November 30, 2008

On  Thanksgiving, I baked my very first cheesecake!  It was a chocolate chip cheesecake with an Oreo crust, and while it didn’t come out looking like a perfect baked good out of one of the renowned New York bakeries and restaurants, it was delicious!  Don’t take my word for it, my husband actually asked for seconds, which he will never do with something I cook unless it really is good.  Trust me, he always tells me if he finds my culinary concoctions to be a little less than edible.

The recipe was really very easy to make, and the cheesecake was sweetened only with Eagle Brand condensed milk.  Now it’s probably just my oven, but my 9” cheesecake didn’t cook in 60 minutes at 300 degrees.  The middle was still runny while the outer edge was done, so I kept it in for another 15 minutes past that but lowered the heat to 275.  Next time I may try to make the cheesecake in a 10” spring form pan instead (unless of course, one of you coinnoisseurs of the kitchen out there doesn’t think that’s a good idea).  I’ll probably also trade in the semi-sweet chocolate chips for bittersweet.  Dark chocolate, baby.

For anyone looking for a dessert recipe that’s easy to make and is sweet (but not too much so) and satisfying, this chocolate chip cheesecake recipe is for you.

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

Servings: Makes one (9-inch) cheesecake
Serving Size: 1/12 of a recipe

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 60 minutes
Total Time: 70 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups finely crushed creme-filled chocolate sandwich cookies

2 to 3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1 (14-ounce) can EAGLE BRAND® Sweetened Condensed Milk (NOT evaporated milk)

3 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup (6 ounces) mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided

1 teaspoon all-purpose flour

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 300°F. Combine cookie crumbs and butter; press firmly on bottom of 9-inch spring form pan or 13×9-inch baking pan.

2. In large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually beat in EAGLE BRAND® condensed milk until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well.

3. In small bowl, toss 1/2 cup chocolate chips with flour to coat; stir into cream cheese mixture. Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips evenly over top. Bake 55 to 60 minutes or until set. Cool. Chill. Garnish as desired. Store leftovers covered in refrigerator.

TIP: For best distribution of chocolate chips throughout cheesecake, do not over soften or over beat cream cheese.

Technorati Tags: recipe, cheesecake, holiday recipe, baked goods, dessert, Eagle Brand, condensed milk

Yummy Food 4 Comments

November 30, 2008

You’ve read about See Kai Run in magazines, and you’ve seen them in the kids’ section at Nordstrom and at specialty kids’ and babies’ boutiques throughout the world.  The question is: Do See Kai Run baby, toddler and kids’ shoes live up to all the hype?  Why yes, yes they do!

  littleQ was recently hooked up with his very own fresh pair of utterly cute and sophisticated “little man” looking kicks.  He received the versatile, trendy yet classic Paul style (MSRP $40) from the See Kai Run toddler shoe line, and they’re so wonderful!  They’re wide and light to allow for proper foot growth and comfort while wearing, while still being soft and durable for regular use.  I love these shoes because they’re very easy to slip on and have an easy to secure velcro closing.  littleQ can wear these with anything from a pair of sweatpants to denim jeans to khaki shorts.

The popularity of See Kai Run as well as the growth and success of the company is itself a testament to the high level of quality that’s demanded by moms, including the one who started See Kai Run and named the company after her own little boy.  The See Kai Run family of shoe products includes the Smaller, See Kai Run and Eleven lines, which will provide your little ones with fashionable footwear from birth to 8 years old while retaining the same level of style and quality throughout.

For the remainder of December, for every purchase of shoes made at SeeKaiRun.com See Kai Run will donate a pair of shoes to Soles4Souls, a reputable charity that aids those in need with donated shoes.  So this Christmas and Hannukuh, your Christmas purchase at See Kai Run will also help clothe babies and children in need!

You can purchase See Kai Run shoes directly from the website, on Amazon (great deals on brand new shoes, as always!), Giggle and other fine purveyors of children’s shoes and clothing.

Guess what?  You win your a pair of See Kai Run kicks (any pair from the Smaller and See Kai Run lines) during the Countdown to Christmas giveaway!  Stay tuned for more updates: subscribe to RSS feed and newsletter.

Technorati Tags: See Kai Run, kids’ shoes, baby shoes, toddler shoes, shoes, infant, children’s

Clothing Reviews, Giveaways, Shopping 3 Comments