Food!

Tuesday, February 17th

Salad, pierogies, bread...  I shouldn't even write about this, as I didn't really make anything...  I had spinach, pear, craisins, almonds and pecans.  Toss.  I fried pierogies in butter, served them with salsa.  And, I cut up some bread from When Pigs Fly - the potato, onion and something-else bread...

[Small insert.]  I made a chocolate cheesecake Thursday evening - I had promised my pod that I'd bake something, as it had been awhile.  I normally make a chocolate-peanutbutter cheesecake, but a newer podmate of mine doesn't do nuts.  I've had my cheesecake recipe for so long that I'm not entirely sure where it came from.  Hence, here's the recipe:

Crust:

2 c crushed chocolate graham crackers

1/3 c butter, melted

2 T sugar

Filling:

1 c semisweet chocolate chips

3 x 8 ozs. cream cheese, soft

1 c sugar

3 eggs

1/2 c sour cream (I didn't have any, so I used Greek yogurt.)

3 T flour

2 t vanilla extract

1. Mix together Crust ingredients, press into a 9" springform pan.

2. In a double boiler (small pot in big pot...) melt chocolate.

3. Beat cream cheese and sugar.  Blend in eggs.  Gradually pour in melted chocolate.  Add sour cream (yogurt,) flour and vanilla.  Blend till smooth.  Pour into crust.

4. Bake at 350, preferably in a water bath, for 55-60 minutes.  Turn the oven off, leaving the cheesecake inside for an hour.

5. Let cool!  Refrigerate!  Enjoy!  (I like to spread a thin layer of melted hot fudge on top - it tastes good, and it covers any cracks in the cake!)

Friday, February 20th

Salad, French bread pizza.  M1 made us dinner before we headed out to watch a friend-of-a-friend play at a bar.  Salad had tomatoes and croutons and avocado and mushrooms and yellow pepper and...  Am I forgetting anything?

French bread pizzas had basil and mushrooms and... cheese... and I know there was more, but I can't remember!

Add some margaritas, Bud Lights, a cover band and good friends...  Great evening!

Sunday, February 22nd

Bow tie pasta, garlic bread, sour cherry cobbler.  I think that past with pesto sauce and a side of garlic bread has to fit into my favourite simple meals ever.

M3 made bow tie pasta (one of my favourite shapes of pasta ever) with a light pesto sauce, mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes and feta.  Add thick, buttery, delicious garlic bread.

[Add Oscars.]  Add wine.

There was also "sour" cheery cobbler.  I didn't find it that sour, but it was delicious.  And with fresh whipped cream!  Yum!