Dennys Food and Recipes: Summer Food: Raspberry Almond Cheesecake Tartlets

                                             Photo: Helana Brigman

Dennys Food and Recipes: Summer Food: Raspberry Almond Cheesecake Tartlets: From Denny:  Do you enjoy cheesecake but want an easier way to make it?  Then this recipe is for you.  I like cheesecake too but find it too large for just two of us to eat and too time consuming to make unless I plan on entertaining a hungry crowd.

A springform pan is an absolute must to make a proper cheesecake - and the patience of a saint to leave the oven door cracked open as it slowly cools down for hours so you can hopefully avoid it cracking straight down the middle like an ugly scar.  Usually, I've been pretty lucky over the years.  Of course, when I wasn't lucky it was evident that a wonderful fruit topping like blueberry or strawberry could hide a multitude of sins just like gravy on a screwed up dinner. :)...

Dennys Food and Recipes: Summer Food: Raspberry Almond Cheesecake Tartlets

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Keep Calm, Really? Potholder

Unleash your funny inner emotional diva!

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Dennys Food and Recipes: Summer Food: Deliciously Easy Small Blueberry Cake

Photo: The Advocate/HEATHER MCCLELLAND

Dennys Food and Recipes: Summer Food: Deliciously Easy Small Blueberry Cake: From Denny:  This is an easy to assemble cake, practically a dump cake after you add together the dry ingredients and milk.  You pour the melted butter over the batter without stirring and layer loads of blueberries on top and then bake to get this marbling effect.

Make sure you are using aluminum free baking powder, an easy find at most grocery stores these days and always at health food stores like Trader Joe's.  You could also substitute agave syrup for the white sugar to lower the glycemic index.  I'm considering trying it with brown rice syrup to see how it performs so I'll let you know later how that turns out.  (First we have to finish off my experiment with a rice pudding recipe that came out quite well.)

While this recipe calls for Louisiana blueberries there are plenty of other blueberry growers with very delicious berries in Texas, Mississippi and California and other states too.  Since blueberries have grown in popularity more farmers have turned to growing them.  Get what is local to you so the berries will be fresh.  Buy USA berries which supports workers and farmers in America.

This is a small pan cake (9" x 9") so it is suitable for just a snack for a few friends or a couple of people who regularly cook for two - with leftovers.  Oh, that's too bad, you mean there might be more to enjoy for breakfast?  This would be wonderful at tea time or a coffee break snack at the office or home as this little cake will travel well for picnics and gatherings too.  It would even taste great chilled for the hot summer weather.  Blueberries are awesome and healthy!

Oh, and a big thank you to those of you supporting Denny Lyon Gifts by purchasing products like aprons, t-shirts, pillows, bedding and mugs.  My profits (paid by Cafe Press) go to the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank here in Louisiana that basically feeds half of the state and also to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, two of my favorite charities that help a lot of children.  Who should go hungry in America?  Who should experience financial ruin because your child gets sick?  So, I started up my small store at Cafe Press for some creative fun of designing and to give to these charities.  So, again, thank you for your support.  You guys rock!...


Dennys Food and Recipes: Summer Food: Deliciously Easy Small Blueberry Cake

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Lucy Name Canvas Lunch Tote

Lucy - whether human or beloved pet - deserves her own special tote for her yummy treats!

Visit Denny Lyon Gifts  @ CafePress.com  -  see what's new!  

Dennys Food and Recipes: Summer Food: Easy Blueberry Heaven Trifle

  The Advocate photo/HEATHER MCCLELLAND

                                             
Dennys Food and Recipes: Summer Food: Easy Blueberry Heaven Trifle: From Denny:   Could this week get any hotter?  With 100 degree highs and a 115 degree heat index this summer is turning out to be a real scorcher.  It brings to mind a Downton Abbey episode when Lord Grantham was arm-twisted by the women of the family to quit drinking for six months until his health issue was confirmed or denied: "Good God, man! Steady on!"  Any time we don't like something or want to complain at our house that's our new go-to phrase for laughs.

Cooling summer desserts come to mind when the weather is uncooperatively too hot.  In fact, before the age of air conditioning it was custom to never eat a hot meal.  The vegetables were as cold as the meats on the plate.  You still see some of that mindset in places like Greece where the concept of a hot vegetable is considered strange.  They boil their vegetables and then chill them before even considering offering them to a guest or family.  With this kind of outrageous weather the idea sounds good!  It certainly takes the stress off the body for getting too hot.

