Just in time for Thanksgiving, the Perpetual Post plays host to a truly EPIC discussion of the ultimate battle between Pie and Cake. And we’ve got some strong opinions. Below is my pro-cake argument, but don’t miss the equally compelling arguments for pie, cheesecake, ice cream, and an amazing anti-cupcake rant you have to read to believe. Find it all here!

I bristle when someone says that I don’t appreciate pie just because I haven’t had a good pie.  It’s the same feeling I get when I’m being told by a sleazy co-worker to ‘relax’, because that’s why I’m not enjoying the unwanted backrub he’s giving me.   Don’t sneeze on my arm and tell me it’s raining.  I know what good pie is, and I know what good cake is, and I know that good cake is better than good pie any damn day.
Look, I’m not going to say that I dislike pie.  I enjoy pie!  Pie is adequately delicious.  I appreciate the fact that pie can be eaten when still warm from the oven, whereas cake generally needs to cool before it can be frosted and consumed.  A piping hot piece of pie with a scoop of ice cream on the side is delightful, and if you put it in front of me, I will eat it.  But if you put a piece of pie and a piece of cake in front of me, I will put the plate of cake on top of the plate of pie to get it ergonomically closer to my mouth while I eat it, and then wander off in search of more cake.  Why?  Because cake is a treat.  You never know when you’re going to have cake, and you never know when your next cake might be around the corner!  Cake is a celebration food, while pie is a signal that the meal is almost over, because hey, suddenly you’re eating pie, and don’t you wish it were cake?
I will reluctantly acknowledge that there is perhaps an unfair stigma attached to sub-par cake, as I think it is encountered much more often than lousy pie.  This is because too many of us have been subjected to tasteless, uninspired store-bought cakes at gatherings.  Office birthday parties, bake sales, baby showers—there are far too many types of events where people no longer take the time to bake a true Cake, and instead pick one up at the Food Lion on their way.    With their garish colors, overly-sweet icing and chemical taste, these cakes are not worthy of the name; they should be called something else.  Kakes, perhaps, or Fakes.   Because store-bought pies are even more terrible than store-bought cakes, the pies you encounter are more likely to be to be homemade—or at least, bakery-made, which means that their quality of ingredients will be higher, and you can taste the love baked into their sufficient crusts.
But oh, should you be lucky enough to stumble across a real, home-baked cake that has been made from scratch, mark my words, you will join me on team cake.

In light of my great respect for the fine art of Kaiseki, Yuki’s mom decided that she wanted to take me out for another style. That woman loves me! Frankly, I can’t blame her. At any rate, a friend of hers had recommended Ushiyama in the Meguro neighborhood of Tokyo, so we gave it a shot last night. And what a shot it was! Slam dunk!

It started off with a plate of carrots, shiitake, and mibuna with grated apple. Who would have thought of putting grated apple on mushrooms? Ushiyama, that’s who. I’m damn he did, it was amazing!

After that came a dish of four. I ate them clockwise from bottom left. Ama ebi (sweet shrimp), raw sardines with thinly sliced onion that’s been soaked in cold water to remove the sharpness, warm salted ginko nuts skewered on pine needles on top of seitan (wheat gluten) cakes on top of grilled sweet potato that was shaped like a ginko leaf, and uni in a lily blossom. No, I did not eat the maple leaf in the center of the plate nor the pine needles.

Next was the soup course. I heavily bonito flaked dashi broth that was nice and smokey with a rinkon (lotus root) and mochi dumpling and a bok choy leaf with some yuzu zest. It ranks right up there with the best soups I’ve ever eaten, next to the one I ate a few years ago at Iron Chef Michiba’s restaurant.

After the soup course was the sashimi course. It consisted of suzuki (sea bass), melt-in-your-mouth tuna, and ika (squid). It must be ika season because the ika I’ve eaten on this trip is by far the softest and sweetest I’ve ever had.

Then they served us home-made soba noodles in a light soy-dashi with some thinly sliced negi (green onions) on top. I’m telling you, there is absolutely nothing like top quality freshly made soba noodles. I don’t know if I can go back to store-bought dried soba when I get home. I mean, of course I can, but it just won’t be the same. So chewy and clean tasting.

Next up was the grilled course. Sawara (a cousin of the spanish mackerel) grilled with yuzu-miso and served with yuzu-miso konnyaku and daikon that was cut into a flower with a small slice of red pepper. I’ve never had yuzu-miso before, I’m a huge fan!

After that was the simmered course which was kinmedai (splendid alfonsino) in a ginger sauce. It was served with spinach and daikon radish with chawanmushi in the middle.

For the fried course we got a dish with some tempura. Shishito pepper and ebi imo (a kind of yam) served in a light dashi with momiji oroshi and chopped chives.

Then came the rice and miso course. The rice was a glutinous rice with chirimenjako (baby sardines simmered in saltwater, dried in the sun, and covered in a sweet soy marinade), sliced shiso, and served on top of a cherry leaf. The miso had mizuna greens in it. There was also some lightly pickled cucumber and daikon on the side (yes Nick, I even ate the pickles!).

Finally, for dessert we got sweet potato mousse. It was so soft and lightly sweet, it was really more like a light sweet potato cheesecake. Served with a sweet potato chip on top.

This Kaiseki was Kyoto-style which is considered to be the most sophisticated and delicate of all styles. Hard to argue as the food was simply magnificent! Thanks so much for bringing me here Tamiko!!!

