Classic Nigerian Food Recipes

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350 recipe ideas for busy people

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101 Never-fail Christmas Dessert Recipes

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Pineapple Celery Punch recipe – 81 calories

Don’t be put off by the weird combination of ingredients… the final result is well worth it! Sweet and a little tangy, this is a very healthy and refreshing drink.

Pineapple Celery Punch recipe – 81 calories

Ingredients:
2 cups celery, chopped
2 cups fresh pineapple, cut into cubes
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, firmly packed

Preparation:
1. In a blender, purée all ingredients until smooth.
2. Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding the solids after pressing hard on them.
3. Serve over ice.

Servings: 4

Nutritional information for one serving:
Calories: 81
Total fat: 0.2 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 42 mg
Total carbs: 20.8 g
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 0.8 g
Weight Watchers points: 1

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Blueberry Breakfast Cake

Confession: My freezer is full of bulging gallon bags of the blueberries that we picked this summer, and rather than feel grateful that I’ll have blueberries all year round, I often feel pressured just to eat the darn things up so I can have my freezer space back.  I want to be making Octobery desserts with the two exotic pumpkins that I just bought but feel compelled to use blueberries every chance I get.  Last weekend I made this cake for my daughter E and her friend’s breakfast, and when E saw it she said, “Why didn’t you make a pumpkin cake?”  It looks like being ungrateful for what you have runs in the family!

Still, E and her friend ate the whole cake, except for the 3 pieces D and I managed to grab. It’s a breakfast or coffee cake, so it’s not supposed to be super sweet (though try telling that to E, who poured agave nectar over hers because she thought it wasn’t sweet enough).  If you have blueberries in your freezer, you can enjoy this little taste of summer when it’s cool enough to want to turn the oven on.  Who wouldn’t be grateful for that?

(printer-friendly version)

Lightly sweet and subtly spiced, this low-fat breakfast cake can be made with fresh or frozen blueberries. If using frozen, measure first and then defrost.

Dry Ingredients:

1 cup quick or whole oats (not instant)
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup vegan sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon Ener-G Egg Replacer or substitute
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt

Blueberries:

1 1/4 cup blueberries, divided

Wet Ingredients:

1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping:

2 tablespoons coarse sugar, such as demerara or raw sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly spray or wipe the bottom and sides of a 8 X 8-inch glass baking pan with oil or cooking spray. (You may use metal, but the baking time will vary.)

Put the oats into a blender and grind until they are fine. Stir a couple of times to make sure that they’re uniformly ground.

Mix the oat flour with the other dry ingredients. Stir in 1/4 cup of the blueberries.

Put the remaining cup blueberries into a blender or food processor with the water. Pulse (quickly turn on and off) to coarsely chop the blueberries, but do not completely puree. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in blueberry mixture and other wet ingredients. Stir until moistened and completely combined, but don’t over-mix. Pour into the prepared pan (batter will be thick). Mix together the sugar and cinnamon topping, and sprinkle it over the top.

Bake for 25-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes. Eat and celebrate!

For a slightly lighter cake, add one tablespoon canola oil with the wet ingredients. This adds 14 calories and 1.5 grams of fat per serving.

Servings: 9

Nutrition Facts

Nutrition (per serving): 143 calories, 4 calories from fat, <1 g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 308.4mg sodium, 60.6mg potassium, 33.2g carbohydrates, 1.7g fiber, 16.5g sugar, 2.3g protein, 2.6 points.

Banana Coffee Cake

Coconut Chai Breakfast Cake

Cinnamon Swirl Muffins

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Bok Choy and Baked Tofu Stir-Fry in Ginger-Citrus Sauce

I love baby bok choy.  With its crisp, light green stalk and its leafy dark green top, it’s almost like two vegetables.  The leafy parts cook in seconds, so I always separate them from the bottom halves as I slice them and toss them in at the end of cooking to retain their bright green color and fresh taste.  If you’ve only had full-sized bok choy, you really owe it to yourself to seek out their baby relatives, which are, in my opinion, much more tender and much less bitter.  And much cuter–can’t forget the cute factor!

