Pumpkin Cheesecake

October 6, 2011 By Leave a Comment

This is fabulous and beautiful with the speckling of spice. It’s also not as overpowering as a standard pumpkin pie may be to some.

Picture at left is pre-baked in a water bath.

Graham Cracker Crust:
1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
5 Tbsp. melted butter
1 Tbsp. white sugar

Cream Cheese Filling:
3 8-oz. pkgs. Philadelphia Cream Cheese (NOT lite, NOT low fat)
1 cup white sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract (not imitation, please)
1 cup canned pumpkin (Libby’s is the best)
3 large eggs
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. allspice

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Place the cream cheese and eggs on your counter for at least 30 minutes while the oven is preheating.

Make the crust by combining all the crust ingredients into a medium bowl and stir well with a fork. Empty this into the springform pan and gently shake and tap the pan on the counter to distribute the crumbs. Gently press the crumbs into the bottom and just a tad up the sides of the pan as you turn the pan. Bake the crust for 5 minutes then set aside to cool. Wrap the springform pan in a double layer of heavy duty aluminum foil – you will be baking the cake in a water bath (no cracks) and this will prevent spillages.  Place the wrapped springform pan inside a large pan with high sides (such as a roasting pan).

Now make the filling – in a large mixing bowl combine the cream cheese, 1 cup sugar and the vanilla. Mix until smooth – about 2 minutes. Add the pumpkin, eggs, and spices and continue to mix for about 1 more minute.

Pour the batter into the pan. Slowly and gently fill the larger pan with hot water (6-8 cups, depending on the size of your large pan) until it comes about halfway up the sides of the spring form pan. Place the whole thing into the oven and bake for 60 minutes. DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN. After 60 minutes, turn off the oven and let the cake sit in the closed oven for 1 hour.

Remove springform pan from larger pan (don’t remove the foil) and place pan on a rack for about 3 hours to cool. Now remove the foil and place cheesecake (springform and all) on a plate, then place another plate on top of the springform pan as a cover and place in the fridge at least overnight so it can set. Remove sides before cutting.

Filed Under: Autumn & Winter, Desserts, Frontpage, Holidays & Special Occasions Tagged With: , ,

Smoked Grilling Sauce

September 9, 2011 By Leave a Comment

This is a tomato-based grilling sauce.

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil – (I use canola)
1 medium onion, diced
2 minced garlic cloves
1 cup canned tomato puree
3/4 cup cider vinegar
3/4 cup cold water
1/2 cup tomato paste
3 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
3 Tbsp. molasses
3 Tbsp. packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. regular yellow ballpark mustard
1 Tbsp. black pepper
1 Tbsp. liquid hickory smoke – (optional, but good)

In a medium sized saucepan that is non-reactive, warm the oil; add the onion and cook for 10 minutes, add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Mix in all the rest of the ingredients and turn the heat to low. Cook until it gets thicker, about 30 minutes.

Filed Under: Frontpage, Holidays & Special Occasions, Sauces Tagged With:

Sausage Stuffing Made Easy

August 31, 2011 By Leave a Comment

This stuffing recipe may become a weeknight ritual. It’s so much better than the pre-packaged stuff and it’s oh so delicious!

1 lb. ground sausage (buy the links and split if you can’t buy it loose)
1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil + 1/4 cup
Black pepper & Kosher salt to taste

2 loaves of bread – try to get something like focaccia, etc.
1 cup Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese
1 small-medium diced green pepper
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil – drained & chopped
1 small (4 oz.) can drained, chopped black olives
2 minced garlic cloves – or more to taste
4-5 large leaves torn basil
2 eggs
1-1/2 cups water
1/4 cup (4 Tbsp) butter cut into little cubes/chunks

Preheat your oven to 350 and get out a large rimmed cookie sheet (jelly roll pan) then grease the pan and set it aside.

Place the 1 tsp. oil into a skillet and when it’s hot crumble and cook the sausage until it’s no longer pink – this takes about 15 minutes – then set aside. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper then transfer to the baking sheet. Bake it for 10 minutes then place the pan on a wire rack to cool a bit.

Meanwhile, cut the flavored bread you bought into cubes, then place in a really large bowl. Add the sausage, cheese, green pepper, tomatoes, olives, basil and garlic. Break the eggs into a bowl or large Pyrex-type measuring cup, add water and whisk; pour this over the bread mixture and mix/toss it to coat.

Now butter a 13 x 9 baking dish and scrape the contents of the bowl into it. Dot with the butter and bake uncovered for about 30 minutes.

Filed Under: Frontpage, Holidays & Special Occasions, Pork

Shoo-Fly Pie

July 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment

What a pie! This recipe will definitely wow your dessert crowd.  When my husband tasted it he was speechless. Yes, it is that good.

1 unbaked pie shell
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 heaping Tbsp. Crisco
1 cup cane syrup (such as King or Lyle’s Golden)**see below
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 cup boiling water
1 large or extra large egg, beaten

Sifted confectioners’ sugar for the topping

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

Place the flour, brown sugar and Crisco into a medium sized bowl and with your hands, crumble the mixture so it looks like crumbs, then divide it in half, setting one-half aside into a separate bowl.  Pour the syrup into the crumbs in one of the bowls, then mix the baking soda into the boiling water, pour into the syrup mixture bowl and add the beaten egg. Whisk briskly but briefly with whisk or a fork.

Pour into the unbaked pie shell, then sprinkle the reserved crumbs on top. Place the pie plate onto a baking sheet (for spillage) and place in the oven for 10 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 40 minutes, or until crust is golden brown. Let cool completely, then serve each piece dusted with confectioners’ sugar. Wow!!

