No-Bake Avocado and Lime Cheesecake

  Do you love avocados as much as I do? I love love LOVE them. It's absolutely not uncommon for me to just cut up a couple avocados into a bowl, sprinkle with some kosher salt, and there's lunch. But I must admit, as intriguing as it has always been, I've never used avocados in a dessert.
Well, that is until now!
 I recently had a few friends over for a Mexican themed dinner, and I wanted to incorporate avocados somewhere in the menu. The usual thought would have been to make guacamole, but then I thought, hmm.. let's try something different!
 As usual, I did some googling, looking for ideas. I found several recipes for cheesecake and quickly noticed that they all seemed to be no-bake cheesecakes. Maybe the avocados don't do well with the baking? Who knows? But I went with it. It was as easy as throwing everything into a food processor and blitzing it until smooth and creamy! And OMG it's SO delicious! You can really taste the buttery avocado, and the tartness from the lime cuts through everything to make a very LIGHT and refreshing dessert. Who knew????
 So, the next time you're looking for a "slightly outside the box" kind of a dessert, give this one a try. (it's from Kraft!) And it's a total time saver because you do it ahead and let it chill until you're ready. I bet your family and friends are gonna love it!



1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 (8oz) pkg cream cheese
2 fully ripe avocados
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp zest and 2 tbs juice from 2 limes
2 cups thawed Cool Whip whipped topping

Combine graham crackers and butter. Press into bottom of a 9" spring form pan.
Process all remaining ingredients except Cool Whip in a food processor until smooth. Spoon into a mixing bowl. Fold in Cool Whip. Pour over crust. Smooth the top. Refrigerate four hours or until firm. Run a knife around the rim of the pan to loosen cheesecake just before serving. Remove rim.



Tips:
OK, I did a few things slightly differently. Instead of using graham crackers, I used vanilla wafers. Why? Because I like 'em! Also, I baked my crust for about 10 minutes at 350º because I wanted it to have more of a toasted flavor, then quickly chilled it in the freezer before filling it with the cheese mixture.
And since I didn't want to ruin the nice smooth side edge of the cheesecake, I decided to spray the inside of the springform pan ring with cooking spray. No need to run the knife around!
To decorate, I just piped some more Cool Whip on top, and then added some more fresh lime zest just before serving. 
Btw, one other thing.. this cheesecake softens to a very soft mousse when it is left out and comes to room temperature. Be sure to keep it chilled at all times!

Joey's Roasted Corn and Avocado Salad

 One of the BEST things about living in The Garden State is the fact that we have wonderfully fresh produce, right here in our own back yards. It's only just a hop, skip, and a jump to the nearest farm market, and the produce is some of the BEST you'll ever taste! But even more than being delicious and convenient, it's really a nice feeling to know you're helping family owned local farmers to make a living. Cool, huh? Everyone wins!
 One of my all time favorite things at the farm market is our wonderfully sweet, fresh from the fields, Jersey corn. Seriously, it's just quite simply the sweetest and most delicious corn you'll ever have. So I decided to really take advantage of it and make a fabulously fresh roasted corn salad. It was SO delicious, I couldn't stop eating it! And the avocados and other veggies make it bright and summery and light and healthy and fresh and flavorful and perfect. I think I need to make another batch.
Time to go back to the farm market!


5 ears corn on the cob, still in husks
2 avocados, diced
2 roasted peppers, diced
1 scallion, minced
2 tbs lemon or lime juice
1 tbs sugar
10 or 12 basil leaves, chopped
drizzle of vegetable oil or a mild olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste


Heat oven to 350ºF.
First, give your corn a haircut! Just snip the end off to remove the extra silks and remove any loose husks. Leaving the rest of the husks on, submerge the ears in a big bowl of water and then let them drain. Place the ears of corn right on the middle rack of your oven. No pan, no anything. Let them roast for about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool until you can handle them without burning your fingers. Remove the husks. Slice the corn off the cobs. Place corn in a large bowl with all the other ingredients. Give it a good stir. And that's all there is to it! Can be served immediately or cover and keep in the fridge until ready to serve.


