Step One: Prepare the bread

 
You need one loaf of toasted stale bread to make the stuffing. Abuela usually used french bread or sourdough. This year I found a loaf of multigrain bread with flax and pumpkin seeds and decided to use that.

To make the bread stale, I cut the bread up into bite size chunks a few days before I’m going to make the stuffing, place it in a dish and leave it out to dry. A day before, I toast it slowly in a 200 degree oven for about an hour.

Step Two: Saute the onions

Chop one medium or half a large onion and saute it over medium heat in a large skillet with a small amount of oil until it is translucent and just starting to brown.

Step Three: Brown the meat

Abuela used ground beef for this step, but I like to use mild Italian sausage. This year, I used half of that and half a chicken, feta & spinach sausage I found. You can use any ground meat you like … about 1 pound.

Add the ground meat and brown it with the onions until it cooked, possibly until it is starting to brown around the edges.

Step Four: Add Mushrooms

Add in some mushrooms and stir until they are lightly browned. I used sauted fresh mushrooms, but canned mushrooms will do.

Step Five: Toss together

In a large mixing bowl, toss the bread and meat mixture together.

Step Six: Add olives

Mix in a small can of olives. Abuela used chopped; I prefer sliced.

Step Seven: Add eggs & seasoning

In a small bowl, whisk together two eggs with a fork. Add to the stuffing mixture and mix thoroughly.

Add in some poultry seasoning to taste … anywhere between a teaspoon and tablespoon will do. Mix thoroughly.

Step Eight: Prepare for the oven

Spread the stuffing mix in a 13″ x 9″ pan. Add enough liquid so that the bread will soften but not be too soggy. Abuela used milk, often a can of condensed milk. I prefer to use chicken broth.

Bake in a 350 degree oven until done. That will be somewhere between 45 and 60 minutes.

Step Nine: Enjoy!

Once the stuffing is done, take it out of the oven and it is ready to serve!

I don’t think I added quite enough broth (I added about one cup), since some of the bread is still a bit crispy. But it still tastes wonderful! I especially enjoyed how the multigrain bread complemented the sausage flavors.

Additional Notes
My grandmother also added in some chopped celery and green peppers. I’m not crazy about cooked celery and don’t like peppers, so I don’t add them. But you are more than welcome to!

As you can see, I’ve experimented with substitutions to play around with flavor. I hope that by “watching” how I did it with this recipe, you’ll be inspired to do something similar with your own recipes. Kitchen creativity is as simple as that!

When I got home, I took out a cube of butter to let it soften. The mix only needs you to add three things: a softened cube of butter, a tiny bit of water and an egg.

The dough was a little sweeter than I prefer, but had a nice balance of pumpkin and spice flavors. Once reason I don’t normally use cookie mixes is because I can’t reduce the sugar and most are too sweet for me. I was afraid this might be the case upon tasting the dough.

I also did as the instructions said and stirred the ingredients together without the aid of an electric mixer. If you’ve softened the butter enough, this works just fine.

I tasted the cookies both fresh from the oven and after they were thoroughly cooled. Both were quite nice. They remind me of a cross between a snicker doodle and a molasses cookie with a hint of pumpkin. These are perfectly decent cookies. The edges are crispy and the centers are mildly soft. I love the crispy part!

The cookies are still a bit too sweet for my tastes, but they aren’t as sweet as other cookie mixes I’ve tried. The mix said, depending on the size of the cookie, it made up to 3 dozen cookies … I ended up with two baker’s dozen plus one. Once the butter was softened … I left it on the kitchen table for about an hour … preparation takes about 15-20 minutes.

If you want something different for your cookie jar this holiday season, I recommend you try out Betty Crocker’s Pumpkin Spice Cookie Mix.

Today, on a lark, I decided to whip some up with frozen mango. The result was yummy!

Quick Tropical Smoothie

1 cup Silk Coconut Milk
2/3 cup frozen mango chunks

Toss in a blender and blend until smooth.

Then just be careful of brain freezes!

Pesto with Spinach and Feta Cheese
I was first introduced to pesto when I was 16. I thought the name was so funny. But once I tasted it I wondered why hadn’t Mom made this before! The garlic … yum! The smoothiness of the virgin olive oil … mmmm. And just a touch of crunch from pine nuts. I’m in heaven. Then, in my 20s I decided to experiment and added some spinach and feta cheese to the mix. Ah! Perfection. The tartness of the feta mixes nicely with the bitter of the spinach and the awesomeness of the pesto. I get chills just thinking of it.

The Chorizo Potato Burrito
When I first lived in Phoenix (I’ve lived there two separate times), I lived walking distance from a little shack-like Mexican restaurant called Eriberto’s. For breakfast, the served this burrito, which also had some eggs. It was DA BOMB! It was so good, I would beg my husband to take me there so I could have one … no matter what time of day it was! Later, I’d buy chorizo and some form of potato product (hash browns, fries or even tater tots) and make my own tortilla-less version. I’ve been to many Mexican take out places since, but found none that mix those three ingredients with the panache that Eriberto’s does. I miss you!

