Mascarpone Berry Cheesecake

A couple of years ago we held a yard sale at Nana's house to share some of her excess with others
(isn't that a clever way to put it?)

We met some true characters...some were fantastic...others, well, let's just say it took 4 of us to keep these two little kids from destroying everything that was put out for sale.

Anyhoo...
Since it would be running from breakfast past lunch, the aunties and I split up the food duties.
I brought breakfast burritos, Auntie V brought some pulled pork, Auntie A brought all the chip type foods, and Auntie N made sure we had plenty of drinks.
I also made this Pillsbury cheesecake...as, well, no meal is complete without something sweet!

Ingredients:

Crust

1 ½ Cups graham cracker crumbs

6 Tbsp butter (melted)

Filling

2 Packages (8 oz each) cream cheese (softened)

1 ¼ Cups sugar

12 oz mascarpone cheese (softened)

3 Eggs

2 Tsp grated lemon peel

1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

Topping

2 10 oz bags frozen berries (drained)

⅓ Cup jam

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350

2. Spray bottom and side of a 9 inch springform pan

3. In small bowl, mix crust ingredients

4. Press crust in bottom of pan

5. Bake 7 minutes or until set

6. Reduce oven temperature to 300

7. In large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar

8. Beat in mascarpone cheese

9. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until blended

10. Beat in lemon peel and lemon juice

11. Pour filling over crust

12. Bake 70 minutes

13. Turn oven off, leave door open a minimum of 4 inches, and leave cheesecake for 30 minutes

14. Cool in refrigerator overnight

15. Spoon berries over top of cheesecake

16. Microwave jam 45 seconds or until melted. Drizzle over berries.

Print

No pictures of this cut as I did not take the pan off until we got to Nana's...and then I didn't think about it!! Not to mention the barbarians attacking this!

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Week in Review: Week 47: Nov 20, 2016 - Nov 26, 2016

Sunday Nov 20, 2016
Celery and Cream Cheese

Monday Nov 21, 2016
Left Overs

Tuesday Nov 22, 2016
Sloppy Joe's

Wednesday Nov 23, 2016
Egg Salad and Tomato Soup

Thursday Nov 24, 2016
Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Friday Nov 25, 2016
Pizza

Saturday Nov 26, 2016
Really late lunch, so, no dinner tonight!

Happy Thanksgiving 2016

Happy Happy Turkey Day to you all!

I hope everyone got to spend quality time with friends and family today, I sure did!

Today started off with a bang...woke up with the start of a migraine. Panic mode!
Fortunately, I was able to stave it off to be able to make what I needed to make what I needed to make and get through the day. Hubby and the girl child pulled all the prep work together for me in order to keep me back on my track.

As the years go by, and the kids get older (not to mention losing the ones we love) and have their own families to celebrate with, the group gets smaller.
This year, we were about 50% of our normal. Very quiet.
Though, my aunts and I have yet to master the art of COOKING for 50% less people.

Oh...my...word...the food.

We had everything one could ask for in front of us. The abundance was a slight bit shameful.

My contributions this year were:
Deviled Eggs
Mashed Potato
Dill Salad
Carrots
Sweet Potato
Corn Casserole
Pecan Pie
Key Lime Pie


I was bringing the mashed potato.
Could you imagine if my head prevented me from going today?
It's one thing if you tell the host that "oops, the carrots can't make it" but the mashed potato isn't making it? That's Thanksgiving sacrilege!

I could go on and on about cute things that happened, or funny moments...but I know you all had your own!

I am thankful for everyone around me.
Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

The Anti-Thanksgiving Post

At some point on Thursday or Friday...after everything a whole bunch of cleaning and digesting...I will discuss how fantabulous my Thanksgiving was.
How could it not be?
It will truly be epic. It always is!

But in the meantime...let me let you peek in a little bit on my private life.

My name is Jay and I am a picky eater.
Not just a little picky: massive, annoy all my family and friends kind of picky.
Amazingly, it just seems to get worse as I get older.
Yay me. (please note the deadpan obvious sarcasm)

An article popped up in my FB feed from thekitchn.com and it hit home oh-so-much.
5 reasons why (someone other than me!) hates pumpkin.
This article started my spark. I had to fill people in on why Thanksgiving is one of my least favorite food holidays.

