Lemon Cheesecake for Mum

Throughout the years, my dear mumsy has always made her kids their favorite dinners on their birthdays. Now that her kiddos are all grown up (and 2/3rds of them living at home) its her turn to have dinner made for her. My brother Eric is a darn good cook, so he did most of the work, making roast chicken and various side dishes.

My only contribution this year was the cake. Mom's request this year was for this cheesecake that she found via pinterest, and I must say, it turned out pretty great. Like, super-delicious really. And it wasn't so hard to make either.

I added a quarter cup less sugar in the glaze, 'cause we like our lemon flavored sweets to be more on the tart side, and I'd do it again. I'd maybe even add a little less sugar in the crust too. But the actually cheesecake part, just do what the recipe says--it's perfect! Oh, and the recipe says to make it the day before, but being a world-class procrastinator, I left it 'till the day of. It was still fantastic, but I have to say that the leftovers the next day were even better. So if you've got it together, I'd recommend sticking to the recipe on that point too.

P.S. Isn't my mom just about the prettiest ever?!

All Sorts (of Top Notch from Last Week)

Last week was well above decent in the overall scheme of things. I handed in the very final final copy of my thesis, paid my library fines, and tied up all the loose ends at the University. Now I don't have to feel bad about punctuating my sentences improperly anymore.

 I finished a book that I didn't really like that much, so I won't tell you the title. But I felt pretty good about powering through.

I put my hair in a high ponytail/bun. It has been YEARS since I was able to do that. Sometimes (often) I just get the urge to cut it, and I can't help myself. But I've obviously been developing super-powers of self-control, and this picture is evidence. This picture is also of Cottonwood river (backdrop for glorious messy bun).

And so is the one below. Because it was hot enough to go hang out at the river all day long on Wednesday. IN SEPTEMBER. That's something to celebrate in this (relatively northern) neck of the woods. 

P.S. I can't align this little blurb to the right. It insists on being centered. I hate it, and it's killing me. 

These are totally unrelated to the river, but they are very much related to last week being above decent. I made these all by myself yesterday for games night. Yup. Games night. Me and my bffs play Settlers of Catan every Sunday and gorge on our favourite foods. That's pretty cool, right?

And then, I spent the last half hour of the week digging into Thirst by Shree Ghatage. It's going to take all my newfound superpowers of self-control to not just chuck all my tasks for the day and read. 

How 'bout you? Have you read this book? Kidding. How was your week? And also, have you read this book? And won't you be my neighbor?

Sunrise Scones

Yumm. Made scones for brunch today. These have been a family favorite for years and years, but I haven't made them in a long time. The recipe comes from an old Pampered Chef's "Recipes from the Heart" cookbook:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup cold butter

1/2 cup raisins

1/4 cup sour cream

1/4 cup milk

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees (or 375 convect). Then combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the butter until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs (I usually cut the butter into chunks and then use my hands to crumble it in the flour mixture). Add the raisins (or craisins, or pretty much any dried fruit you want). Then gently mix in the sour cream and milk. Gently! Add a bit more milk if you're having trouble coating all the flour, but don't overmix it. Then pat it out on a lightly floured surface until it's about 1 inch thick. At this point I usually baste it with an egg and sprinkle sugar on it, because they're even more awesome that way. Sugar or not, you're gonna bake them for 12-15 minutes or until they're lightly browned. Let them cool for a bit and then stuff your face! They're best fresh. 

{Inspiration Workshop: Gardening (in the Wild)}

I live with my parents these days, so I have access to a way bigger yard than I would ever be able to afford at this juncture in my (student) life. A large portion of the yard is dedicated to flower beds and vegetable gardens, so I ordinarily don't have to go very far for fresh eats. This year has been incredibly rainy, up until the last week or so, so although there's heaps of greenery, most of the other edibles in our yard haven't really come around yet. And being in the North(ish) area of BC, our season is a bit later anyhow. I'm especially looking forward to the green beans, beats, and potatoes!

Although the garden isn't totally ready yet, there are plenty of edibles in season in the bush around our house . . .

like Oregon Grapes!

Here's a good post on Oregon Grapes and preserves

And Hooshum Berries (a.k.a. Soapberry or Soopalallie)

a quick rundown on Hooshum Berries here

Thimble Berries are also in season right now. Though the fruit is pretty sparse in these parts, there are plenty of plants, and apparently the leaves make a good medicinal tea.

And Saskatoon Berries!!!

One good thing about the rain this year is that the Saskatoon berries (photographed above) are really plump. Normally they're on the pitty side, but this year they're juicy and delicious.

Saskatoons are one of my favourite. But Saskatoons are firmer than blueberries, which makes them especially great for canning and baking.

I made some wicked tarts by modifying This Martha Stewart Recipe and froze the rest of my winnings. Ok, so by the time I was done picking the berries, I wasn't up for making tart shells or running to the grocery store for ingredients that I didn't have. I used the pre-made shells that I already had in the freezer and substituted bottled lemon juice for the fresh kind, orange zest for lemon zest, and of course saskatoons for blueberries. Even with all that substituting, they were delish, and I would definately make them again!