Simple and Easy Cheesecake Pops

So I was invited to my good friend Laura's house for Easter Sunday.  I was alone because my husband and son went to the Mets game at Citifield.  Laura asked me to bring a couple bottles of red wine but of course I had to play in my kitchen and bring along something different for dessert. I had found this recipe in one of the many food magazines that I read in my spare time - LOVE reading food magazines and adding to my collection of simple recipes.  This by far was one of the simpliest I think I have ever made - look at that photo - it really makes all who see them go WOW!!! First of all what I do when I am invited to someone's home - I head right to Home Goods (another favorite pastime place of mine:) - I buy a great platter or dish to display whatever I am bringing plus I leave it behind as a gift for the entertainer. This was a beautiful little platter in teal color with sea horses and shells - just in time for hopefully sunny warm weather plus the color made the cheesecake pops stand out.

Here is the recipe:

1) 6 inch Pop Sticks (get them in Michaels or a Chocolate shop that makes homemade lollipops)
2) 8 ounces of Bittersweet Chocolate (melt in microwave - start with 1 minute if you need more time add 10 second at time just until chocolate is smooth and melted)
3) Toppings: Shredded Coconut, Colored Sprinkles etc...
4) Frozen Cheesecake (in frozen food section of your grocery)

Take your frozen cheesecake out of freezer and cut with a sharp knife into 1 inch squares. Stick the pop sticks into the 1 inch squares.  Melt your chocolate in microwave, then dip your cheesecake pops into chocolate using a small spoon - spoon chocolate up the sides of the cheesecake pops - then dip into toppings of your choice. Put on wax paper to harden then on a dish and put in the freezer until ready to serve.  About 30 minutes prior to serving take out of freezer.  Put on a nice platter and see what reaction you get from your guest! Now anyone can make this simple dessert! Also try to purchase a good quality frozen cheesecake - Trader Joes has some good ones - also the larger the cheesecake the more chocolate and toppings you will need but one small cheesecake will make plenty.  ENJOY:)

Brian's Powerful and Nutritious Kale

I love blogging about food and recipes.  What makes me smile even more is when I get responses to the blog with new recipes that others have enjoyed.  Brian and I worked together here in NY - I saw something outstanding in Brian from the day we worked together.  Brian has since been promoted to management out in La Jolla and Hawaii - how lucky is he!! He shared this very healthy recipe with me that came from his trainer at his gym.  Kale is one of the most healthy veggies we can eat. It is packed with vitamin A, C, potassium and lutein. It also has zeaxathan, which can help reduce certain cancers and help with our eyesight. I changed the recipe slightly by adding Red Pepper instead of Green Pepper - the Red Pepper adds nice color to the dish and I also added the Chicken Stock.  Here is the recipe - try to buy organic veggies if you can.

1) Bunch of Fresh Kale (washed real well) torn up
2) 1 small yellow onion - chopped up
3) 2 sticks of Celery - chopped up
4) 1 half Red Pepper - chopped up
5) lemon pepper  - a sprinkle
6) few drops of chicken stock
7) 3 tablespoons of EVO (olive oil)

Saute your onion, celery and red pepper until lightly browned in the EVO
add your Kale (tear up in small pieces)
add a splash of chicken stock or broth just to coat all in pan
sprinkle with lemon pepper
cover and let cook up for maybe 15 minutes - stir around every so often.

This is an excellent side dish or Brian tells me he even adds some grilled chicken and serves his over brown rice.  How healthy is this after a long day and working out?? I did not add the chicken but had mine as a side dish.  It was wonderful! Thanks Brian for sharing - this will now be a staple in Linda's Kitchen!