Howdy folks. I know everyone is already in the holiday mode- cooking, eating, and spending time with family. I am putting together a capital R’eally’ easy cheesecake to bring to my grandma’s house for tomorrow’s Thanksgiving celebration. You probably have most of the ingredients in your house and will spend less than $10 on the ingredients picked up at the market. Bring this cake to your Thanksgiving and bring happiness to your family (plus it’s so simple you won’t feel an ounce of stress).

Here is what you’ll need:
1 lb cream cheese (I used Philadelphia)
1 lb ricotta cheese (I used Polly-O)
1 lb sour cream (I used Breakstone)
1.25 cups sugar
1 tbsp vanilla
4 tbsp corn starch
5 eggs

This is all I picked up at the store to make my creation:

Let the cheese soften (for about an hour out of the fridge) and dump it all into a bowl (also add the corn starch and sugar):

fluffster

Then mix up the 5 eggs and vanilla in a separate bowl:

Beat it up:

it's growing

Throw it into a springform pan:

And remember to get all the batter in:

Lastly, have a taste of the batter for quality control:

mmm, mmm, good

Trust me, this will be the easiest cake you will ever make and it will please your guests to no end. Enjoy!

Dear Ellen,

I just took my pumpkin cheesecake out of the oven.  It’s my contribution to Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow night.  If you’re a baker, as I am, then you know that cheesecake has the potential to wreak havoc.  Is it done?  How do you prevent those damn cracks?  I hope it doesn’t turn out to be a heavy brick of sugary cream cheese.  Despite all these unknowns, I happen to think it’s worth the risk.  Because when it’s good, it’s really good.

If sushi is my roadblock to vegetarianism, then cheesecake is the hurdle over which I’d have to jump to reach vegan-hood.  I just can’t jump that high.  Don’t get me wrong, Ellen; I enthusiastically applaud your vegan lifestyle. However, for your sake and that of your vegan comrades, I hope there is a mouth-watering dairy and egg-free way to construct a cheesecake…Actually, I second that notion for pretty much every other non-vegan dessert.

If it isn’t already obvious, I am a sweet person.  As opposed to salty.  But I’m sweet, too…as in pleasant.  Set a warm, right-out-of-the-oven chocolate chip cookie and a plate of hot, crispy-around-the-edge french fries in front of me and I’ll reach for the cookie every time.  Many years ago, I learned that I could make a lot of friends by supplying homemade treats to classmates, coworkers, neighbors…thereby earning a reputation as “the baker”.  Everybody loves an unexpected baked good.  Occasionally, this would backfire; my new friends’ expectations would exceed the time and energy that I had to devote to my kitchen craft and disappointment would ensue.  It’s never enough…

Allow me to toot my own horn for a moment: I’ve got some skill.  In fact, when I’ve delivered my fill of babies, I’ll retire and open a bakery called A Bun in the Oven, and cater to all those cake-craving preggos.  And I’ll be sure to have vegan options, so you and Portia can stop in

Sincerely,

Katie

Today’s reason #49: I’ll learn how to make the best ever vegan cheesecake just to bring to you on my 30th birthday.

One can understand the steady price inflation at El Vergel over the years because its food is so darn good.  Portion sizes might not satisfy everyone, but the flavors should.  Case in point: the El Vergel cheesecake.

Don’t ask me what’s so Latin American about this cheesecake, but I’m not complaining.  It boasts a smoother and creamier texture than some New York or Chicago cheesecakes, and there definitely is no air or puffiness to it.  It’s really rich, but miraculously at the same time it’s not too rich, and like gourmet Marcolini chocolates, the sweetness doesn’t overpower the senses or leave your mouth dry.  The crust also balances out the creaminess perfectly, with a strong biscuit-cookie taste and crumbly texture and just the tiniest, tiniest hint of saltiness.  This cheesecake in a word: fantastic.

The only complaint is that the individual slices are getting smaller at the restaurant!  Just buy a whole pie to avoid the trouble and cut yourself your own huge piece.

El Vergel
Rue du Trône 39, Ixelles

Cheesecake:  A
Languages: English, French, Spanish

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, my family has a tradition where we all take turns around the table and say what we’re thankful for. Since we’d rather eat our feelings than communicate them, there is usually a lot of pre-boozing involved before the big reveal. So, without further ado, I present the 10 things I’m most thankful for this Thanksgiving: 

