TWD: Cheesecake!

This week's TWD recipe, chosen by AnneStrawberry was Dorie's Basic Cheesecake. I've never made a cheesecake before and I was really nervous. I mean, cheesecake is like the dessert, in my opinion. It is either really really good, or not good at all.

Thankfully, despite a few minor glitches, my cheesecake turned out amazing! (If I do say so myself.) Not too sweet, tall and creamy with a crumbly crust - a perfect blend of all things amazing. My most obvious blunder was wrapping just the bottom of the springform pan with foil instead of wrapping the entire pan with foil. Ooops! Thankfully my cake wasn't full of water - like some of the other TWD bakers who did the same thing. Oh, how I wish I had taken photos of the beautiful top and the suprisingly even crust level on the side!

Also, there is a huge hint in this photo as to one of my surprises under the tree this year. I nearly died from shock! I'll be writing a whole post on the holidays - so stay tuned.

Thanks a bunch to AnneStrawberry for choosing the recipe which you can find on her site. I've really enjoyed being a part of TWD this year and look forward to another year of "baked fresh weekly" goodies.

ANNND! Next week's recipe was chosen by our baking goddess. Yes, DORIE chose next week's recipe for us to bake. You'll just have to tune in next Tuesday to see what it is and if I mastered it.

(Click here for my explanation of TWD)

Now, I leave you with this week's song - inspired by my springform pan which didn't want to release my cheesecake:

Mercy (Cheesecake) by Duffy

i love you

and i gotta stay true

your aroma's got me on my knees

im begging please

stop playing games

i dont know what this is
cos you got me good

just like you knew you would
i dont know what you do

but you do it well

I’m under your spell

You got me begging you for cheesecake

why wont you release it

you got me begging you for cheesecake

why wont you release it

I said release it

Now you think that i

would drizzle something on the side

but you got to understand

that i need a treat

that can shine while plain

yes i do

i dont know what this is

cos you got me good
just like you knew you would

i dont know what you do
but you do it well
I’m under your spell

You got me begging you for cheesecake
why wont you release it
you got me begging you for cheesecake
why wont you release it
I said release it

Im begging you for cheesecake

why wont you release it

im begging you for cheesecake
you got me begging

you got me begging

you got me begging

Cheesecake, why wont you realise it

im begging you for cheesecake

why wont you release it
you got me begging you for cheesecake

im begging you for cheesecake

im begging you for cheesecake

im begging you for cheesecake

im begging you for cheesecake

Why wont you release it yeah yeah

break it down

This made my day!

This! (Though, I am not sure this is a real CHURCH choir...)

It reminded me of my favorite movie of the year, Young at Heart. It's in my top 5 of all time. You should see it!

TWD: There ain't no way!

Um, hi. I will not be able to blog about this week's recipe until at LEAST this weekend. Thankfully, we have a bit of leeway this month or I'd be in deep doo-doo with the TWD gods. ::waving at CB, Nikki, and Laurie!::

Anyway, I am making these cookies. You guys just won't hear about them until I have a chance to write up something special, mkay.

PS - I know I have a few new readers so in case you are wondering, TWD means "Tuesdays with Dorie." It's an online baking club where all the members (400 or so) all bake the same recipe and blog about it on Tuesday. The recipes chosen from Dorie Greenspan's Baking from My Home to Yours. If you don't own it, you should get it ASAP. Even the most challenging recipes seem easy peasy coming from Dorie.

OK bye bye for now! Have a great rest of the week everyone. And just for kicks -- here's a little something for you - it's only the best non-religious Christmas song ever!

Do you believe in love at first site?

I do.

You should know that I was very tempted. But, thankfully, I remembered that it is the time for giving to others. Well, that and the fact that I live in San Diego and could probably wear it for three weeks (or less) a year. Oh, but what a fabulous three weeks it would be!

Stop tempting me cozy knits!! Seriously.

Merry Christmas to me!

Look what arrived today!? I purchased this little cutie from Creative Jen and I love it! The monkeys are a lot bigger than I expected but I think I like it better that way.

Now my wreath matches some of my other Christmas decor:

This cutie ornament was made by my friend April. She's the craftiest person I know. Seriously.

Off to monkey around, ya'll!

I have a huge TWD follow up post coming but am not quite finished with it. Stay tuned!

Twd linzer sable

Gorge!
-Rachel

Twd

Too busy to finish blog tonight. Song and scoop manana!xoxo
-Rachel

TWD: Linzer Sables

Hi. If you are looking for Linzer Sables, you'll have to come back next week. I hoped to bake up the delicous cookies but I have a terrible cold and I am a big snotty mess. I figured no one would want to eat treats prepared by germy mcgermerson so I'll take a pass and hopefully double up next week, just in time for work holiday potlucks!

This week's selection was courtesy of Dennis from Living the Life, so go check out his page and see what he concocted. (He also has the recipe posted or you can find it in Dorie Greenspan's Baking: From My Home to Yours.) Also, don't forget to visit the blogroll at TWD to see what sables the other 400 members baked up this week.

I'll be back next week with cookies and at least one new song!

Good night and ACHOOOO!

Door update

The (farting) door has been oiled. I'll keep you posted on any funny business coming from the hinges.