Robin's Chicks

Nudge The Nest & Pray They Fly

Blog Giveaway: Boutique Designs

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I’ve got a $20 gift certificate to give away from Boutique Designs! Super cute gift ideas, everything from market totes to hair bow holders and day gowns. To win you MUST be a follower of Robin’s Chicks, visit the Boutique Designs website and let me know what your favorite item is under comments! (Facebook comments don’t count!)

You get an extra chance to win for every comment you leave here on the blog! (Limit one comment per post per person, with the exception of Curly Heir who got uber excited and went all out before I remembered to say this!!) I will use a random number generator to select the winner on Novemeber 30th. Get to commentin’ y’all!

Emeril’s Tweaked Out Pumpkin Cheesecake

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I know, I KNOW! Normally I would agree with you that you shouldn’t mess with Emeril’s recipes, but my version of his pumpkin cheesecake has more spices and a gingersnap crust. You will NOT be sorry you made this. Unless you eat the whole thing– then you will be very, very sorry.

(Click HERE for the original recipe. The asterisks are for my changes to the recipe.)

Crust:

  • *1 3/4 cup ginger snap crumbs, (put ‘em in the food processor)
  • 1/4 cup finely ground pecans (add ‘em to the ginger snaps)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

Filling:

*1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon ginger

½ teaspoon nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon cloves

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1 14 ounce can pumpkin
  • 1/4 cup caramel sauce (I buy the Smucker’s in the squirt bottle.)

Directions

Preheat oven 375 degrees F. Meanwhile, get started on your crust. In a bowl combine the ginger snap crumbs, nuts, and cinnamon. Then stir in the butter. Press the crust mixture into the bottom and about 2 inches up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. (*Paula Deen has a cool trick for an evenly pressed crust—use a tall straight sided drinking glass to press the crust. Start in the center and use the bottom of the glass to mash the crust flat and work your way to the sides. Then use the side and the bottom of the glass to mash the crust into the edges of your pan and up the sides!! Works so good!!)

Now, make the filling. In a mixer bowl combine cream cheese, sugar, cornstarch, spices and vanilla. Beat until fluffy. Add eggs and yolks all at once, beating until combined. Add cream and pumpkin. It will appear broken but will bake beautifully. Pour into the crust lined pan. Place on a shallow baking pan in oven. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the center appears nearly set when shaken (**Mine usually take A LOT longer to set, sometimes almost twice this long so don’t get worried!) Cool 15 minutes. Loosen sides of the pan, and cool for 30 minutes. Chill for 4 hours before serving. Serve with caramel sauce.

Aubrey Said: He’s So Christly

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This morning Aubrey and Emma were playing under our Christmas tree. (I KNOW! We usually wait until the day after Thanksgiving but I’m going to be out of town.)

I heard Aubrey talking to Emma, “Let’s pretend this doll is Baby Jesus!”

Aubrey wrapped up her doll, laid it under the tree, clutched her chest with both hands, then in her very best 1930s Shirley Temple voice said, “Oh he is soooooo Christly!!!”

It Is Finished

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Thanks to Sadie’s hard work today, my second book is completed and ready to be sent to my agent! I appreciate prayers, happy thoughts and good karma that my agent falls in love and can sell it quickly. (All you writers who realize “quickly” can mean a couple of years, give me an “Amen!”)

Shuggie Said: Uh-oh

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Shuggie (my mom) met me at my in-laws this weekend to bring my two-year-old, Sadie, to me after a little spend the night visit at Shuggie’s house. We were unloading Shuggie’s car and my husband asked me for a diaper. I grabbed one out of the bag over my shoulder and asked my mother for the wipes.

Shuggie: I ran out of the ones you sent but I had some that I keep in my car.
She reached around in her backseat and handed them to me.


Me: Um, Mom? These are Clorox wipes. Tell me you didn’t wipe her butt with these.
Shuggie: Uh-oh… I… oh. Huh. Yeaaah… I’m not…
Me: *terrified face*

She DID eventually produce an actual package of baby wipes but she never said whether or not the Clorox wipes had pulled double duty.