Leprechaun Ice Cream #SundaySupper

Disclaimer: no actual leprechauns were harmed in the making of this treat.

However, leprechauns may or may not have helped brainstorm this mint and chocolate ice cream that's reminiscent of the old-timey Grasshopper cocktail.

Or, I might have come up with the name because the other obvious St. Patrick's day name - shamrock - is already in use by some commercial entity.

But I have to say this is a heck of a lot better than a milkshake and more easily portionable. You make a milkshake in a giant glass. This you can have one scoop. Or three. Don't blame me if you have three.

Leprechaun Ice Cream

2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup milk
1/2 cup green creme de menthe
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup creme fraiche
10 Oreo mint-filled cookies, smashed, crumbled, or chopped

Combine all ingredients except the cookies in a bowl (or better yet, a large measuring cup, for easy pouring), and stir until the sugar is dissolved completely.

If you've got an ice cream machine with a freezer bowl, refrigerate until this is as cold as it can be before churning. If you've got an ice cream machine with a compressor, you can freeze immediately.

Churn according to the manufacturer's directions. Add the cookie bits towards the end of the churning time, or mix them in as you transfer the mixture to a container. Mix well. Freeze until firm.

Enjoy!

Note: This also makes a great shake - just blend it with some milk and serve with a big, fat straw.

Green Light Appetizers and Sides

• Espinacas con Crema (Creamed Spinach) from La Cocina de Leslie
• Steakhouse Style Creamed Spinach from It's Yummi!
• Oven-Fried Green Beans from A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
• Irish Champ from girlichef
• Fresh Herb Tabouleh from Jane's Adventures in Dinner
• Moroccan Greens from Cooking On The Ranch
• Broccoli and Cheese Soup from Peanut Butter and Peppers
• Polenta Crust Creamed Spinach Tart from Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Cheesy Broccoli Baked Potatoes from MealDiva
• Spinach and Artichoke Squares from Kudos Kitchen By Renee
• Green Rice from Basic N Delicious
• Broccoli and Blue Cheese Tarts from Mess Makes Food
• Avocado Fries from Small Wallet, Big Appetite
• Spinach Cashew Pakoras with Tangy Date Sauce from Sue's Nutrition Buzz
• Garlicky Italian Green Beans and Potatoes from Webicurean

Getting Greens Through Salads

• Pixie Dust Salad with Avocados, Pixie Tangerines and Radishes from Shockingly Delicious
• Roasted Broccoli Spinach Salad from The Not So Cheesy Kitchen
• Apple, Spinach and Zucchini Salad from Hip Foodie Mom
• Brussels Sprouts Slaw from Hot Momma's Kitchen Chaos
• Asparagus-Fennel-Pea Shoot Salad from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Cilantro Lime Ranch Dressing from The Foodie Army Wife
• Creamy Chicken Pesto Salad from Cindy's Recipes and Writings

Entreés That Will Leave You Green With Envy

• Eggs and Greens Pizza from Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen
• Creamy Green Pizza from The Foodie Patootie
• Shamrock Spinach Crepes from Curious Cuisiniere
• Healthy Green Pasta from Momma's Meals
• Swiss Chard & Sausage Pasta Bake from Delaware Girl Eats
• Smothered Cabbage with Pork from Food Lust People Love
• Spinach Fettuccine with Bacon Alfredo from Crazy Foodie Stunts
• Roasted Asparagus Eggs Benedict With Cajun Hollandaise from Having Fun Saving
• Indulgent Pesto Risotto from The Weekend Gourmet
• Twice Baked Turkey Pie with Cabbage from Confessions of a Culinary Diva
• Slow-Cooker Irish Stout Chicken Stew from FoodieTots
• Chicken and Asparagus Flatbread Pizza from Family Foodie

Desserts and Beverages That Will Make Others Turn Green

• Lemon Kiwi Meringue Pie from Desserts Required
• Mint Cookies and Stout Shake from Melanie Makes
• Verde Sangria from Country Girl in the Village
• Baileys Mint Ice Cream & Chocolate Stout Float from The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
• Shamrock Cookies from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Green Tea Latte from Manu's Menu
• Grasshopper Mousse from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Amazing Grass Brownies from Killer Bunnies, Inc
• Leprechaun Ice Cream from Cookistry
• White Chocolate Cupcakes with Pistachio Pudding Frosting from Cookin' Mimi
• Collard Greens, Mushroom, and Cheddar Bread Pudding from The Texan New Yorker
• Coconut Avocado Ice Cream from URBAN BAKES
• Lime Meltaways from Pies and Plots
• Chocolate Mint Cake from NinjaBaking.com

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more fabulous recipes and food photos.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy! You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.

Three lunch sandwiches made in a breakfast sandwich maker

After my last breakfast sandwich binge, I wanted to make some more ... lunchy sandwiches. So here they are!

English Muffin Pizza

This is a great use for leftover Italian sausage. Start with a generous smear of tomato caponata or some thick marinara or your favorite pizza sauce on the bottom half of an English muffin, then add some slices of cooked Italian sausage. Top with a nice melty cheese like mozzarella, or even jack. Heat in the sandwich maker until the cheese is melted.

Yes, I left this one topless. So you can make another sandwich from the other half of the muffin. Sneaky, yes?

Tuna Melt

I'm guessing that Tuna Melts are a love-hate thing, right? People either love them or say, "ewwwww, warm tuna salad!" But if they're done right, the tuna salad stays mostly cool while the cheese gets a little melty.

