Deaf Studies Major at CSUN.
Anything dark, morbid, or just a little bit odd I probably think is the coolest thing since sliced bread.
FYI: THESE ARE ORIGINAL FACADES, NOT REMODELED HOUSES. WESTLAKE NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPED BY HENRY DOELGER IN THE 1950s. If you wanted your house to look like this, it would cost a fortune with the price of horrible quality. It’s like choosing re-pop over real vintage clothes! Whenever I find pictures of these little boxes, I know for damn sure I’m destined to buy my house there. Handshake to you if you know where this is without having to Google it. In my spare time, I’d walk there, since it was about a mile from where I lived 4 years ago. It will happen, but the unfortunate side is that although the facades are in great cosmetic shape, many of the interiors have been remodeled. It angers me because I’m going to have to de-model my house when I get it and it’s going to be more expensive than the ugly remodeling job they have done.
(Source: waxtheduck, via atomictantrum)
Classic New York Cheesecake
Oddly enough, I’ve never made a cheesecake before. Not even those delicious mini oreo cupcake cheesecakes that keep popping up all over the web. However, my mom is a huge cheesecake fan, and after seeing cheesecake on a stick (who knew!) at Coachella this weekend, I decided it was about time to give cheesecake making a shot. This recipe is adapted from many cookbooks, but is definitely a classic way to make New York styled Cheesecake.Makes 10 large slices
Ingredients:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
dash salt
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
2-8 ounce packages of cream cheese (do not use fat free for this recipe!)
1 pint full fat sour cream
3 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
zest from 1/2 lemon
1 cup granulated sugar
******this is a basic cheesecake recipe. Feel free to add in swirled jam, cocoa powder, nutella, chopped fruits, melted white chocolate, liquer, etc.**************
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 8 or 9 inch round springform pan with nonstick spray on bottom and on sides.
Make graham cracker crust with cinnamon, salt, brown sugar, graham cracker crumbs, and melted butter. Press mixture into the bottom of the springform pan, and use the bottom of a glass to flatten out the crust so that it covers the bottom and 1” of the sides evenly. Refrigerate this crust for about 10 minutes, while preparing filling.
In a very large bowl, beat together cream cheese and sour cream until very smooth and well mixed. Gradually beat in eggs, sugar, and vanilla until well mixed, creamy, and a bit frothy. Beat in lemon zest, and/or any other flavorings you may wish to use.
Pour filling into chilled crust. Wrap sides and bottom of springform pan in aluminum foil and place pan in the center of a large roasting dish/pan. Pour boiling water into the roasting pan carefully (make sure none splashes on you or on the cheesecake!) until the water reaches about the middle the pan. (The reason we use water baths to bake cheesecake or any other fragile dessert is so that it retains its smooth, soft quality and doesn’t get too rubbery)
Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes. Cheesecake will be slightly jiggly when you remove it, so don’t worry (I still always do). Refrigerate in pan for at least 4 hours before serving, although I’m sure you could get away with 3 hours chilling if you HAD to ;)
When slicing cake, remove springform sides carefully. Heat a knife in warm water before cutting into cake. Slice cake with heated knife carefully and serve along side whipped cream, sliced fruit or berries, or with a delicious caramel sauce. Enjoy!
