Healthy-ish Dessert: Mini Mocha Cheesecakes

I ripped this recipe out of my Everyday Food Magazine.  I've been meaning to make them.  I did.  You should too.

Seriously, only 174 calories and SO easy to make.  I repeat, SO easy to make. Get it? OK, good.

I added a Kahlua whipped cream to the original recipe.

You'll Need: (Makes 9)


For the Cheesecake:
-2 cups (16 oz.) Nonfat cottage cheese
-2 eggs
-1.5 cups confectioner's sugar
-1/3 cup cocoa powder
-1 Tablespoon + 1.5 teaspoons flour
-1.5 teaspoons espresso powder
-1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract
-9 chocolate wafers (Nabisco's Famous)
-Muffin tin
-9 cupcake liners
-food processor

For the Whipped Cream:
-1/2 cup cream
-1 teaspoon Kahlua
-1 Tablespoon superfine sugar

First.


Line your muffin tin.  Preheat the oven to 275 (F).  Put everything in the food processor.

Second.


Give it a whirl until everything is fully combined and smooth.  May take several minutes.

Third. 


Pour the mixture into the prepared muffin tin, distributing equally among the 9 liners.  Then put a wafer on top of each one.

Fourth.


Bake for about 25 minutes.  Remove from oven, leave them in the pan and let cool to room temperature.  Then transfer to the refrigerator and store until its time to eat! In the mean time, whip up the cream to soft peaks with sugar and Kahlua. Serve.  Enjoy.  Die of happiness and celebrate the fact that you can have at least 2, after all...only 174 calories!

Fact of the Matter: The Voice and The Bachelor...both on Mondays...decisions...

Food Trip: Shanghai

Haven't posted in a bit!

Here are some photos of the food I've eaten recently.  Explanations in captions.

Homemade Dumplings

Lots of them!

Delicious cooked dumplings

Spinach Rolls

Spicy Chicken

Cake

Dragon Fruit

Bitter Melon

Beef

Kung Pao Chicken

Eggplant

Tofu

Pickled Vegetables

Meat Ball Soup

Soup with Beef

Noodles with Shredded Beef & Chili Oil

Noodles with Shredded Chicken & Chili Oil

Salad

Soup & Salad

Rice

Garlicky Beef & Sprouts

Pineapple

Lemon Chicken

Soft-Shell Crab

Ice Cream

Hot Pot

Beef for Hot Pot

Quail Egg

Salmon & Pasta

Fact of the Matter:  Variety in food is the best.

Christmas Cookies

I am so sorry for not posting in 10,000 years.  Forgive me.  Things happen.

You know who is a genius? Deb of Smitten Kitchen.

Seriously, I made her recipe for brownie roll out cookies. Delish! And they came out perfectly.

You can find the cookie recipe on her blog and I made buttercream frosting with:

-1 stick butter

-1/3 lb. confectioners sugar

-1 teaspoon vanilla

Just whip it up in your mixer until smooth and spread on cooled cookies.  Don't forget the sprinkles!

Anytime Snack: Chocolate Chip Scones

I think people don't realize how easy it is to make scones.  Really, you can do it.  You don't even need a mixer other than a pastry cutter.

Adapted from: Macaroni and Cheesecake

You'll Need:
-2 + 1/2 cups flour
-1/4 cup oatmeal
-1/3 cup sugar
-3/4 teaspoon salt
-1 Tablespoon + 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
-1 stick cold butter, cut in pieces
-8 ounces chocolate chips or chunks
-2 eggs
-1 + 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
-1/3 cup heavy cream
-1/4 cup milk
-baking sheet
-pastry cutter
-parchment paper or silpat
-freezer
-whisk
-spatula
-2 bowls
-surface to form dough on

First.


In a large bowl, mix up all of the dry ingredients with a whisk. Then, cut in the butter until it is in small pieces with the pastry cutter.

Second.


Toss the chocolate into the flour mixture.  Mix up wet ingredients in another bowl.

Third.


Make a slight well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet.  Fold together with a spatula.

Fourth.


As the dough just comes together, sprinkle a surface with flour and dump the dough out to form it into 2 rectangles, about 4x12 and 1 inch thick.  Cut each rectangle into 3 equal-ish squares and cut each square diagonally. (I like to use a bench/pastry scraper for this.)

Fifth.


Arrange the triangles on the parchment lined backing sheet and pop it in the freezer for about 15 minutes while the oven preheats to 425 degrees (F).

Sixth.


Once the oven is preheated, (to 425 degrees F) pop 'em in and bake for about 7 minutes, then turn the baking sheet around and cook until slightly browned, about 9 minutes. Let them cool on wire racks for 5-10 minutes.  Eat 'em up!

Fact of the Matter: I am so happy there is finally cool weather.