Instead of an English muffin, this time I used a bagel. To be honest, the bagels I bought were a tiny bit too large for the breakfast sandwich maker, but that was an easy fix. I just cut a wedge from the bagel, and pushed the cut ends together making a smaller circle and it fit perfectly. Sometimes you just have to improvise.

I started with a few slices of tomato on the bottom (which also helped keep the tuna salad from falling through the hole in the bagel!) then a generous portion of tuna salad, then some cheese. It was too tall to fit into the sandwich maker with the egg-cooking plate in place, so I just moved that aside and let it cook for about 3 minutes until the cheese was melty. Then I put the top part of the bagel on.

If I wanted that top part of the bagel toasted, I could have let that sit in the sandwich maker for a minute after I took the main part of the sandwich out, but I was fine with it untoasted.

Ta daaaa!

Veggie Delight

This little sandwich combines some of my all-time favorite foods. And the colors are really pretty together. The olives add a nice briny flavor to cut the richness of the avocado and cheese and the red pepper adds a bit of lightness.

For something meat-free, this is pretty filling and VERY satisfying.

On the bottom half of the English muffin, I spread some avocado. Okay, maybe it was a LOT of avocado. Then I added some pitted kalamata olives, sliced in half lengthwise. That went into the bottom half of the sandwich maker. I but a big slice of roasted red pepper on the egg-cooker part, then topped that with some mild cheddar cheese. I let that cook until the cheese was almost melted, then topped with the top half of the English muffin to let it get a little toasty. Another minute and I called it LUNCH.

Dairy-free, soy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, Tastes Like Chocolate Ice Cream #SundaySupper

People say that baking is science and cooking is art, because for baked goods to turn out correctly, you need the right ratios of ingredients. Too much or to little of something can lead to baking disaster.

Ice cream is sort of the same way. You need the right mix to get the right consistency. There's a a continuum of frozen confection consistencies starting with ice cubes and continuing through shaved ice, granitas, Popsicles, sorbets, sherbets, frozen yogurt, and ending somewhere around the gelato/super-premium ice cream realm.

I've had people ask my why my ice cream is so smooth where other home made ice creams they've eaten that were made by other friends are more icy and seem "thin."

Well, that's because you need enough fat and sugar. If you eliminate or cut down on those, the texture is different. Think of the difference between biting into a block of ice and biting into a Popsicle. And the difference between sorbet and ice cream. It's all about the fat (usually butterfat from dairy products) and the sugar. Salt and alcohol can play minor roles, as well.

So when I challenged myself to make a dairy-free "ice cream," I knew it would be a challenge. Without butterfat, I knew I needed to add fat of some sort, or add something to thicken the mixture to get the same effect.

But then I heaped even more challenge on by eliminating soy and eggs, both of which could have been useful in getting that needed texture.

My first attempt was very tasty, but closer to a sorbet or sherbet, with a somewhat crumbly texture.

I knew I needed to find some way to thicken the base mixture, and I tried all sorts of crazy things in attempts two through too-many. Some weren't too bad. Some were disasters. Somewhere in the middle of the madness, I decided to add a banana to the mix, which did help to thicken it. But the resulting product tasted like banana. I wanted chocolate. Not choco-nana.

I was getting closer to what I wanted with each try, but I was pretty far from my ultimate goal. And I was starting to feel more like a mad scientist than a cook. That's fine if I'm playing with my molecular gastronomy toys. But I just wanted a frozen ice-cream-like dessert.

So, I went to the store and wandered around a bit. I found an almond-based yogurt that looked promising, but there was only one tiny container of the plain yogurt and it was ridiculously expensive. And I had no idea what it would taste like.

I wandered some more. Tapioca? Gelatin? Well, maybe. Then I spotted the puddings. My "cheater" ice cream recipe uses French vanilla instant pudding to create a custard-like ice cream base. But what's in instant pudding?

I read the label. No milk listed. No soy or eggs listed. Hmmmm. No wheat or gluten. So I grabbed a pack and headed home and made a phone call to the company. The only un-named ingredients on the label were the flavorings, but they assured me that if the flavors included allergens of any kind, they'd be listed specifically.

They confirmed that soy, milk, eggs, and gluten were not included ingredients, but that the pudding was not made in its own facility. So if your allergies or sensitivities are so severe that you need to worry about cross-contamination in a manufacturing facility, you might want to look for other instant pudding products that are made in their own "whatever-free" facilities.

The texture of the final "ice cream" was a lot closer to regular ice cream, despite the fact that I didn't work any extra fat into the mixture. The thickening effect of the pudding mix gave it the same thick feeling that dairy fat provides and it was super-chocolatey. Super-super chocolatey. Dark and rich and fudgy.

Pretty awesome, really. *pats self on back*

I'm calling this one a big success.

As best I can tell, all the ingredients I used are free of dairy, soy, eggs, and gluten, but if you have allergies or sensitivities, check for yourself. The Silk product clearly states that it's free of all these allergens. I called the Jell-O allergy line and confirmed that the instant pudding I used was free of dairy, soy, eggs, and gluten, but they noted that it is not manufactured in its own facility, so there is a chance of cross contamination, so keep that in mind. The Pinnacle vodka listed "artificial flavors" and did not list milk. You can eliminate this entirely, use vanilla extract instead, or choose another alcohol that you like. If you wanted to highlight the almond flavor, 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract would be good.

Tastes Like Chocolate Sorbet

1 1/2 cups Silk Pure Almond Dark Chocolate Almond Milk
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons Pinnacle Whipped Vodka*
1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine all ingredients and stir until the sugar has dissolved.

