Taste Buds: A funky cheesecake Halloween

Stephanie preps for a Halloween party with Vanessa Drews, owner of Cheesecake Funk. Vanessa’s made-from-scratch cheesecakes feature mounds of whipped cream and memorable flavors that captured the attention of Prince at Paisley Park. In this episode, she whips up a pumpkin cheesecake that is scary delicious. 

A funky cheesecake Halloween: Taste Buds

Stephanie preps for a Halloween party with Vanessa Drews, owner of Cheesecake Funk. Vanessa’s made-from-scratch cheesecakes feature mounds of whipped cream and memorable flavors that captured the attention of Prince at Paisley Park. In this episode, she whips up a pumpkin cheesecake that is scary delicious. Create your own killer Halloween party with one of Vanessa’s cheesecakes, Stephanie’s savory stuffed pumpkin, and boozy crockpot apple cider.

Apple orchard hard ciders: Taste Buds

The chill in the air can only mean one thing: apple season! Stephanie visits Sweetland Orchard to taste their apples and popular hard ciders, including Cherry Rhubarb, Northern Spy, and Scrumpy Original. Sweetland also creates iced ciders through a freeze/thaw process during winter. We tried a variety of Borealis Winter Reserve, as well as Pommeau, a newer item for the orchard. The donuts, chickens, and pigs were quite a bonus, too.

Cake vs. dumplings fall dessert faceoff: Taste Buds

It is fall harvest season and to mark the occasion, Stephanie invited her Weekly Dish radio partner, Stephanie March, over for a fall dessert faceoff on this week's episode of Taste Buds.

Cake vs. dumplings: Taste Buds

It is fall harvest season and to mark the occasion, Stephanie invited her Weekly Dish radio partner, Stephanie March, over for a fall dessert faceoff. March is also the senior editor for food and dining at Mpls.St.Paul Magazine, so she’s a bit of a foodie and dazzled us with her family’s beloved Oma’s Pound Cake recipe. Stephanie, a self-described “eater,” opted for an infamous favorite from the Weekly Dish archives: Mountain Dew Apple Dumplings. Eye rolls aside, it’s still the #1 requested recipe from Weekly Dish listeners.

The sweet science of ice cream: Taste Buds

Stephanie learns the science behind small-batch ice cream with Ashlee Olds, owner of Sweet Science Ice Cream. Somewhere between tempering egg yolks and mixing the perfect bite of cookies and cream, she learns an important lesson: handcrafted ice cream is a lot of work – but it is so worth it. Join Stephanie back in her kitchen afterward for an ice cream pie recipe that’ll give your muscles a rest.

MN State Fair foods with Melissa Peterman: Taste Buds

In this Taste Buds episode, Melissa Peterman and Stephanie Hansen head to the Minnesota State Fair, where they have an epic ride down the Giant Slide and try the new Quench’d Lemon Sorbet. They also visit the Corn Roast and make friends at the Hamline Church Dining Hall, where they check out the new Holey Hamloaf Breakfast Sandwich. The grand finale is Melissa trying a Gizmo for the first time (one of Stephanie’s all-time favorites). Peterman's new show, "Person Place or Thing" premieres Sept. 11 at 3 p.m. on FOX 9.

Epic farmers' market salads: Taste Buds

Stephanie finds award-winning Shepherd’s Way Big Woods Blue Cheese, Utecht Home Grown thick-cut bacon, juicy tomatoes, and a new Taste Bud at the Burnsville Farmers’ Market. Come back home to her kitchen to make some epic farmers’ market salads,

Farmers' market salads: Taste Buds

Stephanie finds award-winning Shepherd’s Way Big Woods Blue Cheese, Utecht Home Grown thick-cut bacon, juicy tomatoes, and a new Taste Bud at the Burnsville Farmers’ Market. Come back home to her kitchen to make some epic farmers’ market salads.