I'm not really sure how to do any of this blogging stuff but am blessed by a creative sister who does. So, kudos to Alli for creating this blog and bringing this idea to light! Although I am not the best cook, I do love food and am always looking for fun new ideas to try in the kitchen. I thought this could be a good way to share recipes and tips and to keep in touch! So, without further ado...
"The Last Supper" (with my boyfriend until next school break) menu:
Basil Pesto Lasagna, Ciabatta, and Cabernet Franc
Red Velvet Cheesecake
I found the Pesto Lasagna recipe on one of the many Foodnetwork shows I watched during my break. The recipe calls to make your own pesto; however, the grocery store I typically shop at did not have enough basil on hand. So, I cheated and bought pre-made pesto. Three 7oz. containers of it in fact (I used Buitoni pesto). You then boil a pound of lasagna noodles and layer the noodles and the pesto in a casserole dish. The noodles kind of stuck together after boiling them and it was a little difficult to get them apart without tearing, so I would suggest putting a little olive oil in the pot when its boiling. You then sprinkle the top layer with parm cheese and bake for about 20 minutes. It came out tasting great and I even got a thumbs up from the boy! Plus, it was super easy, which is always good for me :) The pic at the top is what it looked like--you can see even our cat wanted a piece! Sorry the pictures aren't that great, I lost my camera so these pics were taken from a camera phone. Here's the recipe, including how to make the homemade pesto.
Pesto Lasagna Recipe :
Ingredients
For the pesto:
4 cups basil leaves, loosely packed, washed and tough stems trimmed and roughly torn
2 cups finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (about 2 ounces)
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
8 medium garlic cloves, peeled
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons kosher salt
For the lasagna:
1 pound fresh lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (about 1-ounce)
Directions
For the pesto: Combine half pesto ingredients in a blender or food processor, and process until evenly combined, about 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients and process until evenly blended, about 1 more minute. Taste and adjust seasoning, as desired.
For the lasagna: Heat oven to 375 degrees F and arrange rack in upper third.
Meanwhile, alternatively layer a scant 1/4 cup pesto and 1 sheet of fresh lasagna noodles in an 8 by 8-inch baking dish, trimming noodles, as needed, to fit. There should be about 10 to 12 layers. Top lasagna with cheese and bake until bubbly around edges and cheese is melted, about 20 to 25 minutes. Let sit at least 20 minutes before serving.
The red velvet cheesecake was something I had been wanting to try for quite some time. I have a strong love for all things red velvet and a strong love for cheesecake, so the two together are just my kind of treat! For the crust I just used Oreo cookies (had to scrape out the middles) because I could not find regular chocolate wafer cookies. I also used about half of the red food coloring because a. I was worried about the sheer amount of red dye in my system and b. food coloring is expensive! I was still satisfied by the "redness" of the finished product. I was also a little worried about the cheesecake burning b/c the recipe does not say anything about putting the cheesecake in a water bath. To be on the safe side, I put it in one (it ended up being done in about an hour and 30 min). Although I've been having a difficult time getting pieces to come out in complete slices (it keeps falling apart), it tastes Ah-mazing! Hope you enjoy!
Red Velvet Cheesecake
Ingredients
***Crust***
1 1/2 cup chocolate cookie crumbs
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon sugar
***Cheesecake***
3 packages (8 oz. size) cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cup sugar
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 cup sour cream
1/3 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon white vinegar
2 bottles (1 oz. size) red food coloring
***Frosting***
1 package (3 oz. size) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract:
Directions:
Crust: Combine cookie crumbs, melted butter and sugar. Press into 9-inch spring-form pan.
Cheesecake: Beat cream cheese with sugar for 1 minute. Add eggs, cocoa, sour cream, buttermilk, vanilla, vinegar and food color. Mix on low speed jut until fully combined. Pour into prepared crust. Bake at 325 for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 300 F. Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes until center is firm. Cool on wire rack 30 minutes. Cover and chill 8 hours.
Frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla. Spread over cheese cake. Remove sides of pan. Garnish.