Churn in your ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions. (If the mixture needs to be fully chilled before churning, heed that direction, or this could end up a little too icy.)

Transfer to a storage container and freeze until firm.

*Or you can use a plain vodka or other flavor that you think would be compatible with the chocolate.

Tastes Like Chocolate Ice Cream

3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 package Jell-O chocolate fudge instant pudding mix
2 1/2 cups Silk Pure Almond Dark Chocolate Almond Milk
1 tablespoon Pinnacle Whipped Vodka

Combine the sugar, salt, and pudding mix in a bowl. Stir to combine. Add the almond milk and stir or whisk until the sugar is melted and the mix is smooth, with no lumps. It will thicken a bit. Add the vodka and stir in.

Churn in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's directions. If your ice cream maker requires that the mixture is fully-chilled before churning, refrigerate, as required. An hour should be sufficient, since the almond milk was already cold.

If the mixture has thickened more during refrigeration, whisk it before churning.

After churning, transfer to a storage container and freeze until firm.

Want more "-free" recipes?

Check out what the other Sunday Supper participants made this week!

Breakfast
Dairy, Egg, Gluten, Nut & Soy Free Brown Rice Breakfast Pudding by girlichef
Dairy & Nut and Sugar Free Blueberry Tangerine Muffins by Vintage Kitchen
Dairy, Egg, Gluten, Nut, and Soy Free Homemade Mango Jam Recipe by Masala Herb

Main Courses
Gluten Free Nothing Missing Manicotti by Jane's Adventures in Dinner
Gluten Free Sun-Dried Tomato & Feta Meatballs over Courgette Noodles by Small Wallet, Big Appetite
Gluten Free Pizza by Cravings of a Lunatic
Dairy, Egg & Nut Free Balsamic Portobello Burgers by Curious Cuisinere
Dairy, Egg, Gluten & Nut Free Mushroom Risotto Bake by Cindy's Recipes and Writings
Dairy, Egg & Gluten Free Vegan Mac and "Cheese" by Webicurean
Dairy, Egg & Nut Free Creamy Mushrooms on Pasta by The Not So Cheesy Kitchen
Gluten Free Enoki Mushroom & Pine Nut Quinoa by Family Foodie

Sides
Gluten Free Persian Cucumber Yogurt by Shockingly Delicious
Gluten Free Quinoa with Olives, Basil and Sun-dried Tomatoes by That Skinny Chick Can Bake!!!
Dairy Free Farro and Fruit Salad by Magnolia Days
Dairy, Egg, Gluten & Dairy Free Fattoush Salad by From the Bookshelf
Gluten Free Chickpea Fritters by The Lovely Pantry
Dairy, Egg, and Gluten Free Black Bean and Mango Salad by Soni's Food
Dairy, Egg, Gluten, and Nut Free Grilled Fennel Salad by Food Lust People Love

Breads
Dairy & Gluten Free French Bread by Blueberries and Blessings
Dairy & Gluten Free Crunchy Almond Sesame Crackers by Sue's Nutrition Buzz

Treats
Dairy & Gluten Free Individual Chocolate Pavlovas by The Girl in The Little Red Kitchen
Gluten Free Flourless Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies by Juanita's Cocina
Dairy, Egg & Gluten Free Apple Almond Butter Cookies by What Smells So Good?
Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies with Almond Flour by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
Nut Free Lemon Cardamom Wedding Cookies by Gourmet Drizzles
Dairy Free Chocolate Gelato by Growing Up Gabel
Dairy, Egg, Gluten & Sugar Free Cantaloupe, Strawberry, & Coconut Gazpacho by Peanut Butter and Peppers
Gluten Free Meringue Kisses with Dulce de Lece by Basic N Delicious
Dairy & Egg Free Vegan Everyday Chocolate Loaf by Gotta Get Baked
Gluten, Dairy, and Nut Free Coconut Macaroons by Happy Baking Days
Dairy, Egg, Gluten & Soy Free Tastes like Chocolate Ice Cream by Cookistry
Gluten Free Mousse & Cookies by Ninja Baking
Gluten Free Brown Butter Snickerdooles by Pies and Plots
Dairy, Egg & Soy Free Chai Spice Coconut Ice Cream by Daily Dish Recipes
Gluten Free Lemonade Dip by The Messy Baker
Nut & Fat Free Chocolate Angel Food Cake by Table for Seven

Drinks
Gluten & Dairy Free Honey Bear Smoothies by Neighborfood
Sugar Free Strawberry Meyer Lemonade by The Weekend Gourmet

Ceviche for a Citrus-y #SundaySupper

We really like ceviche at our house. It's a great little appetizer with crackers, and it's a nice salad on some lettuce. Use it to fill an avocado half for a light lunch.

Most of the time, though, we just serve it with crackers.

If you think ceviche includes raw fish, you're wrong. And sort of right. It's uncooked, but it's not actually raw. It's cooked chemically. Or, in other words, pickled. Usually in lime juice, which adds its distinct flavor to the dish.

I've had ceviche made with a lot of different types of seafood. You can use fish, scallops, or shrimp. Or a combination. All of them are fine, but the texture will be a little bit different, depending on how firm the seafood happens to be.

Ceviche is a pretty quick dish. It involves some chopping, but but then is just needs some time to marinate. The smaller and thinner the pieces are, the faster they will be done. And, depending on how you feel about the doneness of fish, your ceviche can be ready to eat in maybe ten minutes. Or maybe 30. And then it's still great the next day. It keeps longer, but the seafood can start getting a little rubbery if it sits too long.