You know what else is cute?  Fresh water chestnuts.  Though they’re not much fun to peel, fresh water chestnuts have a sweet taste that the tinny-tasting canned version totally lacks.  I was lucky to find both baby bok choy and fresh water chestnuts on a recent trip to New Orleans, and while two cute vegetables don’t necessarily make a cute stir-fry, in this case they make a tasty one, a hint of orange in the sauce bringing out the sweetness of both the water chestnuts and the bok choy.  If you can’t find fresh water chestnuts, you can substitute canned or–here’s a wild idea–diced apple.  If you can’t find baby boks, adult ones will do, but their flavor is not as delicate and they’ll take longer to cook.

(printer-friendly version)

This is a very light sauce, with just a hint of citrus.  For a bolder citrus flavor, add a teaspoon of grated orange peel during the last minute of cooking.

1 1/2 pounds baby bok choy (about 5)
1 14-ounce package extra-firm tofu, pressed, marinated and baked (or 8 ounces packaged baked tofu)
1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce or gluten-free tamari
2 teaspoons agave nectar
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1/4 teaspoon dark sesame oil
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 large carrot, cut into matchsticks
1 tablespoon minced ginger root
1 cup slivered water chestnuts (from peeled fresh water chestnuts or canned, drained)
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 ounces cremini or shiitaki mushrooms, sliced

Wash the heads of bok choy well and trim the bottom. Cut the bottom, whitish part of the stalk into 1/2-inch slices. Set them aside and slice the green leaves thinly and place on a separate plate.

Cut the tofu into slices or cubes. Combine the orange juice, soy sauce, agave, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and cornstarch in a small bowl.

Heat a large wok or deep skillet. Quickly spray with canola oil, if necessary, and add the bok choy stalks, carrot, and ginger. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Add water chestnuts, garlic, and mushrooms and continue to cook until mushrooms begin to soften, about 2 more minutes. Stir in the bok choy greens, place the tofu on top, and cover tightly. Steam briefly until greens are wilted and bright green, about 1-2 minutes. Stir the orange juice mixture, add it to the skillet, and bring to a boil. Simmer until slightly thickened, about 30 seconds. Serve with rice or other grain.

Servings: 4

Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving): 212 calories, 49 calories (23%) from fat, 5.8g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 681.1mg sodium, 978.1mg potassium, 29.1g carbohydrates, 3.8g fiber, 10.9g sugar, 16.1g protein, 4 points.

Nutrition analysis is approximate and will vary depending on exact ingredients used. Though MyPoints are calculated using a formula similar to Weight Watchers Points TM, this site has no affiliation with Weight Watchers and does not guarantee the accuracy of this information.

Tagged as: CORE, gluten-free, higher-fat, soy

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Pumpkin, Squash, or Cushaw Bake

One Sunday a month throughout my childhood, my family would attend Family Night Supper at our church.  It was a time of community, of fellowship…and of competition.  Because Family Night Supper was a potluck dinner, the ladies of the church showed off their cooking skills by bringing their signature dishes–their congealed chicken salads, artichoke dips, and pecan pies–each platter or pan carefully monitored to see whose dish was being devoured and whose was left untouched.

There was one dish that I could never figure out, a homely, golden substance that everyone seemed to like, including me.  I got up the courage one night to ask the lady who brought it what it was, and when she said “Cushaw,” I didn’t know whether to say “Thanks” or “Gesundheit.” 

Cushaw

I think I eventually worked out for myself that a cushaw was similar to a pumpkin, but I didn’t really know exactly what it was until another lady at a roadside produce stand in Mississippi explained to me what the gourd-shaped, orange or green-striped squashes were. Thank goodness for the helpfulness of Southern ladies!

