Blueberry Cheese Cake

I found a recipe for a Nova Scotia Blueberry Cream Cake, and I liked the idea, but the picture made it look all sloppy and goopy, so I decided to adapt it.  This cake has a bottom layer that is like a dense pound cake for a crust, a layer of blueberries, and a layer of cheesecake.  It’s divine!

Here’s the recipe I adapted.

For the cake bottom mix together:

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 Tablespoon baking powder

Using a pastry cutter mix in 1/2 cup butter.

Add 1 egg and 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Mix this thoroughly and pat into a 9″ spring form pan that has been greased or sprayed.

On this, you’ll pour 4 cups of blueberries.  I used frozen, but fresh would also work.

For the cheesecake topping mix together

2 cups of cream cheese softened to room temperature
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla extract

Pour this over the blueberries.

Put it in an oven that has been pre-heated to 375°F and bake for an hour and fifteen-twenty minutes.  Let it cool completely before removing it from the pan.

I really wish I’d had some whipped cream for the top.

When a Vegetarian Loves Her Family

I am making pulled pork.

about 3 pounds of pulled pork

I don’t eat it, but my mom’s family is rather large, and I decided to make some to take to the family Thanksgiving gathering.  While I’m at it, I decided to do another batch to freeze for me.  Then, when I have family show up (or come help while I’m kidding), I have something I can quickly fix for them to eat.

I started with Iowa produced pork loin.  My batch is for about 9 pounds of meat.

For seasoning I mix:

• 1 Tbsp. garlic powder
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp dry mustard
• 3 Tbsp salt

Sprinkle it over the meat.

You can put it in a roasting pan and bake it in the oven, but I am using my electric roaster.  I like that it has the rack to set the loins on.  I also start with the fat side down.

Then add some liquid, but not rinsing the seasoning off the meat.  I used veggie stock because that’s what I have, but you could also use chicken stock.  I added one 32 oz. box.

Bake it a 300º F. After the spices all dissolved, I turned it over.  About an hour later, I turned it again.  This has the fat side down again, and by the time it’s done roasting, the fat will have probably mostly fallen off.

You know it’s ready when you put your fork in it and it falls apart.  Roasting time will depend on how big the loins are, but it will be four or five hours probably.

I let it cool a little bit and then finished pulling it apart.  I picked out the little bit of fat that was still attached (and fed it to Snickers).

It works really well to divide it into ziploc bags and add the liquid (straining the fat out) and freeze it.  When it’s time to serve it, let it thaw and heat it up in a crock pot.

Rosemary Roasted Sweet Potatoes With Brown Butter

I had never tried fixing sweet potatoes before, so when I was gifted two from my nephew who got them from his brother, I figured it was a good time to play in the kitchen.

After peeling them, I decided to dice and roast them.

I tossed it with a bit of olive oil and added a teaspoon of crushed rosemary.  I can only find leaf rosemary, so I just grind it in my coffee grinder. It works well.

I put them on the roasting sheet and put them in a 400°F oven.

They did have to bake for about 40 minutes.

When they came out, they were just getting brown in places.  They really shrank down, so I was glad I did both of them.  They didn’t even completely fill my serving bowl.

Then I drizzled some browned butter on them.  I can’t believe it took me so long to discover brown butter.  I used 1/4 cup and just cooked it in my sauce pan until it was brown.

I didn’t use all of it for this recipe; it doesn’t take a lot to give it that buttery, nutty flavor.

After trying them, I decided I will need to get some more sweet potatoes.

Definitely need more sweet potatoes, which is why I have been trying to grow them and keep them protected from the deer.