Since ceviche recipes are often a Mexican version, they usually include cilantro. But there are some folks who hate the stuff. And it's not something I always have on hand. Even when I don't have cilantro around, I think ceviche needs some sort of fresh herb, and in this case I thought chives would be a good choice. They play well with the onion, add a nice dark green color, and don't add a jarring flavor to the mix. Parsley or scallions would also work well.

I normally use fresh jalapeno, but I've been avoiding going to the grocery store, so I used a jarred hot pepper. If you don't like heat, you could leave it out, or even pass some salsa at the table.

It's not tomato season yet, so red bell peppers added the bright red for me. Fire roasted red peppers would also be good, if you have them on hand.

As far as the fish, use whatever you like that is fairly firm and fresh.

Ceviche for Cilantro Haters

1 5-6 ounce cod filet
1/2 medium onion
1/2 red bell pepper
2 tablespoons lime juice
Pinch of salt
Several grinds white pepper
2 tablespoons fire roasted hot pepper

Cut the cod into a 1/4-inch (ish) cubes and add them to a small bowl or lidded storage container. Dice the onion and bell pepper to about the same size. Add the lime juice, salt, and pepper. Dice the hot pepper, if needed, and add it to the bowl. Stir, cover, and refrigerate.

When you're cutting, keep in mind that that this is something you might want to eat on a cracker, so keep the pieces small so you have a little bit of everything in each bite.

The fish is done when it changes from translucent to a more opaque white and is a little more firm to the touch rather than soft and squishy like raw fish. Depending on the fish and how big your 1/4-ish-inch pieces were, figure about 30 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add more lime juice, salt, pepper, or hot pepper, as desired.

Serve chilled.

Want more citrus-y #SundaySupper recipes? Here you go:

Better with Citrus Breakfasts:
Orange Ricotta Pancakes from Gotta Get Baked

Big On Citrus Breads & Condiments:

Honey Lime Dressing from Ruffles & Truffles

Lemon Poppyseed Sweet Bread from Food Lust People Love

Meyer Lemon Pistachio Loaf from The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen

Moroccan Preserved Lemons from MarocMama

Make You Pucker Salads, Sides, & Main Dishes:
Ceviche from Cookistry
Cilantro Lime Rice from Crazy Foodie Stunts
Citrus Ginger Chicken from Kudos Kitchen
Easy Indian Lemon Chicken from Soni’s Food
Grilled Orange & Lime Chicken Thighs from Big Bear’s Wife
Meyer Lemon-Garlic Shrimp & Asparagus with Brown Rice from Daily Dish Recipes
Orange Chicken from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
Red Cabbage and Red Pepper Salad with Citrus Dressing from Family Foodie
Seared Cod with Grapefruit Fennel Slaw from Magnolia Days
Tangy Lemon Rice with Grated Mango & Roasted Cashew from Sue’s Nutrition Buzz

Sour Citrusy Sweets & Desserts:
Blood Orange Sorbet from My Cute Bride
Broiled Oranges with Toasted Coconut from Neighborfood
Clementine Curd from Small Wallet Big Appetite
Creamsicle Cupcakes from The Meltaways
Dairyfree Key Lime Meringue Bliss from The Not So Cheesy Kitchen
Fresh Lemon Mousse from Comfy Cuisine
Frozen Lemon Dessert from Gourmet Drizzles
Gluten Free Orange Pound Cake from Simply Gourmet
Honey and Lemon Cake from Happy Baking Days
Key Lime Biscotti from Juanita’s Cocina
Key Lime Cheesecake from Flour on My Face
Key Lime Cookie Bars from Supper for a Steal
Key Lime Truffles from What Smells So Good?
Lemon Blueberry Polenta Cake from Vintage Kitchen Notes
Lemon Coconut Cinnamon Rolls from Chocolate Moosey
Lemon Cookies from Basic N Delicious
Lemon Cream Pie Push Pops from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
Lemon Layer Cake from Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends
Lemon Ricotta Cake from The Urban Mrs.
Meyer Lemon Snack Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting from Peanut Butter and Peppers
Mini Meyer Lemon Pies from Cravings of a Lunatic
Mini Orange Cream & Lemon Cream Scones from The Foodie Army Wife
No-Bake Lemon Cheese Cakes w/Blueberry-Lemon Sauce from Momma’s Meals
Olive Oil Cake with Orange Marmalade from Hip Foodie Mom
Omiyage California Citrus Cake from Ninja Baking
Orange Cake with Orange Syrup from The Lovely Pantry
Pink Grapefruit Pie from In the Kitchen With Audrey and Maurene
Pink Lemonade Pound Cake from In the Kitchen with KP
Sugar-Free Lemon Meringue Pie from Webicurean
Tarte au Citron from That Skinny Chick Can Bake

Sour Sips & Drinks:
{DIY} Arancello and Limoncello from girlichef
Orange Creamsicle Smoothies from Mama.Mommy.Mom

Have a great Easter!

Oh! Look! It's the Easter Bunny!!! Or ... maybe not.

Sake-Steamed Mussels for #SundaySupper

Steamed mussels seem so fancy, but they're actually one of the simplest things you can make. They even come with their own doneness meter - when they're done cooking they open up. And that doesn't take long at all. Dinner is on the table in no time at all.

The key to making mussels is to cook them in a tasty broth. And then that broth becomes part of the dish as you dunk some crusty bread into the broth. Sooooo good.

This recipe, from Steamy Kitchen’s Healthy Asian Favorites by Jaden Hair, definitely makes a tasty broth. This was a huge hit at our house.

