles

August 12, 2011 by 15 Comments
Remember in high school when you were forced to take a career aptitude test? You had to fill in little bubbles with #2 pencil, answering questions like “Do you enjoy completing the same task repeatedly?” and “Do you put others’ needs before your own?”
A few weeks later you were handed a list of possible careers. While my friends ooohed and aaahed at the prospect of becoming doctors and legal aides, I stared down at my own results list.
Jenny Puckett
Score: 0
Possible Career Matches: none
Likelihood of living in a van down by the river: 100%
“Well, shit,” I thought. “I guess I’m not suited to do anything.”
Yes, it’s a crap test. No, it won’t actually tell you what you’re going to do with your life. Because if it had any powers of prediction it would have said:
Jenny Puckett
Score: Awesome
Possible Career Matches: One Billion and a Half
Likelihood of crafting fabulous desserts: 100% 
Take my newest creation, for example. It combines the creaminess of cheesecake with the chill of ice cream. It has a crunchy graham cracker crust, requires no baking, and is so easy to make a toddler could do it (mine did).
All you’ll need are a few waxed paper cups and popsicle sticks, along with sugar, whipped topping (Cool Whip), raspberries, cream cheese, butter and graham crackers.

Place the graham crackers in the bowl of a food processor.

Pulse several times until fine crumbs form.

Melt the butter, pour it over the crumbs and squish together with your fingers until the crumbs are thoroughly moistened.

Scoop one heaping tablespoon into the bottom of each cup (or have a tiny helper do this part. It got messy but she was in seventh heaven).

Press the crumbs down firmly into the bottom of each cup. The more compact, the better. Lucy’s tiny pink “wine glass” was perfect for this step (yes, I find it weird that my 2 year-old has pretend wine glasses, too. I have no idea where they came from).

Stick them in the freezer for at least 15 minutes or until the crust is set.

In the meantime put the cream cheese, raspberries and sugar in a large bowl.

Blend with an electric mixer until smooth.

Fold in the whipped topping…

…and use a large freezer bag with the tip cut off to squirt the filling into each cup.

Insert the popsicle sticks into the center of the filling, careful not to push too far and break the crust. This is such a fun dessert to make with kids. Lucy was so proud of herself.

Stick ‘em all in the freezer for at least an hour before serving.

When you’re ready to eat, simply tear away the cup and you’re good to go.

These are so creamy and light, with fresh raspberry flavor and great texture from the crust. They’re such a fun, easy dessert—we’ll be making batches for the rest of the summer with blackberries, peaches, cherries and nectarines. They would be so fun for a party, too, as an alternative to cupcakes or ice cream cake.

Take that, career crap-titude test. I’m a dessert genius.

Raspberry Cheesecakesicles        printable recipe

This is a fun, easy summer dessert that’s great for parties. Substitute your favorite fruit or combination of fruits to make your own flavor! Makes 8 popsicles. 

Prep Time: 15 minutes Freeze Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

  • 7 graham crackers to yield 1 c graham cracker crumbs
  • 3 tbsp butter, melted
  • 8 waxed paper cups, 9 oz size
  • 8 popsicle sticks
  • 1 c raspberries
  • 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1/3 c sugar
  • 8 oz whipped topping (Cool Whip)

1. Pulse graham crackers in a food processor until fine crumbs form. Using your fingers, mix crumbs with melted butter until thoroughly moistened. Pour one heaping tablespoon of crumb mixture into each cup and press down very firmly. Freeze cups for 15 minutes or until crusts are hardened.

2. In a large bowl beat together raspberries, cream cheese and sugar using an electric mixer. Fold in whipped topping. Pour mixture into large freezer bag, cut off tip, and squeeze filling into cups. Insert popsicle sticks into center of filling, being careful not to pierce crust. Freeze for at least one hour before serving. Carefully tear away paper cups and eat.

Filed Under: food Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

bacon-wrapped jalapeno poppers

June 3, 2011 by 4 Comments

The best kinds of friends will show up at your doorstep with beer and dinner. They’ll bring homemade fresh pizza dough, cilantro, red onions, barbecue chicken and shredded cheese, and then proceed to amaze and delight you by cooking pizza on your grill. To tide you over while the miraculous pizza grilling is being performed, they will serve you jalapeno poppers.

