Coconut Almond Chocolate chip cookies

I don't usually like milk chocolate but I figure let's give it a try.  Combined with almond and coconut and 1/2 tsp of cinnamon it is quite successful. Here is the

link for the original recipe. 

Chop

Chop is a chain steak house.  It's definitely more upscale than The Keg. The decor is very modern and inviting.  The menu isn't very extensive.  This being a steak house, I figure, let's try the steak. 

I had the petite filet (6oz) medium rare with seasonal veggies and mashed potatoes.  For an extra fee you can add mushrooms if you'd like. I opted out because $29 for steak seemed good enough for me.  The steak started out good, then found it to be a bit undercooked.  Not sending it back, because you end up with a well done steak after that.  Flavour was normal, decent, anything in a red wine reduction sauce is nummy.  Mashed potatoes were good. The seasonal veggies were pretty good.  Beets and zucchini.  This is the only place where I have to compliment the seasonal veggies. Most places have bland broccoli and carrots. This place did a very nice flavourful beets with grilled zucchini. 

This location is the only one in Calgary and it is conveniently next to the Cineplex in Chinook.  Parking is free and they have both an upstairs lounge and main floor dining room. In the summer there is a upper level patio.  I'll probably come here again but not for steak. For the price and quality, I'd rather go to Ruth Chris' or even Moxies.

Apple dutch pancake

I was craving Dutch pancakes the other night at work, and unfortunately Pfantastic isn't opened until 10am :( A little too late after a night.  Then my co worker made a lovely suggestion. "Why don't you make your own?" And I do have 5 Lethbridge back yard apples left... 

Leading me to...  The Weekend Gourmet!  Click on the link for the recipe.  I didn't have slivered almonds or currants, and next time 1/2 the sugar content. 

Double Citrus Bars

Double rather than Triple.  I had 2 oranges and 2 lemons laying around, and no limes.  Too lazy to go out to buy limes.   

Here is the link for the original recipe.  Below that is my alteration.

Triple Citrus Bars

Ingredients for Crust

• 5 ounces graham crackers
•  3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon table salt
• 3 tablespoons sweetened shredded coconut
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Ingredients for Filling

• 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 3 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• 3 teaspoons grated orange zest
• 2 pinches of table salt
• 1 1/2 cans sweetened condensed milk
• 2 egg yolks
• Juice from 2 lemons and 2 oranges = 3/4 to 1 cup

Preparation

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Line a  8-by-8-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, allowing excess foil to overhang sides for easy lifting when the bars are ready to remove. Spray foil with nonstick cooking spray.
2. To make crust: Use a ziplock bag and a rolling pin to crush graham crackers. Put graham crackers in a bowl.  Add brown sugar, salt, and coconunt. Use a fork to combine. Drizzle butter over crumbs and combine with a fork until crumbs are evenly moistened with butter.  Press crumbs evenly and firmly into bottom of prepared pan. Bake until golden brown, about 18-20 minutes. Cool on wire rack while making filling. Do not turn oven off.
3. To make the filling: While crust cools, in medium bowl stir cream cheese, zests, and salt with rubber spatula until softened, creamy, and thoroughly combined. Add sweetened condensed milk and whisk vigorously until incorporated and no lumps of cream cheese remain. Whisk in egg yolk. Add juices and whisk gently until incorporated (mixture will thicken slightly).
4. To assemble and bake: Pour filling into crust; spread to corners and smooth surface with rubber spatula. Bake until set and edges begin to pull away slightly from sides, 15-20 minutes. Cool on wire rack to room temperature, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Cover with foil and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 2 hours.
5. Loosen edges with paring knife and lift bars from baking pan using foil extensions. Cut bars into 32 squares and serve. Leftovers can be refrigerated up to 2 days; crust will soften slightly.

Apple cheesecake

I am still trying to use up the apples from my tree in Lethbridge! Gah!  I was also given a fantastic gift. My very first springform pan! Apples + springform pan = .... Apple Cheesecake! 

And the only cheesecake recipe I found from Joy the Baker.  Now I didn't do the adapted version, but the original one with 3 packages of cream cheese and a spring form pan.  Thank goodness I read all the warnings about water baths and spring form pans.  For much fear of leaking, I tested using 3 layers of aluminum foil.  After I unraveled everything there definitely was water in between the first and second layer.  Though I was lucky there was no leak this time, next time I might try just putting the water bath in the bottom rack.

For the Crust-

30 ginger snaps (or 2 cups graham cracker crumbs)

2 Tablespoons light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 stick (4 Tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted

For the Apples-

1/2 stick (4 Tablespoons) unslated butter

3 large Golden Delicious or Fuji apples, peeled, cored and cut into eights.

2 Tablespoons (packed) light brown sugar

For the Filling-

(I only used half of this recipe for my bars, but I’m providing you with Dorie Greenspan’s original recipe, ok?)

1 1/2 pounds (three 8-ounce packages) cream cheese, at room temperature

3/4 cup (packed) light brown sugar

6 Tablespoons sugar

3 Tablespoons apple cider

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 teaspoons cinnamon

3 large eggs

3/4 cup sour cream

1/3 cup heavy cream

To make the Crust-

1. Butter the bottom and the sides of a 10 inch spring form pan.

2. Put the gingersnaps in a food processor and whir until you have crumbs. Pulse in the sugar and the cinnamon, if you’re using it, then pour over the melted butter and pulse until the crumbs are moistened.

3. Turn the crumbs into the spring form pan and, using your finger tips, firmly press them evenly over the bottom and up the sides of the pan as far as they’ll go. Put the pan in the freezer while you preheat the oven.

4. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

5. Remove the pan from the freezer and wrap the bottom tightly in aluminum foil, going up the sides. Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, or until the crust is set and lightly browned. Transfer to a rack to cool while you make the apples and the filling. Leave the oven at 350 degrees F.

To make the Apples-

1. Melt 2 Tablespoons of the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat.

2. When the foam subsides, toss in half of the apple slices and cook, turning once, until they are golden brown, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle the apples with 1 Tablespoon of sugar and cook them, turning until just coated, for another minute or so.

3. Scrape the apples onto a plate, wipe out the skillet, and repeat with the remaining apples. Let the apples cool while you make the filling.

To make the Filling-

1. Working with a stand mixer, preferably fit with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese on medium speed, scraping the bowl down often, for about 4 minutes, or until it is velvety smooth.

2. Add the sugar and beat for another two minutes . Beat in the cider, vanilla extract and cinnamon.

3. Reduce the speed to low and beat in the eggs, one by one, beating for 1 minute after each egg goes in. Finally, beat in the heavy cream and sour cream, beating just until the batter is smooth.

4. Pour about one third of the batter into the baked crust. Drain the apples by lifting them off the plate with a slotted spoon or spatula, and spoon them into the pan. 

5. Cover with the remaining batter, and if needed, jiggle the pan to even the top.

6. Place the springform pan in the roasting pan and pour enough boiling water in to come halfway up the sides of the springform pan.

7. Bake the cheesecake for 1 hour and 30-45 minutes, covering the cake loosely with a foil tent at the 45- minute mark.  The cake will rise evenly and crack around the edges, and it should be fully set except, possible, in the very center- if the center shimmies, that’s just fine.

8. Gently transfer the cake, still in the pan, to a cooling rack and let it cool to room temperature, then refrigerate it for at least 6 hours, overnight would be better.

9. Run a blunt knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the crust, open the pans latch and release and remove the sides.