Fresh Strawberry Cheesecake Bars

As you can see, this is a well decorated platter with just an 8x8 inches of simple cheesecake bars...a total of 4 large pieces, with the ends trimmed off, but every thing is in the "decoration"...the "presentation"...otherwise, it would be just a simple Cheesecake Bars, if not for the above mentioned...and of course, most important, the "platter"...Originally, I was going to do the next guest post for Lora's blog, with this easy dessert, but she is home now, from her huge surgery, and is getting her strength back little by little. I was at her house making this dessert, and both Teresa, and her husband Domenico kept asking me..."che fai?" What are you doing? ...because I was trying to uplift my photography skills, by enhancing the shots, at every different angle. It certainly helps when you have a nice camera, and a pint of gorgeous fresh, and perfectly ripened strawberries.

Instead of having the glaze on top of the overturned strawberry slices, I added the jam glaze directly on the cooled cheesecake bars, and sprinkled powdered sugar over the top of the strawberries, overlapping on the cheesecake, and on the platter...within a few minutes, the strawberries get their own natural glaze, just from the sugar...the rest is "trick photography!"...my theory...you aim, shoot, and hope for the best!

Fresh Strawberry Cheesecake Bars
my own recipe

For the Crust:
2 cups of vanilla wafers ground
1/4 cup butter (1 stick) melted
2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp grated orange rind

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grind the wafers in a food processor to make 2 cups. Add sugar, and grated orange, stir in the melted butter, just to moisten evenly, and press into a large non-stick tart pan, with a removable bottom.
Use a large soup spoon to press down, and not with your fingers, or hand, (so butter does not get too pressed into the crust) Also, do the same on the sides of the tart pan. Bake crust for no longer than 15 minutes, and follow the topping, and filling process.

Filling:

8 ounces of Philadelphia Cream Cheese
(at room temperature)
1 cup of sour cream (at room temperature)
7 Tbsp. granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 Tbsp. all purpose flour

Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Line a 8x8 inch baking pan with aluminum foil, and let it overhang about two inches. Spray the bottom with cooking spray. Mix the cookie mix with the butter and sugar, and pat down into the baking pan with about an inch around the sides. Mix the filling ingredients in a food processor, or blender for about a minute or two till blended and creamy, and pour the filling right over the crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, and lower the temperature to 325degrees and continue baking for another 25-30 minutes till it gets a little color on the top. Cool, and glaze with melted strawberry jam. Just heat about 1/4 cup of strawberry, or other seedless berry jam, adding the juice of 1 lemon. Spread on cooled bars. Let it chill, and lift out from pan for easy cutting. Garnish with fresh berries. Such an easy, and delicious cheesecake bars, with or without berry topping. It is more dense, than actual cheesecake, but the same taste, especially with the glaze, and topping. Enjoy!

I'm linking this to: Swathi-Hearth and Soul Hop #43

Egg Salad in Pita Pocket.... and a Winner!

With all the activities and preparations for my daughter Lora's upcoming surgery on Thursday, I've been in a "daze" and have not been able to concentrate on making anything that would be worthwhile to post about. Although, I did make a huge pot of simple fresh vegetable soup yesterday, and literally cleaning out my refrigerator of all the veggies I have, that included cabbage, carrots, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, celery onions and garlic cloves, parsley, and I just chopped up everything and sauteed it, and added vegetable broth in the pot, seasoned it brought it to a boil and just simmered till it was a gorgeous vegetable soup. Oh, I even added a can of corn I had in my cupboard. Also added home made spaetzle to the soup. Took the entire pot, wrapped the pot up in a large towel, placed it in a small laundry basket and took it over to my daughter's.

Nothing like a nice, light, comforting soup. (No photo of it)...didn't think of it. In the meantime, while the soup was cooking, I made myself a simple egg salad. What do you do when you have extra eggs left over? Well, you can make a nice frittata, or a batch of eggs salad, which I did with 8 leftover eggs. The best part is, if you have one of those cute little plastic "egg slicer" gadgets, that slices and chops eggs perfectly. You just place the hard boiled eggs in the slicer, slice it, then turn it around making sure not to mess up the slice, and press the blades down again and it will dice your egg.

