Oh Yummy! Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie

Tired of old same pumpkin pie? Just want the pumpkin pie to taste different but still like the pumpkin pie? Here is the idea of Pumpkin Cheesecake pie...

Before the Thanksgiving came, I was doing research on many different things. I want to do something different for this pumpkin pie. I do love the traditional pie but I decided to do something different this year with little of new kind. I came across to this recipe that I found on this website "Taste of the Home", after I read it and it sound really good. I know that this recipe is required a lot of cream cheese. I thought that they were nut to have that many of cream cheese. But lucky in the store, they were on sale so I took the chance of that. Here is the website for this recipe... Deluxe Pumpkin Cheesecake

So I just go ahead and write it down for you because I did it little different way but it is mostly same things.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Ingredients

• Two graham ready pie crust
• 4 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened, divided
• 1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions

1. In a large bowl, beat 1 package of cream cheese, ½ cup sugar and cornstarch until smooth, about 2 minutes. Beat in remaining cream cheese, one package at a time until smooth. Add remaining sugar and vanilla. Add 4 eggs; beat on low speed just until combine. (If you don't have mixer, you can use by hand mixer, I suggest you to use whisk and act like machine)
2. Place 2 cups filling in a small bowl; stir in the pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Remove ¾ cup pumpkin filling; set aside. Pour remaining pumpkin filling over crust; top with remaining plain filling. Cut through the knife to swirl. Drop reserved pumpkin filling by spoonful over cheesecake; cut through with a knife to swirl.
3. Place the pan in a large baking pan; add 1 in. of hot water to larger pan. Bake at 350 degree F for 55 to 65 minutes or until center is just set and top appears dull. Remove the pan from water bath. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge to pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight. 

You can add chocolate syrup or whipping cream, or anything on the top of the pie of your taste. Enjoy it!

My Thanksgiving Story

Let me tell you the story of My Thanksgiving Dinner. This is my very first time to cook Thanksgiving dinner for the family since I started at Culinary Arts school to become Chef. Also I have asked my mom for several year to let me cook Thanksgiving dinner as the whole things. I did cook some on Thanksgiving dinner but it was only like one side of it. Right now, I cooked the whole dinner. It was good experience for me and I would like to do it more. Let my story begin...

At 9:00 am, I woke up because I really want to start cooking the dinner and plus I couldn't sleep anymore. So I started to prep at 9:15 am which is the rolls, because it take 2 to 4 hours to rise.

Then I started on the turkey, because it take time to cook than the rolls. I started to prep the seasoning for the turkey. I used brown sugar and butter to smear on it, as before I started to bake it.

I began to prep the glazed for the turkey. I used brown sugar, butter, nutmeg, cinnamon  and rum. It take a while to cook to become syrup-like.

After that, I began to prep the appetizers because the dinner won't be ready for another two hours. So I decided to prepare the appetizer, I made Tomato bruschetta with baked bread with mozzarella cheese on top of it. We began to eat the appetizer at 11:30 am, as while the turkey is cooking and I kept baste it.

After, I began to become crazy because at 12:15 pm, the turkey was finished. I have not started the sides yet. So I had to rush everything in 30 minutes. I began to prep the green bean casserole, rolls, and stuffing ball and put on the oven at once.

Stuffing Ball

 Rolls

Green Bean Casserole

While they were cooking in the oven, I began to prep the mashed potatoes and after it was finished simmer. Then I had to mashed them. However, I totally forgot to cook the bacon. I quickly took it out and put in the oven for 10 minutes. It is faster that way than the stove or microwave. As the results that it came out really good. 

So the feast begin with this beautiful setting of the table with wonderful family.

After the great feast, I begin to clean up the kitchen and dining room. It just took forever to do that it because I was being to slow and take my time. After I finished all of them, I began to make the dessert. I was making the pumpkin cheesecake for the very first time. I put in the oven and cook for almost an hour. Here is the result of pumpkin cheesecake...

I finished my cooking and cleaning at 4:30 pm. It had been long time for me to do everything but it was good experience for me. Now, I am tired but I would love to do it again. 

(Keep eye for tomorrow because I will post the Pumpkin cheesecake recipe for anyone who is interesting)

My infamous Chili

You know when it is really cold outside or cold inside that you really want to turn on the heat but really want to save it for later on. Also it was snow outside all weekend and now it is stop. I don't like the snow very much. It is not my favorite thing of all. Yes, I know it is pretty but I dislike to drive in it. Anyway, this cold weather made me want to bring out my most favorite soup which is Chili. There are so many different kind of chili that you could make. I decided to make my own chili with my little inspire of my invention for this. I called this Black Bean Chili. For some reason, I just love black bean so I decided to make this. Here is my recipe that I want to share with you. It is very easy and simple that is not required a lot of time. Because you are going to cook it in crock pot. Here is my recipe:

Black Bean Chili (Yield: 4 servings)
Ingredients:

• 1 can of black bean
• 1 can of chili-ready bean
• 1 onion, 1/4 inch dice
• 1 small can of tomato sauce
• 2 small can of tomato paste
• 1 can of tomato, diced (I recommend fire-roast tomato)
• 1 lb of ground beef/turkey/ or any
• chili powder for tasting
• to taste = salt and pepper

Directions

1. Cook the ground beef first to brown it. Remove the ground beef as drain the fat. Saute the onions until soft or little of brown in little bit of fat. Add the ground beef and then add tomato paste. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes. 
2. Add the black bean, chili-ready bean, tomato sauce, tomato diced in the crock pot. Mix well. Then add the ground beef/onion/tomato mixture in the crock pot. Cook in low heat and cook for 6 to 8 hours.
3. Add the chili powder, salt, and pepper to correct the flavor in chili.

You can add the cheese to it or making the cornbread. It is all up to you. Enjoy!