Camping and Retirement Blog - Page 7 of 17

Pumpkin Cheesecake in the Instant Pot

Pumpkin Cheesecake

It’s autumn and time for pumpkin to take center stage. Pumpkin is also the Good Friends Good Food Cooking Group’s vegetable for this week. My choice shifted between a favorite pumpkin soup and a pumpkin cheesecake, which would be a new dessert for me. Pumpkin cheesecake is one of those seasonal dishes that I love. Because I have also been wanting to try a cheesecake in my Instant Pot, now seemed a good time.

If the Instant Pot is not your thing, I believe this recipe would work fine in an oven with close watching near the end to get to the appropriate degree of doneness.

Instant Pot Utensils

I used my six quart Instant Pot and a 7” springform pan. When I first bought the Instant Pot, I invested in a couple of pans to use inside it. This is my first use of the springform pan. It fits perfectly inside the pot and on top of the trivet.

Special Instant Pot Considerations

I did some research on Instant Pot cheesecakes and the following things should be a part of the process.

The ingredients should be at room temperature when used because it important for the consistency of the top of the cheesecake.
Bring the water to boiling in the pot before cooking the cheesecake because it reduces the steam in the pot by bringing up the pressure more quickly.
Do not overmix the ingredients and it will help prevent a puffy soufflé-style cheesecake.
Cover the top and bottom of the pan with foil because it keeps the steam off the cheesecake. It is also important for the cooking time to be accurate.
Freeze the prepared crust while mixing the filling. (Or bake in 325 degree oven for 15 minutes.)

Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe

Ingredients

12 oz. Cream Cheese (1 1/2 blocks), softened
1 can (14 oz) Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 Tbsp Corn Starch
1 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
1/4 tsp Cardamom
2 Large Eggs, slightly beaten
1 c. Pumpkin Purée

1 1/2 c. Water in Instant Pot

Crust

1 c. Ginger Snap Crumbs or Graham Cracker Crumbs
2 Tbsp Granulated Sugar
2 Tbsp Salted Butter, melted

Whipped Cream for topping

Instructions

Remove eggs and cream cheese from refrigerator about an hour before preparation to bring to room temperature.

Prepare a 7” springform pan by lining the bottom with wax or parchment paper. Grease the sides with butter.

First, prepare the crust. Mix together the crumbs, sugar, and butter and press into the prepared pan. Place the pan into the freezer or bake in a 325-degree oven while preparing the filling.

In a large bowl, stir the cream cheese and ensure it is very soft. Add the condensed milk and stir with a whisk until smooth. Stir together the flour and spices and then add to mixture. Lastly, add the pumpkin and eggs and stir until blended.

Pour filling over the crust evenly and tap the pan lightly on the counter to release air bubbles. Next, cover the pan with foil on both the bottom and top to prevent condensation getting to the cheesecake.

Add the water to the Instant Pot and turn on Sauté. Heat until the water is boiling and then turn off the sauté function. Put the springform pan inside the trivet and lower the foil-covered pan into the pot.

Place the cover on and set for pressure cooking on high for 49 minutes. After cooking, allow 20 minutes for a natural release.

Remove foil cover and examine cheesecake. There should be a slight jiggle in the center. If the center looks like liquid, cover and cook for an additional 5 minutes and 5 minutes natural release. If there is any condensation on the cheesecake, dab with a paper towel to remove.

Serving Instructions

Remove all the foil and allow the cheesecake to cool on the counter for 1.5 hours. Lastly, cover the pan and refrigerate for at least 10 hours before serving.

Pan in Instant Pot — Springform pan in Instant Pot

Carefully remove the cheesecake from the pan and remove the wax paper. Serve with whipped cream. Voila, pumpkin cheesecake!

My Result

So, the center of my cheesecake was a little jiggly as desired. I found the center to be a little more creamy than the edges, but all of it was good. It was also easy to get out of the pan. However, this is not an overly sweet cheesecake. Surprisingly, my husband, a big sugar fan, loved it! I think he liked it more than me. The cardamom was one of my modifications, which I liked.

This opens our world of camping to cheesecake because we usually take the instant pot, but not an oven. It is a little different process, but is not really difficult.

In conclusion

I am enjoying cooking with Good Friends Good Food group. Check out my page, Vegetables with Good Friends, Good Food and our recipes for other vegetables. I am so looking forward to all the creative ways pumpkin is used by members of the group. Lastly, be sure to click on their links.

Ellen’s Crustless Pumpkin Pie

Kayte’s Pumpkin Strudel Muffins

Margaret’s Curried Pumpkin Soup

Nancy

Peggy’s Mini Pumpkin Pie

Ulrike’s Pumpkin Salad with Kale

Happy Cooking!

