Thanksgiving Thoughts

With Thanksgiving this past week, i thought it would be a good idea to write about some of the things i am thankful for.

I am so blessed to grow up in a Christian home with wonderful, god-fearing parents. Of course, at times it is a struggle to be obedient but i am constantly reminded of what great parents they are. More and more, as i get to know people outside of the Christian group that i have grown up with, i see how rare it is to have 2 parents who truly love and invest time in their kids. 

One of the most recent struggles in my life has been an injury. Several years ago, i fell off of a horse when i was training for a competition. I landed on my neck and head, and got a bad concussion. I was very thankful it wasn't as bad as i could have been but unfortunately, i have had a bad back since then. With my love for sports, music, and cooking, all of which require me to be on my feet a lot, it can be inconvenient. I have been to many chiropractors, doctors, and physical therapists, but none have seemed to completely fix my back. Just recently, someone told my dad about a guy in Boulder, CO that has helped many athletes with their injuries. He completely saved the career of a golfer by fixing his injured back. We went to the office in Boulder, had an appointment, and since then, i have been having appointments via Skype. I am so very grateful for wise people who care about me and are able to make my future better and allow me to participate in the things that i love.

This Thanksgiving was one to treasure. All of my 3 sisters and I live in 4 different Cities, from Manhattan to Columbia, SC! We were able to all be home for Thanksgiving and valued that time together. I love Thanksgiving for so many different reasons. I get to see family, nieces, nephews, siblings, i get a break from my life and school, and i get to bake!

One thing i made this year was a turtle cheesecake. (Recipe below) 

Maybe it's not too Thanksgiving-y, but i like it. :)

Enjoy!  

 

Turtle Cheesecake~

Original recipe makes 1 -9 inch round cheesecake

2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs

6 tablespoons unsalted butter 

14 ounces individually wrapped caramels, unwrapped 

1 (5 ounce) can evaporated milk

1 cup chopped pecans

3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese

1/2 cup white sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 eggs

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter one 9 inch springform pan.
2. Toast the pecans at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 6 minutes. Remove pecans and set aside. Leave oven at 350 degrees C (175 degrees C). In a small saucepan, melt the unsalted butter.
3. Combine vanilla wafer crumbs with the melted butter then press into the bottom of the prepared springform pan. Place the pan onto a cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Remove and allow to cool.
4. In a double boiler, or a bowl set over barely simmering water, melt the caramels in the evaporated milk. Stir until smooth. Pour this over the cooled crust. Sprinkle the nuts over the top.
5. In a bowl, combine the cheese, sugar, and vanilla and beat until smooth, scraping down the bowl several times. Add the eggs, one at a time and beat until smooth. Melt the chocolate chips in the double boiler and mix into the cheese mixture. Pour the batter over the caramel layer.
6. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 40 minutes or until barely set. Chill over night in the refrigerator before serving.

Beginnings of Baking

I have loved cooking my whole life but just lately have started to try new recipes and experimenting with them. I have loved cooking in every form, from crème brulee to cooking dinner for a large group! Because of my 6 older siblings, I didn't cook a whole lot growing up. I have one sister in particular that did most of the cooking. After almost all of them left home, I have begun to cook more often.

I enjoy baking more than cooking, and most of all, baking desserts! Probably because I like to eat dessert. Some of my favorite things to make include: Chocolate mousse, crème brulee, pastries, cakes, ect.

I was in 4-H for many years, and always looked forward to the county fair! My favorite things to enter were food. When I was 13, I entered a light lemon bundt cake and won reserve champion! I got to have my picture in the newspaper and I also got to make the cake again and auction it off at the livestock auction where a lot of business owners and doctors and some other people will buy the animals (and usually give them back) to support the 4-H members. I sold my cake for $50! The next year, I entered crescent rolls and won again. This time I got to auction my rolls off and they went for $100. Just this last year, I made an apricot almond braid that won a yeast award. Sadly, we had to leave the next day for vacation so I didn’t get to auction it off. 4-H was such a good experience for me. I learned many things from years of being judged and helping out judges. I am so very grateful for the 4-H experience i had. Because of that, I have a great love for baking.