Listened to Over the Weekend

An excellent tale of humility and sacrifice -

Chocolate-Pretzel Bark

I tried this recipe for a treat during Valentine's week - an easier variation of chocolate-covered pretzels.  If you prefer more chocolate than pretzel, this one's for you:

Chocolate Pretzel Bark

8 oz. chocolate, chopped (I used the quality chocolate disks that I make candy with - usually Wilbur's or Mercken's brand.  I don't recommend Wilton's Candy Melts.)

1 C. mini pretzel twists (I didn't have the mini pretzels - just broke up regular pretzels though I think the whole mini pretzels twists would look nicer.)

Line the bottom and sides of an 8" square baking pan with aluminum foil.  Microwave chocolate for 30-second increments until melted, stirring after each heating.  Pour chocolate into pan and smooth into an even layer.  Working quickly, press pretzels into chocolate.  (The thin layer of chocolate will begin setting pretty quickly.)  Let stand at room temperature until solid.  Break into pieces for serving.

A Book Review of Drawing the Line

Drawing the Line - How Mason and Dixon Surveyed the Most Famous Border in America by Edwin Danson is a fascinating book.  Though often touted as the marker to delineate between the slave and free states of the Civil War era, the history of the Mason-Dixon Line goes back before even the American Revolution.  Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon were commissioned by the British Crown in the mid-1700's to survey the line so as to break the fierce border dispute between the (William) Penn family of Pennsylvania and the Lord Baltimore family of Maryland.  Besides this outstanding achievement, Mason and Dixon hold the distinction of measuring the first degree of latitude in North America.  This book is an interesting look at the history of the making of the line, as well the surveyors, Mason and Dixon.

Though at times rather technical in the languages of geometry, trigonometry and astronomy, the book readily and understandably addresses many other topics pertaining to history, science and culture.  These include:

* the history of determining the Earth's measurements for the standard of surveying - the various men throughout time and around the world who contributed to the study

* the hazards and dangers of the pursuit of scientific discovery during Mason and Dixon's lifetime

* John Harrison's lifelong work for the prize of unlocking the puzzle of measuring longitude, as well as the importance of longitude and how many thousands of lives have been saved because of it

* how the Englishmen, Mason and Dixon, perceived the treatment of the American Indian, as well as their experiences with Indian guides on the trail

* a deeper look into why the colonies went to war against Britain

* some details into how a surveying camp was run (including the fact that they chose to rest from their work on the Sabbath - Mason being Anglican and Dixon a Quaker)

* Mason's journeys on horseback and their interactions with the colonists

Also of interest are the excerpts from Mason's journal (which, by the way, was lost for 100 years after his time and later discovered in Nova Scotia!).  I also found the language of the book to be, at times, poetic:

"The assiduous Charles Mason, the water streaming from his cocked hat, collected one chunk of ice and measured it.  'The hail intermixed with pieces of ice; one piece of an irregular form measured one inch and six tenths in Length, one inch two tenths in breadth and half an inch thick.'"

"Strolling through the scented groves of hickory trees, one huge leaf caught his attention.  He duly measured and recorded its dimensions; seventeen inches long and twelve inches broad."

"An Englishman traveling alone, among a population increasingly resentful of the mother country, of its taxes and proclamation, tells of a brave and resilient man.  How did Mason handle this potentially dangerous situation?  He was a genial soul for one thing, a man with presence, though occasionally dour.  He was not aristocratic, but a country boy from the solid English yeomanry.  He found conversation easy, but equally enjoyed his solitary ambles.  Most of all, he enjoyed the company of Americans wherever he met them, and maybe shared a little of their rebellious nature."

"Whether it was a beautiful curtain of stalactites, the fall of a meteor, or the size of a hickory bough that caught his attention, Charles Mason admired with full reverence the glory of God's creation that daily surrounded him.  His eye for a fine line and his deep love of geometric form was frequently and lyrically expressed while he was standing aloft a high hill surveying the vista of the long West Line."

Reading this book has given me an appreciation for the knowledge and work that goes into surveying - especially the brand of "ancient" surveying at which Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon excelled.  And Mason and Dixon's passion for, and appreciation of, geometric arcs and precise measurements and straight lines is a testimony that, once again, Beauty shows up in unexpected places.