New Campers, Unhitching and Setup of T@B 400

New Campers

I wrote this unhitching and setup post exclusively for new campers. Experienced campers have already figured this stuff out and could possibly share better methods. When we first began camping, we did not know anything at all about campers and how to use them. I would have appreciated a post like this. However, I could not find anything this basic and detailed.

We have now been camping for four years and this post reflects what we have learned and is how we setup our current camper, a nüCamp T@B 400.

Setup for New campers — New Camper Unhitching and Setup

The Order of Things

Some steps must be done in a specific order or must precede other steps. Others can occur anywhere in the process. In this post, I will always indicate when order is important and why. Lastly, we have found that a standard practice makes our process more efficient and less prone to errors. You develop a sort of muscle memory.

Level the Side-to-Side

This first step is essential if you have an unlevel site from side-to-side. You should perform this check before other steps because the trailer must be hitched to raise one of the wheels. So, I use a small level that we keep in the camper to see if the the side to side is level. If it is not level, we have two leveling pads that we drive the wheel over on the low side. Often, we do not need these pads for leveling. Sometimes, we need both pads and occasionally only one is needed.

New campers should check level status — Checking the side to side level status

It is important that the camper is level for the refrigerator and air conditioner to work properly and for accurate reading of tank levels. Lastly, it is much more comfortable in a leveled camper.

Chock the Wheels

For safety, it is important to chock the wheels before any steps in the unhitching process begins. An unchocked camper can roll and cause damages and possible injuries. So, it is just a good practice to always do this before unhitching.

Insert Wheel or Block

We currently use a block to unhitch and stabilize the front of our camper. For maximum stability, we center it and lower the jack. In our previous camper, we used a wheel. However, we prefer the block.

Remove 7-Pin Connector

You should remove the 7-pin connector before unhitching to prevent drain on the car battery and to get it out of the way of the hitch.

Remove the Chains and Breakaway Cable

You will want to get these out of the way before unhitching. Regarding the chains, you should always cross them while towing.

Remove the Weight Distribution Bars

We have the Blue Ox Swaypro Weight Distribution Hitch and it requires the jack to lift the car to enable the bars to be removed. Once the jack is raised, the bars can easily be removed.

Remove Hitch Lock

We always keep a lock attached to our trailer coupler. It is vital while towing to ensure the trailer remains properly attached. It is also beneficial as a theft deterrent. We previously used a long padlock, but wanted something that was easier to get off and on. We settled on the Bulldog Adjustable Lock.

Lock recommendation for new campers — Bulldog Trailer Coupler Lock

So far, we really like the ease of putting it on and off. It works much better than the padlock. It fits snugly, which would make it difficult to cut off.

Unhitching From the Tow Vehicle

Next, lower the jack to release the strain off the ball. Once lowered, pull up the lever on the tongue. Now, lift it off the ball. Ideally, the ball will drop from the jack. Sometimes, it can be difficult to decouple. In those circumstances, it may be necessary to pull forward or backward ever so slightly. This is the most stressful step in the unhitching process for me.

Level Front to Back

Next, adjust the jack so that the camper is level from front to back. I always set a level on the floor parallel to the door and it makes it easy to find that level sweet spot using the jack.

Lowering the Stabilizers

Lastly, lower the stabilizers. This is the last step of unhitching and taking them up is the first step of hitching. It is important because the stabilizers can be damaged if the camper is raised or lowered by the jack while they are down.

Camper stabilizers — Stabilizers are lowered

Setup

Now that the camper is unhitched, it is ready for setup. Actually, you can attach the water and power before unhitching. For example, if the weather is hot or cold, you might want to get the power on so the inside temperature can be impacted sooner.

Electrical Hookup

We recommend that you include a surge suppressor in your electrical hookup. A suppressor can protect your camper’s electrical system if there is a problem with a campground’s power supply. It can also identify electrical other issues.

Connecting to City Water

We always attach a water pressure regulator and a filter to our water connection. The meter protects your water system if there is too much pressure in the campground.

I have a couple of tips regarding the water. First, it is not necessarily to over tighten the connections. Second, be sure the gasket is in the fitting of the hose.

Holding Tanks

We usually do not have sewer connections because most of our camping is in State Parks. When we do have sewer at our site, we keep both the gray and black tanks closed until we are ready to empty. I understand that it is critical to keep the black tank closed to prevent issues due to the lack of water. Also, you wouldn’t want anything that might be in the sewer to have access to your camper.

New Campers, In Conclusion

It can be intimidating to set up a camper if you are inexperienced. We learned how to do this over time, with some mistakes. Now, we consistently strive follow the process above and have it down to a routine. If this post is helpful to you, check out our page, Camping Resources for New Teardrop Campers.

Happy Camping!

