Amazing Lemon Cheesecake Bars
Prep Time 30 min
Total Time 1 hr 40 min
Servings 16 bars
Ingredients
1 package Krusteaz Lemon Bar Mix (1 pouch each lemon filling mix and complete crust)
8 oz (1 cup) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
4 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease 8x8x2-inch pan.
- Press full pouch of complete crust firmly into bottom of pan.
- Bake 8 minutes (crust will be pale).
- Place cream cheese and sugar in medium bowl.
- Using an electric mixer, mix on low speed until smooth.
- Add 1 egg and vanilla.
- Continue to mix on low speed until smooth.
- Pour cream cheese mixture evenly over hot crust.
- In another bowl, stir full pouch lemon filling mix, water and 3 eggs together using a whisk until eggs are well incorporated.
- Pour lemon filling over cream cheese layer.
- Bake 35-40 minutes or until center does not jiggle when shaken.
- Cool completely and cut into squares.
- Store covered in the refrigerator.
BEEF ROLLS
- 2 pounds ground sirloin
- 3 garlic cloves, finely grated
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice wine or sherry
- 1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon sambal oelek or other Asian chile sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 40 jarred brined grape leaves—drained, rinsed and patted dry
- Vegetable or peanut oil, for grilling
- Chopped cilantro, for serving
- Mint leaves, for serving
- Lettuce leaves, for serving
NUOC CHAM
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup hot water
- 1/3 cup fish sauce
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 jalapeño, seeded and minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted roasted peanuts, finely chopped
- MAKE THE BEEF ROLLS In a large bowl, combine the ground beef with all of the ingredients up to but not including the grape leaves. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Snip off any stems from the grape leaves. Spread 4 leaves on a work surface. Form a 1-tablespoon-size log of the beef filling at the stem end of each leaf. Fold the sides of the leaves over the filling, then tightly roll up the leaves to form cylinders, tucking in the sides as you go. Repeat with the remaining grape leaves and filling.
- MAKE THE NUOC CHAM In a medium bowl, whisk the sugar into the hot water until dissolved. Whisk in the remaining ingredients. Transfer the nuoc cham to a serving bowl.
- Light a grill or preheat a grill pan. Lightly brush the grill and the beef rolls with oil. Arrange the rolls on the grill with at least 1 inch between them and grill over moderate heat, turning often to prevent burning, until firm and just cooked through, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle the rolls with cilantro and mint and serve warm with lettuce leaves for wrapping and the nuoc cham for dipping. make ahead The nuoc cham can be refrigerated overnight.
GINGERBREAD ICE CREAM SANDWICHES
Photo: Kemp Minifie
Why or how June 5th came to be National Gingerbread Day, no one seems to know, but it feels like an odd time, doesn’t it? A still-warm slice of gingerbread cake with whipped cream is my fantasy after an apple-picking foray in the fall, or on a chilly winter evening. But June 5th? By then I’m dreaming about ice cream. And ice cream gets me thinking about ice cream sandwiches, and suddenly, it hits me: Gingerbread ice cream sandwiches! I’m buzzed with the idea.
The commercial ice cream sandwiches of my youth were made with what looked like super-thin cakey chocolate biscuits. These days, so many high-end ones are made with crisp cookies, and when frozen, they’re too stiff to bite into. But frozen cake? That’s another story…that works.
Gingerbread is a super-easy, one-bowl cake that you can just whisk together—no need for an electric mixer—if you use melted butter or oil. To make gingerbread ice cream sandwiches:
•Heat oven to 350°F.
• Line a buttered 18- by 13-inch rimmed sheet pan (a.k.a. half-sheet pan) with a sheet of parchment paper.
• Whisk together ½ cup melted butter or oil, ¾ cup packed brown sugar, ½ cup molasses (not blackstrap), and 1 large egg in a large bowl, then whisk in 1½ teaspoons ground ginger, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon each of salt and cinnamon, and 2 cups all-purpose flour until smooth.
• Finally whisk in 2/3 cup boiling-hot water and spread batter evenly in pan.
• Bake until a wooden pick comes out clean, 12 to 14 minutes.
• Cool on a rack, then turn out onto a cutting board and peel off parchment. Halve cake crosswise, and freeze layers on sheet pan, covered with wax paper.
• Sandwich flat sides (undersides) together with 1½ quarts softened ice cream—I used vanilla, but just about any flavor will work—then freeze again until firm. Cut into bars or squares and listen to the screams for more!
Mexican Ceviche Tacos
Recipe by Jill Dupleix
Photograph by Misha Gravenor
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 pounds very fresh (sushi-grade) fish fillets (such as tuna, hamachi, barramundi, or mahi-mahi), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- Fine sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 cup chopped seeded tomatoes
- 3/4 cup chopped red onion
- 2 tablespoons sliced pickled jalapeño chiles from jar plus 1 tablespoon liquid from jar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 large head of romaine lettuce, very thinly sliced crosswise (3 to 4 cups)
- 1 large avocado, peeled, pitted, diced
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 12 purchased crisp taco shells
- Purchased salsa
Preparation
-
Place fish in medium glass dish or bowl; sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add lime juice, lemon juice, and sugar and toss. Cover and chill until fish turns white and no longer looks raw, tossing occasionally, at least 4 hours and up to 6 hours.
