1. Split 1 vanilla bean lengthwise with the tip of a sharp knife. Holding the pod open, scrape seeds from each half using the flat side of your knife; place in a bowl. Repeat with second vanilla bean, placing seeds in a separate bowl.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
3. Mix graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and 1/4 white sugar together in a bowl. Press over the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan.
4. Combine 2 packages cream cheese, sour cream, 1 cup white sugar, and cornstarch in a large bowl; mix until sugar is dissolved. Add seeds from 1 vanilla bean, softened butter, and vanilla extract; blend until smooth. Pour over graham cracker crust.
5. Bake in the preheated oven until top is a light tan color, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool for 1 to 2 hours.
6. Beat 2 cups heavy cream in a chilled bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Add 1/4 confectioners' sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until cream is stiff. Place in the refrigerator.
7. Melt white chocolate in top of a double boiler over simmering water, stirring frequently and scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching. Remove from heat and let cool, about 5 minutes.
8. Beat 1 package cream cheese with an electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in white chocolate until smooth. Fold in whipped cream. Spread over the cooled cheesecake. Chill for 1 to 2 hours.
9. Beat 1 cup heavy cream in a chilled bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Beat in seeds from the second vanilla bean and 1 1/2 tablespoon confectioners' sugar until stiff peaks form. Spread over cheesecake. Cover and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 day.

The post The Best Vanilla Bean Cheesecake Recipe appeared first on Food & Drink Recipes.

1. Beat butter and cream cheese together in a bowl using an electric mixer until creamy and smooth. Add confectioners' sugar, 1 cup at a time, to creamed butter with the mixer on low speed until smooth and creamy; beat in strawberry jam and vanilla extract.

The post Strawberry (Jam!) Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe appeared first on Food & Drink Recipes.

1. Grease an 8×8 inch square pan.
2. Place the chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk into a medium sized microwavable bowl. Microwave on high for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Stir in the vanilla, then fold in the walnuts and marshmallows. Spread evenly into the prepared pan. Chill until set.

The post Microwavable Chocolate Fudge Recipe appeared first on Food & Drink Recipes.

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously grease and flour a (9-inch) Bundt pan or line 36 muffin tins with paper liners.
2. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar and beat on medium speed until the mixture is smooth and light in texture, about 5 minutes. While the butter is beating, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt, and set aside. In a small bowl, combine the buttermilk, lemon zest, and 4 tablespoons of the lemon juice and set aside.
3. Add the eggs to the butter-sugar mixture, one at a time, beating well and scraping down the bowl after each addition. In 3 additions, alternate adding the sifted dry ingredients and the wet ingredients to the butter-sugar mixture, stirring on low until just incorporated.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan or fill each muffin cup two-thirds full with batter. Bake until the center of cake springs back when touched and a skewer inserted near the center comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Bake cupcakes until they rise in a dome shape and spring back when lightly pressed with a fingertip, 16 to 20 minutes.
5. Remove the cake from the oven and let cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Release the sides and bottom of the cake from the pan with a narrow metal spatula or knife. Invert the pan and turn out the cake. Place a wire rack in a baking pan and set the cake, right side up, on the rack.
6. In a small bowl, combine the confectioner's sugar, the remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon cold water and stir until very smooth. Add a little more confectioners' sugar or water as necessary to achieve a glaze consistency (similar to that of honey). Spoon the glaze evenly over the cake. When the glaze has firmed, transfer the cake to a plate. Slice and serve at room temperature.

The post Lemon Buttermilk Cake Recipe appeared first on Food & Drink Recipes.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl, beat eggs and yolks. Beat in sugar until smooth. Set aside.
3. In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine cream, half-and-half, the vanilla bean and its scrapings, and the peel of one orange. Heat until bubbles form at edges of liquid, reduce heat to low and simmer 15 minutes. Beat hot cream into egg mixture, a little at a time, until all is incorporated. Stir in orange liqueur. Pour into 6 individual ramekins or custard cups.
4. Line a roasting pan with a damp kitchen towel. Place ramekins on towel, inside roasting pan, and place roasting pan on oven rack. Fill roasting pan with boiling water to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
5. Bake in preheated oven 45 to 60 minutes, until set. Let cool completely before serving.

The post Flan III Recipe appeared first on Food & Drink Recipes.

1. Line a baking dish with 3 layers of paper towels; spoon ricotta onto paper towels and let sit 20 minutes (if the ricotta is too wet, the dough won't hold together).
2. Combine ricotta, eggs, Parmesan, and salt in a food processor; season with pepper and process until smooth. Add flour and pulse just to combine (mixture should be smooth and fairly wet). Transfer gnocchi mixture to a pastry bag fitted with 1/2″ round tip or a large resealable plastic bag.
3. DO AHEAD: Gnocchi mixture can be made 1 day ahead. Cover pastry tip and chill.
4. Cook asparagus in a large pot of boiling salted water until bright green and crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Using tongs or a mesh strainer, transfer to a bowl of ice water to cool; drain. Slice asparagus on the diagonal into bite-size pieces, leaving tips intact.
5. Reduce heat so water is simmering. If using a resealable plastic bag for gnocchi mixture, cut a 1/2″ opening in bottom of bag. Working in 3 batches, pipe dough into pot, cutting off 1″ lengths with a paring knife and letting dough drop into water. Cook until doubled in size, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer gnocchi to a lightly oiled baking sheet. Reserve 1/4 cup cooking liquid.
6. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook morels, tossing occasionally, until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add shallot and cook, tossing occasionally, until shallot and morels are soft, about 5 minutes; set aside.
7. Add gnocchi, asparagus, peas, butter, and reserved cooking liquid to skillet with morels. Cook, tossing gently, until vegetables are warm and sauce has thickened slightly, about 2 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Serve topped with chives, Parmesan, and lemon zest.