Egg Salad
my recipe

8 hard boiled eggs chopped coarsely
1 Tbsp. Hellman's mayonnaise
1 teaspoon stone ground mustard
salt and pepper to taste


Cook eggs for approximately 13 minutes for perfect hard boiled eggs. (the best way to cook is to place the eggs in water, bring it to a boil, shut the heat off, cover than pot, and leave it on the stove. Time it for 13 min. and take it off the stove, run cold water and keep running water, while you are peeling the eggs. Will not stick, comes out clean
every time.)
In a medium bowl, chop the eggs coarse, lightly mix mayo, mustard, salt and pepper. You can add chopped onions, chopped celery, and chopped pickles if you like, but simple is the best. Serve all those additions on the side.
I personally like mini dill gherkins, sliced jalapeno, tomatoes, and lettuce, and of course chopped onions, that I mix in the salad just for my own serving. Serves 4. Yumm

I'm linking this to: Full Plate Thursday, @ Miz Helen's Country Cottage

Mushrooms in Adobo Sauce-Cookbook Sundays

Today is Sunday, April 3rd. and I've been counting the days when I could proudly feature my Cookbook Sundays,
now, being hosted by Melynda @Mom's Sunday Cafe.
I am happy to stay in this group, especially knowing that Melynda is an expert hostess and will do so well. We had such a busy week with celebrating birthdays for a week now, and I cannot look at another piece of cake for a while...well, maybe for a (few days.)
I've been craving for more vegetarian foods, since last weeks feast at the Darbster's Vegan Bistro, so I decided to do my own little version of vegetarian feast, but will only post one recipe, which is for this amazing Spanish Mushrooms in Adobo Sauce, which requires very little time, and effort.
This book has all your tapas-which are appetizers, in English. I can just have tapas, when I go to a restaurant, and a nice chilled glass of white wine, and I'm happy.

This can be served as a side dish, or eaten just like this with a nice crust piece of bread. If you like mushrooms, then this is the ultimate way  to prepare this. All I can say is, you will want second serving, or you will gobble this whole serving up just by yourself!

Rather than marinating, these mushroom are in adobo, which means, that they, are cooked, in sauce instead of marinating.


Chapinones en Adobo (Mushrooms in adobo sauce)
by Penelope Casas
recipe adapted

2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 of sweet, or regular yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic sliced
2 Tbsp tomato sauce
1/2 cup white wine
2 cloves
1.2 teaspoon saffron
salt and pepper to taste
1 pint (2 cups) fresh button mushrooms, stems removed,
cut in half

Heat the oil in a medium heavy skillet. Saute onions, and garlic till onion is wilted and golden.Stir in the wine, and the spices, the salt and pepper,  and cook down the wine till slightly reduced. Add the tomato sauce, and the 1 Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil. Simmer for about 20 minutes, uncovered. Add the mushrooms, and stir to incorporate with the sauce, and cook for an additional 10 more minutes, and serve. 4 side servings, or 2 large servings.

I'm linking this post to Kristen @Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker
 Chaya @My Sweet and Savory and Swathi-Hearth and Soul Hop #42

You can always have another side dish to go with the mushrooms in adobo. This really great potato salad, I made a batch to have a nice side dish, either pairing it with grilled meat, or just by itself. I packed up all these goodies to take them over to my daughter's to share with her in-laws for lunch. Very light homemade vinaigrette dressing, with a little kick from the stone ground mustard, with mustard seeds. Yumm!

You can tell spring is here...although spring has been here in South Florida since January, and by May we will be going full swing into summer, until about October, November is when we have our fall...without leaves turning their gorgeous hues of color...couldn't quite picture our palm trees turning shades of yellows, reds, and orange color. Enjoy a refreshing new small potato,( red, or white ) salad with chopped sweet onions, sliced celery, chopped dill pickles, and can't forget the sliced hard boiled eggs, and a mild vinaigrette made with extra virgin olive oil, white balsamic vinegar and about a teaspoon of stone ground mustard. Just add freshly ground pepper, and some sea salt, and dry herbs if you like. Enjoy!

