Homemade Ravioli/ Tiramisu Cheesecake Bars

I decided it's way past time for another food post,  considering this was originally my theme for this blog.  I want to include all aspects of my life and my interests, but I do spend a large portion of my spare time in the kitchen....  I don't see myself pursuing a career in the food industry at this point, but I sure do enjoy cooking.

At my youth group last night we were talking about finding our passion.  God has blessed us each with our own set of gifts and talents, and  expects us to use those for His Kingdom.  It really got me thinking about what my gifts are.  I may not be an athlete, a musician, a dancer or a public speaker, but I am certain that God has given us all special, unique talents.  I love to help others and talk to people.  I love working with children.  But most of all, I love using food to show others that I care about and love them.  I bake for my friends and cook dinners for my family, and these things really do give me a true sense of joy.

  Now the hard part comes when I consider what I could do to take that to the next level! How can I use my God-given abilities in ministry, to turn the wandering hearts in this world towards God?
I am definitely going to be looking for opportunities around me :)

 Here are a few recipes I have tried out this past week when trying to decide what kind of foods to make for my class to represent Italy.  I don't really know anyone who doesn't like good Italian food, so this wasn't very hard!

My friend's mom made the most delicious tiramisu cheesecake bars when i was over there last.  If you love coffee and cheesecake, you really  won't find a better dessert out there! These bars are easy, BEYOND  delicious, and great for any occasion really. 

tiramisu cheesecake bars             

• 2  cups crushed vanilla wafer cookies (about 60 cookies) OR graham cracker crumbs
• 1/3  cup butter or margarine, melted
• 2  tablespoons whipping cream
• 2  tablespoon instant espresso coffee granules
• 3  packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
• 3/4  cup sugar
• 3  eggs
• 1  oz bittersweet baking chocolate, grated
• Chocolate-covered espresso beans, if desired

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Line 13x9-inch pan with foil; spray with cooking spray. In small bowl, mix crushed cookies and melted butter with fork. Press mixture in bottom of pan. Refrigerate while continuing with recipe.
2. In small bowl, mix whipping cream and coffee granules with fork until coffee is dissolved; set aside.
3. In large bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed 2 to 3 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally, until smooth and creamy. On low speed, beat in sugar, eggs and coffee mixture, about 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed about 2 minutes longer or until ingredients are well blended. Using rubber spatula, spread cream cheese filling over crust. Bake 25 to 35 minutes or until center is set.
4. Top with espresso beans or chocolate drizzle. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours

homemade spinach ravioli

Fresh Egg Pasta:

4 large eggs
1 T water
3 ½ cups all purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
1. Place eggs, water, flour, and salt in mixer bowl. (we use our Kitchenaid) Attach bowl and flat beater. Turn to Speed 2 and mix for 30 seconds.
2. Now use the dough hook. Turn to speed 2 and knead for two minutes. Remove dough from bowl and hand knead for 1-2 minutes. Let it rest for 20 minutes. Divide the dough into four pieces before processing with the pasta roller.
3. Roll out pasta according to your pasta maker’s instructions.
Spinach and Cheese Ravioli:
 frozen chopped spinach (10 oz.)
½ medium onion, minced
2 cloves garlic
1 T olive oil
¾ cup ricotta cheese
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
¼ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 large egg yolk
Salt and pepper

1. Thaw frozen spinach and pat mosture out with clean towel.
Heat 1 T of olive oil in a small skillet. Add the onion and cook over medium heat, until translucent. Stir in the spinach and salt to taste. Cook for about one minute.
2. Transfer the spinach mixture to a medium bowl. Stir in ricotta, Parmigiano-Reggiano, mozzarella, and the egg yolk. Mix well and set aside. The filling can be refrigerated overnight.
3. Lay out your long sheets of pasta on a lightly floured table. Place small balls of filling, about 1 teaspoon, in a line about one inch from the bottom of the pasta sheet. Leave about 1 1/4 inches between each ball of filling. Fold over the top of the pasta sheet, lining it with the bottom edge. Seal the bottom and 2 open sides with your finger. Use a ravioli cutter to cut out the individual raviolis. Place the ravioli on a large plate.
4. Boil a huge pot of water with salt. Add in the ravioli and cook for about 5-6 minutes. Strain and serve with the sauce of your choice.

