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De Lime in De Coconut Cheesecake

De Lime in De Coconut Cheesecake

by | Mar 16, 2011 | Recipes

This post is the second in a series of controversial recipes. You may remember the first recipe deemed controversial, Snicker Apple Salad, because of differing opinions about whether it should be called a salad or a dessert.

Today’s recipe stirs family debate in an entirely different arena. Of course, cheesecake is a dessert, so that’s not the issue. The question is this: Is coconut cheesecake delicious?

The resident coconut lover in this house thinks it’s delicious. The other person who lives here and has a strange aversion to coconut, thinks differently. To break the stalemate, please give the recipe (which came from American Profile Magazine about a year ago) a try, and then leave a comment about what you think. Or, if you don’t have time to cook, stop by our house and sample the one I made. It was more than the two of us could eat, so most of it is in the freezer waiting for company!

De Lime in De Coconut Cheesecake

Crust:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon grated lime zest
3 tablespoons melted butter

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. To prepare crust, combine all ingredients in a food processor blender. Process until just blended. Press into bottom and about 1/2 inch up the sides of a 10 inch springform pan.

Filling:
4 eight ounce packages cream cheese, softened
4 eggs
1 (15 ounce) can sweetened cream of coconut milk (in the beverage section at the grocery store)
1/2 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons grated lime rind
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place cream cheese in a large bowl and beat with a mixer at medium high speed until smooth. Reduce speed to low and add eggs one at a time; beat well. Add remaining filling ingredients and beat well, scraping sides and bottom of bowl occasionally. Scrape filling into crust.

Bake 75 – 90 minutes, until center jiggles slightly when pan is tapped. Remove from oven and run a knife around the inside of the pan. Cool to room temperature on wire rack. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Serves 16.

Healthy Vegetarian Chili

Healthy Vegetarian Chili

by | Nov 12, 2010 | Recipes

A year or two ago, I ran across a chili recipe in American Profile Magazine. Having been raised by a former cattle farmer whose motto was no meal is complete without meat, I viewed this no meat version with skepticism. But finally, my daughter and I tried it when she was home on a college break, and guess what? We loved it.

Now it’s part of my arsenal when the newlyweds – some of whom are partial or complete vegetarians – come home to visit. So it was on the menu last weekend and was pronounced a rousing success. To mollify Hiram, who isn’t a chili lover even when it has meat, I reduced the amount of beans (the original recipe calls for 3 cans of black beans). Even he conceded it was “pretty good” when sprinkled with shredded cheddar cheese.

For those of you who do love chili and are looking for a no-meat version, give this one a try. It makes a big batch, so you can serve half and freeze half for later.

Healthy Vegetarian Chili

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced or crushed
2 cups whole kernel corn
2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 (14-ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
1 cup medium salsa
1/2 cup ketchup
1 (14 ounce) can reduced-sodium vegetable broth
1 (1-ounce) package chili seasoning
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin

Heat oil in a stockpot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, carrot, and garlic; cook until union is translucent, about 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Increase heat to high. Add remaining ingredients.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring frequently, until vegetables are tender and flavors are blended, about 40 minutes. Serves 16.