Strawberry Rhubarb Cheesecake

Strawberry Rhubarb Cheesecake
Prep time: 15 minutes
Bake time: 55 minutes
Cool time: 5 hours or overnight
Makes one 9-inch cake

Seasonal, fresh strawberries combined with tart rhubarb make an exquisite and beautiful topping for this cheesecake. Because I love sweet and sour flavors so much, strawberry rhubarb desserts are my favorite. Entice everyone when you set this bright cheesecake on your sweet table.

Ingredients for Crust & Cheesecake:
1½ cups finely ground Maria cookies*
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
Three 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Ingredients for Strawberry Rhubarb Filling:
2 cups diced fresh strawberries
1¼ cups diced fresh rhubarb (about 2 medium stalks)
½ cup granulated sugar
1/8 cup cold water and 1 teaspoon cornstarch (mixed together in a cup)

Preheat oven to 350˚F.

Make the Crust:
In a 2 or 3-quart mixing bowl and using a fork or pastry cutter, combine the ground cookies with cinnamon and melted butter until uniform. Transfer the mixture to a 9-inch spring form pan. Spread the crumb mixture evenly, pushing it up with fingers along sides of pan to rise ¾-inch high. Gently pat and flatten the crumb mixture at bottom and at sides of pan; set aside.

Make the Cheesecake:
In a 5-quart mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese with the sugar and one egg until mixture is smooth. Beat in the remaining eggs, one at a time. Stir in the vanilla extract. Pour cheesecake batter over crumb mixture in pan. Set pan on a rack placed in center of oven and bake 50 to 55 minutes or until cheesecake is light golden brown and begins to crack at sides.

Turn off oven and leave cheesecake to set for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, transfer cheesecake to counter, cover with foil and let cool 2 hours (do not remove cheesecake from spring form pan).

Refrigerate the cheesecake 2 more hours or overnight (it’s best to make cheesecake one day ahead).

Make the Strawberry Rhubarb Filling:
Combine the strawberries, rhubarb and sugar in a 2 or 3-quart saucepot. Bring to a boil and cook on medium heat for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Set heat on low and cook for 3 more minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. Stir in the cornstarch mixture; cook and stir 1 more minute until thickened.

Transfer the filling to a glass or porcelain bowl, cover and cool on a counter. After cooling, refrigerate about 1 hour or overnight.

To serve: Remove sides of spring form pan from cheesecake. Set the cake with pan bottom on a large platter, spoon the strawberry filling over its top and serve individual slices.

*Note: Maria cookies are round, sweet biscuits. Each biscuit has perforations or holes and the name “Maria” engraved on its top surface.

Text & Photograph © 2011 Nancy Real

Sautéed Rapini (Rapini Saltati)

Prep time: 10 to 12 minutes
Serves: 4 to 6 (as a side dish)

Have you ever tasted steamed or boiled rapini and found its taste slightly bitter? Make this leafy vegetable as we Southern Italians do and I'm sure you’ll love it.

Italians know that rapini must be sautéed with garlic and olive oil in order to tone down its pungent flavor. Here's my family's special recipe. Add some fresh, crusty bread to your dining experience and let me know what you think.

Buon Appetito!

Ingredients:
1 bunch fresh rapini (also known as broccoli rabe or rape)
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 large cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
½ cup chicken broth (or water for vegan recipe)
½ to ¾ teaspoon salt

With a knife, remove and discard one inch from bottom tips of rapini. Cut the remaining rapini stalk lengths into thirds. Wash and spin dry the rapini twice; set aside.

In a 6 or 8-quart saucepot on a stove burner set on high, heat the oil with the garlic slices. When the garlic starts sizzling, stir it with a wooden spoon. Sauté the garlic about 1 minute or until it turns golden.

Immediately transfer the saucepot with the garlic and oil to a cold burner and let cool about 2 minutes. Add the washed and spun rapini to the garlic and oil. Cover the saucepot, return it to the hot burner set on high heat and sautée the rapini 1 to 2 minutes, turning it over with tongs.

Set heat on medium high and add ½ cup of water or broth. Cook, uncovered, for an additional minute. Stir in the salt.