The post Ricotta Gnocchi with Asparagus, Peas, and Morels Recipe appeared first on Food & Drink Recipes.

1. Place the sugar, oil and warm water into a bowl. Add the yeast and gently stir to dissolve the yeast.
2. Pour the flour into a bowl and make a well in the centre. Gradually add the yeast mixture to the flour, mixing it in with your hands until all the liquid is absorbed. It will be quite lumpy at this stage.
3. Knead the dough until smooth, then roll into a ball. Put some oil onto your hands and roll the ball around to cover it with oil.
4. Place the oiled ball of dough into a large floured dish. Cover with a cloth or some cling film and leave in a warm (but not hot) place to rise for one hour. The dough should have risen to three times its original size in this time.
5. While the dough is rising, make the topping. Preheat the oven to 180C/365F/Gas 4.
6. Place the whole garlic bulb into a sheet of kitchen foil and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap up the foil around the garlic to create a sealed package and place into the oven to roast for one hour, or until the garlic is cooked and tender.
7. Remove the garlic from the foil and allow to cool. Transfer to a bowl and add the butter and rosemary. Mash the garlic well and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
8. Rub a pizza pan or baking tray with olive oil.
9. Roll the dough into one large 2cm/1in thick rectangle. You may bake the loaf like this, or cut the dough into smaller pieces to make individual loaves.
10. Place the bread onto the oiled pan or tray and prick it all over with a fork.
11. Spread the roasted garlic and butter mixture over the dough, then leave to prove for 30 minutes.
12. Preheat the oven to 230C/445F/Gas 8.
13. Transfer the dough to the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden-brown and risen.

The post Rosemary and garlic bread Recipe appeared first on Food & Drink Recipes.

1. In a bowl, combine first 5 ingredients. Mash 1 banana; in another bowl, mix mashed banana with milk, egg and almond extract. Pour liquid ingredients into dry ingredients; stir until smooth. Slice remaining banana and stir into batter; add berries. Warm a skillet over medium heat; coat with cooking spray. Measure 1⁄4 cup batter; pour onto skillet. Cook until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Repeat until batter is gone.

The post Fruit and Nut Pancakes Recipe appeared first on Food & Drink Recipes.

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a large sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and the butter over medium-high heat. When the butter foams, add the onions, stirring to coat, and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 8 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden. Let cool.
3. Stack two pieces of aluminum foil that are large enough to wrap the fish in on top of one another. Fold up the sides of the foil so that it resembles a little boat. Pour the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil into the boat and spread it over the bottom. Lay the potatoes in the boat in one layer, and season with salt and pepper.
4. With a sharp knife, make slashes in one side of the fish about 1 1/2 inches apart, going almost to the bone, and season with salt and pepper. Repeat on the other side of the fish. Lay it on top of the potatoes. Spoon the mojo verde on top of the fish. Lay the tomatoes on top of it and spoon the rest of the mojo on them. Spoon on the caramelized onions. Pour the wine around the fish.
5. Fold the foil over to enclose the fish, crimping the edges to seal and set on a baking sheet.
6. Roast the fish for about 1 hour, or until cooked through (carefully open the foil to check: the fish should flake easily when tested with a fork); cooking times can vary significantly depending on the thickness and type of fish. (The baked fish can be kept warm, and still retain its moisture, for up to 30 minutes if kept wrapped.)
7. Serve with lemon wedges and, if you like, extra mojo verde on the side.
8. Recommended wine: A wine with soft acidity and sweetness, such as a Vouvray or an American Pinot Blanc.

The post Fish in Foil with Sweet Onions, Tomatoes, and Mojo Verde Recipe appeared first on Food & Drink Recipes.

1. Mix all the ingredients together into a paste in a small bowl and rub it all over the lamb. Place the lamb in a shallow bowl and cover with any remaining marinade. Marinate for about 2 hours at room temperature, or, preferably, cover the lamb and marinate overnight in the refrigerator, turning the meat from time to time.
2. To grill lamb chops: Depending on their thickness, grill the chops over medium-hot coals for 3 to 5 minutes per side, turning once or twice. The chops should register 120° to 135°F at the thickest part for rare to medium rare. You can also broil them 3 inches from the flame for 3 to 5 minutes per side, or until cooked as above.
3. To grill kebabs: Skewer the marinated lamb chunks on wooden or metal skewers, alternating with chunks of onions or peppers, if desired. Grill until the meat reaches 130° to 135°F for medium-rare to medium.
4. To grill a lamb leg: You may want to insert long metal skewers crosswise in the butterflied leg to hold it flat. Grill the leg over medium-hot coals, turning often, for 20 to 30 minutes. At its thickest point, the meat should register 120° to 130°F for rare to medium-rare; thinner parts will them be medium-rare to medium. Let the lamb rest, covered loosely with foil, for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing on the diagonal and serving. The internal temperature will rise 5° to 10°F more.
5. Meanwhile make theSkordalia . Serve with the lamb.

The post Barba Yiannis Grilled Lamb Recipe appeared first on Food & Drink Recipes.