DULCE DE LECHE CHEESECAKE WITH SHORTBREAD CRUST

When it comes to cheesecake I’ve got the biggest weak spot! This year, for my birthday I requested my boyfriend’s mom make her famous cheesecake recipe with a dulce de leche topping and shortbread crust and boy was I in heaven. Ever since we went to Argentina together on a family trip I have been obsessed with dulce de leche and to have it on my birthday cake just made all the amazing memories come flooding back. If you are not into dulce de leche, no worries. The cheesecake in this recipe has vanilla in it so it also makes for a great, more subtle vanilla cheesecake recipe.

ENJOY!

INGREDIENTS:

-Shortbread Crust -

1/2 CUP if Butter (softened)
1/4 CUP of Sugar
1 CUP of All-Purpose Flour

- Cheesecake Filling -

1 CUP of Whipping Cream 35% - divided into 2 portions
3 x 8oz Packs of Cream Cheese (softened)
3/4 CUP of Sugar
2 TBSP of Cornstarch
4 Eggs
4 TBSP of Vanilla

- Topping -
Apx 300ml of Dulce De Leche

DIRECTIONS:

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until fluffy before slowly incorporate the flour until crumbly.

Press dough into a 9-inch springform pan before refrigerating for 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and when ready, bake shortbread crust for 15 minutes until golden.

In another bowl, whip one portion of cream until stiff peaks start to form. Set aside.

In another large bowl, beat cream cheese until it starts to become fluffy before adding in sugar and cornstarch. Continue to beat until the filling has a smooth texture.

Next, beat in eggs one at a time until blended before beating in the remaining whipping cream and vanilla.

Lastly, fold in whipped cream and pour over the baked crust before returning the cake back to the oven and reducing the temperature to 300 degrees. Allow cheesecake to bake for 70 minutes or until the center is almost set.

When ready, allow the cheesecake to sit in the springform pan while it cools on a cooling rack. You can run a knife along the edge of the pan to help you remove it. After removing the springform pan refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight if possible before serving.

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I hope you enjoyed this recipe as much as I do. If you have any comments please leave them below and I'll be happy to answer them as soon as I can! Bon Appetite!!!

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SUMMER OF PROSCIUTTO - 2 APPETIZERS THAT REQUIRE ZERO COOKING

*Disclosure: I have participated in a paid partnership with Mastro/San Daniele.
Opinions in this post are my own.

Summer has always been my favourite season in Canada and this year I am determined to make the most of it! For me, that means less time in the house and more time outdoors, enjoying the cottage, hanging out at the beach and of course, watching the sunset. Whenever I’m looking for a quick and easy meal to whip up to take along with me, I always prefer the non-cook option (actually, my boyfriend Adam and I like to joke about how I’m an even better ‘assembler’ than I am a cook)! This means that I’m always on the lookout for delicious food items that are not only versatile but also bursting with flavours that enhance any dish I throw together. One such item is San Daniele Prosciutto! Made according to old world tradition and cured for 12 months, this pre-packaged prosciutto helps turn a simple salad, crostini or charcuterie board into an amazing appetizer or even meal, not to mention it travels well and can easily be assembled on the go! So next time you’re at the grocery store, make sure to grab a pack of San Daniele prosciutto from the bulk deli counter at your grocery store and enjoy its bursts of classic flavour, unique fragrance, and naturally rosy colour with your next meal.

This week I used my pack of San Daniele prosciutto to whip up these brie and prosciutto crostini to enjoy on the beach while watching the sunset, along with this Joso’s inspired summer salad (my favourite restaurant in Toronto) that is light yet very filling!