This recipe made some particularly tasty mussels.

You can find Steamy Kitchen on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Sake-Steamed Mussels
From Steamy Kitchen’s Healthy Asian Favorites by Jaden Hair
Serves 4 as an appetizer

2 pounds fresh mussels
1 1/2 cups sake or dry white wine
2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 shallot, sliced into very thin rings
1 handful fresh basil leaves

Scrub the mussels under cool water, discarding any with broken or cracked shells.

Heat a large sauté pan, deep soup pot, or wok over high heat with the sake, ginger, garlic, and shallots. When the mixture comes to a boil, add the mussels and cover. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the mussels open.

Toss in the basil and serve immediately.

Reprinted with permission from Steamy Kitchen’s Healthy Asian Favorites by Jaden Hair, copyright © 2013. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House, Inc. I was provided with a copy of Steamy Kitchen's healthy asian favorites for my review. All opinions are my own.

Would you like to WIN a copy of this cookbook?
Here is how to enter to win. You must do both #1 and #2 to have an eligible entry:

1. Tell me what your favorite Asian dish is in a comment below – AND – put your twitter handle in the comment. Comment must be posted by 8 p.m. Eastern time today (Sunday, March 10, 2013).

2. Join in the conversation during the live #SundaySupper chat on twitter from 7-8 p.m. Eastern Time today (Sunday, March 10, 2013). Your tweet(s) must contain the #SundaySupper hashtag.

The winner will be chosen randomly from the eligible entries. The winner will be notified via email. Note: Giveaway open for United States residents only. Contest ends on Sunday, March 10, 2013 at 8 p.m. Eastern Time.

This recipe is part of Sunday Supper and 20 bloggers (including me) will be giving away copies of the book. Make sure you read the rules for entry! Check out what the other bloggers made from this book this week:

Tofu-Mushroom Miso Soup
Supper for a Steal
Galactosemia in PDX
Pescetarian Journal

Crispy Rice Patties
Juanita’s Cocina
Basic and Delicious

Thai Larb Lettuce Chicken Cups
Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
Cupcakes and Kale Chips
Ruffles & Truffles

Miso Cod
I Run For Wine
The Girl In the Little Red Kitchen
Family Foodie

Sake Steamed Mussels
Cookistry
That Skinny Chick Can Bake

Salmon Honey Teriyaki
girlichef
Big Bear’s Wife

Korean Beef Bites
Magnolia Days
Mama Mommy Mom

Mapo Tofu
An Appealing Plan
Hip Foodie Mom

Mango Brulee
Mom’s Test Kitchen
Flour on my Face

We are sharing more Steamy Kitchen inspired recipes. The following Sunday Supper Contributors are joining us with some of their favorite recipes from the Steamy Kitchen website:

• Kung Pao Chicken by Cravings of a Lunatic
• Prime Rib Roast with Miso au jus by The Urban Mrs.
• Kickin’ Tequila Shrimp by Gourmet Drizzles
• Korean Beef Rice Bowl by Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends
• Pan Fried Shrimp and Pork Fried Potstickers by Dinners, Dishes and Desserts
• Shrimp Curry by Ninja Baking

Join the Sunday Supper Team along with Jaden Hair this Sunday at 7 p.m. Eastern Time on twitter, just follow the #SundaySupper hashtag.

Say "Cheese (cake) for #SundaySupper

I love cheesecake, but I don't want a huge cheesecake sitting around. Many cheesecake recipes make behemoth cheesecakes that serve a small army. There are only two of us here. I don't want to eat cheesecake every day for a week.

So that meant that I only made cheesecake for parties, potlucks, or when I knew I could give most of it away.

As a result, most of the cheesecakes I ate were from restaurants.

Recently, though, I've been playing around with little cheesecakes, made in 4-inch pans. They're adorably cute, and you can have a realllllly small slice. Two or three bites.

The last time I published a mini cheesecake was near Thanksgiving, when I made a pumpkin cheesecake
This time, I went for peanut butter and chocolate.

These cheesecakes are small in diameter, and they're also fairly thin. In theory, you could put all of the filling into one cheesecake tin - it should fit just about perfectly.

But let me warn you - this cheesecake isn't the fluffy type. If peanut butter fudge and cheesecake had a transporter accident, this might be what you'd end up with. So a thinner cake with a thin layer of crust is a nice bite. A thicker cheesecake layer might be a little too dense. But that's up to you.

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Mini Cheesecakes
Recipe © by www.cookistry.com. Do not republish without permission.

For the crust:
3 graham crackers
Pinch of salt
2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 tablespoon butter

For the filling:
8 ounces softened cream cheese
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Wrap the outside of two 4-inch springform pans with aluminum foil.

Crush the graham crackers. Mix the crackers crumbs with the salt and sugar. Melt the butter and mix it with the crumbs until they're evenly moistened.

Divide the crumbs into the bottom of two 4-inch springform pans. Set aside.

Cream the cream cheese and sugar together in a medium bowl. Add the peanut butter and beat until combined. Add the egg yolk and vanilla extra and beat until thoroughly combined. Add the mini chocolate chips and stir until well combined. Divide the mixture between the two springform pans.

Place the springform pans into a 9-inch square cake pan or other ovenproof container. Add about an inch of hot water to the pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until the cheesecakes are mostly firm. It's fine if they have a little jiggle to them, but they shouldn't be sloppy wet looking, and definitely not overbaked and cracked.

