Mushroom and Bacon Cheesecake

Ingredients

• 1-3/4 cups soft bread crumbs
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted
• FILLING:
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 cup finely chopped sweet red pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 cups assorted chopped fresh mushrooms
• 3 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 4 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
• 12 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
• Roasted sliced mushrooms, fresh parsley and additional cooked bacon strips, optional
• Assorted crackers

Directions

• 1. Place a greased 9-in. springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Securely wrap foil around pan.
• 2. In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and butter. Press onto the bottom of a greased 9-in. springform pan. Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.
• 3. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute onion and red pepper in oil for 2 minutes. Add mushrooms; cook and stir for 10 minutes or until liquid has evaporated. Set aside to cool.
• 4. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, salt and pepper until light and fluffy. Beat in sour cream. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Fold in the bacon, feta cheese, parsley and mushroom mixture. Pour into crust. Place springform pan in a large baking pan; add 1 in. of hot water to larger pan.
• 5. Bake at 350° for 55-65 minutes or until center is just set and top appears dull. Remove springform pan from water bath. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight.
• 6. Remove sides of pan. Top with mushrooms, parsley and additional bacon if desired. Serve with crackers.
• https://www.tasteofhome.com/

BEAUTIFUL WORLD

Artist Jane Perkins made this amazing Santa out of seashells, buttons and beads.

https://l.facebook.com/l.php?

Horse and Foal made out of drift wood
 

James Doran-Webb driftwood sculptor

Breathtaking new sculpture “Thrive” outside the Society Las Olas apartments in downtown Fort Lauderdale, Florida. By internationally admired South African artist, Daniel Popper.

Fashion repeats itself. It is not really a going ahead, although you expose things differently. The result is very editorial, fresh, and fun. The younger generations did not go through those trends therefore everything seems new to them. Others who have lived them try to forget they existed. Being a testimonial of the past does not go in favour of their age. The experience is very personal.

 

WHAT YOU FEED WILL ATTRACT.

I SPREAD MY WINGS FROM NOW ON, SOARING BEYOND EVERY ILLUSION I ONCE ALLOWED TO HOLD ME BACK.

NEVER GIVE UP BECAUSE GREAT THINGS TAKE TIME.

BELIEVE IN YOURSELF AND YOU WILL BE UNSTOPPABLE.

STAY POSITIVE, WORK HARD, MAKE IT HAPPEN.

KEEP GOING. EVERYTHING YOU NEED WILL COME TO YOU AT THE PERFECT TIME.

Chocolate Beetroot Cake

I have tried various chocolate cake recipes, this recipe is a keeper. I love the expression on peoples face when I tell them that is has beetroot.


250g plain chocolate, broken up
3 large eggs
200g muscovado sugar
100ml sunflower oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
100g self-raising flour
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp baking powde50g ground almonds
250g raw beetroot

For Icing


150g plain chocolate
50g sour cream

Preheat oven to 180ºC/fan160ºC/gas 4. Grease a 22cm round, loose bottomed cake tin with a little butter and line the base with baking paper.

Place the plain chocolate to melt in a bowl and set over a pan of gently simmering water. Allow the chocolate to melt slowly until smooth, then set aside to cool.

Place the eggs, sugar and sunflower oil in a large mixing bowl and whisk together, using an electric hand whisk, for about 3 minutes until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Stir in vanilla extract, then sift over self-raising flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and gently fold in, together with the ground almonds.

Peel and grate the beetroot, fold the beetroot into the mixture with the cooled chocolate, until thoroughly mixed.

Pour into prepared tin and bake for 50minutes to 1 hour.

For the icing melt the chocolate with the sour cream over a pan of simmering water. Spread it over the top let it fall by the sides of the cooled cake and serve.

 

ATTITUDE CHANGES EVERYTHING.

 

Stand misfortune on its head.

Turn it into something good.

Don't let the disappointments get you down. Let them get you going, even stronger than before.

After all, life is how you look at it. Look at it all as an opportunity for grace and joy and fulfilment.

After all, life is how you look at it. Look at it all as an opportunity for grace and joy and fulfilment.

Every single time you feel like complaining about how bad things are, there's a much more powerful option. Visualize how truly good life can be and then take a bold, enthusiastic step in that direction.

Every situation is a situation in which you can choose to prosper. Every challenge helps to form the structure upon which you can build grand and meaningful success.

When anything pushes against you, choose to let it push you up. Every occasion is your occasion to brightly shine. ~ Ralph Marston

When God created woman...

WOMAN. . . . . . . . .

When God created woman he was working late on the 6th day.......

An angel came by and asked." Why spend so much time on her?"

The lord answered. "Have you seen all the specifications I have to meet to shape her?"

She must function on all kinds of situations,
She must be able to embrace several kids at the same time,
Have a hug that can heal anything from a bruised knee to a broken heart,
She must do all this with only two hands,"
She cures herself when sick and can work 18 hours a day"

THE ANGEL was impressed" Just two hands.....impossible!

And this is the standard model?"

The Angel came closer and touched the woman"
"But you have made her so soft, Lord".
"She is soft", said the Lord,
"But I have made her strong. You can't imagine what she can endure and overcome"

"Can she think?" The Angel asked...
The Lord answered. "Not only can she think, she can reason and negotiate"

The Angel touched her cheeks....
"Lord, it seems this creation is leaking! You have put too many burdens on her"
"She is not leaking...it is a tear" The Lord corrected the Angel…

"What's it for?" Asked the Angel..... .
The Lord said. "Tears are her way of expressing her grief, her doubts, her love, her loneliness, her suffering and her pride."...

This made a big impression on the Angel,
"Lord, you are a genius. You thought of everything.
A woman is indeed marvelous"

Lord said. "Indeed she is.
She has strength that amazes a man.
She can handle trouble and carry heavy burdens.
She holds happiness, love and opinions.
She smiles when she feels like screaming.
She sings when she feels like crying, cries when happy and laughs when afraid.
She fights for what she believes in.

Her love is unconditional.
Her heart is broken when a next-of-kin or a friend dies but she finds strength to get on with life"

The Angel asked: So she is a perfect being?
The lord replied: No. She has just one drawback
"She often forgets what she is worth".