Coconut Shrimp
I discovered this gem in my 40s. It was dish served at a couple of the Chinese buffets we visited in the Phoenix area (the second time I lived in the area). You can’t eat too much of it … it is kind of sweet … but it is delicious. I love coconut and shrimp separately, but together (something I wouldn’t have thought of on my own) they are spectacular!

Bhature Chole
I was introduced to this delectable Indian hawkers food when I was living in the East Bay area (near San Francisco). Off a frontage road in Berkeley, there is a warehouse that has been transformed into an Indian hawkers food establishment. An Indian friend turned me on to it. The food there is very authentic … lots of Indians eat there.

Now, I’m a big fan of fried bread in general and the fried breads I’ve tried from a variety of cultures are all pleasantly memorable. But this Bhature Chole was mind-blowing. Something about the big puffy fried bread dipped in spicy garbanzos was just extra memorable. I’ve tried the Bhature Chole at other Indian restaurants, but this place is still the best.

Gula Melaka
This is another dish I was introduced to during my time in the East Bay. It was dessert on the menu of Malaysian-Singaporean restaurant south of Berkeley. It is a simple dish: a block of sago pudding (kind of like tapioca, but with larger beads and made firm so you can serve it as blocks), some coconut milk and cane syrup drizzled on top. The sweetness comes from the coconut milk and the syrup so this dessert is lightly sweet. The perfect end to a spicy meal!

 
Yeah, looks like a disaster, doesn’t it.

This is what happened.

I transported an opened can of RediWhip to the party. I didn’t think that would be a problem. But, as we were getting the can out of the car, you could hear a hissing sound. I think much of the gas that helps the whipped cream appear whipped escaped … the hissing went on for a good 5 minutes … and who know how long it was doing that before we opened the trunk!

So, lesson learned: Don’t open the RediWhip before you take it to a party or you’ll get liquid cream and not whipped cream.

Oh, well. It did taste good.

Since the chocolate milk mix wasn’t meant to be made with water, you can image that the results were pretty crappy.

But I LOVE chocolate, so I continue to do weird things with it to see what works … or not.

So, when I heard that Honest Tea had come up with some interesting cocoa beverages, I took them up on their offer to send me a sample.

I’ll admit that upon first taste it reminded me of the failed chocolate water beverage I experimented with as a teen. But then the flavors hit.

This is not chocolate milk. It is not chocolate tea. It is something altogether different.

It’s hard to explain the experience of Honest CocoaNova. It has a watery texture, but a full-bodied, deep chocolate flavor. I can imagine this was how chocolate was first enjoyed by the Mokaya of Mesoamerica … only sweeter.

And that’s another way the this drink is different. Most chocolate beverages are sweet … and for my tastes, too sweet. Honest CocoaNova is not too sweet. In fact, it is just slightly bitter … the way I like my chocolate!

When I find these in my local grocery store, you better believe I’m gonna be stocking up!

Now they’ve sent me a sample of their Black Forest Berry. Its a tisane or fruit infusion … kind of like fruit tea. But it tastes like watered down juice. For me, its perfect. I always water down my juice because it is too intense otherwise.

Frankly, I don’t know how they do it. Black Forest Berry is not too sweet, filled with berry flavor but doesn’t knock your tastebuds out of your head. It maintains a nice balance of flavor, sweetness and tartness.

The base tea for this beverage is hibiscus, which I find to be a bit on the tart side. It’s one of the few teas I like to add honey or sugar to. But I couldn’t taste the hibiscus. The blackberry leaves, berry blend flavoring, blueberry and raspberry powders overpower the hibiscus leaving you with the flavor sensation of juice without all the acid and calories of a juice. Awesome! An entire bottle of Black Forest Berry is only 60 calories and is caffeine free.

I’m going to have to keep my eyes open for Honest Tea on the grocery shelves … it just might get me to drink something other than water!

Coming up … I’ve got a sample of their new line of cocoa beverages. I’ll be trying that and letting you know what I think probably next week.

The picture was taken shortly after the 30-minute cool on the cooling rack.

Crust
1 box white cake mix
1/2 cup butter, softened

Filling
1-1/2 cups cold milk*
1 (3.4 oz) pkg instant pistachio pudding mix
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
1 (8 oz) pkg Neufchâtel cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup plain yogurt**
3 eggs

Garnish
Whipped topping

Instructions
In a medium bowl, prepare the pistachio pudding with the milk per instructions on the box. Put in the refrigerator to chill while you continue.

Heat the oven to 300 degrees.

While the oven is heating, spray the bottom and side of a 9-10 inch spring-form pan with baking spray. Dust with flour. Wrap foil around the outside to catch potential drips.

Reserve 1/4 cup of the cake mix and set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the remaining cake mix and butter with an electric mixer on low speed until crumbly. Press into the bottom and sides of the pan.

