Showing posts with label cream cheese. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cream cheese. Show all posts

Friday, March 15, 2013

Neiman Marcus Bars


Neiman Marcus does clothes, shoes, accessories etc like no one does. Now they’re even taking over the bakery world?! These are Neiman Marcus bars and they. are. AMAZING. They're very rich& chewy & decadent, almost like a kicked up brownie. It has a vanilla cake bottom, and a sweet crunchy creamy cheese topping. 




Ingredients
1 box Betty Crocker yellow cake mix
1 stick butter, melted
3 eggs
1 block Philadelphia cream cheese
4 C powdered sugar

Instructions
Preheated oven to 325 °  
Beat 1 egg, butter, cake mix
Pat into a 9x13 dish
Mix soft cream cheese and 2 eggs
Stir in powdered sugar
Spread over cake mix
Bake for about 45 minutes until done
*It may still jiggle a little right in the middle, it will continue to cook a little after you remove it from the oven. You don't want the edges to get overdone.

You have to have a glass of milk with these. Or try them hot with a scoop of ice cream. Or if you’re like my sister & I, have one with milk, then go back & have the second with icecream! 

-N.

Sunday, March 10, 2013

Sushi Sushi Sushi!


Sushi is l o v e. I could eat sushi all day, everyday.  But I start to feel weird when I have to alternate sushi restaurants because I don’t want them to recognize me by my obsession with fried tempura rolls.

I’ve always thought about making sushi at home. But to tell you the truth, it has always been something that I’ve found intimidating. Me?! Create a roll from scratch!? Let’s be a bit realistic.  But ok!

L came to town Friday night & we decided it’s time to take on the Sushi challenge. Saturday we went to World Market to pick up some sushi rolling mats and then trekked onto H-Mart to pick up the making for our sushi pig out sesh!

There was quite a bit of preparation work that took place before we actually started rolling out the rolls. But once all that was done & ready, it was actually quite easy!








Ingredients
1 ½ cups Sushi rice  
2 Tbsp Sushi vinegar (rice vinegar with added salt and sugar)
4 Nori seaweed sheets (cut ¼ off each sheet)
½ C crab meat (chopped finely)
1 ½ avocados
½ cucumber
1 cup all-purpose Gluten Free Flour
Japanese Pank bread crumbs
1 egg
Ice cold water
8 Large shrimp
Cream Cheese (Philadelphia brand is gluten free)
Gluten free soy sauce
Oil for frying

Instructions
Cook sushi rice in a rice cooker per instructions.
When completely cooked, add in sushi vinegar and set aside.
Cut your avocados and cucumbers into thin strips and set aside.
Cut ¼ inch thick strips of cream cheese and set aside.


Shrimp Tempura
Prepare shrimp by rinsing and peeling. (Leave the tail on)
Lay shrimp flat and flatten out by pinching with your fingers. (This will help the shrimp to stay flat.)
Mix flour, egg & cold cold water and gently mix to create your tempura mix.
Dip each shrimp into the tempura mix & then into the Panko bread crumbs.
Deep fry shrimp for 2-3 minutes.
Set on paper towel to cool.

Now it’s time to roll!
Cover your bamboo sushi mat with shrink wrap (to keep rice from sticking to the mat)
Place your nori shiny side down on the bamboo mat.
Wet hands, and spread ¾ cup rice over nori.
Turn your nori over rice side down.
Assemble your roll by placing a line of crab meat down the middle of the roll, add cream cheese to one side of the crab meat & cucumber and avocado to the other side. Place 2 fried shrimps on top of the crab meat.
Roll your bamboo mat over half way and then over the rest.
Cut into 8 pieces with sharp knife.
Drizzle with spicy mayo & have fun stuffing your face :)


-N.

Friday, February 15, 2013

My favorite 3 words


The 3 most beautiful words in the English dictionary: Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars.
I had these amazing little bites of heaven for the first time at an afternoon tea a few years ago. (Don't ask me how many times I've made them since.) 

I'm catching up with an old friend tonight & of course, will use any opportunity to bring any & everyone to the creamy, sugary, sweet dark side. Enjoy! 

Ingredients:
-2 cans pillsbury butter crescent rolls
-2 (8oz) packages cream cheese (softened)
-1 cup sugar
-1 teaspoon vanilla
-1/4 cup butter (melted)
-Cinnamon & sugar
Instructions:
Unroll and spread 1 can crescent rolls on bottom of un-greased pan. Combine softened cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla. Spread mixture over crescent rolls. Unroll and spread remaining crescent rolls over mixture. Spread melted butter over the top and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Cut into squares, serve, & watch people swoon!

-N.