Candy Bar Snowmen

Chocolate bars + some tissue paper + a couple of markers + a bit of yarn = sweet snowmen.
For my nieces and nephews -

A Book Review of Sister Wendy's Book of Meditations

Sister Wendy's Book of Meditations is a little resource that I used this winter during my devotional time in the mornings.  Each page contains a work of art, along with a short meditation on one of four themes - Silence, Peace, Love and Joy.  My favorite paintings were of the old masters, and I loved enjoyed exploring the details and intricate beauty of the works.  Some of the pieces had me in awe of the artistic gifts given to mankind by God - the ability to capture a look, paint a muscle that looks like the genuine article, and create the folds of a robe with a paintbrush are truly amazing.  And though not a fan of modern art, I could appreciate some of the many insights that Sister Wendy pulled out of the works and wove into her short meditations.  The power of great art to provide insight into spiritual themes - an excellent idea!

My Lenten Wrestling Match

Sometimes submitting is easy.  Sometimes submitting is hard.  Today it was hard.

A decision was made, and it needed to stand.  I knew I had two options:  Go into the situation with a discontented, irritated, and complaining heart - making myself miserable and everyone else in the process.  OR, go into the situation with a willing and trusting heart, looking for ways to bring joy to all involved.

I went to my quiet time, ready to wrestle.  Not with God, but with myself.  I knew exactly what I needed to do - the question was if I was going to do it.

I found myself on my knees saying nothing but, "Help me, Abba.  Help me."  And in His grace, He helped me.  In that quiet place, the thought came to mind of Jesus bowing His knee before His Father, crying out for help and submitting, willingly, to The Plan.  That thought shocked me at first.  How audacious.  How arrogant to compare my piddly-little situation with His.  And yet, isn't that what this season of Lent is all about - identifying with the Suffering Savior?  In a tiny, minuscule way, I was given a glimpse into what it might have been like during Jesus' wrestling match.  For He, too, in a far more consequential way than mine, had to choose to give up His desires for the will of His Father. 

Wow.  As I got up off my knees in thankfulness, I knew with confidence that my course was set and began immediately thinking about what I could do to make the most of the situation.  And I realized, too, that after my wrestling match, though a tad dishevelled and weary, I looked a little bit more like my Savior.  Score.

A Book Review of The Joy of x: A Guided Tour of Math

The Joy of x: A Guided Tour of Math, from One to Infinity by Steven Strogatz is a fascinating book - even for those who aren't math whizzes.  (I speak from experience.) Over the past couple of years, I have come to see the beauty and order there is in numbers, patterns and formulas.  God's fingerprints show up all over the subject.  And though this book doesn't explicitly acknowledge arithmetic as God's handiwork, His truths shine brightly throughout it.

In the author's words, the goal of the book is this:  ". . . to give you a better feeling for what math is all about and why it's so enthralling to those who get it."  He breaks the book down into six parts:  "Numbers" (basic arithmetic concepts), "Relationships" (how numbers interact), "Shapes" (symbols, shapes and space), "Change" (calculus and the role of infinity), "Data" (probability and statistics), and "Frontiers" (cutting-edge math).  Each part is broken down into short, easy-to-read chapters.  And though there is much that I can't begin to understand about various concepts, there is also much that I learned.  For not only does the author have a way with math and a contagious love for it, but he's got a way with words.  His continual joy in the subject is conveyed through his oft declarations of math's elegance, beauty and illuminating qualities.  His joy, and the terms in which he expresses it, makes the book a delight to read.  A few samples:

"Sometimes when people say the shortest distance between two points is a straight line, they mean it figuratively, as a way of ridiculing nuance and affirming common sense.  In other words, keep it simple.  But battling obstacles can give rise to great beauty - so much so that in art, and in math, it's often more fruitful to impose constraints on ourselves.  Think of haiku, or sonnets, or telling the story of your life in six words.  The same is true of all the math that's been created to help you find the shortest way from here to there when you can't take the easy way out.  Two points.  Many paths.  Mathematical bliss." 

"Working with formulas . . . is a blend of art and science.  Instead of dwelling on a particular x, you're manipulating and massaging relationships that continue to hold even as the numbers in them change.  These change numbers are called variables, and they are what truly distinguishes algebra from arithmetic.  The formulas in question might express elegant patterns about numbers for their own sake.  This is where algebra meets art.  Or they might express relationships between numbers in the real world, as they do in the laws of nature for falling objects or planetary orbits or genetic frequencies in a population.  This is where algebra meets science."