In the same large bowl, beat combine reserved cake mix, cream cheese, Neufchâtel cheese, sugar, all except 1/2 cup of the pudding and yogurt. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.

Beat in eggs, one at a time, until mixed.

Pour into the crust.

Bake 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 35 minutes or until edges are set but the center is still jiggles when moved.***

Turn the oven off. Open the oven door at least 4 inches and leave the cheesecake in the oven for 30 minutes longer.

Remove the cheesecake from the oven and place on a cooling rack. Without releasing the sides of the pan, run a knife along the edge to help release the cake from the sides. Cool in pan on cooling rack for 30 minutes.

Cover loosely and refrigerate overnight (or at least 4 hours).

Remove side of pan before serving. Pipe or spoon whipped topping around the outside edge of the cheese cake.

Store in the refrigerator.

* You can use a can of condensed milk instead, just be sure to chill it overnight, first.

** I used Fresh & Easy Honey Greek Style Yogurt, yum!

*** I think my oven is a lower temperature than it says. I took a good 30-45 minutes extra to bake.

NOTE: The genesis of this recipe was Lemon Cheesecake from the Betty Crocker calendar, April 2011.

As the years have passed, my tolerance of caffeine has changed. The amount that makes me sleepy compared to the amount that makes me sick like a hangover has reduced to the point where I just avoid caffeine pretty much altogether (except when it comes to chocolate, of course!).

That’s why I’m always keeping an eye out for caffeine-free teas that still taste great. I’ve had many a decaffeinated tea that just tasted watered down — no matter how strong you made it.

That said, I don’t have that problem with naturally caffeine-free herbal teas. But they just aren’t the same. So I must say I was pleasantly surprised when I received a sample of Honest Tea’s Heavenly Lemon Tulsi to review for this blog.

I’d never heard of Tulsi before, so I had no idea what to expect. According to the bottle’s label, tulsi is “also known as ‘holy basil.” It “is a naturally caffeine-free herb that has long been revered in its native India as a healing balm for the mind, body and spirit.” Although it is related to the basil commonly used in pesto sauce, “tulsi has a unique flavor that’s been used in tea for thousands of year.”

With a little research, I discovered that tulsi has been used for thousands of years in Ayurveda for its diverse healing properties. Modern research has shown tulsi having promising results in reducing pain, reducing blood glucose levels and reducing total cholesterol levels, as well as some promise for protection from radiation poisoning and cataracts. Tulsi is also a sacred plant for Hindus and used in Thai cuisine. I doubt I’ll get all these benefits from drinking one bottle of Heavenly Lemon Tulsi, but it’s nice to know that the beverage is good for me.

At first taste, I was a little shocked. It tasted like unsweetened black tea … I kid you not. The bottle says the beverage is “just a tad sweet,” and they are right. But after have a couple more tastes, the flavor grew on me. Unlike most herbal teas, this one tasted like a cross between green tea and the more traditional black tea. It reminded me of nights sitting in my grandmother’s kitchen, playing Pachisi … all that was missing were the cookies!

But that’s not the only reason I say that this tea makes you feel good. Yes the herb is supposed to have healing properties and yes it brought back fond childhood memories, but Honest Tea goes a little bit farther than that. Their line of teas are all natural and organic. They are also produced by workers who work in a safe environment and receive a fair share of the profits. Their business mission is to be fair and honest … I guess you can say that honesty is paramount at Honest Tea.

You can purchase Honest Tea … which has a nice selection of flavors including Honey Green Tea, Lemon Black Tea, Passion Fruit Green Tea, Pomegranate White Tea with Açai, Cranberry Lemonade, Superfruit Punch, Black Forest Berry and many more … at their website, or find a store that offers their products using this map.

First, the one I go to is tiny, but it still stocks an amazing array of gourmet and unusual items. Case in point, they sell creme fraiche! I’ve never seen that in a store before!

Anyway, awhile back I tried their Greek Style Yogurt and am now hooked. I’ve tried other brands and was unimpressed, but the Fresh & Easy brand is so smooth and creamy and has just the right balance of sweetness and tartness. I eat the Honey flavor like it was ice cream … slowly, savoring every delectable moment.

I bring this up because this morning I tried another of their store brand products, Pumpkin Pecan Pancake and Waffle Mix (that’s me chomping on one in the picture above). Unlike me, I decided to follow the instructions to the letter, including melting butter instead of using oil.

The pancakes were just this side of sweet … enough that I didn’t need maple syrup at all, but not so much as to make it taste like a cake or cookie. The spice was light … I couldn’t identify one or the other, like I can with so many other pumpkin flavored mix products. The balance of the pumpkin with the spice with the pecans was deftly done, leaving me with an overall “autumn” flavor, nothing overpowering the other.

I was pleasantly surprised. This is two store brand products that have wowed me … I’m going to have to try some more!