What?! You've heard enough about the ridiculous hot weather and Greek culture?  How about this easy recipe that is kid friendly too that the family could help with this one.  This one is easy to assemble as it involves a purchased angel food cake torn into chunks, cream cheese (whipped or not), sweetened condensed milk, a box of Jell-O vanilla pudding, whipping cream, toasted pecans (Louisiana pecans, if you can get them, because they sure are wonderful) and a honking huge quart of fresh blueberries.  Remember, this trifle does serve 10 to 12 people.  Enjoy!...


Dennys Food and Recipes: Summer Food: Easy Blueberry Heaven Trifle

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Louisiana Seafood Reusable Shopping Bag

Check out awesome Louisiana eating: oysters, shrimp, crawfish, gumbo, jambalaya. Apron also available in this design along with other products.

Visit Denny Lyon Gifts  @ CafePress.com  -  see what's new!  

* * *  Support Warriors Pearl Foundation - contributing to fund efforts to help homeless female military veterans come home.  Visit Denny Lyon Gifts  @ CafePress.com  -  see what's new!  

Dennys Food and Recipes: Thanksgiving: Layered Pumpkin Cheesecake

Dennys Food and Recipes: Thanksgiving: Layered Pumpkin Cheesecake: From Denny:  This is the perfect holiday table dessert!  It's so showy it's sure to impress.  Three layers of tasty goodness are the gingersnap cookie crust as it's sturdy foundation to hold the spiced pumpkin cheese layer that is marbled with a vanilla layer.

Like most big cheesecakes, this one should be baked in a springform pan, where the cake cools in the pan for several hours before you remove the sides of the pan.  If you have never used a springform pan, it's so easy it will make you laugh, definitely nothing to be intimidated about at all.

Like any tasty cheesecake, this one is rich in calories too, so a small serving would be welcomed by most.  At a dinner party I like to cut a normal to small sized slice, placing it on one plate and then encourage couples to share so people don't have to feel guilty about busting their diet plan.  After all, the whole point of entertaining is for people to enjoy their tasty treats!...

Geaux Wear Pink! Apron

Help support women on their journey to wellness and hope for a cure!

Visit Denny Lyon Gifts  @ CafePress.com  -  see what's new!  

Also, please remember that October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, keeping these women in your thoughts and prayers.  Here's my latest Denny Lyon Gifts design (at Cafe Press) to honor all the fabulous women and their supporters fighting this disease.

This design first started off as one of my photos of those favorite hot pink azalea blooms, in addition to many other filters, employing a kaleidoscope filter to create this abstract medallion effect. This design reminds me of how our beauty is always there, no matter what form it takes.  Of course, here in Louisiana, we take creative "French" license with English spellings. :)  The thought bubble is to remind others to support these women on their journey to wellness.  Lots of other styles of t-shirts and other products to enjoy too.  The link takes you to the page of all the products featuring this design.  Thanks for visiting!

Dennys Food and Recipes: Fall Recipe: Breakfast Or Dessert Enjoy Spiced Golden Apples

Photo: Heather McClelland/2TheAdvocate.com

Dennys Food and Recipes: Fall Recipe: Breakfast Or Dessert Enjoy Spiced Golden Apples: From Denny:  It's Autumn and time to enjoy cooking apple dishes!  What smells better than apples baking in the oven?  Talk about making the house smell good.

This is an easy dish to make for your family, one they will request often.  Our house prefers dark brown sugar in place of the usual white sugar, your choice, because both taste good.

Saigon cinnamon is quite an awesome choice too.  Found that at Whole Foods locally but I'm sure it's available at other stores in your area.  Just take the time to check.  Saigon cinnamon has more of the "cinnamon" taste and smell we all love, better than the generic cinnamon offered by most spice companies.  You will be familiar with it if you frequent coffee houses.

How much do you know about all the new varieties of apples?  Have you tried any of them?  Seems like there is always something new to explore at the grocery store.  Many of the new apples are crosses between two really outstanding varieties.  Hey, more is better, so why not!  Try picking up two new varieties on each grocery visit and then compare them for taste and texture. While there are over 100 apple varieties in the United States, we only see the best sellers at our grocery stores...

Geaux Wear Pink! Women's All Over Print T-Shirt

Help support breast cancer awareness and hope for the cure! Design available in many t-shirts styles for men, women and kids and on other products like mugs, coffee mugs, blankets, pot holders, hoodies too!

Visit Denny Lyon Gifts  @ CafePress.com  -  see what's new!  

Also, please remember that October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, keeping these women in your thoughts and prayers.  Here's my latest Denny Lyon Gifts design (at Cafe Press) to honor all the fabulous women and their supporters fighting this disease.

