Thursday, November 5, 2009

Time for the Omelette Festival ! + Pumpkin Cheesecake


On the first full weekend of November, every year, my hometown of Abbeville, La., hosts the Giant Omelette Festival. The Confrerie of Abbeville, along with chefs from all over the world, will be cooking the famous, 5,000 egg/ crawfish omelette in a 12 ft. skillet, in downtown Abbeville! This year's 25th annual festival will be held on Saturday, Nov. 7th and Sunday, Nov. 8th. It will have a stellar entertainment line-up, including Joel Martin and Da Classics, Feufollet, plus Grammy nominee, Al Berard and the Berard Family Band and many more! Gonna be a whole lotta dancin' going on! And in addition to the giant omelette, there will be 10 other fabulous Cajun food booths, including my favorite, "Lena's Cajun Seafood", with her Crawfish, Shrimp, and Crab Fettuccini. Out of this world! There will also be a fabulous arts and crafts show in Magdelan Square. Get out and take a ride to Abbeville and experience this great festival, for yourself. You'll be so glad you did! Let the good times roll, cher! Click here for a full schedule.

Pumpkin Cheesecake
Speaking of sinfully good, luscious desserts, here is a recipe that I love to make for my Dad's birthday, which is coming up this Sunday, on November 8th. It is one of his favorite desserts and only the best will do for Dad's 88th birthday party! He says that this cheesecake is so good that it should be declared sinful and should be against the law!
Pumpkin Cheesecake

1 (15 oz.) can or 2 cups fresh pumpkin, strained
1 - 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs, (crushed fine)
5 tbs.'s melted butter
2 tbs.'s sugar
2 (8 oz.) pkg.'s cream cheese, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp.'s pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 eggs, lightly beaten


Crust

 
In large bowl, stir together, graham cracker crumbs, butter, and 2 tbs.'s sugar. Mix well and press mixture onto bottom and about 1 inch up sides of a 9 inch springform pan. Bake 5 minutes @ 350 degrees, then set aside to cool. Then chill until ready to use.
Note: I have also used chocolate graham crackers for this recipe.

 

Filling

 
In large bowl, beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until well blended and smooth. Gradually add sugar and mix until smooth. Mix in pumpkin, flour, pumpkin pie spice, and continue mixing until well blended. Mix in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well, after each one. Scrape bowl and beat in vanilla extract. Pour filling into pie crust and sprinkle evenly with topping and place springform pan on a cookie sheet. Bake for 30 minutes @ 350 degrees. Lower heat to 325 degrees and continue to bake for 10 to 15 minutes.

 
Topping

 
1/2 cup pecan pieces
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tbs.'s brown sugar

Mix together and sprinkle over top of the filling before baking.

 

Divine, cher! Absolutely, divine! Bon Appetit!


26 comments:

Cloudia said...

oooooWEEEEE!


Bonjour & Aloha, Friend!


Comfort Spiral

Boozy Tooth said...

DROOLING!!!

I checked my mailbox, but my invitation still hasn't gotten here {hint, hint}!

The best omelet I have ever had in my life was recently at a little Cajun restaurant in Welaka, FL (translation: hole in the wall back woods country town) called La Fitte's. It was a simple omelet with a Creole white shrimp and green pepper sauce over the top. To Die For. We went back a couple weekends ago and J.P. La Fitte had packed up and moved on. I cried.

My second favorite omelet was from another hole in the wall restaurant in Key West called Pepe's. It was a hotspot for the locals and the omelet was amazing... Shrimp with Key Lime Butter. OMG!

All things Cajun rock! Oh... and you're part of that equation. Yay!

Joanne said...

Okay, I'm this close to driving down south for a big slice of that pumpkin cheesecake, with the right blend of java alongside it, of course ;)

Happy Birthday to your Dad, too!

judi/Gmj said...

OMG! I have been looking for this recipe and you the star that you are have it!!!
Thank you!

John said...

I'll skip the cheesecake (no sweet-tooth)) but the giant omelette sounds worth a try. You guys must be angling for nomination as Fun Capital of the US, I can't believe how much you seem to have going on down there.

Angie Ledbetter said...

Lotta eggs to crack! :)

Kat said...

How sweet of you to make your dad a pumpkin cheesecake for his birthday! My father loved my cakes and I loved making them for him when they would come to visit.
Hope you dance up a storm this weekend!!

Mandy said...

Oh wow! An Omelette festival!? Wait until I tell my husband about that one! He'd love that so much. He loves breakfast and we usually go out to eat breakfast or brunch every weekend. Mmmmm.....

Hey, stop by my place to read a guest post by my parents. From a pair of Cajuns to another, I think you'll enjoy it! ;-)

Inspired by eRecipeCards said...

You made a comment on my site about where do I find the time... Sadly, it's from not going to these amazing festivals you all have!

and love the cheesecake!

Malu Silverman said...

You're right, it's sinfully delicious!

Elizabeth Bradley said...

My Dad's favorite food in the whole world was cherry pie. I made him one every Thanksgiving, but this will be our first Thanksgiving without him. I'm so glad you still have your daddy to bake for! Enjoy him.

My husband adores eggs, especially when they appear in omelette form.

Have a terrific weekend.

Eddie Bluelights said...