Serve rapini as a side dish to meats, fish, chicken or turkey. Alternatively, simply enjoy the rapini with fresh bread (be sure to soak the bread in the rapini broth).

Text & Photograph © 2011 Nancy Real

Pear & Gorgonzola Pizza

Prep time: 10 to 15 minutes
Bake time: 15 minutes
Serves: 4 to 6 (as an appetizer)

If you're not in the mood to make pizza, go and enjoy it at Osteria Mamma in Los Angeles. This is where I first tasted a heavenly pizza with pears and gorgonzola. I've now come up with a tasty version of this pizza - one that's so loaded with flavors that no one can ever stop eating it.

By popular demand, I'm sharing the recipe for pear and gorgonzola pizza on this blog. And, all you need is pizza dough, pears, gorgonzola, mozzarella and oil. The best part is that all the ingredients (including premade dough) can be found at Trader Joe's® stores.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
One 16-ounce Trader Joe's® plain, refrigerated pizza dough
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 to 1-1/2 large ripe pears (any variety), peeled, quartered, cored and cut into 1/16-inch thick slices
1/2 to 3/4 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese*
1/4 to 1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 450ºF.

Using a pastry brush or your fingers, spread the vegetable oil evenly on a 12 X 16-inch rectangular or 16-inch round baking sheet. Place the dough over oiled sheet and flatten slightly. Flip the dough over and begin stretching the dough gently with fingertips until it fits into sides of baking sheet.

Brush the dough with olive oil. Arrange the pear slices evenly over dough, followed by the gorgonzola and mozzarella cheeses.

Place sheet with pizza on a rack positioned in upper third of oven and bake 10 to 11 minutes or until cheese begins to turn light golden. Transfer the pizza to bottom rack and bake an additonal 4 to 5 minutes or until bottom of pizza is golden brown.

Serve the pizza hot with a green salad.

Wine suggestion: Cabernet Sauvignon.

*Note: When assembling the pizza, use the lesser amount of the cheeses. If you are a cheese fanatic, feel free to add more.

Text & Photograph ©2011 Nancy Real

Nancy's Tastes & Trips - Treat a Mom to a Day at The Del - Coronado Island (San Diego)

Hotel Del Coronado has been hailed by USA Today as "one of the top ten resorts on an enchanted island setting" - and it's all true! A week ago, I decided to check it out by treating my Mom to a day at "The Del".












Halfway onto the Coronado Island Bridge, we immediately spotted the hotel's famous red turrets. Built in 1888, the Del has appeared in many movies, including "Some Like it Hot" with Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis. In 1977, The Del was pronounced a National Historic Landmark. We were already excited!







Although this resort is 123 years old, we were impressed by the high maintenance which keeps it luscious, beautiful and













sparkling clean.



















The beach and its path for bikers, joggers, rollerbladers, people pushing strollers or walking dogs make you look out yonder and sigh (a feeling of being relaxed and invigorated). We were mesmerized by the waves and bright blue ocean.


















The fresh air must have given us hunger pangs because we headed towards Sheerwater Restaurant 20 minutes before my reservation time.



















Lots of people were enjoying the weekday buffet breakfast and I must admit that it all looked very inviting - and comforting. However, I was also visiting The Del because of all the hubbub I had heard about Sheerwater's lunch fare.
















Before making a decision on our food entrees, we met the chefs - Charles Watson, Julian Quinones and John Shelton. I learned that when Chef Charles Watson (seen in photograph) arrived on the Sheerwater scene, he created a new menu for this restaurant, "FISH BY THE SEA". Hence, we were on an enchanted isle, about to enjoy fresh catch from the surrounding sea.





I decided on the Local Baja Halibut from the "Baked in Cast-Iron" section. Although I have enjoyed halibut at other fine seafood restaurants, it was neither as fork tender nor as fresh as this one. And these vegetables taste as spectacular as they look!












From the "Wood-Fired Pizzettas" section, we chose the Heirloom Tomato & Basil pizzetta (Italian for "little pizza"). However, I was so glad to see that it wasn't so little. The pizzetta was thin-crusted and deliziosa! As an experienced Italian chef, I could taste the fine quality of the tomato and the cheese.





