Archive for September, 2011

Apple Pie Cheesecake

Fall is officially here. And with the coming of Fall, also comes an abundance of apples and pumpkins. Even though I loathe the impending cold temperatures, I relish the slight chill of autumn weather and the plethora of comfort foods that accompany it. Especially comfort food that include apples–whether it be a nice mug of cider (preferably the adult versions) or a hefty slice of cheesecake with the addictive flavor of apple pie strewn throughout. Apples are a staple in my house come the end of September… and they remain there all the way until December.

I used honeycrisp in this cheesecake only because my default baking apple, the granny smith, is nowhere to be found in any grocery store or market I’ve perused in Philly. Is this a problem in other parts of the world… or are our friendly grocery-teers mocking me and my east coast relocation?

Anyways, even with honeycrisps–which I truly hate to bake with, as they are a superior snacking apple straight to the core–this cheesecake takes apple pie to a whole new level. Or maybe this apple pie takes cheesecake to a whole new level? Whichever it is, be sure to chill this dessert in the fridge for at least 24 hours after baking for maximum enjoyment.

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Apple, Pear and Onion Tarte Salée

This savory tart is hearty enough to call a pie and delicious enough to star as a fantastic main course. I’ve always loved the combination of apples, onions and cheeze and decided to incorporate all three in this special entrée. The addition of unripened Bartlett pears gives it an extra touch of sweetness and unexpected flavor.

Inspired by my ongoing obsession with French everything, this tart is excellent for impressing house guests, or even just your favorite people who sit alongside you at the dinner table.

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Quinoa Salad Stuffed Grape Leaves

Hi everyone! First, I have to thank you all for the wonderful comments and congrats on the book, the move to Philly and the VegNews mentions. Your kind words mean a lot to me and I just loved reading all the comments! ♥

Also, I’ll be announcing the winner of the decorating kit giveaway at the end of this post, so bear with me–or just scroll down to get to the good content. ;)

Now, onto the stuffed grape leaves. Stuffed grape leaves are from the cuisines influenced by the Ottoman Empire, including but not limited to Turkish, Greek and Middle Eastern cuisine. These little nuggets of deliciousness are most typically known as dolmades. Dolma is from the Turkish verb dolmak, ‘to be stuffed’, and simply means “stuffed thing”. Neat, eh?

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Philly lovin’, Mass Productivity, and a Giveaway!

Hello my long lost friends! This week has been pretty incredible and I feel like I have a lotta catching up to do. I’m not sure how or why all these life changing events got shuffled into one single month, but it’s been pretty wonderful, despite the deadlines and time constraints. But, happily because all these things are now checked off on my giant “to do” list, I’ll have a lot more time to dedicate to this here blog. Which I feel incredibly psyched about, as I have missed you all dearly.

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