Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Recipe: Cheesecake

Looking for a good cheesecake recipe?  this one looks pretty fabulous.

INGREDIENTS

Crust
  • 2 cups (475 ml) of Graham cracker crumbs (from a little less than 2 packages Graham crackers
  • 2 Tbsp sugar
  • Pinch salt
  • 5 Tbsp (70 g) unsalted butter (if using salted butter, omit the pinch of salt), melted
Filling
  • 2 pounds cream cheese (900 g), room temperature
  • 1 1/3 cup granulated sugar (270 g)
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2/3 cup sour cream (160 ml)
  • 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream (160 ml)
Toppings
  • 2 cups sour cream (475 ml)
  • 1/3 cup powdered sugar (35 g)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 12 ounces (340 g) fresh raspberries
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100 g)
  • 1/2 cup water (120 ml)
2 Preheat oven to 350°F, with rack in lower third of oven. Pulse the graham crackers in a food processor or blender until finely ground. Put in a large bowl, and stir in the sugar and salt. Use your (clean) hands to stir in the melted butter.
3 Put all  the graham cracker crumbs in the bottom of the springform pan. Gently press down on the crumbs using your fingers, until the crumbs are a nice even layer at the bottom of the pan, with maybe just a slight rise along the inside edges of the pan. Place in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.
Make the filling
4 Cut the cream cheese into chunks and place in the bowl of an electric mixer, with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed for 4 minutes until smooth, soft and creamy. Add the sugar, beat for 4 minutes more. Add the salt and vanilla, beating after each addition. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for one minute after each addition. Add the sour cream, beat until incorporated. Add the heavy cream, beat until incorporated. Remember to scrape down the sides of the mixer bowl, and scrape up any thicker bits of cream cheese that have stuck to the bottom of the mixer that paddle attachment has failed to incorporate.
Cook the cheesecake

5 Pour the cream cheese filling into the springform pan, over the graham cracker bottom layer. Smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Cook at 325°F for 1 1/2 hours.
6 Turn off the heat of the oven. Crack open the oven door 1-inch, and let the cake cool in the oven, as the oven cools, for another hour. This gentle cooling will help prevent the cheesecake surface from cracking.
7 Cover the top of the cheesecake with foil, so that it doesn't actually touch the cheesecake. Chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours, or overnight.
Prepare sour cream topping
8 Place sour cream in a medium sized bowl, stir in the powdered sugar and vanilla, until smooth. Chill until you are ready to serve the cake.
Note that this recipe produces enough sour cream topping for a thick topping and some extra to spoon over individual pieces of cheesecake, if desired. If you would like a thinner layer of topping and no extra, reduce the sour cream topping ingredients in half.
Prepare the raspberry sauce
9 Place raspberries, sugar, and water in a small saucepan. Use a potato masher to mash the raspberries. Heat on medium, whisking, about 5 minutes, until the sauce begins to thicken. Remove from heat. Let cool.
Prepare the cake to serve

cheesecake-17.jpg
10 Remove the cake from the refrigerator. Remove the foil from the sides of the pan, and place the cake on your cake serving dish. Run the side of a blunt knife between the edge of the cake and the pan. Dorie recommends, and we've done with success, that you use a hair dryer to heat the sides of the pan to make it easier to remove. Open the springform latch and gently open the pan and lift up the sides. Spread the top with the sour cream mixture. Serve plain or drizzled with raspberry sauce.

http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/perfect_cheesecake/

Monday, January 14, 2013

Project Management as a metaphore for jazz improvisation



Especially at the point of project estimation, the relationship between project management and jazz improvisation should be apparent.  In jazz improvisation, you have to intuitively recognize the chord progression and rhythm and have a repertoire of response patterns ready to knit together.
 
The article below - regarding scheduling development via parametric analysis - illustrates that while you are sensing the business change progression and rhythm of the changes that the business is going through already, you have to already have a deep repertoire of system and service response patterns that can be fitted to the context.

 
I have the experience.
 
Let's improvise together!

Friday, January 11, 2013

Recipe: Fried Rice

This recipe is so good.

Ingredients:
4 cups Cooked Rice
4 Eggs
2 Carrots
1 Cup Sweet Peas
1 Onion
Soy Sauce
Vegetable Oil

Directions:

In Wok, add 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil.  Fry eggs, stirring while they cook.  When cooked, but still moist, move to separate container.
Add 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil to the wok.  Saute the vegetables until tender.  About 10 minutes.  Move to container.  If desired, other ingredients like cubed ham or chicken can be added.
Add 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil.  Fry rice with soy sauce to flavor.  Stir, Cook about 2 minutes.  Return the vegetables and eggs to the pan.  Combine and eat!  Easy and delicious.





Fried Rice

Friday, January 4, 2013

Recipe: Awesome Sandwich!

Sandwiches!

One of the most versatile food.  They are transportable, easy to take with you when you aren't eating at home.  Great for picnics and can be very cute and dainty at dinner parties.

So, I'm going to give you the recipe for the best sandwich evar!

1 egg
2 slices of bologna
1 slice of cheese - swiss, or provolone, or your favorite
2 slices of bread

Saute the bologna till slightly brown.  Make a fried egg.  Then assemble everything on the bread like a grilled cheese sandwich with bologna and egg.  Butter both sides of the bread and cook until the cheese is melted and bread is toasted.  Enjoy!

What is your favorite sandwich?

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Recipe: Sesame Ginger Coleslaw

One perk of having vegan relatives is sometimes trying something different and healthy and SO delicious.  This stuff is awesome.

Sesame and ginger coleslaw

2 cups cabbage (shredded)
1 carrot (shredded)
2 green onions (diced)
1 handful cilantro (chopped)
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1/2 lime (juice)
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon honey
1 tablespoon ginger (grated)
1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Directions:
Mix the cabbage, carrot, green onion, and cilantro in bowl
Mix the vinegar, lime juice, oil, honey, ginger, in bowl
Toss together and garnish with sesame seeds.

Eat as an appetizer on tortilla chips!  So good!