MOCHA ALMOND FUDGE PIE

I found this recipe in a Southwest living cookbook. Here is my version. The recipe called for coffee liqueur. I did call the liquor store to see how much - $15 a bottle. I don’t think so for a couple of tablespoons. It had instant coffee so I increased the amounts instead of the liquer. Since I don’t drink coffee I didn’t want to get much. Tasters Choice sells a little package with 7 - .07 oz. packets for $1.29, which turned out to be perfect.


Crust: Put 1/3 cup hot water in a bowl with 2 tsp. of instant coffee (one of the little packages)  and stir until dissolved. Add 2 cups of dry brownie mix from a box , 1egg and ½ C. chocolate chips. Blend well and pour into a 9-inch deep pieplate coated with cooking spray. Bake at 325 for 22 minutes. Cool completely.


Take 3 T. hot water and add 2 packages of the coffee granuals (about 4 tsps.). Stir until dissolved.


Mix 1 ½ C. milk and ¼ C. whipping cream and stir in 1 small box of chocolate instant pudding mix with 1 tsp. vanilla and 2 T. of dissolved coffee. Beat for one minute.


Beat ¾ c. of whipping cream & 2 T. sugar until stiff and stir in 1- 8 oz. Carton of cool whip. Remove 2 generous Cups and fold into the pudding mixture. Pour onto the cooled brownie.


Add 1 T. coffee liquid and ½ tsp. vanilla to the remaining cream mixture and pile onto the pudding layer. Toast ½ C. slivered or coarsely chopped almonds and sprinkle on top of the pie with chocolate curls if desired. Chill



How to make chocolate curls: A chunk of chocolate needs to be warmed a bit. Sitting it in the sun works good. You don’t want it to melt just soften. With a cheese slicer pull off some curls.

BOOK REVIEW - I AM A PRIDE AND PREJUDICE JUNKIE

Last year Masterpiece Theatre had a very enjoyable Jane Austen movie festival of her most popular books. Pride and Prejudice was always my favorite. I had never seen the 1995 A&E version with Colin Firth, who is hands down the best Darcy ever portrayed. I loved every minute of its 5+ hour portrayel of the goings on of Darcy and Elizabeth. I watched the movie again recently (Actually, the movie was a birthday present to myself). It made me want to read some Pride and Prejudice sequels, of which there are dozens. The book blog I have connected to mine gave a positive review to a triology called, A Novel of Fitzwilliam Darcy. The three in order: An Assembly Such as This, Duty and Desire and These Three Remain. I ordered them all from the library and had a fluffy reading fest for two weeks. They were all great fun. Pamela Aidan produced a look into Mr. Darcy's heart and mind concerning all the events of the Austen story. No one can write like Jane Austen but Pamela Aidan did a good job of creating a Mr. Darcy in language, manner, and character that was very satisfying to me. The second book has some fun intrigue as Darcy spends a week in an ancient castle, with some old classmates, after he decides he must look for a wife in the ranks of society in order to forget Elizabeth. The last book gives more satisfying details into the stories conclusion. Aidan intruduces some new characters and gives us deeper insight into the Austen personalities. I learned a few things from Mr. Darcy in his self examination. The books portrayed a Darcy that Jane Austen would have approved--with values and good character. So now I am on a quest to read all sequels of value. I have researched a dozen or more carefully. I have a list to read; some ordered from the library and a couple I ordered used from fetchbook.com. I will let you know if I read any others worthy of your time. In the meantime I am posting my favorite you-tube video from the Colin Firth movie. The eyes tell the story. 

YouTube Mr. Darcy Eye Candy

THE GIFT OF MORE LIFE

On November 19 I will be 63 years old. I can’t help but think of my mother who was diagnosed with a brain tumor in her 63rd year. She spent the next year dying a very painful death in the end, brought on, not by the tumor but by the medication she was taking. She never could face her death. The day before she died she said she was “getting better.” Now 20 years later I am her age and I see more clearly why she clung so desperately to her life. Her mind was still young. She enjoyed the sociality of her children and grandchildren who dearly loved and respected her. She had served a mission and longed to serve another one. She was a gifted soprano and had more songs wanting to be sung. She enjoyed the desert, western novels, Mexican food, flower arranging, gardening—yes she loved life—all the good, bad and in-between of it. She had seen it all and still wanted more.

