[Semi-Homemade Cooking]

[Asian Desserts Haute and Not]

Wow! My creative juices are really flowing now. I am just in awe of some of the things you all suggest. This is gonna be great. Thanks for all the ideas and feel free to keep them coming. i will let you know how it's going.

[Asian Desserts Haute and Not]

I knew if I put this question out on this forum there would be LOTS of great ideas.

Irwin - if you could post your Almond Jelly recipe I would be grateful!

The dessert sushi sounds fun too and I think I will start experimenting with that for next month.

Thanks for all the ideas and please keep them coming!

edited because I never seem to catch all the errors before I hit the submit button.

Ellen

[Asian Desserts Haute and Not]

I'm teaching a class for a group of women in a couple of weeks on asian cooking. I was wondering if any of you had any ideas. I am not allowed to use alcohol or tea in anything... So can you think of something relatively simple with an Asian flavor?

Edited to correct my hideous punctuation - I think.

Ellen

[eG Foodblog: Jackal - Xmas week]

I just read your blog and I have to say THIS IS AWESOME! Thank you so much for all the pictures and information. What a great holiday present for all of us!

Ellen

[The Taste of Christmas]

BREAD! Cinnamon rolls in the morning with lots of cinnamon and brown sugar. Big yeasty rolls with butter in the afternoon.

Roast Beef

Mashed potatoes

Clam Chowder

Apple cider

Peach cobbler

[Dinner! 2003]

Tonight: Homemade spinach dip on top of crusty baguette with parmesan under the broiler and a glass of my own grape juice (this year's harvest).

[Individual/Mini Cheesecakes]

To unmold, I always freeze my cakes. You can freeze them hard-over night or for 3 or 4 hours. Then I invert my pan and with a blow torch heat the sides and bottom of the pan. The cake ALWAY comes out cleanly with perfect sides with this technique.

I use basically this method for fancy cakes. I don't have a blow torch, however, so I use a REALLY HOT towel on the bottom of the muffin tin and press it between the cups of the muffin pan. Wendy is exactly right - they come out perfectly clean.

[Individual/Mini Cheesecakes]

I am just a home baker but I make cheesecake all the time - both the large 11" cakes and one that are in muffin cups to mini muffin cups. I always use springform pans for my large cheesecakes (I don't have the small ones - I've been eyeing them lately tho) and I never use a water bath. Maybe that's just my recipe but I always get a cheesecake that rich and creamy and holds well in the fridge for days. (I actually hid one peice for a week before I got around to eating it).

I use muffin or mini muffin cups for individual servings. If the occasion is informal and I am in a hurry, I use paper muffin liners. They pop out easy and allow for toppings if desired. If it's more formal and I want the sides to look really clean, I use the freeze method.

I combine all of my ingredients in the blender. It makes a perfectly smooth texture and takes next to no time. I will note that my recipre uses less cream cheese than other recipes I've seen. It adds cottage cheese which makes it really moist and creamy. I have had many people who said they hated cheesecake that beg for mine.

I am at the office now but when I get home I will PM you the recipe.

[Classic Cakes That Need Resurrecting]

Maybe I missed a few posts... but I haven't seen anybody mention carrot cake or chocolate zucchini cake. My mom also made a KILLER chocolate chip oatmeal cake. Classic!