Chocolate Cheesecake

If you've only read a few posts on this blog, you probably already know I'm a complete chocoholic. 100% addicted. There's rarely a day that goes by where I don't have chocolate in some form. When I read news stories that proclaim chocolate is a health food because of antioxidants or that eating chocolate will make you happier because of your brain chemicals, I can't help but think I really don't need another excuse to eat chocolate. Stop it, guys! I really wonder about the validity of these stories. It seems like they're just telling us what we want to hear.

That would be like me telling you this chocolate cheesecake takes just 5 minutes to make, is ready to eat instantly with no overnight refrigeration, and is 0 calories! Ha. If that were the case we'd all be 500 pounds. Things that are absolutely and indulgently scrumptious should require at least a bit of work so they're not an everyday affair, right?

By the way - happy Leap Day! Use this extra day to indulge in some chocolate :)

Recipe Rundown
Taste: Tangy, rich, and oh so chocolate-y. Not overly sweet. 
Texture: The crust is thick, slightly buttery, and crunchy while the filling is luscious and smooth. 
Ease: Not hard but impressive all the same. The water bath prevents the cheesecake from getting deep cracks.
Appearance: How could you not want a slice?
Pros: It's chocolate cheesecake... the pros are probably obvious ;)
Cons: Again, it's chocolate cheesecake... not exactly diet-friendly. Small slices people!! Also, delayed gratification (cheesecake needs to chill overnight before being served). 
Would I make this again? This would be great for entertaining... yes.

Chocolate Cheesecake
Serves 12
Loosely adapted from Bon Appetit Desserts
For the crust:

• 24 chocolate wafer cookies (about 9 ounces)
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:

• 9 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 4 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 4 large eggs

For the crust:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In the bowl of a food processor, pulse wafer cookies with sugar until finely ground. Add melted butter and pulse until moistened. Press crust into the bottom of a 9-inch nonstick springform pan. Bake until crust is just set, about 8 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Maintain oven temperature.

For the filling:
In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave chopped chocolate in 20-second bursts, stirring between bursts, until melted and smooth. In a clean food processor bowl, blend cream cheese, sugar, and cocoa powder until well combined, scraping down the edges as necessary. Blend in eggs, one at a time, until combined. Blend in melted chocolate until combined. Pour filling over cooled crust and smooth top. Meanwhile, prepare about 2 quarts of boiling water on the stovetop or in a kettle.

Wrap bottom of cooled springform pan tightly with foil and place pan into a larger, deep baking pan. Carefully pour boiling water into large pan until water reaches about halfway up the sides of springform pan to create a water bath.

Carefully place pans in oven and bake at 350 degrees F for about 1 hour, until center is just set and top looks slightly dry. Cool cheesecake completely on a wire rack. Run a knife along the edges to loosen then place cheesecake in pan in refrigerator to chill overnight. Cheesecake can be made 3 days ahead of time, kept in the refrigerator and covered with foil.

Mini Chicken Chimichangas

I don't do a lot of deep-frying. But when I do, it's pretty magical. There's not much better in the world of food than perfectly crisp, crunchy, slightly flaky, fried goodness. Luckily, frying can be a bit of a hassle and if you don't have a great kitchen vent (like me), your house might smell like KFC for the rest of the day. That's all worth it, though, when you bite into something that makes you close your eyes to savor every taste and texture. 

What do you fry on special occasions?

Recipe Rundown
Taste: Full of flavor but not too spicy.
Texture: The very best part. The tortilla is perfectly crisp on the outside, slightly chewy inside while the filling is meaty and cheesy. Is there anything better?? 
Ease: It didn't take as much time as I had expected but I will be honest - this recipe does dirty a few dishes and requires hands-on assembly and deep-frying.
Appearance: Pretty boring to look at but mouthwatering all the same (I think that goes with most fried food).
Pros: So dang delicious. I even reheated the leftovers in my toaster oven and they were fabulous.
Cons: Like I said, this recipe is pretty involved and not healthy. So worth it for a special occasion, though.
Would I make this again? Yes, but not anytime soon. I think my next fried adventure will be chicken. Mmmm.

