Designer Desserts

Last Friday, after having lunch with my Mom and sisters we stopped in at Designer Desserts, located in Valparaiso, Indiana. The bakery is so cute!

Here is the owner/designer, Adam Wiltfang. He loves his job!!
Just a few that really caught my eye......Guinness.....
Key Lime Pie...........
Tuxedo Cheesecake.............

Creme Brulee...........
Angel.......
I didn't try any......not one.......but my favorite would be Creme Brulee!! What is your favorite cupcake?

Happy Birthday Mom

Today is Mom's Birthday. Lauri, Kelly, and I took her out to lunch at "Pikk's Tavern" in Valparaiso, Indiana. Kendra we missed you not being with us today:(

The menu at Pikk's is very fun.
We started out with Pikk's Fries with Malt vinegar-agave, red pepper aioli, and pesto mayo for dipping.
Here's the birthday girl......
Lauri

Kelly

Me

Tuna Poke...Ahi tuna with soy and ginger, sesame, red onion, and wonton chips.

Caesar Salad...romaine lettuce, grape tomatoes, polenta crouton, Caesar dressing. The polenta croutons were wonderful!

BLT Wedge...bacon, iceberg lettuce, tomato, crouton, peppercorn ranch.

Shrimp Cocktail....made to order at the table.

Put all the shrimp in the shaker with the sauce selection and shake, shake, shake.

Shrimp Cocktail-gulf shrimp served with your choice of sauce (traditional cocktail, Mexican, Asian, or Pikk's tartar) Shaken and served table side. Our Pikk was Asian:)

Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear Mommy, Happy Birthday to you! We love you Mom:)

No Bake Lemony Cheesecake

Recipe:

1 jar Dickinson's Lemon Curd

1 8-oz package light or fat-free cream cheese, softened

2 cups light or fat-free whipped topping, thawed

1 9-inch graham cracker pie crust

fresh raspberries or lemon slices, (optional)

Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add curd. Fold in whipped topping. Pour into prepared pie crust and refrigerate 2-3 hours. Garnish with optional fresh raspberries and lemon slices. Makes 6-8 servings

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On the Menu Monday

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Full Plate Thursday

Foodie Friday

Baked Kale

Mom discovered this recipe. It's a good one:) Recipe:

fresh Kale, washed and pat dry, break into bite size pieces

fresh garlic, sliced thin

olive oil

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread Kale onto a cookie sheet. Add the sliced garlic. Sprinkle olive oil. Salt and pepper. Bake for 12 minutes, toss and bake for another 5 minutes. Edges of Kale should be browned and crispy.

This week I will be joining:

These Chicks Cook

Full Plate Thursday

Foodie Friday

Fresh Food Friday

Stone Gable

Spending time with family at the farm.

Sunday, August 28th Nikos and I picked up Mom and went to Deborah's farm in Michigan. It was such a great day and time well spent with family. Nikos rode a horse for the first time! He liked it. Then he spent the afternoon paint balling with all the boys:)Mom enjoying some fun time out at the pool with Toni.
We had a lot of great food. Mom made Green Tomato Bread. It was so good!

Green Tomato Bread


1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3 eggs, beaten

1 cup sugar

1 cup grated green tomato, drained(3 to 4 medium tomatoes)

1 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup chopped, toasted pecans

1 cup raisins, optional

Grease the bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan; set aside. In a large bowl combine the flour, salt, and the baking soda. Make a well in center of flour mixture; set aside. In a medium bowl combine eggs, sugar, grated tomato, oil, and vanilla. Add tomato mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened. Fold in pecans and raisins, if desired. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely on a wire rack. Wrap and store overnight before slicing. Makes 1 loaf (8 to 10 servings)

Caprese Salad

Simplest and most delicious of salads

Fresh tomatoes

Fresh mozzarella

Fresh basil

Red onion

Add your favorite dressing or not:)


This week I will be joining:

These Chicks Cook

Full Plate Thursday

Foodie Friday

Fresh Food Friday

Crock Pot Cheesecake in a Jar

Recipe adapted from Crock Pot Recipe ExchangeInto the crock pot they go.

Lid on.
It's magic.....they are done.
Cooling.

For the crust:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup sugar
4 tablespoons melted butter
For the filling:
(2) 8 ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature

(1) 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk

(2) eggs, room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

zest of 1 lemon

In a small mixing bowl add the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. Stir to incorporate. Evenly distribute the mixture into the 6 canning jars. Using the back of a teaspoon press the mixture firmly onto the sides of the jar. You want to make sure the bottom is covered and packed. At this time heat 2-4 cups of water.

Also, go ahead and turn on your crock pot to high. This is going to preheat it while you're making the filling.

In a large bowl add the cream cheese and using mixer, mix until fluffy. Slowly add in the can of sweetened condensed milk. Once that's incorporated add on egg at a time. Once the eggs are mixed in thoroughly, add the vanilla extract and lemon zest. Mix until well incorporated.

Fill the jars with EQUAL amounts of cheesecake filling. This is so important because you want all the cheesecakes to cook evenly. Carefully pour the hot water into the preheated crock pot. Place the jars in the crock pot making sure that non are touching the edges of the crockery or each other. The water should come up 1/2 - 3/4 of the way up on the jars.

Cover crock pot with lid and cook on high for 1-2 hours. Mine were done at exactly 1 hour and 15 minutes. Look for the filling to firm up and not be jiggly in the center.

At this point take the off the crock pot (pick straight up, don't tilt it sideways....you don't want any condensation from the lid dropping onto the top of the cheesecakes. Turn the crock pot off. Let the jars cool down.

Once the jars have cooled enough to remove, place them on a dish towel to continue cooling. As they cool you will see the filling pull away from the sides of the jars. When they are completely cool down place the lid and rims on the jars and place in the fridge for at least 4 hours.

Serve plain, with berries or drizzled with caramel.

This week I will be joining:

These Chicks Cook

Full Plate Thursday

Foodie Friday

Fresh food Friday

Mussels Magnifico

Ingredients:

1 pound Mussels

1/2 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons chopped fresh garlic

2 tablespoons tomato paste

3 fresh chopped tomatoes

1 large minced onion

3 tablespoons chopped parsley

1 cup dry white wine

Heat oil in a large kettle. Add onion and saute until golden. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the remaining ingredients, except the mussels. Bring to a simmer. Stir well and adjust seasoning if necessary. Add boiled mussels and simmer gently for 3 minutes. Transfer mussels to serving bowls and ladle the sauce over each serving. Salt and pepper to taste. I served with Jasmine rice.

This week I will be joining:

These Chicks Cook

Full Plate Thursday

Foodie Friday

Fresh Food Friday