Fudge Truffle Cheesecake

Truffle-like chocolate cheesecake in a chocolate cookie crust. It is the perfect dessert to accompany your Valentine’s Day celebration.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups vanilla wafer crumbs

• ½ cup confectioners' sugar

• ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

• ⅓ cup butter, softened

• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

• 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature

• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

• 4 large eggs eggs

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

• Step 1

  Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

• Step 2

  In a large mixing bowl, mix together crushed vanilla wafers, confectioners' sugar, cocoa, and butter by hand. Press ingredients into a 9-inch springform pan.

• Step 3

  In the top of a double boiler, melt the chocolate chips, making sure that they are very smooth.

• Step 4

  In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy with an electric mixer. Gradually beat in condensed milk until smooth. Mix in melted chocolate, eggs, and vanilla. Beat with electric mixer on low speed until the ingredients are thoroughly blended. Pour the filling into the prepared crust.

• Step 5

  Bake at 300 degrees F for 55 minutes. The cake will seem underbaked in the center, but will continue to cook after you remove it from the oven.

• Step 6

  Allow to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for several hours before serving.

Crispy Baked Gau

February 1st is the Chinese New Year. Celebrate the Year of the Tiger with this traditional new year dessert. This is a baked version of the Chinese Gau, a dessert that is usually steamed.

Ingredients

• 1 (16 ounce) box sweet rice flour (mochiko)

• 2 cups brown sugar

• ¾ cup white sugar

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 (13.5 ounce) can coconut milk

• 2 cups milk

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Directions

• Step 1

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8x12 inch pan with aluminum foil, going up the sides.

• Step 2

  Sift the rice flour, brown sugar, white sugar, and baking soda into a large bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in the coconut milk, milk, and vanilla extract. Stir together until smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and sprinkle sesame seeds over the top.

• Step 3

  Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. Let cool in pan for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and place on a cutting board top side up. Cut into 1 inch squares.

White Christmas Pie

This is a delicious, yet not-too-filling pie. It does remind you of a blanket of snow on Christmas morning.

Ingredients

• 1 (.25 ounce) package unflavored gelatin

• ¼ cup cold water

• 1 cup white sugar

• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 1 ½ cups milk

• ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 cup flaked coconut

• ½ cup heavy whipping cream

• 3 egg whites

• ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

• 1 (9 inch) pie crust, baked

• 2 tablespoons flaked coconut

Directions

• Step 1

  Sprinkle gelatin over cold water; set aside to soften.

• Step 2

  Combine 1/2 cup sugar, flour, and salt in a saucepan. Gradually stir in milk. Cook over low heat, stirring until it boils. Boil for 1 minute, and remove from heat. Transfer to a large bowl. Stir in softened gelatin. When partially set, beat with a rotary mixer until smooth. Blend in vanilla and 1 cup coconut.

• Step 3

  Whip the cream until stiff. Gently fold into coconut mixture.

• Step 4

  In a clean bowl, beat egg whites until frothy. Beat in cream of tartar and 1/2 cup sugar. Continue beating until egg whites form stiff peaks. Fold into coconut mixture. Pile filling into cooled pie shell. Sprinkle with additional coconut. Chill pie for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Christmas Orange Hot Chocolate

This is the perfect Christmas morning drink next to the fireplace with classic Christmas music playing.

Ingredients

• 1 cup milk

• 1 (1 ounce) envelope instant hot cocoa mix (such as Swiss Miss®)

• ¼ cup orange juice

• ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

Heat milk in a saucepan over high heat; whisk hot cocoa mix into milk until completely dissolved. Continue whisking for 1 minute, reduce heat to medium, and gradually stir in orange juice. Sprinkle cinnamon over the top and stir. Pour hot chocolate into a mug.

Witch Hat Cookies

Using Fudge Stripe Cookies and Chocolate Kisses, this recipes yields cute little treats that are a trick to make.

Ingredients

• 2 (16 ounce) packages fudge stripe cookies

• ¼ cup honey, or as needed

• 1 (9 ounce) bag milk chocolate candy kisses, unwrapped

• 1 (4.5 ounce) tube decorating gel

Directions

• Place a fudge stripe cookie with bottom side up onto a work surface.

• Smear a small dab (about 1/8 teaspoon) of honey onto the bottom of a chocolate kiss, and secure the candy piece to the center of the cookie, covering the hole.

• Use decorating gel to pipe a small bow onto the cookie at the base of the candy piece.

• Repeat with remaining ingredients.

Hungarian Potato and Sausage Soup

There’s nothing better than a hearty soup to chase away the chill of a cool autumn day. This soup is the perfect fall comfort food. The savory flavor from smoked sausage and the earthy sweetness from onions and cabbage are balanced perfectly with a splash of vinegar and a bit of sour cream, all brought together by soft and tender potatoes--the only way this gets better is serving it with a nice hunk of buttered, crusty bread.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 6 ounces smoked Hungarian sausage, sliced into rounds

• 1 yellow onion, diced

• 1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste

• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika

• 5 cups chicken broth, or more to taste

• 2 cups chopped green cabbage

• 1 ½ pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cubed

• freshly ground black pepper to taste

• 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste

• 1 bay leaf

• 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar

• ½ cup sour cream, or to taste

• 2 tablespoons sliced green onion, or to taste (Optional)

Directions

• Step 1

  Melt butter in a soup pot over medium heat. Add sausage and cook and stir until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove sausage to a bowl, leaving behind any butter in the pot.

• Step 2

  Toss onion into the pot with 1 teaspoon salt. Cook and stir until onion just starts to turn translucent and picks up a brown color from the meat juices in the pan, 4 to 5 minutes. Add flour; cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic and paprika; cook and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute, being careful not to burn the paprika.

• Step 3

  Stir in 5 cups chicken broth. Increase heat to high and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally so flour does not stick to the bottom of the pot. Stir in cabbage and cook until it just loses its stiffness, about 2 minutes. Stir in potatoes and bring back to a simmer. Add black pepper, cayenne pepper, and bay leaf, plus a splash of chicken broth if desired. Bring back to a simmer.

• Step 4

  Stir soup and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are very soft and tender, about 30 minutes. Add sausage and vinegar and simmer for 10 minutes. Taste and adjust for salt.

• Step 5

  Remove from heat and ladle into bowls. Garnish with sour cream, green onions, and cayenne pepper.