Chunky Tomato Sauce... and a Book Giveaway!

As I mentioned in my last post, that my son Joe has finally published his first novel, self-published through Amazon.com I'm proud to offer a copy of his book, as a giveaway. Yesterday, he stopped over for a last minute lunch, and wanted to check out the waves on the beach, since we've been having such windy and rainy days in the last few days. He is also an avid surfer, since the age of eleven, and has won several awards, over the years. By profession he is an "Equity Trader" and these last couple years he's been working out of home, so he could finish his novel. Also, he decided to go back to college to get his masters degree in creative writing, after 14 years, graduating from college. He is a fabulous artist, as well, doing totally different designs...as for instance, surf board art designs, and creative designs on canvas. He also designed his book cover. Now, the latest project is his "political cartoon, daily art" which I myself don't quite understand, which has a lot to do with the "stock market."

Anyway, the emphasis now, is on my quick pasta sauce, served with fettucine that I made within 30 minutes, tops.
I always have fresh, dry, and frozen herbs on hand, for which is a "must" in my kitchen. Canned, or fresh tomatoes, is always a "must"...of course, onions, and garlic, and olives...so there you have it, a vegetarian meal to enjoy, even if you are not vegetarian. Joe and his wife Cara have decided to take that route now after and on-again, off-again route, for the last few years. Actually, they do eat seafood, and dairy...so they are "pescatarians?"...is there such a thing?

In a large skillet, all you do is saute, one sliced onion, 3 cloves of garlic sliced, 2 stalks of celery sliced, in 2 Tbsp.vegetable oil till  soft, and slightly golden. Add a 15 oz. can of diced tomatoes, 1 teaspoon tomato paste, mixed in 1/2 cup of water, 1 Tbsp.extra virgin olive oil... salt and pepper, dry, or fresh basil, and let the tomato sauce cook for about 20 minutes, on medium heat, open. Stir from time to time, and after the 20 minutes, add pitted olives (I used Nicoise pitted olives) you can slice the olives, or cut them in half. (I left mine whole)...Serve over pasta of your choice, and add chopped fresh Italian parsley, or fresh basil for flavor and for a nice appearance. You can drizzle more extra virgin olive oil on the top, and serve.

note: I sauteed the vegetable in vegetable oil, because it absorbs the flavor of the vegetables better, since it's cooked on medium-high, and it prevents burning of the oil. Adding the extra virgin olive oil, when you add the tomatoes, gives it a nicer and more flavorful texture. Also, instead of adding the tomato paste directly into the 1/2 cup of water will give it an even texture, and prevents lumpy and too thick of a  texture. 
Now, for the book giveaway:

Lamb's Bread: A Marijuana Fueled American Revolutionary 

[Paperback]

About the book, and Joe's art and Cartoon

Adrian Amato is a pot-smoking, marijuana-dealing, equity trader with a plan to set a trap and imprison the president of the United States on Palm Beach Island. His revolutionary intentions seize the imagination of his brother-in-law, Jeff Silver, who assists Adrian and serves as his biographer, believing that it is an unprecedented, inside opportunity to document the rise of a radical aimed at reshaping the world. Loosely based on the recent collapse of the nation’s economy, Joseph Pregadio’s subversive allegory about a new 

American age is as captivating as it is thought provoking. A suspense-thriller full of unexpected twists and surprising turns, Lamb’s Bread captures the anarchical soul of American discontent and channels it into a fictional tale far more plausible than anyone should feel comfortable with.

