Spring Bouquet Blooming

You know I wasn't totally happy with how the sides on my bench cover, Spring Bouquet, were turning out. 

 It was becoming too much of a ruffle look for me.

So I thought about it for a few days and one night I grabbed it and frogged back to the yellow border. 

There...it was done!  Now I could redo it.

 I find when I'm working on a project without a pattern like this one that it is better NOT to sew in the loose yarn ends as I go because once I do that it is almost impossible to frog any of my previous work if I so wish to do so at some point. 

 This was easy to frog back.

Of course I made some changes.

I went from doing "rounds" around the sides with double crochet stitches to doing "rows" in single crochet for each of the sides. 

 Once I reach the length I need for the sides I will slip stitch the corners together.

I am pleased with the results so far as it is lying flatter then before and has a more tailored style.

What a beautiful day!

I'm sitting out on my screened-in porch as I type this listening to the birds and enjoying the sunny morning with my cup of coffee.  It can't get any better than this.

Thanks for stopping by to visit me!

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Light & Fluffy Cheesecake

Yesterday I made a cheesecake from scratch...for only the second time in my almost 38 years of married life.

When I found Mary Ahearn's recipe (here) on Pinterest for a LIGHT & FLUFFY cheesecake I had to make it.

I come from a family that loved the very light, melt in your mouth, fluffy cake-like textured cheesecake baked at our Cleveland area Hough Bakeries.

 My Dad, older brother and I absolutely loved their cheesecake.

 If any readers have the original Hough Bakeries cheesecake recipe I would love a copy ((please!)).

 The Internet states that Kraft General Foods purchased the company name and recipes after Hough Bakeries filed Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 1992.

Ever since the Hough Bakeries closed many years ago I have dreamed about their cheesecake and I am constantly hunting for a light and fluffy textured cheesecake.

 Most cheesecakes out there now are the New York Style which is a heavier, creamy type of cheesecake. I will eat it, of course, but it's not my favorite.

 As far as store-bought cheesecakes, I found the Wegmans Grocery Stores in our area makes a "sort of lighter texture" cheesecake that is delicious.

Mary's recipe calls for six egg whites whipped to stiff peaks to fill the mixture with air to make it lighter and fluffier.

It was easy to mix up with my Kitchen Aid mixer.

The only mistake I made was not baking it a little longer...after an hour in the 325 degree oven I thought the toothpick came out clean but it didn't. Of course I didn't realize it until after the cheesecake sat in the turned off oven for another hour.

Luckily it wasn't ruined...I put it back in the oven until the toothpick finally came clean. I won't make that mistake next time. LOL!

After chilling the cheesecake for a few hours I had a piece last night and it was very good. I loved the breadcrumb base. I think the only changes I would recommend...the next time I make it... is add some lemon zest and a little more sugar to make it a tiny bit sweeter.

You can find the original recipe (here) along with Mary's videos which were very helpful.

Maybe I have inspired you to try this delicious cheesecake recipe.

Note to self: Freeze it because Hubby isn't a cheesecake lover like I am and I have to watch those calories. I calculated calories for a 1/12 piece is 472.

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Beautiful Day!

It's so pretty here today and warm!

Love my flowering shrub!

Every year it is so beautiful.

I'm so glad I can share it with you!

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