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Happy Birthday, Joey. Despite the ribbings, insults, and random acts of mayhem, you are one of my favorite people, and I’m so glad our paths crossed a year ago. Have a great day! Love you!!

So a couple of weeks ago, a cookbook came in the mail.  Thought it was strange because I didn’t order it. Enclosed was a note from the publisher saying that because they used one of my recipes in their cookbook they wanted to give me a copy.  I was thrilled!  This is the first recipe that has been published in a hardcover book.  I have had quite a few recipes in magazines–some of which I really should share with you soon–but this is the first cookbook.  The photo of the finished cheesecake from the book is underneath the recipe.

This is the book, Taste of Home Christmas 2009 and my recipe is on page 163.

I hope no one will think I am rushing things here but I am going to start giving you some holiday recipes for Thanksgiving and Christmas.  I know, I know, it’s not even Halloween yet but my mind is already working on holiday stuff.

*ps–for those of you wondering when a new Inspired Cooking episodes are going to air, we are taping a new show tomorrow and it should air next week.

Crust:

1 cup pecans, lightly toasted

2/3 cup chocolate wafer cookie crumbs

3 tablespoons brown sugar

1 stick salted butter, melted

Filling:

1 16 oz can whole berry cranberry sauce

1/2 cup orange flavored dried cranberries

2 tablespoons cold water

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature

2 (8-ounce) containers mascarpone cheese, room temperature

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 teaspoons orange juice

1 teaspoon orange extract

4 large eggs, room temperature

12 tablespoons store bought gourmet dark chocolate sauce

Mint sprigs for plate

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Wrap a 9-inch non stick spring form pan with a few layers of heavy aluminum foil.

In a the bowl of a food processor, process the toasted pecans, cookie crumbs, brown sugar and melted butter until crumbs form. Press the crust into the bottom of the prepared pan and bake for 18 minutes.

Rinse the bowl and process the cranberry sauce, water and dried cranberries until smooth.

Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, mascarpone cheese and sugar in a large bowl until smooth. Stop occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl. Stir the cornstarch into the orange juice and pour mixture, along with orange extract, into the cheese mixture. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.

Pour half of the cheese mixture over the chocolate crust. Spoon 1/2 of the cranberry mixture over the batter. Swirl into cheese batter with a knife. Top with remaining batter. Spoon remaining cranberry mixture over cheese mixture and swirl again.

Place the foil wrapped cheesecake in a large roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the spring form pan.

Bake until cheesecake puffs around edges, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Turn off oven. Let cake stand in oven 1 hour, leaving oven door ajar.

Move cheesecake to a cooling rack to cool completely and run knife around edges of the pan to loosen cake. Cut into 12 slices and garnish with 1 tablespoon chocolate sauce and one mint sprig. Enjoy!

Ding Ding Ding- Another Winner At Duckworth Beach Gourmet!

I’m getting used to at least one rainy weekend day. Actually accomplishing all those things that have been ignored for months. Today I’m tackling the computer/ exercise room as well as a list of errands a mile long. But first I’m making Anadama french toast for breakfast. That will hit the spot!

What are your plans for the day? Big food? A room make-over? A lazy day on the couch? Happy Saturday!

Due to some crazy circumstances in my life the episode about the Seafood Throwdown from September is finally airing tonight!  Inspired Cooking airs on Channel 12, Cape Ann TV, on Tuesday evenings at 8:30, Friday afternoons at 4:30 and Sunday mornings at 11:30–I hope you will tune in!  Here are the recipes for all of the components of the winning dish.

Panko Crusted Haddock with Gremolata

For the fish:

2 c. panko crumbs

1 lemon, zested and juiced, zest finely chopped

2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped

3/4 teaspoon garlic powder (for the throw down I used fresh garlic, very finely chopped)

11/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 large egg

1/2 cup milk or light cream

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound skinless haddock or cod filet, cut into 3 pieces

In a medium bowl, whisk together crumbs, zest, juice, parsley, garlic powder. Season with salt and pepper. Pour in to a shallow dish, such as a pie plate and set aside.

In another shallow dish, whisk together egg and milk. Season with salt and pepper if desired.

In a large saute pan over medium high heat, combine butter and oil. Dip fish into the egg mixture to cover completely and then press in to crumb mixture. Turn fish over and repeat. Press crumbs into fish if necessary. When butter and oil is melted and hot, cook fish about 5 minutes until crumbs are browned and fish is partially cooked. Flip over and cook second side for an additional 3-4 minutes until cooked through. Cooking times vary with thickness of fish. Remove to serving plate and top with a drizzle of gremolata.

For the gremolata:

3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest, finely chopped

Olive oil (traditional gremolata has no olive oil but I wanted it a little looser)

Salt & pepper to taste

Combine parsley, garlic and lemon zest in a small bowl and add just enough olive oil to make the mixture liquid enough to drizzle on the fish. Season with salt and pepper to taste. This can be doubled or tripled as needed.

Grilled Vegetable Napoleon with Goat Cheese

1 ear corn, silk removed husk left on

1 tablespoon softened butter

Salt and pepper to taste

2 oz crumbled goat cheese

3 springs rosemary, leaves stripped from stem to within 2″ from the top, leaves finely chopped, stems reserved

1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic

1/2 cup olive oil

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 whole eggplant (about 4″ in diameter), sliced in 1/2″ in slices

1 whole summer squash or zucchini, sliced in 1/2″ slices

2-4″ diameter tomatoes, in 1/4″ slices

Preheat outdoor grill or indoor grill pan to medium high heat. Pull back husks of corn and rub kernels with butter. Season with salt and pepper. Pull husks back up over kernels and tie top with one of the husks to from a covering over the kernels. Grill corn for 10-15 minutes, turning frequently. Remove from grill and allow to cool. Using a sharp knife, cut kernels from ear and set aside to cool completely. When cool, combine with goat cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste.

In the meantime, prepare the marinade for the vegetables. In a large bowl, combine chopped rosemary, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Toss eggplant and summer squash with dressing and grill on preheated grill or grill pan about 5 minutes per side until softened. Remove from heat and set aside. On the serving plate, build your napoleons. Layer grilled vegetables and then one slice tomato, and repeat. Trim the reserved rosemary stems to the height of the napoleon and insert into the center of the stack. Sprinkle the stack with the corn and goat cheese combination and enjoy!

Sauteed Swiss Chard

2-3 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon garlic, finely chopped

1 tablespoon shallots, finely chopped (for the throw down we used small Walla Walla onions because there were no shallots available)

1 bunch Swiss chard, chopped into 2″ pieces, stems set aside.

Salt & Pepper to taste

In a large saute pan over medium heat, combine olive oil, garlic and shallots. Cook until translucent, about 4-5 minutes.. Add the stems to the pan, toss in the oil and cook for about 5 minutes until slightly softened. Add chopped leaves and cover until wilted, about 4-6 minutes. Toss mixture again to flavor the leaves with the garlic and oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with fish and vegetable napoleons.

One Word To Sum Up Good FOB Donna Ardizzone?  It’s impossible.

So I’ll give you a bunch- tenacious, effervescent, energetic, passionate.

There may be no greater cheerleader for Gloucester.   Donna does so much for the City of Gloucester and is just a light in everyone’s life that she enters.

She is part of the One Hour at A Time Gang which cleans a different section of the City each Saturday Morning, she enters the photography contests, submits pictures for the Where Zat contests, helps pick up before AND after the Block Parties.  The term “Good Egg” was tailor made for people like Donna.

A good friend as well as a good FOB- Donna Ardizzone