Since then, I’ve cooked with cushaw every fall, using it in everything from pumpkin pie to pumpkin-apple butter to apple-pumpkin delight. (As you can probably guess, cushaw is excellent in any pumpkin recipe–I would say even better than pumpkin because it’s sweeter and has more edible flesh than seeds and strings.)  All these dishes were delicious, but none of them ever tasted like the church-lady’s cushaw, which I admit I remember only hazily,  through the golden glow of nostalgia.  So I set about looking for  that cushaw recipe in my Louisiana cookbooks.  And what I discovered revealed why I could never quite recreate that dish: 1/2 pound butter, 2 cups sugar, 2 eggs…. Those are the non-cushaw ingredients of all Louisiana Baked Cushaw recipes.

Maybe someday I’ll try my hand at creating a vegan version of that childhood memory, complete with vegan margarine and loads of sugar, just to see if it lives up to my recollections.  In the meantime, I made something quite a bit less fat- and sugar-laden.  In fact, the only sugar in my version comes from dates, though most people will want to sweeten it up a little more, either with maple syrup or with a natural sugar substitute such as stevia or xylitol.  It doesn’t taste like the decadent dessert of my childhood, but it’s still satisfyingly homely.  If you don’t have cushaw (and how many of you do?) you can use pumpkin or any winter squash.

(printer-friendly version)

For a spicy kick, try adding 1/4 cup of chopped candied ginger in with the raisins.

3-4 pounds pumpkin, cushaw, or other winter squash
1/2 cup chopped dates (about 5 medjool dates, pitted)
1 tablespoon tapioca starch (or cornstarch)
1 tablespoon ground flax seed
1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
sweetener of choice, to taste
1/4 cup raisins
2 tablespoons walnuts, toasted (optional)

Use a 3-4 pound pumpkin or squash or cut off a 3-4 pound section of a larger squash. Cut in half and scrape out any strings and seeds from inside. Cut into pieces no bigger than 2 inches thick. Place in a steamer basket fitted into a large pan over about an inch of water. Cover and steam until squash is tender when poked with a knife, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to stand, covered, until cool enough to handle.

Once the pumpkin/squash is cool, peel each piece with a sharp knife.

Preheat oven to 400F and spray a medium-sized casserole dish with cooking spray.

Place the dates in a food processor, and pulse until they are well-chopped. Add the peeled pumpkin, and blend well. Add all remaining ingredients except raisins and blend.

Taste the mixture. If it is not sweet enough to your taste, add your choice of sweetener until it is to your liking. If you are not watching sugar intake, brown sugar or maple syrup are delicious. If you want a low-sugar version, stevia is a good natural sweetener. (I used three tiny scoops of stevia.) Once it is sweetened to taste, pour it into the prepared casserole, stir in the raisins, and smooth the top.

Bake until water has evaporated and top is browned, about 40 minutes if you did not add a liquid sweetener. Sprinkle with toasted walnuts, if desired. Serve warm or chilled.

Servings: 8

Nutrition (per serving, without additional sugar): 148 calories (136 without walnuts), 18 calories from fat, 2.1g total fat (.88 without walnuts), 0mg cholesterol, 153.6mg sodium, 731.9mg potassium, 34g carbohydrates, 5.1g fiber, 13.9g sugar, 2.7g protein, 2.3 points.
Nutrition analysis is approximate and will vary depending on exact ingredients used. Though MyPoints are calculated using a formula similar to Weight Watchers Points TM, this site has no affiliation with Weight Watchers and does not guarantee the accuracy of this information.

Kittee makes Kitchen Sink Lentil Soup with leftover cushawKari asks another Southern lady about cushaw and creates The Lady at the Market’s Cushaw Pie (not vegan)…and that’s all I could find! If you’re a blogger and have a recipe with cushaw, please let me know.  And if you haven’t cooked with cushaw, consider growing some in your garden next summer. Their seed is becoming very popular with heirloom seed companies.Tagged as: CORE, eat-to-live, gluten-free, Southern cooking, sugar-free

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Chipotle Cilantro-Lime Rice

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Steamed white rice tossed with freshly chopped cilantro, a dash of citrus juice and a little salt.

