Lisa's Lemon-Blueberry Cheesecake Cake

This is definitely one of my favorite summertime desserts.  The fresh blueberries compliment the lemon and the cream cheese adds smooth flavor to the cake and crust.  This can be served warm from the oven or chilled.  

Ingredients:

1/2 cup melted butter

1 pkg. lemon cake mix

2 eggs

2 pkgs. of low-fat Neufchâtel cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup of Truvia sugar (or regular sugar)

Lemon zest from half a lemon 

Juice from 1 lemon

2 cups fresh blueberries

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line a pie dish with tin foil.
3. In a mixing bowl, add dry cake mix, 1 egg and beat with mixer until well blended.
4. Press 2/3 of dough mixture on to the bottom of the pie pan.
5. In a separate bowl, combine cream cheese and sugar and beat until well blended.
6. Then add the other egg, zest and *lemon juice, continue to beat until all ingredients are mixed and smooth.
7. Pour cream cheese mixture over the cake crust.

   

   Prep Pic - Dough pieces 

8. Top evenly with fresh blueberries.
9. Take pinches of remaining cake dough and press into cream cheese and blueberry filling throughout. (see prep pic)
10. Bake for approximately 55 minutes or until cake is golden brown. 
11. Refrigerate leftovers...Enjoy!

Bacon & Beer Dish

Bacon & Beer Dish Spread

I don't know what it is, but men like beer.  Some even consider it a food group.  While I personally am not a fan of beer (at all), when it comes to cooking for my man, I'll incorporate it. Men also love bacon.  Now this I do understand, and while it's not something I indulge in often, bacon is yummy!  So when I had the idea for a Bacon & Beer Dish, I felt that I came up with an ideal combination for most any man out there.  But, I can't escape the fact that I have to make something at least somewhat healthy.  Luckily, I have achieved that perfect balance with this full course meal.  Your man will love it and love that you made him something relatively healthy but still use his two favorite food and beverage items throughout the meal.  And guess what?  You can eat it too without feeling guilty, even if you're like me and not a big fan of beer.

On the Menu - Serves 2 

1st Course Starters: Bacon Ranch Avocado Tower Salad & Loaded Potato Biscuits

2nd Course Appetizer: Beer Batter Corn Fritters

3rd Course Main Dish: Bacon Wrapped Chicken Ranch Meatloaf

4th Course Side Dishes: Bacon Jalapeño Mac & Cheese & Southern Bacon Infused Green Beans

5th Course - Recommended Dessert Dish: Lisa's Lemon-Blueberry Cheesecake Cake 

Starters: Bacon Ranch Avocado Tower Salad & Loaded 'Potato' Biscuits
Ingredients:

1 cup chopped cucumber

1 cup chopped tomato

1 cup chopped avocado

1/2 cup cooked, crumbled bacon (about 3-4 slices)

8 cucumber slices (optional)

Preferred Ranch (or other) Salad Dressing*

Tool: Circular cup, approximately 3" in diameter and about 3.5" in height (I used a juice glass, and many kids' glasses are close to these measurements)

1. Prepare your salad plates by placing 4 slices of cucumber on each plate in four corners, just wide enough to accommodate the cup.
2. Take your cup and fill it with a layer of the diced cucumber, then a layer of the tomato.
3. Gently press these first two layer into the cup.
4. Add a layer of the chopped avocado.  Again gently press avoiding 'mashing' the avocado so the chopped pieces maintain their shape.
5. Turn the cup upside down onto the salad plate, inside the cucumber slices.
6. Tap the bottom of the cup and the sides and gently lift to create the 'tower' shape.
7. Add bacon crumbles on top of the tower and top with dressing as desired.