Laura's Special Chicken Cutlets Over Fresh Spinach

This is one of those amazing Chicken Cutlet dishes that you just go WOW when you take a bite! Laura is my very dear friend - top realtor on North Shore of Long Island as well - so if you ever need a fabulous realtor I can give you her info but she is also a wonderful cook! Over the past 23 yrs we have shared many great recipes and many great home cooked meals together. This is her recipe that I enjoyed at her home and had to get this recipe. So while waiting for the washing machine repair man this morning at 7am (who is fashionably late!) - this is what I made in preparation for tonights dinner - one less thing I will have to do after working all day today.  I will just put it in the oven for 30 minutes once I get home this evening.  It is already on a bed of fresh spinach - I get the spinach  in the bag already triple washed and lay the entire bag down first then add my chicken - spinach will shrink up alot once you bake in the oven but atleast you already have your veggie as part of the meal - super food veggie Spinach -so great for us! So here is the recipe:
1 package of thin sliced cutlets
3 eggs
drop of milk
Flour or you can use Cake Meal during Passover
White Wine about 1/2 cup
Chicken Stock about 3/4 cup
Cornstarch (2 Tablespoons)
Drop of half n half
1/2 cup Lemon Juice or Juice of 2 lemons squeezed in
1) dip cutlets in egg then flour
2) Saute cutlets in olive oil
3) deglaze pan with white wine
4) whisk in together cornstarch, chicken stock and half in half
5) add Lemon juice
6) add to the white in the pan stirring constantly
7) layer your pan with spinach top with the cutlets
8) pour sauce from pan over the cutlets with spinach
9) sprinkle with some parsley
10) cover with foil and cook 350 for 30-35 minutes

Enjoy this one I know you will:)

Matzo ButterCrunch and Chocolate Toffee Crunch Matzo

I always look for something sweet to make for Passover that of course does not include flour.  Most desserts you find are really not that great - but this one is truly excellent! I would say its a cross between a cookie and a candy. It also only takes a few minutes to whip it up. Your guests will eat this one up guaranteed. Nice treat to bring along with you as well - I would get a nice little plastic container - line up the crunch and wrap with clear cello wrap. You will notice two types in my photo - one without nuts is the Matzo Buttercrunch and the one with nuts in the Chocolate Toffee Crunch.  I like the chocolate Toffee one better - as I enjoy the added nuts plus it is made with bittersweet chocolate and other with semi-sweet. Don't get me wrong - the matzo crunch is delicious as well. The Chocolate Toffee Crunch was in Newsday a few weeks ago - so I cannot take credit for the recipe.  Here is the recipe - make it before you head to your Seder tonight that's how easy it is:
1) matzos (salted ot unsalted either is fine)
2) 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
3) 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
4) 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted
5) 2/3 cup of chopped walnuts, pecans or almonds ( i used walnuts)

preheat the oven to 400. Line your cookie sheet with foil then parchment on top of foil.  Lay matzo on parchment - break up to fit on cookie sheet as evenly as possible. Then melt butter in pot add brown sugar stir until boiling then lower flame and stir gently for about 2 minutes. Pour this mixture over the matzo and apread evenly over the matzo till all covered. Put in oven for 5 minutes. Melt your Bittersweet in microwave it took me 1 minute to melt the 6 ounces until till smooth and creamy. After 5 minutes take out the matzo, drizzle the warm bittersweet over the matzo and then sprinkle the nuts and press nuts down gently. Put finished matzo on cookie sheet in refrig for about 30 minutes - then take out and break up into nice looking pieces. If still alittle tacky after 30 minutes - just let it air dry. Tell me how many of your guest will want this recipe??? All of them: :) Happy and Healthy Pesach!

Change it up Sunday with Chicken Ragu...

Every Sunday in our house we usually have a traditional italian pasta dinner.  Something my family has done since I was a little girl growing up with an italian mother.  It makes the weekly meal selection real easy knowing that every sunday we have sauce, pasta, meatballs, sausage and a good crusty italian bread. This particular sunday I decided to make something a little different - it was a Rachel Ray recipe (I love her recipes).  It took me about 30 minutes to prepare - it was made with boneless chicken thighs and pancetta. It was really fabulous - great flavor and hearty! Even the dogs thought it was tasty - I added a tad to their boring dog food to spice it up a bit:) Actually it spiced our sunday dinner up - sometimes good to change it up keeps the excitement going in the kitchen - if you are a kitchen nut like me you like that type of excitement!!

The EASY and FABULOUS Bennardo Pulled Pork Dinner

Nothing like taking a wonderful walk in the quaint town in Northport with my sister Darlene and Brother in law Sal this past saturday with our dogs! Teddy is the Bennardo Basset Hound (named after the President Theodore Roosevelt) and my 2 dogs Natasha Standard Poodle and Stoli Mini Poodle  (named after a Russian Woman and of course the Russian Vodka). As we strolled along, of course we spoke about great cooking and meals - they shared this simple pulled pork recipe with me.  It is called the Dumbie Version of a Pulled Pork Meal that will make your mouth water and your family grin from ear to ear - it will also add on the pounds but that's where you must work it out daily in the gym so you can eat these special treats. Well it was a REAL treat especially after doing a "Navy Seal" workout in the gym. If you want this recipe - let me know I will share the simple secret!