1. Spanx: Thanks to your advanced fiber technology, I’ll be able to relinquish five pounds otherwise gained from turkey, potatoes, more potatoes, booze, cheesecake, and repeat. Granted, my organs will feel like 30 people stuffed in a Volkswagen bug but beauty is painful.
2. The tool trying to talk on his BlackBerry in the 40^th story elevator: Because douche-bags make the world go round. See Spencer Pratt, Heidi Montag (females can be tools, too), Kanye West, Kim from Real Housewives of Atlanta, etc.
3. Air vents in bathrooms: The cure all to stage fright.
4. The person that invented the Snuggie: If only, they came with feet. Cue dude dancing on couch in latest Snuggie commercial. Because everyone should do the “wave” at the soccer game wearing a Snuggie.
5. Jorts: Hey, where did you get those jeans? But wait, they’re cut off at the knee? Wow, I love it how they cuff right at the thigh to show off that extra bulge of fat on your leg. Your butt looks really flattering in them. I like it how it looks bigger. What do you call those? Jorts?  A total revelation in fashion! What will they think of next? Pairs well with mullets.
6. Gabby, my Garmin: I’m forever lost without you. I love when I go in the wrong direction, you get pissed, and “recalculate.” I also love that I can change your voice to Archibald the British lad, Tony the Italian, Bubba the redneck, and Helga the Dutch princess.
7. D-Money: Who could resist that face? Despite the hundreds of dollars you’ve cost me in the past year, you’re one heckuva pooch.
8. My family: Because like the Chang and Eng siamese twins, you’re stuck with me.
9. The ‘puter Hub: For making my lunch and dropping me off at work every day. Yes, I just turned 12.
10. Cheese: You light up my life. You put the ying in my yang. You are my cup runneth over. You had me at hello. You make me want to be a better WOman. You lift me up where I belong. You are so beautiful. I love that you get cold when it is 71 degrees out. I love that it takes you an hour and a half to order a sandwich. I love that you get a little crinkle in your nose when you’re looking at me like I’m nuts. I love that after I spend day with you, I can still smell your perfume on my clothes. And I love that you are the last person I want to talk to before I go to sleep at night. And it’s not because I’m lonely, and it’s not because it’s [Thanksgiving]. I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible. And, most of all you make for a really fabulous cake. Pairs well with Thanksgiving.

Bourbon Pumpkin Cheesecake with a Ginger Snap Crust

I combined several pumpkin cheesecake recipes and techniques that I found on FoodNetwork.com–Paula Deen and Down Home with the Neelys–as well as Recipes.com. Oh Paula, ham is such a flattering color on you! Ham is so hot right now.

Crust

• 2 cups of ginger snap crumbs
• 2 tablespoons of brown sugar
• 1 stick of melted unsalted butter

 Filling

• 3 8-ounce packages of cream cheese
• 1 15-ounce can of pumpkin
• 3 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
• ¼ cup of sour cream
• ½ cup of brown sugar
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon of nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons of bourbon (add a cup if you choose to indulge)
• 2 tablespoons of flour
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon of salt

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

 For crust:

In a medium bowl, combine crumbs and brown sugar. Add butter and stir. Press down flat into a 9-inch springform pan.

ginger snap crust with brown sugar

 For filling:

Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add pumpkin and eggs. Beat. Add sour cream and the next seven ingredients. Beat until smooth. Pour into the crust. Bake for an hour on 350 degrees. Let it cool for 15 minutes. Refrigerate.

Note: Ok, advice is definitely appreciated here. I covered the bottom of the springform pan with tin foil in hopes to cook the cheesecake in a steam bath. Of course, I didn’t have a big enough pan, so I just placed the cake in the oven. The butter from the crust dripped down the whole hour and created a lovely burning smell through out the house. Ideas for quick fixes, anyone? Bueller, Bueller?

Note #2: Baking the cake in a steam bath helps deter cracks from forming at the top of the cake.

my cake cracked and so did my dignity

I love cheesecake, but then again, who doesn’t? I was stumbling through the internet a few weeks ago and found a recipe for cheesecake cookies. The pictures made them look so apitizing, I had to make them! Luckily, Thanksgiving is this Thursday and I wanted to bring something (because I never really had, no idea why) and I decided on these cookies. They just came out of the oven, and my sister stole some for her boyfriend and herself (she wouldn’t listen to me when I said she’d burn herself, sigh). The recipe calls for lemon peel, so I suggest getting extra lemons to make lemonade with afterwards, it’s the best thing to do.

Cheesecake Cookies
3/4 cup butter, softened
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
4 teaspoons lemon peel, shredded
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup finely chopped pecans
1/3 cup crushed graham crackers

1. In a medium-size mixing bowl, beat butter and cream cheese. Add sugar, lemon peel, lemon juice, and vanilla; beat again.
2. Mix in flour with a spoon. Refrigerate cookie dough for 30 minutes to make it easier to work with.
3. Prepare pecans and graham crackers. I like to crush stuff with my pretty hammer inside a plastic baggie.
4. Spread half of the pecan/graham cracker mixture on a piece of wax paper. Layout half the chilled dough on top of it.
5. Shape and roll cookie log, coating in crushed nut-crumb mixture.
6. Repeat with second half of dough. Transfer rolled, coated logs to fresh sheets of waxed paper and wrap.
7. Chill for about two hours in the fridge, or about 30 minutes in the freezer then slice into lovely little cheesecake rounds.
8. Place cookies on lightly greased cookie sheets. Bake at 375-degrees for 8-10 minutes. You only want to barely brown the bottoms. Don’t overbake.
   http://suzannemcminn.com/blog/2009/08/19/cheesecake-cookies/

I need/want/must have cheesecake~

I busied myself and made appointments and registrations and reservations and then I went back to sticking my head in the sand.

I had a sense of satisfaction that I could take a breather from the madness of being put on hold and transfered here and there….anyhoo all that changed with the shrill of the telephone…change in plans…the date for surgery has been moved up, so now I’m back to rescheduling all my other appointments, notifying my insurance company….blah, blad, blah…so now I have a headache and I still haven’t slept…nor have I had a chance to resume my reading of “The Lost Son”….but that’s about to change….I’ve left messages and will go curl up on the couch and read a bit.

Cheesecake sounds good.

