I’m Making a Candycane Vanilla Sort of Cheesecake Tonight

Simply Recipes has The Perfect Cheesecake and Chatelaine has a Classic Cheesecake recipe. I’ve used these – but mostly just to make sure I didn’t forget anything, like the sugar (I only did it once!).

The Perfect Cheesecake was a bit interesting because they have iced it. I might do the same. I have candycane Kiss chocolates to put on top. The icing might be just the right thing to hold them in place and look prettier too.

Perfect Cheesecake Recipe
Cook time: 3 hours

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)

Special equipment needed
9-inch, 2 3/4-inch high springform pan
Heavy-duty, 18-inch wide aluminum foil
A large, high-sided roasting pan

Prepare the crust

1 Prepare the springform pan so that no water leaks into it while cooking.* Place a large 18-inch by 18-inch square of aluminum foil on a flat surface. Place the springform pan in the middle of the foil. Gently fold up the sides of the foil around the pan. Make sure to do this gently so that you don’t create any holes in the foil. If there are any holes, water will get into the pan and ruin the crust. Press the foil around the edges of the pan. Place a second large square of foil underneath the pan, and repeat, gently folding up the sides of the foil around the pan and pressing the foil against the pan. Gently crimp the top of the foil sheets around the top edge of the pan.

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 but 1/4 cup of the graham cracker crumbs in the bottom of the springform pan. (Save the remaining 1/4 cup for if you happen to have any holes that need to be filled in, either while you are making the crust, or after the cake has cooked and you’ve unmolded it.) 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. Be careful as you do this, as not to tear the aluminum foil. 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 Place the foil-wrapped springform pan in a large, high-sided roasting pan. Prepare 2 quarts of boiling water. Pour the cream cheese filling into the springform pan, over the graham cracker bottom layer. Smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Place the roasting pan with the springform pan in it, in the oven, on the lower rack. Carefully pour the hot water into the roasting pan (without touching the hot oven), to create a water bath for the cheesecake, pouring until the water reaches halfway up the side of the springform pan, about 1 1/4 inches. (Alternatively you can add the water before putting the pan in the oven, whichever is easier for you.) 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.

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.

Yield: Makes 16 servings.

Cookies for a Smartie Party

Super Smarties® Cookies

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup each butter and shortening, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

2 cups rolled oats (not instant)

1 1/2 cups NESTLÉ® SMARTIES® candies (about six 56 g pkgs)

Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Stir together flour, salt and baking soda in small bowl. Beat together butter, shortening, sugars and vanilla in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in rolled oats and 1 cup (250 ml) SMARTIES® until well combined.

Drop dough by tablespoonfuls (15 ml) about 2-inches (5 cm) apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Flatten cookies slightly; press 2 or 3 remaining SMARTIES® into each. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool on baking sheet 5 minutes; transfer to baking rack to cool completely.

Makes about 48 cookies.

The above recipe was one I cut and pasted several years ago. I think it was from the Nestle site at the time. Anyway, the recipe on their site now is a little different.

1 cup butter
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups SMARTIES candies (about six 50g pkgs)

Tools required:
Electric mixer, baking sheets

Step 1:
Preheat oven to 375?F (190?C). In large bowl, beat softened butter and packed brown sugar with electric mixer until creamy. Beat in vanilla and eggs.

Step 2:
Beat in flour, baking powder, and salt.

Step 3:
Drop slightly rounded tablespoons about 2-inches (5 cm) apart onto greased baking sheets. Flatten cookies slightly and press 5 SMARTIES into top of each. Bake for 8 to 9 minutes.

