Pink Mashed Potatoes?

The term comfort food refers to a style of familiar, simple food or drink that is usually home-cooked, or consumed in informal restaurants. The idea of "comfort food" is popular in western culture and not part of many other societies including East Asia.

- Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I have one comfort food. It's simple. It's high in carbs. It's served at every holiday gathering. I love mashed potatoes.

One of the perks of living and eating with Jack everyday is that the man loves to experiment...with his food you sickos! Jack is always testing new combinations of spices on old dishes and most of the time those experiments are alright. After a few weeks of beet deliveries from our CSA (we can't complain we love beets), it got me thinking about combining my favorite comfort food with my favorite vegetable.

Now when I say this dish is simple. I mean it's REALLY SIMPLE. When I say it's good. I mean it's REALLY GOOD. I don't think we've fought over who got to finish a dish like this since the last time I made my butternut squash chili (a recipe loved by all that I will eventually post).

The recipe is somewhat improvised. I boiled 2 medium sized beets that had been peeled and cut into cubes. I also boiled about four or five small red potatoes. I then mashed the potatoes while combining in between mashing sessions a helping of beets. I also added a splash of cream here and there to get the consistency I wanted.

This treat is sweet and creamy. It's a great side that adds color to a plate. It's a must try.

Chilled Carrot Ginger Soup

For my birthday this year Jack bought us a CSA membership. Every week we get a box full of fresh veggies. Our CSA even sends us emails with recipe ideas. They're even having a CSA member BBQ at the end of this month. This CSA rocks...we've heard complaints about other CSAs delivering the same thing week after week, not getting many veggies, etc. That is not the case for us! We have so much food we have to bring people over to our place for dinner to eat it all before it goes bad!

This week among some of the veggies we got in the delivery were a bunch of carrots, some red onions and some garlic.

Now I know that soups are usually a winter thing, but when I saw these veggies together I immediately thought carrot ginger soup! Because it's been so hot this weekend I made the soup and then chilled it while I helped Jack on a photo project.

Carrot Ginger Soup

-a bunch of carrots (a little more than a cup and a half) chopped
-2 tsp olive oil
-4 tbsp minced ginger
-2-3 cloves minced garlic
-3 cups veggie broth
-1/4 cup orange juice
-1/2 cup cream
-salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil over medium heat in soup pot. Add onions and cook until soft. Add ginger and garlic and cook for 2-4 minutes.

Add carrots, broth and orange juice. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until carrots are exceedingly tender. In batches puree soup in a blender. I add the cream, which is optional, when I begin the puree process.

Baked Cheesecake

"I feel the end approaching. Quick, bring me my dessert, coffee and liqueur."
-Brillat-Savarin's great aunt Pierette

My summer classes at Hunter College, although packed full of incredibly useful and interesting information, have been somewhat exhausting and therefore has made me neglectful of this wonderful little blog. Summer Session is coming to an end, but before it did we had the opportunity to have dinner with some good friends and enjoy this treat with some coffee from Baruir's (The BEST place to get coffee in Sunnyside).

This was my first try at a baked cheesecake. I've tried no bake cheesecakes, but the consistency of the cake has never turned out the way I would like. I came upon this recipe and it really came out well. I topped it with a cherry persevre. Our guest had brought strawberry ice cream, which complimented the cake quite well.

Crust (I bought mine at the store. You can try to make it yourself if you'd like.)
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 1/4 cups graham wafer crumbs
1/4 cup sugar

Combine butter, graham wafer crumbs and sugar. Press into the bottom of a 9" springform pan.

Filling:
2 packages (8oz each) cream cheese
1 can sweetened condensed mile (Eagle Brand, 300ml)
1/4 cup lemon juice (I cut up some lemons and squeezed the juice into the filling)
3 eggs

In large bowl beat cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add sweetened condensed milk and beat until completely smooth.
Add eggs and lemon juice. Mix well. Pour over crust.

Bake for 50-55 minutes at 300 degrees. It's done when it springs back when lightly touched. Cool to room temp and then chill until ready to serve.