Adventures in baking....

#13 - Learn how to make a perfect New York Cheesecake

When Matt & I started dating, I would have never thought that one of the many things Matt would teach me about was cooking. Frankly, I had limited cooking skills (but could manage my way around a kitchen when needed.) Yet slowly and diligently, Matt taught me the basics of trimming meat, how to properly chop onions and garlic, and has now started to push me in the direction of his domain: the grill. Mainly, I need to learn because his job(s) take so much of his time, but also because I think he gets a thrill out of watching me cook after hearing my years of limited skills. (Too bad he doesn't know that hot dogs taste just as good when cooked in the microwave.) 

It wasn't until I started expressing an interest in baking that he finally let me have my own domain. It would be beneficial to learn how to make his favorite after-meal desserts so that we weren't buying cookies and brownies laden with calories and saturated fats. It meant more to know that the core ingredients were flour, sugar, eggs, butter, chocolate, etc. Matt would share his love of cookies, but he had also told me his favorite non-chocolate dessert: cheesecake. 

So once I impulse purchased a KitchenAid and started experimenting with baking, I knew that the one thing I wanted to perfect more than anything else was New York Cheesecake. And for those who understand, cheesecake is not an easy feat! 

My first attempt....I may not have let the cream cheese and sour cream come to room temperature enough, resulting in a delicious (but chunky) texture. Not only that, but the crust wasn't setting the way I wanted to, nor was the cheesecake solidifying as much as I had hoped. The whole venture was trial and error, learning the basics of what makes that perfect smooth and creamy texture (with a nice crunchy crust) when you take that first bite. I was more than determined to figure it out. 

I tried the water bath, I let items sit out longer to come to room temperature, I even let things mix a little more to make sure everything was incorporated as it should be. I painstakingly put love and attention into a baking challenge I gave myself. The end result? Cheesecake that was eaten like it was a last meal.

As I reflect back on my self-imposed challenge, I've realized that it wasn't so much about perfecting a difficult recipe. It was learning more about food and my relationship with it. Since the cheesecake, we mastered bread, homemade pasta, potato salad, the perfect turkey burger, macaroni & gravy, and pretty much anything we can get our hands on to cook. Using just simple ingredients rather than trying to buy pre-made has become a motto that Matt and I adhere to. Because let me tell you, you can be healthier when the carbs you are ingesting are ones that you created, not a factory assembly line. (More importantly, it became a new bond in my relationship with Matt, something we could share in together...a new venture that allowed us to learn more about one another.)

And to think, it all started from a need to challenge myself in the kitchen.

~ Jenn

Shine bright and don't be afraid to take chances....

#12 - Spend a day with Norman Reedus and Sean Patrick Flanery

I know I haven't written here lately....and this needs to change, especially since I feel my life is full of several things that I hope to accomplish, dream of accomplishing even if it never happens (or reflecting on said accomplishment.) This goal is at out there as it gets for me....but I can't help but want to post it and offer an explanation.

I find people fascinating, whether they're famous or not. 

Everyone has a story to tell, everyone has something about them that makes them stand apart from one another, everyone piques my curiosity (more or less). I've struck up conversations with complete strangers and walked away with such a sense of self-enlightenment and understanding. Whether it be a train ride befriending a young Brazilian gentleman whose uncle is part of the paparazzo in his country, helping to console a woman on my flight to Michigan as she prepares to see her father for the last time and prepare his funeral arrangements, or even wax philosophical about life and true happiness with a French gentleman in a bar at the Jersey Shore on a random Wednesday night. Each of us are composed of memories that shape our minds and how we react to the world around us. 

So why Norman Reedus and Sean Patrick Flanery?

It's simple, really. 

I love hanging out with Matt and more importantly, I find men to be much more entertaining than most women. Sorry, but it's the truth, although my group of female friends has been growing lately. (I'm secretly grateful to know that there are good women out there not out to make me completely lose my mind...or treat me like dirt because I'm going to marry a man they have a very obvious crush on. Really, it's refreshing to find good women for a change.) 

And most important, when I find someone especially interesting, I tend to notice that the ones I want to be around/respect/admire are the ones that have those same qualities that Matt has. Kind-hearted, a private person with an interesting story, great sense of humor, and possibly some good taste in music. For those who don't know who Norman or Sean are, I encourage you to watch The Boondock Saints I and II, or merely Google their names....their bodies of work speak volumes for the immense talent that they bring to the screen.

It's not about fame, but more about just wanting to spend time with two people I would probably find myself treating like two long-time friends. (And possibly raiding Norman's collection of vinyl because let's face it, the man knows good music and I wouldn't mind getting into an in-depth conversation about what he's into....he may also need to hide the photography equipment!) (And Sean may need to share some more funny/embarrassing stories....I'm sure there are plenty more!)

Both men have proven that their fans mean something to them, to their character, to the journey they have taken....and they give back every chance to them. I met Norman and the poor man after a night of little to no sleep spent 11 hours signing autographs and taking pictures, just to make sure everyone was taken care of. Sean shares these beautiful stories and based on fan accounts, loves spending time connecting with those who share in his philosophies about perseverance and love of life. 

So, why wouldn't I want to spend a day with two admirable individuals? I pride myself on getting to be surrounded by good people as much as possible....Norman and Sean definitely fit that criteria. 

Maybe one day....

~Jenn