Ingredients

Crumb Crust

1 1/2 cup (5 oz) finely ground graham crackers or gingersnaps
5 TBSP butter, melted
1/3 cup sugar
1/8 tsp salt

Stir together ingredients and press into bottom of buttered springboard pan. Fill right away or chill up to 24 hours.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

2 cup pumpkin
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp coriander
24 oz cream cheese, softened at room tempertaure
2 cup sugar
4 TBSP orange juice
4 TBSP rum or cognac
4 eggs, large
1 TBSP flour to set

Preparation

Bake at 400 in springboard pan, wrapped in foil and set in a roasting pan filled with water, for about 35-45 minutes or until set.

Garnish with toasted pecans or walnuts and/or whipped cream (all optional).

Photo from Fine China Girl

 As a lover of  the sweet ant ooey gooey. I’ve always wondered what  makes a cheesecake New York style. I’d always thought New York-style meant that the cheesecake had no topping on it or inside.  Today I asked 2 New Yorkers who each told me that New York style cheesecakes are always baked and not prepared cold. 

 Upon further investigation, I learned that cheesecakes weren’t (and aren’t) always prepared with cream cheese. Cheesecakes humble origins began from cottage cheese. Today people make them with everything from ricotta (Italian-style), neufchatel, and even goat cheese.

 Random fact of the day.

"Cheesecake Picnic Party" - David Russell Talbott

The time of year when you can actually use the excuse “It’s the holidays” in a court of law to cover your (ever-growing) ass as you gorge for 4 straight weeks is upon us once again.  And that means it was time for Mike to make dessert for the family meals.  Hell, if we’re going to eat way too much over the course of 8 hours, I may as well contribute something sweet.

Last year I spent weeks coming up with a Sweet Potato Pumpkin Pie recipe.  I was obsessed and couldn’t be stopped.  My coworkers were overjoyed because I brought in a half dozen pies as I used them for my guinea pigs.  This year, I wanted to make a cheesecake version of the pumpkin pie classic, and luckily I already had my recipe from 2008 to work with.  Using a basic cheesecake recipe from AllRecipes I performed some recipe mad science to come up with the final recipe below.

The original crust calls for Pecans, but I’ve always been a Walnut person myself.  I think in this situation it worked out for the better.  Of course, if you’re worried about nut allergies you can also just replace the 1/2 cup of nuts with more gingersnaps or even a 1/2 cup of Nilla Wafers.

And I can only hope you’re better at marbling, because mine appeared more like a storm system over the sands of Tatooine than it did a “marble” effect.  Tasted just as good though!

Gingersnap Crust

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups crushed gingersnap cookies
• 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
• 1/3 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  In a bowl, mix together the crushed gingersnap cookies, walnuts, and butter. Press into the bottom, and about 1 inch up the sides of a 9 inch springform pan. Bake crust 5-6 minutes in the preheated oven. Set aside to cool.

Sweet Potato Pumpkin Cheesecake

Ingredients

• 2 8-oz packages cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 heaping cup canned pumpkin
• 1/2 heaping cup mashed sweet potatoes
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese, the 1/2 cup white sugar, and vanilla until just smooth.  Mix in eggs one at a time, blending well after each.  Set aside 1 cup of the mixture.  Blend 1/4 cup brown sugar, pumpkin, sweet potato, cinnamon, allspice, ginger and nutmeg into the remaining mixture.  Pour the pumpkin flavored batter into the crust, and drop the plain batter by teaspoonfuls onto the top.  Swirl with a knife to create a “marbled” effect.  Bake 55 minutes in the preheated oven, or until filling is set.  Run a knife around the edge of the pan.  Allow to cool before removing pan rim. Chill for at least 4-6 hours before serving.  It can also be stored in the freezer if not using the same day.

I am currently settled into our big leather chair. It’s Sunday night and I have a large glass of Dr. Pepper next to me and The Next Iron Chef finale on the television. My feet are cozy in slippers and I’ve got a pillow and a laptop on my lap. I am happy. I am relaxed. I am accomplished.

This weekend was one of my rare weekends when I look back and wonder, “Who the heck is this chick? Is she on drugs?” I didn’t stop moving. I have the pains in my back and stains on my tile floor to prove it. For real.

After work on Friday I headed home to hang out with Rookie and Molly for an hour or so before going to a dinner. Molly was staying with us for the weekend while my parents were out of town. It’s always fun to have Molly around. I specifically enjoy watching her and Rookie chase each other around the house while barking. There’s really nothing more entertaining than a 6 pound fluff ball and 45 pound wolf dog play. Try it sometime. And when said wolf dog needs to go outside to potty, this is what said fluff does:

Saturday morning I slept. And slept. It was glorious. When I finally dragged myself out of bed, I took inventory on my kitchen and made my grocery list. Incase anyone ever thinks it’s a good idea to go to the grocery store around noon on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, I beg you to rethink. Unless you’re the type that gets a high from maneuvering around hoards of grocery carts and fighting for the dwindling supply of canned pumpkin. I am not. I get a high from stocking my freezer or from finding something on sale. Although I did buy two cans of pumpkin even though I already had two in my pantry and only needed 1 for my recipe. You want pumpkin? You need pumpkin? I suppose I need more pumpkin. You know, just incase.