This design first started off as one of my photos of those favorite hot pink azalea blooms, in addition to many other filters, employing a kaleidoscope filter to create this abstract medallion effect. This design reminds me of how our beauty is always there, no matter what form it takes.  Of course, here in Louisiana, we take creative "French" license with English spellings. :)  The thought bubble is to remind others to support these women on their journey to wellness.  Lots of other styles of t-shirts and other products to enjoy too.  The link takes you to the page of all the products featuring this design.  Thanks for visiting!

Romancing The Chocolate: Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Photo: King Arthur Flour

Romancing The Chocolate: Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread: From Denny:  Summer time and the zucchini are multiplying like rabbits in our gardens!  Zucchini bread is always welcome just plain but how about "gilding the lily"?  Add some cocoa, chocolate chips and espresso powder to put it over the top.

Quick breads like this recipe are always welcome for the holidays or when you want something special - but not complicated or too demanding of your time and effort.  Like most quick breads this one is an easy recipe to make.  While this delicious bread bakes just sit down, relax and tour through your favorite collected old cookbooks or breeze through some interesting online recipe databases.  Works for me!

Celebrate Chocolate King Duvet

Celebrate Chocolate every day as a holiday!

Design available in 3 color palettes:  additional bedding sizes, t-shirts, blankets, 

pillows, jewelry, stuffed animals, mugs, ornaments, 3 sizes of laptop sleeves, shower curtains

From Louisiana artist Denny Lyon

Visit Denny Lyon Gifts  @ CafePress.com  -  see what's new! 

Dennys Food and Recipes: Summer Slow Cooker: Strawberry Shortcake

Photo/Patrick Dennis @ The Advocate

Dennys Food and Recipes: Summer Slow Cooker: Strawberry Shortcake: From Denny:  Summer heat.  Bring on the berries!  If you enjoy fresh strawberries and blueberries - along with a side dish of easy to make dessert - then this recipe is for you.  Our local food columnist is a master at kid friendly recipes, quick recipes and less effort recipes for the working or busy parent.

So, when the summer heat gets you tired, think: what can the slow cooker do for me so I don't have to stand over the stove?

Julie Kay recommends this slow cooker recipe is best if you are home to make sure it does not over cook. In fact, it's one of those desserts that can be cooking while you serve dinner.  If you have any extra fresh blueberries in the fridge then feel free to add them after the shortcake has cooked.  This pretty dessert would be perfect for the Fourth of July holiday celebration too.

Morning Tangerine King Duvet - Wake up in a good mood with this happy bedding!  

text: "calm morning, good morning, quiet morning" 

This design available in several bedding sizes, pillows, pillow cases, shower curtains and more!

Visit Denny Lyon Gifts  @ CafePress.com  -  see what's new!  

More Recipes from Denny's blogs:

• Fourth of July Recipe: Raspberry and Blueberry Creme Tart
• Recipe: Sour Cream-Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting and Chocolate-Peanut Butter Glaze

• Popular Posts 2009 at Comfort Food From Louisiana, Thank YOU!
• Recipe: Lime Pie with a Twist - White Chocolate!

Romancing The Chocolate: Prize Winner: Peppermint-Hot Chocolate Cake, Fudge Filling, Marshmallow Frosting

Romancing The Chocolate: Prize Winner: Peppermint-Hot Chocolate Cake, Fudge Filling, Marshmallow Frosting: From Denny:  Love hot chocolate?  Thought of making it into a cake?  Britainy Shaw, 25, of Louisiana (before that she lived in Texas and before that in Montana) decided it was a brilliant idea.  She heard of Southern Living magazine's contest and decided to enter just for fun, taking third for this cake recipe.

She said her thoughts immediately went to her favorite Christmas flavors.  “For some reason, all I could think of were drinks.  I love hot chocolate with peppermint schnapps in it.”

Her cake consists of three layers of buttermilk chocolate cake that is filled with a fudge-mint filling, frosted with peppermint-tinged marshmallow crème frosting.

Fat Elf Christmas Square Cocktail Plate

Delivery: 1 fat elf stuffed full of good cheer! Awww, come on; you know you are part of the I Believe Club.  Take home a fat elf today! 

Romancing The Chocolate: Holiday Cookie: Double-Shot Mocha

Romancing The Chocolate: Holiday Cookie: Double-Shot Mocha: From Denny:  OK, never write a cookie post right before lunch.  It all looks so good you want to rush into the kitchen and start baking! :)  This cookie recipe is basically a dense brownie with pools of melting chocolate oozing out when you break them open straight out of the hot oven!
  
