The Queen will be sitting on her "Throne" for a while - please no tears friends

Not that throne, let's get our minds out of the twa-let for a moment.  The Queen is tired and ready for a little vacation so she will be sitting her royal rear-end in a glammed up throne a.k.a. lawn chair.  Don't be jealous because I'm getting to go on this glamorous vacation called camping.

I know exactly what you are thinking, "Damn girl you must be a blogging baller to afford such a swanky va-kay".  Matter of fact I've made so much blogging, I was able to upgrade our site from the one that had the dumpster on it with the bear proof lid to one only a mile away from the lake.

Actually instead of the blog the girls and me were thinking about starting up another business; dog coats.  Mr. Rusty is sporting the Marine Biologist look according to my daughters.  What do you guys think?

Please don't shed any tears for me, it's always been a secret fantasy of mine to go without a shower for so long that a swarm of flies form a regal crown around my head; why on earth would anyone rather be wading their toes in the Italian Riviera, not me.

It's been a life-long dream to sleep in a bedroom that is co-habited by bears and every insect known to man.  I can just imagine how drafty and unbearable it would be to sleep in an Irish castle with a turreted bedroom and servants.

Besides who would want the hot Brazilian butler bringing them breakfast in bed when you could wake up and enjoy your cold breakfast that the raccoons wouldn't even touch the night before.

You have never lived until you've experienced the unforgettable aroma of an outhouse.  I'm quite sure strolling the streets of Paris and inserting my nose in the flower stands I pass on the street would pale in comparison.

Please no tears friends; I will be shedding plenty for you.

Instead I thought I would leave you with some recipes you might want to try.

I'm going to miss breakfast like this, sniff, sniff:

Strawberry Lemonade Waffles

Or lovely lunches like this:

Vietnamese Spring Rolls

Dinner I'll miss you:

Pork Tamales w Red Chile Sauce

Desserts - How could I choose just one?

Spiced Eclairs w Pumpkin Cheesecake my old friend, I love you.

Maybe I will bring some of these Pastry Hearts for good measure. What if I meet a bear and need a bribe to save my life?

I just wanted to say thank you for your continual support of this project called a blog/therapy session.  You guys are the best and I can't wait to see what all of you have been cooking; if I ever make it out of the woods alive.

Gina

Eclairs Filled with Pumpkin Cheesecake and Bathed in Dark Chocolate!

I've had this pumpkin, cheesecake and chocolate craving I couldn't kick!  Probably all the amazing pumpkin recipes you all have been dangling in front of me.  So I combined the three into these eclairs.  Some may call it crazy; I'd call it crazy good!  Just a warning though, you may never look at eclairs the same way.  I hope everyone is ashamed of themselves for driving me to this.

Pate a Choux:

1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter

1 cup water

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup all-purpose flour

4 eggs, beaten

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

Add butter, water and salt to a small saucepan and heat on low till melted and almost boiling.  In a small bowl combine flour and cinnamon.  Add flour mixture to water, turn heat off and stir.  Turn back on heat and stir until a film forms on the bottom of the pan.

Place dough into stand mixer and turn on medium speed for 1 minute or so to cool.  Then slowly stream in eggs until completely incorporated and dough looks shiny.  Place dough into a piping bag without a tip.

Pipe eclairs 1" wide by 4" long onto silpat mat or parchment paper placed on baking sheet.

Bake in a 400 degree F oven for 20 minutes, then turn oven down to 350 degrees and bake 20 minutes longer until completely dried out.  Rotate the pans every ten minutes, from top to bottom.  Remove from oven and let cool on racks.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling: 

4 ozs. cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

Add heavy cream and vanilla to a mixer and beat until stiff.  Set aside.  Beat cream cheese and sugar, until smooth.  Add pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice, mix until combined.  Remove from mixer and fold whip cream in.  

Place filling into a piping bag fitted with a bismarck tip.  Place tip into side of eclair and squeeze till full, take it easy here or you will have a cheesecake explosion.  Here is a picture of the tip you will need.  If this happens, don't stress do as I did and eat the evidence!

Dark Chocolate Glaze:

4 ozs. dark chocolate, chopped

1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

Heat heavy cream in small saucepan and pour over chopped chocolate placed in bowl.  Whisk until combined.  Make sure bowl is wide enough to dip eclair in.  Let it cool for 10 minutes or so before dipping.  Store in refrigerator.

Did you think I was going to leave you hanging about the Food buzz festival!. There was a finale of brunch and an exhausted bunch of new friends and a little sadness to say good-bye!  I'm hoping next year to meet even more of you that I enjoy reading so much.  

Enjoy,

Gina