Makes about 50 cookies

Smartie Cookies from Chatelaine Magazine
Preparation time 20 minutes
Baking Time 8 minutes
Makes 18 large cookies

Ingredients
2-1/4 cups ( 550 mL) all-purpose flour
3 tsp ( 15 mL) baking powder
1 tsp ( 5 mL) salt
1 cup ( 250 mL) butter, at room temperature
1 cup ( 250 mL) brown sugar
1 cup ( 250 mL) granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp ( 5 mL) vanilla
12 oz ( 360 g) Smarties or other coated chocolate candies, about 1-1/2 cups

Arrange oven racks in centre of oven and preheat to 375 F (190 C). Grease 2 cookie sheets or coat with cooking spray. Measure flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Stir with a fork until well blended.
Using a wooden spoon, stir butter in a large mixing bowl until creamy. Gradually stir in sugars until well mixed. Then, add eggs, 1 at a time, stirring after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Gradually stir in flour mixture until combined. Do not use an electric mixer and don’t over-mix. Stir in Smarties.
Measure 1/4 cup (50 mL) batter onto a greased cookie sheet. Repeat, leaving about 4 inches (10 cm) between each cookie. Do not pat cookies down. Bake in centre of preheated oven until edges are light golden but centre is still soft, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove sheet from oven but leave cookies on baking sheet for 5 minutes. Then, using a wide spatula, carefully slide cookies onto a rack to finish cooling. Store in an airtight container or sealed plastic bag in a cool place for up to 1 week. We do not recommend freezing.

Blog Smarter, Not Harder

Make Yourself a Content Curator

Too many bloggers use content the wrong way. I see so many blogs where the blogger is regurgitating content over and over in one way or another. It’s not working. They may make some money by pulling in readers but most people won’t be that interested in reading something rehashed when they could go to the original source. At the original source they will find fresh information, more resources and opinions from someone who really knows the subject. Rehashing content just makes a middleman, not a blogger.

Instead, become a content curator. Not unlike a museum curator, the content curator finds the rare, the original and the truly great content from other blogs and sites then displays and promotes the content. Copycat bloggers are already doing those steps. They just have not been using the content they find in the right way.

Don’t claim ownership of the content. Don’t rewrite the content and pretend it’s yours. Don’t post tired, washed out content and hope people will want to read the same stuff they can read on a thousand other blogs.

A content curator does not need to pose as the originator of the content. The content curator links back to the original source. First, make sure you go back to the source. Follow links back to the original blog when they are available.

There are three things a content curator needs from the original site.

First, you need an excerpt of the content. Pick the most interesting, stimulating or resourceful paragraph. If there is a short list of bullet points you might use that. You will have to build your own theory of what to use and your own discretion about how much content to use. Think of it as a lead in an article, you just want enough to give readers information which will make them click the link to the original source.

Second thing the content curator needs is the link, of course. Simple right? Make sure you get the right link. You want the link to the post. Not the link to the whole site. If you leave a comment (which you should!) make sure you are not copying the link to the comments instead of the direct link to the post itself.

Third, you need an image file to go with your post. You may choose the image which the original site uses. In some cases that may be the lead/ excerpt you use instead of text. You don’t want a massive image if you are also using text. Scale it down to thumbnail size or something close to that. Make the image clickable, another link back to the original site. At times there will be no image to use with the post. Or, the image will not be usable. If the blogger has stuck in a random image from a third person there isn’t much point in dragging it along. In this case you can use the blogger’s own link image (if they have a link back image in their sidebar) or take a screenshot of the blog or a section of the blog’s header. There will usually be something you can do to bring an image along to your post.

That’s about it for the original blog. Don’t close the window too soon, however. The odd time you may decide to change something, make a mistake in cut and pasting the content you wanted, or realize the link isn’t right, and then you will want to refer back to the source.

Also, it is a very great plan to leave a comment with the original post. Not only are you letting the blogger know you have given them a lead in your blog but any readers will also see your link and follow it to see what other content you have found on the subject. You can’t go wrong in leaving a comment. Take the time to do it right. Make a real comment, offer an opinion on the subject, input some personal experience, something that isn’t just dropping a link like a comment spammer. Your link is the comment with your name. Don’t repost it inside the comment itself.

When you have the post set up on your blog you still need to add something of your own. You could post whatever you left on the original blog as a comment. Make a comment on the content, explain why you liked it, why you found it useful, original, why you wanted to repost it.

Make sure the link to the original blog is highlighted either by having it stand out alone in the post or add HTML to bold it if it is inside the text of the post. You are promoting the original source, not hiding it.

