Gluten Free Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie
It's National Dessert Month and HerKentucky has teamed up with Wholly Wholesome to talk about desserts! This morning, I stopped by WTVQ in Lexington to talk about National Dessert Month and share this delicious gluten-free pumpkin cheesecake pie recipe!
Gluten Free Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie
• 1 9" Wholly Gluten Free Pie Shell
• 8 oz. cream cheese softened
• 2 cups pumpkin puree
• 14 oz. sweetened condensed milk
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix cream cheese and condensed milk together until smooth.
3. Stir in the pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice and eggs. Mix until well combined.
4. Pour batter into pie shell.
5. Bake for 45 minutes or until a knife inserted 1 inch from the edge comes out clean. Serve warm.
Check out Wholly Wholesome's selection of health-conscious, gluten-free desserts, pie crusts, and pie shells at your local Whole Foods and Fresh Market. In Louisville, they're also available at Rainbow Blossom and in Lexington at Good Foods Co-Op.
Butter Pecan Toffee
It's National Dessert Month and HerKentucky has teamed up with Wholly Wholesome to talk about desserts! This morning, I stopped by WTVQ in Lexington to talk about National Dessert Month and share this delicious butter pecan toffee recipe!
Butter Pecan Toffee
Ingredients:
- 1 stick butter
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon corn syrup
- 20 tea biscuits
- Chopped toasted pecans
Directions:
1. Combine 1 stick butter, 3/4 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon corn syrup in a saucepan over medium heat.
2. Cook, stirring occasionally, until brown (305 degrees F on a candy thermometer).
3. Arrange 20 tea biscuits side by side on a large buttered, foil-lined baking sheet.
4. Pour sugar mixture on top and sprinkle with chopped toasted pecans. Chill until firm; break apart.
The folks at Wholly Wholesome sent me this recipe to try, and it is fantastic-- a great mix of salty and sweet and crunchy. Of course, it wouldn't be a recipe from the HerKentucky kitchen if we didn't work in a little Kentucky bourbon, so I made one batch with a little Old Forrester. No surprise, it was pretty tasty!
Check out Wholly Wholesome's selection of health-conscious, gluten-free desserts, pie crusts, and pie shells at your local Whole Foods and Fresh Market. In Louisville, they're also available at Rainbow Blossom and in Lexington at Good Foods Co-Op.
The HerKentucky List of Fall Activities You'll Actually Want to Do
It's fall, y'all. There are so many fabulous things to do. But, let's be honest. Corn mazes and apple orchards aren't enough to get me off the couch. I mean, there's A LOT of college football to watch, and picking out a pumpkin just is never going to be as interesting as SEC games. You've seen plenty of fall lists with (sort of) interesting seasonal activities that (kind of maybe) make you want to turn off the game and enjoy the season. Here's HerKentucky's list of Fall activities you'll actually want to do.
- Sunrise Trackside at Keeneland. I've always wanted to do the trackside Saturday breakfast and jockey Q&A. What a unique, intimate way to experience the track!
- Sample the Cask Strength Maker's 46 at Maker's Mark. Maker's 46 is such a delicious bourbon; it's got these spicy caramel notes that taste like the best creme brûlée you've ever eaten. Sample the Cask Strength variant at Maker's this fall!
- The Breeders' Cup + UK football weekend. Possibly your last chance to see American Pharaoh run. Your best chance to see Kentucky defeat Tennessee. An epic Lexington weekend.
- YWC Fashion Show. Drink champagne and see the latest fall fashions while raising money for Louisville charities.
- Sundy Best Live at Mercury Ballroom. Eastern Kentucky's favorite roots duo will be cutting a live album at Louisville's Mercury Ballroom on Halloween weekend!
- Haunted Bardstown. The Shadows of Federal Hill tour on October 23rd and 24th tells the story of Judge Chambers, uncle of My Old Kentucky Home composer Steven Foster, in the hours following his fatal dueling wound. “Tragedy, sickness and mystery can be found lurking in the history of My Old Kentucky Home,” said Johnny Warren, managing artistic director of “The Stephen Foster Story.” “This ghost tour provides a peek into the darker side of the historic mansion. So many people enjoy the spirit of the Halloween season and we believe Federal Hill is a fantastic place to get spooked while celebrating the history of a Kentucky treasure.”
