Mini Turtle Cheesecakes – No Bake
These might be one of the easiest desserts ever!! The base is filo (phyllo) shells you can buy at most grocery stores. The filling is a mixture of cream cheese, sugar, melted chocolate and whipped cream that is piped into the shells. Add a few toppings, chill and you are ready to serve. They look and taste amazing.
When you are pressed for time these are a nice dessert to make. Plus, they actually taste great and look adorable. Since we used mini chocolate chips to melt, a few were saved to sprinkle on the top. I thought that was a great idea. Thanks, Teresa!!
If you can’t find filo shells I have also included directions to make your own using phyllo dough, Recipe is at the bottom of the post.
So here is the recipe. Enjoy.
No Bake Mini Turtle Cheesecakes
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, cold
8 ounces full-fat cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 packages (15 count each) Athens Mini Filo Shells
Caramel sauce and finely chopped pecans, for garnish
In a large mixing bowl (with whisk attachment if using stand mixer), beat the heavy cream until it thickens and stiff peaks form, roughly 3-4 minutes (when you pull the beaters up, peaks will form and not fall over). Transfer to another bowl and keep cold in the refrigerator. In the same mixing bowl (no need to clean bowl – switch to paddle if using stand mixer), beat together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth and creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in melted chocolate and vanilla. Scrape down the bowl. Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until fully incorporated.
Pipe the cheesecake filling into each filo shell then top with caramel sauce and pecans. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving. Best served the same day as making.
How to Make Phyllo Cups
5 sheets phyllo pastry
¼ cup unsalted butter melted, more as needed
Preheat the oven to 375°F. If phyllo dough is frozen, completely thaw it according to package directions. Lay one sheet of dough out and brush with a light coating of butter. Top with a second sheet and brush with butter. Repeat with remaining dough until you have 5 layers. Cut into 3.5″ x 3.5″ squares. Gently press into a mini muffin tin. Poke the bottom of the dough with a fork to allow steam to escape. Bake 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and gently press the center using a small spoon. Return the cups to the oven and continue baking 4-6 minutes or until golden and crisp. Remove from the oven and immediately remove from the muffin pan. Phyllo cups are very delicate and should be stored in a single layer in a hard container. They can be made up to 1 week ahead of time and refrigerated.
Note: I have also made these with 4 sheets instead of 5 and they still worked.
Using Phyllo (or Filo) Cups
Whether they are store bought or homemade, phyllo cups are a fun and easy way to make both savory and sweet treats. They can be filled with cheeses, veggies, smoked meats, nut and herbs for appetizers. For desserts, use puddings or custard, fruits, nuts, chocolate, whipped cream and small candies. Be creative and have fun. You can bake in them, or add ingredients that don’t need to be baked.
Blueberry Crumb Cake
This has always been a favorite cake of mine. The mixture of moist cake and berries would be great on their own, but that crunchy, crumb topping- oh my! Talk about a wonderful combination.
It isn’t a difficult cake to make at all. It is an extra nice cake to take along to picnics and cook outs since there is no frosting to worry about. It can be served plain, or served with a scoop of ice cream or some whipped cream.
So here is the recipe. Enjoy!!
Blueberry Crumb Cake
For cake batter:
2 c. flour
2 t. baking powder
½ t. salt
½ stick (¼ cup) butter, softened
¾ c. sugar
1 egg
½ c. milk
1 pint blueberries, fresh or frozen
For topping:
½ c. sugar
¼ c. flour
½ t. cinnamon
½ stick (¼ c. butter, chilled and cut into bits)
Combine dry ingredients and set aside. In mixing bowl with electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and milk. Add flour mixture gradually until just mixed in. Fold in blueberries. Grease and flour an 8 or 9-inch square baking pan and add prepared batter. Combine topping ingredients until they resemble coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over batter in pan and bake in a preheated 375-degree oven and bake for 35-45 minutes. Use toothpick to test.
