No Bake Cheesecake & Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce

Mid-week is about the time that I am ready for quick meals and in the summer, meals that require less time in front of a hot oven are definite winners. So when I asked to share these two recipes with you that were developed by Chef Kim of Daymon Worldwide, I first looked for how much time I would be spending at the stove. Ends up, none as one is no bake and one involves a grill which means more time outside.

Individual No Bake Cheesecakes
Yields 6
3 tbsp sugar
13 – 15 graham crackers
½ c butter, melted
10 oz cream cheese, room temperature
6 oz crème fraîche
2/3 c sifted confectioners’ sugar
1 c heavy cream
1 c fresh mixed berries

Line the cups of a muffin tin with plastic wrap and set aside. Combine sugar and crackers in a food processor and pulse until very finely chopped then add melted butter. Press into prepared muffin tins and put in freezer while preparing the filling.

Beat cream cheese, crème fraîche and confectioners’ sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer with paddle attachment. In a separate bowl beat heavy cream until still peaks form and fold into cream cheese mixture. Spoon a little into each crust and freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.

When ready to serve, gently pull out cheesecakes from tin by pulling on the plastic wrap and carefully remove the plastic wrap from the crust. Top each cup with mixed berries of your choice and drizzle with confectioners’ sugar. Garnish with fresh mint leaves. You can toss the mixed berries with a little sugar to sweeten if needed.

One of the objectives with these recipes was to use store brands. I was able to do that except for the creme fraiche and when it came to chicken, I opted for the Nature's Promise line from Stop & Shop (also carried at Giant grocery stores).

Chicken Satay w/Peanut Sauce
Marinade:
1 c plain yogurt
1 tsp fresh grated ginger
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp curry powder
1 ½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into strips
20 wooden skewers, soaked in water for 30 min
Vegetable oil, for grilling

Peanut Sauce

1/4 c creamy peanut butter

2 tsp soy sauce

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp fresh lemon or lime juice

1/4 c coconut milk

1/4 c hot water

red chili flake to taste

1 clove crushed garlic
1 tbsp grated ginger

Combine yogurt, ginger, garlic and curry powder in shallow bowl. Add chicken strips to yogurt marinade and toss until well coated. Cover and let chicken marinate in the refrigerator for up to 2 hrs.

Weave the chicken strips onto the skewers down the center of the chicken so that it stays on during grilling. Grill the chicken satays over medium heat for 3 – 5 minutes on each side until they are seared and cooked through.

To make the sauce: Combine all ingredients with a whisk in a small bowl, adding the water last. Pour into a small saucepan and heat over medium heat until sauce begins to bubble and thicken. Serve the satays on a platter lined with lettuce leaves and topped with chopped fresh cilantro; accompanied by the peanut sauce on the side.

*Daymon Worldwide is the private-label partner for many stores, including CVS, Cub, Kroger, Meijer, and Safeway. I was compensated for the ingredients needed to prepare the recipes.