Apple-Peach Cream Cheese Bites

This is one of the gems in the Double Musky cookbook.  Prefacing the recipe, they mention that few guests at the Double Musky have actually tasted this - whenever they make it, the staff eats it before it can be served!  I can certainly see why!  This is, without a doubt, the most delicious AND the easiest cheesecake I have ever made.  It takes all the best parts of a fruit pie and a cheesecake, melding them into one sinfully delicious bite.

The mini-cheesecake is an optional format.  This works equally well in a traditional springform or a pie tin.

Ingredients

Crust

1 package grahm crackers
1/2 c sugar
3 T butter, room temperature

Fruit layer

3 c fruit of your choice, diced and sliced
1/2 c sugar
2 T flour
cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger to taste

Cream Cheese layer

1 8oz tub of cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 c sugar
2 eggs
1/4 c cream
1 T vanilla

Preheat oven to 400.

Crush the grahm crackers with your hand, then place in food processor with the sugar and butter.  Process until completely blended.  Press into pan.  If using a pie tin, do not extend the crust all the way out.  If using springform, make sure to press the crust up the side of the pan.

In a bowl, mix together sugar, flour and spices.  Gently stir in the fruit until well coated.  Spread evenly in the pan.

Bake the fruit and crust for 10-15 minutes.  Reduce oven to 350.

Meanwhile, blend the sugar and cream cheese well.  Beat in the eggs, then add the cream and vanilla, just until completely mixed.  Pour on top of fruit and bake 20-40 minutes, or until center is firm and the outsides are just starting to brown.  Refrigerate for several hours before serving.

Seafood Pasta

We spent this past weekend skiing at Alyeska.  Since we were already in Girdwood, we had to go to the Double Musky for dinner.  Once there, we spent a while debating over what to order.  I finally ordered the garlic seafood pasta.

Immediately, I knew I had made a mistake.  I wanted to call the waitress back, but it was too late.

Now, I hadn't made a mistake because the Double Musky's seafood pasta was bad, you see.  I had made a mistake because MY seafood pasta is better!

Ingredients

1/2 c bread flour
1/2 c seminola flour
1 egg
1 T oil
water

1/2 fillet of fish (halibut or salmon, but anything can work!), cut into chunks
2 T olive oil
2 cloves garlic, sliced

Combine flours, egg, oil, and just enough water to allow the dough to reach the correct consistency.  Knead for 3-5 minutes, cover with plastic wrap and rest for 20 minutes.

Following the directions on your pasta roller, roll out the dough and cut into fettuccine noodles.  Cook noodles for 3-4 minutes in salted water.

Sautee the fish and garlic slices in the olive oil.  For a variation, blacken the fish with your preferred rub first.  Pour fish and garlic oil over the pasta.