Berry Tiramisu

Ingredients:

• 20 to 30 store-bought ladyfingers
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 cup granulated sugar, divided
• 3/4 cup ricotta cheese
• 4 oz cream cheese, softened
• Zest of one lemon
• Pinch of cinnamon
• 1.5 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup seedless berry jam or jelly
• 1 cup sliced strawberries
• 3 cups other mixed berries (raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, etc)
• Juice of one lemon

Preparations:

1. In a medium bowl, toss the strawberries, raspberries and blackberries with the lemon juice to combine. Add 1/4 cup sugar and mix well.
2. Arrange the ladyfingers in an even, single layer in the base of a 9-by-13-inch pan. Save remaining ladyfingers. 
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whipping attachment, whip the cream and milk with 3/4 cup sugar until the mixture forms soft peaks. Add the ricotta, cream cheese, lemon zest, cinnamon, and vanilla extract and whip until medium peaks form.
4. Pour half of the cream mixture over the ladyfinger layer and spread even with a spatula. 
5. Microwave the jam in 30 second increments until it is soft and spreadable. Then, spread the jam on top of the cream in an even layer.
6. Arrange the remaining ladyfingers on top of the jam in an even layer. Top with the remaining cream mixture.
7. Pour the berry mixture in an even layer on top of the cream. Chill at least one hour to soften the ladyfingers before serving.

Enchilada Orzo Pasta

Ingredients:

• 1 (14.5oz) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 (10oz) can enchilada sauce
• 1 (4.5oz) can chopped green chiles, drained
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1/2 water, or more, as needed
• 1 cup corn kernels
• 1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 4 ounces cream cheese, cubed
• 16oz uncooked orzo pasta

Preparations:

1. Place diced tomatoes, enchilada sauce, green chiles, vegetable broth, water, corn and black beans into a slow cooker. Season with salt and pepper. Stir until well combined. Top with cream cheese.
2. Cover and cook on high heat for 1-2 hours.
3. Uncover and stir until cream cheese is well combined. Stir in orzo. Cover and cook on high heat for an additional 15-30 minutes. Add more water as needed until the desired consistency is reached.
4. Serve immediately.

Peach Pie

 
Ingredients:
For the crust:

• 2 cups plus 4 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 Tbsp white sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 sticks (12 Tbsp) COLD, unsalted butter, cut into 1/4″ cubes
• 6 oz COLD cream cheese, cut into 1/4″ cubes
• 3 Tbsp milk

For the filling:

• 5-7 large peaches, pitted, peeled and sliced (~6 1/2 to 7 cups sliced)
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp salt

For the egg wash:

• 1 egg
• 1 Tbsp water

Preparations:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar and salt.
2. Cut the COLD butter and COLD cream cheese into 1/4-inch pieces. Using a food processor with dough blade attachment, cut the butter and cream cheese into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized pieces.
3. Drizzle the milk over the dough and cut into the dough with a spatula until the dough forms moist clumps. Depending on your butter and cream cheese, you may not need to use any of the milk or the full 3 Tbsp.
4. Divide the dough into 2 pieces, press into flat disks, cover each piece tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour. It stores well in the fridge up to 2 days.
5. Once pie crust has cooled in the fridge at least 1 hour, and you are ready to use the pie crust, remove 1 piece of dough from the refrigerator and on a clean surface, roll it out into a 13-inch circle. Transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie plate. Refrigerate until ready to use. 
6. Take the next piece of dough out of the fridge and roll it into a 12-inch circle, cover with plastic and refrigerate while you prep your pie filling.
7. For the filling, combine all of the dry ingredients in a small bowl: 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup flour, 1/4 tsp nutmeg and 1/8 tsp salt.
8. Blanch peaches by putting them in boiling hot water for 1 minute, then transferring to a bowl of ice water. Peel, pit, and slice peaches into 1/4″ thick slices.
9. Transfer peaches to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with 1 Tbsp lemon juice and 1/2 tsp vanilla and gently stir. Sprinkle with the dry ingredients and gently stir to combine.
10. Transfer the peaches onto the crust in the pie dish. Lay remaining crust on top, trim off any excess dough, and crimp the edges. Cut some slices in the top crust to allow for steam to escape.
11. In a small bowl, use a fork to beat together the egg and 1 Tbsp water to make your egg wash. Brush the top of your pie generously with egg wash.
12. Place pie on the center rack and bake at 425F for 20 minutes then place cookie sheet lined with foil under the pie to catch an drips and reduce oven to 375F and bake an additional 35-40 min or until the filling is bubbling. Loosely Cover the pie with foil if it is starting to brown too quickly.
13. Let the pie cool down ideally at least 2 hours so the filling thickens.

Mashed Cauliflower

Ingredients:

• 1 large cauliflower, chopped into florets
• 4 oz low fat cream cheese
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/4 of an onion, finely chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• a pinch of turmeric (for color)
• 1 Tbsp fresh rosemary, leaves separated from stems
• salt and pepper, to taste

Preparations:

1. Bring a medium pot of water to boil. Once boiling, cook the cauliflower for 8-10 minutes or until fork tender. Remove and drain cauliflower. It is important to give the cauliflower plenty of time to drain so that the mash isn't too runny.
2. Meanwhile, saute the onion in a bit of olive oil over medium heat. Let the onion saute for roughly 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn the heat down to low, add the garlic, and cook for an additional 5 minutes, until the garlic starts to golden. Transfer the mixture to your food processor.
3. Add the cauliflower to the food processor with the cream cheese and the butter. Process for 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between, until it is smooth and creamy. 
4. Add the remaining ingredients and pulse several times until completely incorporated.

Creamy Corn and Tomato Pasta

Ingredients:

• 1 lb shell pastas
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 cups corn (if using frozen corn, cover in boiling water and drain when thawed)
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 oz cream cheese
• salt and pepper, to taste
• cilantro, for garnish

Preparations:

1. Cook pasta until al dente. Drain and set aside. Return pan to stove.
2. Heat olive oil in the pan over medium heat.
3. Add sweet corn and cherry tomatoes to pan and sauté until corn is cooked through, about 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and saute for another 2 minutes.
4. Add cream cheese to pan and stir until cream cheese is melted, about 2 minutes.
5. Return pasta to pan and toss to coat with sauce.
6. Add salt and pepper to taste.
7. Serve immediately and top with cilantro for garnish

Macaroni and Cheese Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients:

• 16 oz macaroni noodles
• 6 bell peppers
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 2 cups shredded cheese
• 2 cups milk
• 2 cloves garlic, finely diced
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp salt
• A pinch of cayenne pepper
• 6 tsp bread crumbs

Preparations:

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF.
2. Cook the macaroni according to package directions. 
3. While it cooks, prep the peppers by cutting off the stem end of the pepper and de-seeding Arrange peppers opening up in a baking dish.
4. Make the cheese sauce by measuring the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, milk, garlic, mustard, salt, and cayenne into a microwave-safe bowl. Cook in the microwave 1.5 minute at at time until sauce is fairly smooth with no big cream cheese chunks. 
5. Drain the macaroni noodles well and then combine them with the sauce. Let sauce sit on noodles for 5-10 minutes. Stir well and then fill peppers with macaroni and cheese.
6. Top each pepper with a teaspoon of the bread crumbs. Bake until breadcrumbs are browned and peppers are desired tenderness, roughly 25-30 minutes