LHS Episode #440: The Weekender LXXXII

by Black Sparrow Media Episode #440 Duration: 00:37:01
LHS Episode #440: The Weekender LXXXII

It's time once again for The Weekender. This is our bi-weekly departure into the world of amateur radio contests, open source conventions, special events, listener challenges, hedonism and just plain fun. Thanks for listening and, if you happen to get a chance, feel free to call us or e-mail and send us some feedback. Tell us how we're doing. We'd love to hear from you.

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This Weekend in Amateur Radio (Segment 1)

This Weekend in Open Source (Segment 2)

This Weekend in Hedonism (Segment 3)

  • Cheryl’s Recipe Corner!

  • Praline Crumb Caramel Cheesecake Bars

  • Description

  • The holidays are coming up fast, and I always love to create fun desserts… and this is one of them!

  • Ingredients (Cookie Base and Topping)

  • 1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix

  • 1/2 cup cold butter or margarine

  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans

  • 1/2 cup toffee bits

  • Ingredients (Filling)

  • 2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened

  • 1/2 cup sugar

  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

  • 1/2 cup caramel topping

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

  • 1 egg

  • Directions

  • Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray. Place cookie mix in bowl; cut in butter using pastry blender or fork until mixture is crumbly. Reserve 1 1/2 cups mixture for topping. Press remaining mixture in bottom of pan. Bake 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, flour, 1/4 cup of the caramel topping, vanilla and egg with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over partially baked cookie base. Sprinkle with reserved crumb topping, pecans and toffee bits. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 30 minutes. Refrigerate about 2 hours or until chilled. Drizzle with remaining 1/4 cup caramel topping. For bars, cut into 9 rows by 4 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.

  • Cheryl’s Mixed Drink Corner

  • Pumpkin Pie Bourbon and Pear Cocktail

  • Description

  • When I think of holidays, I think pumpkin, pears, apples–and my grandmother’s bourbon pecan pie. This recipe combines the best of all holiday things: Pear and pumpkin. The drink does require a little bit of work ahead of time but it sounds delicious!

  • Ingredients (Cocktail)

  • 1 1/2 oz pumpkin pie spiced bourbon

  • 1 1/2 oz pear syrup

  • 1/4 oz lemon juice

  • 2 oz sparkling water

  • Ingredients (Bourbon)

  • 375ml bottle of bourbon

  • 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice blend

  • Ingredients (Pear Syrup)

  • 1 cup chopped bartlett pear (~ 1 large pear)

  • 1/4 cup sugar

  • 1/4 cup water

  • Directions (Pear Syrup)

  • Add sugar and water to a small saucepan over medium heat, stir to combine and cook until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Roughly chop the pears and add to the simple syrup. Use a potato masher to mash the pears to a pulp in the syrup. Double strain the pear mixture through a fine mesh strainer lined with a tea cloth. Use your hand to squeeze the cloth to get all the juice out of the pear pulp.

  • Directions (Bourbon)

  • Add the pumpkin pie spice blend directly to the bottle of bourbon. Shake to incorporate and store in a cool dark place for 24 hours. Give a shake every couple hours to reincorporate the spices. Remove the spices by double straining through a fine mesh strainer lined with a coffee filter. Funnel the bourbon back into original bottle.

  • Directions (Cocktail)

  • Add the pumpkin pie spiced bourbon, pear syrup, lemon juice, and sparkling water to an ice-filled old fashioned glass. Give a quick stir to combine. Garnish with a thin slice of fresh pear.

  • Russ’s Drink Corner

  • Andalusia Stryker Texas Whiskey

  • Description

  • Andalusia Whiskey Co produces fine handcrafted whiskies deep in the Texas Hill Country as a reminiscent scene of the hills in the beautiful Andalucia, Spain. Each whiskey being “grain to glass,” we begin with a mash of the finest American grown malted grains. We then continue our production here in Blanco, Texas distilling each in our hand-crafted copper pot still. Stryker adopts the Scottish tradition of smoking malted barley that is destined to be used in their signature Islay Scotches. Rather than burning peat, however, Stryker is mashed from malted barley that has been smoked in the Texas BBQ tradition: with oak, mesquite, and apple woods. This is Backyard BBQ Whiskey at it’s best.

  • Details

  • Mashbill: 100% Malted barley

  • Proof: 100 (50% ABV)

  • Region: Blanco, Texas, USA

  • Color: Reddish gold

  • Nose: Vanilla cream, salt, toasted oak

  • Taste: Mild mesquite smoke, cereal grains, apple cider

  • Finish: Short finish with hints of barley and vanilla

  • Price: $50 (750 ml)

  • Rating: 85