Lou we're off on a tangent here but my absolute to go to recipe for chocolate ice cream is from Cafe Pasqual's in Santa Fe. The cookbook is by Katherine Kagel but the recipe below is from epicurious. It's so good I make it anually for a friend as his birthday gift - his request. It's Mexican Chocolate Ice cream and it has pequins in it (YUMMMMM!!) I have a Cuisinart Ice Cream maker so not sure how it would work with the KA Here you go * 9 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate * 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped * 2 cups heavy cream * 1 cup milk * 6 large egg yolks * 1/3 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar * 2 teaspoons cinnamon * 2 tablespoons Kahlú * 1/2 teaspoons crumbled pequín chilies* (wear rubber gloves) * 1/2 cup blanched whole almonds, toasted, cooled, and chopped * *available at some specialty stores Preparation In a metal bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water melt 6 ounces of the bittersweet chocolate, chopped, and the unsweetened chocolate, stirring until the mixture is smooth, and remove the bowl from the heat. In a heavy saucepan combine the cream and the milk and bring the mixture just to a boil. In a bowl whisk together the egg yolks and the brown sugar, add the cream mixture in a stream, whisking, and pour the mixture back into the pan. Cook the custard over moderately low heat, stirring, until it registers 170°F. on a candy thermometer, strain it through a fine sieve set over another bowl, and whisk in the melted chocolate, the cinnamon, and the Kahlúa. Let the mixture cool completely and freeze it in an ice-cream freezer according to the manufacturer's instructions, adding the remaining 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine, the crumbled chilies, and the almonds during the last few minutes of freezing time. Let me know if you need pequins. I can put some in the mail for you, that is if you can mail hazardous material ;-) I love Ghiardelli's bittersweet so always use that and Whole Foods has bulk unsweetened chocolate. It's made by one of the big companies but the name escapes me right now.

The first time I made this recipe I made it in the morning and served it that night. While it was ok, it was much much better the next day...and the day after that it was GREAT! Definitely allow time for flavors to develop! I made it last night for a friend who is gluten intolerant. Instead of the graham cracker crumb crust, I used the following nut crust recipe: 1 1/2 cups blanched slivered almonds 3 tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoons butter, melted 1 gluten free waffle 1 dash cinnamon . Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. . Mix all ingredients in food processor. . Pat mixture into springform pan. . Bake for 7 minutes. The original nut crust recipe calls for pecans. However, when using it with the amaretto cheesecake, I use almonds. Also the original recipe called for "cake crumbs" but to make it gluten free, I used a GF waffle (Van's brand).

What a Thanksgiving! dS2 left today to drive back up north to college, dd and boyfriend left Thursday evening to back to their homes and jobs, Auntie left yesterday afternoon, still have MIL and DS1 and his gf. DH and his mom are tending the bonfire, DS and GF are playing tennis and I am taking a break in the library :-). We took MIL who has advancing dementia to local ballet school matinee performance of the Nutcracker today and she LOVED it, much to our surprise and delight! Biggest excitement--- daughter's boyfriend asked DH for our permission to ask her to marry him! We are keeping quiet as he plans to do this in a few weeks and we don't want spoil the surprise! We could not be happier as the young man is exactly who we would order as a SIL and he is truly devoted to our girl. Tired of cooking and serving, that's for sure! Mtn, I realized -- finally-- that I used a 9.5" springform pan instead of a 9" or 8", which is why it looked so flat. It was still delicious, though, and the apple pie from our local Methodist youth group was fantastic! And do you know, I am sending people home with their gingerbread house kits. We were having such a good time talking and visiting that the afternoon sped by with no need for a planned indoor activity! We will save ours for Christmas Eve when my nephews are staying over. Chibimimi, you are a veritable pioneer! I cannot imagine cooking over an open fire and really admire you for not giving in and running to the nearest restaurant. Bbstx, wine was definitely involved! We had a Viognier and a Beaujolais for our turkey dinner, and shooters of hot wassail spiked with spiced rum in mini christmas mugs. Let's just say it was pretty cheerful oPattyxlynn, what a great idea for a dessert/snack---- caramelized apple chips----and I'll bet your apple cinnamon loaves were delicious! I am often dubious of the photos I see on Pinterest.......they look like the product of a craft room staff, not a single harried individual with a pair of scissors and a roll of ribbon. Happy Thanksgiving to all!!

We liked Lou's cheesecake, too! I love NY cheesecake, too, this was a little different. Marilyn had two recipes that were also very good. EAST COAST CHEESECAKE (danain) 1 2/3 cup graham cracker crumbs 1/4 cup sugar 1/3 cup butter, melted 5 (8 oz. pkgs.) cream cheese, room temperature 13/4 cup sugar 3 tablespoons flour 5 large eggs, room temperature 2 large egg yolks, room temperature 1/3 cup sour cream, room temperature 1 teaspoon vanilla Coat the inside of a spring form pan with shortening. Combine crumbs, ¼ cup sugar and butter in and press on sides and bottom of pan; refrigerate. Preheat oven to 500°. Beat together cream cheese, 1¾ cups sugar and flour with an electric mixer until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time beating on low speed until incorporated, scraping bowl between additions. Mix in sour cream and vanilla. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Pan will be completely full. Make a water bath: Wrap foil around the outside of filled pan. Place pan in a larger baking dish and pour hot water in the baking dish to come half way up the sides of the spring form pan. Bake in the middle of the oven for 10 minutes at 500° then reduce heat to 200° and continue to bake without opening oven door for 1 hour. Check cake. It should be very brown on top. Continue to bake until slightly wobbly when pan is gently shaken, about another 35 minutes. Remove from oven and run a knife around top edge of cake to loosen. Cool cake completely in spring form pan on a rack at room temperature, about 3 hours. Refrigerate cake covered loosely with wax paper for at least 6 hours. Remove side of pan and bring to room temperature before serving. Will keep for approximately 2 weeks refrigerated. notes - For 1/2 recipe bake in a 7" spring form pan for 10 minutes at 500° then about 50 minutes at 200°. HOLLYWOOD TWO-TONE CHEESECAKE (danain) CRUST: 11/4 cup graham cracker crumbs 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup butter, melted PART 1: 1 pound cream cheese; softened 1/2 cup sugar 3 eggs; room temperature 3/4 teaspoon vanilla PART 2: 2 cups sour cream; room temperature 1/4 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla Combine crust ingredients thoroughly. Grease 9-inch round pan with shortening (or use a spring form pan). Cover sides of pan with 1 cup having it come up 1-inch from the top of pan. Press remaining in bottom. Refrigerate while preparing part 1. Combine part 1 ingredients with electric mixer until smooth (beat 2 to 3 minutes). Spread into pan. Bake at 375° for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, place on rack; stand at room temperature 15 minutes. Raise oven temperature to 475°. About 2 minutes before 15 minutes standing time is up, prepare second part of filling. With a spoon mix part 2 ingredients until well blended. Pour over 1st part, starting from side to center, spread evenly and gently. Bake at 475° about 10 minutes. Let stand at room temperature on rack for 5 to 6 hours before releasing from pan. Loosen crumbs on sides of pan allowing them to drop on edge of cake. Remove cake carefully or serve from pan. Do not cut until the following day. Cover with waxed paper and store in coldest part of refrigerator for 12 hours or longer. Keeps 3 to 4 days. Cake is about 1¼-inch high. Tip: When baking cake, place a pan of hot water under cake on lower rack. This will prevent cake from cracking.