Attacking the hubris of the ultra-wealthy and the indiscriminate profiteering of corporate America, Pregadio dares to lay bare the very schemes by which many investment practitioners got rich and then watched the economic system cave in—and funnels that outrage into a broadside indictment through the eyes and actions of Adrian Amato, a modern-day pirate whose goal is to attack the establishment at every possible turn. Bracing in its honesty and entertaining in its method, Lamb’s Bread is a modern parable everyone should put at the top of their reading list. 

As for the giveaway, all you have to do is to comment, so you will be on the list. If you don't follow either on my blog, or Twitter, you will not be eligible. I will ship this signed copy of the book anywhere in the United States, Canada, anywhere else, in the world. YES!... for the first time! I will announce the winner Monday morning. Giveaway ends on Sunday, April 3rd, at 11:00PM, EST.

Carrot and Pineapple Cake a Giveaway, and a Thanks!

March has been a month of birthdays, from the beginning of March to the end. On the 3rd, was my father's...may he rest in peace, same as with my uncle, on the 7th. and at the end of March on the 25th. my son Joe's, on the 28th which was yesterday, my grandson Luca's 5th, on the 30th, our dear friends' young son's River's 10th birthday. I did mention the birthdays on the title of my last post, which I did not mention, as to who's birthday it is. The important birthday which I would like to talk about, and also an amazing autographed book...my son, Joe's first self-published book through Amazon. It is my giveaway gift, on my next post.

About Lamb's Bread, @Amazon,com

The delicious cake, which was my son's birthday cake, is his very favorite.
A Carrot cake, filled with crushed pineapple, and loads of freshly grated carrots. He was so sweet to take us out to a charming little cafe, which is strictly VEGAN, and not just vegetarian. You would think that the food is not filling enough, but trust me, there was so much food, so fresh, so yummy, and so affordable, served casually, and in a Key West type atmosphere, just right around the corner where my son, wife, and two precious daughters live.
The recipe is adapted from Ina Garten's Carrot and Pineapple Cake, from the Food Network site. I have two other recipes, one, from my previous post, back in October, which is a simple one that I made in a heart shape for my granddaughter Sophia's birthday, and also a more involved fancy recipe that my daughter Lora used for a guest post, last fall, as well. I did not use walnuts in this recipe, since they don't like walnuts...if it was for me, I would have added it.Recipe, and more about the book, to follow!

Ina Garten's Carrot and Pineapple Cake 
slightly adapted

For the cake:

nocoupons

• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 1/3 cups vegetable oil
• 3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, divided
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 pound carrots, grated
• 1/2 cup diced fresh pineapple

For the frosting:

nocoupons

• 3/4 pound cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 pound confectioners' sugar, sifted

For the decoration:

nocoupons

• 1/2 cup diced fresh pineapple

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Butter 2 (8-inch) round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.

For the cake:

Beat the sugar, oil, and eggs together in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light yellow. Add the vanilla. In another bowl, sift together 2 1/2 cups flour, the cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Toss the raisins and walnuts with 1 tablespoon flour. Fold in the carrots and pineapple. Add to the batter and mix well.
Divide the batter equally between the 2 pans. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool completely in the pans set over a wire rack.

For the frosting:

Mix the cream cheese, butter and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until just combined. Add the sugar and mix until smooth.
Place 1 layer, flat-side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake. Decorate with diced pineapple.

I'm linking my Carrot Pineapple Cake to... Miz Helen's Counttry Cottage, say "hello," and browse through all the wonderful recipes... featured on Full Plate Thursday!

A special thanks to my lovely friend, Lizzy,

@That Skinny Chick Can Bake!!!  for this fantastic set of walnut oil, dark chocolate balsamic vinegar, and a nice sample of ginger sugar, from Artisano's, as a giveaway gift, which I won on Lizzy's fabulous blog that she was hosting about 10 days ago.

Do check her blog out and say "hello". She will certainly welcome you. The blog name is very "befitting"...she is a skinny chick, I think it must be the metabolism, because my daughter is also a "skinny" chick that bakes...LOL, must be on the father's side of the genes...certainly not my side!

 

One thing for sure, it's very rare when you get a personally written card from the hostess, and also from the owner, on the back of the Artisano card, from David.  Thank you Lizzy, and thank you David!

