I ascended to the role of Cheesecake Goddess after literally four years of trying to recreate a chocolate macadamia nut cheesecake for my dad. I used every recipe book I could find and eventually developed my own recipe. Over the course of my quest, I also (finally) discovered tricks and tips for making your cheesecake come out perfectly. I can't tell you how frustrating it is to have a cheesecake come out of the oven with a giant crack down the center, or a crust that is more crumb than crust. For now, I will share the recipe for my basic cheesecake, from which you can add melted chocolate, or swirls of strawberry, or pureed pumpkin, or whatever you want to make it your own. I've included all my tips to keep it from cracking. Cos that REALLY pisses me off.
Goddess Cheesecake
GET THIS
32 oz. cream cheese (Four 8 oz. boxes)
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1.5 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup melted butter
DO THIS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Stir the melted butter and crumbs together in a 9" or 10" springform pan. Spread evenly with a fork.
3. Blend cream cheese and sugar together with an electric mixer, adding vanilla at the end. Blend until smooth.
4. Add eggs, one at a time, and blend until smooth.
5. Continue to mix for a full minute, this allows air into the batter and makes for a fluffier cheesecake. Omit this step if you prefer a thicker, denser cheesecake.
6. Pour the batter over the crust, use a spatula to make the batter even. Place on the middle rack of your oven.
7. Directly below the cheesecake, place a large, ovensafe bowl filled with water.
8. Bake at 350 for one hour or until edges are brown and dry.
9. Turn off the oven and leave the door cracked for ten minutes. This allows the heat to escape and begins the cooling process slowly.
10. Remove the cheesecake from the cooled oven and place on the stovetop. The residual heat from the oven heat escaping into the kitchen will continue the gradual cooling process and prevent cracking.
11. When the cake is fully cooled, place it in the refrigerator for four hours or overnight.
Enjoy. You just reached the deity status.
Serves 8-10.
29 December 2009
17 December 2009
My Secret Weapon
I tend to consider myself a well-rounded broad. I'm a comedian, a student, a singer, an artist - but I'm no gourmet chef. I can follow recipes and the result is something tasty, but my cheesecakes inevitably come out with large cracks that I hide with fruit topping. My roasts never come out with perfect slicability, instead falling apart when prodded with a fork (it's actually very good, it just interferes with presentation). It's hard for me to create a dish that looks as good as it tastes.
Except for one.
I'm cooking for a guy tonight. And, like most single guys, the prospect of a meal cooked for them by someone else negates the necessity of making it look pretty - parsley springs tend to go unnoticed - but there is a particular dish that looks good, tastes good, and makes me look like a gourmet chef in 4" heels. Use at your own discretion, this dish has been known to go straight to a man's heart.
Pan-Seared Sirloin with Garlic and Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes and Beaujolais-Butter Sauce
GET THIS:
Potatoes-
14 oz. Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and quartered
Extra Virgin olive oil, about two tablespoons
Salt and Pepper
1-2 garlic cloves, minced or food processed
Steak-
2 7oz. sirloins, 1" thick
Salt and pepper
2-3 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup sliced button mushrooms
Extra Virgin olive oil
1/2 glass Beaujolais wine*
DO THIS:
1. Boil the potatoes in salted water under tender. Drain, let cool for 4 minutes. Return to a large mixing bowl and mash to desired consistency.
2. Stir in a large glug of olive oil, the garlic, the butter, and salt and pepper to taste.
3. Cover with plastic wrap to keep warm if necessary.
1. While the potatoes are boiling, heat a large, heavy frying pan. Brush the steaks with olive oil on both sides and season well with salt and pepper (for added kick, try Hot Shots - a blend of black and red pepper)
2. Fry the steaks lightly to brown the edges before reducing heat slightly. Turn once a minute, 8 minutes total for medium rare.**
3. Remove the steaks and transfer to a plate to let them rest and let the juices settle.
1. Turn the heat down and add butter and mushrooms to the pan. Sautee mushrooms for 4 minutes, then add wine and let simmer til sauce reduces. Add the juices from the steak. Stir constantly until sauce thickens slightly. Sauce will remain rather thin, it's not a gravy. Pour over steaks, serve with potatoes.
Serves 2.
* Remember to cook with wine that is high enough quality to drink. If you wouldn't drink it, why cook with it? I always cook with the wine I plan to serve for consistency.
** A note on levels of doneness in steak:
Well done = Brown throughout, fully cooked.
Medium well = Slightly pink in the center.
Medium = Very pink in the center, warm throughout.
Medium rare = Red in the center, warm throughout.
Rare = Very red and cool in the center.
Except for one.