 

negative effects of sugar

This week I was asked to research the negative affects of sugar on the body.  Let me tell you...WOW.  What I found shocked and amazed me.  Sugar is a lot more harmful than I ever came close to realizing! It causes immediate AND long-term health problems, as well as many annoying symtoms! 

Health Problems Caused by Too Much Sugar:

•  Sudden sugar rushes cause dramatic increase and decrease of glucose levels.  This creates tiredness, mood swings, headaches, and the craving for even more sugar! It provides a temporary fix and before we realize it, we're hooked on that "sugar high."

•  Sugar causes rapid weight gain.  This  one is basically a given; You have probably heard that our body converts all foods to glucose once we eat it. Well, what you most likely don't know is that sugar also BLOCKS those good nutrients from reaching your body! Fruits, meats, vegetables, and most natural foods contain some sort of sugar.  They also contain vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and enzymes that help your body break down that sugar and use it to assist in digestion and absorption.  The problem is that the sugars we consume most of, refined, and all forms of processed sugar, contain NOTHING to help your body. It actually causes your immune system to weaken which increases your chances of getting sick! Scary, huh?

•  Sugar causes dental decay. Sugar makes your teeth weaker, yellow, and causes cavities. Drinking pop is especially bad for your teeth because not only does it harm them with sugar, but it also sucks the calcium right out with the caffeine! Experiment for yourself; put a tooth in a glass of coke or any other soft drink, and watch as the tooth yellows, weakens, and decays....YUCK.

• Sugar causes hyperactivity as well as weakens learning abilities in children.  If you are experiencing difficulties with hyperactivity, inattentiveness, and lack of concentration, your child may just have too much sugar in his/her diet. This article about the problems sugar causes in children gives great explanations for some common behavioral problems in children between the ages of 3 and 12.

•  Sugar largely increases your risk of getting type 2 Diabetes.  Studies clearly show that people who in-take mass amounts of sugar have increased their risk of getting diabetes more and more every day. 

So, as you can see, sugar has some pretty scary side-effects! It actually lowers your immune system and blocks the nutrients from being absorbed, making us more prone to sickness, and  creates all sorts of other issues.  Cutting soda and all forms of processed sugars completely out of our diets is the easiest, quickest fix.  I know after doing all this research for myself, I have decided to quit drinking pop myself!  It really doesn't taste all that good, and in my opinion is easily replaced with healthier options like fruit juices or tea. 

There are also some great sugar substitutes out there.  One of the newest on the market is called Stevia.  It is an all-natural sweetener from plant leaves, and has no bitter after-taste, like many sweeteners do. My mom loves to put it in her sweet tea but it can be used in basically anything you would use sugar.  Splenda is also a better option than all the aspartame- containing sweeteners out there, but is not all-natural and hasn't been thoroughly researched yet.  

 I found a shocking article stating the the normal yearly intake of sugar in the average person during the early 1900s. 5 lbs. of sugar was the norm.  I mean considering all the things that contain sugar, that's not too surprising, right? Oh boy....wait till you hear the normal in today's average american....dun dun dun...........
135 POUNDS OF SUGAR, PEOPLE!!!!  I found that to be so very shocking....that's more than my own body weight in just sugar!!  This is thought to be a main cause of cancer among various other critical health problems. Cancer and Diabetes were virtually unheard of back then...I find this all so very alarming!


 This is what your kids might start looking like if they  keep in-taking so much sugar:

Well you don't want that now, do you!? So, all that to say this: I strongly suggest you drastically cut sugar out of your diets in any way you can manage.  You will be saving yourself the risk of astronomical amounts of health problems later on in life, as well as improve your current lifestyle by making you happier, stronger, and more energized! :)