I came home and unloaded the car. I put the ingredients for chicken chili in the Crock and asked God to make this the best soup in the world so my husband would decide that soup doesn’t suck. Without looking back or thinking about what was in my near future, I started making the dough for Pioneer Woman’s Cinnamon Rolls. I’ve been wanting to taste these for a long time now and I don’t think I know many people bold enough to take these on… and then share them with me. To be honest with you, I didn’t completely read the recipe before I started it. I didn’t really want to know what I was getting into.  So I started the dough. I put it in the laundry room to rise for an hour and decided to make some mini-meatloafs (meatloaves?) to restock my freezer. An hour later I checked on my dough. I told Stephen that if it didn’t rise I would cry. I didn’t rise much. I didn’t cry. I recovered it and turned on the dryer to heat up the room.

Once the dough was “good enough” I started rolling them out. According to PW’s cookbook, you should roll the dough into a 30 x 10 inch rectangles in two batches. Thirty by ten. Thirty inches by ten inches. Imagine your kitchen. Do you have a space that can accomodate a 30 x 10 inch rectangle of dough, plus some space around it for oozing mess, work space, and butter, sugar and cinnamon? That’s a lot of space. Thankfully I had the space but I was cutting it close.

So lets just say that these were a lot of work. Not difficult, just time-consuming. I learned after the first half of dough that there is such thing as a Wrong Way to Roll Cinnamon Rolls. I did better on my second go. By the end of the rolling, cutting, icing whisking, packing, etc. I was exhausted. I nursed my wounds by eating 3 delicious cinnamon rolls and a bowl of mediocre chicken chili.

But I pressed on. I made some King Ranch Chicken with some turkey I had in the freezer from many moons ago when I made my first turkey. So King Ranch Turkey, really. I have no idea if it’ll be good, it’s in 4 9×9 pans in my freezer now. This is what I ended up with.

Ignore my dated kitchen. Dated kitchens work the same as fancy new ones. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

I should have taken a photo of the counter after I rolled the cinnamon rolls. It was bad.  Bad in an ooey gooey cinnamony delicious way. But it’s all okay because I ended up with 8 trays of Heaven.

Then I went to sleep. And slept like a freaking bear in hibernation. Sunday after church we went to a surprise party for my uncle. We got home around 4:30 and I got back in the kitchen. Why? Because I’m a crazy lady. I threw some stuff in the Crock to make tortilla soup and accidentally turned it to warm instead of high. Warm doesn’t cook chicken. In case you were wondering.

Then I whipped this baby up.

That’s a chocolate pumpkin cheesecake, thank you very much. And since my Crock Pot was on warm instead of high for an hour, we were without dinner. So I hopped back up and fried up some bacon, chopped some potatoes and made some hashbrowns, and scrambles some eggs. And that Lord said, “it was good.”

And now I’m relaxing. I’m about 14 seconds away from going to bed where I will pass out and sleep like a baby. Or like a shih-tzu.

(Ten on Tuesday questions have been posted on in the archives – click the button in the right sidebar. Tomorrow marks the first day that YOU come up with questions.)

Ohmigosh, I feel so accomplished, or something, after successfully cooking a whole Thanksgiving dinner for 6 adults and 2 kids yesterday.  I made a turkey (of course, and it was my first ever,) stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, green bean casserole, and cranberry glop for dinner, and for dessert I served an apple pie and pumpkin cheesecake (recipe below.)  I got this recipe from a woman I worked with a few years ago, swapping my families mondel brodt recipe for it, and I’ve been making it since (though with a couple changes worked in over time.)

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Ingredients (crust):

• 4.5 dl/ 2.25 cups Nilla Wafer or Graham Cracker crumbs
• 1 dl /0.5 cup chopped pecans
• 1dl/ 0.5 cup melded butter or margerine

Cook:

1. Preheat oven to 170′C /350′F
2. Mix crumbs, pecans, and butter together and press onto the bottom and up part of the sides of a spring-release pan.  It won’t go all the way up, and it won’t be perfectly smooth- no worries.
3. Bake 10 minutes before adding filling.

Ingredients (filling):

• 3 (200g/8oz) containers of cream cheese, softened
• 2dl/1 cup white sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3 eggs
• 2 dl/1 cup canned pumpkin (I actually altered this recipe here and used a small, softened, peeled, pureed, and strained fresh butternut squash.  But not everyone wants to go through all that effort.)
• Cinnamon, nutmeg, and/or clove to taste

Cook:

1. In a large bowl, mix cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla together until smooth.
2. Beat in eggs one at a time.
3. Remove about a third of the batter to another bowl and mix in pumpkin and spices.
4. Pour batters onto the crust alternatively and run through with a knife to marble.
5. Bake for about an hour.  The center will not fully set in this time.
6. Run a knife along the edge of the pan to loosen and refrigerate for at least 4 hours prior to serving.

-Ariel

Smart Gobbling for Thanksgiving

Think back for a second to those plucky Pilgrims. I find it hard to imagine that they were in those cold little wooden houses opening big bags of mini-marshmallows, so they could make a sweet potato casseroles covered in melted candy.

We’ve created Thanksgivings that have enough food choices for five holidays. I don’t want you to go into a food coma on this day and the great news is you can indulge and be quite satisfied while still eating healthy. Here are some of my favorite tips and recipes that will provide you with an abundance of delicious foods. Remember that the biggest treat is spending time with family and friends.

