Chantal's New York Cheesecake

I've tried numerous cheesecake recipes and for some reason The Husband really liked this one.  It doesn't have a strong "cheese" taste, in fact it's a bit denser like a cake.  I just like how simple it was to make. Supposedly this is the recipe from the famous Chantal's deli in New York. I personally thought 1.5 cups of sugar was a bit sweet and even thought I left it in the oven, the cake still cracked.  I think next time I'll try 1 cup of sugar and cook the cake in a water bath.

Chantal's New York Cheesecake
ingredients | crust

• 15 graham crackers, crushed
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted

ingredients | cake

• 4 (8 oz) packages cream cheese
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 3/4 cup milk
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

 directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9 inch springform pan.
2. In a medium bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs with melted butter. Press onto bottom of springform pan.
3. In a large bowl, mix cream cheese with sugar until smooth. Blend in milk, and then mix in the eggs one at a time, mixing just enough to incorporate. Mix in sour cream, vanilla and flour until smooth. Pour filling into prepared crust.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. Turn the oven off, and let cake cool in oven with the door closed for 5 to 6 hours; this prevents cracking. Chill in refrigerator until serving.

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Shrimp Scampi with Linguini

Sometimes it astonishes me how much a dish cost to make versus order at a restaurant. This recipe is simple, but tasty especially if you get the right shrimp.

Shrimp Scampi with Linquini

ingredients

• 1lb linguini
• 4 Tb butter
• 4 Tb extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 2 shallots, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• 1lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley leaves

directions

1. For the pasta, put a large pot of water on the stove to boil. When it has come to the boil, add a couple of tablespoons of salt and the linguini. Stir to make sure the pasta separates; cover. When the water returns to a boil, cook for about 6 to 8 minutes or until the pasta is not quite done. Drain the pasta.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter in 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Saute the shallots, garlic, and red pepper flakes until the shallots are translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. 
3. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper; add them to the pan and cook until they have turned pink, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the shrimp from the pan; set aside and keep warm. 
4. Add wine and lemon juice and bring to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons oil. When the butter has melted, return the shrimp to the pan along with the parsley and cooked pasta. Stir well and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle over a bit more olive oil and serve immediately.

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Spinach Lasagna Rolls

I can't remember why I bought ricotta cheese, but it was about to expire and I was in dire need of a quick recipe where ricotta cheese was used abundantly.  I've made lasagna before but always felt they were quite labor intensive, it was probably my fault for taking on the more challenging recipes. This recipe will definitely be making a reappearance on our dinner table.  Quick, easy and delicious.

Spinach Lasagna Rolls
(adapted from the-girl-who-ate-everything.com)

ingredients

• 9 lasagna noodles, cooked
• 1 (10oz) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and completely drained
• 1 (15oz) container fat free ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp dried italian seasoning
• salt and pepper
• 1 chicken breast, cooked and diced
• 1 jar of spaghetti sauce
• 9 Tb mozzarella cheese, shredded

directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Make sure you drain the spinach well. Combine spinach, ricotta, Parmesan cheese, egg, garlic, Italian seasonings, chicken, and salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Pour about 1 cup sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish.
2. Place a piece of wax paper on the counter and lay out lasagna noodles. Make sure noodles are dry by patting them with a paper towel. Take 1/3 cup of ricotta mixture and spread evenly over a noodle. Roll carefully and place seam side down onto the baking dish. Repeat with remaining noodles.
3. Ladle sauce over the noodles in the baking dish and top each one with 1 Tablespoon of mozzarella cheese. Cover baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes, or until cheese melts. Makes 9 rolls.
    

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