Note: I have used a 9-inch round pan and it worked fine.
Strawberry Ice Cream
It is strawberry season around here, and I am loving it. Since the weather is warming up, I decided to make ice cream with some of the berries. Homemade ice cream is easy to make. When you make your own, you can adjust flavorings and sweetness level, too.
Studded with plenty of berries, this ice cream will put anything store-bought to shame. Feel free to add blueberries or raspberries, too. Sometimes I add other flavors, like lavender or mint.
Strawberry Ice Cream
2 c. chopped strawberries
1 c. sugar
1 T. vanilla
2 c. cream or half and half or a combination. You can also use some milk or even almond or rice milk.
Additional sugar to taste
Place strawberries, vanilla and sugar in saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and chill. Combine chilled berry mixture with cream. Add additional sugar if you like. Remember that once it is frozen, the ice cream will not taste as sweet, so make this mixture a little sweeter than you want the final product to be. How much sugar you add varies with personal taste and how sweet the berries are. Place in an ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer’s directions. Once finished put in an air- tight container and place in freezer. Makes about 1 quart.
Minty Butter Cookies
These cookies can be made with fresh or dried mint. You could use frozen mint as well. They have a delicate, almost cake-like texture. The mint adds a subtle flavor. I used a little lemon extract- mint extract would give them a more intense mint flavor.
We made these in an herb cooking class recently. Everyone enjoyed the cookies. It is also a great way to use mint. If you grow mint, you know it can be a bit invasive.
Minty Butter Cookies
1 c. butter
½ c. sugar
½ c. brown sugar
1 egg
1-t. almond or lemon extract – you could also use mint
2 ¼ c. flour
¼ c. dried mint leaves or ¾ c. loosely packed fresh mint leaves, chopped fine
1 t. baking powder
1 t. cream of tartar
¼ t. salt
Cream together butter and sugar. Beat in egg and extract. Stir in dry ingredients until well mixed. Chill dough 30 minutes. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls on ungreased baking sheet 2- inches apart. Bake at 375 for 7-9 minutes. Makes about 6 dozen.
Tequila and Wine Punch
I would never have thought that combining tequila and wine would taste so good, but it really is a great drink for parties. I had a request for this recipe, and I am going to share it with you, the best that I can.
I normally am pretty good about measuring ingredients and writing things down, but a friend actually made it.
My friend Sue is a very good cook. She has great instincts when it comes to flavors. She is also lovingly known as the Queen of Substitutions. She will start with a recipe and then just add what she has on hand. Often things work out, sometimes, not.
This is one of those times when things worked out very well, indeed. She was watching TV and saw a recipe for a tequila and wine punch. She had the tequila and wine, but not quite all of the other ingredients, so she kind of made it up as she went along. The end result was a drink that was not too sweet and very refreshing. She used bottled margarita mix, but I included a recipe to make your own.
So here is the recipe.
Wine and Tequila Punch
1 1/2 c. tequila
1/2 bottle of wine, use what you have on hand, we did
1 c. margarita mix*
1 c. orange juice
1 or 2 oranges, sliced thin
ice
In pitcher, combine tequila with wine, mix, juice and oranges. Add lots of ice, stir and serve.
Note: You can make your own margarita mix. Combine 1 cup of water and one cup of sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring to help dissolve the sugar. Add 2/3 cup each of lemon juice and lime juice- fresh squeezed preferred. Store in fridge until ready to use.
Easy Easter Cupcakes
These cupcakes would make a great dessert for Easter- or any time. They are also a fun dessert for kids to make.
I started out by making a double batch of my classic white cupcakes- recipe follows. To add a little color to the cupcakes, I divided the batter into three bowls and tinted each of them a different pastel color.
As I filled the pans, I just added a spoonful of each of the tinted batters in them. They came out really nice.
I made three different cupcakes: bunnies, chicks and nests.
I also made a double batch of white chocolate frosting. You could certainly make a vanilla buttercream, if you prefer.