Mini Chicken Chimichangas 
Makes 16
From Spoon Fork Bacon
 For the filling:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 red onion, diced
• 1/2 poblano pepper, seeded and diced
• 1/2 cup corn kernels 
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
• 1/4 cup prepared salsa
• 4 ounces cheddar cheese, grated

For assembling and frying:

• 16 (5-inch) flour tortillas
• 2 quarts vegetable oil, for frying

For the dipping sauce:

• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons Sriracha
• 1 lime, zested and juiced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

For the filling:
In a medium saute pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic, onion, and poblano pepper and saute for 4-5 minutes, until fragrant and slightly softened. Add corn kernels and continue to cook for 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Remove mixture from heat into a large bowl. Add shredded chicken, salsa, and cheese and mix gently to combine. Season again with salt and pepper to taste, if needed. 

To assemble:
Spoon a small amount of filling into the center of each tortilla. Fold edges towards each other then roll up to make a burrito shape. Place chimichangas on a baking sheet, seam side down.

To fry:
Meanwhile, heat vegetable oil in a Dutch oven to 375 degrees (measure temperature with a fry thermometer). 

Holding chimichanga together with a pair of heat-safe tongs, carefully place and hold together in the oil for 2 minutes. Gently release the chimichanga and continue to fry for 3-5 minutes more, or until golden brown. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with remaining chimichangas. 

For the dipping sauce:
Place sour cream, Sriracha, lime zest, lime juice, and salt in a small bowl and combine until completely incorporated. Serve with hot chimichangas.

Mississippi Mud Pie

Pie. One of the most comforting food categories of all time, sweet or savory. Who doesn't love a slice of homemade pie? Especially when it's chocolate. And it's covered with whipped cream. This dessert really can't get more perfect in my book.

On a totally unrelated-to-pie note, we got a new puppy! He was born on Christmas (awh) and is a yorkie (awh). Here's a picture of nap-time from my instagram:

Puppies and homemade pie. Some of the best things in life.

Recipe Rundown
Taste: To quote my boyfriend, "This might be some of your best work!" - The pie is chocolate-y and slightly nutty without being too sweet. 
Texture: The crust is firm and slightly crunchy yet buttery, the filling is thick and luscious, while the topping is airy and light. 
Ease: The hardest part is the filling, just make sure you read the directions completely before making and you will be fine.
Appearance: Love the contrast of the dark crust and filling with the white whipped cream dotted with tan pecans. 
Pros: One of my favorite pies ever.
Cons: Delayed gratification, this pie needs to chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours before serving. 
Would I make this again? 100% yes.

Mississippi Mud Pie
Serves 6-8
From Pies and Tarts
For the crust:

• 25 chocolate wafer cookies (6 ounces, or about 1 1/2 cups crumbs)
• 1/2 cup pecan halves
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:

• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 cups milk
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

For the topping:

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Coarsely chopped pecans, for garnish 

For the crust:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In the bowl of a food processor, process wafer and pecans until finely ground. Add melted butter and pulse until mixture is moistened. Press into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Chill in freezer for 10 minutes, or until mixture is firm. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

For the filling:
In a medium saucepan combine sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, salt. Whisk in milk. Heat mixture over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until thick and bubbling, about 7 minutes.

Whisk egg yolks in a medium bowl. Slowly whisk half of hot milk mixture into egg yolks until thoroughly combined. Pour mixture back into saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture returns to a boil. Pour mixture through a fine sieve into a large bowl. Stir in vanilla and butter, 1 piece at a time, until completely smooth.

Pour mixture into cooled crust and smooth the top. Cover the surface with plastic and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

For the topping:
With an electric mixer beat the cream, sugar, and vanilla until soft peaks form. Spread whipped cream over pie. Sprinkle with pecans and serve. 

