In My World

1 250 g package soft cream cheese 3 eggs 1 cup sugar 1 tsp vanilla 1 9" unbaked pie shell 14 oz sweet potatoes cooked and mashed 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp ginger 1/4 to 1/2 cup milk whipped cream (optional) Beat cream cheese until light and fluggy; blend in 1 of the eggs, vanilla and half of the sugar.  Spread cheese mixture on the bottom of the unbaked pie shell. Beat remaining 2 eggs; blend in sweet potatoes, remaining 1/2 cup of sugar, cinnamon, ginger and milk.  Pour mixture carefully over cream cheese to form a second layer. Bake in preheated 425F oven for 10 minutes.  Reduce temperature to 350F.  Bake 30-35 minutes longer or until set. Cool.  Garnish with whipped cream.

4 cups peeled, diced sweet potatoes 1 Vidalia onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped 3 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp chopped thyme leaves 1/2 cup pecan halves 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar salt and pepper to taste Preheat oven to 425F. In large bowl, combine potatoes, onion, garlic, oil and thyme.  Toss well to coat.  Pour into shallow roasting pan.  Bake, turning occasionally, for 30 minutes or until vegetables are soft and golden brown. Add pecans.  Roast 10 minutes, watching carefully so nuts don't burn. Drizzle with vinegar.  Season with salt and pepper. Makes 4-6 side servings.

6 servings Preparation 15 minutes Cooking time 40 minutes Standing time 2 hours 190 calories per serving 3 large eggs 1/3 cup sugar 2 cups milk, partly skimmed, 2% 2 tsp vanilla extract salt, about one pinch 6 servings Microwaved Caramel (recipe below) Preheat the oven to 350F. Prepare the caramel. Divide it among the ramekins, then tilt and rotate each ramekin to thinly coat it. The caramel may not initially cover bottoms and sides completely, but it will spread and even out after the hot cream mixture is poured in. In a large bowl, beat the eggs lightly with a fork. Add sugar and 1 pinch of salt, then mix well. Warm up the milk in a saucepan until hot but not boiling and pour it slowly into the egg mixture. Stir constantly but lightly, in order not to create too many air bubbles. Add the vanilla, then portion out into the caramel-covered ramekins. Put a towel or piece of cloth into a large baking-pan (either a rectangular cake-mould or a roasting pan). Place the ramekins on the cloth...

I picked up some okra at the Horton Market on the weekend. I've never tried okra before so I was curious. I found a stir-fried okra recipe on about.com and decided to give it a try. Here is the original recipe: 2 cups fresh okra, washed, trimmed, thinly sliced 1 large tomato, peeled and sliced into 8 thin wedges 1/4 cup green onions, sliced, white and green 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice 1/4 teaspoon leaf thyme, crushed 1 teaspoon salt dash pepper 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 2 tablespoons butter Prepare all vegetables as indicated and have ready for cooking. In a small bowl, combine lemon juice, thyme, salt, and pepper. Heat oil and butter in a wok or large skillet. Add vegetables and seasoning mixture all at once. Toss and cook for 5 to 8 minutes. Serves 4 Now here is what I did: I prepared the okra as directed. I didn't peel the tomato. I used diced red onion. I have all kinds of herbs and spices but couldn't find thyme anywhere. I have a funny feeling if I ...

2 pkg. (250 g each) Philadelphia Brick Cream Cheese, softened 3/4 cup sugar 1/2 cup Kraft Smooth Peanut Butter 2 eggs 1 9 inch prepared graham pie crust 4 Baker's Semi-Sweet Chocolate squares, chopped 1 tsp oil 1/3 cup unsalted peanuts Preheat oven to 350F. Beat cream cheese, sugar and peanut butter.  Add eggs one at a time mixing well after each addition. Pour batter into prepared crust. Bake for 30 minutes or until centre of cake is firm, let cool thoroughly. Melt chocolate and oil over hot water or in microwave on medium power for 1-2 minutes.  Stir until completely smooth.  Pour chocolate over cheesecake; spread evenly.  Sprinkle with chopped peanuts. I found this recipe on the Philadelphia Cream Cheese website.  The filling is FABULOUS!!!  I think I would have put less chocolate on or used a different kind of chocolate because the chocolate topping was hard and difficult to break through.

Tomato and Endive Salad with Tuna http://www.soscuisine.com/recipe/tomato-endive-salad-tuna 2 servings Preparation 10 min Cooking 5 min 370 calories per serving Ingredients 1 3/4 cup curly endive, torn 70 g 1 tomatoes, cut into wedges or slices 120 g 2 tbsp olive oil 30 mL 1 clove garlic, minced 1/2 tbsp wine vinegar 8 mL 1 tsp Dijon mustard 5 mL 1 pinch salt [optional] 0.1 g ground pepper to taste 170 g tuna, canned 6 black olives 2 1/2 tbsp 60 g feta cheese, diced Method Tear the lettuce leaves into bite-size pieces and put them in a salad bowl. Cut the tomatoes into wedges or slices, then add them to the bowl. Heat the oil in a small saucepan over low heat. Mince the garlic and add it to the pan. Cook 1 min, with stirring, then pour in the vinegar and mustard. Warm through and season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the salad, then add the tuna, olives, and Feta cheese. Toss well and serve. I made a couple of changes to the recipe. I used roma...