Take a Moment to be Thankful--I Will

Here on the eve of that All American Food Fest called Thanksgiving Day, instead of exploring the world of myths, I'm pondering some "truths" for which I am deeply grateful.

Thanksgiving is not only an opportunity to indulge your love for all things starchy and gravy, thereby inducing the infamous "turkey coma," but also a day for which we should pause and ponder the good fortune of our lives.

This year, perhaps we can all be thankful that the election mayhem is well and truly over. The election commercials have ceased clogging the airwaves. PAC's are no longer stalking our  home phones. And everyone can resume normal life, as we know it.

Then there is our great good fortune to live in this country. All politics aside, we are fortunate to live in the ol' USofA. We can walk our streets in relative safety, no need to fear the whine of incoming missiles. We can go to the local store and are offered a variety of goods that would stagger some. We can worship our higher power of choice without fear of another groups attempting to obliterate us from the face of the earth. We can pursue whatever level of education or knowledge we choose without someone censoring our information or trying to kill us for reaching above our station/race/sex. The list in my heart goes on, but these stand out and I am thankful.

More personally, I am thankful for the multitude of blessings this year. I remain in good health as do all members of my family, far and wide. My son and new daughter-in-law will be blessing our family with a grand-daughter in the coming year. My writing continues to improve and my novella was accepted for publication - Collector's Item coming out in 2013. I have broadened my base of friends and have connected with a wonderful group of talented women to create this blog - Words, Women, Wisdom.

And I continue to have the loving support of a wonderful man, my husband of sixteen years.

So, take a moment tomorrow, before you dive into that Thanksgiving Bonanza and count your blessings. I guarantee it will make the meal all the sweeter.

Happy Thanksgiving and Blessed Be!

Denise Golinowski is a reader and writer of fantasy and romance. Her first enovella, The Festival of the Flowers: The Courtesan and the Scholar is available now through the Wild Rose Press. Her second enovella, Collector's Item will also be published by The Wild Rose Press in 2013. You can also visit her blog at Golinowski's Gambol.

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.