combustication

As promised, this post is devoted to the amazingly moist and delicious Bourbon Pumpkin Cheese, which I now have to make every Thanksgiving. My mom, who is an amazing baker and cook, admitted that she was a bit frightened by the concept of pumpkin in a cheesecake, but loved the fact that it was not overly sweet. The bourbon taste is very slight, and most of the sweetness comes from the gingersnap-n-pecan crust, instead of the pumpkin middle and the topping was a mixure of sour cream and whipped cream which added a tanginess that brought all of the elements together. The cheesecake is a breeze to make and super-impressive…don’t make this if you’re not prepared to do it over and over again (recipe below).

Also promised was a picture of the Rosemary Shortbread Cookies, which were a hit at my office and enjoyed by Phil’s family, although we forgot to put them with the rest of the desserts - oops!

For good measure, here is a picture of my grandmother’s rice pudding, who’s recipe I do not have, but it’s the best rice pudding I have ever had and I don’t even like rice pudding that much.

Bourbon Pumpkin Cheesecake*

Ingredients:

For crust
1 cup gingersnap crumbs
1/2 cup pecans (1 3/4 oz), toasted and finely chopped
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, at room temp

For filling
2 cans (16oz) pumpkin (use organic, solid packed pumpkin if you can)
3 large eggs, at room temp.
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 tablespoons bourbon
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 (8-oz) packages reduced fat cream cheese, at room temp

For topping
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon bourbon
1 cup heavy cream
pecan halves for garnish

To Do:

First, make the crust by greasing a 10×10 square springform pan (or whatever springform pan you have around) and preheating the oven to 350F. Put all of the ingredients for the crust in a food processor and pulse until a crumbly dough forms. If you don’t have a food processor or mixer, just combine with your hands until the mixture makes dough – the heat of your hands will help melt the already room-temp butter. Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the pan and up the sides a bit. Place in oven for ten minutes.

If you’ve got all of your ingredients right out in front of you, make the filling in the ten minutes it takes the crust to cook! Mix together the pumpkin, eggs, brown sugar, vanilla extract, cream and bourbon until well combined. In a separate bowl (if you’ve got a stand mixer, use that bowl), stir the sugar, spices, salt and cornstarch and add cream cheese. Use an electric mixer on high speed, a whisk and your arm at arm-aching speed or a stand mixer at 8 to beat the mixture into creamy and smooth submission. Add the pumpkin mixture and beat at medium speed (turn stand mixer to 4) until well combined and super-smooth. Your crust should be done now.

Let the crust cool for five minutes and pour the filling over it – making sure the top is nice and smooth. Place the springform pan on top of a cookie sheet in case the mixture leaks a bit while cooking and let it bake for 50-60 minutes or until the center is just set.

You can now make the frosting while the cheesecake is baking. Simply beat the heavy cream into whipped cream (once again, electric mixer or stand mixer will help immensely with this, if you don’t have one, just buy whipped cream and use a cup of it), add the sourcream, sugar and bourbon and beat until a smooth frosting forms. When the cheesecake is out of the oven and cooled completely, frost with icing and place pecans decoratively on top. Let sit in fridge for 5 hours or overnight, and remove sides from pan before serving – this cheesecake tastes best when cold and can be kept, covered, in the fridge for 2 days.

Voila! It may seem like a crazy number of steps, but it goes by rather quickly and once it’s all done you can just put your feet up for a day or two and know that you have a delicious dessert waiting in the fridge.

*Based loosely on this recipe

Things have been a little quiet here because of extreme business. Massive amounts of cheese and wine were consumed on Monday and yesterday was baking extravaganza for Thanksgiving prep. Stay tuned for recipes and pics of Bourbon Pumpkin Cheesecake and Rosemary Shortbread Cookies.

If you haven’t started cooking, or just want to read up on some mouthwatering Thanksgiving recipes, check out:

101 cookbooks

vegkitchen

the amateur gourmet

epicurious…veggie style

Bon appetit! Sling some mashed potatoes around the table!

The amazingly talented Gabe, has his very own website that features his dulcet voice on five standout tunes. Please check out his music and be wowed.

Also, here is more info on the Man in Gray show:

Related Links:

Crackers United

Ultragrrl

Rothko

Spent the better part of my weekend at Serious Business eating junkfood, drinking beer and starting work on a record that is going to cause some serious damage to earholes next March. For real. The show was great last Friday too. For those of you who couldn’t make it and who thought it was our last show, we lied. There will be another Man in Gray show on Thursday, December 1st at Rothko…a reminder on that later.

As for cooking this weekend, I did manage to make some yummy lemon/poppy seed muffins that were devoured by bandmates and le Trav, but only after the gas in my apartment was turned on at 6pm on Saturday. See here and here for a detailed explanation of the gas woes.

