GottaDEAL 2025 Prize Club Discussion Thread

[HanShotFirst]

23 hours ago, Gator Pam said:

I decided to do the Meyer Lemon Cheesecake with Blueberries for the bake-off. I’m very glad I did a practice run; several of my experiments did not work out.
 

Fresh out of the Instant Pot and topped with sweetened sour cream and zest.

 

The first lesson learned was to not use parchment paper around the sides. I thought it would help the sides look smooth rather than blurry, but the sides actually came out pocked as I pulled the parchment away.

 

Removed from the push pan and plated for the three day rest.

 

After “aging” for three days and ready to be decorated.

 

I’m really terrible at decorating. This was taken immediately after decorating. Lessons learned here is to use a narrower tip to pipe the lemon curd, define the shape of the heart more with the whole blueberries flooding with the pie filling, and to not use the candies Meyer lemons at all. Their texture does not compliment the cheesecake at all.

 

The decorated cheesecake after being refrigerated for a couple of hours. I think I’ll also make the heart in the middle a touch larger, to emphasize the shape more.

 

One last top view before slicing.

 

An interior view and three slices.

I tried to a blueberry pie filling swirl, but the filling all sank to the bottom and made the crust a bit soggy. I saw a technique where one takes half the batter and flavors it, fill the pan with alternating scoops of the batters, and then swirl it together. I was concerned that method would turn the entire cheesecake purple, but it has to work better than what I did.

Now to decide if I want to experiment doing it that way on my entry cheesecake, or leave out the swirl completely.

 

A close up of a slice.

 

Lessons learned from this practice run:

If trying to swirl, use the half and half method and hope for the best since I don’t have the funds to do a second practice run.

Do not use parchment around the sides of the push pan for a cleaner edge.

Enlarge the heart in the center.

Do not use candied lemon slices for decorating.

It still looks yummy!

[HanShotFirst]

Happy February!  We are experiencing our annual "false spring/summer" with record highs for this week before Mother Nature calms down and brings in the cold again next week.  After being on medical leave late summer, then at the end of said medical leave I find out that my company eliminated their local operations where I was working, I finally found a job and start in a couple of weeks, just in time for me to come down with this nasty respiratory illness that over half the state is sick from.  Yay me......... 

[Suzy Crampton]

[wittenlover]

Happy February, y'all!

 

Some might recall I got rear-ended right before Thanksgiving (can't remember who all I told at this point). Well, I decided to not go the insurance claim route for a number of reasons. Instead, I am using a trusted small business auto repair shop (owner's name was given to me by both my dad and my insurance agent - though they don't know one another, so had no way of knowing they were recommending the same person to me - ha!). Since my car was drivable with the damage, I had the flexibility to wait until he could accommodate the needed work in his schedule. Well, the time has finally arrived! My car is in his capable hands as of this past Saturday morning and he expects to have the work done before the weekend. Good stuff. I am excited to have Blue (as I call her) back in one piece and looking good again soon. 

 

In other news, I am counting down to the annual Vegas run, coming up here in about a month or so. We've got all of our travel arrangements booked and can't wait to get back out that way for our first race trip of the year. That also means it'll be cookie baking time again soon for my pit crew buddies. Good times. Typically when we go out that way, we take one day for a "field trip" that alternates between the south rim of the Grand Canyon and the greater LA area. This year would have been an LA year but, with the recent fires and resulting devastation, we're heading back to the canyon. We know we'll enjoy it and the last thing we want to do is be in anyone's way or end up in a bad spot ourselves by trekking anywhere near the fire ravaged areas there in CA. 

 

 

[Kanyon71]

3 hours ago, wittenlover said:

Happy February, y'all!

 

Some might recall I got rear-ended right before Thanksgiving (can't remember who all I told at this point). Well, I decided to not go the insurance claim route for a number of reasons. Instead, I am using a trusted small business auto repair shop (owner's name was given to me by both my dad and my insurance agent - though they don't know one another, so had no way of knowing they were recommending the same person to me - ha!). Since my car was drivable with the damage, I had the flexibility to wait until he could accommodate the needed work in his schedule. Well, the time has finally arrived! My car is in his capable hands as of this past Saturday morning and he expects to have the work done before the weekend. Good stuff. I am excited to have Blue (as I call her) back in one piece and looking good again soon. 

 

In other news, I am counting down to the annual Vegas run, coming up here in about a month or so. We've got all of our travel arrangements booked and can't wait to get back out that way for our first race trip of the year. That also means it'll be cookie baking time again soon for my pit crew buddies. Good times. Typically when we go out that way, we take one day for a "field trip" that alternates between the south rim of the Grand Canyon and the greater LA area. This year would have been an LA year but, with the recent fires and resulting devastation, we're heading back to the canyon. We know we'll enjoy it and the last thing we want to do is be in anyone's way or end up in a bad spot ourselves by trekking anywhere near the fire ravaged areas there in CA. 

 

 

How long do you normally go for?

[packratfamily]

Checking in early for February, the month of 20° nights and 60° afternoons

Not complaining cuz I am around to enjoy it

[stacya]

Happy February!! It's been a busy month since my last post here. My luger had.a training camp in Lake Placid for 2 weeks, culminating in the second USA Luge North American Continental Cup race, in which Kendall redeemed herself after missing a bronze in the first part of that race in Salt Lake City by 0.025 seconds. She won bronze in the Lake Placid race, besting the Canadian that beat her in Salt Lake City by a large margin. Next up is Kendall's final training camp of the season for 3 weeks in Salt Lake City, with Youth National Championships (for ages 12 to 17) taking place over the course of 2 days the second weekend of March, Jr. National Championships (ages 14 to 21), taking place on March 14th. Kendall has a very good chance of bringing home a medal in at least Youth Nationals, but will have stiff competition in Jr. Nationals, though barring anything unforeseen, she should still do very well. A few days before she heads to SLC, she will be flying to Wisconsin to spend the weekend with her bestie teammate, and they will fly on to SLC together for camp. I'm heading out to SLC in March to watch both races, and to fly back with Kendall. I'm excited to.be in Utah again, since it's been 3 years, though with all of these recent air travel events, and me already being a nervous flyer, I'm not thrilled about flying anytime soon, nor with sending my child flying on her own. With Kendall being a Team USA athlete, this one accident hits way too close to home, as we have likely seen some of these ice skaters during Empire State Winter Games of years past. Surreal. Anyway, here is a pic of Kendall with her "bronze" wooden medal, lol

[tinkrbel]

My month for festival of the Arts is here!

[bodotdot]

I saw my shadow, so at least six more months of posting on this thread.

[wittenlover]

15 hours ago, Kanyon71 said:

How long do you normally go for?

 

We go out west for a week. Tuesday-Tuesday, usually.