Cheesecake.Fail.

I love making cheesecake. Mostly because I have finally perfected the process and my cheesecakes come out looking perfect. No cracks, perfectly level, perfect. It makes my crazy OCD, Type A personality really happy.



This did not happen last night. I have made this same pumpkin cheesecake recipe several times and it is AMAZING. It takes a total of about 4 freaking hours to make but it's decadent and delicious. So last night, in the preparation for Thanksgiving, I made my usual cheesecake recipe. Now, I go both ways on the canned/fresh pumpkin argument. I believe in canned pumpkin for cakes, but fresh for pies. I used to make this cheesecake with canned pumpkin but a few weeks ago tried it with fresh pumpkin and it was great. So last night I followed the same method. The entire time I'm thinking "Hmm....this pumpkin looks different." And then kept truckin' on. In goes the cheesecake in the oven to cook. I check it after an hour and go to tap the side of the pan with my wooden spoon (to see how it jiggles) and instead the end of my spoon hits the top of my cheesecake and RUINS the perfection. I gasp really, really loudly and my husband runs in thinking I just burned my hand off or something. Nope, just me wanting to cry because it won't be perfect, and therefore I have to start all over, of course. I immediately closed the door of the oven and starting panicking. And then I licked the spoon. (No judgment here people.) Blech.

Sugar/pie pumpkins provided by my dear husband's even dearer co-worker? Not Pie Pumpkins.

Cheesecake disaster. It was basically stringy and not-sweet pumpkin cheesecake. Today, I will start over, and use canned. If it goes well, I'll post the recipe. Until then, I am doubting myself.

Lawyers drink. Alot.

Okay so I've been going to a lot of these little networking events here in Chicago and am basically finding myself drinking copious amounts of wine because I can. Lawyers drink a lot, especially when we're all in a large group together doing it because it's free. At a recent event, I was enjoying meeting all these new people and chit-chatting while drinking a glass of wine, and as soon as my glass got low, the next second someone I just met is walking up to me with a nicely-full new glass "Oh, I saw you were getting low and since I was going back to the bar anyway, I grabbed you another glass." This happened a lot. So much that my friends and I who went to this event together had to stay late enough to order a pizza so we didn't stumble down to the Red Line. This is why I love lawyers. Sure, our profession is dealing with an unprecedented economic downfall, there are more lawyers and law students than there are jobs or even a need for lawyers, and we spend a lot of time dealing with stressful and irritating situations. However, there is always alcohol.

Free alcohol.

Poblano and Corn Quesadillas

This recipes seems like a lot of work but it is amazingly delicious. I actually got the base recipe from this crazy chef on the Food Network. I am too lazy to look up her name, but she insists on over-rolling her R's when she uses hispanic ingredients and it amuses me greatly. I've changed it a bit (removed the heavy whipping cream, because gross, and it is not needed and added spices), so here is the recipe I serve.

Ingredients:
1 package of 10-12 flour tortillas
1/2 onion, sliced
1 poblano pepper
1 corn on cob OR 15 oz. can of kernel corn
1 8 oz. container sour cream
8 oz. monterrey jack cheese
1/2 tsp chili powder
salt and pepper to taste

Take the poblano pepper and roast it over fire. If you have a gas oven, you can do this easily over your open flame. I usually spray the poblano with Pam so it doesn't stick to my oven griddle. Keep turning the poblano as it is charred over the flame. The poblano should be completely black when it is done. Yes, it looks gross but it's fine. Take the poblano and throw it in a paper bag and close to cool. While the poblano is cooling, prepare the corn. If you can, grill the corn until it gets nicely charred (not like the poblano! just a touch). Very few of us have the time to do this, so I usually will just saute the corn in butter unter it starts to get a little brown on the edges. Remove the corn. Take the poblano out of the bag and with a paper towel, remove the charred skin from the poblano. It should come off fairly easily. Once you have removed all of the skin, slice the poblano into strips, removing seeds.

In a pan, melt butter and saute onion slices until onions are almost transparent and are soft. Add sliced poblano peppers. Saute for about a minute to allow the pepper to heat through. Add the corn. Once all is heated through, add both the monterrey jack and sour cream. Combine all and stir until all melted together. This creates quite a gooey concoction, and that's how it should be. Add the seasonings and mix all together well. Remove pan from heat.

In a larger saute pan, melt butter and add tortilla. Spoon about 2-3 tablespoons of the poblano mixture onto tortilla. Here you can do one of two things, place another tortilla directly on top of the mixture, or fold over the tortilla to make a half, whatever is easier for you. Let the tortilla cook on one side about 1-2 minutes until tortilla starts to get golden and crispy and then turn over and do the same on the other side. (Little trick: these are hard to flip because of all the gooey sauce, so I will usually use a plate to help me flip.) Remove from pan, allow to cool slightly before cutting.

I usually serve these with guacamole (no need for more sour cream) and salsa and they are always a hit. Oh, and most important of all - margaritas.

So you want to go to law school.

Being a lawyer is fun. Most of the time. Okay, sometimes. A friend of mine posted this on facebook, and I believe now it is on every single lawyer's facebook page. That's because it's true people, it really is. Sigh. I know it sucks to hear from a bunch of disillusioned lawyers that it's a mistake - and I'm not even saying that. I just think people going into law school have no idea what they are getting themselves into, and should at least be given the chance to know what a total crapshoot it is.

Pumpkin Pie

I make the best pumpkin pie. No, really. After lots of trials and errors, I have figured out the perfect ingredient combination. Just trust me. Especially about making it from cooking down the pumpkin. It really does make a difference, I swear! No cans, just no.

Crust

• 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon shortening
• 1 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4-5 teaspoons water

Cut shortening into cubes. Using pastry cutter, cut into flour and salt combined in a bowl. When mixture creates little balls, begin adding water, teaspoon at a time. USE HANDS. If it's too greasy/wet, add flour. If too dry, add water. Form into ball, place on floured surface and roll out to about 2  inches wider than your pie pan.

Pie filling

• 1 sugar pumpkin
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2/3 cup real maple syrup (this is KEY, so do not skimp. Get good stuff.)
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice
• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1.      Cut pumpkin in half and remove seeds. Place cut side down on a cookie sheet lined lightly oiled. Bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the flesh is tender when poked with a fork. The skin should be able to be easily peeled off. If you can do this, it's done. Cool until just warm. Scrape the pumpkin flesh from the peel. Either mash, or puree in small batches in a blender or by hand. Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C.)

2. In a large bowl, slightly beat eggs. Add brown sugar, maple syrup, flour, salt, 2 cups of the pumpkin puree and evaporated milk. Add spices. Stir well after each addition.
3. Pour mixture into the unbaked pastry shell. Place a strip of aluminum foil around the edge of the crust to prevent over browning (this is not fun, if you don't want to do this, then whine repeatedly to family or friends like I did until you get one of those nifty pastry covers from Williams Sonoma or even cheaper at Amazon)
4. Bake 10 minutes at 450 degrees F (230 degrees C), then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bake an additional 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. I usually notice it can take me about an hour. Remove the strip of foil about 20 minutes before the pie is done so that the edge of the crust will be a light golden brown. Cool pie, and refrigerate overnight for best flavor.

But seriously folks, you have got to cook it from the pumpkin. Ever since I started doing this, the compliments are threefold.