Tips:
If your corn is really sweet, you can omit the sugar. The point is to balance the sweet with the onion and the citrus.
Be sure to add some kind of acid, such as the lemon or lime juice. You can also use a little vinegar (any kind) or even just a splash of orange or grapefruit juice. Besides brightening up the flavor, the acid keeps the avocado from turning brown.
I like to use a very mild flavored oil. Sometimes olive oil can be a little strong or peppery, so in this case I prefer to keep things neutral with just a drizzle of regular vegetable oil.
If you don't have scallions, just add a very little bit of onion. Or maybe just add a little bit of snipped chives. You only want a very mild hint of onion flavor. You don't want it to upstage the sweetness of the corn. Again, the flavors should be balanced.
One of the key ingredients is the fresh basil. This is one recipe where I wouldn't use dried basil. It's really all about the freshness!
You can purchase roasted peppers in a jar, or you can roast your own. If you'd like to learn how to do it yourself, just watch my video How to Roast Peppers.

Jenny's Pineapple Fried Rice with Tofu and Veggies

Here's another throw-it-together dish from my fabulous friend Jenny P. Since I'm ALWAYS getting requests for vegan recipes, I figured it's time to post another one of Jenny's impromptu creations. I'm glad she wrote it down this time! Actually, it kind of cracks me up the way she writes a recipe. It's like she's just having a conversation with you, instead of listing the ingredients and then saying "first do this, then do that." Clearly, Jenny loves to cook with lots of FRESH herbs and other fresh ingredients, which is why I could devour anything she improvises in the kitchen. To make it a little easier, I've listed the ingredients she used, but I'm guessing you can switch things up however you like. Btw, don't let the long list put you off (I'm talking to YOU, Terri). Just use the list as a guideline and let your own tastes shine though. That's exactly what makes Jenny such an amazing cook! If you don't have any herbs and spices in your pantry, perhaps this would be a great reason to start building your spice collection!
 Thanx Jenny P!!

garlic
a cup of dry brown rice
olive oil
lemon juice, zest
salt and pepper
fresh sage
Thai basil
mint
cumin
coriander
Earth Balance
Firm tofu
ginger
red onion
red bell pepper
celery
carrot
pineapple
soy sauce
fresh kale
avocado



Okeedokey....I think this is what I did....lol.

I sautéed some minced garlic (a clove) and a cup of dry brown rice in olive oil over medium heat, just until a nice, light, golden brown; adding a little lemon zest and fresh ground pepper. Then I added 2 1/2 cups of water (cause that's what the people who wrote the directions on the rice package said to add...lol), a few sprigs of fresh sage and Thai basil and seasoned it with cumin, coriander and a touch of salt. I also grated a bit of fresh ginger into the pan, giving everything a light stir and turning the heat up to high. Once it started to boil, I dropped the heat down to low and covered it, letting it simmer for about 25 minutes (or until all the water was absorbed).

* The pan I used didn't have a non-stick coating on it, so when I added the water & spices, I dropped about a TBSP of the Earth Balance in there too so the rice wouldn't stick to the bottom. *

While that was set to simmer I cut up some firm tofu into bite size-ish, rectangular pieces and started to fry them up in olive oil (altho you could use whatever oil you like...I imagine sesame would work well for this) a large saute pan. I grated some more lemon zest and ginger over the tofu and seasoned it with the coriander, cumin & pepper and a little fresh lemon juice. I like to let the tofu get a nice golden brown, cooking most of the way thru on the one side before flipping it over.

 In the meantime, I diced some red onion, red bell pepper, carrot and celery. I didn't cut up a whole lot because I wanted the pineapple and the tofu to be the "stars" of the dish. Once the tofu was ready to flip, I added these veggies and some low sodium soy sauce and then lowered the heat a little.

While that was cooking, I chopped up a handful of fresh kale (cause we're all about it this week...lol), discarding the stems for this dish, and set it aside. Then I grabbed the pineapple from the fridge...which Louie had already chopped up the other day...maybe 3/4 to a full cup (however much you want....it's the star! lol)...and set that aside. I also chopped up some more fresh sage, mint and Thai basil and....you guessed it! Set it aside. Lol.

When the rice had almost soaked up all of the water (about 15-20 min), I tossed the kale in with it, right on top, removing the sprigs of sage & Thai basil and put the lid back on. *Don't stir!* Then I added the pineapple chunks to the center of the saute pan and turned the heat back up (pushing the tofu & veggies to the edge of the pan so they wouldn't overcook) to get them golden brown.

