First off a big thanks to the guy at the gym who gets props for being creative and asking me to teach him to skate only to lose all those points asking for my “digits”. Men of the world don’t ask for a woman’s digits. Seriously. It’s called a phone number. He of course did not get them. And speaking of the gym, special thanks to the woman three machines down from me on the phone, my life is now complete knowing that you “don’t think I (you) am going to get breast implants, I (you) don’t think I (you) want to lose the sensation in my nipples”.

If you want to cheer someone up send them a card through the mail. So much more exciting than seeing a bill or the exciting coupons that no one uses. I got a hand written letter in the mail yesterday and it was awesome. It was from a reader who is 18 and didn’t have a credit card but still wanted to help me out. Not only was their $15 cash but one of the nicest letters I have ever gotten! Beyond touched!

Watching an old episode of Grey’s Anatomy I heard this, it’s good advice for a few people that I can think of:

“Sometimes reality has a way of sneaking up and biting us in the ass. And when the dam bursts, all you can do is swim. The world of pretend is a cage, not a cocoon. We can only lie to ourselves for so long. We are tired; we are scared, denying it doesn’t change the truth. Sooner or later we have to put aside our denial and face the world. Head on, guns blazing. De Nile. It’s not just a river in Egypt, it’s a freakin’ ocean.”

St. Patty’s Day is knocking at your door. And while MDP and I will be playing in a hockey tournament instead of seeing if we can out drink the table next to us, some people actually do stuff on St. Patty’s. So if you are I suggest serving these cheesecake bites. The original cheesecake is here. This is a variation. I wanted to put a mini oatmeal cookie at the bottom but after three stores I gave up. I could have sworn someone made little mini iced oatmeal cookies. So I ended up making these crust less, but if you can find the oatmeal cookies, they will be that much better.

Irish Coffee Cheesecake Bites

16 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
1 ½ TBSP flour
3 eggs
2 TBSP whiskey
2 TBS Irish Cream Liquor (like Bailey’s)
1 TBSP powdered coffee (like Via)

12 mini iced oatmeal cookies (I couldn’t find any but if you can get them)

Preheat oven to 275F.

Place 12 liners into a muffin pan. Set aside. If you were lucky unlike me to find the oatmeal cookies, place one at the bottom of each muffin cup.

Cream the cheese on medium speed until very soft and creamy.

With the mixer running, add the sugar. Beat until well combined. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl.

On low speed add the flour. Then add the eggs one at a time, scraping down after each addition. Scrape down the bowl at least twice while adding the eggs.

Add the liquors and the coffee. Scrape down the bowl.

Using an ice cream scoop, fill the muffin cups.

Bake for 22 minutes.
Top with coffee whipped cream (heavy whipping cream (1/2 cup, 1/8 tsp. powdered coffee, and 2 TBSP powdered sugar all whipped together on high in mixer with whisk attachment).

First off Groundhog Day is tomorrow! I’m hoping for 6 more weeks of Winter…with snow.

It’s February…ahhhhh. Slow down time, slow down.

Crazy Cocker Spaniel gained four pounds in 2 months. She is on a diet. She is very, very pissed off about that. It leads her to eat any and all things she finds on the floor. Mmmm lint, the breakfast of champions.

I should not drink a Red Bull at midnight and expect not to be wide awake at 4am.

I went to an old stomping ground for one of my favorite treats…deep fried tater tots. They still had those but changed the whole menu (not for the better) and now served the tots with this very gross Organic Ketchup. No, no, no. Deep fried food deserves high fructose corn syrup! Highly upsetting and apparently if I ever go back I must bring my own condiments now.

I won $8 in the lottery. My time is coming I feel it.

It’s amazing when you clean and organize things how many missing things get found.

And lastly Happy Birthday to my BFF!!! That’s his birthday cheesecake there. It’s an S’mores Cheesecake that I found in my Bon Appetit file a while back and have just been holding on to it as it does take a little effort. But for someone’s birthday you should probably put in a little effort. It’s not so much hard as it is just multi steps and you need to plan ahead.

S’mores Cheesecake

Crust
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 9-10 whole crackers)
3 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling
9 oz milk chocolate, chopped
2 8-oz packages cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
3 large egg, at room temperature

Topping
1 cup sugar
2 large egg whites
3 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon salt
12 large marshmallows, cut into quarters with wet kitchen scissors
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

To make the crust: Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray. In a medium bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Pour the melted butter over the mixture and stir until the crumbs are evenly moistened. Press into an even layer in the bottom of the prepared springform pan. Bake for 12 minutes, or until set. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Reduce oven temperature to 325 F.

To make the filling: Add the chocolate to a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 30 second intervals at 50% power, stirring in between each interval, until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Cool until just barely lukewarm, stirring occasionally.

Combine the cream cheese, sugar, and salt in the bowl of your food processor and pulse until smooth. With the machine running, pour the heavy cream through feed tube and process just until blended. Again, with the machine running, add the melted chocolate and then the eggs, one at a time, blending and scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition until the mixture is smooth. Pour the batter over the cooled crust.

Bake for about 55 minutes, or until the outer edge is slightly puffed and the center is barely set (the center will jiggle slightly when the pan is gently shaken). Transfer the pan to a wire rack. Run a small sharp knife around the cake to loosen it from the pan. Let cool slightly then refrigerate for at least 8 hours. (I left mine uncovered in the fridge until it was cold, then used plastic wrap to cover the pan.)

