Cheesecake anyone?????

Cheesecake ready to go into the oven

starting to put graham cracker crust in bottom

graham cracker crust

cheesecake!!!

My husband's favorite dessert is cheesecake.   It's a labor intensive dessert that I usually make once or twice a year--either because he's craving it, it's a special occasion....or I need to make a show stopping dessert.  It's my absolute favorite cheesecake recipe. 

Now my dad has been making cheesecakes for a long time...it's his signature dessert recipe....and my mom loves his recipe, but once I brought her my cheesecake and she began requesting my cheesecake--the secret is that it's a modified version of his recipe!  Shh...don't tell!  Im making it today to celebrate my family and New Years!!!!

Ingredients

• cups finely crushed graham crackers (from 15 sheets)
•  4 Tbsp granulated sugar
•   8Tbsp salted butter , melted (one stick)
• 4 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 4 large eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, whisk together crushed graham crackers with 3 Tbsp granulated sugar. Pour in melted butter and stir mixture until evenly coated. Pour graham cracker mixture in a 9 inch springform pan, press into an even layer---even coming up sides.  Refrigerate pan while making filling. 
2. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar with 3 Tbsp flour until well blended. Add softened cream cheese to a separate mixing bowl and pour sugar mixture over top. Blend mixture on low speed until smooth. Mix in eggs one at a time and blend on low speed, while scrapping sides and bottom of bowl and mixing just until combined after each addition. Add vanilla, sour cream and heavy cream and mix just until combined. Tap mixing bowl against counter top about 30 times to release some of the air bubbles. Pour mixture into springform pan.  Bake in preheated oven 45 minutes to an hour, centers should still jiggle slightly, don't overbake (if they begin to crack they are starting to become overbaked). Remove from oven and allow to cool 1 hour. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and transfer to refrigerator and chill 2 hours. Serve chilled.

Sherwin Williams knows their paint!!!!

And so we've started painting....ok, ok....who am I kidding.  I haven't lifted a brush just yet, but super demo man Bob has started painting the ceiling.  And it's looking good.

A few weeks ago my husband Bob met with Matt Baber from the Sherwin Williams Paint company in Lenoir City, Tennessee.

https://www.sherwin-williams.com/store-locator/paint-store/lenoir-city/tn/2576?utm_source=google&utm_medium=local_listing&utm_campaign=tag_local_listing

Matt couldn't have been more helpful...what a fantastic meeting.  He came out to Cook n Craft Academy in Loudon to help recommend not only colors of paint but also TYPES of paint as well.  After all different paints adhere to different surfaces and it's important to take that into consideration.  Who knew?  Certainly not me, so it was quite helpful to have him take the time to explain the different types of paints and what would look best. 



I will say we live in an age where you can order paint with a click of the button.  You don't even have to leave the couch or comfort of your home....so isn't it nice when you do, to be greeted by such a friendly and knowledgeable salesman.  Matt was super helpful and we truly appreciate his time and effort.  If you're in the area and need some help Matt and his team can come to the rescue.  I can imagine that almost all of the Sherwin Williams employees follow that model and are super helpful.  so if you're not in the Lenoir City vicinity reach out to one by you. 

EGG PIE!!!!

If there is one signature dish of ours it has to be our "egg pie".  That's what the kids affectionately call it.  It's a mix between a fritata and quiche.  We make it for Christmas and Easter Breakfast.  You can customize the recipe to your liking...for example, if you like meat you can add diced ham, or sausage or bacon.  You can add different types of cheeses such as gruyere, or smoked gouda (my favorite) or cheddar.  It's a family favorite and I think if you try it you'll find it's a family favorite of yours too!  Try it...maybe for New Years Brunch!!!

Ingredients

•  flour for rolling dough
• 1 homemade or store-bought single-crust pie dough
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
•  1 large yellow onion, peeled, diced
• 1 large potatoes, peeled and sliced in 1/4 inch slices with a mandolin (or knife)
• 1 cup mixed vegetables (carrots, peas, beans--usually can find in freezer section of grocery store)
  
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 6 large eggs
• 1 can evaporated milk
• 1 tablespoon dark yellow mustard
  
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (4 ounces)

Directions

1. 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly flour a rolling pin and work surface and roll out dough to a 12-inch round. Place in a 9-inch pie plate, fold overhang under, and crimp edge. Place pie plate with dough in refrigerator to chill. (***This is an important step because you don't want the dough to be too soft and not bake correctly)
2. 2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high. Add onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook until light golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add potatoes and cook until tender and golden.. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and milk and mustard. Add onion and potato mixture,mixed vegetables, and cheese and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Whisk to combine, pour into crust, and bake until center is just set, 40 to 45 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. 

    

   enjoy!!!

Need some cooking or crafting advice?

They say the best things in life are free....well so is a little cooking or crafting Advice....

