Based on the 1st Amendment – so long as I remain within the parameters of not inciting panic or riots,
my speech is Politically Correct.
my new banner (or it will be as soon as I remember HOW to add it to the blog – will be my answer for all who would, as a result of their opinions, feel my voiws are not okay and should be changed.

Bet you thought I forgot about the filling – nope, just need to retest the instructions –

Cheese Cake Pie

prepare and prebake the 8 or 9 inch Crumb Crust of your choice I frequently use the “least expensive” store brand of graham crackers, or choc chip or shortbread Often from the “clearance rack” because “dry” even “stale” is an asset. I do suggest that they be “not filled or frosted” but otherwise pretty much any flavor you like will do nicely the details – if you lost that link, click here

Or, you can certainly bake your own cookies to be used, but fresh baked cookies do not usually last long enough to dry out or get stale as needed for the crust

With cookies on hand, when I need to “channel my anger” in a positive way
out comes that rolling pin, plastic bread bag
DO NOT USE A ZIP LOCK –
once reduced to the proper size crumbs, stored until needed in my frugal cannisters (the plastic containers from dry things,
like dry roasted nuts, or rice) I do not recommend plastic pickle jars – they tend to keep the “scent” of vinegar

While the crust is baking, prepare the filling
the basics are almost always in the house – in fact along with what I need for a good chocolate pudding – I make a point of keeping the dessert ingredients “on hand”

If a dessert is going to be needed = then the ingredients come out of the frig while waiting for the coffee to brew.
Room Temperature is best – especially if like me, you choose to do the blending and mixing “by hand”

Whisk until smooth
8 oz Cream Cheese
6 oz Ricotta

For nuts, the “oily” kind seem two work best, Pecans, Walnuts
if you choose a dryer nut like Almonds, you may want to add a teaspoon of extract or oil to enhance the Almond.

Whisk separately
1 egg
1/3 c Honey
1 Tbl “thickener” (corn or potato starch, pastry flour, etc) (leave this out if you want chocolate and use cocoa powder)
1/4 to 1/2 tsp Cinnamon* Powder (less with chocolate, more with citrus)
1 Tbl Vanilla Extract
when well whisked (you want it airy, so look for bubbles)
add OPTIONAL flavors:
1.5 tsp of Citrus powder.

*Cinnamon is an amazing spice – AND seems to always increase the “sweetness” of a dish without adding sugar or honey – as well as adding a depth of flavor to any dessert and yes, even to some things like spicy soups and chilli. just keep a light hand until you find the amount that most enhances your taste experience.

If you want a different flavor, use any of the “optionals”.
whisk into the mixture –

Combine/Whisk the Cheese and Flavor blends together until fully incorporated.

For chocolate, I like to lightly sift cocoa powder onto the crumb shell while it is cooling

Pour the mixture into the shell – bake at 350 F –
top should be just starting to brown at the edges, but a bit wobbly in the center

Remove and cool – most prefer to then chill for an hour or two before serving.
I say “warm” for the first night and chilled (stored in frig) for the second and third night.

Other Toppings, like berries – seem to like it when the critrus flavor is just hinted at – so reduce the citrus powder by to 1/3 to 1/2 tsp.

My personal favorite is a warm berry compote, over the warm pie, sometimes with a dollop of whip cream but often not.

Whatever flavor you choose, this is a rather rich dessert – so smaller slices are usually satisfying without really alarming the cardio doc.

Henry prefers things sweeter than I do, so sometime I will dust his with a bit of powdered sugar if the filling is a bit more tart than usual.

Depending on the planned flavor, I prefer to add chunky things like choc chips, or coarsely ground nuts to the cheese blend

On the other hand, if you want to have more than one flavor consider dividing hte filling and additing different swirls of flavor – then bake in cupcake sized shells or mini-pie pans – I like the mini pie pans because it is “two servings” – that can be frozen and then defrosted for the evening snack – thus making it easier to resist Cheese Cake Pie for breakfast

The nice thing about beadwork (or pretty much any craft for that matter) is that we are “allowed” to have favorites. those personal choices are all good –

Having been in this business for much longer than I care to admit in many roles (consumer, author, editor, teacher, wholesale and retailer)

The Retailer Reality is my needs as a shop are not what drives the market. The manufacturers choices are rarely easy on our inventory budget – because if we don’t offer it – in today’s world someone else will.

It is not really the decision of the Distributors – although they have minor influence in some aspects – it is driven by other factors.

SuperDUOs are “maturing” which means that with increased design support – there is a “designer” demand for more colors.

Personally I have come to believe that brick or click, no one can really stock it all, the best we can do is try to make it possible for you to “get what you want” – even if you have to wait a bit.

When I had my store I made it a habit to keep product catalogs accessible to my customers – and order what they asked for – EVEN when it meant I had to buy more than they wanted – so might have that excess around for a long time.

Today, as an online retailer – I try to keep that option open by being willing to admit I can’t keep it all in the store room, but I can, if customers understand some delay in shipping,

But, no way do I object to the new sizes and shapes – because if someone’s creative visions needs that size or shape, I really want them to have it.

And, oh by the way,,, I am always happy to see a product “in the chains” because I know they will never commit to the full line and people in today’s world will seek out what they want – my job is to help them get it.

Generated by several commercials with the hi=speed “disclaimer”

What is the FDA thinking when it approves a drug for the treatment of Depression, when the primary side effects are “Increased thoughts of Suicide?

Still I am going to keep coming back to the FB image about Working vs welfare refrig and not showing because all it accomplished was sensationalism of a real problem.

Rather, it so clearly demonstrates (at least to me) the Symptom and Consequences (not the least of which is hate and class “envy”).

Nor does it offer any insight in the why/cause and ultimately the solution

Whether the image was accurate or not is not important because all it does is further divide and offers no thought about the cause or possible solutions.

There is absolutely NO REASON why legitimate citizens of the United States of America should be hungry.
Or that Farmers should be paid NOT to grow a crop
Or that food grown in the US should be sent outside its borders as foreign aid (ok maybe some for disaster relief situations)

I kept looking at that picture and then started doing some research. So much information is on the Internet.

What if INSTEAD we looked back at programs that did work even if they expected some responsible behavior in exchange for that hand UP –

“Back in the 70’s” when I lived in NY – Westchester County tried to create what they called “WorkFare”
I remember it, because our small family business attempted to participate. That is a whole other story in itself, but for now let’s focus a bit on “solutions”

The concept was that those receiving benefits were found “appropriate” work. It was what would be called “honest work”. Among the means used was child care so that a single parent could participate

If I remember correctly (or maybe I just think it should be part of any hand up concept) It required that all receiving benefits participate – no hand outs.

There were provisions for child care (and some of the mothers were “aids” who brought their child under school age to “work” )

child of school age were expected to be in school. Reached that magic age of 16 and quit school – no more WIC, no food stamp allowance AND reduced other benefits (housing allowance)

No acquiescing to bullying by the by race baiters into unequal treatment. On Drugs, get into a program (methadone clinics were popular) or no help.

On drugs, not in a program, okay, then you get involuntary commitment as a danger to oneself and to others.

No job, okay you are assigned “honest work” suitable to your ability. And, job training was part of that program as well. Teaching of work ethic and requiring the practice of good working habits.

Get into trouble and find your family removed from the “projects” and off the “section 8” rolls. Every major city has “empty” real estate that could be made useful for housing and with thoughtful tax incentives including responsible supervision – or, as “used to be common” working with church organizations to create safe places for those in need.

Just some starting points. But something to talk about, somethings to make important if you really want change for the better.

and yes, coming soon, more about that refrig image and why it looks that way and how to make it different.