To make the topping: In a large metal bowl (I used the bowl for my stand mixer), combine the sugar, egg whites, water, cream of tartar and salt. Set the bowl over a pan of simmering water and whisk constantly until the sugar dissolves and the mixture feels hot to the touch, about 3 minutes. Remove the bowl from the pan and add the marshmallows; let stand for a few minutes until the marshmallows soften. Place the bowl back over the pan of simmering water and beat the topping with a hand mixer for 4-5 minutes, or until stiff, shiny peaks form. Beat in the vanilla.

Let the topping cool just slightly (don’t wait too long or it’ll set and you won’t be able to spread it). Meanwhile, remove the sides of the pan from the cheesecake. Transfer the topping onto the cheesecake; use a spatula to spread it to the edges. Let stand for about 15 minutes, or until set. Use a kitchen torch to toast the topping lightly. (You could also do this under your broiler but keep a VERY close eye on it, it’ll go from brown to burnt quickly.) Transfer the cheesecake to the fridge and chill well before serving.

Source: Bon Appetit 2008

Dear On-Line Retail Stores,
You can suck it. Oh sure you offer up your too good to pass deals to lure me in. And so I add you to my cart, get all excited thinking I am done shopping and go on my merry little way. Only to get an email from you six days later saying opps we don’t appear to have that in stock.

You don’t appear to have that in stock? What ever happen to that thing called inventory? I thought we were of the modern age where you could track stuff like that better. And especially On-Line. They say there are three available, I buy one of those and then there are two left. I know we aren’t the leading county in math, but come on people, it can’t be that hard can it?

And let’s not forget the part where they already charged you for it so you have to wait for them to put the money back into your account (if debt) or on your credit card. How is it that they can take your money in a millisecond, but to return money it will take 8-14 business days? Clearly there is something fishy with that system.

Gets you so mad some days you want to throw back a few. Since it’s the holidays and all there is always Egg Nog to take the edge off. Though ironically I like egg nog desserts and even a latte, but I don’t like actual egg nog…is anyone else like this? The BFF had a pot luck and of course signed up for desserts so I wanted to do cheesecake, but something a little more portable…enter the cheesecake bar. There was no bourbon in them for the work ones, but the ones that stayed home were garnished with a little bourbon whipped cream for good measure.

P.S. Only a few more days left to shop!

Egg Nog Cheesecake Bars

Crust:
1/3 cup sugar
½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1½ cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp. ground nutmeg
Filling:
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup Egg Nog
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
3 eggs
2 TBSP all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

Heat oven to 350°F.

Combine 1/3 cup sugar and butter in large bowl.

Beat at medium speed until creamy. Reduce speed to low; add 1 1/2 cups flour and 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg. Beat until well mixed. (Mixture will be very crumbly.)

Press crust mixture onto bottom of ungreased 13×9-inch baking pan. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine all filling ingredients except nutmeg in same bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until mixture is creamy.

Spread filling over hot, partially baked crust; sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg. Continue baking for 28 to 33 minutes or until set. Cool completely. Cut into bars with wet knife. Store refrigerated.

From Land O’Lakes.com

I realize that I am supposed to be extra nice and patient during the holiday season but one thing that drives me crazy is when parents let their little kids try and do something over and over. And when the kids fails at it, do they do it, no, they continue to let the kid fail at it. EDIT* Apparently I have upset a few people  not let their kids fail. Of course let your kids fail. That’s how they learn BUT below are examples of when you probably shouldn’t be testing that out.

I have two instances this week alone. Number one while at Target the mom was having her little girl put in her pin number to the machine. Number one, not a smart idea to be shouting out repeatedly your pin number to your debt card and number two after the 5th failed attempt it’s best to move on. The line continued to form behind. After I kid you not the 11th time of messing it up the Target check out girl just got frustrated and ran the card as a credit card. To which the woman was highly upset and asked to speak to a manager. After she talked to the manager I went and spoke to him too. I explained that she was holding up the line and just trying to expedite the process. Sure hope she doesn’t get in trouble over that.

Then yesterday while going to Panera a little girl was in front of us and again her mom was having her help open the door. We stood there and stood there. And next thing you know 7 people are waiting on this little girl to open the door. I gave up and went around back and walked up to the front and ended up in front of them in line. Finally a man opened the door and went through and that woman threw a fit, to which the man rightly so said, I only get an hour for lunch, I don’t need to waste 30 minutes of it waiting for a door to open.

Seriously, it’s cute the first three times, but then after that, pay attention to the other people around you. We have stuff to get done. Like say, make cookies for cookie exchange. Which I have tomorrow. I chose to make these little gingerbread orange cheesecake bites that I saw over on Pinterest (yes, I am addicted). The original were made with store bought, which you can use, but I made mine from scratch as this is for cookie exchange after all. I added orange to my cheesecake flavor as well as I think citrus and gingerbread go really well together.

Are you going to a cookie exchange this year? If so, what do you plan on bringing?

Gingerbread Orange Cheesecake Bites

½ batch gingerbread cookie dough (recipe here) or store bought gingerbread dough (30 ounces)
4 oz cream cheese
2 cups powdered sugar
3 TBSP orange juice concentrate

Roll two teaspoons of cookie dough into a ball for each cookie. Place balls of dough into paper lines mini cupcake/muffin pan. Make a well/indentation into each ball of dough with a flour dipped mini rolling pin or the back of a measurement teaspoon.

Beat room temperature cream cheese with powdered sugar. Beat in orange juice concentrate. Place filling into a piping bag, cut off edge of bag. Place one teaspoon or so of filling into each area of cookie dough.

Bake at 350 degrees for 9 minutes or until cookie tested with tooth pick comes out almost clean.

Don’t over fill the cookies with filling as they will rise when baked.

Let cool before removing from cupcake pan.

Makes about 24 bites.

Adapted from Created by Diane.com