My co-workers actually had me run down the list of Thanksgiving foods and my thoughts on all of them. They are also amazed at the amount of stuff I bring to my own Thanksgiving...but, this is the only way to ensure I actually will eat something, (my dishes will be in red)

Turkey: I do not like turkey. I do not eat meat on the bone, Strike 1 and 2 all wrapped up into one featherless friend. At Thanksgiving I will have 1 bite of skin. Done.
Stuffing: Do not eat
Gravy: I like gravy, but not all gravies.
Bread: If they are not burnt, I will eat this.
Carrots: Simply spiced
Stuffed Celery: YUM!
Pumpkin Bread: See link to article above
Deviled Eggs: I would eat them...if I could get to one before they are gone!
Mashed Potato: Forget the turkey, to me, this is the star of the day (but only if I make them)
Sweet Potato: Never tried one. I make them every year, but have never eaten any, My dad has been critically allergic forever, so, we just avoid them.
Relish Tray: No olives for me, I can live without pickles.
Corn Casserole: love love love
Green Bean Casserole: only like this if it is actually made with french cut green beans
Turnip: why, oh why, do people eat this?
Squash: I eat no squash of any kind
Creamed Onions: only if sliced, and not in a glue like gravy.
Dill Salad: mmmmmm
Apple Pie: not a huge fan, but I avoid it for the most part (as I do most desserts not made by me) due to my own artificial sweetner allergy. Easier not to eat it than hope people remember if they used real sugar or not.
Key Lime Pie: No citrus for me
Pecan Pie: The one time of the year I actually get a piece
Pumpkin Pie: see article above

Do you all feel enlightened now?
What is your most fave and/or least fave part of Thanksgiving?

Roasted Tomato Soup

It's the pre-thanksgiving countdown!

Popped into the grocery for a couple things to make to eat during the football games yesterday...yowza!
Which then reminded me, I have yet to do my Thanksgiving shopping.
Fortunately, hubby has offered to brave the crowd today or tomorrow during the day...hopefully the crowd will be a bit less.

Gah!

What are you making this Thanksgiving?

Ingredients:

1 Large can roasted tomato

4 ½ Tbsp Olive oil

1 Small onion (diced)

1 ½ Minced garlic

2 Tsp Sugar

1 ½ Tbsp thyme (chopped)

½ Cup Roasted red pepper (chopped)

¾ Cup Water

Salt and Pepper

Basil pesto

Directions:

1. Add 1 ½ Tbsp oil to a large saucepan

2. Saute onions until translucent and soft

3. Add garlic and thyme to pan

4. Add red peppers, water, sugar, and tomatoes (with juice) and warm through

5. Blend with blender, add salt and pepper to taste

6. Top with basil pesto

Print

Adapted from: What Were Cooking

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Week in Review: Week 46: Nov 13, 2016 - Nov 19, 2016

Sunday Nov 13, 2016
Pork Roast
Roasted Potato
Parmesan Corn

Monday Nov 14, 2016
Leftovers

Tuesday Nov 15, 2016
Burgers

Wednesday Nov 16, 2016
Burger

Thursday Nov 17, 2016
Cheese Quesadilla

Friday Nov 18, 2016
Beef Tips in Mushroom Gravy

Saturday Nov 19, 2016
Burgers

Blogging for Books: Classic German Baking by Luisa Weiss

I love everything classic and foreign.
German flavors and combinations are infused into so many items we eat everyday, but one might not know it.
Flipping through this book there wasn't a single page I didn't ooh and ahh over.
All the cookies, cakes, and breads look so amazing.
The instructions are very clear, and most of the ingredients are common enough to find at any grocery.


**Note** I was provided a free copy of this book from www.bloggingforbooks.com in exchange for my honest review.

Spaghetti with Broccoli Pesto

My magazine swapping friend handed me a copy of All You magazine one day.
I flipped through, per usual, and came across this recipe.

Maybe we be weird type folks, but Hubby and I love us some broccoli. Even the girl child has always loved broccoli.
(grammar nazis...I know, I know...but it just felt right to say it that way!)