I hope I will think of her every day from now on knowing that each day for me is a gift that my mother did not have. And so everything I can accomplish in my remaining years I dedicate to her: every grandchild I hug, every story I write, every meal I cook for loved ones, every picture I paint, every service I do, every mission I serve, every testimony I bear will be a gift of time that I will cherish and hopefully honor my beloved mother.

CHRISTMAS TREES TO BENEFIT THE WOMEN'S SHELTER

Maren and I decorated trees last night for a benefit auction for the battered Women's Shelter in Kaysville. (With Mike and her friend Amy's help which we couldn't have possibly done without them and still been alive)  Tai Pan donated my materials.  I have done this for 4 years.  This year I got a suggestion of materials and a budget which wasn't quite as fun but the tree is cute.  Maren wanted to get rid of some special tree decorations she has collected for years. (Amy and I both were coveting some of them but they went to a good cause so we didn't take any)  Her tree was very elegant with some beautiful glass ornaments and ribbons.  This picture doesn't do it justice.  See them in person for a couple of days at the Davis Conference Center in layton. 

                      Maren's Tree                            

 My Tree and Wreath

A 360 DEGREE PANORAMIC TOUR OF TEMPLE SQUARE SITES

I saw this on  http://www.meridianmagazine.com/churchupdate/091104degrees.html  today.  It is so cool.  You can have a self guided (with your cursor) panoramic tour of the City, the Tabernacle, the Assemply Hall, temple grounds, the room where the Christus Statue resides and the Temple Square Christmas lights.  It almose made me dizzy. And if you want you can click on the left and see more Utah sites. Amazing!

http://www.utah3d.net/GalleryTempleSquare.html

GORMET RICE CRISPY TREATS

This is a gooey and yummy special treat. This is an elegant version of the old standby. I changed the recipe a little from my internet source picky-palate.com. I used a little bigger pan 11x14 instead of the 9x13 and liked that size but you could use the smaller if desired. For the bigger pan I used 4 cups of marshmallows on the top. (Buy 2 bags)

 

EXTREME TOASTED MARSHMALLOW CANDY BAR RICE CRISPY TREATS

10 Cups toasted rice crispy cereal

8 Cups of miniature marshmallows

1 Cube of real butter

1 Cup chocolate chips

3-4 Cups mini marshmallows  for the top
20 mini candy bars of your choice cut in 4 pieces.

Melt the butter and add the marshmallows. Can be done in the microwave or in a large pan on the stove. Add the cereal and stir until covered nicely. Stir the chocolate chips into the mass quickly and loosely. You only want the chips to melt just a little. Press into the pan. (The original recipe sprinkled the chips on top of the plain rice crispy mass instead of stirring them in and you could do that if you desired) Top with 3-4 cups of marshmallows depending on the pan size.

Preheat oven’s broiler and position top rack in middle of oven not top (if rack is too close to the broiler, the marshmallows burn instead of slowly turning golden) Sprinkle 3 Cups mini marshmallows over top (or 4 cups if you use a larger pan). Broil in oven just until marshmallows start to puff and turn golden. Watch very carefully, it happens quickly!

Remove from oven (turn off) and press chopped candy bars over toasted marshmallows. Put back in the warm oven for 1 minute. Let cool for 1 hour before serving. Cut with a knife dipped in a cup of hot water and wiped with a paper towel leaving a little moisture on the knife between cuts.

FAMILY HALLOWEEN COSTUMES THROUGH THE YEARS (Now With Luke)

SPICED PUMPKIN BUTTER

This is good anywhere you would use jam. I found some cute little jars and have 10 jars ready to give away as Christmas favors.