Finally, the most chaotic moment - in my family there are always three to six people fighting over which two desserts they'll share. Here, the Cobbler section is a good one. So we chose "Flight of all 3 ..." which is a cobbler made with Granny Smith apples, Peaches and Strawberry Rhubarb.










Now, doesn't that cobbler look like it's more than enough for three people? That's exactly why we ordered a second dessert - Orange Panna Cotta. And the best part of all is that none of us had any regrets.












Last but not least, I would like to thank one of The Del's best professionals for making it possible for me to meet the Sheerwater chefs, conducting interviews and asking so many questions about the resort - Aldo Boccaccio (Market Research Analyst). Aldo, you are a great asset to Hotel del Coronado.














Happy Mother's Day to All! Whether dining at Sheerwater Restaurant, the Mother's Day Champagne Brunch Buffet with live entertainment or just basking in the Sun Deck Bar & Grill for a hamburger, enjoy it all at The Del!

Treat your mom, your wife, your grandma or someone else's mom to an unforgettable day at "The Del". Its history, magical setting, various dining spots (for all budgets), beach activities, shopping and spa products will please all family members.




Hotel del Coronado
1500 Orange Avenue
Coronado, CA. 92118
Telephone: 800-468-3533
www.hoteldel.com/

Text and Photographs © Nancy Real 2011

Cinco de Mayo Tabasco Parfaits

Active Prep Time: 20 to 25 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: (2 hours – for Jell-O to set)
Makes 10 servings (4 ounces each)
(Make 1 day ahead)

Cinco de Mayo (Spanish for “fifth of May”) is a holiday that was created by Mexicans living in California. It is not a Mexican national holiday, but instead, commemorates the Mexican army fighting the French at the Battle of Puebla, on May 5, 1862. Although this battle was not a victory for Mexico, Cinco de Mayo symbolizes Mexican heritage and pride.

I’m celebrating this holiday by going to a “fiesta” and contributing these Tabasco Parfaits which combine Tabasco® Spicy Pepper Jelly and the French dessert “parfait”. The pepper jelly's "bite" adds a nice surprise to the strawberry gelatin and overall flavors. My dessert unites Mexico and France – peace at last!

Ingredients:
One 3-ounce box lime Jell-O®
One 3-ounce box strawberry Jello-O®
3 tablespoons Knox® gelatin
1/2 cup cold water
One 10-ounce jar Tabasco® Spicy Pepper Jelly (red label)
One 8-ounce package Cool Whip®, thawed per package directions
10 lime or orange chewy candy wedges (substitute with 10 wedges fresh lime)

Place contents of lime Jell-O in a 1-quart bowl and stir in 1 cup boiling water until Jell-O is dissolved. Add 1 cup cold water and stir; set aside.

Place contents of strawberry Jell-O in a 2 or 3-quart bowl and stir in 1 cup boiling water until Jell-O is dissolved. Add 1 cup cold water and stir; set aside.

Fill 10 glasses or ramekins each with ¼ cup lime Jell-O liquid (glasses or ramekins should look 1/3 full). Place in freezer to set, about 18 to 20 minutes (check after 15 minutes to make sure they do not freeze). Once set, top lime Jell-O with some Cool Whip (to fill the middle third of the glass) and transfer to refrigerator.

In a drinking glass, stir together the Knox gelatin and 1/2 cup cold water; let rest 5 minutes. Stir the gelatin mixture and the spicy Tabasco pepper jelly into the strawberry Jell-O.

Place the bowl with the strawberry Jell-O mixture in freezer to set, about 20 minutes, or until the Jell-O has thickened and looks lumpy (it should not set completely).

Using a 1/4-cup measure, pour the partially set strawberry Jell-O mixture over Cool Whip in each glass, filling it to the rim. Place the parfaits in freezer to set, about 15 minutes; transfer to refrigerator for 1 hour or overnight.

Garnish each parfait with a lime or orange chewy candy wedge.

Note: Tabasco® Spicy Pepper Jelly is available at most supermarkets or online at the Tabasco® Country Store - http://countrystore.tabasco.com.

Text and Photograph © Nancy Real 2011
“Fiesta” theme decoration by © Amsan, Inc.