No-Bake Cheesecake Experiment

I have been thinking about making a no-bake cheesecake for over a week. So, after some research I found three recipes that might work for me.

Initially, I thought I had all the ingredients.

As I examined each of the three recipes, I realized one called for condensed milk, didn't have that, so I dropped that one.

The other two were recipes for a much larger cheesecake than I planned for, so I had to halve the recipes to see what I could do.

Eventually, I adapted Valerie's recipe with insight from the other two and that's when the recipe became an experiment.

I knew I had confectioner sugar but I had several unlabelled jars of white powder in my cupboard. I tasted them. Two were baking soda, two were confectioner sugar. I labelled the jars.

I used a gram to ounce online converter to determine amounts.

https://www.metric-conversions.org/weight/grams-to-ounces.htm

With only two "pans" to choose from, I choose the 7" round glass pie pan.

No-Bake Cheesecake Experiment 
(Adapted from: https://www.fromvalerieskitchen.com/easy-blueberry-cheesecake-dessert/

 with consultation from: https://divascancook.com/easy-no-bake-cheesecake-recipe/ and https://cookingonabootstrap.com/2018/04/04/lazy-cheesecake-v-vg-df/)

Ingredients:

Crust

113g (3.98 oz) cinnamon flavored crackers or sugar cookies, crushed (depending in size of cake pan, you may have some crumbs left)

olive oil

Cheesecake

1 8oz package of cream cheese, softened

1/2 Cup confectioner sugar

1/2 Cup Whipped topping

1 Tspoon vanilla flavoring

1 Tspoon lime juice concentrate

Optional toppings: slices of fresh or canned fruit (drained), dried blueberries or chocolate syrup

Process:

Crust

To make the crust, put crackers or cookies (I choose the cinnamon flavored crackers) into a large baggie. Smash crackers with the bottom of a heavy glass or measuring cup until it becomes a bag of crumbs.

 

(Sugar Cookies or Cinnamon flavored crackers)

Add crumbs to large bowl.

Add a bit of olive oil. Stir and smash crumbs and oil thoroughly.

Add a bit more oil until the mixture sticks together.

Stir thoroughly.

Add some of the mixture to the pan.

Smash mixture down into center of pan. Add more mixture. Smash down mixture from center of pan to sides of pan until bottom and sides are coated with crumb mixture.

Set pan in frig while making the cream cheese mixture.

Cream Cheese Mixture

In a large bowl, add cream cheese.

Add confectioner sugar. Stir well. Stir to remove all lumps. Smash lumps with spoon. Stir until smooth.

Add Whipped topping. Stir well.

Add vanilla flavoring and lime juice concentrate.

Stir thoroughly.

Get pan with crumb mixture.

Carefully, add the cream cheese mixture into the center of the pan. It will be a mound of cream cheese mixture. Using a spatula or a spoon, carefully spread cream cheese mixture over bottom of pan up to the sides.

Smooth top of cream cheese mixture with the spatula or spoon.

Put pan in frig.

Refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight, until firm.

Add toppings when serving.

I tried a slice with some dried blueberries I had heated in the microwave with a little water to soften.

Later, I tried another slice with chocolate syrup. I liked it better than the one with blueberries.

It was also good without any topping. The cracker crumb crust was good.

Chia Frozen Yogurt with Dried Blueberries and Almond Slivers

After I researched Ratatouille recipes, I worked on one I adapted from SimplyRecipes (See previous post, 12 Step Ratatouille).

While I waited for the liquid to reduce, I was inspired by another SimplyRecipes Recipe, Chia Pudding with Blueberries and Almonds. But, as usual, I had to adapt the recipe according to what I had and what I could do.

Chia Frozen Yogurt with Dried Blueberries and Almond Slivers
(Adapted from:  https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/chia_pudding_with_blueberries_and_almonds/)

I used three small containers with lids.

(Not Shown: Vanilla, Honey, Cinnamon)

Ingredients:

1 8oz liquid apple yogurt

milk as needed

1/2 teaspoon chia to each

1/2 capful vanilla flavoring to each

1/2 capful honey to each

sprinkle of cinnamon to each

dried blueberries

almond slivers


Process:

Divide the yogurt into the 3 containers.

Add a bit of milk to almost fill the containers.