There are endless possibilities to use this unique and yummy Dark Chocolate Balsamic Vinegar. For starters, I will certainly marinate the beautiful fresh, and ripe strawberries we are having, here in season now, in S. Florida.

 

 

 

 

Do contact ARTISANO'S and see all the gourmet treats for yourself, to order online!

Fresh Strawberry Tart, and Birthdays to Celebrate!

I decided to feature this photo of my lovely fresh Strawberry Tart, before slicing it, just when it finally set... with my homemade Strawberry "thick" glaze, or coulis, or sauce, but it really is a glaze, ... not your ordinary clear glaze, because instead of a cream filling, or maybe even a curd type of filling, I chose the thick glaze, which is so easy to make. I willing to bet no one has heard of this kind of tart with a light "Nilla" Vanilla Tart Shell, instead of a Shortbread type, or a Graham Cracker type tart. I'm not really a an avid baker, but I do get enthusiastic about easy things to make that does not require a lot of work...and I don't even want to get involved in "yeast dough" unless I have to. I leave all that to my daughter. She is always making yeast all kinds of things with yeast...especially, since I gave her the brand new Bread Machine, even with the instruction from my thrift find, at Goodwill, for $9.99. Now, I'm trying to find one for myself, which is difficult, and think people are getting more interest in "dough" making...and why not? You can't beat fresh homemade bread, rolls, and pizza dough!

Enough said...had a busy week with my daughter's lovely in-law's from Italy staying here for their vacation, and loving every minute of it. They are so sweet, down to earth, and are so adventurous trying out new foods, and desserts, so this is one of the desserts that anyone who loves fresh strawberries would love. Light, not too sweet and the vanilla cookie crust is a treat, just by itself!
I've always loved fresh strawberry pie, when strawberry is in season, and just simple, with a nice crust, glaze, and served with fresh whipped cream, and of course, Strawberry Shortcakes...another yummy fresh strawberry dessert.

The way I started to make this, is not having enough time to make a fresh pie dough, and not wanting to buy frozen...I didn't have graham crackers or crumbs in my cupboard for the crust, but I just bought a huge box of Nilla Vanilla wafers from Costco's that I wanted to make a nice Banana Cream Pie with it, and ended up making this quick dessert instead. I realize the glaze takes up a pint of strawberries, just like the whole strawberry pieces, but at
$1.75 a pint, not too expensive for two.

Electrolux, and Kelly Ripa Confidential Tea Party Event

Electrolux, and Kelly Ripa are hosting a tea party, and I as a proud Featured Publisher would like to host my own tea party the the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund.
Electrolux will donate $1. to the Ovarian Research Fund when I host my tea party outfit. Foodbuzz in return, will donate $50. to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund for every tea party recipe created by a Featured Publisher.
Visit the website of Kelly, @ Kelly Confidential for more information, of how you can donate to Ovarian Cancer Research Fund.
For me, personally, it's an honor to participate in the memory of my own mother Ana-(aka) Anushka, who lost her battle with ovarian cancer, a long time ago.

Chocolate Chip Shortbread
adapted from Family Circle, Dec, 2008


Start out with the Basic Sugar Cookie Dough, 
and add 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips


! 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1stick) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a medium sized bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bow, beat butter, and sugar until smooth, about 2 minute. Beat in egg, and vanilla
On low speed, beat in flour mixture until just combined.  Fold in the chocolate chips.
Wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Unwrap plastic, and press into a 9 inch round, fluted nonstick tart pan, with a removable bottom.
Score into 16 pie-shaped wedges, (be sure not to cut all the way through.)

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 25-30 minutes. Let cool before serving.

For Glaze:

Melt 3 Tablespoons seedless raspberry (I used boysenberry) preserves and drizzle over top of tart.
Cut into wedges, along the scored lines, and serve.

Red Gold Spicy Tomato Sauce...and a Winner!