Tonight, the cheese is ON!!!
(Please see immediately preceding post)

This was all started by Heather, who is infamous of her love of cheese. This girl once dipped a huge chunk of brie into a cheese fondue - she is that serious.

Sunday or Monday
Would both be just divine times
For the queso love!
-Heather

Either day is fine.
No classes Thanksgiving week.
I can get shit-faced.
-Philip

Monday please for me
But around seven-thirty
I must volunteer
-Tina

Monday sounds divine
I dare not decline

Tis a fine day to combine
Our dairy and red wine

The details of which
I’m sure you’ll assign

(I’m a little sad I couldn’t work in malign)
-Heather

Will your male friend dine too
Or is it just you
For if it is the two
Then bringing red wine will do.

We shall provide the cheesy bit
Or else Heather will be in a snit
Bring anything else you see fit
Mayhaps a red onion confit ?

Will a full dinner be required
Or will our stomachs be expired
For Turkey Day must later be admired
Even though pilgrims were a bunch of liars
-Tina

Heather K. we know, for one
Will bring for us the finest vino
Will along Heather follow
One particular Filipino?
-Philip

Renato Carlos will definitely attend
But hopes his gas does not offend
Due to a bad diet I cannot defend
Many odors do escape his rear end

Given his gastrointestinal distress
I think just cheese and wine would be best
Lord knows main courses won’t digest
And I don’t wish to be cleaning up that mess

But perhaps some extra food surprise
Might yet catch our sharp shopping eyes
And I’ll probably pay for all supplies
Too make up for my cruel, but rhyming lies.
-Heather

Yes, I know we are dorks.

I was getting worried that there wasn’t going to be a Sugar High Friday this month after I got hooked, but there is going to be a virtual cookie swap hosted by the original SHF maven, The Domestic Godness. I’ve got an idea of what I want to make, and I’m gonna test them today for some future Thanksgiving goodness, so look out.

Healthy Potato Chips? I am so trying this with my barely-used microwave. I think I’m also gonna try that soon and maybe this as well. Oh, and I’ve got a persimmon in my kitchen that is doing absolutely nothing, but I think I’ve got a recipe I want to try. Persimmon Pudding, anyone?

*This is an actual Sesame Street song off of the Sesame Street Disco album released in 1979. here are the lyrics.

A while back, I was asked by a mysterious guy named “Jon” to sing on one of the songs that he was recording with Travis at Serious Business. Even though this seemed kinda sketchy, I listened to his band On Le Ore and figured that since the songs were good and he knew Travis, I could put down a vocal track. Any friend of Serious Business is a friend of mine. So, last night I went to SB for some serious recording and had a blast. Jon is an extremely talented singer/songwriter/screamer/rocker and his girlfriend, Tara, is producer/muse/chauffeur extraordinaire. I went in, sang/yelled a couple of lyrics to Money Paper Hearts & Coins for Eyes, drank some beers and was thoroughly charmed by Jon and Tara who, alas, are currently living in Florida. They can sleep in my walk-in closet any time. Look out for his upcoming E.P. It’s gonna be good.

In more music related news, Man in Gray will be playing our last show of the year this Friday and then heading to Serious Business for some album recording. Utter madness. The show’s at Sin-E and it’s a benefit for New Orleans Musician Clinic, a most excellent cause. We’re on at 11:30 and playing with the excellent Song Corporation and Morning Theft.

Phil did a great job of summarizing last night’s eating experience at Tempo. It is one of my favorite “fancy” restaurants in Park Slope. The waiters are attentive (although we did have some lag time last night, but I think they were giving us privacy), the maitre d’ (is he the owner?) is always pleasant and has a smile, the cocktails strong and innovative and the food delicious and well-prepared. What’s not to love?

Tempo just opened up for 7-days a week service, which is why they had the buy-one-get-one-free entree deal, and I’m not sure that’s a good thing because it means that Tempo Presto is also open. I bike past Tempo Presto every Monday after my volunteerign gig and when it was closed, I was comforted in knowing that I couldn’t bike in there and get a Red Velvet Cupcake…now things are more dangerous.

I had tiny balls of pasta with calamari and olives and small hot peppers. I wish I could remember the name of the dish, but alas. It was delicious though - the pasta was perfectly cooked to match the squid, which was chewy, BUT not rubbery, which is a common pitfall. The burst of saltiness from the olives complimented the spiciness of the peppers and the tomato sauce was just right - thick, but not thick enough to overwhelm the dish. Simply delicious. I was stuffed, in a good way, but managed to down an expresso and half of their Sticky Date and Toffee Pudding which is an amazing dessert that I must replicate…MUST!!!