Details on how to make each of them are listed below.
Classic White (Vanilla) Cupcakes
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup milk
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin pan with 12 paper liners. In a medium bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine flour and baking powder, add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Finally stir in the milk until batter is smooth. Pour or spoon batter into the prepared pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes. Cupcakes are done when they springs back to the touch. Makes 12.
White Chocolate Frosting
6 oz. white chocolate – if using bars, chop before melting
1 stick (4 oz.) cold butter, cut into cubes
1-2 c. powdered sugar
1 t. vanilla
Melt chocolate. I just melt mine in a microwave safe dish, but you can use a double boiler. Let chocolate cool down a little. Beat butter into the melted chocolate. Beat until smooth and then beat in the powdered sugar and vanilla. Whip until frosting is smooth and fluffy. I normally beat for 5 minutes or longer. If too thick, add a few drops of water or milk. For this recipe, I made a double batch of frosting.
Bunnies
extra white chocolate
food coloring- pink or red
chocolate chips
pastel ( pink) M&M’s
Make bunny ears by melting some white chocolate and putting it in a piping bag or bottle. On wax paper, make outline of the ears in white chocolate and allow to cool/harden. Place a drop or two of pink or red food coloring in a microwave safe bowl and add some white chocolate. Melt in microwave, being careful not to burn the chocolate and stir until it turns pink. Pipe the pink chocolate into the middle of the ears. Allow to harden before peeling off of the was paper. Using a star tip, pipe frosting on cupcake. I made three layers – to add height to the cupcake. place ears on cupcake and add chips/candy for eyes and mouth.
Chicks
Frosting tinted yellow and green
mini chocolate chips
fruit roll up
Using star tip, pipe the chick’s body onto the cupcake in yellow frosting. Pipe on head and wings. Pipe green frosting around chick to form a nest. Use mini chips for eyes and cut fruit roll up for beak.
Nests
Frosting tinted green
egg shapes malted milk balls- or you could use jelly beans
Pipe green frosting on cupcakes to make nests. Add three, or more, candies in the middle for eggs.
Piping pink filling in ears
rainbow cupcake
bunnies
Chick cupcake
The nest cupcake
Shrimp and Grits
A fun way to celebrate almost any special occasion is with shrimp and grits. Everybody seems to love them. I made these for a friend’s birthday. As an added bonus, they are fast and easy to make. It’s all in the timing. Get your grits simmering on the stove, while you clean and season the shrimp. Once the grits are ready, keep them warm and quickly saute the shrimp. Then just serve them up.
Some folks like to add cheese to the grits. I did this time, but feel free to omit cheese, if you like. Sharp cheddar or Parmesan are good choices. Add the cheese when you add the cream and butter.
I didn’t get specific on how much of the seasonings to add. I dusted the shrimp with the seasonings and tossed to get them all coated evenly. I was generous with all but the cayenne. I used about a 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne. They still had a nice kick, but I had a guest coming who doesn’t like spicy foods. You can always serve them with hot sauce on the side, so guests who like spicier foods can add that to their shrimp.
Shrimp and Grits
1 c. grits, I used regular grits, not quick cooking
4 c. water
½ t. salt
3 T. butter
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 lb. large raw shrimp, shelled and deveined
Salt
Pepper
Cayenne pepper
Garlic powder
Paprika
2 T. oil
2 T. butter
In saucepan, bring water to a boil and add the grits and salt. Turn down to a simmer and cover the pan. Stir every few minutes. Cook until grits are tender and water is absorbed, about 20 minutes. While the grits are cooking, place shrimp in medium bowl and season to taste with the salt, pepper, cayenne, garlic powder and paprika. Toss shrimp to coat evenly and set aside. Once grits are done cooking, stir in the cream and butter. Adjust seasoning. Cover and remove from the heat. Heat oil and butter in skillet and cook shrimp over medium high heat, turning to cook on both sides until shrimp are cooked, about 5 minutes. They should get a nice, golden color. Larger shrimp will take longer, but be careful not to overcook them. To serve, spoon some grits on a plate or in a shallow bowl. Top with some shrimp and serve. Serves 4.