Add chia, vanilla, honey and cinnamon to each.
Stir each.

Put caps on containers.

Let them sit for 15-30 minutes.

Place in freezer.
Serve after freezing several hours, eight hours recommended.

When serving, tip container into small bowel.

Top with dried blueberries and almond slivers.

Some of My Favorite Mexican Treats

Some of My Favorite Mexican Treats -- Updated 6/6/18

Mazapan de la Rosa -- Chocolate covered marshmallow

(http://dulcesdelarosa.com.mx/producto/mostrar/caja/12)

Chocolate and Vanilla Shortbread Cookies with Chocolate Creme Filling

(Manufacturer: http://www.gamesa.com.mx/marcas but this item not shown.)

Nut Bread, Sliced

(Bimbo Nuez Pan. Manufacturer: https://www.grupobimbo.com/es)

Microwave: Mug O'Zucchini Cake

Microwave: Mug O'Zucchini Cake
(Adapted from: https://kirbiecravings.com/zucchini-mug-cake/)

 Ingredients:

4 level TBspoons flour

1 level TBspoon sugar

1/4 Teaspoon baking powder

1/4 Teaspoon baking soda

A sprinkle of cinnamon

4 TBspoons milk

Almost 1 TBspoon olive oil

3 Level TBspoons grated or shredded zucchini (remove excess moisture)

1/2 TBspoon Peanuts, crushed

Honey (optional)

1 baggie

1 8oz mug

1 heavy glass

Several tablespoons and teaspoons

Cheesecloth or paper towels

Process:

Put peanuts in a baggie. Smash with bottom of heavy glass to crush.

Combine dry ingredients in mug.

Stir thoroughly.

Add milk and oil.

Stir until batter is smooth.

Remove water from zucchini either by placing in cheesecloth and wringing out excess moisture, or use paper towels and pat dry.

Add zucchini and nuts to batter.

Stir well.

Microwave on high for 1 minute 15 seconds.

When done, overturn cup on a small serving plate.

I drizzled a little bit of honey over the cake (not pictured).

It was interesting. There was no egg in the recipe and the nuts made it tasty.

Note: I did not have any cheesecloth or paper towels. But, I had some leftover clean, lacy curtain material. I cut a small swath and used it to wring out the excess moisture from the grated zucchini and it worked great. It also washed up well and dried quickly.

Hotplate: 12 Step Ratatouille

It was some leftover frozen squash and chayote that made me want to make a Ratatouille and it turned into an adventure.

As usual, I researched Ratatouille recipes. I found several. Some had ingredients I did not recognize. Others seemed complicated, then others were similar but SimplyRecipes's recipe while it had a lot of steps seemed straightforward.

Typically, I never have all the ingredients and have to get inventive.

The original recipe called for 1 pound of this or that. What was that?

I have a minimum amount of kitchen devices, so, no scale. So, I used a measurement conversion site (Source: Calculator-Coverter) and 1 pound was about 2 cups. The recipe was designed for 6-8 servings; I cut it in half since it's usually just me.

It turns out using 1/2 of some of the items equals one cup, or I used the whole vegetable. 

Caution: Careful using links, I am not sure they are all safe.

Hotplate: 12 Step Ratatouille
(Adapted from: https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/dads_ratatouille/)


Ingredients:

1/2 medium-large white onion, diced

2 cloves of garlic, diced

1/2 Zucchini, diced

1 Chayote, chopped
1 Patty pan Squash, chopped

1/2 Green bell pepper, diced
1/2 Red bell pepper, diced

1 Medium eggplant, chopped

Olive oil for cooking

1/2 heaping Teaspoon dry Rosemary

1 heaping Teaspoon dry Thyme

1 cube tomato bouillon

4 dashes of red pepper sauce

1 Cup Canned tomatoes, diced

Salt (optional)

Equipment:

1 medium-large pot

1 skillet

1 sharp knife for slicing, dicing and chopping

1 slotted spoon

1 colander

1 cutting board

1 cup
2 teaspoons

1 serving dish or storage container 


Process:

You will be preparing and sauteing each vegetable separately.

Sauté means: to fry (food, such as small pieces of meat or vegetables) in a small amount of fat until golden, (Source: Merriam-Webster Dictionary).

You may need to add extra oil to the skillet as you go. Also sautéing time will vary. General times are 5-15 minutes.