In prepping for holiday gifts to come, I decided to try my hand at some Apple Butter. Inspired by Heidi’s and Carolina’s apple butter, and given tips by the ever-lovely and helpful Carolina herself, I bought some jars on Saturday afternoon. Shout-outs are also necessary to Nicky from Delicious Days, Clothilde of Chocolate & Zucchini and Luisa from The Wednesday Chef for getting back to me on preserving jam. I also need to say that I cheated and used a crockpot. We have this crockpot that we barely ever use and after reading up on apple butter on Allrecipes and other sites, I decided that waking up to apple butter would be a great way to start a Sunday. The smell of slowly cooked spiced apples permeated the house all night and in the morning we woke up to a mass of gooey goodness. It kinda looked like…ok, it looked like poop, but upon further inspection, it was some of the best apple butter I have ever tasted and all I had to do was peel a bunch of apples. It made enough for two 1/2 pint jars and a bit leftover…which I had with pancakes yesterday and with yogurt for breakfast today.

Lazy Apple Butter

Ingredients:
This makes about 2 half-pint jars.

10 medium apples, cored, peeled and chopped (I used Winesaps, Maccouns, Macs and one lone Granny Smith)
juice of one lemon
1 cup sugar (I used vanilla sugar)
1 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 tsp. cloves
2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/2 cups apple cider

To Do:
Put the apples in the crockpot and coat with lemon juice.
In a seperate bowl combine the rest of the dry ingredients and then combine with the apples. Use your hands (or a spoon) and make sure the apples have spices all over them.
Pour 2 cups of the apple cider over the spiced apples.

Alone, these apples were highly addictive.

Cook on HIGH in the crockpot for one hour. Then switch the heat to low and let the mixture cook for about another 10 hours or so. I recommend doing this at night while you sleep so you can wake up to apple butter goodness.
After 10 hours (or when you wake up), check the butter. If it looks like a bowl of brown goo and tastes good, you’re done. If it looks too gloppy, put in the other 1/2 cup of cider, take off the lid of the crockpot and let cook on low heat for another hour.

Place in sterilized jars and eat up. If you’re going to be eating this within a few days, you don’t have to go through the rigors of preserving, but if you’re planning on giving away some jars as gifts or you don’t think you can finish a half-pint of apple butter in a few days, I recommend it.

Here’s how to sterilize jars and preserve your jam…straight from the mouth of Carolina B. from CMB Sweets - her own jam company that sells jars of awesome jam. Brooklynites can get some at Blue Apron Foods in Park Slope!

Sterilizing Jars and Preserving Your Stuff

From the source:

You can use any glass jar you want, as long as it’s sterilized (wash it well and leave it in the oven at 200 for at least 20 minutes). I do recommend using a new lid even if you’re using and old jar. Otherwise, there’s no guarantee you create a hermetic (impenetrable) seal that’ll keep out the bacteria and keep your jam fresh. Don’t be intimidated. Buy those canning jars, rinse them and the lids out with hot, soapy water, stick them in the oven and put the lids in there on a baking sheet for at least 20 minutes. Put a big pot of boiling water on the stove and also bring a kettle to boil. Once the jam is made, fill to within 1 cm of the top and wipe around the top, making sure its clean. Seal ‘em and put them in the boiling water for 10 minutes, making sure the whole jar is covered. Turn off the water and let the jar sit there until water cools and you’re done!

Of course, in order for the jar to be airtight, the lid has to compress down (if you’re anywhere near the jar, you’ll hear a soft “pffftt” sound). Make sure that the middle of the seal is pushed downwards. If it’s not, repeat the above steps with a new lid or date the jar and consume within a few days.

With the holidays a-coming, I thought I would mention some things that would make awesome gifts…hint hint.

This JK Adams Cheeseboard is awesome because it is made of slate and you can write down what the cheeses are on the board. Pretty nifty if you ask me.

Deluxe Cake Decorating Kit - For the baker who wants to go beyond plain frosting.

Threadless T-Shirts is an awesome resource for kick-ass and super-original t-shirts. Designed by regular folks (ok, extremely talented), the shirts are then voted upon and the winners are printed and sold in limited quanities. I’ve had my eye on the muffin tee for about a year now.

They also have a 12 club where you can get a new t-shirt every month for a year! It’s pretty brilliant if you want to give someone you love a t-shirt every month.

I do like Crate & Barrel’s stemless wine glasses, but these glasses are even better. Of course, if you don’t want to support the behemoth of Crate & Barrel, you can get some great Morrocan tea glasses or one of the colorful Telephone Wire Baskets from Philadelphia-based Indigo Arts. The baskets are not only made from recycled materials, they are extremely durable, can be washed and used for showcasing fruit or just adding color to a room.

For the oenophile, this carafe is a great shape and could double as a vase.