Blue Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms

I have to admit that these little stuffed gems came as a nice surprise to my usually mushroom hating tastebuds - okay, 'hating' might be too harsh a word as I do like mushrooms in very small quantities mixed in with other things (I think it's the sometimes 'slimy' texture that I've always been adverse to.)  I made these for my hubby though, as he is a HUGE mushroom lover and they looked soooo good that I had to try some myself - delish!!!

Apologies that there isn't a final 'baked' photo - I was so excited how they turned out and couldn't wait to try them that I completely forgot - oops!!!  Next time I make them I'll try to remember and add it back here :o)

Blue Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms
makes about 12-15

12-15 large mushrooms (our local store actually had ones called 'stuffers' because there's a large cavity when you take the stems out)
4 oz garlic and herb cream cheese, softened
2 oz blue cheese
6 drops Tabasco hot sauce
pinch salt & pepper
6-8 slices of thick cut bacon

• using a damp cloth clean the tops of the mushrooms and remove the stems.
• in a medium bowl crumble the blue cheese, add the garlic and herbs cream cheese and mix to combine thoroughly.
• add the Tabasco, salt and pepper and mix again.
• divide the cheese mixture evenly amongst the mushrooms to fill each cavity.
• cut each slice of bacon in half and wrap each half around a mushroom, securing it using a toothpick through the sides.
• place in a high sided dish (I used a disposable foil tray) and either bake in a 400 degree oven or in a covered BBQ for 15-17 minutes or until the bacon is cooked and the filling has melted.

 Stuffed Mushrooms ingredients.

clean the tops of the mushrooms with a damp cloth and remove the stems.

crumble the blue cheese into a medium bowl...

add the garlic and herb cream cheese, Tabasco, salt and pepper and mix well.

divide the mixture between the mushrooms, stuffing the cavities well.

wrap 1/2 a slice of bacon around each mushroom and secure with a toothpick through the sides.

Then bake or BBQ for 15-17 minutes until the bacon is cooked....photo to hopefully follow shortly - we ate them before I could get a shot :o)

Creamy Fettuccine Alfredo

A couple of weeks ago hubby and I met a good friend of ours for dinner at a local restaurant that we hadn't been to before called the Fluid Bar & Grill.  We'd had a couple of good reviews from other friends, so when the opportunity arose, this was a good choice for us.  Now I'm a very indecisive person when it comes to menus - hubby often jokes that even if there were only three things on a menu, I'd still be the last one to decide what to have.  Of course, if there were only three things, I'd probably order all three just so I wouldn't miss out on anything.  Unfortunately I can't do that in most places - although I'm sure they wouldn't object as long as I paid for them - I think hubby might have an issue with that though,don't you :o).

Anyway, in the end I ordered a delicious bowl of smoked chicken fettuccine alfredo, and I have to admit it was one of the best pasta dishes that I'd ever had at a restaurant.  I don't usually order pasta when I'm out, basically because I just can't comprehend the cost of them most of the time, knowing how economical they can be to make at home, but that particular night the alfredo dish just kept leaping out at me from the page.

Ever since then, I've had a hankering for that rich, creamy, cheesy decadence again, but we haven't had an opportunity to get back to the restaurant, so tonight I thought I'd reproduce it at home - albeit without the smoked chicken (we had some deli turkey sausages that I used instead) - it came out pretty good too, if the wiped clean bowls were any indication!

Creamy Fettuccine Alfredo
serves 2-4 (depending on appetite!)

8oz  fettuccine pasta
4oz  (1/2 brick) cream cheese
3/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup milk
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp dried basil
pinch salt & pepper
1-2 deli, cooked turkey sausages (or other sausage / roast chicken - your choice)

• bring a large pan of salted water to a boil, and cook pasta as package instructions.
• meanwhile, combine all other ingredients, except the sausages, in a medium saucepan over low-medium heat and stir until smooth and creamy.
• add the sausage to the sauce for a couple of minutes to heat through completely.
• drain the pasta.  Add it to the sauce and combine well.
• serve in deep bowls to catch the sauce, with a little grated parmesan over the top if desired.

 Creamy Fettuccine Alfredo ingredients.

it's such an easy sauce to make - just throw everything in together and heat.

we had these flavourful turkey sausages from our local deli - slightly smoky, so a really nice undertone to the dish, but use anything you have or even nothing - the sauce and pasta are delicious on there own.

once the sauce is smooth and creamy, add the sausages (you can just make them out poking through the sauce).

mmmmmmmm.......