Take the pan out of oven (carefully! You've got really hot water there!), remove the springform pans, and let them cool for about 15 minutes, Then remove the aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before removing the cheesecake from the pans and slicing.

If you want to guild the lily, a little drizzle of chocolate sauce would be nice.

This post is part of #SundaySupper - go check out all the other amazing cheese, cake, or cheesecake recipes this week!

Say Cheese!

Garlic and Goat by Supper for a Steal
Quick and Easy Homemade Cottage Cheese by The Meltaways
Homemade Velveeta Cheese by Juanitas Cocina
Cheesy Spinach and Artichoke Dip with Parmesan Crisps by BigBearsWife
Irish Cheese Soufflés by girlichef
Paneer Tikka Masala by Kimchi Mom
Creamy Meyer Lemon Pasta with Homemade Ricotta and Broccoli by The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
Ricotta Croquettes by Basic N Delicious
Cheeseburger Soup by Dinners Dishes and Desserts
Cherry Blossom Crescents by The Ninja Baker
Saag Paneer! Golden Roasted Ricotta In Savory Spinach Sauce by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
Sourdough Cheese Crackers by Curious Cuisiniere
Basil Balsamic Strawberries & Whipped Feta Grilled Cheese by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
Lox and Cream Cheese Mini Omelettes by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
Buffalo Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken by In The Kitchen With KP
Baked Mozzarella Sticks by Mama’s Blissful Bites
Paneer Indian Cottage Cheese Pancake by Masala Herb
Crepes with Strawberry Mascarpone Cream Filling by Soni’s Food
Roasted Pears with Pecorino by Happy Baking Days
Pan-Fried Halloumi Cheese Salad by The Catholic Foodie
Chevre Torte with Mango and Sweet Pepper Salsa by Noshing with the Nolands

Let the eat ... Cake!

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting by Hezzi D’s Books & Cooks
Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Cake by Gourmet Drizzles
Dairyfree Ice Cream Cake by Galactosemia in PDX
KitKat Chocolate Cake by The Urban Mrs.
Old Fashioned Caramel Cake by There and Back Again
Peanut Butter Banana Bundt Cake with Chocolate Chips by Gotta Get Baked
Flourless Chocolate Bean Cake by Vintage Kitchen
Dense Chocolate Cherry Cake by What Smells So Good?
Tequila Lime Cupcakes by Mama Mommy Mom
Almond Polenta Cake by Shockingly Delicious
Salmon Cakes by Family Foodie
Banana Split Bundt Cake with Chocolate Glaze by NeighborFood

Put it all together and you have ... Cheesecake!

Kit Kat Cheesecake Brownies by Chocolate Moosey
Reese’s Chocolate Peanut Butter Bundt Cake by Daily Dish Recipes
Nutella Cheesecake Brownies by The Foodie Army Wife
Individual Strawberry and White Chocolate Cheesecakes by Small Wallet Big Appetite
Grasshopper Cheesecake Bars by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
Chocolate Covered Cherry Cheesecake by Magnolia Days
Mini Toddler Cherry Cheesecakes by In the Kitchen with Audrey and Maurene
Mocha Cheesecake by The Lovely Pantry
Lime Cheesecake Bites by Peanut Butter and Peppers
No-Bake Banana Sundae Cheesecake by The Messy Baker
Mini Raspberry Cheesecakes with White Chocolate Crusts by Cupcakes and Pearls
Savory Shrimp Cheesecake with Herbs and Garlic by Food Lust People Love
Cheesecake au Baileys by Baker Street
Tiny Turtle Cheesecakes (No Bake) by Cravings of a Lunatic
Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Mini Cheesecakes by Cookistry
Chocolate Cheesecake Bites by Mom, What’s For Dinner?

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter each Sunday. We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. This week we will be sharing our love of Cheese, Cakes AND Cheesecakes! Our weekly chat starts at 7pm EST!

Follow the #SundaySupper hash tag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat.

Creamy Carrot Soup for #SundaySupper

In my house, soup is often inspired by what's in the refrigerator that I need to use up. Sometimes it starts with a stock, or sometimes it starts with the extra vegetables I bought.

This time, it was inspired by my juicer.

Do you juice? Do you hate throwing away the usable pulp? Me too.

In this case, I had a whole bunch of carrot pulp left after juicing a LOT of carrots. I knew I could do something useful with that pulp. Or, really, it was more like shredded carrots. Sort of dry shredded carrots, but still good stuff - enough flavor left, plus the good fiber that would add body to my soup.

If you don't have left over carrot pulp from a juicer, of course you can use shredded carrots. Or, heck, chop them if you like. Your soup will be more carrot-y, which isn't a bad thing.

The ginger here was a late addition when I made the soup. After it was nearly done and I tasted it, I knew it needed a "warm" spice. I considered nutmeg, mace, cinnamon and cumin. All of those would have worked, but in the end I chose ginger. But I didn't want this to be a carrot-ginger soup. The ginger isn't particularly discernible, but it does add that warmth I was looking for. Like I said, I added it at the end, as an adjustment, but it makes more sense, recipe-wise, to add it earlier.

The other thing this soup needed was a bit of acid, which is why I used the creme fraiche garnish. It's not just about pretty presentation. Sour cream would also work, if you don't have creme fraiche. But really, creme fraiche is easy to make at home. So go for it.

Creamy Carrot Soup

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 cups shredded carrot
8 cups water
3 red potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 cup diced celery
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 tablespoon salt (plus more to taste)
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon powdered ginger
1 12-ounce can evaporated milk
Creme fraiche* (for garnish)

Melt the butter in a stockpot or large, heavy-bottomed pot. Let it cook until the solids in the butter begin to brown, then quickly add the carrots and stir. Add the water, potatoes, celery, garlic, salt, thyme, and ginger.