I'm cooking for a guy tonight. And, like most single guys, the prospect of a meal cooked for them by someone else negates the necessity of making it look pretty - parsley springs tend to go unnoticed - but there is a particular dish that looks good, tastes good, and makes me look like a gourmet chef in 4" heels. Use at your own discretion, this dish has been known to go straight to a man's heart.
Pan-Seared Sirloin with Garlic and Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes and Beaujolais-Butter Sauce
GET THIS:
Potatoes-
14 oz. Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and quartered
Extra Virgin olive oil, about two tablespoons
Salt and Pepper
1-2 garlic cloves, minced or food processed
Steak-
2 7oz. sirloins, 1" thick
Salt and pepper
2-3 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup sliced button mushrooms
Extra Virgin olive oil
1/2 glass Beaujolais wine*
DO THIS:
1. Boil the potatoes in salted water under tender. Drain, let cool for 4 minutes. Return to a large mixing bowl and mash to desired consistency.
2. Stir in a large glug of olive oil, the garlic, the butter, and salt and pepper to taste.
3. Cover with plastic wrap to keep warm if necessary.
1. While the potatoes are boiling, heat a large, heavy frying pan. Brush the steaks with olive oil on both sides and season well with salt and pepper (for added kick, try Hot Shots - a blend of black and red pepper)
2. Fry the steaks lightly to brown the edges before reducing heat slightly. Turn once a minute, 8 minutes total for medium rare.**
3. Remove the steaks and transfer to a plate to let them rest and let the juices settle.
1. Turn the heat down and add butter and mushrooms to the pan. Sautee mushrooms for 4 minutes, then add wine and let simmer til sauce reduces. Add the juices from the steak. Stir constantly until sauce thickens slightly. Sauce will remain rather thin, it's not a gravy. Pour over steaks, serve with potatoes.
Serves 2.
* Remember to cook with wine that is high enough quality to drink. If you wouldn't drink it, why cook with it? I always cook with the wine I plan to serve for consistency.
** A note on levels of doneness in steak:
Well done = Brown throughout, fully cooked.
Medium well = Slightly pink in the center.
Medium = Very pink in the center, warm throughout.
Medium rare = Red in the center, warm throughout.
Rare = Very red and cool in the center.
18 November 2009
Here We Go A' Wassailing
In the middle ages, bands of clever peasants traveled door-to-door throughout their neighborhoods singing traditional Christmas songs to the wealthy heads of households and asking the Lord to bestow blessings upon their more fortunate neighbors. In return, the lord of the manor provided the peasants with hearty foods and strong drinks. This practice, known as wassailing, became the basis for the lyrics in the song “We Wish You A Merry Christmas” and “Here We Go A’ Wassailing.”
Hearty foods and strong drinks for singing a few lame songs is definitely a tradition I can get behind. With holiday parties lurking right around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about what to eat and, more importantly, what to drink first. Here are some classic, delicious cocktail and (for those who choose not to imbibe or are not old enough to do so) mocktail recipes that will have you lifting your glass in good cheer:
Hot Drinks
Irish Coffee – This potent drink will warm you to your toes after a long day playing in the snow and makes a great after-dinner drink to enjoy with dessert.
1 ½ ounces Irish whiskey
1 ounce Bailey’s Irish Cream
Hot coffee
Whipped cream
Stir the whiskey and the Irish cream into a mug, fill with hot coffee, stirring as you pour. Top with whipped cream. Serves one.
Hot Toddy – A classic hot cocktail that will soothe your throat and open your sinuses, relieving many cold-like symptoms while you curl up by the fire.
1 ½ ounces Irish whiskey, brandy, or rye bourbon
1 Lemon wedge
1 tsp. Honey
Hot water
Pour the spirit into a mug and add a squeeze from the lemon wedge before adding the wedge to the mug, fill to the top with hot water. Fill a teaspoon with honey and stir until it is completely dissolved. Garnish with a cinnamon stick if desired. Serves one.
Hot Buttered Rum – Who needs to eat dessert when you can drink it?
1 ½ spiced Puerto Rican rum
1 Tbs. brown sugar
2 teaspoons softened butter (do not use margarine, it will not provide the velvety texture)
1 dash ground nutmeg
1 dash ground cinnamon
Hot water
In a large mug, stir together the butter, brown sugar and spices. Stir in the hot water, and pour in the rum, stirring continuously. Garnish with a cinnamon stick if desired. Serves one.
Cold Drinks
Snow Cosmo – This elegant martini is as pretty as new fallen snow, with the same kick as falling on the ice. (*Note: Chill a martini glass in the freezer before creating a martini, or by allowing ice and cold water to sit in the glass as you create the cocktail)
1 ½ ounces citrus-infused vodka
1 ounces Cointreau or triple sec
1 ½ white cranberry juice
Squeeze of 1 lime wedge
Fresh cranberries to garnish
Combine all ingredients with ice in a shaker. Rim a martini glass with a thin layer of sugar. Shake ingredients until frost appears on shaker and strain into glass. Garnish with a skewer of fresh cranberries. Serves one.
