Tuna Casserole

Sauce for the casserole

oil 
1 zucchini, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
6 Tbsp. butter
1/3 c. flour
3 c. water
1 Tbsp. chicken bouillon
1 Tbsp. vegetable bouillon
1/2 c. milk
black pepper
2 cans tuna, drained
1/2 c. cheddar cheese, shredded, plus more for the top
1 lb. cooked pasta
parmesan, shredded

In a medium pan, saute the bell pepper and zucchini together with a bit of oil until tender, about 4-5 minutes (the second time I made this, I added a dash of garlic powder, dill, and coriander to the cooking vegetables). Set aside.

In a saucepan, combine the flour and the butter together over medium heat for about a minute. Then add the water to the butter and flour slowly, a cup at a time, stirring in between each addition. Then add the bouillons (I use Better Than Bouillon; a little more expensive, but the taste is, well, better than bouillon). Bring to a boil, then remove from heat. Add the milk, black pepper, tuna, zucchini, bell pepper, and cheddar to the bouillon mixture. Stir together.

Dinner is served!

In a baking dish, add the cooked pasta, then pour the bouillon mixture over the pasta. Sprinkle the parmesan and cheddar on top. Bake at 400 F for about 20 minutes. The casserole will be bubbly and golden on top.

Finnish Poppy Seed Rolls (Vehnäsämpylät)

Rolls:
1 envelope dry yeast
1/4 c. warm water
1/2 c. milk
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 - 2 1/2 c. flour
6 Tbsp. butter, softened

Filling and Glaze:
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. heavy cream
2 tsp. poppy seeds

In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Heat the milk to lukewarm, and add to the bowl with the yeast. Mix in the sugar, salt, and the beaten egg. Stir in the flour and knead the dough until it forms a ball. Add the softened butter in bits, and knead until the butter had been absorbed and the dough is smooth and elastic. Cover and let stand for 20 minutes.

On a floured surface, roll the dough into a rectangle about 1/2 inch thick and 10x20 inch in size. Melt 2 Tbsp. of butter with the heavy cream and brush all over the dough. Fold the dough twice lengthwise and leave the seam underneath. Cut the dough into 2 inch pieces and place them on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper or lightly greased. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375 F. Brush the rolls with the remainder of the filling mixture and sprinkle on the poppy seeds. Bake for about 10-15 minutes, or until nicely browned. Cool on a rack. Serve warm.

Recipe from The Best of Finnish Cooking

Brownie Cheesecake 2

Cheesecake:

Crust

1 1/3 c. chocolate cookie crumbs
3 Tbsp. sugar
1/3 c. butter, melted
24 oz. cream cheese
1 c. sugar
3 eggs
1 Tbsp. vanilla
1 c. whipping cream

Mini Brownies:
6 Tbsp. flour
2 Tbsp. cocoa powder

Brownie batter

pinch of salt
1/4 c. butter
2 Tbsp. bittersweet chocolate chips
6 Tbsp. sugar
2 rounded Tbsp. brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla

Ganache:
1 oz. whipping cream
1/2 c. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 300 F. This cheesecake will be baked in a bath, so wrap your 9 inch springform in 3 layers of aluminum foil to make sure none of the water seeps in while the cheesecake is baking. Then grease the bottom of the springform.

Cheesecake

To make the cheesecake: In a small bowl, combine the cookie crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. Press firmly into the bottom of the springform. Set aside.

Cream together the cream cheese and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, making sure to beat well after each addition. Add the vanilla. Beat in the whipping cream. Pour over the prepared crust. Bake for 55-65 minutes. It doesn't need to be brown on top. Just the center can be a little wobbly when it comes out.

Remove the cake from the bath. Run a knife around the edge of the pan. Allow the cheesecake to cool to room temperature on a wire rack. Do not refrigerate until it has completely cooled. Then chill overnight.

Cheesecake with brownies

To make the brownies: Sift together the flour, cocoa, and salt. Melt together the butter and bittersweet chocolate in a microwave safe bowl for about 30 seconds in the microwave. Stir. Let cool to lukewarm. Add egg, vanilla, and sugars. Stir until the sugars are almost dissolved. Gently fold in the dry ingredients.

Grease an 8-inch square baking dish. Then line the dish with parchment/wax paper. Pour batter into the prepared dish. Bake 15-18 minutes at 325 F or until the surface of the brownies appear firm and dry. Do not over bake these brownies. Cool completely. Cut into 1/2 inch squares.

Ready to eat

To make the ganache: In a double boiler, melt together the cream and chocolate.

Top the cheesecake with the mini brownies. Drizzle the ganache over the brownies and cheesecake before serving.

Here's a link to my favorite food blog where I found the recipe: Brownie Cheesecake

Thai Wraps

These wraps are excellent! Great for when having company over; everyone makes their own, and there are tons of ingredients to choose from! There are no precise measurements; it's to your liking.

flour tortillas
carrots, julienne
caramelized onion slices
hot white rice
cooked chicken, diced
peanuts
sesame seeds
bean sprouts
cilantro, chopped
roasted bell peppers, sliced
peanut sauce (see recipe link below)

Take 1 flour tortilla, load it up with all the ingredients (or at least the ones you want). Wrap it up and enjoy. I recommend a LOT of peanut sauce. You can even use some for dipping your wrap in. Here is a link to the peanut sauce recipe: Peanut Sauce. Enjoy!

Thai Peanut Sauce

1 1/2 c. creamy peanut butter
3/4 c. coconut milk
3 Tbsp. water
3 Tbsp. lime juice
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. fish sauce
dash of red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp. ginger root, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c. cilantro, chopped

In a saucepan, over very low heat, mix all the ingredients except the cilantro. Keep over low heat for 45-60 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mix in the cilantro just before serving. Serve warm.

Here's a link to the recipe I adapted: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/the-best-thai-peanut-sauce/