Take-out at Home: Chicken Tikka Masala

I've only attempted to cook Indian food at a home a few times and I'll admit it, it's not always successful. Indian food, or should I say "Indian-inspired" because I'm sure most of the ingredients accessible here in Arizona and many of the recipes aren't traditional or authentic, can be so intimidating. The sheer number of ingredients in most Indian recipes is overwhelming. Not to mention the hard to pronounce names of everything on the page. However, if you can get a good recipe or get the dish to come out right it is so worth it because Indian cuisine is brimming with beautiful complex flavor. 

Here are a few tips for the recipe (if you need them):

• Coriander and garam masala (an Indian spice blend) may not be in your spice cabinet. Garam masala can be made at home but requires many spices and a spice grinder. Coriander and garam masala can be found at a surprising amount of grocery stores, you've probably just never really looked. If you can't find the spices at your regular store, try an ethnic specialty store or spice store like Penzey's. Even stores like Cost Plus World Market, Williams-Sonoma, and Sur la Table often carry hard-to-find spices. There's always the internet, too. 
• The recipe calls for a de-seeded serrano chile. If you like spicy, add some or all of the seeds. 
• I served my dish over basmati rice. 
• The chicken is rubbed with spices, allowed to marinade for 30-60 minutes, then dipped in a seasoned yogurt mixture and broiled. You dice the chicken then add it to the finished sauce, just to warm everything through. You do not actually cook the chicken in the sauce. This results in moist chicken that still has lots of flavor. 
• Note the chicken cooking time approximation is pretty wide-ranged (10-18) minutes. This is because chicken breasts come in variety of sizes with different thicknesses. Keep an eye on the chicken and check with an instant-read thermometer. If you don't have one of those, I suggest you buy one. It's an invaluable kitchen tool!

Recipe Rundown
Taste: Not exactly like the Tikka Masala I've had in restaurants but still flavorful and tasty.
Texture: The chicken is perfectly cooked and not at all dry or rubbery. The sauce is luscious and slightly thick. 
Ease: Not at all as difficult as I had expected.  
Appearance: The bright burnt orange/reddish color of the sauce matched with the green cilantro all sitting on a bed of white rice is just lovely.
Pros: Pretty easy way to make Indian-inspired food at home. The sauce can be made ahead of time.
Cons: None, really. This dish isn't exactly authentic Indian food but it tastes good and I think that is what matters. 
Would I make this again? Yes.

Chicken Tikka Masala
Serves 4-6
From The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook
Chicken:

• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 2 garlic cloves, minced

Sauce:

•  3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
• 1 fresh serrano chile, seeded and minced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon garam masala
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• Salt
• 2/3 up heavy cream
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

For the chicken:
In a small bowl combine salt, cumin, coriander, and cayenne. Sprinkle chicken all over with spice mixture, pressing mixture into chicken. Wrap chicken in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.  Meanwhile, whisk yogurt, oil, ginger, and garlic in a large bowl.

For the sauce:
Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until hot and shimmering. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened and light brown, about 8-10 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, serrano, tomato paste, and garam masala, stirring often, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in cream and return to a simmer. Remove pan from heat and cover to keep warm. Sauce can be made up to 4 days ahead of time.

Cook the chicken:
Meanwhile, set oven rack 6-inches away from upper heating element. Preheat broiler. Spray a large wire rack with nonstick cooking spray and place over a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Dip spiced chicken into yogurt mixture, coat evenly, then place on a wire rack. Discard remaining yogurt mixture. Broil chicken until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 160 degrees F and the exterior is slightly charred in spots, 10-18 minutes total, flipping chicken halfway through.

To finish:
Let chicken rest 5 minutes then cut into 1-inch chunks. Stir chicken into warm sauce. Stir in cilantro, season to taste with salt, and serve.