Creamy Spinach Sauce
The sauce reminds me of creamed spinach, a favorite childhood dish of mine. The recipe makes enough to generously sauce a pound of pasta. It is very tasty and easy to make. Great when you need a home made meal, but don’t have a lot of time. You can also use this sauce on hot cooked rice or baked potatoes.
The recipe uses frozen spinach, but you can use fresh spinach , if you prefer. Just cook down 12-16 oz. of fresh spinach and use like the frozen spinach.
There is Parmesan cheese in the sauce. I like to serve extra on the side.
Creamy Spinach Sauce
1/4 c. butter
1 (10 oz.) package frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1 t. salt
1 c. ricotta cheese
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 c. milk
Heat spinach in butter for 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and heat gently until warmed through. Do not boil sauce. Toss sauce over hot, cooked pasta. Makes 2 1/2 cups, enough for about a pound of pasta.
Mandarin Orange Sorbet
This is one of those dishes that is so simple, but so tasty. In the end, its just frozen mandarin oranges, blended up in a food processor until creamy. You can add some sugar, if you like, and a little vanilla. then finish off with a pinch of salt.
I served this sorbet to some friends after dinner the other night and they loved it. The color is beautiful and the flavor is refreshing. Served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, it would taste like an elevated version of a creamsicle. I could see adding a scoop to a cold drink on a hot summer day. But it is good enough to serve all on its own.
I make a lot of fruit based sorbets. An abundance of mandarins were my inspiration for this one. I needed to use them in something!! I will certainly play around with adding other flavors or perhaps adding some zest next time. I already have frozen more mandarins to use later.
For now, I am very pleased with this simple and flavorful dessert. Here is how I made it.
Mandarin Orange Sorbet
10-12 mandarin oranges
1-2 T. sugar, optional or to taste
1 t. vanilla, optional
Pinch of salt
Peel and freeze the mandarins. Once frozen, place them in a food processor and process until mixture becomes smooth and creamy. Taste and see if you want to add a little sugar. Sweeten to taste and add the vanilla, also optional, and just a pinch of salt. Combine well then return to the freezer until you are ready to serve it. Makes about 1 pint.
Fish and Vegetable Soup
When you think of homemade soup, I am guessing you don’t think of fish. Perhaps a clam chowder, but not fish. Maybe you should. This soup is really quite wonderful. It is full of great flavors and it cooks up in no time. It is both light and satisfying. It sort of reminded me of a Manhattan style chowder, but with fish instead of clams.
You can use any mild fish you happen to like. I have used salmon, catfish, cod, perch and flounder in the past, and liked the way all of them tasted in the soup. You can also use a mix of more than one fish.
The recipe calls for canned tomatoes, but fresh tomatoes would work. I have used bottled salsa a few times. It added a nice little bit of extra flavor. You would add a pound of diced fresh tomatoes, if using fresh. I used home canned tomatoes.
So here is the recipe. Hope you give it a try.
Fish and Vegetable Soup
1 medium carrot, sliced
2 ribs celery, diced
2 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced
1 large leek, white part only, cleaned and chopped
5 c. chicken, vegetable or fish stock
1 (14 oz.) can of stewed tomatoes, I used a pint of home canned tomatoes
Salt, pepper and cayenne pepper to taste to taste
1 1/2 lb. firm white fish cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/4 c. flour
2 t. paprika
2 T. oil 1/4 c. fresh parsley
In broth cook the carrot, celery and leeks 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and potatoes and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes longer. Season to taste. Meanwhile mix the flour and paprika together and dredge the fish in it. Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat and cook the fish until lightly browned on both sides. Drain on paper towels. Before serving add fish pieces and parsley to the soup and simmer 5 minutes. Serve with crusty bread. Serves 6.