Once the rice had absorbed all of the water, I gave it a stir and then added it to the saute pan with a little more soy sauce, gently combining everything together to allow the flavors to meld together. (maybe 5ish minutes over the high heat)
 I waited until it was plated to add the fresh spices, that way you have the layered flavors of both muted (cooked) and bright (fresh) herbs. Then I sliced an avocado in half (leaving the pit in the half I didn't use to keep it fresher in the fridge) and sliced it longways in its shell, seasoning it with a touch of salt and fresh lemon. I placed the slices of avocado on top of each plated dish and served it up! And I think that's it! It was pretty easy. The whole thing only takes as long as it takes the rice to cook to make. Take that Rachel Ray! Lol.


Jenny's Tips:
-You can add more oil where needed depending on how much the tofu absorbs.
-Whenever I cook with soy sauce, I don't really use salt, but you can always add more s&p to taste if need be.

Joey's Fettuccine with Chunky Avocado Cream Sauce

Every so often, when I "just throw something together", I hit the nail right on the head (if I must say so myself!). I just mean that sometimes I REALLY like the new dish on the very first try, with no plan to tweak or try another version of the recipe. Such was the case with this dish. I had just bought some beautifully ripe avocados, and I wanted to make something other than guacamole. So I did some googling, and saw a few different pasta sauce recipes. I was about to follow one of them, but then I thought, "wait, I don't need to follow a recipe!" I knew exactly what I wanted to do, and it turned out great!! It's ready in a snap too! You can literally make this sauce in as much time as it takes to boil the pasta! And btw, I have to say...usually when you think of a cream sauce, you think of something heavy and filling, right? Not so!!  It's really not as heavy as you might think and it's actually kind of fresh, while still being rich and buttery! I also love that it's a little different from your usual pasta sauce.
So give it a try. I think you'll love it!

1 lb fettuccine (or other long pasta)
3 tbs butter
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbs all purpose flour
2 cups milk
Parmesan cheese, to taste
2 tbs fresh basil, chopped
2-3 ripe avocados, diced
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

In a large pot of boiling salty water, boil the pasta until desired tenderness. In the meantime, make the sauce.
Melt butter in a large saute pan. Add onions, and saute over low-medium heat for just a few minutes until they begin to soften. Add the garlic and continue to saute. Now add the flour. Stir together to make a paste. Cook for a few minutes (to get rid of the raw flour taste). Add the milk and whisk to get rid of the lumps of flour. When the sauce thickens, add the Parmesan cheese, basil, diced avocados, salt, and pepper. Whisk again to break up some of the avocados.
When the pasta is cooked, drain it well, and then toss with the sauce. Top with more Parmesan cheese and enjoy!!!

Tips:
A lot of the amounts are just guidelines. If you like a lot of something, add a lot!!
When you stir the avocados into the sauce, don't completely puree them. I think it's MUCH better when the sauce it's chunky!

Avocado and Feta Salsa

 

When Daniel and Emma had their house warming/BBQ, they asked if everyone would bring something. Since I'm Uncle Favorite, I made several of Daniel's must-haves. The potato salad was a big hit, the marinated veggies were a BIGGER hit, and well, then there was the carrot cake, which is in a league of its own, thank you very much. Of course, many people brought salads and desserts and appies, which were all fabulous. And Chris did an awesome job manning the grill!
This salsa (which was made by my niece, Tricia, who got it from her sister-in-law, Tonia) was FABULOUS and yummy and different and a nice change of pace from the usual chips and salsa. It was kind of like guacamole, but the feta just brought a whole new dynamic to the table. Very easy to make and HIGHLY addictive!!!
 So, the next time you need to bring something to a party or BBQ, give this one a try. Then sit back and watch everyone devour it! LOVE!
Thanx again Trish!


2 plum tomatoes, chopped
2 avocados, halved, seeded, peeled& chopped (sometimes I add one or two more avocados)
1/4 cup red onion, minced
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 tbs fresh oregano
1 tbs fresh parsley
1 tbs olive oil
1 tbs red wine vinegar
4 oz feta cheese, coarsely crumbled
Pita or tortilla chips

Directions :
Combine tomatoes, avocado, onion, garlic, parsley, oregano, oil & vinegar. Mix well. Gently stir in feta cheese. Cover and chill for 2-6 hours. Serve with pita or tortilla chips.