If you are looking for an answer to a cooking question....searching for a particular recipe?  want to know if acrylic paint and fabric paint can be interchanged?  or any other crafting and cooking question answered....contact us....  We certainly don't have all the answers...but we're keen on trying to find them...so reach out to us and we'll do our best to help find the answers...

https://cookncraftacademy.com/ask-christina

Chocolate Babka!!!

Our yeast is activated and ready to work it's magic.

I love a good Babka!  Have you ever heard of Babka?  Babka literally means "grandmother" in Polish.  My children call my mother Baba.  We called my grandmother Baba...such an affectionate name. I've heard this bread gets it's name from the shape of the bread which is reminiscent of an old woman's wide, swirling skirt.  It is a slightly sweet yeast bread similar to Italian Panettone.  Different regions adopt their own favorite fillings of dried fruit or chocolate or nuts.   It's typically made for  Easter but in our household at Christmas time it's a Deyo Family favorite. It's a delicious Christmas Morning breakfast bread.  There are so many different recipes...but my favorite is one that appeared in the New York Times.

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018045-chocolate-babka

Ingredients

For the dough:

• ½ cup/118 milliliters whole milk
• 1 package (1/4 ounce/7 grams) active dry yeast
• ⅓ cup/67 grams granulated sugar, plus a pinch
• 4 ¼ cups/531 grams all-purpose flour, more as needed
• 1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (optional)
• ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
• 10 tablespoons/140 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing bowls and pans

For the fudge filling:

• ½ cup/100 grams granulated sugar
• ¾ cup/177 milliliters heavy cream or half-and-half
• Pinch kosher salt
• 6 ounces/170 grams extra bittersweet chocolate, preferably between 66 and 74 percent cocoa, coarsely chopped
• 8 tablespoons/112 grams/1 stick unsalted butter, diced, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons/10 milliliters vanilla extract

For the chocolate streusel:

• ½ cup/60 grams all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons/45 grams granulated sugar
• 1 ½ tablespoons/11 grams cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 ½ tablespoons/64 grams unsalted butter, melted
• ⅓ cup/60 grams mini semisweet chocolate chips

For the syrup:

• ⅔ cup/135 grams granulated sugar

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Preparation

1. Prepare the dough: In a small saucepan or a bowl in the microwave, warm the milk until it’s lukewarm but not hot (about 110 degrees). Add yeast and a pinch of sugar and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes, until slightly foamy.
2. In an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook, or in a food processor, mix together flour, 1/3 cup sugar, the salt, the vanilla, the lemon zest (if using) and the nutmeg. (If you don't have a mixer or processor, use a large bowl and a wooden spoon.) Beat or process in the yeast mixture and eggs until the dough comes together in a soft mass, about 2 minutes. If the dough sticks to the side of the bowl and doesn’t come together, add a tablespoon more flour at a time until it does, beating very well in between additions.
3. Add half the butter and beat or pulse until the dough is smooth and elastic, 3 to 5 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed. Beat in the rest of the butter and continue to beat or pulse until the dough is smooth and stretchy, another 5 to 7 minutes. Again, if the dough sticks to the sides of the bowl, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time.
4. Butter a clean bowl, form the dough into a ball and roll it around in the bowl so all sides are buttered. Cover the bowl with a clean towel and let it rise in a warm, draft-free place (inside of a turned-off oven with the oven light on is good) until it puffs and rises, about 1 to 2 hours. It may not double in bulk but it should rise.
5. Press the dough down with your hands, re-cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight (or, in a pinch, for at least 4 hours, but the flavor won't be as developed).
6. Prepare the filling: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, cream and salt. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until sugar completely dissolves, about 5 minutes. Scrape mixture into a bowl. Stir in chocolate, butter and vanilla until smooth. Let cool to room temperature. Filling can be made up to a week ahead and stored, covered, in the fridge. Let come to room temperature before using.
7. Prepare the streusel: In a bowl, stir together flour, sugar, cocoa powder and salt. Stir in melted butter until it is evenly distributed and forms large, moist crumbs. Stir in the chocolate chips. Streusel can be prepared up to 3 days ahead and stored, covered, in the fridge.
8. Prepare the syrup: In a small saucepan, combine sugar and 2/3 cup/158 milliliters water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then simmer for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves.
9. Butter two 9-inch loaf pans, then line with parchment paper, leaving 2 inches of paper hanging over on the sides to use as handles later.
10. Remove dough from refrigerator and divide in half. On a floured surface, roll one piece into a 9-by-17-inch rectangle. Spread with half the filling (there's no need to leave a border). Starting with a long side, roll into a tight coil. Transfer the coil onto a dish towel or piece of plastic wrap and stick it in the freezer for 10 minutes. Repeat with the other piece of dough.
11. Slice one of the dough coils in half lengthwise to expose the filling. Twist the halves together as if you were braiding them, then fold the braid in half so it’s about 9 inches long. Place into a prepared pan, letting it curl around itself if it’s a little too long for the pan. Cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until puffy (it won’t quite double). Alternatively, you can cover the pans with plastic wrap and let them rise in the refrigerator overnight; bring them back to room temperature for an hour before baking.
12. When you're ready to bake, heat the oven to 350 degrees. Use your fingers to clump streusel together and scatter all over the tops of the cakes. Transfer to oven and bake until a tester goes into the cakes without any rubbery resistance and comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes. The cakes will also sound hollow if you unmold them and tap on the bottom. An instant-read thermometer will read between 185 and 210 degrees.
13. As soon as the cakes come out of the oven, use a skewer or paring knife to pierce them all over going all the way to the bottom of the cakes, and then pour the syrup on top of the cakes, making sure to use half the syrup for each cake.
14. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.

