Pesto Pasta Salad with Spinach, Green Beans and Tomatoes

This pasta salad is full of good greens ~ fresh basil, green beans and spinach, I added sundried tomatoes but sliced mini heirloom tomatoes would be great too. It is really scrumptious!!! It is adapted from Ina Garten's wonderful recipe: Pasta, Pesto, and Peas. This was one of my sides at a recent BBQ, I cooked sooo many different things and was so busy with preparations and serving that day that I did not get much good food pics ~ but the food and company was very well enjoyed :)

Serving of the Pesto Pasta Salad with the Table Caprese Salad

Recipe

1 1/2 cups Pasta - Fusilli or Bow Tie, I used these cool swirly pasta - Riccette found at an Italian specialty store

1/4 cup olive oil

1 1/2 cups pesto (recipe below) or used packaged pesto

1 10 oz package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry

3 Tbsps freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 1/4 cups good mayonnaise

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan

1 cup fresh green beens - steamed or boiled until just tender, chopped in 1/2" pieces

1 small jar of sundried tomatoes drained and chopped, or 1 pint mini heirloom tomatoes, sliced

3/4 tsp kosher salt

3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water as directed on package, drain and toss into a bowl with the olive oil. Cool to room temp. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade, puree the pesto, spinach and lemon juice. Add the mayo and puree. Add the pesto mixture to the cooled pesto and then add the parmesan, beans, tomatoes, salt and pepper Mix well, season to taste, and serve at room temp, or make ahead and refrigerate.

Pesto

1/4 cup walnuts

1/4 cup pignoli nuts (pine nuts)

3 Tbsps chopped garlic - about 9 cloves

5 cups fresh basil leaves, packed

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp freshly gound black pepper

1 1/2 cups good olive oil

1 cup freshly grated parmesan

Place the walnuts, pignoli and garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade. Process for 15 seconds. Add the basil, salt and pepper, with the processor running slowly pour in the olive oil through the feed tube and process until the pesto is thoroughly pureed. Add the parmesan and puree for one more minute.

Marble Cheesecake

A very decadent, creamy and rich cheesecake ~ chocolate is added to part of the batter and "marbled" in with a knife or decorating spatula.  This was my first attempt and plan to try again adding the chocolate only on top to achieve a more chocolate marbling appearance. I hear it takes practice to get the marbling effect you want, so it may be the 2nd or 3rd try at this cheesecake when it comes "just right".   My cheesecake cracked during cooling, but I did forget the step to run the knife around the edges - so don't know if this would've helped ~ let me know how yours did and if you have any good tricks to prevent cracking :)  I like the addition of whipped cream  ~ it can hide cracks and adds another creamy texture.

Recipe:

Crust

5 oz Oreo cookies - just the cookie parts not the cream

2 1/2 Tbsps melted butter

Filling

32 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature

1 3/4 cup sugar

2 1/2 Tbsps flour

1/4 tsp salt

1 large egg yolk

5 large eggs

1 1/2 tsps pure vanilla extract

2/3 cup sour cream, plus 1/4 cup

6 oz semisweet chocolate, melted according to package directions, then slightly cooled

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Process the oreo cookies in a food processor fitted with a blade until they are fine crumbs, add the melted butter and process until combined.  Spray a 9" spring form pan with baking spray.  Press cookie mixture into bottom of pan, wrap aluminum foil around the bottom of the pan so it comes at least 1" up the sides. and chill.  In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment place the cream cheese and whip it until smoother.  Add the sugar and continue to whip until blended.  Add the flour and salt and blend.  Add the yolk and eggs 1 at a time beating after each addition and scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.  Add the vanilla and 2/3 cup sour cream and blend together until smooth.  Ladle off 1 and 3/4 cup of the mixture into a medium bowl and set aside.  In a small bowl, whisk the remaining 1/4 cup sour cream with the cooled melted chocolate, then whisk into the reserved 1 3/4 cups filling until smooth.  Pour about 1/3 of the vanilla batter into the bottom of the pan, then add the 2 fillings alternating them to fill the pan.  Using the flat surface of a knife or icing spatula swirl the 2 batters slightly to marbleize it.  Alternatively, you can add all of the vanilla filling into the pan first, then top with spoonfuls of the chocolate batter and marble it through the batter and over the top with knife or spatula to desired design. 

Bake at 425 degrees for 15 mins, then turn the oven down to 275 degrees and bake for 1 more hour. Then, turn the oven off and let the cake cool in the oven for 45 minutes.  The cake will still shimmy, but it will set up as it chills.  Run a knife along the edge of the pan to just loosen the cake a bit from the sides.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.  When ready to serve, loosen the edges with a knife some more and remove sides of spring form pan.  Cut and enjoy!  Top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings if desired.

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust

Recipe:
Crust
1 1/2 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs
5 Tbsps unsalted butter, melted
1 Tbsp sugar
Filling
3 8 oz packages cream cheese at room temp
1 cup sugar
1 cup canned pure pumpkin
3 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp allspice
Optional toppings ~ pecan halves, and/or fresh whipped cream with a dash of cinnamon added to it
For crust:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Wrap outside of a 9" springform pan with aluminum foil.  Mix crumbs, butter and sugar in a bowl. Press mixture onto bottom and about an inch up sides of pan.  Bake crust until slightly darkened, about 5 mins.  Set aside.
For filling:  Blend cream cheese and sugar in a food processor fitted with a metal blade until smooth.  Add pumpkin, eggs, vanilla and spices. Process until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl.  Transfer filling to crust. Bake cheesecake until center is set and edges begin to crack, about 1 hour and 5 mins.  Cool in pan on rack.  Chill uncovered until cold, at least 6 hours or overnight.  Loosen pan sides with knife and remove sides.  Arrange pecan halves around edges or in concentric decorative circles throughout top of cake.  Add whipped cream too if desired. 

Holiday Drink

     Holiday Drink… Freeze coffee as ice cubes and toss in a cup of Baileys and Vanilla Vodka     

S’MORES CHEESECAKE

INGREDIENTS

Crust
• 2 1/2 cups graham crackers crumbs
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cups butter, melted
• 2 cups mini marshmallows
• ½ cups warmed hot fudge ice cream topping
Cheesecake
• 16 oz. cream cheese (2 8 oz. blocks), room temperature
• 1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3 eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup mini chocolate chips
• 2 1/2 cups mini marshmallows, divided
Topping
• 1-2 Hershey bars, broken into pieces
• 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup warmed hot fudge ice cream topping

INSTRUCTIONS

For the crust
1. Preheat oven to 325°
2. In a large bowl combine graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar and melted butter. Press evenly in and up the sides of a lightly greased 10-inch springform pan.
3. Sprinkle 2 cups of mini marshmallows evenly over crust and then drizzle warmed hot fudge sauce over marshmallows. Set aside while you prepare the cheesecake filling.
For the cheesecake
4. In bowl of stand mixer combine cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk, mixing on low speed until smooth. Add in eggs, one at a time, until combine. Add vanilla. Be careful not to overmix.
5. Fold in chocolate chips and mini marshmallows. Pour over crust.
6. Bake for 45 minutes until center is almost set. Remove from oven and sprinkle remaining marshmallows (1 1/2 cups) over top. Place back in oven for 5 minutes until marshmallows are puffed and slightly golden.
7. Cool cheesecake for 30 minutes on wire rack. Slightly loosen cheesecake from pan by running a knife around the edges. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
8. When ready to serve, garnish by sprinkling extra graham crumbs on top, pressing Hershey bars into top and then drizzling extra hot fudge sauce all over.
9. Keep leftovers tightly wrapped in the refrigerator.