Retired couple

Zucchini Frittata, an Anytime Dish

Zucchini, this Week’s Vegetable

This week’s vegetable is an easy one to have available because it is accessible year round and keeps well in the refrigerator for several days. Routinely, I have about three different ways to serve them. However, I most often include zucchini in a frittata. A frittata is a special breakfast in our home, but it is so hearty that it is also an excellent choice for brunch or dinner.

I don’t generally follow a recipe for my frittatas, so the ingredients can vary. Most often though, I include zucchini or summer squash. However, either type of squash works well in a frittata.

Special Equipment

I have always made my frittatas in an iron skillet. So, for me, it would feel unnatural to use anything else. But, any skillet or pan that can go from stovetop to oven could be used. My choice though, will always be an iron skillet.

Frittata Possibilities

Eggs are the only absolute necessity in a frittata, everything else can vary. Butter or oil will work, but I prefer butter. Olive oil is, of course, a healthier choice. The sky is the limit with vegetables because they are cooked until tender crisp on the stovetop. Any cheese that you like will also do just fine. Lastly, a variety of seasonings work well in a frittata, such as basil, oregano, dill, thyme, cayenne pepper, or chives.

Zucchini Frittata Recipe

Ingredients

2 Tbsp Butter or Olive Oil
1 c. Zucchini, diced
1/2 c. Onion, diced
1/2 c. Red Bell Pepper, diced
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/8 tsp Accent
1/2 tsp Basil
1/2 cup Cherry Tomatoes
6 Large Eggs, Slightly beaten
3/4 c. Gruyere & Swiss Blend Cheese, shredded

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt butter in ovenproof skillet over stovetop. Add all vegetables except tomatoes and cook over medium-high heat until tender-crisp. Add desired salt and pepper. Sprinkle Accent and Italian Seasoning over vegetables. Lastly, add whole cherry tomatoes and distribute them evenly in skillet.

Next, pour beaten eggs evenly over vegetables; do not stir. Sprinkle cheese over top. Place skillet into preheated oven and cook for approximately 18 minutes or until eggs are firm.

Optional Garnishes

Salsa, Tomato or Green Chili
Avocado Slices

This Frittata Version

This was my first time using the Gruyere/Swiss blend cheese and green chili salsa. It gave it a bit of a different taste, more complex, but we really liked it.

Because there was no previous recipe, I adjusted my estimated measurements for several ingredients as I prepared it. I must say, this was a delicious meal. My husband agreed!

Good Friends Good Food Blogs (GFGF)

Check out other zucchini dishes by my GFGF friends. I have been very impressed by their cooking expertise because of all the cool ways they have prepared vegetables so far.

Ellen’s Zucchini Bread

Kayte’s Grilled Zucchini with Red Onion and Feta

Margaret’s PHO-GA

Nancy

Peggy’s Chicken Zucchini Casserole

Ulrike’s Baked Courgettes/ Zucchini with Minced Meat

In Conclusion

If you have never made a frittata, they are a marvelous way to turn a variety of on-hand vegetables into a quick and delicious meal. Zucchini is an excellent vegetable because it can be kept in your vegetable bin ready to make a delicious frittata happen.

Lastly, if you would like to check out other vegetables prepared by our cooking group, see my page, Vegetables with Good Friends, Good Food.

Happy Cooking Y’all

Grilled Tomatoes in Air Fryer

The vegetable for this week’s Good Friends Good Food recipes is tomatoes. I really love tomatoes and grilled tomatoes are a favorite in our house. In the past, I have made them on the grill and in the oven. However, I suspected they would be really quick and easy in the air fryer. This proved to be correct. They were so easy to make that the air fryer will be my preferred method of cooking going forward.

Air Fryer Cooking

I have only had my air fryer for five months, but it is a very good small appliance for lots of different foods. After much research, I settled on the Ninja Air Fryer. So far, I have been really pleased with this brand and model.

A few things about grilling tomatoes in the air fryer to keep in mind:

There is no need to preheat the fryer for tomatoes.
There is certainly no need to heat up your kitchen with a big oven.
No oil or grease is needed in the fryer because the bottom of the tomatoes are oiled and this prevents sticking.
Above all, the cooking basket and tray can be put into the dishwasher. I love this benefit of the air fryer.
The tomatoes can be touching without impacting results.
The cooking time can vary based upon the thickness and level of ripeness of the tomatoes.

Grilled Tomatoes in Air Fryer — Tomatoes ready to cook in air fryer

Grilled Tomatoes, The Recipe

Ingredients

3-4 Tomatoes, washed and cut into halves
Olive Oil, approx 2 Tbsp
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
Dried Basil, to taste
Garlic Powder, to taste
Dried Chives, to taste

Optional: Parmesan Cheese or Breadcrumbs