Azoresgal~Life on an Island

This rich and creamy cheesecake is all sorts of decadent,all the flavors of pumpkin pie, in a cheesecake.The texture is absolutely perfect – creamy, thick, smooth and it slices beautifully. Don’t let the idea of making a cheesecake scare you, it is simple to make, just be sure to make it a day before you need it! A delicious sweet treat for just about any occasion, I hope you love it as much as we did! Ingredients Crust 2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs 1/4 cup to 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted ( 3/4 cup for a moist and dense crust) 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1 1/2 tsp. salt, divided Pumpkin Cheesecake 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar 2 lb (four 8-ounce packages) cream cheese, softened (900 gr.) 1/4 cup sour cream/Greek yogurt, room temperature 1 can (15 oz) pure pumpkin 6 large eggs, lightly beaten 1 tbsp. vanilla extract 2 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon 1 tsp. ground ginger 1/4 tsp. ground cloves Whipped cream Chopped pecans, optional Crust Preheat oven to...

Celebrate St. Patrick's Day with this hearty  Guinness Shepherd´s pie. Simple comfort food, warm, filling and so delicious! It’s easy to make, frugal and freezes beautifully! Make it in a large dish or as individual portions in ramekins so that you can freeze and have a ready-made meal on days when you don’t feel like cooking.  I do have another Shepherd´s pie recipe on the blog, it too is simple and yummy, the big difference in this one is the dark stout beer and the wine. I imagine this must be what a tradtional Irish pie would taste like, with rich flavors ! It was a huge hit with the kids and Mr. G, and I will be making it again ! For the meat mixture: 800 grams lamb or beef (cubed or ground is fine) 1 large sweet onion, diced 3 large carrots, peeled and diced 4 cloves garlic, minced 2 tbsp butter 3 tbsp flour 1 cup Guinness stout 1 cup red wine 1 cup beef broth 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 2 tsp dried basil 2 tsp dried oregano 2 tsp dried sage 3 c...

Tis' the season for peppermint bark!  It’s super easy to make, 3 ingredients, and a little bit of time. Layers of smooth, white chocolate and dark chocolate  topped with  crunchy minty candy cane pieces.  Perfect for gift giving, packed into little cello bags, or tins. I think because it's homemade, just makes it extra special. 16 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped + 1 teaspoon vegetable oil 16 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped + 2 teaspoons vegetable oil 1 (6-ounce package) candy canes, or peppermints unwrapped and crushed 1. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper; set aside. 2. Place the dark chocolate and oil in a medium heatproof bowl and set it over a small saucepan of barely simmering water over low heat. Melt the chocolate, stirring occasionally, until completely smooth. Using an offset spatula, spread the melted chocolate in an even layer on the prepared cookie sheet. The melted chocolate should cover an area ...