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Archive for June, 2013

Wordless Wednesday

Posted in Wordless Wednesday, tagged on June 19, 2013| Leave a Comment »

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Cheesecake Extraordinaire

Posted in Food, Recipes, tagged , , , on June 18, 2013| 6 Comments »

You know how you go on Pinterest and pin all these decorating ideas, DIY projects, and most of all, recipes?  I’m not huge on the Pinterest scene, but I pinned something a while back and finally decided to try it.  The Salted Caramel Cheesecake.  It got a lot of attention on Pinterest and I think the comments to the original post (published in 2011) have been closed, so I thought I’d post my comment here.

I was a little afraid of this at first because quite frankly the amount of salt in the original recipe is astounding.  I made some adjustments and served the cheesecake at a Father’s Day/Birthday celebration for my mom and dad.  To see the original recipe, click right here.

This photo is credited to The Modern Apron. I forgot to take a picture of my finished product. My caramel didn’t have the deep brown color as this one because I was afraid of scorching it. It was still very tasty though.

Here’s how I made the cheesecake:

Crust

15 graham crackers
3 Tbsp sugar
1 stick butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place crackers in a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin until they turn into fine crumbs. Put crumbs into a medium bowl. (I crushed half the crumbs in the bag, emptied into a bowl, then did the same to the second half of the crackers.) Add sugar and butter to cracker crumbs and mix until all are combined and the mixture is crumbly.

2. Transfer the mixture to a 10” springform pan sprayed with cooking spray. Pat crumb mixture into the bottom of the pan, and up the sides about 2”.

3. Bake crust until slightly brown, about 8-10 minutes. Remove crust from the oven and allow to cool completely on a rack.

Cheesecake

3 8-oz packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 14-oz can dulce de leche*
2 Tbsp flour
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
4 large eggs, room temperature

* Apparently you can find dulce de leche in the Latin section of the grocery store.  I couldn’t find it in my neighborhood store, so I made it myself.  Empty one 14-oz can of sweetened condensed milk into a double boiler and cook over simmering water for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.  It will turn darker, thick and caramely.  Whisk it smooth and let cool a bit before using it in the cheesecake recipe.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

1.  In a stand mixer beat the cream cheese until smooth.  Add dulce de leche and beat to combine.

2.  Add flour and beat to combine, scraping sides when necessary.  Beat until smooth and fluffy, about 5 minutes.  There should be no lumps.

3.  Add sugar and beat to combine.

4.  Add vanilla and combine.  Then add eggs one at a time, combing thoroughly after each.  Don’t overbeat as that will cause the cheesecake to puff up too much and cause the surface to crack.

5.  Pour cream cheese mixture into cooled crust and smooth the top. 

6.  Bake at 300 degrees F for 55-65 minutes.  The center will be a little wiggly, but the edges will be puffed up and have a nice golden color.  Cool completely on a wire rack, then refrigerate for at least 8 hours.  This allows the cheesecake to become the rich denseness it should be.

Caramel

1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 Tbsp water
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp butter
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar and water. Swirl to combine.
 
2. Continue cooking until the sugar turns golden brown, swirling occasionally. You’re looking for something that’s about the color of dark honey.  It should take 3-5 minutes.  Or more.  Keep a close eye on it as caramelizing sugar goes from perfect to ruined in a split second.
 
3. Remove from heat and carefully add the butter, then the cream. Don’t wait until the butter is melted; toss in the butter, give it a whisk, then pour in the cream. It will foam up, seize, and otherwise look like a total failure. Persevere! Add the vanilla extract and salt and continue whisking.
 
4. Return to medium low heat and whisk until smooth. (Added note: if your caramel is too thin, let it cook for a while over a low heat.)  Allow to cool slightly, about 15 minutes.
 
5. Remove cheesecake from the refrigerator and pour caramel over the top, letting it pool in the middle.
 
6. Return the cheesecake to the refrigerator to let the caramel set, about 30 minutes. To serve, cut in slices with a sharp knife.
 
This dessert was a definite challenge but everyone loved it.  The original recipe has many more teaspoons of kosher salt in the crust and in the cheesecake, but I thought the amount of salt in the caramel was enough for the whole cake.  I can’t imagine having more throughout the cake, but if you’d like to try it out, follow the original recipe.
 
I’ll definitely make it again, for a large group, of course.  This cheesecake will serve 12-16 people.  If you decide to try it, I’d love to hear how it turned out and how you liked it.
 
Happy baking!

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The Season’s In Full Swing

Posted in Events, tagged , , , on June 17, 2013| 14 Comments »

After the semi-disasterous first show of 2013 (Hopkins Mainstreet Days) Husby and I set up camp at the Chateau St. Croix Winery and Vineyard.  I’m a little late in keeping  you up to date on the show, but then again I’m a little behind in everything I’m undertaking these days.  The Fete des Fleurs took place on June 8th and 9th and was much more enjoyable than the first show we did in Hopkins.  For one thing it didn’t rain the entire time.  For another thing a lot of people like to visit the Chateau.  Sunny Skies + People + Wine = Respectable Sales for Auntie B.

