Today I had ...make that HAD to vacuum the boat. Of course, I have had lunches in the back of my mind, for a while now, and especially after our late evening trip to the Winn Dixie, down the road, last night.
I came back totally uninspired! and a little desperate feeling to be totally honest. We need a good lunch when we are on the road, otherwise we are pecking at whatever I can find in the fridge, around 3pm.
Don't ask what got me inspired...perhaps it was the package of Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry in the freezer, but I had a brain wave!
I mixed 3/4 of a bag of baby spinach, well chopped, with the last three slices of ham, chopped (which needed to be eaten) and some ready grated cheese (last of the package) and one egg. It didn't need seasoning, because the Ham was already seasoned.
I smooshed it all together and opened out the pastry. I didn't bother rolling it thinner..too lazy, but I did preheat the oven to 400F, and that was ready by the time I had spread the mixture over the pastry sheets (x2) and then rolled them up..a bit like making pinwheels. I did brush the end with the left over egg from the bowl, so that the ends wouldn't unroll, during cooking. I cut them a bit like sushi, in 1./2 inch rounds on some baking paper, in the micro/convection oven. They took about 20-25 mins each time (took 3 rounds to do the lot) to cook golden brown. We ate a few for lunch, today, and they are yummy! try them!
Today was supposed to be a rest day, and it has been, but we have to keep getting up to DO things. We are just like that. Waz is currently taking a radio apart, in the pilot house!
I am sitting down after making my sugarless cheesecake.
Waz had made us a cup of coffee for afternoon tea and a bowl of popcorn...his fav. afternoon snack (salted, but butterless), and I mulled over how to make a cheesecake or cake for my birthday on Tuesday. We are on the move that day, so I had to make it today! Tomorrow is out of the question because we are doing last minute things while in port. No time for such silly things then!:)
So here is the recipe I made up. It is currently in the oven and looks and smells fantastic!!
Because we are eating NO ADDED SUGAR, and low carbs (because they turn to sugar inside us), it is a wonderful challenge to come up with non-traditional ways of putting ingredients together that will no only chemically work, but also taste great. Because sugar is so integral to so many desserts, I thought this would be the ultimate challenge. This recipe uses no added sugar, other than the natural sugars you find in the raw ingredients. Cream cheese and Sour Cream both have sugars because they are milk products...naturally. They are also very low in carbs!The fats are good fats, because they are naturally occurring. You don't eat a whole lot of this at once (well, you probably shouldn't, lol), so one piece will just be part of the daily intake of fats, sugars and carbs.
here it is..
Mon's Low Sugar Cheese Cake...chocolate (which helps with the setting and flavor)
1 block regular Philly Cream Cheese(slightly warmed)
1 cup full cream Sour Cream
Whip those two together!
In a glass jug place 4 squares of Lindt 85% dark chocolate and 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream. Microwave for 35 secs. Stir together until the choc. is melted and the mix is thick.
Add 1 tspn dried coffee wetted with 1 tspn warm water. Mix into the choc/cream mix.
Add that to the sour cream and philly mix...beat well!
Add 3 eggs, one at a time, beating slowly into the mix. The mix will be quite wet by now.
Finely chop 2 cups of Walnuts or Pecans (not sweetened or salted) and spread them over a lightly greased baking pan bottom. I am using a round pan...but any other will do.
Pour the choc. cheesecake mix over the top of the nuts.
Preheat oven to 325F, and place the cheesecake in the oven. Bake for 50-60 mins. The cheesecake should not have a crack on top...should still jiggle slightly, when cooked. Take out and put on a rack to cool totally. When cold, refrigerate for several hours (longer is better), and serve with fresh berries and lightly whipped cream.
*If you want to make the presentation spectacular...place foil in the pan and lightly butter before putting the nuts in. When the cheesecake is really cold and set, invert the cake onto a serving plate and peel the foil away carefully. Chocolate curls on top, with your favorite berries and whipped cream piled on top ...yum!:)
This would serve a family of six, easily.
It was really easy to make, and I hope it will serve it's celebration purpose on Tuesday.
NO, 'Im not going to tell you how old I am....As I said in a previous post on Ruminations, it isn't the years that are important! It is what you have done with them:)...or something like that. I forget (ha! old age???)
Anyway, I am feeling creatively satisfied and quite content....I have something in the oven:)
Waz, however, is not content. A series of SMALL things have cropped up while we have been in port, and it isn't much fun, just when you think all is well, and you only have ONE day left to sort things out. Not to worry...we will get them done, no matter if we have to stay another day, or not.
At least the boat is clean, inside and out, but I still have to get out there and do some stainless cleaning.
The plants are doing so well....here is a sneak peek...
They may even end up paying for themselves:)
Well, I will back up the boat a bit....
I woke (it is becoming a bad habit) at just before 7am, this morning. I had to get the camera out first thing, of course...even before I had put my glasses on!! I should take 5 to collect all the necessaries BEFORE getting up!:)
Stunning colors, as the sun crept over the horizon.
I love this red yacht, just down the river...it gives a wonderful colorful point of interest in an otherwise pale palette of boats.
Like these...
The color got better half an hour later...
Well, the cheesecake is out of the oven!!!
..and I did say that there shouldn't be a crack in the top...well, mine did the mushroom cloud thing, instead.
Time will tell if it kawhumps back into itself....As long as it is edible, I don't mind:)
A quiet night tonight...our internet is junk, so we might or might not get to watch a movie!
Ciao for now
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