9/6 - Steak Fajitas & Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

Happy Labor Day. Up for eats today is a picnic at my mother-in-laws at lunch and steak fajitas for dinner. It is always my job to make dessert for the MIL's picnics. So today was a Chocolate Chip Cheesecake. This is a collaboration of quite a few different recipes.

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

Crust:
1 1/2 C Graham Cracker Crumbs
1/3 C Sugar
1/3 C Cocoa Powder
1/3 C Butter, melted

Filling:
3 - 8oz packages cream cheese
1 C white sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (plus a few more for on top)

Preheat oven to 350.

Mix the dry ingredients for the crust. Add butter and pour into a 9" springform pan. Press mixture on bottom and up sides of pan. Set aside.

For the filling - beat the cream cheese until soft. Add sugar and blend well. Then add the vanilla. Next add the 3 eggs. Finally add the chocolate chips.

Pour mixture into springform pan - add a few more chips to the top of the cheesecake. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

9/3 - Cheesesteaks & Onion Rings

So I cheat and use cheesesteak meat that I buy at Wal-Mart - cook over med-high heat until cooked through and depending on my mood add green peppers, onions, mushrooms - or mushrooms, lettuce, tomato and of course cheese.

But the onion rings. Oh my these have to be hand battered in beer battering. No store bought onion rings will do here.

Beer Battered Onion Rings

Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 eggs, separated
1 cup beer
4 tablespoons butter, melted
salt to taste
3 large onions, sliced into rings
2 quarts oil for frying

Directions:
Sift flour into a large bowl. In another large bowl, whisk egg yolks. Mix in beer, butter and salt. Set aside 1 cup of flour for dipping the onion rings. Slowly stir the egg yolk mixture into the remaining flour and mix well. Allow the mixture to stand 30 to 60 minutes.

Heat deep fryer to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

In a small bowl, stiffly beat the egg whites. Gently combine the egg whites with the batter.

Coat each onion ring with flour and dip into batter.

Deep fry the battered rings, several at a time, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and serve.

Source: Allrecipes.com

9/2 - Chipotle-Honey Glazed Chicken

Today was try it Thursday and I picked the Chipotle-Honey Glazed Chicken. While my husband and I agreed it was good, I don't think it's going to hit our menu again. Mostly because it was pretty darn spicy. So if you like a lot of spice in life - this is the recipe for you :)



Chipotle-Honey Glazed Chicken
Serves 2-3

1 chipotle in adobo
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp. dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. ancho chili powder, divided (I used regular chili powder)
salt and pepper
1 Tbsp. canola oil, divided
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. Spanish paprika (I used regular paprika)
2-3 chicken breast halves
salt and pepper
garnish – sesame seeds, cilantro, chives, scallions, etc.

Preheat the broiler (if you’re not grilling).

Place the chipotle in a mini food processor and puree. Then add the honey, mustard, 1.5 tsp. ancho chili powder, 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/2 Tbsp. canola oil and pulse to combine. Set aside.

Stir together the remaining ancho chili powder, coriander, cumin, paprika, and remaining 1/2 Tbsp. oil. Add the chicken breasts to the mixture, coating all sides. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat a pan over medium heat (or use a grill), add the chicken, and cook about 3-4 minutes per side. Place the chicken on a broiler pan and brush the top with the glaze. Broil for 1 minute. Flip, brush with more glaze and broil another minute or two until the glaze is caramelized and chicken is cooked through. Top with more glaze (if you want) and garnish as desired.

Source: From Annie's Eats Adapted from Bobby Flay’s Grill It!

9/1 - Meatloaf, Crockpot Scalloped Potatoes, Mixed Vegetables

Crockpot Scalloped Potatoes
6 potatoes - sliced thin
1 can cheddar cheese soup
1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups milk

Spray crockpot with cooking spray (or use a crockpot liner). Fill crockpot with half of the sliced potatoes, 1/2 can of soup, 3/4 cup cheese, and 1/2 of the milk. Add salt and pepper as desired. Add remaining ingredients in the same order. Cook on high for about 6 hours. *You may need to add more milk as the potatoes cook*

Meatloaf
From the Betty Crocker Cookbook
1 lb ground beef
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup milk
1 egg beaten
1 Tbsp dried minced onion
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Glaze: 1/3 cup ketchup, 2 Tbsp brown sugar, 2 Tbsp Mustard

Mix bread crumbs, milk, egg, onion, oregano, salt and pepper. Add ground beef and mix well. Press into loaf pan that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Mix glaze and pour over meat mixture.

Bake at 350 for 45 - 50 minutes.