As I am one of those deprived wives, I have no food processor. (sigh) Anyone else out there have this problem?
If so, I was able to do this in my blender just fine! I just did it in batches, adding some oil and garlic in with each batch of broccoli.

Oh the garlic smell is delicious.
The broccoli and Parmesan paired perfectly!
I have leftovers in the fridge...I might need some now, hey, it's veggie, right?! Good for you and all that stuff!

Ingredients:

Salt and Pepper

1 Lb broccoli stems and florets (chopped into 1 inch pieces)

1 Lb spaghetti

¼ Cup olive oil

1 Clove garlic (minced)

½ Cup heavy cream

1 Cup grated Parmesan

Directions:

1. Bring large pot of salted water to boil

2. Add broccoli and cook until soft

3. Remove with a slotted spoon and add to food processor

4. Add spaghetti to pot and cook to al dente

5. Add olive oil and garlic to broccoli and process until smooth

6. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in heavy cream and parmesan

7. Season to taste with salt and pepper

8. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup cooking water

9. Mix pasta with pesto adding water 1 Tbsp at a time if pesto seems to dry

Print

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Week in Review: Week 45: Nov 6, 2016 - Nov 12, 2016

Sunday Nov 6, 2016
Sausage, Tortellini, and Spinach Soup

Monday Nov 7, 2016
Vegetable Lasagna
Salad

Tuesday Nov 8, 2016
Nothing, Too tired to even chew!

Wednesday Nov 9, 2016
Nachos

Thursday Nov 10, 2016
Chinese with my Mother in Law

Friday Nov 11, 2016
Chicken Soup

Saturday Nov 12, 2016
Meatloaf and Mashed Potato

Almond Sandwich Cookies

As our world gets crazier and crazier, I am spending some time thinking about the last free weekend we all had.
It was so long ago, the girl child was still in high school.

None of us got dressed.
No make up or contacts for me.
Woke up and baked some cookies, then went ahead and made some soup to reheat for dinner. (hot dog soup in case you care)

Hubby, the girl and I just sat on the couch and watched movies and TV all day.
I know, I know, I won't win "Good Parent of the Year", but we spent time. Time matters!

The girl had a homework load that rivals some colleges.
Hubby works his hands to the bone every day.
My brain is mush by the time I get done at work every day.
Every night we have something. Every weekend we have something.
It's a pace we don't want to have to keep up with all the time.

Down time is important.
Even more important, it was down time with my teenager. She chose to spend her day with us instead of the mall, or a friend, or her computer.

Maybe we should have taken a walk in the park, or something else a little more "wholesome", but I don't care.

Ingredients:

1 Roll (16.5 oz) refrigerated sugar cookies

½ Cup all purpose flour

½ Tsp almond extract

1 Tbsp sugar

Filling

2 Cups powdered sugar

¼ Cup butter (softened)

4 Tsp milk

¼ Tsp almond extract

1 drop red food coloring

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350

2. In large bowl, break up cookie dough

3. Stir/knead in flour and almond extract until well blended

4. Shape dough into 90 ½ inch balls

5. Place balls on ungreased cookie sheets

6. Press bottom of glass dipped into granulated sugar onto each ball until ¼ inch thick

7. Prick top of each cookie with a fork

8. Bake 6-8 minutes until set but not brown

9. Cool completely

10. In small bowl, beat filling ingredients with electric mixer on low speed until smooth and creamy

11. Spread about 1 tsp filling on bottom of half the cookies

12. Top with another cookies, press down gently

13. Store in refrigerator

Print

Come party with me HERE!


Recipe adapted from Pillsbury

Week in Review: Week 44: Oct 30, 2016 - Nov 5, 2016

Sunday Oct 30, 2016
Grilled Chicken Salad with Feta

Monday Oct 31, 2016
Kielbasa with Barbecue Sauce
Macaroni and Cheese

Tuesday Nov 1, 2016
Hot Dog Stew

Wednesday Nov 2, 2016
Scrambled Eggs and Bacon

Thursday Nov 3, 2016
Honey Teriyaki Chicken
Rice

Friday Nov 4, 2016
Chinese

Saturday Nov 5, 2016
Pizza