Besides waxing eloquent about various formulas, methods and philosophies of math, history of the subject is scattered throughout the book.  A little fascinating info. about algebra's history, for example:  Algebra was developed by Islamic mathematicians around A.D. 800, building on earlier work by the Egyptians, Babylonians, Greeks and Indians.  One pratical reason to develop algebra at the time was to determine inheritance calculations according to Islamic law!  The word "algebra" morphed from the Arabic word, "al-jabr" which means "restoring."  

Beyond history, the author opens one's eyes to the fact that math is all around us.  He demonstrates the answers to various questions:  How geometry affected the Declaration of Independence, how Google searches the internet, how doctors use probability theory, and how vector calculus is being used to explain the principles behind a dragonfly's ability to fly.

And to bring math origins back to the Creator, I end this review with these comments - In a discussion of calculus and light, the author concludes this:  "The eerie point is that light behaves as if it were considering all possible paths and then taking the best one.  Nature - cue the theme from The Twilight Zone - somehow knows calculus."  Chuckling, I say aloud:  "And that's because the Creator created calculus and His creation abides by it!"

Yes, my friends, even math reveals God's glory.

Berry-Oatmeal Breakfast Cake

This is a recipe that I adapted slightly from Gooseberry Patch's Hometown Favorites (thanks again, Lori!).  The original recipe called for blueberries, but I used some of our frozen blackberries from the patch.  I'm sure that raspberries would be yummy, too.  So delicious warm from the oven . . .

Berry-Oatmeal Breakfast Cake

1 1/3 C. all-purpose flour
3/4 C. quick-cooking oats, uncooked
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 egg
1/2 C. sugar (original recipe called for 3/4 C.)
3/4 C. plus 3 tsp. milk, divided
1/4 C. oil
1 C. blackberries (or desired berries)
1/2 C. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. almond extract

Mix together flour, oats, baking powder, salt, egg, sugar, 3/4 C. milk and oil.  Fold in berries.  Spread batter in an 8x8" baking dish and bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes or until tested done.  Blend together powdered sugar, almond extract and remaining milk and pour over warm cake.  Makes 8 servings.  (NOTE:  If you know that the whole pan won't be eaten right away, you might want to just put the glaze on individual pieces.  That way, you can freeze the rest of the cake in individual portions and add additional glaze later.)

Some Quotes From L'Engle's Walking on Water

"I don't mean to water down my Christianity into a vague kind of universalism, with Buddha and Mohammed all being more or less equal to Jesus - not at all!  But neither do I want to tell God (or my friends) where he can and cannot be seen!  We human beings far too often tend to codify God, to feel that we know where he is and where he is not, and this arrogance leads to such things as the Spanish Inquisition, the Salem witch burnings, and has the result of further fragmenting an already broken Christendom."

"We do not draw people to Christ by loudly discrediting what they believe, by telling them how wrong they are and how right we are, but by showing them a light that is so lovely that they want with all their hearts to know the source of it."

"If my religion is true, it will stand up to all my questioning; there is no need to fear.  But if it is not true, if it is man imposing strictures on God (as did the men of the Christian establishment of Galileo's day) then I want to be open to God, not to what man says about God.  I want to be open to revelation, to new life, to new birth, to new light.  Revelation.  Listening.  Humility."

-- excerpts from Walking on Water: Reflections on Faith and Art by Madeleine L'Engle

Pie Crust-Making 101

Back in the fall, my English-trained-pastry-chef-friend Terry, taught another friend and me how to make scones.  This time she came back to the farm on Valentine's Day to gave us a lesson in pastry - short pastry or pie dough.

Terry used an English recipe which involves weighing out the ingredients.  (Though she also provided an American version for pie crust which I've included below as well.) 

Our chef demonstrated the technique by first making pie dough for a broccoli and cheese quiche for our lunch.  She explained that if we need more pie dough for a bigger pie plate, we could remember the proportions:  1/2 fat to total amount of flour (so if we're using 8 oz. of flour, we would need 4 oz. of fat); 1 tsp. water per ounce of flour; 1 tsp. salt per 16 oz. flour.

