A Sweet Treat

Our dear Cielo ,who lives in that sweet house among the roses, is hosting a dessert carnival today! I was not able to get mine sent to her in time so will post it here. I hope you enjoy it but please! Run, do not tarry, over to see Cielo! Her blog is a feast for the eyes every day but today, well, today it is also a feast for your taste buds!

~Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake~

2-½ lbs cream cheese 1 cup sugar 6 tbsp ap flour 2 tsp lemon zest 1 tsp vanilla extract ½ cup lemon juice 1 cup blueberries 4 each eggs 3 each egg yolks

• Cream the cheese and sugar on low speed of stand mixer (speed 2 on kitchen-aid) until very pliable. Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl with rubber spatula.
• Add flour in two parts, mixing well after each addition.
• Add egg and yolks one at a time mixing well after each one. When 4 eggs have been added, stop the mixer and scrape down the side and bottom with spatula. Turn back on to low speed incorporating the rest of the eggs. Blend until last egg has just been incorporated and stop. Add the vanilla, zest, lemon juice and ½ of the blueberries and blend for just 2 minutes. Pour into prepared crust. Sprinkle the remaining blueberries on top of the pie.
• Bake in oven with water bath at 425 F for 20 minutes. Then turn temp down to 350 F and continue to bake for 50-60 minutes longer until set. (Little to no jiggle in center of pie)

~Crust~

2 cups graham crumbs 4 oz butter melted pinch salt 1 oz ladle of sugar 10-inch spring-form pan

• Mix together, press into spring-form pan and bake at 400 F for about 15 min until just starting to get color. Remove and cool before adding pie mixture.

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This recipe comes from The Inn at Cedar Falls in Logan, Ohio. A lovely spot surrounded by the natural beauty of the Hocking Hills. Bill and I adore Bed and Breakfast Inns and this one is a delight. Their restaurant is renowned for their top notch cuisine set in an authentic antique log cabin. It is a wonderful experience!

Thank you Cielo for hosting such a sweet event!

Love and Hugs,

Susie Q

A List, A List, My Kingdom For A List!