Candy Cane Martini – Chocolate and mint were made for each other, and they add just the right amount of cheer to this decadent martini. (*Note: Chill a martini glass in the freezer before creating a martini, or by allowing ice and cold water to sit in the glass as you create the cocktail)
1 ½ ounces vanilla-infused vodka
1 ½ ounces peppermint schnapps
1 ounce chocolate liqueur
½ ounce half-and-half
1 mini candy cane to garnish
Combine all ingredients with ice in a shaker. Shake ingredients until frost appears on shaker and strin into a martini glass. Garnish with mini candy cane hooked onto glass rim. Serves one.
Christmas Tree Martini – Bright green, with a sweet side and a tart side to give all your taste buds an early present.
1 ½ ounces green apple schnapps
1 ounce green apple-infused vodka
Small dash of grenadine
Maraschino cherry to garnish
Combine vodkas with ice in a shaker. Pour a small amount of grenadine into the bottom of a martini glass. Shake indredients until frost appears on shaker and strain into glass. Garnish with a maraschino cherry. Serves one.
Mocktails
Peppermint Patty – Chocolate and mint come together to warm the heart and your toes.
1 standard size peppermint candy cane, finely crushed
Hot chocolate
Whipped cream
Add crushed candy cane to a mug. Pour hot chocolate over the pieces and stir until completely dissolved. Top with whipped cream. Serves one.
Christmas Bells – A festive twist on the classic Shirley Temple. Great for children.
1 ounce grenadine
6-8 ounces lemon-lime soda
3 or 4 green maraschino cherries
3 or 4 red maraschino cherries
Fill a short, old-fashioned glass with ice. Pour grenadine over ice and pour soda over grenadine, stir gently. Garnish with the maraschino cherries. Serves one.
Fauxtini – Gently sparkling, very festive drink with a sweet, fruity taste.
1 ounce pineapple juice
1 ounce orange juice
Splash sweet & sour mix
Small dash grenadine
Lemon-lime soda
Combine all ingredients with ice in a shaker except for the soda. Shake until frost appears on shaker and strain into a martini glass. Top off with lemon-lime soda. Garnish with a maraschino cherry or an orange wedge if desired. Serves one.
Party Drinks
Mulled Wine – Also known as Gluhwein, hot spiced wine is a classic holiday punch fit for any get together.
1 ½ cups water
1 ½ cups sugar
6 whole cloves
6 cinnamon sticks
3 oranges
3 bottles of red wine, such as shiraz, merlot or pinot noir
Mix water, sugar, spices, wine and the juice of the oranges in a large stockpot on low heat. Heat, but do not boil. Add the orange peel and allow to simmer for about 15 minutes. Serve immediately in preheated mugs. Alternately, you can combine all ingredients in a crockpot on high for 4-6 hours. Serves twelve. Refrigerate leftovers and reheat on stovetop within a day for consumption.
Mulled Cider (Non-Alcoholic) – This delicious warm drink not only warms you, it makes your home smell amazing.
12 cups apple cider
¼ cup orange juice
1 orange peel, cut into strips
1 tsp. packed brown sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
2 whole cloves
2 tsp. allspice
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
Combine all ingredients in a large stockpot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 30 minutes. Strain into large mugs. Garnish with a cinnamon stick if desired. Serves twelve.
Please enjoy this holiday season responsibly. Cheers!
Hearty foods and strong drinks for singing a few lame songs is definitely a tradition I can get behind. With holiday parties lurking right around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about what to eat and, more importantly, what to drink first. Here are some classic, delicious cocktail and (for those who choose not to imbibe or are not old enough to do so) mocktail recipes that will have you lifting your glass in good cheer:
Hot Drinks
Irish Coffee – This potent drink will warm you to your toes after a long day playing in the snow and makes a great after-dinner drink to enjoy with dessert.
1 ½ ounces Irish whiskey
1 ounce Bailey’s Irish Cream
Hot coffee
Whipped cream
Stir the whiskey and the Irish cream into a mug, fill with hot coffee, stirring as you pour. Top with whipped cream. Serves one.
Hot Toddy – A classic hot cocktail that will soothe your throat and open your sinuses, relieving many cold-like symptoms while you curl up by the fire.