Prior to the sunny day on Saturday the St. Croix Falls area had been having a lot of rain and the ground was completely saturated.  It was pretty squishy, but the water didn’t penetrate my shoes or threaten any of my wares.

A beautiful patch of grass became pretty muddy after a little traffic. My tennies needed a good hosing down when I got home.

Strolling along with a glass of wine, perusing the offerings by local artisans ~ a lovely way to spend a day.

One of the things that brightened our day was the fact that Dave Ybarra of the North Side Dukes came to our canopy and gave us a complimentary CD for being such an enthusiastic audience.  It’s not hard, as the band is one of the things we like best about the Chateau’s festivals.

Husby and I aren’t the only ones who like the North Side Dukes. Combine some bluesy music with good friends and good wine and you’ve got yourself a good time.

There’s another Dave at the Chateau I’ve come to adore – Dave the wine/beer guy. He teases me with the bottles of Chateau wine and thinks I should start drinking earlier than I do. Hey Dave, I’ve got a business to run! I usually have a glass about an hour before closing time. Dave likes to give me a very generous glass of wine.  He’s nice that way.

Look! Tiny little hipsters! You just never know what you’ll see at the Chateau.

It was a really good Saturday, but Sunday came around with more rain.  Despite that some brave people came out with their umbrellas to visited the artisans and listen to the music.  Good times can happen rain or shine.  Luckily the sun came out by the time we had to pack up for the weekend.  Anyone who sets up a booth at an outdoor event knows it’s a challenge to set up or tear down in the rain. 

All in all it was a good weekend and I was honored to be a part of the Chateau St. Croix’s 2013 Fete des Fleurs.  If you missed the spring festival remember there’s another festival at the Chateau St. Croix in September.  Keep in touch with my Events page for updates.

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What Goes Around Comes Around

Posted in Nostalgia, tagged , , , , , , , , on June 13, 2013| 7 Comments »

Every Friday night when I wasn’t at First Avenue, the premiere danceteria in Minneapolis, I’d watch Miami Vice.  It seems like only yesterday, but that was nearly thirty years ago.  But I’m not here to discuss how old I am.  I want to enlighten or remind you (depending on your age) how much fun the ’80s were, and how flippin’ cool Sonny Crockett was.

Don JohnsonI remember the leggings, padded shoulders, rolled up jacket sleeves and asymmetrical hair styles with a smile.  Miami Vice was a very dated show featuring music and fashion of the time, and quite frankly the way Sonny Crockett rolled his cigarette on his tongue before he lit it was about the sexiest thing I ever saw.  His signature accessory was the Wayfarer shades.  Of course I had a pair too, because anyone who wanted to look über cool had to have some.

Over the years fashions changed, hair styles changed, and everyone came to realize that Miami Vice was actually a pretty bad show when it came to writing and acting.  But the ’80s will always have a special place in my heart because those were the times I was young and free.  Those were the times I could wear anything I wanted and look great, and get outrageous haircuts.  Those were the days I used my Wayfarers as a mask, but also a prop for flirtation.

These days I’m not so young and not so free.  I’ve got responsibilities and I have to choose clothes carefully to flatter my less-than-firm physique.  But guess what?  I just bought a new pair of Wayfarers.  Oh sure, they have prescription lenses complete with bifocals, but they’re as cool as ever.  And you can count on the fact I’ll use them as a prop to flirt with Husby.

Ever since I bought my new shades I’ve had a song in my head that takes me back to those carefree summer nights of the ’80s.  The girl in the song, as the lyrics tell us, wears Wayfarers too ~ all the cool ones do.  Have a click on the link below and get a blast of summertimes past.

Don Henley – Boys Of Summer – Video Dailymotion.

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A Visit To The Shop ~ Cowboys

Posted in A Visit To The Shop, Drink Charms, tagged , , , , on June 6, 2013| 3 Comments »

Real cowboys always wear Wranger jeans. And everyone knows girls go nuts for Wrangler butts.

The Cowboys drink charms have been a top seller since I started making them and are popular with men and women alike.  At one craft show there was a boy about fourteen or fifteen years old with a set of the Cowboys drink charms in his hands, looking thoughtfully at all the images.  His mom wondered why he was so interested in them.  He looked at her and said “I’m going to buy these for Grandma – she loves cowboys!”  I guess even grandmas go nuts for Wrangler butts.  Party on, partner!

Find the Cowboys Drink Charms Set of 6 at Auntie B’s Wax. If they’re sold out let me know – I can make more! Click the pic to fly to the listing in my Etsy shop.

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