1 teaspoon olive oil
2 teaspoons fresh cilantro
2/3 cup white basmati rice
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Lime

In a 2-quart heavy saucepan, heat oil over low heat. Add rice and the juice from half of one fresh lime, stir for 1 minute. Add water and salt, bring to a full rolling boil. Once boiling, cover, turn down to simmer over low heat until rice is tender and the water is absorbed, about 25 minutes. Add the chopped cilantro and the juice from the other half of the lime. Fluff rice with a fork.

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Copycat Carrabba’s Chicken Marsala

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1 – 1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
olive oil
1/3 cup salted butter
1 slice prosciutto – diced
2 teaspoons minced shallots
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/4 cup Marsala wine
(2) 4 oz. cans sliced mushrooms – drained
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoon corn starch
1 cup cold chicken broth
1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley
2 tablespoons heavy cream

Pound chicken breasts until thin. In a bowl, combine the salt, 1 tsp. black pepper, oregano, thyme, parsley, marjoram and garlic powder. Coat chicken lightly with olive oil. Use the spice mixture to coat chicken evenly; place in the refrigerator until needed.
In a saucepan over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add prosciutto, shallots, and garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds. Add Marsala to pan and simmer for 30 seconds. Add mushrooms and black pepper and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium.
Dissolve corn starch in chicken broth, then add to saucepan. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add parsley and cream to saucepan and simmer for 3 – 4 minutes, or until thick. Remove from heat and cover until needed.
Grill coated chicken over a medium flame for 5 – 7 minutes per side, or until cooked. Place grilled chicken on individual serving plate and spoon sauce over chicken.

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Ridiculously Easy Lentil and Vegetable Stew

I’d hoped to be sharing a Halloween recipe with you, but life has been getting in the way of cooking lately.  The other night I went into the kitchen to make a last-minute dinner of my Dirty Little Secret Soup but wound up making so many changes that it took on an entirely new character.  I had about 2/3 of a cup of leftover pumpkin puree that I wanted to use up, so I changed the other ingredients and seasonings to complement it.  And do you know what happens when you add pumpkin and quinoa to soup?  It thickens so much that it’s not soup anymore but stew!

Before I get to the recipe, let me share a couple of pieces of exciting news:

First, I found out on Monday that this blog won this year’s VegNews Magazine Veggie Award for readers’ favorite blog.  I can’t tell you how honored I am that so many of you took the time to vote for me again.  The competition included some of my favorite blogs, and I’m sure the voting was close.  Thank you!

Second, I’m happy to announce that I’ll be speaking at the first ever Vida Vegan Blogger Conference next August 26-28 in Portland, Oregon.  It looks like it’s going to be a great weekend, and if you’re a vegan blogger or blog reader, you will not want to miss it.  Registration is open, so sign up and let me know in the comments if you’ll be there.

On to the recipe.  It’s ridiculously easy because I used frozen vegetables and canned lentils, but if you want to do it the slow way, chop your own veg and cook your own lentils.  I’m sure fresh ingredients will make this flavorful and deeply satisfying stew even more delicious.

P.S.  I may still get around to creating a Halloween dish, but until then, check the bottom of this post for links to vegan Halloween treats.

(printer-friendly version)

1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic cloves, minced
2 12-ounce packages frozen vegetables* (or 2 pounds fresh vegetables cut in bit-sized pieces)
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, preferably fire-roasted
1 15-ounce can cooked lentils (or 1 1/2 cups cooked lentils and cooking liquid)
4 cups vegetable broth or “no-chicken” broth
1 1/4 teaspoon Mexican oregano (or regular oregano)
1/2 teaspoon hot smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/3 cup quinoa, rinsed very well
2/3 cup pumpkin (canned or cooked and water pressed out)
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Cook the onion in a large, non-stick Dutch oven until it begins to brown. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for another minute. Add next 7 ingredients and cook until vegetables thaw and broth begins to boil. Add quinoa and cook on medium heat until it is tender, about 15 minutes. Add pumpkin and salt and pepper to taste and cook for 5 more minutes, adding a little water if it seems too thick. Serve hot, garnished with parsley, if desired.