1. Dice onion and garlic.

2. Add oil to skillet, sauté onions and garlic.
Chop zucchini while onions and garlic are sautéing.

Remove onions and garlic from skillet with a slotted spoon, add to large pot.

3. Sauté zucchini. 
Chop patty pan and chayote squash while zucchini is sautéing. (I used my frozen leftover patty pat squash and chayote.)
Remove zucchini from skillet, add to pot.

4. Sauté squash.
Dice bell peppers and chop eggplant while squash is sautéing.
Remove squash from skillet, add to pot.

5. Sauté bell peppers, and eggplant. Remove from skillet, add to pot.

6. Put bouillon cube into 1 cup water.

7. Crush Rosemary and Thyme in your palm and add to pot. Add red pepper sauce and bouillon to pot. Stir well.

8. Heat mixture to boiling, lower to simmer, cook for 30 minutes.

9. Pour mixture into a colander and quickly place the pot underneath the colander to catch the juices. Let the juices drain. Stir to get the juices to continue to drain. Pour juices into the skillet. Pour the mixture back into the pot.

10. Cook juices until it is reduced to a glaze. Cook on medium-high. This can take 15-30 minutes or more. It goes faster on high.

Note: I use a hotplate and the various temperatures are difficult to achieve.

11. Chop tomatoes. Add tomatoes to vegetable mixture in pot. Stir well.

12. Return juice glaze to pot. Stir well. Heat mixture until tomatoes are warm.

Serve Ratatouille warm.

OMG, This is wonderful. I don't think I have ever made a recipe with so many ingredients or steps.

My addition of chayote and patty pan squash did not alter the taste.

Yummmmm!

I like this recipe even though it involves many steps and ingredients. I like cutting the individual vegetables and then sautéing them. Each step gave me time to prepare the next vegetable and clean up as needed but it took me hours to complete. So, this will be a Sunday cooking marathon dish.

In addition, I had very little food waste.

While writing this blog, I did a little research into squash and learned Zucchini and Chayote are a type of squash and the squash I buy is a scallop or patty pan squash. This has opened my eyes, I never knew there were so many varieties of squash.



Zucchini Squash

 

(Source: https://www.burpee.com/vegetables/squash/squash-burpees-best-hybrid-prod003504.html)

Chayote Squash

(Source: https://www.plattershare.com/)

Scallop/Patty Pan Squash

 

(Source: https://weirdvegetables.blogspot.mx/search?q=chayote)

Other Sources:

Foodofy.com
http://www.foodofy.com/how-to-identify-squash-different-squash-types-you-didnt-know-about.html

Wikipedia.org
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cucurbita

University of Illinois Extension
https://extension.illinois.edu/veggies/ssquash.cfm

Frozen Fruit & Nut Yogurt Cubes

When I don't have my usual sweet snacks around, I get inventive.

I had made my usual fruit and nut snack then I got an idea. Make frozen yogurt cubes with the mix.


Frozen Fruit & Nut Yogurt Cubes

Ingredients:

Fruit and Nut Mix Snack, see previous post.
1 220g (~8oz) container of liquid yogurt (Almost any flavor will do, I used Piña Coco)
1 ice cube tray


Process:

Take the ice cube tray and add about 1/2 teaspoon of fruit and nut mix into each of the cube slots.
Carefully, pour yogurt into each cube slot. Do not fill to top.
Place tray in freezer.
Wait at least 8 hours before eating.

Tasty. One cube is a mouthful but filling. Now, I have a sweet treat for at least a week.

Fruit & Nut Mix Snack

I am sure everyone has a version of a nut and fruit snack mix.

One reason I like this snack is it is one way for me to eat lots of raisins and blueberries. Plus, nuts are good for you, too.

While mine varies, it usually contains:

 
Fruit & Nut Mix Snack

Ingredients:

1-2 7oz bags of various peanuts, or peanut and sunflower seed mixes
2 cups raisins
2 cups dry blueberries

Suggestions: dried cranberries, Plantain chips, popcorn, dry cereal like Chex, pretzels

Note:  On occasion, I have added popcorn but after cracking two teeth, I stopped adding popcorn.

Sample, there are many varieties of peanut snacks.

Process:

After adding the various items into a container. Close with lid and shake well.

Other sources: https://www.chex.com/