Are you looking to make yourself a treat this weekend? Maybe thinking about sharing it with some friends in your Bubble? Cool. I’ve got just the dessert for you. And the recipe is so quick and easy, I can throw it into this Bullets intro with ease.
You’ll need 1 container of extra creamy Cool Whip (regular works fine, but the extra-creamy variety works best), 1/8 cup granulated sugar, 1 block of softened cream cheese (Philadelphia preferred), 1 tablespoon of pure vanilla, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or 1 8-ounce container of sour cream, 3/4 cup of dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips, and one of those ready-to-use “extra serving” pie crusts.
You’ll use a mixer to blend the cream cheese, sour cream/lemon juice, vanilla, and sugar in a bowl until smooth. Use a big spoon to spoon in the cream cheese, then use the mixer to blend it until it’s together. Toss in your chocolate chips, then mix again. Finally, you’ll pour that cheesecake mix into the crust. Smooth it over, put it in the fridge for 6-8 hours, then enjoy.
• We’re one game away from the NFL’s offseason getting into full swing. With that in mind, brace yourselves for a flood of pieces much like this one from BR’s Gary Davenport, who ranks each NFL team by its offseason trade assets. The Bears rank 25th, which isn’t great if you consider their best avenue toward getting a quarterback upgrade is via trade. But if you’re looking for a silver lining, I can offer up how GM Ryan Pace’s aggressiveness is how the Bears end up here in the first place. To put it another way, if Chicago is on this list next year, it will likely be because the front office further mortgaged the future to land an impact quarterback. And if the Bears were to get that quarterback, that would go a long way toward softening the blow.
• Of course, the Bears aren’t the only team in the market for a quarterback upgrade:
Teams with a QB question for 2021…#Bears#Colts#Cowboys#Patriots#Saints
Very much in the mix…#49ers#Broncos#Eagles#Jets#Panthers#Raiders#Steelers #Vikings#WashingtonFootball
In other words, 40% of the league is at least discussing a QB change this offseason
— Spotrac (@spotrac) February 5, 2021
• Not only do the Bears need a quarterback, they need to bring back Allen Robinson — who has been a quarterback’s best friend since arriving in 2018. More than that, he has proven to be a mentor to others. Darnell Mooney drops anecdotes about how Robinson helped him develop as a rookie in this piece from Alex Shapiro (NBC Sports Chicago).
• Imagine how impressive his numbers would be if this percentage of catchable targets was higher:
Only 64% of Allen Robinson’s career targets have been “catchable.”
That ranks 94th of 102 🤯 pic.twitter.com/ywTtEWFYv4
— PFF (@PFF) February 4, 2021
• Speaking of Bears receivers, Anthony Miller surprised a Leo High School student with an opportunity for an interview. David Gross is an aspiring sports journalist, and having been in those shoes, I can appreciate how awesome this opportunity must have felt. So carve out some time and give this a read.
• Jimmy Graham has some love for Mitchell Trubisky:
Jimmy Graham on Mitch Trubisky: "The kid's got heart"
(@millerlite) pic.twitter.com/oYH08i57YG
— Bears Talk (@NBCSBears) February 4, 2021
• The last time we saw Graham on the football field, this happened:
Jimmy Graham’s post-catch reaction sure was a mood yesterday.
( 🎥: @cjzero ) pic.twitter.com/DWMNdSyfwE
— Bleacher Nation Bears (@BN_Bears) January 11, 2021
• If you wanted to encapsulate the Bears’ 2020 experience, you can do so by showing this 14-second clip. Trubisky targeting WR5, only to see Graham snag the pass, then walk off nonchalantly put a bow on things. And now, we have an explanation as to why it looked how it did (via NBC Sports Chicago):
⇒ “You know, I’ve got a lot of history there. I guess I haven’t even really spoken about being traded before, so that still sticks with me every day. To go there and to play them in the playoffs, and then all the work that I put into the offseason, and all the work we had done to even make the playoffs, with our backs against the wall and everyone denying us, I was just exhausted.”
• Big same, Jimmy. BIG same.
⇒ “I hate losing, and I hate losing in the playoffs. You know, I’ve played in a lot of games over my career, but that feeling and that disappointment, it never gets easier. For me, a guy who just cares about winning rings, to make it to a game on (Super Bowl) Sunday is everything for me.”
• Watch former Bears Jerry Azumah and Rashied Davis visit the DuSable Museum:
• Super Bowl picks and predictions, and a round-up of the best promos for betting on the game.
• Pots and pans, jewelry, and cat gear are among your Deals of the Day at Amazon. #ad
• Congrats! You’ve gotten to this point of Bullets and are ready to make some cheesecake. If you’re concerned that you don’t have certain ingredients, just know you don’t really need the pure vanilla, sour cream, or even the chocolate chips. It was originally made to be easy, affordable, and enjoyable. In other words, the recipe can be as plain Jane as you want.