-
Strain fish, discarding marinade. Place ceviche in large bowl; add tomatoes, red onion, pickled jalapeños, 1 tablespoon liquid from jar, and olive oil and toss to blend. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 hours ahead. Cover and chill.
-
Add lettuce, avocado, and cilantro to ceviche mixture and toss. Fill taco shells with ceviche mixture. Top each taco with large spoonful of salsa and serve.
Ingredients
- 2 cups chopped white onion, divided
- 3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 5 tablespoons fresh lime juice, divided
- 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican)
- 1 pound tilapia, striped bass, or sturgeon fillets
- Coarse kosher salt
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon milk
- Corn tortillas
- 2 avocados, peeled, pitted, sliced
- 1/2 small head of cabbage, cored, thinly sliced
- Salsa Verde (get recipe)
- Lime wedges
Preparation
-
Stir 1 cup onion, 1/4 cup cilantro, oil, 3 tablespoons lime juice, orange juice, garlic, and oregano in medium bowl. Sprinkle fish with coarse salt and pepper. Spread half of onion mixture over bottom of 11x7x2-inch glass baking dish. Arrange fish atop onion mixture. Spoon remaining onion mixture over fish. Cover and chill 30 minutes. Turn fish; cover and chill 30 minutes longer. Whisk mayonnaise, milk, and remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice in small bowl.
-
Brush grill grate with oil; prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Grill fish with some marinade still clinging until just opaque in center, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Grill tortillas until slightly charred, about 10 seconds per side.
-
Coarsely chop fish; place on platter. Serve with lime mayonnaise, tortillas, remaining 1 cup chopped onion, remaining 1/2 cup cilantro, avocados, cabbage, Salsa Verde, and lime wedges.
Ingredients
- 3 unpeeled garlic cloves
- 1 pound fresh tomatillos, husked, rinsed
- 1 small onion, quartered through root end
- 3 to 6 serrano chiles or 2 to 4 jalapeño chiles
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/2 teaspoon (or more) sugar
- Coarse kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup low-salt chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons (or more) fresh lime juice
Preparation
-
Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Thread garlic onto skewer. Grill garlic, tomatillos, onion quarters, and chiles until dark brown spots form on all sides, about 9 minutes for onion, 6 minutes for tomatillos and chiles, and 4 minutes for garlic. Cool. Peel garlic. Trim core from onion. Scrape some of burnt skin off chiles; stem. Seed chiles for milder salsa, if desired. Coarsely chop onion, chiles, and garlic. Transfer tomatillos and all vegetables to blender. Add cilantro and 1/2 teaspoon sugar; puree until smooth. Season to taste with coarse salt.
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Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over high heat. Carefully add tomatillo mixture (juices may splatter). Stir until slightly thickened, stirring often, about 2 minutes. Add broth and 2 tablespoons lime juice. Bring to boil; reduce heat to medium and simmer until mixture measures 2 1/2 cups, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and more sugar and lime juice, if desired. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly, then cover and chill.
Photo: Chili Verde
TOTAL TIME:3 hr 25 min
INGREDIENTS
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 3 tablespoons green chile powder
- 1 (19-ounce) can green enchilada sauce
- 32 ounces canned tomatillos with their liquid
- 1 (7-ounce) can hot salsa verde
- 3 1/2 pounds pork sirloin, cubed
- Lard or oil, as needed, to brown
- 2 cups finely minced onions
- 1 1/2 tablespoons pressed fresh garlic
- 2 pounds diced green chiles, fresh or frozen
- 2 cups very finely minced mixed fresh green peppers
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- 1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro leaves
- Salt
DIRECTIONS
In a small bowl, combine oregano, cumin, and chile powder. In a chili pot, combine enchilada sauce, tomatillos, and salsa verde. Press tomatillos against the side of the pot to crush. Add the oregano mixture to the liquids. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently.Brown the meat in lard or oil in batches with onions and pressed garlic. Drain meat and add to chili pot. Add diced green chiles. Return pot to simmer.
After 2 hours, add half of finely minced green peppers. Add salt, as desired. Taste and adjust, adding additional minced peppers as desired. After 2 1/2 hours thicken or thin, as needed. After 2 3/4 hours, adjust salt and other seasonings as needed.
Just before serving, add lime juice and cilantro
Photo: Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp
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INGREDIENTS
FOR THE FRUIT FILLING:
- 1 pound fresh or frozen strawberries, cut into slices
- 6 cups rhubarb, cut into 1/2-inch slices
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger (or 3/4 teaspoon ground)
FOR THE CRISP TOPPING:
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup brown sugar, well packed
- 2/3 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, toss together the strawberries, rhubarb, sugar,cornstarch, zest, and ginger. Place the mixture in a shallow 8-cupbaking dish. Loosely cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
While the fruit mixture is baking, make the crisp topping. In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar, oats, salt, cinnamon, ginger and butter, until the butter is distributed evenly.
After the fruit has baked for 30 minutes, remove the foil and cover with the crisp topping. Return to the oven and bake, uncovered, for an additional 30 minutes.
Serve at any temperature with ice cream as dessert or even a dollopof yogurt as breakfast.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cillantro
2 tablespoons canola oil
Directions
In a medium bowl, combine all dry ingredients with canola oil
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