Spicy Chicken Enchiladas

If you asked my hubby what his favourite seasonings or spices were he'd probably come up with Tabasco sauce somewhere on the list.  It's not out of the realm of possibility to have him taste-test things for me while it's in the middle of cooking, and I can tell from just the look on his face that the first thing he'll reach for if it needs a little.....kick, is the Tabasco sauce.  Although I do sometimes have to monitor him so that he doesn't go too heavy handed with it - he likes things SPICY!!!  He always enjoys these enchiladas that I make because with the mix of salsa, green chillies and Tabasco he definitely gets his spicy quota :)

I always roast the chicken breasts, just because I like that added flavour, but it works perfectly well if you want to chop the breasts and saute them before you add the vegetables to the skillet.

Spicy Chicken Enchiladas
Yields 4-6 servings

4-6 chicken breasts
chicken seasoning
olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 mixed peppers, chopped or sliced
2 garlic cloves, or equivalent dried
1 cup medium salsa
1 can (127ml) green chillies, chopped
125g cream cheese, cubed
1 Tbs dried cilantro
Tabasco sauce, to taste
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated
8 tortillas

• preheat the oven to 400 F.  
• arrange the chicken in a roasting pan, sprinkle on each side with chicken seasoning and a little olive oil, and roast for 25-30 minutes, until tender and moist.  
• chop the cooked chicken into small (1/2 inch) pieces and set aside.
• meanwhile reduce the oven to 350 F.
• in a large skillet, saute the onion, peppers and garlic in a little olive oil on medium heat, until softened.
• add the chopped chicken, 1/4 cup of the salsa, green chillies, cilantro and a couple of splashes of Tabasco sauce; mix and heat until bubbling..
• add the cubed cream cheese and 1/4 cup of grated cheddar; mix well until cheeses have melted and simmer for 5-8 minutes until thickened up slightly.
• divide the mixture between the tortillas and roll them up. Place them into deep baking trays which have been sprayed with cooking spray, seam side down. (I used foil trays for ease and because I froze one tray before baking it - to have another day).
• top with the remaining 3/4 cup salsa and 1/4 cup cheddar cheese and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes.

 I used more chicken breasts today because they were really small, and I had one with a salad for lunch :)

sprinkle with chicken seasoning and olive oil and roast - delicious.

chop up to quite small pieces (try not to eat too much along the way - that's why I roasted an extra one!!)

love, love, love the colours.

the cream cheese soon melts into the mixture for a wonderful creamy taste.

you can make this filling in advance, and then it's even easier to roll in the tortillas.

divide the mixture and roll up in the tortillas.

I prefer thinner enchiladas, but obviously you can fill with more mixture and have big thick ones if you want.

top with salsa and grated cheese - I covered one of these with foil and froze it at this stage before baking it.

I had used up the last of my salad fixings for lunch, otherwise I would of had a nice green salad alongside.  Maybe next time :)

Lemon Cheesecake

I've had a sweet tooth my whole life, but unfortunately, being diabetic I can't indulge it to the extent that I would probably like to.  The best way I can control the sugar content so that I can enjoy the sweet things in life is to make them myself, and one of my all time favourite desserts is....cheesecake.  I altered this recipe from the original very slightly by decreasing the sugar from 2 cups to 1 cup and increased the eggs from 3 to 4 and it works for us - a delicious lemony decadence.

Lemon Cheesecake
makes two 9 inch cheesecakes

2 cups biscuit of choice (crumbs)
1/2 cup butter (melted)
4 bricks (8oz) cream cheese (softened)
1 cup sugar
1 cup sour cream
1 lemon (juice and peel)
4 large eggs

• preheat oven to 325 F.
• prepare two 9 inch cake pans (with removal bases) with discs of wax paper at the bottom to stop cheesecakes from sticking.
• mix biscuit crumbs and melted butter together; divide, and press firmly into the bottom of prepared cake tins.
• bake the bases for 10 minutes and set aside.
• meanwhile, in a stand mixer or by hand, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth.
• add sour cream and mix well.
• stir in the lemon juice and peel.
• add the eggs, one at a time, on low power until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl regularly.
• pour the mix evenly over both bases and bake for 35-40 minutes or until centres are almost set (the indent in the middle will be the approximate size of a poker chip :)
• let cool slightly and then refrigerate for 4 hours. 
• if you can resist not eating them both in one sitting, cut into portions, wrap individually in wax paper and foil and freeze.  

 I don't have two 9 inch pans so I used an 8 and 10 inch :)

put the biscuits (I used digestive) into a large zip lock bag and crush into crumbs using a rolling pin.

mix the crumbs with the melted butter.

press firmly into the bases.

make sure the cream cheese is soft enough to mix.

when everything is mixed, evenly distribute between the bases.

when the cheesecakes first come out of the oven they will be slightly 'puffed' up.  They will flatten as they cool.

okay, I know what I'm eating....what are you having? :)

creamy and dense.