NEW YEARS DESSERT IDEA

 New Years dessert idea! 

WHITE CHOCOLATE with LEMON and LIME CHEESECAKE BARS

Ingredients:

7 ounces high-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt), chopped, plus white chocolate curls (optional garnish)

27 chocolate sandwich cookies (about 11 ounces)

Filling:

1/2 cup chilled whipping cream

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature

3 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon Pastamore Meyer Lemon Oil

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon finely grated lime peel

 Lime slices or lime twists (for garnish)

Directions:  Line 8x8x2-inch square baking pan with foil, extending over all sides. Stir chopped white chocolate in small metal bowl set over saucepan of barely simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove bowl from over water.

Finely grind cookies in processor. Add 2 tablespoons melted white chocolate and blend until mixture clumps together. Firmly press mixture onto bottom of prepared pan. Chill while making filling. 

Beat whipping cream in medium bowl until peaks form. Beat cream cheese, Pastamore Meyer Lemon Oil, sugar, lime juice, and lime peel in large bowl until smooth. Beat in remaining melted white chocolate. Fold in whipped cream in 2 additions; spread over prepared crust. Chill until filling is slightly firm, at least 2 hours. Using foil as aid, lift cheesecake out of pan. Cut into 9 bars. Garnish with chocolate curls, if desired, and lime slices or twists.

Fresh Berry and Balsmic Vanilla Bite Dessert

With the holidays in full swing, there are parties to host and attend. If you are looking for a quick, simple, delicious dessert recipe then you are in the right place. This recipe utilizes fresh berries, vanilla cookies, Pastamore White Balsamic Vinegar with Pear, and Pastamore Fig Balsamic Vinegar.

The cookie for this recipe is fairly important, so the proper cookie should be chosen for the application. A regular vanilla wafer from the store probably isn't going to cut it. The flavor and texture of those wafers are poor, and it is a shame to call them cookies. I personally used Back to Nature Madagascar Vanilla Cookies, but it is also possible to make your own from scratch. I won't pretend like I am a master cookie maker, but I can tell you that Alton Brown has a great recipe for vanilla wafers at foodnetwork.com.

Ingredients:
8 oz - mascarpone fresca
3 Tbsp - honey (agave acceptable)
1 box - Back to Nature Madagascar Vanilla Cookies (or 4 dozen small vanilla cookies)
6 oz - fresh blackberries
4 oz - fresh raspberries
2 Tbsp - Pastamore White Balsamic Vinegar with Pear
1 Tbsp - sugar
3 oz - Pastamore Fig Balsamic Vinegar

Directions:
1. Chop the blackberries and raspberries into small pieces and place into a medium sized bowl. Add the Pastamore White Balsamic Vinegar with Pear and the sugar. Mix well.

2. Remove the marscapone from the container and place into a small bowl. Add the honey and stir until mixed well. Place the marscapone into a sandwich sized zip top bag.

3. Plate the cookies. Cut a 1/4" hole into the corner of the plastic bag (turning it into a pastry bag). Pipe the marscapone on top of the cookies. Using a spoon, ladle the berry mixture on top of the marscapone (be careful not to spoon on too much or it will run off the cookie). Using a separate spoon, drizzle the fig balsamic vinegar over the top of the plate.

Plating is best done when the berries and marscapone are very cold. If they are too warm they will have a tendency to spill off of the cookie. If they are to be served later, place them into the refrigerator. This dessert is small, but it packs a flavorful punch.

Chunky Southwestern Stew

The colder it gets, the more soup ends up on my table. I can't remember the last time that I bought a can of soup and have been making all of my soup homemade. It surely takes longer to make soup from scratch than to open a can, but the flavor is always worth the effort. This recipe utilizes fresh produce, Pastamore Fresh Jalapeno Oil, and vegetable broth to make a quick and flavorful stew.