Tip:
I think the only thing I would change is maybe I would had a little squeeze of fresh lime juice. It's always great in a fresh salsa, and (besides adding a little citrus zing) it keeps the avocados from turning brown.

Avocado Gazpacho

Have you ever tried Gazpacho? It's a Spanish tomato-based raw vegetable soup that you serve cold, best served during summer months due to its cool refreshing qualities. It's one of those things that I've made in the past, and whenever I have it, I think "Why don't I make this more often?" To be honest, I haven't made it in years, and I don't have any certain go-to recipe for it. Well, that is, until NOW! My friend Kathleen was thoughtful enough to pass this along to me. I hope you'll give it a try! Thanx Kath!!!



OMG!! Joey!!! I had the VERY BEST gazpacho EVER today!! A girlfriend of mine took us and the kids out on her boat today and she shared this with us. It was HEAVENLY on this hot, summer day!!! If you like gazpacho, you have to try it!!!
Here's the recipe (courtesy of my friend, Betsy)
Kathleen


1 quart or 3 cans Clamato or Snap-E Tom tomato juice (I prefer the Snap-E Tom juice)
2 cups mango or pineapple juice
1/4 cup lime juice
1 large mango- diced
1 red onion- diced
1 red pepper- diced
1 green pepper- diced
1 cucumber(optional) diced
2-3 tomatos- diced
2 large or 3 small avocados (on the firmer side)- diced
1/4-1/2 cup chopped cilantro
2 tbs ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste



Mix all together and chill.
Serve with bagel chips or corn bread croutons.
So good on a hot day- you need nothing else!

Jason's Guacamole

Jason always says that I'm the one who taught him how to cook, but I suspect he was a pretty good cook before I ever knew him. He showed me how to make guacamole and I honestly don't think you'll find one that's tastier than this. This is why I asked him if I could share it. It's so delicious! I could tell you how to make it, but it's more fun to let HIM tell you. Thanx Jason!

8 avocados
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded, deveined, and finely chopped
4 Tbsp fresh chopped cilantro
1 small tomato, chopped and rinsed (so as to remove seeds and goo)
¼ small red onion, finely chopped
Juice of ½ lime
4 tsp Kosher Salt

Scoop out the avocados into a bowl big enough to fit 8 avocados and a bunch of other stuff. Using 2 spoons, mash the avocados into large chunks. (don’t over-mash them, as they will get smoother as you stir in other ingredients)
Add everything else except the lime and salt. I use the Cass Quaile method with this recipe. If I feel like a lot of onion, I add more onion. If I’m not feeling the cilantro, I use a little less cilantro. Your avocados are never going to be the same size as mine (I have HUGE avocados!!) so you’ll need to play with the other ingredients each time you make this to get the proportions right.
Once all the other stuff is mixed in, add lime juice and salt to taste. I like a buttload of salt, but if you’re using especially salty corn chips, you may only want half a buttload.


Conversation with Jason:
Jason: When you put it in a serving dish, garnish with the avocado pits. This not only looks fancy, but it keeps the guacamole from browning too quickly.

Joey: Ok, when you say "garnish with the avocado pit", you mean the big stone in the center, right? How does one garnish with a big rock? And how does it keep anything from turning brown? The citric acid from the lime juice will do the same thing, so I'm wondering where the stone comes into play.

Jason: Yep, the big stone in the center. By garnish, I just mean put it on top of the mound of guac to make it look fancy. Or sometimes I’ll take all the pits and place them around the edges of the bowl. I think I saw it on a cooking show. Or an episode of Gilliagan’s Island. I guess since the pit is where all the nutrients were when it was alive, there may still be some that act as a preservative? Kinda like leaving the root thing on a head of lettuce to keep it fresh longer. The lime juice does that also, but I guess it’s an extra measure. It may be all lies, but I stick to it. Feel free to change the word garnish to “ass it up with a big brown pit” if you’d like. Or skip it.

Tip from Joey:
I like to serve this with the tortilla chips that have "a hint of lime", but you can serve it with whatever chips you like. So, when I make it, I usually go with a little less than a whole buttload of salt.
For the picture, I decided to go with a simple cilantro garnish, but if you really want to, you can ass it up with a big brown pit.