One of my favorite things about this recipe is making it with my kids...especially my youngest Michael.  He is learning about making bread and he loves watching the dough "double in bulk".  He loves punching the dough down even more.  The best part of these wonderful holiday recipes is making them with your family and handing them down from generation to generation.

Michael now knows that the "dough hook" is similar to Captain Hook's hand!

Chicken Salad....yum!

So last night was one of those "run to Kroeger nights and get whatever looks good and/or on sale for dinner nights".  My husband came home with Fried Chicken.  We had a few leftover pieces so this afternoon I made some Chicken Salad.  I normally add green grapes to the chicken salad, it gives it just a slight touch of sweetness.  However someone (and it could have been the grinch) ate all my green grapes.  So I happened to dice an apple and used that in my salad...it not only gave a touch of sweetness to the salad but also a nice crunch to it as well.    It was a hit...so I'm sharing ....

Chicken Salad recipe (now you may make some adjustments due to how much chicken you have leftover unless you want to cook and use your own fresh chicken breasts.

But here goes:

Chicken Salad:

4 pieces leftover cold fried chicken (skin and bone removed, diced)
1 rib of celery cut into small pieces
half apple peeled, cored and diced
1/3 cup mayonaise
1/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
salt/pepper

Combine all ingredients in medium bowl.

Enjoy as a sandwich or "as is"

Easy Peasy "no bake" Christmas Cookies!!!! (only 2 ingredients)

Need a quick recipe...one that will impress friends....that's super delicious and yet super easy????

Well this has to be one of the easiest and most delicious recipes I know!  And get this...it only requires 2 ingredients (a third is optional if you're into decorating)...and it's a no bake cookie.  Can it be any easier?

Here goes....the two ingredients you need are Ritz Crackers (or similar) and Mint Chocolate Chips.  The third ingredient would be sprinkles or any edible Christmas decoration you would like to add.

Melt your chips in the microwave or on a double boiler. 

Dip your crackers in the chocolate and cover completely....tap excess chocolate off with a fork and let it dry completely on wax paper. Add edible decorations prior to chocolate drying.   It couldn't be any easier...and yet it tastes like a delicious Girl Scout Thin Mint...yet crispier...lighter...divine!  Enjoy!

Chef's Dream Cake...a cake from Greenland

So my daughter told me she needed my help with an upcoming project.  Always eager to help I asked her what she wanted from me.  She needed my help in translating a recipe from Greenland and baking a cake.  Ok this is something I know a thing about....so I delved into the recipe...needed to tweak it and then helped her bake up a chef's dream cake.  I
We didn't cut into it because she needed it for class but I am curious to see how how it turned out....

Maybe you want to give it a try....

Chef's Dream Cake


1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 cups all purpose flour
 3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup butter
1 cup milk

For the topping

1/2 cup butter
1 1/8th cup shredded coconut
1 1/8 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup milk


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream the sugar and the eggs together.  In a separate bowl sift together the flour and baking powder.  Gradually add the flour mixture to the sugar and egg mixture.  In a small saucepan warm the milk, butter and vanilla together.  Pour into cake batter. Line a greased 9 x 12 inch baking pan with parchment paper.  Pour cake batter into baking pan. Bake approximately 20 minutes til knife inserted comes out clean.

Meanwhile, combine all filling ingredients in saucepan on medium heat till it bubbles.  When cake is out of the oven pour filling on top of cake and spread evenly, keep cake in oven for an additional 5 minutes.  Remove and let cool.

Enjoy!

The big event is coming!!!!

Are you in the holiday Christmas spirit yet?  Maybe you started the day after Halloween like all the stores did...or maybe the Christmas bug just hit you.   It's hard not to be excited when there seems to be alot of Christmas cheer in neighborhood decorations, radio Christmas songs,  and the bright lights everywhere!

If you need a little nudge to put you in the holiday spirit or if you want to keep yours burning stronger than ever...come to Loudon's Christmas Parade next Saturday at 6 pm....afterwards  there is the celebration of Christmas at Fountain square...live music, along with hot dogs, baked goods, hot chocolate and apple Cider.  Cook n Craft Academy will be there saying hello to all our new neighbors...hope you can make it.  By the way did I mention this even on Saturday is free?????  You can't get better than that!

Now the festivities aren't only on the 9th...there are some exciting events happening in Loudon before that as well.