National Cheesecake Day

According to the Huffington Post, yesterday was National Cheesecake Day. If you go to this link, you can see pictures of many different varieties (Mmmmmmmm).

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/07/30/national-cheesecake-day-2_n_665163.html

Just recently I was thinking about going to the Cheesecake Factory and getting a generous slice to take home. My favorite of theirs is the peanut butter cup. Their cheesecake is so creamy and delicious. I might have to go get a slice this weekend.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I haven't made a cheesecake before, and it's not something that any of my family members makes on a regular basis (probably because then we would be very large people). My Mom used to know a lady that lived across the street who would say, "you know, Marilyn (that's my Mom's name) I don't need to eat ice cream anymore. I just put a scoop here and a scoop there (and she pointed to her derriere). She had a point!

I digress. In case anyone wants to make to make a cheesecake in the comfort of your own home, here is a recipe from nytimes.com

Recipe of a Lifetime: Junior's Cheesecake

1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons sifted cornstarch

30 ounces (3 3/4 large packages) cream cheese, softened

1 large egg

1/2 cup heavy (whipping) cream

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter the bottom and sides of an 8-inch springform pan. Lightly coat the bottom of the pan with the graham cracker crumbs and refrigerate the pan.

2. In a large bowl, combine the sugar and the cornstarch. Beat in the cream cheese. Beat in the egg. Slowly drizzle in the heavy cream, beating constantly. Add the vanilla and stir well.

3. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake until the top is golden, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 3 hours.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings.

From ''New York Cookbook,'' by Molly O'Neill (Workman Publishing, 1992)

Recession buster dinner - Pizza Hut

My Mom and my brother came over for dinner last night and we shared a supreme pan pizza from Pizza Hut over friendly conversation (sorry, no picture). Pizza Hut still has $10 pies, which this frugal kitchen wench appreciates. Their supreme pizza has mushrooms, green pepper, purple onion, sausage and pepperoni.

After dinner my brother went swimming and my Mom and I put our feet in the pool. The water was a little warm, but it was relaxing.

This is where I borrow a phrase from George Lopez.

Simpler times.

Andalusian Gazpacho - via Germany again

Yecla was kind enough to send this recipe for Andalusian Gazpacho, she said she and her friend enjoyed it during the world cup festivities. It is great for our summer heat in Phoenix.

You need (for six people)

1.5 kg red tomatoes

125 cc. olive oil

3 garlic cloves

1/2 kg cucumbers

3 roasted red peppers (you can get these in a jar at Trader Joe's)

300 grams chopped onion

1.5 liters of cold water

vinegar and salt to taste.

You can put all of the ingredients in your blender and blend away. Just don't add barbituates like one of the main characters did in the movie Mujeres al Borde de un Ataque de Nervios. Viva Pedro Almodovar! (you can tell I'm a big fan of his movies).

Chill and enjoy.

:)

Spanish version:

Gazpacho andaluz

Ingredientes para 6 personas:

1,5 Kg. de tomates rojos

125 c.c. de aceite de oliva

3 dientes de ajo

1/2 Kg. de pepinos Not too much)

300 Grs. de cebolla picada

3 pimientos

1,5 lts. de agua fría

vinagre y sal al gusto.

Russian salad - via Germany

My girlfriend Yecla sent over this recipe for Russian salad today. Looks delicious!

You need:

500 grams cooked potatoes

2 boiled eggs

mayonnaise

1 can tuna

handful of green olives with or without pimento

200 grams peas (frozen -defrosted would work here)

3 tomatoes

1 red or green pepper

Boil your eggs and potatoes (peel them) and then put them in a bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and salt to taste a good amount of mayo and mix together. You can serve this with slices of french bread, toasted or untoasted.

Spanish version below :)

500g patatas cocidas

2 huevos cocidos

mayonesa

1 lata Atún

1bplsa aceitunas

200g uisantes

3 tomates

1 Pimiento

Sal

Las patatas, las cueces, las pelas y las cortas. Los huevos los cueces y los colocas en una fuente.

Añades el resto de los ingredientes: pimento, tomates, atún, guisantes y aceitunas. Los echas sal y mucha mayonesa. Lo mezclas todo. y como tapa lo colocas sobre rodajas de pan. ¡Que aproveche!

Cute piggy cutting board

Too cute!

I saw this cutting board today on a fun blog http://www.nosetotailathome.com

You can order it from this website,

http://happyjapan.net/cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=20&products_id=712

Or, if you are feeling more "practical," you can go to Standard Restaurant Supply on McDowell road, they have an amazing selection of kitchen gadgets, including cutting boards.

http://www.standardrestaurant.com/ecom/app/home.action

What's for lunch at Venice Pizza

Should I have dessert first? Yummy cannoli.

Chewy garlic knots with marinara.

Antipasto salad.

I had a weak moment today and ordered lunch (delivery) from Venice Pizza.

The best part? There's leftovers for tomorrow. Yesssssss!

The antipasto salad was very tasty and fresh. The garlic knots were chewy and plentiful. And...there's a cannoli for later, hence the kitchen wench's ever present sweet tooth.

Get yourself to Venice Pizza the next time you're in Chesapeake.

1600 Crossways Blvd. 757-416-7616

www.venicepizzeria.net

Hunting & gathering in Chesapeake, VA

What's in the fridge...

Freezer contents, and...

Snacks and coffee.

Today I'm in front of a computer in Chesapeake, VA, just having returned from a hunting and gathering expedition (check out my booty).

Why, do you ask?

The Extended Stay Hotel that I'm at does not have a grocery store nearby, so a trekking I went this morning to Target. I guess it's about a mile and a half each way, so it occurs to me that I won't miss my workouts too much back home...I'll make it up by being pedestrian friendly, as it were.

I found a major haul at Target today - what I could carry back - included:

milk

butter

raisin english muffins

blueberry yogurt

earl grey tea

dried apricots

raisins

kashi and lean cuisine frozen dinners

This should hold me until Monday when I start class. The fine folks at Regent U. have provided us "starving students" with meal coupons. Yes! I was so happy to receive my breakfast coupon in the mail last week...good for 6 bucks of vittles from Regent's cafeteria. They are treating us to breakfast and lunch all week long, which helps the kitchen wench's budget.

Also I brought some coffee from home (Pajaro, from Trader Joe's), Mexican candy (tamarind flavor) and raw almonds. The nice lady at the TSA checkpoint had a chuckle when she saw my coffee, after inspecting my computer. She said, "you brought coffee?"

I digress.

I spied some menus in the lobby this morning where I am staying. It appears there are some Chinese restaurants that deliver to this neck of the woods. One in particular has lunch specials, so it may be moo goo gai pan for me today.

Otherwise I'm studying, need to catch up on some readings for class and brush up on syntax, morphology and semantics (oh my!).

Until our next dining experience...