Tips for not feeling stuffed like the bird on Turkey Day:

• Make sure you eat a good breakfast and lunch and don’t go into this meal hungry. In fact, a recent study indicates that people who ate a 600-calorie breakfast lost five times more than people who took their same 1,200 calories and spread it throughout the day. If you don’t eat all day, then hit a big dinner and have a drink…. well, you’re doomed to overeat because starving plus a little buzz equals extra poundage.
• Cool it on the appetizers. Ask yourself: Why am I eating before I eat? If you’re having company, then offer shrimp or grilled scallops on a platter. I love a cold or grilled veggie platter with salsa and balsamic vinaigrette instead of some creamy dip. That’s it for the appetizers if I’m making the meal. Now, let’s say you’re at someone else’s house. If an appetizer is wrapped in dough (like a mushroom or crab puff) or deep fried, then just skip it. You can make these nuts (and bring them as a gift), which are a crowd pleaser: Soak mixed nuts overnight in sea salt and spring water. Drain and place on cookie sheet. Sprinkle with cinnamon and then coat with a bit of vanilla extract. Bake until crunchy at 250 degrees.
• Start the meal with a wonderful salad made out of butter lettuce, roasted walnuts, red onion, cranberries and apples. Toss in some pomegranate seeds. Use olive oil and vinegar as your dressing.
• Thanksgiving is usually about the big bird, which can be a very healthy protein. Just makes sure to remove the skin before eating your turkey. Of course white meat is a better choice, but a little bit of dark meat is okay because it’s richer in iron. Skip the white flour gravy because the turkey is delicious all by itself and gravy is usually a gloppy mess with zero nutritional value.
• Why not avoid the stuffing because you don’t want to stuff yourself with soggy bread coated in butter. I prefer a wonderful wild rice with chestnuts, apples, onions, mushrooms and red peppers in it. Use this as an opportunity to shift into new traditions.
• Try a new veggie dish such as stuffed squash. Take a medium butternut squash, cut in half and remove the seeds. Place the halves with the cut side facing up on a cookie sheet. Cover with foil and bake for 40 to 50 minutes at 375 degrees. Remove from oven and scoop out the squashy flesh. Mix it with equal parts cooked brown rice. Add half a cup of chopped onions browned in extra virgin olive oil, a teaspoon of parsley and a half-cup of chopped pecans or walnuts.
• Avoid that jellied cranberry glob that comes out of a can. Make a great cranberry dish from fresh cranberries and orange rind with a dash of cinnamon and pecans. If you need a little sweetener with it, add xylitol. Also see my Cranberry Pomegranate Sauce recipe below.
• Eat only ONE of the bad carbs, i.e. mac and cheese, potato salad, taters. Remember my three-bite rule on these and then you’re done. Pick the ONE that’s your favorite, so you feel satisfied.
• Love sweet potatoes? Just serve plain baked ones with no marshmallows. Add a pinch of cinnamon to the potato. Delicious and nutritious!
• Another easy side dish is your favorite fall vegetables that are cut, placed on a baking pan, covered in a bit of extra virgin olive oil, chopped garlic cloves, various herbs of your choice such as Italian herbs and then toss on a dash of sea salt. Roast zucchini, portobello mushrooms, yellow squash, onions and other favorites. Try to find vegetables that are local to your region, so they will be fresh and tasty.
• Choose one dessert and have your three bites. Don’t choose the dessert you feel will be healthy because they’re all about the same unless you’re eating fruit. Just choose your heart’s desire and, again, feel good about yourself. I also love my pumpkin cheesecake recipe that is sure to be a crowd pleaser.

Thanksgiving Recipes

Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe

Serves 16

Crust:
3/4 cup crushed graham crackers
3/4 cup ground raw almonds
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp butter

In a food processor, grind almonds (still slightly chunky — not into a fine meal), add all the other ingredients and process together. Pat this mixture in the bottom of a 10″ springform pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Watch for burning! Allow to cool completely.

Filling:
2-8 oz Neufchatel cheese (low-fat cream cheese)
3-8 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup plus
2 tbsp xylitol
3 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

In a mixer, blend Neufchatel, cream cheese and xylitol until creamy, then add eggs one at a time (blending well after each addition). Add the canned pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice and blend thoroughly. It should be light and creamy. Add a bit of milk if it’s too thick. Spread over cooled crust and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Then lower the temperature to 300 degrees and bake for an additional 25-30 minutes. Cool, refrigerate overnight.

Quick Note: Pumpkin is an amazing high fiber starchy vegetable and one of my favorites. It’s also rich in beta-carotene.

Cranberry Pomegranate Sauce

Serves 10 (makes 2 ½ cups)

1 bag (12 oz) cranberries, thawed if frozen
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup organic cane sugar
1 tsp. grated orange peel
1/4 cup pomegranate molasses*
1 cup pomegranate seeds

In a medium saucepan, bring cranberries, sugars, grated orange peel and molasses to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Boil, stirring often, until most cranberries pop, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in pomegranate seeds.

*You can find pomegranate molasses at well-stocked supermarkets and Middle Eastern specialty stores.

Make ahead: You can make the sauce up to 3 days ahead and keep in refrigerator; bring to room temperature and mix in pomegranate seeds just before serving.

Quick Note: Cranberries and pomegranates are both excellent sources of antioxidants. Don’t overdo it on the sauce, however, because it’s essentially a preserve! Just a small portion will do.