INGREDIENTS:

- Serves 4 People -

- Crostini -

1 Pack of Paris Toast
1 Round of Brie Cheese
1 Jar of Jam (I recommend an apricot or raspberry)
1 Pack of San Daniele Prosciutto

- Large Salad -

1 Large White Potato - Boiled and Chopped
2 Cups of Fresh Arugula
2 Cups of Romain - Chopped
1 Vine Tomato - Chopped
1/2 Can of Chickpeas - Rinsed and Drained
2 Green Onions - sliced lengthwise
1/2 Cup of Feta Cheese
1 Persian Cucumber - Chopped
1 Pack of San Daniele Prosciutto
Salt and Pepper

- Salad Dressing -

1 Part Red Wine Vinegar
4 Part Canola Oil or Vegetable Oil
Salt and Pepper (lots of salt!)

DIRECTIONS:

- Crostini’s -

Top a few Paris toast with brie cheese.

Next, add a dollop of jam on top.

Garnish with San Daniele Prosciutto and serve.

Enjoy!

- Large Salad -

Bring a pot of water to a boil and place you pealed potato inside. Cook for 20 minutes or until it is soft. You can check if it has become soft by sticking a fork in it. If you can easily slide a fork inside it then it is ready. When ready, drain the hot water out of the pot and blanch the potato with cold water for 2 minutes to prevent it from cooking further.

Place Arugula, Romain, chopped tomato, chickpeas, chopped green onion, chopped cucumber, crumbled feta, and cooled, chopped boiled potato in a large bowl. Top with San Daniele Prosciutto, some fresh cracked pepper, and a pinch of salt.

Dress with salad dressing, toss and serve.

Enjoy!

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If you like this recipe or have any comments/questions, feel free to leave them in the comment section below!

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NUTELLA & MARSCAPONE FRENCH TOAST

Usually a savory over sweet person, this has to be the most decadent french toast I have ever had, not to mention the most beautiful. I honestly think you don’t even need the maple syrup because of how sweet it is already - its dessert for breakfast, lets call a spade a spade. LOL But damn was it good and so worthy of a post on the blog so here you go! Don’t blame me if you get a cavity! LOL

INGREDIENTS:

-French Toast For Two -

6 Pieces of Chellah Bread Slicked in 1’ Thick Pieces
6 Eggs
1 SP of Cinnamon
1/4 Cup of Brown Sugar
1/2 TSP of Vanilla Extract
1/4 TSP of Nutmeg
Pinch of Salt
Butter for the pan
1 Jar of Nutella
I Jar of Marscapone
Icing Sugar for dusting

-Additional Toppings -

Maple Syrup

DIRECTIONS:

Whisk eggs, cinnamon, brown sugar, vanilla extract, nutmeg and salt in a bowl until fully incorporated.

Heat pan on high and add butter. While butter is melting take a piece of bread and soak it in egg mixture, 4 seconds each side. Place in pan with melted butter and allow to cook until golden brown- flip and repeat to other side

When all the toast is ready spread a thin layer of Nutella between the first and second layer. Then spread a thin layer or marscapone between the second and third layer. Spread a thin layer of Nutella between the third and fourth layer.

Dust the stack of french toast with icing sugar using a sifter before adding maple syrup and eating.

ENJOY!!!

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I hope you enjoyed this recipe as much as I do. If you have any comments please leave them below and I'll be happy to answer them as soon as I can! Bon Appetite!!!

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RECIPE REVIEW: STRAWBERRY GOAT CHEESE BRUSCHETTA RECIPE

I found this recipe online while trying to find inspiration and had to try it out. I am a huge fan of goat cheese and the mix of sweet and salty flavors, so right off the bat it caught my attention. I did make an adjustment to the original recipe which called for thyme instead of mint, and I am so happy I did. The freshness of the mint perfectly complimented the strawberries and it tasted just heavenly. If you have a sweet tooth or like sweet fruits with cheese, you got to try this strawberry bruschetta recipe! Feel free to also get creative and change up the cheese! I am sure it would also taste amazing with feta cheese and a little balsamic glaze or cream cheese if that’s all you have!

INGREDIENTS:

Serving: 3-4 People

1/2 CUP of balsamic vinegar
Bread cut into slices - I used baguette but the original recipe calls for Italian
1 TBSP of olive oil
1 LB of Fresh Strawberries (cut into small morsels)
2 TSP of Fresh Mint (chopped) - original recipe calls for thyme
1 CUP of Goat Cheese - Keep at room temperature for easy spreading
Salt and Pepper to Taste

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LOOKING FOR AN INTERESTING APPETIZER? CHECK OUT THESE OTHER RECIPES!

