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1.Rename it " Harvest Pumpkin and Cinnamon Cheesecake". 2.Try scooping out
extra pile of cinnamon Little Helper poured in for you. 3.Bang your head against counter and start over.
There is also a tablespoon of ground ginger to add. Sorry about that. Don't worry, you still have three options...again:
1.Rename it " Harvest Pumpkin and Ginger Cheesecake". 2.Scoop out as best you can extra heap of ginger Little Helper added for you. 3.Bang your head twice on counter and start over.
I almost hate to mention this, but you'll need to add a teaspoon of ground nutmeg. And a half teaspoon of salt. And a half teaspoon of allspice. Go ahead and bang your head some more if it makes you feel better.
Fortunately, there is a parental failsafe. It is sort of like a "get out of jail free card". Look in bowl. Observe quantity of creamy things. Observe quantity of spicy things.
If quantity of creamy things is even slightly greater than quantity of spicy things, keep going and pretend you didn't have any help. Maybe nobody will notice. If quantity of spicy things is greater than quantity of creamy things, open another can of pureed pumpkin. Keep adding cans of pureed pumpkin until creamy things are greater than spicy things -- or until your grocer runs out of cans.
Pour filling into crust. Note, if you had to add too many cans of pureed pumpkin, this could get messy. I recommend hip-waders...especially for Little Helper.
Cook at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 50 minutes or until top is slightly brown and almost as cracked as your head and counter. Do NOT let Little Helper eat cake while it is still in oven.
Let it air cool in a safe place -- like at a neighbor's house -- then refrigerate overnight
Just before serving, top with whipped cream and sprinkle with pecans. Oops. I just wrote that last line in non-parentease. It should read: "Now that whipped cream is polished off, shake remaining sprinkles on cake. Unless Little Helper ate them, too.
Now you can sit down and enjoy your Harvest Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake (Parent Version). Oh yes, don't forget to laminate this page to avoid more impromptu experimentation in future.
The author is David Leonhardt. Sign up for his weekly satire column up at http://TheHappyGuy.com/positive-thinking-free-ezine.html or read more columns at http://TheHappyGuy.com/self-actualization-articles.html . Read about funny jelly beans at http://TheHappyGuy.com/jelly-beans-or-toothpaste.html or about funny bananas at http://TheHappyGuy.com/expectations-and-happiness.html .