*I used an Italian blend containing carrots, zucchini, cauliflower, lima beans, red bell peppers, and Italian green beans, but any blend of  chunky-cut vegetables will do.

Servings: 6

Nutrition (per serving): 181 calories, 8 calories from fat, <1g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 535.7mg sodium, 311.7mg potassium, 33.4g carbohydrates, 8.5g fiber, 8.7g sugar, 9.7g protein, 2.9 points.

Tagged as: CORE, eat-to-live, gluten-free, Ridiculously Easy

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Pineapple Celery Punch recipe – 81 calories

Don’t be put off by the weird combination of ingredients… the final result is well worth it! Sweet and a little tangy, this is a very healthy and refreshing drink.

Pineapple Celery Punch recipe – 81 calories

Ingredients:
2 cups celery, chopped
2 cups fresh pineapple, cut into cubes
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, firmly packed

Preparation:
1. In a blender, purée all ingredients until smooth.
2. Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding the solids after pressing hard on them.
3. Serve over ice.

Servings: 4

Nutritional information for one serving:
Calories: 81
Total fat: 0.2 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 42 mg
Total carbs: 20.8 g
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 0.8 g
Weight Watchers points: 1

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Bean and Sesame Seed Spread (Hummus) recipe – 77 calories

If you want to make hummus but can’t find tahini, try this recipe that uses sesame seeds. It has a subtle flavor and a nice, creamy consistency.

Bean and Sesame Seed Spread (Hummus) recipe – 77 calories

Ingredients:
1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans
1 garlic clove, cut in half
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Preparation:
1. Drain the garbanzo beans and reserve the liquid.
2. Place the reserved bean liquid, garlic and sesame seeds in the food processor. Cover and blend on high speed until mixed.
3. Add the garbanzo beans, salt and lemon juice. Cover and process on high speed until smooth.
4. Serve as a spread with crackers, wedges of pita bread or raw vegetables.

Servings: 12

Nutritional information for one serving:
Calories: 77
Total fat: 3.4 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 203 mg
Total carbs: 9.7 g
Fiber: 2.3 g
Protein: 2.8 g
Weight Watchers points: 1

Photo credit: Albertas Agejevas

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Copycat Lipton’s Onion Soup

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Why buy those little packets when you probably have all these ingredients in your kitchen already?

3/4 cup minced onion
1/3 cup beef bouillon
4 teaspoons onion powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed celery seed
1/4 teaspoon sugar

Mix together all of the ingredients. Store in an air-tight container

5 tablespoons of this mix is equal to 1 (1.25-oz) package

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Copycat Carrabba’s Mozzarella, Tomato & Pesto Bruschette

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1/4 cup butter, softened
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
(6) (1/2-inch) slices Italian bread
6 slices mozzarella cheese – trimmed to fit bread slices
3 tablespoons basil Pesto
(6) (1/4-inch) slices Roma tomato
julienne fresh basil, for garnish

Mix butter with garlic and garlic powder. Spread butter mixture over bread slices. Place a slice of mozzarella on each piece of bread. Place a slice of tomato on each slice of mozzarella. Spread 1/2 tablespoon of Pesto over each slice of tomato.
Place bread on a cookie sheet and bake in a 500 degree F oven for 4 minutes, or until cheese has melted.
Sprinkle basil over the top.

Serves 2

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Copycat Famous Dave’s Corn Bread with Honey Jalapeno Glaze

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I am a huge corn bread fan and nobody does it better than Famous Dave’s. I recreated this recipe using my new oven and it came out amazing! I recommend doubling the recipe because everyone is going to eat them up in a flash. You can prepare the glaze ahead of time and store it in a sealed container, in the refrigerator. Re-heat before serving.