© 2009 JJ Virgin & Associates, Inc. JJ Virgin, PHD, CNS is a celebrity wellness expert, author, public speaker and media personality.

Every October and November I’m moved to make baked goods out of pumpkin. But hey, cold weather makes me want to bake more in general (I made an apple pie this evening, and tomorrow even more pies will be made because Tuesday at work? Is a pie party. Yes, a party with just pies. I’m making a raspberry tart with chocolate ganache and a tomato and corn pie). But back to the pumpkin . . .

Ooey, gooey, cheesey, easy(ish), peasy.

This year I made some pumpkin butterscotch bars with oatmeal topping and my annual pumpkin roll. But after that I wanted something different. After some browsing I saw pumpkin cheesecake or pumpkin brownies, but where were the pumpkin cheesecake brownies? Apparently, in my head. So I played around and came up with this recipe.

If this Thanksgiving you’re wanting a alternative to the usual pies and cakes, pumpkin cheesecake brownies might be a nice alternative.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies

INGREDIENTS

For brownie batter:

• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 2 ounce chocolate baking squares, chopped
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided

For cheesecake batter:

• 1 (8 ounce) package of cream cheese
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 8 oz pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

1. Make brownie batter: Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Oil and flour a 9×13 inch baking pan, or, line with parchment paper and oil slightly. These brownies are pretty soft and gooey, so parchment might help in the removal/clean-up process.
2. Heat butter and chocolate in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, whisking occasionally, just until melted. Remove from heat and whisk in sugar, eggs, vanilla, and a pinch of salt until well combined. Whisk in flour until just combined, then add ½ cup of the semi-sweet chocolate chips and spread in baking pan. Reserve at least half a cup of batter.
3. Make cheesecake batter and bake brownies: Using an electric mixer, combine cheesecake batter ingredients in a bowl until smooth. Dollop over brownie batter, then dollop reserved batter and swirl in with a knife or spatula. Sprinkle with remaining ½ cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips.
4. Bake until edges are slightly puffed and center is just set, about 40-45 minutes.
5. Serve warm or at room temperature. However, refrigerating will make it easier to cut and remove the squares.

Spread out that cheesecake and dollop on some of the reserved batter before swirling it about.

And if I can say so myself, it turned out pretty well. I saved some for home and brought the rest to work, and by lunchtime I think they were all gone.

If you only make one thing for Thanksgiving dessert (or any dessert) this should be it!  My sister made this Cheesecake from my favorite book last month for Canadian Thanksgiving and it’s been all I could think about ever since! 

This is cinnamon bun cheesecake heaven on a plate!

The crust is made from cinnamon danish cookies and the centre of the cake is studded with cookies, cinnamon sugar and raisins.  If I had not of tasted this cheesecake baked with the raisins, I would have opted to leave them out but they really do add something special.  The original recipe also includes cinnamon chips and caramel sauce through out the cake which I left out but I did finish the top off with a bit of caramel sundae topping.  

Cinnabun Cheesecake recipe adapted from A Passion for Baking

For the Crust

• 1 1/2 cups finely crushed cinnamon cookies *I used DARE cinnamon danish cookies
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tbsp brown sugar

Filling

• 1 1/2 pounds cream cheese at room temperature (3 packages)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 4 large eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup coarse chopped cinnamon cookies
• 1 cup raisins *plump the raisins by soaking them in hot water and then drying them off with a tea towel.
• 1 tsp cinnamon mixed with 1/4 cup sugar.
• Caramel sundae topping

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment.  Spray an 8″ springform pan with non stick cooking spray (my pan may have 9 inches…I’m not 100% sure)

For the crust, mix the cookies, sugar and add melted butter and press into the bottom of the springform pan.

In the bowl of a mixer, blend the cream cheese, sugar and whipping cream until smooth.  Be sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl with a spatula often.  Mix 3-4 minutes until very smooth.  Stir in the eggs, flour and vanilla and continue to beat until smooth for another 3 minutes.  

Pour a third of the filling on top of the crust, followed by a handful of the chopped cookies and a half of the raisins.  Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.  Repeat with another layer of filling and cookies, raisins and cinnamon sugar.  Top with filling and a final topping of chopped cookies and cinnamon sugar (no raisins on the top)

Bake 45-55 minutes (I baked longer, at 55 minutes the middle of the cake was really jiggly, so I continued to check every 5 minutes and added a total of 15 minutes to the baking time.   I knew it was done when the middle jiggled just slightly when I moved the pan) 

DO NOT TAKE IT OUT OF THE OVEN!

Turn the oven off and crack the door open slightly and let the cake cool in the oven for 1 hour.  (This is not easy with a 1 yr old in the house but the smell will make guarding the oven door all worthwhile) 

Chill the cake in the fridge for at least 6 hours, or overnight before serving.

Fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi debuts on QVC Dec. 4, and Seventh Avenue is all abuzz.

Mizrahi, who has taken to wearing a silly scarf on his head, will be bringing premium apparel, accessories, housewares and cheesecake to West Chester, Pa. Yes, that’s right, cheesecake.

In a Q-and-A in the New York Daily News Sunday, Mizrahi says he “is doing a collaboration” with world famous Junior’s  cheesecake. The result is a cake “with a plaid fondant top,” he tells the News. 

We know what plaid is, but we have no idea from “fondant” is. Anyway, Mizrahi already gave Women’s Wear Daily the scoop on his QVC stuff. And WWD has a photo of the tartan plaid cheesecake.

