cherry cheesecake

this week, the farm gave us cherries!

you need:

for the crumb crust:
30 2in square pieces of graham cracker, finely ground graham crackers or cookies such as chocolate or vanilla wafers

1 stick unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

for the very tall cheesecake filling:
5 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 3/4 cups sugar

3 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
6 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

for the cherry topping (or fruit of your choice)
10 ounces sweet or sour cherries, pitted (frozen works!)
2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup water

what you should do:

make crumb crust:
1. stir together crust ingredients and press onto bottom and up the sides of your spring form pan, stopping one inch shy of the top rim

make very tall cheesecake filling:
1. preheat oven to 550 degrees.
2. beat together cream cheese, sugar, flour and zest with an electric mixer until smooth.
3. add vanilla, then eggs beating on low speed until each ingredient is incorporated.
4. scrape bowl down between additions and make sure everything is incorporated.
5. put springform pan with crust in a shallow baking pan (to catch drips).
6. pour filling into crust (springform pan will be completely full)
7. bake in baking pan in the middle of the oven for 12 minutes or until puffed. watch your cake; as soon as you see it puffing or starting to turn brown, turn the oven down.
8. reduce the temperature to 200 degrees and bake 1 hr more.
9. let it cool completely in springform pan.

while your cake is baking, make the cherry filling:
1. place all ingredients in a saucepan on medium heat.
2. bring to boil, boil for a minute or two.
3. take it off the burner and let it cool completely.

put it all together:
1. one your cake and the topping have cooled, pour the topping on top of the cheesecake.
2. let it set in the fridge overnight (i know, so hard! but worth it.)
3. cheesecake for breakfast.

found

THE dress.
everything right is falling into place,
everything else is falling away.

thanks for all your support...

zucchini ricotta galette

the next of the fresh farm food inspired recipes, this one for the zucchini

you need:
for the pastry:
*1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
*1/4 teaspoon salt
*8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold butter
*1/4 cup sour cream
*2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
*1/4 cup cold water

for the filling:
*1 large or 2 small zucchinis, sliced into 1/4 inch thick rounds
*1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
*1/2 cup ricotta cheese
*1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
*1/4 cup shredded mozzarella
*1 tablespoon basil
*garlic salt, pepper

For the glaze (optional): 1 egg, beaten

what to do:

make the dough:
1. whisk together the flour and salt in a large bowl, then add butter and mix with fingers until it resembles a course meal.
2. in separate bowl, mix together sour cream, lemon juice and water, then add to the butter-flour mixture.
3. mix together with spoon, form into a ball.
4. on a well floured surface, roll out into a 12in round.

make the filling:
1. preheat oven to 400.
2. in a small bowl, mix together the ricotta, cheeses, and 1 tbs of oil. spice with garlic salt and pepper and basil.

put it all together:
1. place dough round on a well greased cookie sheet (or use parchment paper)
2. spread the ricotta mixture evenly over the bottom of the dough, leaving a 2-inch border
3. arrange zucchini slices on top of the ricotta filling, then sprinkle with garlic salt and olive oil.
4. fold the border over the filling, pleating the edge to make it fit -the center will be open
5. if you like, brush the crust with the egg (makes it glazed, pretty, and tasty)
6. bake for 30-40 min, until the crust is brown.

PS: what's a galette, you ask? it's a pizza-pastry love baby.

spinach mushroom quich

the first of my cfs inspired recipes... enjoy!

you will need:

for the crust:
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tablespoon baking powder
1 large pinch of salt
1/2 stick of butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup of milk

For the filling:
2 tablespoons of butter
3 green onions, chopped
1 cup of chopped mushrooms
2 cups of chopped spinach
5 oz goat cheese
4 eggs
1/2 cup of milk
salt and pepper

what you should do:

make the dough:
1. whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl.
2. add butter and pinch into flour mix with fingers until it resembles a coarse grain.
3. add the milk and stir until all flour is incorporated. if too sticky, add more flour 1 tbs at a time.
4. place dough on well floured surface and roll into a 12 in round.
5. place round in the bottom of a pie dish.

filling:
1. preheat oven to 375.
2. melt butter in a skillet on med heat. add onions, cook 2 min.
3. add mushrooms, cook 2 min.
4. add spinach and 1/4 cup of water, cover and cook until wilted.
5. add goat cheese, stir until melted.
6. season with salt and pepper.
7. ladle spinach-mushroom mixture into pie crust.

put it all together:
1. in a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk, season with salt and pepper.
2. pour over spinach-mushroom mixture in pie crust.
3. place in oven on center rack, cook for 45-55 minutes, or until eggs are set.
4. YUM

c f s

question of the day: what do you suppose this is?


marvelous and amazing leafy greens. my kitchen is full of them and then sent of earth and water. my good friend carrie is out of town for a couple of weeks, and offered to share her cfs: community farm share, with ben and i while she is gone. it is truly awesome. i never realized exactly how much fresh farm goodness just a single share will bring to your home. on monday, from the open garage of someone's house, we picked up: 1 dozen eggs, a bag of mushrooms, a bag of fresh apricots, beets, radishes, rutabaga, zucchini, summer squash, green onions, snap peas, romaine lettuce, spinach, mixed greens, iceberg lettuce, kale, cabbage, and a few mysteries... what kind of lettuce is this do you think?

little of this

knitting planning eating sleeping summer


my knitting projects are more spastic than usual; generally i only have one wip at at time, and i tend to stay focused and get things finished. this summer i've been rather distracted. starting with the sweater, moving on to knit this hat which still needs embellishments, then ordering more yarn to start a market tote and a lace shall in the same week.

then again, i've also been distracted lately thinking about cake and italy inspired food and one dress or another and swing dancing and shoes and then also things like which mountains to climb this summer and pie.

what's on your daydreaming while knitting list?

right now

i am wishing for
a long, sweet nap, preferably in a hammock
this hat. actually, id take the whole outfit, and the inter-tube and the river too.
lunch of panini
notebook doodling, and something new to read

looking forward to
kayaking trip this weekend with ben!
dress shopping on monday
king tut
making cheesecake

thinking about
my summer goals
running away
pizza crust
a summer picnic with Kate and Petruchio


what are you thinking about?
i'm just so happy its friday
and i'm wishing you a lovely weekend
caio

when it rains

it pours!


loving the cloud filled skies and mist rain falling on this morning in colorado; slept to thunderstorms slept late, wore my new rain jacket and boots, rode my bike through the quiet morning and wet concrete and birds everywhere picking up bugs from the rippled surface of the lake, windshield wiper weather cool and calm smell of the rain on the prairie and the streets! i am loving the weather today friends... love.

how is the weather out there? is it raining there too?