Use blockquote around the excerpted content from the original blog. You want to clearly mark the content you have excerpted/ quoted from the original site. You could even post a lead in to your own comment on the post so readers plainly see where your comment ends and the original content begins.

Your comment, your lead in, should come first. Keep it short and to the point mainly because people won’t read a lengthy lead in anyway.

Write a simple, decent, plain, honest title for your post. Don’t sound like a spammer. Yes, you will want to use a keyword. No, you don’t want to flood your title with them. One title is not going to make or break you. But, a simple title is more likely to be read and found. Think about your own blogging habits. How do you feel about a post with a direct, short title compared to one which tries to use every keyword possible? Which are you more likely to click?

Don’t EVER forget to link back to the source. Don’t be a content thief, be a content curator. Find great content and display it. Let it shine. Don’t just copy and paste content. Any idiot can do that. Discriminate, use your common sense about how much content to display (take less, not more) and bring your own perspective into the post, add something original of your own experience, opinions, ideas. Your blog is a gallery, a museum for great content in your niche. you don’t need to own the content but you do need to give the original artist, the original source full credit for their work. That’s your job as a curator.

Be picky about the content you display. Make sure it fits your niche, make sure it really does have something to say and brings a new point, a fresh fact or creative idea to your niche topic. Don’t post often rehashed content as if you are just filling in space.

Plan your niche well. Know the limits and the focus you want to keep. Make sure you draft a well written About page and a subheading for the title of your blog. This is going to be how people know your site and what they can expect to find there. This is going to be what makes or breaks you. Treat it with the seriousness of a business plan, a contract. Use keywords in your description not to engage for SEO but for your possible readers. Rewrite your description, your About page and your blog subheader when you get a clearer, refined view on what your niche is. Don’t be afraid of a change in order to make your point clearer. Use your subheader as a short, quick and simple description of your blog when you create a social profile.

Be careful how you promote your blog. You are a content curator. Be proud. Be distinguished, at least a little. Be wise about how you promote yourself, create your authority on the subject, the niche you are creating with your blog. You have taken on an important job as a content curator, if you are a good one. You’re responsible for creating and swaying public opinion based on the content you choose to display. If you promote yourself as a sincere person, a responsible content curator you will find yourself taken seriously and being displayed as part of your content gallery/ museum will be an honour, something very worth while. Something worth attaining.

Make Yourself a Content Curator on WordPress

Get to know the Press This bookmarklet which comes with WordPress.

Press This Reloaded will add features to the WordPress bookmarklet. But, I found this was more than I wanted. I prefer the simpler bookmarklet.

Apps for posting to WordPress and WordPress.com without being on the site, includes mobile apps. I like Shareaholic but mainly I use it to post to Tumblr, StumbleUpon and Twitter.

Cre8Buzz and Word of Mouth

Do you remember Cre8Buzz? It was a great idea, using WOM (word of mouth) to promote deserving, worthwhile, unknown bloggers. To help each other, essentially. It is a shame the plan stalled out along the way.

WOMMA – Word of Mouth Marketing Association

The first post from the original Cre8Buzz blog:

My name is Jim Keenan, this is Mike Ratliff “hello” and this is Gabe Orvis “hello my friends”. We are the founders of cre8Buzz! We started this crazy venture because we felt that too many good, talented people and ideas where not getting the exposure they deserved. Each of us had stories of impressive people we have met in our journeys who were not getting more “press”. These people had great products, or ideas, or were just extremely talented at what they did yet few people, if anyone, knew who they were. It’s for this reason we set out to build a WOM (word of mouth) engine to cre8 a way for talented people, businesses and ideas to be seen. We like to think we are on to something so stay with us. We launch Q1 2007.

We bet you’re asking what is up with the ant? Ant’s don’t“buzz”! That is correct. We would like to give thanks to Chris Anderson, Author of “The Long Tail” www.thelongtail.com for the inspiration. Thanks Chris!!!!