Mizrahi also told the News that he had whipped up some chocolate tuille cookies for QVC, but they couldn’t be successfully shipped. The designer said that QVC is going back to the drawing baord to try to find the right recipe that will make the cookies pass the shipping test.

Apart from his upcoming appearances on QVC, Mizrahi is also a reality TV star, featured on Bravo’s “The Fashion Show.”

King Missile

That’s a quote from “Cheesecake Truck” by King Missile and one that ran through my head all night last night a I made a pumpkin cheesecake for Thanks giving. If you know the song, you might agree that John S. Hall sounds like he has a mouthful of cheesecake, thus perpetuating the wanting of and deliciousness of cheesecakes.

I, for one, have never been very fond of cheesecake, although I’ll eat a piece of chocolate cheesecake. If a dessert doesn’t have chocolate in it I don’t really see the point of eating any. But anyway, I had to make this pumpkin cheesecake for Thanksgiving, like I said and it wasn’t very eventful or anything. I just left the oven on for about 8 hours because the cream cheese wouldn’t soften and instead of turning it off and on again, I just left it going. I’ll have to sell 4,000 cheesecakes to pay for my energy bill this month.

Anyway, I have no idea if this IS a very delicious cheesecake, since, like I said I don’t really care about cheesecake, and also, I can’t eat it til Thanksgiving day, if I even eat it at all. So I can’t recommend this cheesecake one way or the other. All I can do is post pictures of the making of the cheesecake and the semi-final product…..on Thanksgiving day I’ll top it with chocolate   There’s no real point to this. I just didn’t know what else to write today.

The crust –Almonds, graham crackers, butter and brown shug

The wet ingredients

Cream cheese. No coincidence that it resembles a fat body.

Cinnamon, cloves, allspice, nutmeg and ginger–the stuff that makes it yummy.

Me waiting for the goddamn cream cheese to soften

The final product

I’LL LET YOU KNOW HOW IT TURNED OUT.

Today was the last day for the Western Wake Farmer’s Market. I purchased some beautiful produce today. I got baby carrots, cauliflower, and sweet potatoes from Redbud Farm. From Fickle Creek Farm I got a pork loin, eggs, and some kale. I also got some local honey from another farm. I’m going to miss my Saturday morning trips to the farmer’s market. They open back up early April.

Weekly Menu:

Saturday: 3 Sisters Stew

Sunday: Kelly’s Famous Pizza with Goat Cheese and Sausage

Monday: Eggs with roasted potatoes and kale

Tuesday: Leftovers

Wednesday: Slow Cooker Tuscan Pork with roasted cauliflower and broccoli

Thursday: Roasted Brined Turkey, mashed potatoes with Reisling Gravy, ginger honey carrots, roasted brussel’s sprouts, baked winter squash, Classic Cranberry Sauce, Pumpkin Cheesecake

Friday: Spicy Turkey Soup

From: Glitter to Gourmet – Junior League of Las Vegas, page 180

2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs

¼ cup (½ cup) butter, melted

16 ounces cream cheese, softened

½ cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 eggs

1 cup canned pumpkin

¼ cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

Mix the vanilla wafer crumbs and melted butter in a bowl. Press the mixture onto the bottom and up the side of a 9-0inch springform pan. Beat the cream cheese, ½ cup sugar and vanilla at medium speed in a bowl until blended. Beat in the eggs one at a time.

Reserve 1 cup of the cream cheese mixture and set aside. Add the pumpkin, ¼ cup sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg to the remaining cream cheese mixture and beat well. Pour half the pumpkin batter into the crust. Top with half the cream cheese batter. Repeat the layers. Cut through the batter several times with a knife for a swirled effect. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Yield: 10-12 servings

Nancy’s Notes: I used a graham cracker crust because that’s what I had in the house. Baked the crust 5 minutes before adding the pumpkin mixture. Pumpkin flavor was very slight. When I served it I ringed the cheesecake with pecan halves and drizzled caramel sauce on the top.

I love Real Simple magazine…and I’ve admitted this to you before… but I’m especially loving the folks at Real Simple this fall because their website is positively bursting with pumpkin recipes that I want to try. Take for instance this pumpkin cheesecake. For about 8 years I requested a cheesecake for my birthday instead of a real cake…and my birthday is in October, as you know. WHY didn’t I ever ask for a pumpkin cheesecake? Surely they existed then, too…. right? This recipe is simply delicious….and fairly easy to make, too!

Recipe: Pumpkin Cheesecake

Yay, it is the weekend again! Our famous pies are once again available in apple with crumb topping, sweet potato, and pumpkin! Stop in for a whole pie or just a slice for only $3.00. Thanksgiving is next week and if you plan on ordering goodies for yourself or your family check out our holiday menu for all your yummy yummy options.

holiday cut-out cookies!!!

Our cake by the slice this weekend will be pumpkin spice with “cream”cheese icing.
We will also have our tasty gluten free chocolate cupcakes with chocolate icing and our amazing gluten free agave sweetened raw cheesecake topped with strawberries.

Stop in tomorrow morning for fresh out of the oven sticky buns! The perfect way to start your saturday and we also have fair trade organic dark roast coffee available. Our coffee is served in 100% compostable packaging so you can feel good about the environment while you take your coffee to go.

xo sarah + pattycake