Appetizer: Beer Batter Corn Fritters - yields approximately 18 fritters
Ingredients

2 tbsp. butter
3/4 cup frozen corn
1 1/2 cups of Bisquick mix
1/2 cup light beer 
1 egg
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
Canola oil for frying (can vary but approximately 3-4 cups will be needed)

1. In a sauce pan (or deep fryer) pour oil and heat up over medium high heat.
2. In a pan, add butter and corn over a medium heat to thaw out corn.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine all other ingredients to make the batter.
4. Add in corn once thawed.
5. Drop spoonfuls of corn batter into hot oil.
6. Remove once fritter has turned deep golden brown.
7. Lay on a plate over a paper towel to cool.
8. Repeat until all of batter is used up.  I used three to create my appetizer.

Main Dish: Bacon Wrapped Chicken Ranch Meatloaf

Ingredients:

8-10 bacon slices, uncooked

2 pkgs of ground chicken

3/4 cup diced carrots

3/4 cup sliced celery

1/2 cup diced onion

2 cloves minced onion

1 packet of Ranch dip mix seasoning

2 eggs

3/4 cup bread crumbs

Salt and pepper (optional)

3 tbsp. Ketchup (optional)

Picture 1

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Prepare meatloaf pan by greasing the inside with spray cooking oil.
3. Lay uncooked bacon slices across the width of your meatloaf pan (see picture 1).
4. In a mixing bowl, combine all other ingredients, except the ketchup, until meatloaf mixture is well blended.
5. Spoon meatloaf mixture into pan on top of bacon slices and evenly spread within pan (see picture 2).

   

   Picture 2

6. Drizzle ketchup on top of meatloaf mixture.
7. Fold bacon slices over the meat loaf mixture so pieces are no longer outside of the pan (see picture 3).
8. Bake for approximately 35-45 minutes or until the inside temperature of the meat loaf is 165 degrees F.
9. Drain any excess liquid/ drippings from the bottom of the meatloaf pan and serve.

Picture 3

Side Dishes: Bacon Jalapeño Mac & Cheese & Southern Bacon Infused Green Beans

Mac & Cheese Ingredients

1 box of whole wheat elbow macaroni
1 can cheddar soup
2 cups shredded medium sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 - 1 cup diced pickles jalapenos (depending on how spicy you like food)
6 slices of half-cooked bacon, cut or torn into 1" pieces
2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 cup milk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Prepare macaroni as per box instructions just to an al dente cook time.
3. Transfer drained macaroni to baking dish.
4. Add 1 cup of shredded cheese, soup, jalapenos, bacon, milk and red pepper flakes to macaroni and blend ingredients together well.
5. Sprinkle remaining shredded cheese on top and spread out evenly to the edges.
6. Bake for approximately 25 minutes or until cheese is completely melted on top and browning slightly at the edges.

                                                        Green Beans Ingredients

3-4 cups/ 18 oz. of fresh green beans, washed, de-stemmed
2 slices uncooked bacon
4 cups water

1. In medium sauce pan, combine water, green beans and bacon over a medium-high heat.
2. Once water begins to boil, reduce heat to medium-low and allow to simmer, until beans are a bright green (should be softened but still have a snap).
3. Remove from heat and drain water and serve.
   

Don't forget dessert! 

Lisa's Lemon-Blueberry Cheesecake Cake

*Tips: I personally prefer Greek yogurt based Ranch salad dressing.

Loaded Potato Biscuits

These are a fun way to spruce up boring old biscuits or to have that potato skins craving satisfied on a Friday night.  I also use these to accompany my Bacon & Beer Dish.  

Ingredients:

1 cup frozen hash browns, slightly thawed

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

4 pads of cold butter, cut in halves to make 8 pieces

1 can of pizza dough

1 1/2 cups sour cream

2 green onion stalks finely sliced

3-4 pieces of bacon, cooked and crumbles

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and prepare baking sheet by lining it with a sheet of tin foil (optional for easy clean up) and greased with spray cooking oil.
2. Unroll pizza dough onto a cutting board, large enough to accommodate it.
3. Spread hash browns and cheese evenly all over the pizza dough.
4. Strategically place cold butter pads all over pizza dough.
5. Tightly roll pizza dough to make one long roll.
6. Cut into 6-8 biscuit size rolls and place onto baking sheet.
7. Bake for approximately 18-20 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown.
8. Remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes.
9. Top each biscuit with a dollop of sour cream and sprinkle with green onion and crumbled bacon...Enjoy!

