Italian Rocotta Cheese Cake

This was taken right out of my Mother-in-loves mouth. It is a classic but I did tweak it a bit she never adds a crust so.

My Mother-in-Love is right off the Italy Boat. She has all the old school recipes and I am blessed to have her and her recipes in my life! 









Do you remember the Nut Crisp Cookies ? I made a batch that was really thin.They were so thin I crumbled them up and froze them. I took those same cookie crumbs and added 1 cup of gram cracker crumbs and a half cup butter for the crust. Now here is a funny story that goes with this cheese cake adventure for the whole story go here....


 

Italian Ricotta Cheese Cake

Ingredients
* 2 -8 ounce packages cream cheese, softened
* 1 lb ricotta cheese
* 1 1/2 cups white sugar
* 4 eggs room temperature
* 1 tbss fresh lemon juice
* 1 tsp vanilla extract
* 3 tbs cornstarch
* 3 tbs flour
* 1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
* 1 pint sour cream

 Mix the cream cheese and ricotta cheese together in a mixing bowl until well combined.











 Stir in sugar, eggs, lemon juice, vanilla, cornstarch, flour, and butter.

 Add the sour cream last and stir

Pour the mixture into the prepared spring-form pan

 Bake in the preheated oven 1 hour turn oven off

    Leave in oven 1 hour more
   

 Allow to cool completely in refrigerator
             before serving

 I think I could have cooked it a shorter amount of time notice the crack. But a bit of my homemade preserves covered that up just fine

Chocolate Pecan Cookies

Martha Baked these Chocolate Pecan Cookies and I was delighted this cook loves Peecanzzz. I am going to do my best to give you a cookie a day for your Holiday Baking time.










This is the first of many. Enjoy and grab a friend there is nothing better than cooking with friends.
Every year I go to my Mother-in-loves home and get the 911 on the back in the day Italian Cookies.

 This in itself is a gift! 






These Chocolate-Pecan Cookies were (we ate them all) are really good. Then again what cookie is not really good. I found the recipe in an insert out of the Martha Steward Magazine my friend Linda drops at the house each month. It was a little Everyday Food insert . I subscribe to the magazine but I found I am saving so many. But good reference. Most of my cooking comes from desire and history .

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
2 sticks of unsalted butter room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup pecans chopped/crushed

Preheat you oven to 350 degrees

Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt.



In your mixer beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.





Add vanilla and eggs and beat until well combined.





Now sift in your dry ingredients (I sift then sift it into the batter) I'm a sift head!


Yes my sifter is old as the hills it was Mama's

Mix in your pecans and chocolate chips.







Drop the dough on to your prepared cookie sheet. You can see my cookie sheet is old and prepared for it's cooking.

Yes it's old all my stuff is old but reliable! Like me
I placed 15 on the cookie tray to start             


BUT

12 will work better and not get all attached. I got a little excited!
Blame it on Martha.

 Hey they still taste great.





 


Cook them for say 12 or so minutes they should be just brown around the edges. When they are done let them cool slightly then off to the rack to cool completely . Into an air tight container and they are good for a week if they last that long.



Here is the Original Post at Martha Stewart

Nanny Lilly's Beef Brisket

Brisket just the name makes me drool. Nanny Lilly use to cook the best mouth watering Brisket. This recipe is from her. A good ole' Jewish recipe from the original New York  Nanny. Here are a few tips she taught me.





 


The size will depend on the amount of guest you have. I feed 10 people and use a 4 pound brisket. During the Holiday Season Hanukkah and Christmas are everywhere in our home. We have a lot of people and food so it is not the main course but it is a family favorite. And it will shrink down to half the size. Like all the cooking we do everything is flexible and tweakable.


Ingredients

One 4-5 pounds beef brisket
1 large white onion
2-3 whole garlic cloves
4 cups of beef stock or 2 Au Jus Packs
6 carrots - chopped
6 potatoes - chopped
vegetable or olive oil





Do all your prep work in the pot you are going to cook in. Make sure it is oven safe. I have two that I use. One is my large iron kettle and the other is a large roasting pan.








Prep your brisket. Most of the flavor will come from the broth. I am a true believer that less is more. During the Holidays I like to allow my guest to add their own salt and pepper. Also your broth has plenty of salt if is coming from a package. I make my own beef stock.












Take your Brisket








Make small slits on the top

Stuff one whole garlic clove into each hole.






Set your oven for 375 degreez have it ready. this little guy is going to cook for no less than 4 hours.

First thing to do is brown your onions. Put a small amount of oil into the bottom of the pot and warm. Add your chopped onions saute until they are a golden brown.

Remove from the pot and set aside.




Warm up your pot. The same one you used for your onions. Make sure it is Hot. Drop your brisket in fat side down. Let it sizzle just long enough to get a nice crust. 



This will seal in the flavor when it is cooking and make a nice crust.








I am showing you the color and how it should look once it is cooked on each side. It should take no longer than 5 minutes per side.

Once the beef is browned you will top it with your onions. Pour the Liquid around the brisket. It need to almost cover it. The picture give you the general idea.










Now it is time to pop that baby into the oven. Your oven temperature may vary so if 375 is not hot enough crank it to 400 degrees.











I add the carrots and potatoes the last two hours of cooking other wise you may get mush! Just pull the rack out be careful it is hot and heavy. Add you potatoes and your carrots. Keep an eye on them and keep them wet. This is the time to cover the pot.











I always make my brisket the day prior to serving. This way it can be cold when I slice it. Other wise this perfect little piece of yummieness is going to fall apart.

Put your potatoes and carrot into their seving pan. You can warm it all up while everyone is noshing! Oui'










All sliced and waiting to be covered in broth.

Enjoy this during all your favorite Holiday. Mazel Tov'