Today is the first official day of spring! Although, here in South Florida, we've been experiencing our spring since about January, and we'll be going into full blown summer, by May...go figure! This it the tropical climate that we are accustomed to. Such a wonderful weekend we had, how about that bright and beautiful full moon that only comes around every 18 to 20 years? (witnessed it and took photos)...Sunday was such a relaxing day, did not have barely anything in my fridge to cook for lunch, for my family in my little beach condo, but I always have canned tomatoes on hand, and pasta...the little ones love the mezze penne, and the spaghetti. I also found some Italian sausage in the freezer which I defrosted, so lunch did not take long. A little bit too spicy, but my little grandson eats everything, and did not mind the spicy sauce. Hope you all had a wonderful weekend and got to witness the gorgeous moon that was 14% larger, and 30% brighter than your average full moon...that's what I call "romance in the air...or is it "Love is in the Air?"...remember that song from the eighties?

Happy St. Patrick's Day... and a Giveaway!

How could you not want to celebrate St. Patricks' Day? It's such a happy occasion that we all can share...no matter what nationality, color, or religion you are, especially here, in the United States, in every state. It is one ethnic holiday, that everyone can agree on. So, let's honor the Irish, their celebration, and join in the fun.

For today, I made a special brunch, just for myself...I owe it to myself to eat healthy, and enjoy this beautiful day, and be grateful for the "little things" in life! I found these adorable cocktail, hand painted glasses for $.99 each, at my local Goodwill store, and I thought it would be cute to use it for the special day, with a light dessert, of vanilla pudding...no, not exactly home made, but not the instant kind...you actually have to cook this; I doctored it up a little, using about a 1/2 cup of heavy cream, to the 2 1/2 cup milk, and added 1 teaspoon vanilla extract at the end. I also melted down some semi-sweet chocolate chips, with about 1Tablespoon heavy cream, to drizzle on some of the most amazing fresh sliced kiwis, and layered some of the melted down chocolate, to layer on some of the others. So, I had a total of 3 glasses of this yummy dessert (the fourth glass broke: sadly, when I brought it home, and dropped the bag)

My family loved this ( I did not have any, just "test tasted"..he, he, really true) This dessert is not only light, but pretty, and really satisfies the "sweet tooth" and if you put it in a pretty glass dish, they will think you slaved away on this...Not!  So, get your best green shirt out, perhaps a "green glitter top hat"...join your local parade, go out, and have some fun!

May your day be touched

by a bit of Irish luck,

brightened by a Song

in your heart,

and warmed by the smiles

of the People you Love.

Wearing Green Around the World

Today, St. Patrick's Day is celebrated by people of all backgrounds in the United States, Canada and Australia. Although North America is home to the largest productions, St. Patrick's Day has been celebrated in other locations far from Ireland, including Japan, Singapore and Russia.
In modern-day Ireland, St. Patrick's Day has traditionally been a religious occasion. In fact, up until the 1970s, Irish laws mandated that pubs be closed on March 17. Beginning in 1995, however, the Irish government began a national campaign to use St. Patrick's Day as an opportunity to drive tourism and showcase Ireland to the rest of the world. Last year, close to one million people took part in Ireland 's St. Patrick's Festival in Dublin, a multi-day celebration featuring parades, concerts, outdoor theater productions and fireworks.

Cocoa Brownies with Browned Butter and Walnuts

I was so determined to make these brownies from my Bon Appetit magazine, but I just hesitated because I have never made brownies with browned butter. I do like browned butter on pasta, but have not tried it in a cake or brownie recipe. Browned butter does have a rich, and nutty flavor, so why not add it in the brownies. Also, one other important result, that the recipe did promise, is the fudgy  and chewy outside, with a shiny, crackly top. Just look how it turned out...yumm! It was not very popular with my little ones, (my grandchildren)...my grandson was trying to pick out the walnut pieces, but I had one cup of toasted walnut pieces in the batter. It did not call for toasting the walnuts, but I know that toasting nuts would release the oils from the nuts, and would make it more tasty, and crunchy.