I have the best kinds of friends. Not only did they come over and feed us freshly grilled BBQ chicken pizza (a post for another time—I’m still trying to master my pizza-grilling skills), but they also introduced me to the mother of all appetizers that I’ll be making from now until September.

Making your own poppers is easy. All you need is cream cheese, finely shredded jack (or motzerella, or cheddar—whatever your preference. You could even go a little crazy with blue or gorgonzola), fresh jalapenos, and regular-cut bacon (not thick-cut).

To begin, lop off the stems of those spicy peppers.

Slice lengthwise down the middle…

…and remove the seeds. I wear gloves when handling hot peppers because I’m the kind of woman who will *forget* that she just had her finger in a jalapeno and then use said finger to scratch my eye. I’m not the smartest cookie sometimes.

Mash together the cream cheese and the jack cheese.

Fill the jalapeno halves with the cream cheese mixture…

…and wrap each one with a half slice of bacon. Secure with a toothpick.

And now for the best part: fire up your grill to medium. I love these as a summer appetizer because there’s no running back and forth from the kitchen to the grill—it can all be done outside. Prep your poppers in the morning, refrigerate, and grill whenever your company shows up.

Grill for roughly 3-4 minutes per side. Don’t walk away from the grill for too long; that pesky bacon loves to spark grease fires.

Hand each guest their own little bowl of these and they will be smitten with you all evening. Or at least as long as the poppers hold out.

Cool cream cheese in a spicy jalapeno wrapped with salty, smoky bacon. Wash it down with a cold beer (or better yet, a salted margarita!) and you’ll be singing the Beach Boys all summer long.

-RDG

P.S. Thanks Ric & Tennille for 1) being amazeballs and 2) for introducing us to poppers and BBQ pizza. We love you more than bacon.

Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers printable poppers

Makes 20 poppers. Prep Time: 25 minutes Cook Time: 8 minutes

  • 10 jalapeno peppers
  • 4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
  • 3/4 c finely shredded jack cheese
  • 10 slices bacon (regular-cut, not thick-cut), sliced in half widthwise
  • 20 toothpicks

1) Rinse and dry the jalapenos. Lop off the stems, then slice each one lengthwise down the middle. Remove the seeds.

2) Mix the cream cheese and jack cheese together with a fork. Fill each jalapeno half with some of the cream cheese mixture. Wrap each pepper with a half slice of bacon and secure with a toothpick.

3) Preheat gas grill to medium. Grill poppers for 3-4 minutes per side, until bacon is lightly browned. Serve immediately.

 

Filed Under: food Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

cream cheese mashed potatoes

October 28, 2010 by 7 Comments

I begin mentally planning my Thanksgiving menu in July. The hot weather and the constant sun make me yearn for the cooler weather of fall, a little rain, and the comforting foods that you’re only allowed to make when the weather sucks. I’m so excited that fall is finally here and I can begin plotting my recipes in earnest.

Needless to say, I’ve been thinking about these mashed potatoes for a while. They’re the only thing on my menu that doesn’t change. Cream cheese brings a fluffy richness to mashed potatoes that plain butter and milk can’t, and once you’ve tried them you’ll never go back.

The recipe is simple: yukon gold potatoes (I find that their texture for mashed potatoes is preferable to any other variety), one package of cream cheese, salt and pepper, whole milk (or half and half, if you want to get a little crazy) and butter.

I forgot to picture the butter, and it may be a first in the history of this blog. Usually it’s the first thing on my mind.

Begin by scrubbing and rinsing the potatoes. Peel off the skins if you must, but I like to leave them on for a little texture. Slice each potato lengthwise…

..and then turn and slice again.

Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold, lightly salted water. Bring to a boil and cook just until the potatoes are fork-tender and the skins begin to separate themselves.

Drain, pour into the bowl of your stand mixer and mash with a hand masher.

Next,  add the cream cheese, butter, and half of the milk. Mix with the paddle attachment until you achieve the consistency that you like, adding more milk gradually if you need to. If you like them really light and fluffy, switch to the wisk attachment and continue mixing (I like mine a little lumpy, but to each her own). Season with salt and pepper to taste.