My mother was the queen of canning when I was a child. She made Apple Butter and I loved it. Recently I have come across recipes for Pumpkin Butter. In my love for the Apple version I decided to try this. This recipe came from Better Homes and Gardens. I read the recipe reviews online and those that tried it said the ginger was too strong. I don't like ginger in my pumpkin pie so I didn't use it at all in the Pumpkin Butter. I just increased the Cinnamon and Nutmeg. I like the flavor of this. I also cooked a fresh pumpkin which is not for the faint of heart. I had a pumpkin about 1 foot in diameter which I cut up in 6-7 inch pieces and put them in a large pot with 3-4 inches of water to steam for about an hour. I then cooled the pieces on a cookie sheet and scraped the flesh off the peel. Then I put it in a food processor and blended until smooth. I put the puree back in the pan and cooked, stirring constantly for 1/2 hour or so until some of the water evaporated. Whew! This is work. I am posting an alternate way to cook the pumpkin in the oven which I will do next time because it may eliminate the thickening of the puree by cooking as the pumpkin probably dries out in baking. As you can see by the recipe you can use canned pumpkin. If you use canned I would replace the 1/2 cup of apple juice with 1 can of applesauce.

Spiced Pumpkin Butter

Ingredients
4 cups Pumpkin Puree, or two 15-oz. cans pumpkin
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup apple juice or 1 can of applesauce
2 T cider vinegar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

Directions
1. In 5-quart Dutch oven combine all ingredients. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat, stirring frequently, 25 minutes or until thick. (If mixture spatters, reduce heat to medium-low. I used one of those grease popping screens while stirring). I suspect the canned pumpkin would cook faster than the fresh pulp. Remove from heat; cool.
2. Ladle into jars or freezer containers, leaving 1/2-inch head space. Cover; store in refrigerator up to 1 week or freezer up to 6 months.

PUMPKIN PUREE FROM A FRESH PUMPKIN (Oven Method)

Cut pumpkin in 5 inch pieces. Remove seeds and strings. Arrange in a single layer skin side up in foil lined baking pan. Bake covered, 1 hour or until tender. Cool and scoop pulp from rind. Puree in blender or food processor. Can be frozen. Thaw in the refrigerator to use.

WHAT MAKES LIFE SWEET FOR MIKE ANDERSON?

Mike and his sister Alicia

Do all men get better with age or just mine? Mike Anderson is doing a very sweet thing for me lately besides the dishes every night. I go to the temple on Fridays. Sometimes before I leave and at other times not until after my return I spy a white paper sitting on my shiny black stovetop. It makes me happy because I know this sheet is a hand written note from my thoughtful husband about something he admires about me. It is usually one page with details of his admiration. Most of the notes relate to normal things we women do when we are trying to be a good wife and homemaker. Others are recognition of my personal goals that he respects. It is nice and motivating to see that my man actually notices and appreciates what I am doing...even the simple things.
　
One Thursday morning last summer Mike went with me on a 10-mile bike ride which loops through west Farmington. We do this route often during the summer. I have spent most of this summer going alone as Mike's hip replacement hasn’t been comfortable enough to bike. On this particular day we passed Mike’s sister Alicia, who lives in Farmington Crossing. She was walking on a street in Oakridge with a friend. We didn’t stop to talk but waved a hearty hello. (Alicia tells me that when I am alone they often see me but I don’t see them—excessive concentration?) Mike said to me as we rode along, "Isn’t that great! I saw my sister on the street this morning."

When I returned from the temple on Friday the white sheet of paper was waiting for me to read. Mike told me later that seeing his sister walking on Thursday morning inspired him to write this list:

SOME things that make life sweet:

-Watching our birds
-Sitting on the deck on a cool morning
-A home cooked meal
-Taking a bike ride and seeing my sister walking
-A soft mattress
-St. George in February
-A daughter who lives in the area
-Grandsons
Michael making his first par
Being called "Poppy"
Watching Luke toddle
-Your paintings
-Golf channel/Hitting a long drive
-Visiting Monterey
-Good friends
-A fresh tomato, sweet corn, watermelon, chocolate, your marshmallow frosting on cake, hot fudge
-A movie we both like
-A day without pain
-The smell of fresh cookies
-Finishing a stained glass project
-Hearing a word in Spanish, French, German or Italian and understanding it. (He knows some of all these languages)-A Sarah Brightman classic
-When a child is happy or has a success
-A pet like Puddles (Maren's wonderful cat)
-Spending my life with you

I feel great joy that I could be a part of the sweetness in Mike’s life. Thanks my precious partner for your generous appreciation for the simple joys.