FDOFF: Day Three

Today started out with a dead battery in my camera...

AGAIN!

So, while I had intended to take pics of the WHOLE dessert making process...

You only get a few:(

Anywho...

I made a TURTLE CHEESECAKE!

I LOVE cheesecake!

(the Golden Girls is my all time favorite show;))

Here is the recipe.

It is from Allrecipes, but I changed two minor details.

First, let me say, that I ALWAYS read recipe reviews BEFORE I attempt a new recipe.

This helps reduce the amount of mistakes that can occur.

For this particular recipe, I found out that more butter was needed to make the crust workable...

And if you don't make sure the crust goes up the side of the pan at least an inch, you end up with caramel stuck to the side of the pan.

So, I the version I provided, I made the changes for you.

(awful nice of me, I know;))

Here it is right out of the oven.

I baked it for about 45 minutes, with a pan of boiling water on the lower rack, to keep the oven nice and moist.

A lot of people use a water bath, but I don't think it's necessary...

Especially if you heat a kettle of water to boiling, pour it into a big roasting pan, and let it sit in the oven for a good ten or fifteen minutes before baking the cheesecake on the rack above.

(make sure the water is on the lowest level rack, and the cheesecake on a middle rack)

I put mine in the freezer for a couple hours, then moved it to the fridge.

Ideally you would want to make this a day ahead.

(but I NEVER do things the easy way)

On to supper...

I found this recipe for Sesame Noodles a few years ago, and make it about once a month.

It is quick and easy.

The fixins'

I start by adding the sugar to my saucepan, because I don't want to dirty more than one spoon.

Then, add the wet ingredients.

I have tried many chili sauces and this is my fave!

Now, you may already know this, but I did not until a few years ago, when I started to cook...

Bash your garlic with the side of your knife (or another solid, flat bottomed object), and the skins with magically fall off!

I like my garlic minced pretty fine.

Add the garlic to the pan, and whisk a bit.

I don't turn the heat on yet though.

I add my sesame seeds to a pan and toast over medium heat. I use a tablespoon, as opposed to the teaspoon the recipe calls for.

AND

MAKE SURE YOU WATCH THEM ! THEY WILL BURN!!

Oh yeah...

You should have been boiling your noodles somewhere in there.

(What a crappy teacher I'd make)

Heat the sauce over medium-low, until the sugar dissolves and it starts to simmer a little.

Combine the sauce and the cooked, drained noodles, into the same pot you used to boil the noodles.

(less dishes this way)

Here is everything ready to be tossed together.

Mmmmm!

I don't know an Asian word for viola!

Now...

The dessert to beat all desserts.

Here is the cheesecake right out of the fridge.

(notice the marks from the condensation dripping onto the top...rats!)

After I removed the sides of my springform pan.

I topped each individual piece with a little of this...

It's good straight out of the can also...

not that I would know anything about that.

It is surprisingly easy to cut, even with all the caramel.

I'm in HEAVEN...

Tomorrow another quick dinner, and a way quicker dessert.

Hope you are enjoying your Monday!

Jessie