And there you have it. Perfectly creamy, perfectly decadent mashed potatoes. I wouldn’t trade them for any horseradish, bacon, blue cheese or sour cream mashed potato recipe in the world.

And come Thanksgiving day, you can bet these suckers are going to grace my table. They’re champs at gravy volcanoes, experts at mingling with the cranberries, pros at hanging with the turkey.

What’s your favorite mashed potato recipe?

-RDG

Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes

Using reduced fat or low fat cream cheese is fine, but nonfat doesn’t work as well. Serves 6-8 as a side dish.

  • 3 lbs yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed, rinsed and quartered
  • 1 8 oz package cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1/2-1 cup whole milk, warmed
  • 1/2 stick butter, softened
  • 1 tsp kosher salt plus more to taste
  • freshly ground pepper to taste

Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold, lightly salted water. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are easily pierced with a fork and their skins begin to come off, about 10-12 minutes. Drain and mash with a potato masher.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine potatoes, cream cheese, butter, and 1/2 cup of the milk. Mix on medium-low, adding more milk if needed, until they reach desired consistency. Add salt and season with pepper to taste.

Filed Under: food Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

lemon sour cream cups

May 1, 2010 by 14 Comments

I have voracious appetite for sour cream. If I considered it a condiment, it would by far be my favorite, easily surpassing mayo, salsa, and even butter. Yes, butter. Paula Deen is smacking me through her computer screen right now. But I can’t help it! I really, really love this stuff, and I always have.

To me, sour cream is not a condiment at all—it’s an ingredient. I throw it in every recipe, I whip it into every sauce. It’s rich but not sweet or fatty (as long as you buy the light version, which I do to give my love handles a break). Most of all, it’s a versatile ingredient that can be used in a ton of different ways.

This recipe showcases the tangy flavor of sour cream while adding a bit of sweetness and lemony flavor. Think sour cream cheesecake, plus lemon, minus a crust and all the prep and baking time. It’s a super easy dessert, perfect for the springy days we’ve been having around here.

All you need are some basic ingredients and a mixer of some sort. You can buy either regular full-fat versions of the sour cream and cream cheese, or the light or reduced-fat versions. Personally, I think the fat-free varieties taste like feet. Plus, a little fat is good for you. It keeps your love handles from getting lonely.

A note on the sour cream though, before we go any further: store brands tend to be soupy and less flavorful. If you can, buy Daisy, Darigold, Tillamook, or an organic brand. Yes, I am a sour cream snob. And I’m proud of it.

Greek yogurt would also work well in this recipe if you’re up for it.

First, beat the cream cheese until it’s light and fluffy. Okay, cream cheese never actually gets light and fluffy, unless you buy the pre-whipped stuff, but give it your best shot. We basically want to beat some air into it to lend a lighter texture.

Juice your lemons, removing the seeds…

…and pour in the juice, along with the rest of the ingredients, minus a little bit of the sugar. Beat until completely combined, taste to see how much sweeter you would like it (if at all), and add the remaining sugar accordingly.

Pipe into your serving dishes (cups, in this case)…

…top with some fresh fruit, and that’s it!

Purdy, but lonely.

That’s better.

These are so easy and a serious crowd-pleaser. I love making individual desserts for parties because it makes each guest feel special—they each get their own cute little cream cup.

The berries really add a nice touch, too. You could go with whatever is in season at the moment.

“C” is for “creamy”!

I’m such a dork. But maybe I’ll earn a guest spot on Sesame Street.

Try these creamy, lemony beauties soon. They’ll brighten and lighten your day!

Happy weekend!

-RDG

Lemon Sour Cream Cups

  • 2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 16 ounce container sour cream
  • 1/2 cup plus 1/4 cup sugar
  • 3 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Fresh berries, for topping

Using a mixer, beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add the sour cream, lemon juice, vanilla, and 1/2 cup of the sugar. Beat until completely combined. Taste to test the sweetness, and add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar if desired.

Pipe into cups and top with fresh berries. Makes 8 3-4oz dessert cups.

Filed Under: food Tagged With: , , , , , , ,