What are your must-see fall activities?
Louisville People and Lexington People
Testing the theory that Kentuckians identify with one of their two major college towns.
I've got this theory about Kentuckians.
It doesn't matter what county you grew up in, every Kentuckian identifies as a Lexington person or a Louisville person.
Oh, sure, you may live closer to cities like Cincinnati or Nashville. You may go to St. Louis or Charleston, WV or Indy or anywhere else to shop and unwind. But, when it comes down to college affiliations, sports teams, and generally which city you prefer, there can only be one. Nobody loves both cities equally. I've known plenty of people who drive from Western Kentucky to Lexington to shop, eat, or tailgate. Others may be from the Eastern mountains, but crave a steak from Mortons or Ruth's Chris or an Oxmoor Mall fix.
Of course, both cities are amazing. I've lived in Louisville and in Lexington, and have been very, very happy in each. There's no substitute for a night out on Bardstown Road, a play at Actors Theatre, or the view from River Road. But, I'm a Lexington girl at heart. I went to Transy and to UK. I grew up in the mountains of Eastern Kentucky. I bleed blue. And, I'll always be a Lexington girl. I start planning trips to The Track (Keeneland, duh. There is only one!) or to see my 'Cats months in advance. No matter how long my license plate says "Jefferson County", my heart will always lie a little farther east.
Are you a Louisville or Lexington person? Take our quiz and see!
- Keeneland or Churchill Downs?
- Blue or Red?
- Cats or Cards?
- Woodford Reserve or Maker's Mark?
- Ramsey's or Ramsi's?
- I-75 or I-65?
Of course, if you answers were from column A, then you're a Lexington person; if you answered mostly Bs, then you're a Louisville person!
Which one are you?
What to Wear to Keeneland: October 2105 Opening Day
In the four years that HerKentucky has been exploring the lives, traditions, and stories of Kentucky women, there's one question that we get asked more than any other. It pops up, time and again, in y'all's tweets, Facebook posts, and search engine queries:
What should I wear to Keeneland?
The answer I always give is, "Well, that depends on where you're sitting."
Image via Keeneland
All seats in Lexington's storied Keeneland Race Course are not created equal. Basically, the closer to the ground (and the horses themselves) you are, the more casually you should dress.
If you're going to stay near the Paddock --General Admission, Grandstand, or Equestrian Room-- there's no need to dress up very much. Guys often opt for khakis and polo shirts, and women can wear slacks. You're actually dressing for a horse race in these sections. These are the areas nearest the track itself, and people are truly there to watch (and bet on) the horses. With that said, don't be surprised to see a lot of dresses and sport coats in the lower-levels. In recent years, a culture of dressy tailgating (think Steeplechase) has popped up among college students and twenty-somethings, and the second floor (General Admission) Sports Bar often resembles a campus bar or fraternity semi-formal. While the dress code says "casual", there's plenty of Vineyard Vines ties and Lilly Pulitzer to be seen.
Image via Keeneland.
If you'll be dining in the upper-level, enclosed dining rooms-- The Lexington, Kentucky, or Phoenix Rooms-- then expect to dress for a business event. The Lexington and Kentucky rooms -- dining rooms often reserved for business and social gatherings-- have a "business formal" dress code; these areas require men to don a coat and tie, and skirts/dresses/dressy slacks for ladies. The Phoenix Room-- another reserved dining room-- is "business casual", requiring collared shirts and slacks for men and dresses/pantsuits for ladies.
The members-only Clubhouse similarly requires coat and tie for men and dressy pants/skirts for ladies. I find that a skirt suit or a dress paired with a pretty cardigan or wrap is always appropriate for the upper levels. In general, if you'd wear it to church or a business meeting, you're golden.
Image via Keeneland.
Of course, some days at the track are a little more dressy than others. Weekends are generally for more high profile races, and Opening Day tends to bring out dressier clothing.
With the forecast in Lexington calling for rainy days and temperatures in the 50s, I'd suggest some traditional autumn layers with a feminine twist. So bundle up, look nice, and have a great time at the track!