Is It All Downhill From Here? NaNoRoundup, Part Two

It's the middle of the month!

Well, it's close to the middle. That counts as the middle.

This weekend, we're checking in with our respective NaNoStatuses. Let's see how everyone's doing.

Alexa Day (JezBibi) is finishing 11/15 with 11,980 words. She had a slow start with a submission (and a synopsis -- who knew a synopsis went with it?), but if she can keep up 2400 words daily, she'll still finish this month. She's already finished one of the short stories in this year's NaNoProject -- the one about the heroine addressing her husband's complaint that she never wears anything he gives her. Another story, about a house party, is nearly done, and a third story is threatening to go novella on her. She's got a good feeling about this year.

Sofie Couch has come up on 11/16 with 23,066 words! Last night, she didn't meet her daily quota because a silly ol' BREAKING DAWN 2 premiere got in the way... and tonight another movie date is getting in the way... and tomorrow, a booksigning in Ashland, VA is getting in the way... and Sunday... Yeah, yeah, yeah. There are no valid excuses. Crack! She's on it!

Leah St. James would be embarrassed to admit that her total word count is in the neighborhood of  a measly 10% of our fearless leader's (Sofie Couch's) phenomenal word output, except that having raising two boys to adulthood (or thereabouts), she's beyond embarrassment. Truth be told, she's so UNcompetitive by nature, she half suspects that her lack of NaNo productivity is self-induced. She's still in it though, for as many words as she can spit out over the next 15 days. (Hey,do blogs count?!) :-)

Tracey Livesay started out really strong, exceeding her daily totals and sailing through the first 10 days of Nano with 15,163 words. Then she got the stomach flu, which she promptly passed on to every member of her family. Not much writing during that time. She still hopes to finish strong! ;-)

Tina Glasneck has fallen behind her goal, and although there could be many excuses for that- they don't count! HA! After pushing through and accomplishing over 5000 words in one day, things sort of got complicated (as life always does during the month of November). Yet, she continues to push forward one word at a time, still striving onward to reach her goal. Continue to cheer her on and know that she is really trying to finish the damn book! :)

Cooking With Gas ~ Famous Cheesecake

Rae was bent over, slicing something, when I stopped by the other day. I leaned over her shoulder and saw a beautiful cheesecake she'd made the day before. Rae said they have to refrigerate overnight, then be brought to room temperature before they are ready to eat.

I was drooling, so when she offered me a piece, I quickly said yes.

This was her Nana Green's recipe which she swore came from the now defunct, but once prestigious restaurant, Lindy's, in New York City. Seems one of Nana's good friends retired near her in Baltimore, and had once been responsible for making the famous cheesecake.

It needed no fruit toppings. Delicate flavors of citrus, vanilla, and the delicious cookie-like crust were all that was required.

Rae said Thanksgiving made her think of her grandmother’s cheesecake, because she always brought it for Thanksgiving dinner, to spoil her son.

“I think it’s all he looked forward to that day.” Rae smiled. “I wish I had a picture of his face, when the meal was finally done, and he could get himself a big piece of this cheesecake.”

We sat with our plates and Rae looked thoughtful. “The last nice thing I did for my father was make him this for Father’s Day.” She took a bite and stared at something past my shoulder. “My Dad never outgrew his love for Lindy’s Cheesecake, and you know what?” She looked in my eyes. “I think that’s one of the nicest things I can say about anybody.”

Lindy's Famous Cheesecake (we think)

Have all ingredients at room temperature.

Crust:
11/2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 generous teaspoon lemon zest
2 egg yolks
3/4 cup butter

Combine all ingredients with mixer until ball is formed. Grease bottom and sides of 9 inch springform pan. Remove sides of spingform pan and using 1/3 of crust, pat onto bottom of pan. Bake in 400 degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes.

Let cool.

While the bottom is baking, take rest of crust, slice into thirds and roll out between two pieces of waxed paper. You want three strips, about 3 to 4 inches wide and 8 to 9 inches long. Refrigerate for 1/2 hour while making cheesecake mix.

Cheesecake:
Put sides back on springform pan. Place crust on sides, overlapping and squishing together as needed.
Pre-heat oven to 500 degrees

In stand mixer, place:
5 - 8 oz.  packages of cream cheese
2 cups sugar
1 Tablespoon flour
2 teaspoons lemon zest
2 teaspoons orange zest
1 teaspoon vanilla
5 eggs
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup heavy cream

Mix all ingredients until well combined, pour into springform pan and bake 10 minutes and reduce heat to 250 degrees and bake for 1 hour.

Let rest overnight, refrigerated, and bring to room temperature before serving.

Look for more recipes from Rae, owner and operator of The Sea Witch Saloon and Grill, in Elvy Howard's debut novel, Love on a Half Shell, coming winter 2013 from Edward Allen Publishing, LLC.