“For a generation of customers used to doing their buying research via search engine, a company’s brand is not what the company says it is, but what Google says it is. The new tastemakers are us. Word of mouth is now a public conversation, carried in blog comments and customer reviews, exhaustively collated and measured. The ants have megaphones.” Chris Anderson – “The Long Tail”

Our goal or mission is to provide everyone with a megaphone for themselves AND for others. As Chris says we are the new tastemakers; therefore we should have a bigger hand in what we see, listen to, read and rank*. So stay tuned and join us in our efforts of getting bigger megaphones into the hands of the ants!

Oh yeah, what can you expect from this blog? I guess you could say it is our megaphone. We’ll be talking about WOM, marketing, customer service, and most important; great ideas and people we happen to come across. You can also expect a good rant everyone once and a while as well.

We’re looking forward to it!

Many regards; Jim, Mike, Gabe and of course . . . Antman!

*a not so small hint

I found BzzAgent which is also based on WOM (word of mouth) campaigns. Are you using or involved with a service like this? How is it working for you?

Another Way to Say Divorced

One of the things I got thinking about this morning was other ways to say divorced, another phrase. How about ‘in between marriages’, as they say for people who are unemployed. Not that women have to marry again but it seems we tend to do so, or at least be looking around with that as the end goal. Here is my list of other ways to say divorced:

In between marriages
Exploring new men
Refreshingly single
One man down
Unmarried
Despoused
Otherwise engaged
Paired out
Wanna be widow
Matrimonially unchallenged
Looking for Mr. RightBehind
Repenting in leisure

What can you come up with? We are the word people lets see what we can do for divorce. Someone can come up with something funnier or more sarcastic than mine.

While looking for ideas and inspiration for divorce phrases I found other divorce related resources, humour and quotes. Some pretty bitter and nasty. I didn’t save much of that, it isn’t productive and it seems to be a way to keep yourself in the past rather than letting you move ahead into your future. Also, blaming others is too easy. Not that we should everything is only our own fault. But, through it all press on, move ahead and find something great you can focus on for your own future.

“I’m an excellent housekeeper. Every time I get a divorce, I keep the house.” – Zsa Zsa Gabor
“Getting divorced just because you don’t love a man is almost as silly as getting married just because you do.” – Zsa Zsa Gabor
“Marriage is too interesting an experiment to be tried only once.” – Eva Gabor

Did you know there are Divorce Planners and Divorce Coaches? I can see how it would help but it seems kind of a cynical thing, for our world community to have need of these services. When you start looking around it’s interesting how much of an industry divorce is becoming. Yet there isn’t a ton of stuff giving support, humour and the light hearted side. It’s mainly geared to the lawyer stuff. I think something more is needed. I may work on that, having been divorced once myself now, I’m at least qualified in that way.

Divorce Network – Twitter link
Divorce Magazine – Twitter link
Divorce Saloon – Twitter link
Divorce Diva Blog – Twitter account is somewhat active, the blog is gathering dust bunnies.

Dastardly Yours – Divorce cards.
Divorce Party Supply

I found this on a site but they didn’t give the name of the person who said it originally.

One of the reasons that fifty percent of marriages end in divorce is that those men who promised that they’d die for their woman just don’t come through.

WordPress Plugins for Web Comics

These are not in any real order and they are not reviewed by me. I’m just posting the results of my research into how to make a gallery of my own web comics through this blog on WordPress. None are just what I am looking for, so far. But, my list may be useful to someone else. So, here they are:

Manga + Press

ComicPress

ComicPress Manager

StripShow

Web Comic

Kommiku

WP Comic

WP Cartoon

AWSOM Pixgallery

My Comic WordPress Plugin

WP Showroom

For more information and reviews of some of these plugins read WordPress as a Comic Publishing Platform.

Manga Journey has a post about How to Start a Web Comic.

Joel Fagin has web comic tutorials. (Link found as a resource on Fallen Kitten Productions).

Web Comic Beacon – “netcast is designed for webcomic lovers and novice creators. You could also think of this as a production for and by amateurs. We are here to share our opinions and experiences, as amateurs and webcomickers, for the love of the hobby first and foremost”.

The Web Comic Builder – “The purpose of this site is to provide information and advice on all aspects of the webcomic community; from designing you first character, to developing a kick-ass website, and what you should take with you when attending conventions.”

The Web Comic List – News posts and forum.