Our lovely Cielo has tagged me with a this list game. I am much delayed in doing it so I do hope she will forgive me that! First, the instructions: 1. Once you are tagged, link back to the person that tagged you 2. Post these rules on your blog. 3. List seven random and/or weird facts about yourself. 4. Tag seven random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs. 5. Let each person know that they have been tagged by posting a comment on their blog. Hm...now, what can I possibly tell you about myself that you do not already know? I am weird, odd and quite silly. I think that has been very well documented. Ahem. So, what 7 things can I relate that you have not already noticed.... 1. I write poetry. Not so silly? Well, most of it IS rather silly, fun and a bit off center. I once wrote an epic poem about Monty Python that included all of their films, skits, shows and characters. It was up on The Daily Llama, a web space for Monty Python. I can usually put a poem together rather quickly, or used to. That was BG, or Before Grace. Now my head swims with Hannah Montana lyrics and school schedules and who is cuter, Zac or Cody from the Disney Channel. Maybe I should write a poem about that...Oh Cody fair I think I'll cry, if I ever meet you, I'd surely die. How's that for a starter. Yeah, I think it is pretty bad too. I will work on it. 2. I have no fear at all of animals. Of any animals. Big ones, small ones, wild or domestic...I got that from my Dad. I used to get myself in all sorts of predicaments with animals but have never been so much as scratched. I guess it is true about being able to sense fear...that and dumb animals. ME being the dumb animal...the other non human animals figure out pretty quickly I am no threat at all. They know a dumb animal (Me) when they see one. Now, I have no fear of animals but ask me about reptiles and I will give you a far different answer. 3. I wanted to be a commercial artist at one time. I always intended to go to a 2 year art school but my Dad had such high hopes of me going to a 4 year University. Mom had a Bachelors but Dad never finished and wanted his kids to do that. I took Fine Arts in college and quickly grew tired of the classes. I had a group of professors who were very avant garde and actually discussed how all the great (so called in their eyes) art museums around the world could burn to the ground and nothing of any real value would be lost. Little ol' unsophisticated me could never agree with such statements. So I went into Art Education and minored in that. I also minored in Education but finished my Bachelor's in Sociology with the intention of getting my Master's in Social Work while working at the University. Then that cute guy named Bill came along, he joined the Navy and the rest is history. Or a bore. But I do have one little story about being an Art major. One evening during my Freshman year Mom came into my room and said, "Your Daddy has his feelings hurt because you never show him your portfolio." "But Mom!", I said. "You KNOW why!" And she did. Still, she encouraged me to show Dad and "get it over with!". So I did. I was taking a required course, "Full Figure Drawing" and knew how my Dad would feel about it..."Daddy? I was afraid you would be upset if I showed you my sketches. You see, the class is using nude models." Dad smiled and said, "I am not THAT backward sweetie. I KNOW they use nude female models in art classes." "Um Daddy? They aren't exactly using *FE*males." Nope. The were using young male models. Not particularly attractive young male models. IN fact, they were rather dirty and scruffy looking male models who reeked of cigarette smoke and beer. And they were nude. Naked. Buck naked. I was a young college Freshman, I had not yet turned 18 and my poor Dad just about choked. Gagged. Sputtered. Well, you get the picture. And no. He never did look at those pictures. And I think he gave a silent sigh when I switched into Art Ed. No nude drawing there. Dang it. 4. I have seen 42 different rock bands/acts in concert. I used to go with groups of friends in High School, in college and into adulthood. Bill and I have seen a few by ourselves and I have attended many with my brother and sister in law. Yes, I know the smell of pot well. I was a child of the 70s remember? But I never smoked it. Nope. It was passed down rows in front of me many a time but it never interested me. I guess I really am a goody two shoes huh? Never been drunk either. Never smoked a cigarette. Egad I am boring! Oh, you already KNEW that huh? But I loved concerts. We used to go early and sit outside and wait till the doors opened. Such were the days of *festival seating*. I was pushed against many a stage and never feared being hurt until we saw The Who in concert. It was in Cincinnati and quite scary for a time. Truly frightening. Over crowded and wild, the crowd kept surging toward the front. We were pinned against the concrete barricades surrounding the front of the stage. Thankfully, security moved in and forced the crowd back. I had nightmares about what *could* have happened. A couple of years later, in 1979, at that same venue, 11 young people were killed at another Who concert. I never again attended a *festival seating* event. And I never threw any undergarments at a rocker. Really! No matter what you heard. I am a goody goody remember? 5. I love museums. Art, History, Aircraft, Military...it matters not. I love to go inside and just walk...walk and look...walk and read...walk and think and absorb. It makes me really, really happy. 6. I was once so smitten with the television show, High Chaparral, that I lived and dreamed and breathed it. We even acted out episodes on the elementary school playground. I recorded every single episode on my little audio tape recorder. I thought I was living the high life. Can you imagine! Having actual audio of your favorite TV shows! What? Huh? You mean they have VIDEO now?? Sheesh...where was THAT when Uncle Buck, Blue and Manolito were riding the range. Sheesh. 7. I know just about every single fact there is to know about Brian Dennehy. Really, Ask me. Go ahead. Ask me. Yes, yes, I know you know that I adore him but did you know I have one of the biggest collections of BD paraphernalia in the entire United States? It is a sickness really...very silly and lots of fun and totally harmless. I collect his theater, film and television paraphernalia. Perhaps I should open the Museum of Dennehy and combine 2 of my joys! I could charge $2 to enter and sell souvenirs. Key rings, coffee mugs, window decals. And hot dogs. You have to have concessions right? Do you think Brian would come to the unveiling? Huh? His lawyers would? Oh...those pesky royalties...*sigh* Now...who wants to play? I am to list 7 friends...I closed my eyes, spun around 3 times and picked: Valerie, Cheryl, Wendster, Pea, Robin, Teresa in California and Sandi Tag! You are IT! Love and Hugs, Susie Q