Chocolate swirl cheesecake

CRUST:
18 squares graham cracker
1/8 cup white sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon salt
FILLING:
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
2.5 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup white sugar
5 eggs
4 tablespoons orange juice
grated orange zest from 1 orange

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
Crush graham crackers into crumbs by smashing or with a food processor.
In a medium bowl, mix together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, salt and butter until well blended. Press into the bottom and 1 1/2 inches up the side of an 8 inch springform pan.
Bake for 10 minutes.
In a metal bowl over a pan of simmering water, melt chocolate, stirring occasionally until smooth. Set aside to cool, but do not allow to harden.
In a medium bowl, mix together the room temperature cream cheese and 1 cup sugar until smooth.
Mix in the eggs, one at a time on a low speed, or by hand.
Gradually stir in the orange juice, and orange zest.
Reserve 1 cup of the batter. Pour the remaining batter over the baked crust. Stir the melted chocolate into the reserved batter. Drop the chocolate batter by large spoonfuls onto the white batter. Use a knife to cut through the batter, and leave a swirling design.
Bake for 60 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the center is almost set.
Run a spatula or thin knife around the edge of the pan while it is still warm, so the cake will not crack. Allow cake to cool completely before removing the sides of the pan.
Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.
Cut with a knife soaked in warm water in between each cut.

萝卜糕

白萝卜4-5LB（最好是中国萝卜），
胡萝卜1根
粘米粉1LB，
金钩虾米半碗（冲洗去沙后用温水略泡，沥干水后切成小粒，水保留）、
腊肠4条（全部切成小粒，下多少根腊肠完全取决于您喜欢下多少肉）、
冬菇 （泡开）
葱白若干切成葱花、
糖、
盐、
胡椒粉若干、
油1－2汤匙

先把萝卜洗净，削去皮然后刨成萝卜丝, I used a blender
烧热炒锅，下油，5成热时下虾米粒和腊肠粒，炒香，然后下葱白炒几下，加盐，盛出备用
烧热炒锅，不下油，把萝卜丝下锅中火干炒，盖上锅盖焖
炒到萝卜变透明，加盐，糖，胡椒粉
把粘米粉放在另一个干净干燥的大锅内，加入萝卜出的水
加入泡冬菇或虾米的水直到粘米粉成团
把炒好的萝卜倒进粘米粉，搅拌均匀
把拌好的萝卜糕料倒入烤箱用的方形锡纸盘中，也可倒入预先用油抹过的瓷盘或不锈钢盘中，用小刀抹平
隔水蒸约半到一小时，或用锡纸盖上用烤箱250F烤一小时，直到萝卜糕成型
如果喜欢吃香脆味的，还可以把蒸好的萝卜糕切片，然后用油把两面煎至金黄

Cream cheese apple muffins

1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

1 tablespoon lemon juice + lemon zest from 1/2 lemon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup peeled, diced tart apples (2-4 small Granny Smiths)

1/2 cup bran flakes cereal or oatmeal (crunchy/ chewy stuff that doesn't soften too easily)

Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about five minutes. 

Add the cream cheese and blend in well.
Add each egg, one at a time, mixing well until the egg is completely blended in. 

Add the milk, vanilla and lemon juice + zest. Mix well.

Mix the dry ingredients together (flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt & cinnamon).
Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix until just combined. You can do this part by hand if it will help you keep from overmixing the batter.
Fold in apples and bran flakes.

Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. 

Bake at 375 degrees F for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.

Chocolate frosting

2 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
6 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt

In a medium bowl, sift together the confectioners' sugar and cocoa, and set aside.
In a large bowl, cream butter until smooth, then gradually beat in sugar mixture alternately with evaporated milk. Blend in vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy. If necessary, adjust consistency with more milk or sugar/ cocoa.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Creamy-Chocolate-Frosting/Detail.aspx?prop31=4

Mushroom risotto

4 cups chicken broth, divided
0.5 pound portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced
0.5 pound white mushrooms, thinly sliced
4 shallots, diced
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons finely chopped chives
4 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Warm broth in a pot
Saute mushrooms until soft, about 3 min
Keep mushrooms and juices in a bowl
Fry shallots
Add in the rice, stir to coat with oil, fry till slightly golden
Add wine, stir till all absorbed
Add broth, 1/2 cup at a time, till rice is al dente, about 15-20min, keep stirring
Risotto should be wet but not like porridge, rice should resist slightly to the tooth but not be hard in the center
Remove from heat, and stir in mushrooms with their liquid, butter, chives, and parmesan.
Season with salt and pepper to taste, I didn't need any salt because chicken broth is salted

Pumpkin kale pork stew

2 lb sweet pumpkin, peeled and cubed
0.5 lb pork shoulder/ boneless pork loin, 1 inch cubes
1 bunch kale (4 cups), chopped

Brown the pork in a pan
Add 1/2 cup cooking wine
Add 1 bowl water, boil and turn to medium heat, put the lid on and simmer for at least 20min
Add in pumpkin and simmer for at least 30min
Add more water if necessary
Add in kale and simmer for at least 15min
Season with salt and pepper

Maple fudge cookies

250 ml (1 cup) all-purpose flour
1 ml (1/4 teaspoon) baking soda
1 pinch salt
125 ml (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
90 ml (3/8 cup) brown sugar
1 egg
1/8 cup chocolate chips
16 cubes (1.5-cm/1/2-inch) Maple Cream Fudge

With the rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In another bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar. Add the egg and beat until the mixture is smooth.
Using a wooden spoon, stir in the dry ingredients and chocolate chips.
For each cookie, with floured hands, shape 30 ml (2 tablespoons) of dough into a ball.
Push a cube of maple fudge into the centre and cover completely with dough.
Place 8 cookies on each sheet.
Bake 1 sheet at a time until the cookies begin turning gold at the edges, about 7 minutes.
The cookies will remain very soft in the centre.
On removing the cookies from the oven, use tongs to carefully slide the parchment paper from the baking sheet onto a cool surface.
Let the cookies cool to room temperature.
Repeat with the remaining dough.