There are two cups of chocolate chips and chocolate chunks in this awesome recipe, certainly more than I'm used to baking.  It's no wonder you can get your chocolate fix in one small cookie all at once.

If you have the discipline to wait until the cookie cools all those chocolate pools solidify into huge nuggets of gooey goodness.  No one ever said these little chocolate gems would last long in your house - or mine!

Peace Christmas Star Round Ornament

Enjoy the profound Peace of the Christmas season!

Romancing The Chocolate: Christmas Gift Recipe: Peanut Butter Fudge

Romancing The Chocolate: Christmas Gift Recipe: Peanut Butter Fudge: From Denny:  This is an easy unique way to cook fudge - in a slow cooker!  What fun, a super simple fast recipe!  It has our name all over it and think how you can make up many batches of this to give as hostess gifts at Christmas parties or other seasonal gift giving.

It's also a kid friendly recipe it's so easy to do.  You cook the fudge on High in the slow cooker for about 20 minutes total and then pour it out into a pan lined with waxed paper.  Place in fridge to cool and harden.

Santa Rejoices Music Round Ornament

Santa loves the music of the season!

Romancing The Chocolate: Valentines Day: Chocolate Chip Butterscotch Pie

Romancing The Chocolate: Valentines Day: Chocolate Chip Butterscotch Pie: From Denny: Pies are always an easy idea for holidays as they take less time and fuss than individual portion recipes.

This is a light taste of chocolate and butterscotch. If you want to intensify those flavors, step up the chocolate chips to 3/4 cup, instead of 1/2 cup. You could even drizzle the finished chilled pie with extra chocolate syrup to add that decadence factor.

As to intensifying the butterscotch flavor, why not add a few microwave melted caramel candies to the mix? Or you could add more butterscotch chips instead of taking the time to melt caramels.

Most people prefer a light taste to dishes. At our house we often like spicy dishes and strongly flavored desserts. So, if it's supposed to taste like chocolate and caramel, we want it to be obvious.

I really think this cook was showcasing the mascarpone cheese above the other flavors, so a different name would have been a better idea since the chocolate and butterscotch flavors tend to be background in this pie. The choice is yours: simple and creamy cheese with a light taste of chocolate and butterscotch - or kick it up a notch to just a bit more!

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Romancing The Chocolate: Chefs Recipe 4 Valentines Day: Warm Chocolate Cheesecake

Image via Wikipedia

Romancing The Chocolate: Chefs Recipe 4 Valentines Day: Warm Chocolate Cheesecake: From Denny: Looking for an easy to make chocolate cheesecake? Chef Sara Moulton is always coming up with great ideas that are simple to make.

Usually, we serve cheesecake chilled. Have you ever thought of eating your cheesecake while still warm from the oven? Sara likes this recipe to enjoy that warm creamy chocolate delight.


Sara bakes these chocolate cheesecakes in small ramekins. She didn't offer up a photo but check out the awesome one I found of another version of chocolate cheesecake at flickr, decked out in blackberries.

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Romancing The Chocolate: Chef Recipe: Chocolate Tart with Caramel and Cream

Romancing The Chocolate: Chef Recipe: Chocolate Tart with Caramel and Cream: From Denny: Everyone who enjoys a chocolate tart every time they can, raise their hands. Yeah, I thought so - sisters of the soul. I sure order it from the La Madeleine restaurant or other local bakery whenever it shows up in the display case. It's like a little piece of heaven in one tiny spot - a rich little chocolate pudding, a dollop of cream and some pie crust, simply divine.

This is a New York chef recipe from the famous restaurant Aureole. Chef Christopher Lee uses Sicilian sea salt to enhance the sweet creamy richness of the indulgent chocolate dessert.

He also includes the unlikely addition of the chocolate malt Ovaltine to the bittersweet baking chocolate.

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• Romancing The Chocolate: Cookies: Chocolate Bliss (unusual2tasty.blogspot.com)

Valentines Day: Warm Upside-Down Pear Cake With Tangerine Custard Sauce

From Denny:  For pear lovers - and lovers - this is an outstanding dessert good enough for any holiday!

Like any upside down cake this one is practically beginner cook and foolproof.  The custard requires a more experienced cook and a little time but is well worth the effort.

The cake is a simple one using all-purpose flour, unsalted butter, tangerine zest, a few tablespoons of milk and heavy cream, a couple of eggs, cognac and pecans.  Cream, cognac and pecans (all fav ingredients of mine) all play off each other for a wonderful flavor combination.