The recipe she used for a regular double-crust pie:

English Short Pastry (Pie Dough) (2 crusts)
8 oz. flour
2 oz. butter, cold and cut into small pieces (1/2 stick)
2 oz. shortening
1/2 tsp. salt
8 tsp. cold water (not ice water but from frig is a good temp)

Weigh out and place flour, butter, shortening and salt into a large bowl.  With your fingertips, rub in the butter and shortening by lifting the flour mixture to aerate and rubbing the fat chunks into the mixture.  Once the fat is worked in and the mixture is consistent, sprinkle 1 tsp. of water at a time onto the mixture.  Stir gently with a spoon and then gather dough with hands together until it forms a ball.  Don't overhandle - simply gather and flip, gather and flip until dough sticks together.  Place dough on a floured board and put a bit of flour on top of ball of dough.  Press ball down lightly with hands and then begin to roll (LIGHTLY and GENTLY) with rolling pin, again not overworking.  Turn dough with hands and pat into circular shape.  Continue to roll and pat, roll and pat.  Making sure that dough stays lightly floured on top and bottom and rolling pin stays free of dough pieces and floured.  Continue working dough until size fits pie plate.  Roll dough onto pin and place in plate.  Trim off excess dough, flute edges and fill if for one-crust pie.  For two-crust pie, trim off excess, fill and roll out another crust.  Place on top of filling, tuck and seal dough underneath edges.  Cut steam vents (in a pattern, if desired). 

American Pie Crust (1 crust)
1 C. flour
1/3 C. shortening
1/2 tsp. salt
2-3 tabl. cold water

After demonstrating the technique, Terry had Candy and I make our own crusts for fruit pies.  Candy made a cherry one with canned pie filling.  I chose to make Apple Pie and used Terry's recipe:

Apple Pie
6 C. of peeled and sliced Macintosh Apples (approx. 6 large apples)
1 C. sugar (I would cut to 1/2 C. next time.)
3 tabl. flour
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
Dash of salt

Prepare apples and mix ingredients into them.  Spoon into unbaked pie crust.  Place second pie crust on top.  Bake at 425 for approx. 40-50 minutes or until browned and juices are bubbling.

In addition to our quiche and the delicious crusty rolls that Terry provided, I had made up Pear Parfaits earlier in the morning to round out lunch after our work:

Pear Parfaits

1 1/2 C. vanilla yogurt
1/4 C. powdered sugar
2 cans (15 1/4 oz. each) sliced pears, well drained
1 1/4 C. cinnamon graham cracker crumbs (approx. 7 whole crackers)

Combine yogurt and sugar.  Place three to flour pear slices in each of four parfait glasses; top each with 2 tabl. of cracker crumbs and 2 tabl. yogurt mixture.  Repeat layers.  Garnish the top of each with a pear slice.  Refrigerate until serving.

Next lesson?  Sweet pastry for fruit tarts.  Can't wait!

A Book Review of Freckles

Freckles by Gene Stratton-Porter is considered a classic – perhaps because it’s got a little bit of all the things that make a classic, a classic.  Beauty, romance, tragedy, mystery and adventure are woven into this tale about an orphan who learns to love, and be loved.  Freckles is a young man who takes on the task of guarding a swamp filled with precious timber.  The story is of the battle with, and victory over, his fear of the swamp, as well as his past.  Also an intrinsic part of the tale are the young woman called Swamp Angel, who teaches the boy of love and perseverance; the sturdy Duncan family, who watch over Freckles as their own; and the Bird Woman, who helps open Freckles’ eyes to the awesomeness of creation.  One of the things that I enjoy about Stratton-Porter’s books is the fascinating nature lore that she weaves all through her works.  Her books always give me a deeper appreciation and desire to spend more time noticing and contemplating the handiwork of God.

God's Valentine to Us

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. -- John 3:16-17

Some Thoughts on Lent

"First popularized in the fourth century, Lent is traditionally associated with penitence, fasting, alms-giving, and prayer.  It is a time for 'giving things up' balanced by 'giving to' those in need.  Yet whatever else it may be, Lent should never be morose - an annual ordeal during which we begrudgingly forgo a handful of pleasures.  Instead, we ought to approach Lent as an opportunity, not a requirement.  After all, it is meant to be the church's springtime, a time when, out of the darkness of sin's winter, a repentant, empowered people emerges.  No wonder one liturgy refers to it as 'this joyful season.'

Put another way, Lent is the season in which we ought to be surprised by joy.  Our self-sacrifices serve no purpose unless, by laying aside this or that desire, we are able to focus on our heart's deepest longing: unity with Christ.  In him - in his suffering and death, his resurrection and triumph - we find our truest joy." 

-- excerpt from the Introduction of Bread and Wine - Readings for Lent and Easter by various authors

Happy Fasnacht Day!

My parents-in-law borrowed our kitchen last night and made 30 dozen fasnachts for family and friends.  Words fail to describe what's it like to be woken up by the scent of fresh donuts frying.  And the taste of a warm fasnacht dipped in sugar - oh, my.  Truly a labor of love . . .