1 cup stone ground cornmeal
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 (9-oz) package yellow cake mix
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon mayonnaise

Jalapeno Honey Glaze:
1/2 cup butter
1 large jalapeno pepper, seeded, finely diced
2 tablespoons red bell pepper, finely diced
1/4 cup honey
1/8 teaspoon cayenne

Combine the stone ground and yellow cornmeal, yellow cake mix, baking powder, cayenne pepper and salt in a bowl, set aside. In another bowl, add milk, buttermilk, oil, eggs, brown sugar and honey and mix well. Add the liquid mixture to the cornmeal mixture and mix lightly until no lumps, but do not overmix. Fold in the mayonnaise.

Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400° F. Spoon the cold batter into a prepared muffin tin. Bake for 25 – 30 minutes or until a fork comes out clean and the tops are golden brown. While it is baking, make the glaze by heating butter in a saucepan until melted. Stir in jalapeño and bell pepper. Bring to a simmer. Stir in honey and cayenne. While stirring, return to a simmer. Remove from heat. Drizzle over the corn bread.

Serves 8-10

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Copycat Olive Garden Pumpkin Cheesecake

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The fall season is upon us. Just in time for Thanksgiving, we have a great Olive Garden recipe that combines cheesecake with pumpkin pie and then takes it to the next level.

Crust:
8 tablespoons melted butter
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup ginger snap cookies
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Cheesecake Filling:
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese
2/3 cups light brown sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Sour Cream Layer:
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Whipped Cream:
2 pints heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Additional toppings:
Caramel sauce
crumbled gingersnap cookies

Prepare The Crust:

In a medium bowl combine all crust ingredients. Press crust into an 8-inch springform pan. Press the crust about halfway up the side of the springform pan. Refrigerate crust until needed.

Prepare The Filling:

Make sure all of the filling ingredients are at room temperature before mixing. Wrap the pure pumpkin puree with a couple of large paper towels. Leave wrapped for about an hour to remove the excess water in the pumpkin puree. Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth, add eggs one at a time, and then combine all remaining ingredients for the filling in a mixer. Mix until very smooth. Remove crust from refrigerator, and pour in filling.

Bake cheesecake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes, and then reduce temperature to 325 degrees F for an additional 30 minutes. When you remove the cheesecake it should have a slight wiggle in the center, the cheesecake will set up as it cools.

Prepare The Sour Cream Layer:

While the cheesecake cools, begin to prepare the seasoned cream cheese layer. In a small bowl combine sour cream, sugar, and spices. Blend well. Spread sour cream mixture evenly over the baked cheesecake. Place the cheesecake back into the 325 degree F oven for 8 minutes so the sour cream layer will set.

Prepare The Whipped Cream:

Allow the cheesecake to cool completely. In a medium sized bowl combine 2 pints heavy whipping cream, vanilla, and sugar, mix well with a blender or a stand mixer. Whip the cream until it forms stiff peaks. Remove ring from the spring-form pan, and either pipe the whipped cream over the pumpkin cheesecake or spread with a knife.

To Serve:

Cut into 8-10 slices, drizzle the top of the cheesecake with caramel sauce, and then sprinkle over gingersnap crumbs.

Makes 1 Pie

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Copycat Tony Roma’s Blue Ridge Smokies BBQ Sauce

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A great recipe for your summer barbecues. Goes great on ribs!

1 cup ketchup
1 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder

Combine all of the ingredients in a medium saucepan over high heat, and whisk until smooth. Once the sauce begins boiling, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 35 minutes or until sauce has thickened.

Makes 3 cups

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Copycat Snapple Lemon Iced Tea

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Who doesn’t love a nice cold bottle of Snapple on a hot day? Maybe it is the “Best Stuff on Earth”, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make it better (and cheaper) at home. And if you prefer diet, just replace the sugar with 12 packets of artificial sweetener.

8 cups water
2 Lipton tea bags
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice

Add the water to a large saucepan and place over high heat. Once the water is boiling, add the tea bags and turn off the heat. Cover the saucepan and let stand for about 2 hours.
After 2 hours, discard the teabags. Add the sugar to a 2-quart pitcher. Pour the tea into the pitcher. Add the lemon juice and give it a good stir. Refrigerate until cold or serve over ice.

Makes 2 quarts.

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