Bon Appetite,Cher.

And you can have the top of my egg anytime ~ Eddie

Katherine Roberts Aucoin said...

One of the great things about Southeat Louisiana is every weekend we celebrate something and have srious food to back it up! The pumpkin cheesecake is to die for!

Marguerite said...

Cloudia- Thanks for your nice comment, cher! Wish you were here! Aloha!

Alix- That's too bad about La Fitte's. Save me a spot at Pepe's in Key West. One of my best friends lives there and I'm overdue for a visit! Thanks for your sweet compliment and for stopping by, cher!

Joanne- How I wish that you could! I would have a lot of cheesecake and java waiting for you! Thanks for the birthday wishes for Dad. I'm doing a surprise party for him and 22 others on Sunday!!

Judi- So happy to oblige, cher. It's well worth the effort. Enjoy!

John- The giant omelette is so delicious, full of crawfish and other good stuff. Believe it, cher, we ARE the Fun Capital of the U.S.!!

Joanna Jenkins said...

I sat straight up in my chair when I saw "pumpkin cheesecake" I LOVE it.

Wishing your Dad a VERY HAPPY 88TH BIRTHDAY.

Have fun.
xo

Eddie Bluelights said...

Oh, Marguerite and Happy 88th birthday to your Dad - please thank him for having such a nice daughter ~ Eddie

Marguerite said...

Angie- You got that right, cher! And a ton of crawfish and the trinity and butter. Cest bon! Thanks for stopping by! Congrats on POTW!!

Kat- I love cooking and baking for my Dad. My Mom was "the best" cook, so she's a tough act to follow, but I try. Will dance a few for you, cher! Happy Weekend!

Mandy- This giant omelette is so good, especially with the crawfish in it. I absolutely enjoyed and loved your parent's post! Always great to meet more fellow Cajuns.

Dave, I was merely admiring your energy, Dude! Merci and I loved your smoked turkey post, cher!

MaLou- Guaranteed to be a hit for Thanksgiving, too! Bon Apetit! Good to see you!

Laura said...

Miss Marguerite- I am worried about you getting your giveaway.

Would you try replying to the email I sent you and maybe it will go through.

Do you have any ideas?

Laura

Sniffles and Smiles said...

Dearest Marguerite!!
You live in THE MOST amazing place!!! There is some wonderful celebration going on EVERY weekend!!! I'm so envious!!! 5000 egg omelette? Too fabulous!!! And that pumpkin cheesecake is to die for!!! Happy Birthday to your Dad!!!!! Hope he is doing really well!!! You are all in my thoughts!!!! Love you so much~Janine XO

Marguerite said...

Elizabeth- Thanks, I'm cooking and baking up a storm, as we speak, for my Dad's birthday. I will keep you in my thoughts on Thanksgiving. I know how hard that first year is, after losing a parent. Hugs!

Eddie- I know that the "top of my egg" saying must be a British expression and whatever it means, thanks! You canaille, you!
And merci beaucoup for the good wishes for my Dad and for the sweet compliment. I will pass them on.

Katherine- We do tend to celebrate everything! Merci, cher! Tonight I'm making a banana pudding cake, pumpkin pie and chocolate chip cookies! You know how Cajun birthdays are?

Joanna- So glad that you like the recipe! And thanks so much for the nice birthday wishes for Dad! It will be a happy, fun day.

Laura- Thanks so much for reminding me and thanks again! :) Can't wait to hear about your trip!

Janine- Yes, it is an amazing place!! There is just so much to celebrate in life that we get carried away with the fun! The possibilities are endless. Merci for the sweet compliments and good wishes for my Dad! He is doing great and is 88 years, young!

PhilipH said...

A very Happy 88th birthday to you Dad today, Marguerite.

You'll have to make an even bigger pumpkin cheesecake on his 90th! Wowee...

Eddie Bluelights said...

"The Top Of My Egg" just means I like you a lot and I will share even an egg with you - a bit like a TV add a few years ago when someone gave another his very last Rolo sweet. Eddie

Anonymous said...

With all the gorgeous pumpkin recipes going around..its becoming so hard to make up my mind on what desert to bring to my thanksgiving table. This Pumpkin Cheese Cake has just WORSENED by dilemma : )... it looks Lovely & Delicious !

Tanna said...

The pumpkin cheese cake looks yummy!! So do several other recipes I noted as I read through you blog. Looks like a great place to visit! Good fun. Good food. Good friends. I'll be checking back for more!

Kathryn Magendie said...

Happy Birthday 88th "Dad!" *smiling*

GMR just made a sweet potato cheesecake-- some people said it was the best cheesecake they've ever had...but, they haven't tasted your pumpkin yet have they!! :)

Marguerite said...

Philip- Welcome to Cajun Country and thanks so much for your kind comment and for visiting! It was a wonderful day!

Eddie- Awwww, you are so sweet! Thanks, cher!

Nat- Thanks for the nice compliments, cher! I will be posting some more pumpkin recipes, just to add to the dilemma! :)

Tanna- Welcome and thanks so much for the sweet comment and for stopping by! Please do come back, soon.

Kathryn- Merci for the birthday wishes for Dad. It was a great time. I've never had sweet potato cheesecake, but it sounds divine!