Cook at a simmer, stirring as needed, until the vegetables are very tender. Blend the soup with your stick blender (you could also do this in batches in a regular blender, but that wouldn't be a lot of fun.) The soup should be very smooth. If the carrots can still be seen in bits, continue cooking and blend again. It took about an hour before my carrots were completely smooth.

Add the evaporated milk and blend once more. Taste for seasoning. Add salt, as needed.

Serve hot, with a garnish of creme fraiche on each bowl. You can have more creme fraiche at the table, if you like, so people can add more as needed.

*Check here for my creme fraiche recipe.

This recipe is part of the weekly #SundaySupper, and this week it's all about soup. Go check out these awesome blogger and their soup recipes!

Do The Chicken Dance (chicken - or other poultry - soups)

Chicken Tortellini & White Bean Soup at Flour On My Face
Chicken Gnocchi at Dinners, Dishes and Desserts
Chicken Cheese Soup by There and Back Again
Chicken Tortellini Soup by Country Girl In The Village
Chicken Soup with Leeks, Onions and Fennel by Shockingly Delicious
Family Style Tablescape featuring Chicken Tortilla Soup by An Appealing Plan
Yucatan Chicken Lime Soup (Sopa de Lima) by The Weekend Gourmet
Chicken Meatball, Spinach and Orzo Soup from Gourmet Drizzles
Ground Turkey and Vegetable Soup at The Messy Baker
Cheesy Chipotle Chicken Sausage Chowder by Cupcakes and Kale Chips
Chick-Fil-A Chicken Noodle Soup by Family Foodie
Chicken Vegetable Noodle Soup at Cupcakes and Pearls
Healthy Bean and Sausage Soup by Momma’s Meals
Smoked Sausage and Wild Rice Soup at Mama, Mommy, Mom

Where’s The Beef (Beef Soups)

Chili with Black Beans by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
Vegetable and Beef Soup by Supper For a Steal
Swabian Beef Spaetzle +1 Soup (Gaisburger Marsch) at Galactosemia in PDX
Bacon Cheeseburger Soup by Small Wallet, Big Appetite
Beef Pho Soup by No One Likes Crumbley Cookies
Frijol con Carne by MarocMama
Pho Bo (Vietnamese Beef and Noodle Soup) by Neighborfood

Pass The Pork. Please (Pork or Sausage Soups)

Louisiana Caldo by Catholic Foodie
Sweet potato and Spanish chorizo soup at My Cute Bride
Soft Tofu Soup (Soondubu Jjigae) by Hip Foodie Mom

Under The Sea (Seafood Soups)

Shrimp Miso Noodle Soup at Pescetarian Journal
Szechuan Fish Soup by The Urban Mrs.
New England Clam Chowder at Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
Hearty Okra Shrimp Gumbo Laced with Coconut Oil by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
Bacon and Shrimp Bisque at Big Bear’s Wife
Lobster Bisque by Peanut Butter and Peppers
Chinese Fish Maw Soup by My Trials in The Kitchen
Thai Curry Coconut Mussel Soup by Noshing With The Nolands

Eat Your Veggies (Chock Full o’ Vegetables Soups)

Not-So-Mini-Strone at The Foodie Army Wife
French Onion Soup by The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
Spicy Sweet Potato and Corn Soup at Magnolia Days
Creamy Cheddar Potato Soup at Daily Dish Recipes
Rather French Onion Soup by What Smells So Good?
Broccoli Cheddar Soup by Hezzi D’s Books and Cooks
Cream of Ancho Chile Soup from La Cocina de Leslie
Pasta e Fagoli Soup at Cravings of a Lunatic
Miso Soup by Crazy Foodie Stunts
Vegetable Consommé with Semolina Dumplings – Grießknödel at Masala Herb
Vegetable Medley Soup with Broccoli and Leeks at Chattering Kitchen
Smoky Kale and Tomato Soup with Garlic Croutons by The Wimpy Vegetarian
Coconut Corn Chowder at Mangoes and Chutney
Make Your Own (Gluten Free) Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup at The Meltaways
Ital Carrot & Sweet Potato Soup at The Lovely Pantry
Chunky Vegetable and Barley Soup at Curious Cuisiniere
Corn Soup with Crispy Tortilla Strips at Ninja Baking
Jalapeno Beer Cheese Soup by The Hand That Rocks The Ladle
Wild Mushroom Soup at Food Lust People Love
Creamy Carrot Soup at Cookistry
Vermicelli Soup by Damn Delicious
Country Split Pea Soup with Bacon and Potatoes at girlichef

Some Don’t Like It Hot (Chilled Soups)

Chilled Strawberry Soup at Juanita’s Cocina
Bread and Tomato Soup – Gazpacho Style at Vintage Kitchen Notes

Of course once you have seen all of the recipes for the day, you’ll not want to miss our #SundaySupper conversation on twitter each Sunday. We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. This week we will be sharing out special soup recipes!

Our weekly chat starts at 7 p.m. ET and you do not want to miss out on the fun. Follow the#SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat.

A #SundaySupper Inspired by Tuna Noodle Casserole

Let's get this out in the open. I LOVE tuna noodle casserole. And I mean the old school version with canned soup. So when I found out that this week's #SundaySupper theme was retro recipes, it was the first thing I thought of.

But even though I love the original, it doesn't mean I can't mess with the recipe. This has a lot of the same flavors, with a few twists and a complete fashion makeover.