The Best American Flag Cake - 4th of July Celebration

American Flag cakes are pretty common for 4th of July, but my version is simply the best, and I can say that without any arrogance.  It's Jell-O infusion makes this a perfect cake for summer and in my family the saying goes, "There's always room for Jell-O cake!"  Between a slice of this cake and indulging in my Patriot-tini, you'll truly enjoy the American colors in some very sweet treats.

Ingredients

1 bx. white cake mix (ingredients needed: eggs, *vegetable oil and water)

1 small box of blueberry/ berry blue instant Jell-O

1 small box of cherry instant Jell-O

1 tub of cool whip/ whipped cream

Fresh strawberries, stems removed and cut in slices

Fresh blueberries

1. Prepare the cake mix as directed on the box.
2. Allow the cake to completely cool.
3. Poke holes all over the cake approximately 1-2" apart.  I personally use a chopstick to get the right size of holes (see picture).
4. *Prepare both cherry and berry blue Jell-O's as per the box instructions in two, separate bowls.
5. Pour the Jell-O into the cake holes, alternating colors in rows, usually four rows total, two each color (see picture)
   
6. Cover and refrigerate the cake for approximately 4-6 hours to allow the Jello-O to set up inside the cake.
7. 'Ice' the cake with the cool whip.
8. Place blueberries in a square in the upper left hand corner of the cake (this makes the star section).
9. Place strawberry slices in rows (making the red stripes).
10. Serve immediately and keep leftovers refrigerated...Enjoy!

*Tips: 1) I personally prefer to use coconut oil over vegetable oil. 2) If you are just making one cake, preparing only half of each Jell-O flavoring should suffice, otherwise you will end up with a lot of left over Jell-O mix.

The Patriot-tini - 4th of the July Celebratory Libation

Anyone who follows my Instagram account knows I am a huge patriot, a strong believer in American values and an avid supporter of troops and all they sacrifice to ensure our freedoms; as several of my close family members have served or are currently serving. Independence Day is indeed not just a tradition but a true celebration in my life and without a doubt, we celebrate big with family, barbecue and even though I stay on the healthy side of celebrations, I refuse to have a 4th of July pass without having one Patriot-tini and a slice of my American Flag Cake.  This libation is so festive and delicious, it's impossible not to get inspired and into the spirit of this important holiday!
Update: As it turns out we have the New England Patriots playing in Superbowl LI 2017, so this libation works perfect for a team-themed libation and pairs well with my Posh Super Bowl Menu!  And if you're rooting for the other team, check out the Falcons-tini here.

Ingredients
2 parts vodka
1 part Curacao
1/2 part - approximately 2 tbsp. grenadine
ice
whipped cream
Optional rim garnish:
Red, white and blue sprinkles
Red, white and blue icing

1. Empty approximately 1 tbsp. of each of the colored sprinkles onto a flat plate and mix together.
2. Decorate the rim of your martini glass in third sections with each color of icing.
3. Roll the martini glass on its rim through the sprinkles where you put the icing to stick the sprinkles to the rim.
4. Add vodka, Curacao and ice into a martini shaker and shake vigorously.
5. Pour into the martini glass.
6. Place a spoon at the edge of the martini glass, up side down and slowly pour the grenadine over the spoon into the glass (this creates the layered effect) and the grenadine will sink to the bottom of the glass.
7. Top with a spiral of whipped cream (from the can) and sprinkle with red and blue sprinkles...Enjoy!

Please drink responsibly...and Here's to America!