What's Your Sweet Spot?

So, If you're like me, you like a choice of desserts on Thanksgiving.  Don't get me wrong - I love pumpkin pie!  But, I also enjoy being able to give everyone a choice and hit their 'sweet spot', so I made up this easy cheesecake recipe.  It's super rich but pretty darn tasty too.  Besides, who watches what they eat on TG anyway?  It's the one day a year we gluttons can feel good about ourselves - throw caution to the wind and just try it all!

So this is the first picture of it, whole and un- garnished.  When I plated it I paired it with a chocolate ganache (see below - that's what the dots are) so that you could sop up some of the sauce along with each bite of cheesecake.  I also topped it with whipped cream, Reese's PB cups, pecans, and then put chocolate shavings along the side of it too.  I couldn't think of any more fattening things to add, so I quit and called it finished.

It's ok if it looks a little rustic - then you know it isn't from a warehouse store

This shows some of the elements in the cheesecake - peanut butter, milk chocolate chunks, cookie crumbs, and Reese's for a garnish.

Peanut Butter Turtle Cheesecake

Lou Crandall, Savory Catering

Crust:

1 package Oreos (regular or Double Stuff)

2 oz (4 TBLS) melted butter

1.8 oz (¼ cup) sugar

Filling:

12 oz (1½ cup) heavy cream, whipped

19 oz (2 bricks + ¼ cup) cream cheese

12.4 oz (1¾ cup) sugar

8 oz (1 cup) peanut butter

19 oz (1½ cans) Nestle’s Dulce de leche (in Hispanic foods)

Toppings

1.5 oz (2 TBLS) pecans, coarsely chopped

1.5 oz (2 TBLS) chocolate ganache or syrup

.5 oz (1 TBLS) Oreo cookie pieces, crumbled, about the size of peas

.5 oz (1 TBLS) Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, crumbled, about the size of peppercorns

6 oz (¾ cup) heavy cream, whipped, sweetened, and ½ tsp vanilla added

Chocolate shavings or crumbs for the sides 

Directions:

Take 3 Oreos out of the package and set them aside to use later for the toppings.  Process the rest of the Oreos (filling and all) in a food processor until they are the size of crumbs.  Add the melted butter and sugar and process a few more seconds to mix.  Divide the crumbs in half, and pat them down into the bottom of an 8 inch springform pan (save the other half of the crumbs for the next layer) and bake on 400º for 6 minutes.  Put your cookie crust into the freezer to harden.  

After the crust is hard and will stay in place, warm the caramel (Dulce de leche) in a separate bowl and pour half over the crust, saving the other half for the second layer.  Work quickly and spread out the caramel to form an even layer on the crust, making sure not to go over the same place too many times and get some of the crumbs mixed into the caramel.  Put this into the freezer again.  

Whip the heavy cream in a stand mixer to stiff peaks.  Set aside in another bowl.  Next, beat cream cheese, sugar, and peanut butter together in your stand mixer.  Fold in the whipped heavy cream.  Divide this mixture in half.  Take the crust out of the freezer.  Spread on half of the cream cheese layer.  Freeze.

After the pie is frozen, spread on the leftover Oreo crumbs and press down slightly.  Freeze.  Warm the rest of the caramel and layer on as before and freeze.  Lastly, spread on the rest of the cream cheese mixture and freeze.

 Unmold the cheesecake from the springform pan.  Press the chocolate shavings or crumbs into the side of the cheesecake, then garnish with a little bit of each of the toppings along with swirls of whipped cream.

 Have a Fantastic Thanksgiving!!

Salmon fishing in Alaska

There is nothing better than fresh-from-the river Salmon!

Here I am (above) braving the cold for some delicious fresh fish.

It was absolutely breathtaking scenery!  The place we stayed "Eyak River Hideaway" was right on the Eyak River in Cordova, Alaska.  It rained most days, but I didn't expect it to be Hawaii anyway.

Here I am in the boat - Don and Sally are posing nearby- this was one of the only times it was sunny!

My good friend Lisa, on the left and Don and his son Jason Fileting the fish.

Look how happy I am not to constantly be in waders!

Awww look at the seals!  They float on their backs so they can crack shellfish on their tummies and suck out the deliciousness from the shells.

Pete, me, and Angie sharpening our knives so we could filet the next batch of Salmon

Welcome!

I am passionate about food and I love a great party! I love entertaining and gathering friends around a fantastic meal. I also teach cooking classes in Salem UT and run a catering business.  I named my blog "wild chives" because I love the beauty of chives and their spiky purple flowers that sprout on the ends of the stalks.  Well, ok, I really wanted to name it "wild thymes" because thyme is my favorite herb, but someone already had that one, plus who knows about the people I might attract with that name?  Could be interesting...

So I'm sure you would like to know what recipes I'm working on these days!  I'm working on a chilled cherry soup with almonds on top - or maybe spiced pecans?  I will let you know when I get it perfected.

My posts each week will include pictures and recipes, hints and tips - things that I discovered and want to pass on to you to save yourself time and wasted ingredients in the kitchen.

One other thing that I came across a couple of weeks ago were some Lobster mushrooms.  Have you ever used these babies?  Wow.  Divine!

(photo found via)

 They are so much more flavorful than those pasty-white button mushrooms!  They truly smell like the seaside restaurants in San Francisco at Fisherman's Wharf.  They tasted delightful in my cheesy risotto.  Yum.  They have a slight pinkish-red spotted color too so it adds to the presentation value.  I found them at the Harmon's grocery store in Orem, Utah.  Sure, they're a little pricey but welll worth it for the punch of flavor that you get with them.  I will post the recipe and pictures in a few days.