This tangy tangerine sauce is an unusual and clever pairing with the pears and hearty cake.  The sauce combines half and half cream, tangerine juice, tangerine zest, vanilla extract and sugar along with the egg yolks to make it rich and memorable.

Sold?  Yeah, me too!  If you can't find tangerines, try substituting oranges.

Tip:  In fact, every time I enjoy a fresh orange I go ahead and take the time to zest it, placing the zest in the freezer like a treasure mounting up over time.  Then, when I need some orange zest for any recipe I'm ready to go.

Comfort Food From Louisiana: Mardi Gras: New Orleans Zulu King Cake

Comfort Food From Louisiana: Mardi Gras: New Orleans Zulu King Cake: From Denny: When you experience Mardi Gras in New Orleans one of the first things you want to enjoy again is the famous King Cake.

Here in Baton Rouge our grocery stores and local bakeries offer literally dozens of varieties from chocolate eclair to cream cheese and blueberry. Those are two of my favorites. :)

The Zulu King Cake has coconut and chocolate chips. Cinnamon, sugar and cream cheese is another popular version.

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• Comfort Food From Louisiana: Mardi Gras: Winner Meatloaf and 3 Sauces (unusual2tasty.blogspot.com)
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• Romancing The Chocolate: Decadent Chocolate Cake (thesocialpoets.blogspot.com)

Romancing The Chocolate: Easy Triple Layer Mud Pie

Image via Wikipedia

Romancing The Chocolate: Easy Triple Layer Mud Pie: From Denny: This is an easy recipe for those chocolate lovers who are in a hurry to whip up a dessert and then forget about it for a few hours while it chills in the fridge.

Simple pies like this are also perfect for tailgating to those special sports events.

All you need for this simple dessert is part of a can of sweetened condensed milk, 3 squares of semi-sweet chocolate, a prepared chocolate cookie crumb pie crust, a chocolate instant pudding mix, some two percent milk, 1/2 cup chopped nuts and a small tub of frozen whipped topping of your choice.

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• Romancing The Chocolate: Black Raspberry Chocolate Macadamia Cookies (thehealingwaters.blogspot.com)
• Romancing The Chocolate: Cookies: Mini-Chocolate Chip Dipped Shortbread Sticks (unusual2tasty.blogspot.com)
• Romancing The Chocolate: Decadent Chocolate Cake (dennysfoodandrecipes.blogspot.com)

Romancing The Chocolate: Cookies: Chocolate Nut Biscotti

Romancing The Chocolate: Cookies: Chocolate Nut Biscotti: From Denny: A wonderful cookie recipe from one of my favorite coffee sites: Gevalia. This cookie pairs well with a French Roast or a Dark Roast coffee choice.

I've been ordering from them since Time began it seems. Gevalia is from Sweden where folks drink a ridiculous amount of coffee. We thought Americans were addicted. These guys make us look like amateurs! :)

When I was up on the site ordering some new items today I noticed they started putting up some recipes. You know me; I've got to collect them for you and me to try.

Romancing The Chocolate: Awesome Chocolate Pecan Tart

Romancing The Chocolate: Awesome Chocolate Pecan Tart: From Denny: This easy tart combines two of my favorite flavors - chocolate and pecans. Louisiana Bergeron pecans are wonderful if you can get them where you live. If not, just look for the freshest ones, even asking your grocer when a new shipment is due.

Pecans exude such a wonderful aroma when roasting in the oven that is hard to resist. Make sure you slightly warm the dessert when you serve it for the holidays. That's how we like it at our house! :)

Romancing The Chocolate: Flourless Chocolate Cake and Mocha Buttercream Icing

Romancing The Chocolate: Flourless Chocolate Cake and Mocha Buttercream Icing: From Denny: Check out this all time favorite - the flourless chocolate cake. This time it's paired with another favorite flavor - the all important coffee! Somehow, I just have to figure out how to grow coffee beans in my back yard. Can you imagine how sweet that would be to pick your own beans and then roast them? While we are dreaming we might as well include our own cocoa plants, right? Hey, "Go BIG or go home!" :)

Happy Holidays and thank you for all your support this year!

Romancing The Chocolate: Black Raspberry Chocolate Macadamia Cookies

Romancing The Chocolate: Black Raspberry Chocolate Macadamia Cookies: From Denny: Who doesn't love raspberries for the holidays? This cookie is dripping with butter, chocolate goodness, black raspberry liqueur and chock full of macadamia nuts. Not a lot of sugar and flour either to make them.

It's a rich cookie - but easy to make - to impress your family and friends. Of course, that's if they ever get a chance to taste them! Beware of the kitchen cookie gremlins. They lurk in the most unexpected places. :)