For this recipe, I like the tuna packed in oil, which seems to be getting harder and harder to find. If all you can find is tuna packed in water, you can use that and add olive oil to compensate. Because this does need a bit of fat to carry the flavor.

Inspired by Tuna Noodle Casserole

1/2 pound thin spaghetti
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced
1 white or yellow onion, medium dice
2 5-ounce cans tuna in oil
1/2 cup frozen peas
12 pimento-stuffed green olives, sliced in half

Cook the pasta in boiling salted water while you're cooking the rest.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the mushrooms and onions and cook until the liquid releases and evaporates and the mushrooms begin to brown a bit and the onions softens.

Add the pasta to the mushroom/onion mixture, along with about a cup of the pasta cooking water and the tuna along with the oil (if you think there's too much oil in the tuna, drain some off - but reserve it, in case you want to add it back).

Cook and stir until the tuna is distributed throughout the pasta and the water has cooked off so it's no longer soupy. It should be moist, but not gloppy.

Add the peas and olives and stir until they're distributed through the pasta. Taste for seasoning and add salt, if you feel it's needed - with the fish and olives, I didn't think it needed any more, but it's your choice.

Serve hot.

The #SundaySupper crew has a lot more retro recipes for you. Check them out:

Appetizers:
Irish Cheddar-Whiskey Fondue by girlichef
She Devils: Beet Pickled Deviled Eggs by Ruffles & Truffles

Salads:
Coca-Cola Salad by Magnolia Days
Salmon Salad | Retro Tuna Salad by Family Foodie
Ambrosia Salad by Simply Gourmet
Romaine “Wedge” Salad with Hot Maple Bacon Dressing by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
Carrot & Raisin Salad by The Roxx Box
Sweet & Smoky Broccoli Salad by In The Kitchen with KP

Breads and Sandwiches:
Italian Style Bread by The Meltaways
Creamed Chipped Salmon Jerky on Toast by Pescetarian Journal
Grown-Up Tuna Melts by Home Cooking Memories
English Muffin Pizzas by Comfy Cuisine
Patty Melt, Hand Cut Fries, & a Shake by Mooshu Jenne
Grown-Up Grilled Cheese With Tomato Soup by Catholic Foodie
Toast Topper #16: Grandma’s Mock Apricot Jam by What Smells So Good?

Main Dishes:

Chicken Pot Pie Topped With Bacon Cheddar Biscuits by Chocolate Moosey
Tuna Noodle Casserole by Country Girl in the Village
Nana’s Marinated Beef Roast by Supper for a Steal
Chorizo Scotch Eggs by The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
Chicken Maryland by Vintage Kitchen Notes
Mushroom Stroganoff by Small Wallet Big Appetite
Dairyfree Toast Hawaii by Galactosemia in PDX
Porcupine Meatballs by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
Chicken Kiev by The Urban Mrs.
Salmon Quiche with Preserved Lemon by Shockingly Delicious
Steak Diane by Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends
Fried Chicken only in the Oven by In the Kitchen with Audrey
Hambak Steak a.k.a. Salisbury Steak by Kimchi Mom
Retro-Redo: Homemade TV Dinner by The Little Ferraro Kitchen
Kicked Up Meatloaf by Curious Cuisiniere
Shrimp Scampi (a lighter version) by Kudos Kitchen
Old-Fashioned Pork Chops by My Trials in the Kitchen
Jägerschnitzel by Sustainable Dad
Healthier Hamburger-Corn Noodle Casserole by The Weekend Gourmet
Inspired by Tuna Noodle Casserole by Cookistry
Chicken-N-Biscuits Pot Pie Casserole by The Messy Baker Blog
Souper Pork Chops with Mashed Potatoes by Mama.Mommy.Mom
Meatloaf that will make you swoon and Datz the truth by Midlife Roadtrip
Spaghetti with Currywurst Sauce by Masala Herb
Tator Tot Casserole by NeighborFood

Sides and Veggies:
Smokey Braised Red Cabbage by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
Classic Corn Casserole by The Foodie Army Wife
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon & Balsamic by Dinners, Dishes and Desserts
Classic Green Bean Casserole Redux by The Wimpy Vegetarian
Mem’s Broccoli Casserole by Momma’s Meals

Desserts and Cocktails:
Peachy Keen Tutti-Frutti Jello by La Cocina de Leslie
Old School Boozy Rum Cake by Webicurean
Individual Baked Alaskas by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
Rainbow Jello by Cravings of a Lunatic
Pineapple Upside Down Cake by Noshing with the Nolands
Pineapple Bars by Peanut Butter and Peppers
Creamy Dairy Free Fresh Orange Julius With Coconut Milk by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
Refrigerator Strawberry Cheesecake by There and Back Again
Frozen Pineapple Upside-Down Cake by Juanita’s Cocina
Boston Cream Pie by Gotta Get Baked
Coca-Cola Cupcakes by Daily Dish Recipes
Jello Poke Cake by Flour On My Face
Devil’s Food Cake by Maroc Mama
Bread Pudding with Pecans by Basic and Delicious
Victoria Sponge Cake by The Lovely Pantry
A Chocolate Twist on the Classic Japanese Strawberry Shortcake by Ninja Baking
Post War Apple Pudding by My Cute Bride
Layered Mini Chocolate Banana Cakes by Big Bears Wife
Raspberry Jam Cakes by Pippis in the Kitchen Again
Cocktail: Moscow Mule by Crazy by Crazy Foodie Stunts