**Substitutes: combine two parts light corn syrup plus one part molasses OR equal parts honey and corn syrup OR maple syrup (thinner, not as sweet.) OR dark corn syrup (thinner, not as sweet).

Filed Under: Autumn & Winter, Frontpage, Holidays & Special Occasions, Pies Tagged With: , , ,

Fudge by Mrs. Claus

June 21, 2011 By 1 Comment

If Santa’s wife made homemade fudge, I imagine hers would be like this.

4 cups sugar
13 oz. can evaporated milk -(if need be, you can substitute half-n-half)
1 cup unsalted butter (NO substitutions!)
12 oz. package semisweet chocolate chips
7 oz. OR 9 oz. jar marshmallow fluff
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract (NOT imitation)

Grease or butter a 13 x 9 x 2 baking pan (or those aluminum foil pans from your grocer).

In a heavy duty saucepan that holds at least three quarts, mix well and heat the sugar, evaporated milk and butter until it reaches the soft-ball stage (236 degrees) on a candy thermometer, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and stir in the chips, marshmallow fluff, nuts if using, and vanilla; stir until blended. Pour into the greased pan and cool. Cut into whatever sized chunks you wish!

Please note:  You can sprinkle the chopped nuts on top instead of mixing in.

Filed Under: Frontpage, Holidays & Special Occasions Tagged With: , , ,

The Absolute BEST Pot Roast with Gravy

June 18, 2011 By Leave a Comment

This is no exaggeration. Once you try this you’ll be hooked. Make for company or holidays or just a leisurely weekend meal. If you’re lucky you may even have leftovers.

5 lb. beef bottom round roast
4 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. olive oil
4 minced garlic cloves
4 bay leaves
1 large onion peeled & sliced thinly
1 packet or 1 cube beef bouillon
1/2 cup boiling water
1 can cream of mushroom soup
4 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water
1 can (14 oz.) chicken or beef stock

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees. Take out a pan large enough to hold roast (or slice it in 2 halves) that is also oven proof. Place the oil in the pan, heat up and while it is heating rub 2 Tbps. vinegar, salt, garlic powder, and pepper all over the roast. Place in the pan, brown on medium high heat for 4 minutes on each side.

In a medium bowl, dissolve the bouillon in the hot water, add the cream of mushroom soup, the other 2 Tbsp. vinegar and combine well. When beef has browned, turn fat side up and place the onions, bay leaves and minced garlic on and around roast. Slowly pour the soup mixture over and around roast then place in the oven, covered, for about 5-6 hours.

Once done, remove from pan and set aside, place pot on stove top and turn heat to medium-low. Whisk the cornstarch and cold water together and stirring, blend into the gravy, keep stirring while you add the can of stock and keep stirring until blended well. Cover and simmer this gravy for 20-30 minutes.

Filed Under: Beef, Frontpage, Holidays & Special Occasions Tagged With: , , ,

Happy Thanksgiving!

November 25, 2010 By Leave a Comment

May your stuffing be tasty,
May your turkey be  plump,
May your potatoes and gravy,
Have nary a lump.
May your yams be delicious,
And your pies take the prize,
May your Thanksgiving dinner,
Stay off of your thighs!

Filed Under: Autumn & Winter, Frontpage, Holidays & Special Occasions, Something Different

My Thanksgiving Meal – 2010

November 22, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Here is our 2010 Thanksgiving Meal.  We don’t watch sports on this day, instead we hang, chat, nibble, watch the Macy’s Parade, and I begin to play holiday music.  Have a fantastic Thanksgiving, and blessed be!

Divorce Court Turkey 

Gravy

Mashed potatoes

All American Bread Stuffing

Corn and broccoli

Spanish Rice & Beans

Cranberry Sauce - (or use the canned)

Creamy Carrot Puree

Desserts
Chocolate Cream Pie

Apple Pie

Filed Under: Frontpage, Holidays & Special Occasions Tagged With: , , , , ,

Homemade Apple Sauce

February 24, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Apple sauce can be made at anytime of the year because apples are always available. But I wait until the temperature drops into the 50′s or very low 60′s; to me that’s the perfect time and around here that happens in early October. Give it a try. Ask the kids to join in.

16 large apples – a mixture is great
1 cup apple cider
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. Kosher salt
1/8 tsp. (or a pinch) Ground black pepper

Peel, core, and cut the apples into chunks. Put them in a large dutch oven or saucepan that you have a lid for. Add the cider, cinnamon, cloves, salt & pepper.

Cover the pot and cook over medium-low heat for about 20 minutes. Remove the cover and stir well. Continue to cook this uncovered, but stirring occasionally, until the apples have become a thickened sauce – this takes about another 30 – 45 minutes. Serve hot or cold, as is, or if you’d prefer it smoother then by all means push through a sieve.

Filed Under: Autumn & Winter, Holidays & Special Occasions Tagged With: , , , ,

Party Sausages

February 6, 2010 By Leave a Comment

These should be called “The Disappearing Party Sausage” because that’s just what will happen once you bring these out!

2 lbs. fully cooked mini smoked sausages (Perhaps Hillshire Farms)
1 8oz. bottle French or Catalina dressing
1 8oz. bottle Russian or Thousand Island dressing
1/2 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
1/2 cup pineapple juice

In a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat, brown the sausages – this will take about 15 minutes; drain and set sausages aside in a bowl or something.

In same skillet, place all other ingredients and stir constantly until the sugar dissolves – this will take about 2 minutes. Add the sausages back to pan, cover, and keep heat on low (not simmer or boil) and cook for 1 hour.

Filed Under: Appetizers / Snacks, Frontpage, Holidays & Special Occasions Tagged With: , , ,
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