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HOW TO MAKE STRAWBERRY BRUSCHETTA:

The first thing you want to do is reduce the balsamic vinegar into a glaze so in order to do this you need to heat it in a small pot or pan over medium to low heat. Let it simmer there for 8 to 10 minutes, it should reduce by about half and thicken nicely to a glaze. Once it is done, remove from heat and allow it to cool back to room temperature.

Next, you have to toast the bread. You can either do this in bulk using a foil-lined baking sheet, drizzling them with olive oil, and placing them in the oven at 400 for 5-10 minutes. The timing here can vary depending on how thick you cut the slices and how golden/crunchy you want them so keep an eye on them so they don’t burn.

While the bread is in the oven, combine cut-up strawberries with fresh mint in a bowl and add in the room temperature vinegar glaze. Salt and pepper the mixture to your taste.

Once the bread is ready you can go ahead and spread goat cheese across each piece before spooning the strawberry bruschetta mixture over each piece. Garnish with more mint and serve!

Enjoy!

To check out the original recipe, click HERE!

If you are looking for an authentic traditional Italian bruschetta recipe with tomatoes, click HERE!

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If you like this strawberry bruschetta recipe or have any comments/questions, feel free to leave them in the comment section below!

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BAKED ITALIAN KETO MEATBALLS!

My mom and I have been on the keto diet for over a year and we are always looking for new keto-friendly recipes to fit our keto-lifestyle. About a month or two ago my mom found this old ‘baked Italian meatball’ recipe on the internet and we decided to give it try, with a couple of our own keto-friendly twists of course. That evening when we sat down to dinner we could not believe how juicy and delicious the meatballs were, and the sauce - a little spicy but so flavorful. For the next three weeks straight we started a Meatball Monday tradition because we honestly couldn’t get enough! My mom and I love this recipe so much we figured It wasn’t fair for us to keep it all to ourselves, so here it is my keto loving friends! I’ve written it out so you can enjoy it too!

Buon Appetito!

INGREDIENTS:

-Meatballs-
1 lbs of medium (15-20% fat) ground beef
2 Italian pork sausages - casing removed and chopped
1 cup of Parmesan - grated
1.5 cloves of garlic - minced
1 cup crushed pork rinds
1 Egg
2 tbsp of fresh, chopped Italian parsley
Salt and Pepper

-Sauce-
3 tbsp of olive oil
1 small sweet onion - chopped finely
2 cloves of garlic - minced
1/2 tsp of oregano
2 tbsp of fresh basil, chopped roughly
1-2 dashes of hot chili flakes (if desired)
1 - 800g (28oz) can of peeled tomatoes (Roma / San Marzano)
Salt and Pepper to Taste

-Toppings-
Fresh Parsley
Parmesan Cheese

-Extras-
Baguette

DIRECTIONS:

Mix all meatball ingredients in a large bowl and form 7-8 large meatballs. Place meatballs on a tray covered in parchment paper and store in a cool place.

In a deep skillet or dutch oven, add olive oil and let it heat up on low/medium heat.

Once hot add onion to skillet and let sweat 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and continue to let simmer stirring occasionally.

Once onion and garlic is translucent add in your spices and continue to cook 1-2 minutes.

Add in the canned tomatoes and chop up any large tomato bits. Mix thoroughly before covering and allowing to simmer at a low temperature for 30 minutes, stirring periodically.

After 30 minutes of simmering pre-heat oven to 350F.

Place meatballs in the skillet or dutch oven on top of the simmering sauce. Sprinkle with a little more Parmesan cheese and add in fresh thyme.

Bake (no lid if you are using a dutch oven) for approximately 20-25 minutes turning meatballs over half way.

Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

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If you like this recipe or have any comments/questions, feel free to leave them in the comment section below!

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