HAPPY EASTER!!!

From Denny: From my rose garden to yours this year! Louisiana is in full bloom and the worst of pollen season is finally done. These are Tiffany roses. They practically glow from within with the golden hearts and the light perfumed scent is absolutely DIVINE!

Happy Easter to all! May this be a wonderful time of spiritual renewal for you whatever belief system you hold in your heart...

For more wonderful Easter photos from flickr friends and a few special ones of my own, check out the photo blog: Visual Insights.

Recipe: Oreo Cheesecake Bites

From Denny: Here's an easy little gem that sounds absolutely DIVINE to make for this Easter weekend! You could always substitute another hard cookie that your family enjoys or you just have on hand.

The ancient Romans always used cheese in their cakes and make cheesecake for their Spring celebrations. Here's an easy recipe for your family!

Ingredients:

36 OREO Cookies, divided

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, divided

4 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

1 cup sugar

1 cup BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream

1 tsp. vanilla

4 eggs

4 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate



Directions: HEAT oven to 325°F. Line 13x9-inch baking pan with foil, with ends extending over sides of pan. Finely crush 24 cookies. Melt 1/4 cup butter; mix with crumbs. Press onto bottom of prepared pan.

BEAT cream cheese and sugar with mixer until blended. Add sour cream and vanilla; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each just until blended. Chop remaining cookies. Gently stir into batter; pour over crust.

BAKE 45 min. or until center is almost set. Cool. Meanwhile, microwave chocolate and remaining butter in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1 min.; stir until smooth. Cool slightly; spread over top of cheesecake. Refrigerate 4 hours. Use foil handles to lift cheesecake from pan before cutting to serve.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories 220

Total fat 16g

Saturated fat 9g

Cholesterol 70mg

Sodium 180mg

Carbohydrate 17g

Dietary fiber 1g

Sugars 12g

Protein 3g

Vitamin A 10%DV

Vitamin C 0%DV

Calcium 4%DV

Iron

Confessions of a Cajun Traiteuse - Herbs - Part III

Image via Wikipedia

Confessions of a Cajun Traiteuse - Herbs - Part III: "The drying and preparation of various herbal remedies was family affair, both non-optional and necessary. Herbs were both for healing and cooking. I feel blessed that knowing how to grow, care for, harvest, and understanding the uses for these common herbs were a part of my Cajun heritage and my early training as a Cajun traiteuse." 3 videos.

By Jerilee Wei

Video: Bake a Cake in the Can!

Bake a Cake in the Can! (and you can ship it!) This was a novel idea, easy and fast. A lot like a chocolate souffle and little flour. Sort of a cross between a flourless chocolate cake and a chocolate souffle. Demo by a chef.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Video: Cheesy Asparagus Quiche from Everyday Food Magazine

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

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From: Everyday Food Magazine

Get a forkful of this cheesy asparagus quiche

Now is the time to take advantage of asparagus, when it is at its best. Its subtle, grassy taste goes well with eggs, ham and cheese, but asparagus is also flavorful enough to stand up to more intense ingredients, such as soy sauce and ginger. See for yourself: Lucinda Scala Quinn, Director of Food for Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, offers an “Everyday Food” magazine recipe for asparagus quiche featuring your own homemade crust.


Asparagus Quiche

From: Lucinda Scala Quinn

Yield: Serves 6.

Prep time: 20 minutes; total time: 1 1/4 hour

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon butter

• 1 leek (white and light green parts only), halved and thinly sliced, then well washed

• Coarse salt and ground pepper

• 1 bunch (1 pound) asparagus, tough ends removed, thinly sliced on the diagonal

• 4 large eggs

• 1 3/4 cups half-and-half

• Ground nutmeg

• 1 piecrust (see below), fitted into a 9-inch pie plate, well chilled

• 1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese (4 ounces)

DIRECTIONS

Quiche construction: To make sure the vegetables are distributed evenly, spread them in the crust before pouring in the egg mixture.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, with rack in lowest position. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium. Add leek and asparagus; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until asparagus is crisp-tender, 6 to 8 minutes; let cool.

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, half-and-half, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg. Place piecrust on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with cheese; top with asparagus mixture. Pour egg mixture on top. Bake until center of quiche is just set, 50 to 60 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

To store, let cool, then refrigerate, up to one day. Reheat at 350 degrees F until warm in center, about 30 minutes.


Piecrust

From: Lucinda Scala Quinn

Yield: Makes 1 single crust

INGREDIENTS


• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for work surface

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon sugar

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold, cut into pieces

• 2 to 4 tablespoons ice water


DIRECTIONS

In a large bowl, using a pastry blender, combine flour, salt and sugar. Add butter, and cut in with pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal, with just a few pea-size pieces of butter remaining.

Sprinkle with two tablespoons ice water, and continue to work dough with pastry blender until crumbly but holds together when squeezed with fingers (if needed, add up to two tablespoons more ice water, one tablespoon at a time). Do not overwork.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface; form into a 3/4-inch-thick disk. Wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour. (Or wrap in plastic, place in a resealable plastic bag, and freeze up to three months. Thaw in the refrigerator before rolling.)