1 ½ ounces Irish whiskey, brandy, or rye bourbon
1 Lemon wedge
1 tsp. Honey
Hot water
Pour the spirit into a mug and add a squeeze from the lemon wedge before adding the wedge to the mug, fill to the top with hot water. Fill a teaspoon with honey and stir until it is completely dissolved. Garnish with a cinnamon stick if desired. Serves one.
Hot Buttered Rum – Who needs to eat dessert when you can drink it?
1 ½ spiced Puerto Rican rum
1 Tbs. brown sugar
2 teaspoons softened butter (do not use margarine, it will not provide the velvety texture)
1 dash ground nutmeg
1 dash ground cinnamon
Hot water
In a large mug, stir together the butter, brown sugar and spices. Stir in the hot water, and pour in the rum, stirring continuously. Garnish with a cinnamon stick if desired. Serves one.
Cold Drinks
Snow Cosmo – This elegant martini is as pretty as new fallen snow, with the same kick as falling on the ice. (*Note: Chill a martini glass in the freezer before creating a martini, or by allowing ice and cold water to sit in the glass as you create the cocktail)
1 ½ ounces citrus-infused vodka
1 ounces Cointreau or triple sec
1 ½ white cranberry juice
Squeeze of 1 lime wedge
Fresh cranberries to garnish
Combine all ingredients with ice in a shaker. Rim a martini glass with a thin layer of sugar. Shake ingredients until frost appears on shaker and strain into glass. Garnish with a skewer of fresh cranberries. Serves one.
Candy Cane Martini – Chocolate and mint were made for each other, and they add just the right amount of cheer to this decadent martini. (*Note: Chill a martini glass in the freezer before creating a martini, or by allowing ice and cold water to sit in the glass as you create the cocktail)
1 ½ ounces vanilla-infused vodka
1 ½ ounces peppermint schnapps
1 ounce chocolate liqueur
½ ounce half-and-half
1 mini candy cane to garnish
Combine all ingredients with ice in a shaker. Shake ingredients until frost appears on shaker and strin into a martini glass. Garnish with mini candy cane hooked onto glass rim. Serves one.
Christmas Tree Martini – Bright green, with a sweet side and a tart side to give all your taste buds an early present.
1 ½ ounces green apple schnapps
1 ounce green apple-infused vodka
Small dash of grenadine
Maraschino cherry to garnish
Combine vodkas with ice in a shaker. Pour a small amount of grenadine into the bottom of a martini glass. Shake indredients until frost appears on shaker and strain into glass. Garnish with a maraschino cherry. Serves one.
Mocktails
Peppermint Patty – Chocolate and mint come together to warm the heart and your toes.
1 standard size peppermint candy cane, finely crushed
Hot chocolate
Whipped cream
Add crushed candy cane to a mug. Pour hot chocolate over the pieces and stir until completely dissolved. Top with whipped cream. Serves one.
Christmas Bells – A festive twist on the classic Shirley Temple. Great for children.
1 ounce grenadine
6-8 ounces lemon-lime soda
3 or 4 green maraschino cherries
3 or 4 red maraschino cherries
Fill a short, old-fashioned glass with ice. Pour grenadine over ice and pour soda over grenadine, stir gently. Garnish with the maraschino cherries. Serves one.
Fauxtini – Gently sparkling, very festive drink with a sweet, fruity taste.
1 ounce pineapple juice
1 ounce orange juice
Splash sweet & sour mix
Small dash grenadine
Lemon-lime soda
Combine all ingredients with ice in a shaker except for the soda. Shake until frost appears on shaker and strain into a martini glass. Top off with lemon-lime soda. Garnish with a maraschino cherry or an orange wedge if desired. Serves one.
Party Drinks
Mulled Wine – Also known as Gluhwein, hot spiced wine is a classic holiday punch fit for any get together.
1 ½ cups water
1 ½ cups sugar
6 whole cloves
6 cinnamon sticks
3 oranges
3 bottles of red wine, such as shiraz, merlot or pinot noir
Mix water, sugar, spices, wine and the juice of the oranges in a large stockpot on low heat. Heat, but do not boil. Add the orange peel and allow to simmer for about 15 minutes. Serve immediately in preheated mugs. Alternately, you can combine all ingredients in a crockpot on high for 4-6 hours. Serves twelve. Refrigerate leftovers and reheat on stovetop within a day for consumption.
Mulled Cider (Non-Alcoholic) – This delicious warm drink not only warms you, it makes your home smell amazing.
12 cups apple cider
¼ cup orange juice
1 orange peel, cut into strips
1 tsp. packed brown sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
2 whole cloves
2 tsp. allspice
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
Combine all ingredients in a large stockpot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 30 minutes. Strain into large mugs. Garnish with a cinnamon stick if desired. Serves twelve.
Please enjoy this holiday season responsibly. Cheers!
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