Another bonus of making homemade soup is that you have an opportunity to control how healthy the soup is. It is easy to regulate the amount of oil and salt that goes in to a recipe when you are making it yourself. It is also possible to split batches in halves or smaller to account for different tastes when it comes to salt content, heat level, or whether or not the dish is vegetarian.

Ingredients:
1 qt - vegetable broth
1 oz - vegetable oil
2 Tbsp - Pastamore Fresh Jalapeno Oil
3 medium - Mexican squash
6 large - Tomatoes (on the vine preferred, but not beefsteak tomatoes)
1 medium - onion, small dice
1 can - black beans
1/2 can - corn (optional)
To taste - salt and black pepper
1/2 tsp - cumin
1 tsp - oregano

Directions:
1. Place a large pot on the stove over medium-high heat. While the pan is heating, dice the onion into 1/4" x 1/4" pieces. Once the pan is hot, add the vegetable oil and allow the oil to become hot. Add the onion and sweat the onion (temperature may need to be turned down to medium to prevent coloring of the onion). While the onions are cooking, prepare the rest of the vegetables.

2. Cut the squash into 1/2" thick half-moons and place to the side. Dice the tomatoes into 1/4" x 1/4" pieces. Once the onions are completely sweat, add the tomatoes and the squash to the pot (return heat to medium-high heat if turned down). Cook until the tomatoes have become fairly broken down, and then add the vegetable broth and bring to come to a boil.

3. While the broth is heating, add the black beans to a separate pot and heat according to directions. Once cooked, place in a colander and drain the liquid. Place to the side. Do the same with the canned corn if you would like to add it to the recipe.

4. Once the stew has come to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer. The stew will be finished when the squash are cooked. They shouldn't be too soft, so be careful not to overcook. Once the stew is finished, turn off the heat and add the black beans, Pastamore Fresh Jalapeno Oil, and the spices. Season to taste and remove from the stove.

This stew is great served with some hearty bread or some tortillas. If the soup is not spicy enough for your liking, more jalapeno oil can be added or red pepper flakes/chipotle chili powder. If it is too spicy, add some water to thin down the soup.

This recipe would be great with some chicken or beef added in also. To do this, cut the meat into bite size pieces and sear in a pan. Add the meat to the stew the same time as the tomatoes and squash. The stew would then be finished when the desired temperature has been reached for the meat.

Simple Chipotle Fettuccine Recipe

Sometimes you don't need a clever name for a dish because it speaks for itself. This is the case with the simple chipotle fettuccine recipe. This recipe utilizes our Pastamore Chipotle Fettuccine, and is simple, smoky, and delicious.

This recipe is a great example of how our products can make a fantastically quick and delicious meal. This recipe only took as long as it took for the water to come to a boil and the pasta to cook. The pasta has a nice medium level of heat that is smoky and flavorful. Spice up your holidays with a little chipotle!

Ingredients:
1 12 oz package - Pastamore Chipotle Fettuccine
1 oz - olive oil or vegetable oil
2 medium - gray squash (Mexican squash)
5 - Roma tomatoes
1/2 - medium yellow onion
To taste - salt and black pepper
1 avocado - for garnish

Directions:
1. Place a large pot of water on the stove over high heat (minimum 1 gallon of water). Cut the tops and bottoms from the squash and cut into quartered coins. Place a large pan on the stove over medium high-heat. Dice the onion into a small dice and combine with the squash. When the pan is hot add the oil and allow to heat. Once hot, add the squash and onions.

2. Dice the tomatoes into 1/4" x 1/4" pieces, and place the tomatoes to the side. Once the water is boiling, add the pasta to the pot along with a drizzle of oil and and 2 Tbsp of salt.

3. Cook the squash and onion until they both have browned a little bit. Once this has been achieved, add the tomatoes to the pan and turn the heat up to high. Cook until the tomatoes have released a good amount of water, and then turn off the burner and remove from the heat.

4. When the pasta has been cooked strain through a colander, reserving just a little of the cooking liquid. Return the pasta to the pot it was cooked in, and add the sauce to the pasta. Stir until mixed well. Plate and garnish with avocado.