Sunday, April 10, 2011

Domesticated Saturday (426 Days to Go)

So yesterday I only went out during the early afternoon to JoAnn's for their open house in order to recruit knitting students.  For once it seemed to go very well.  So despite some heehawing over whether or not to go, it paid off in the long run (so long as they don't later back out of their classes).

I also found out yesterday morning that another of my articles got published.  This one is about the five largest summer art and craft shows in PA.  Check it out if you're in PA or one of the surrounding states.  It goes from one end of the state to the other.

When I got home, Jeff had finished washing our bed sheets and I remade the bed with our new duvet cover that I picked up the weekend before while shopping with my FMIL.  Best $20 I've spent in a while because our bed no longer looks like a hand me down of a hand me down with it's old patched and stained duvet cover.

We then spent the rest of the afternoon cuddling on the couch watching the movie Runaway Jury while I knitted on my cousin's baby's blanket.  That thing refuses to ever be finished no matter how much I convince myself that it's getting close to the end.  But the movie kept me guessing for a while.  Granted, unlike Jeff I had not read the book first.

For dinner, Jeff had marinated steaks and fired up the grill.  It's finally starting to hold a steady spring-like temperature in Pittsburgh.  In fact I saw trees budding for the first time this week.  While he was grilling, I was making cheesecake like I'd promised to do this weekend.  Domestication does not come easy to me and cheesecake is about the only thing I can make without burning it.  In all seriousness, not even Toll House pre-made cookie dough can survive under my baking.  I blame it on the fact that I haven't been able to figure out how to use the confectionery oven since I used to have a gas oven/stove in my old apartment.

But cheesecake is apparently a specialty of mine.  Today's version:

Layered Chocolate Chip Cheesecake.  
I dunno, sure, whatever.  It needs some kind of name.

So...ingredients: 
2 eggs
2 8oz packages of cream cheese
1/2 cup of sugar
1/4 cup of cocoa
10 chocolate chip cookies
2 tsps of vanilla
1 pre-made graham cracker crust

Layer One: Traditional Cheesecake
Mix one 8 oz package of  cream cheese, 1/4 cup of sugar, 1 tsp of vanilla, and 1 egg together with a mixer.  Pour into graham cracker crust and spread even.

Crush four of the chocolate chip cookies and sprinkle across the bottom layer of the cheesecake.
Layer Two: Chocolate Cheesecake
Mix one 8 oz package of cream cheese, 1/4 cup of sugar, 1/4 cup of cocoa, 1 tsp of vanilla, and 1 egg together with mixer.  Pour about a half to 3/4 of the mixture onto the cheesecake and spread even.  The rest will probably be overflow so you'll have to make yourself a single serving size version in a small bowl that's oven safe.  I call the mini cheesecake my upside down cheesecake because it's crust will be on top. And it's perfect for taking to work in a packed lunch.

Jeff looooves cheesecake!
Crush the remaining cookies and sprinkle across the top of both cheesecakes.  Oh and don't forget to let your man help you clean up the only way guys know how--by licking the beaters.

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Bake the mini cheesecake for 30 minutes.  Bake the full sized cheesecake for 45 minutes.

And after some patience, you have this:

And because your man is so grateful for cheesecake, you also have this waiting for you...at least I hope you do.

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