Eli was up at about 4 and did a small photo shoot of the making.  (He also ate a fasnacht or two in the process!)

Chicken Divine & Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

No, that is not Chicken Divine OR Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream.  That, is Steve the Bearded Dragon.  And the photo doesn't do him justice.  He is one of God's magnificent creations, and you really have to see him in person to get the full cool quotient.

Steve belongs to some friends of our's.  Friends with whom we spent a lovely Sunday afternoon last week sharing a meal, talking, playing Four Squares in the basement, asking a hundred and one questions about bearded dragons, making ice cream and touring their home.

As for the meal, we provided a big, Green Tossed Salad and Homemade Applesauce.  And they provided two pans of Chicken Divine, hot French Bread and Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream with all the trimmings.  And I do mean all the trimmings - chocolate syrup, chopped nuts, caramel topping, Valentine sprinkles, Oreo cookie crumbles, candy hearts and waffle bowls.  That dessert made the afternoon over the top.  (And it's no wonder - wait 'til you look at those deliciously rich ingredients!) 

Chicken Divine

4-6 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
16 oz. frozen broccoli, cooked and drained
1 C. mayo
2 cans cream of chicken soup
2 C. shredded mozzarella
2 C. corn flake crumbs
2 tabl. butter, melted

Layer a 13x9" pan with chicken cubes.  Then layer with cooked broccoli.  Mix together mayo and soup.  Spread mixture over chicken and broccoli.  Sprinkle the cheese over top.  Mix corn flake crumbs and butter, then spread over top of the cheese.  Bake at 350 for 45 minutes, uncovered.

Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream
(Makes 6 qt.)

3 C. milk
2 3/4 C. sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
3 C. half-and-half
2 tabl. vanilla
6 C. whipping cream

Mix well and pour into ice cream maker.

Why Do I Read Books?

I've come across a few articles lately about why various individuals choose to read books.  And they got me thinking.  Why do I read books?  I found it curious that I'd never really explored this question before.  Curious because it's important to me to put into words (or at least into thoughts) why I do the things I do.  I've developed my own philosophy, a system of thought or set of principles, for significant areas of my life - why I parent the way I do, why I practice my faith as I do, why I choose to homeschool and the methods I use to do that, why and how I live out the various ministries that God has called me to, etc.  Now, I wouldn't necessarily lump reading books into those "more important" areas of my life.   Yet, I do give a significant amount of my time to reading.  So . . . that leads me to conclude that it would be a good thing for me to explore why I read books.

I've spent the last week or so thinking that question over and jotting down thoughts and reasons as they came to me.  Here's what I came up with:

Why do I read books?  Because books . . .

* convict me - Kisses from Katie: A Story of Relentless Love and Redemption, Les Miserables and Same Kind of Different As Me have each convicted my heart.  They have given me "rubber-meets-the-road" examples of what true love and sacrifice look like.  All three books have brought me to tears in acknowledgement that I have far to go in learning what it truly means to love others.

* encourage my heart - Your God Is Too Safe encouraged my heart by showing me that I am growing in my walk with the LORD.  Realizing that the author had come to some of the very same conclusions about God that I have recently been learning caused my heart to take joy.  His words testified with my own spirit that I am walking in the ways of God's wisdom.  Randy Alcorn's Heaven encouraged my heart by reminding me that the Best is yet to come.  And that when my life is focused on things of eternity, I am precisely walking in the way God desires.

* inform me - Moving Toward the Mainstream recently informed me about some aspects of the Brethren heritage of which I am part.  I learned some things about the history of the denomination I had not known before and was able to look at some issues from a new perspective.  Reading this book has helped to grow my appreciation of this heritage as well as remind me of dangers of following a practice for tradition's sake alone.

* strengthen my faith - Reading Three Cups of Tea gave me a glimpse into the lives of people across the world who practice another faith.  It helped me to remember that they, too, were created in the image of God and that they deal with fears, struggles and joys like mine - different yet similar.  Reading that book also helped to dispel some fear about those whose faith may be very different than mine and, instead, has cultivated a compassion and love for them.  Reading books about other faiths from time to time strengthens my own faith.  They force me to check my own heart to make sure that my faith is built on the truths of God and not on practices or rituals that I've created.

* delight me - The Anne of Green Gables books simply delight me!  They cause me to take joy in beauty - the beauty found in words, in nature, in simple things, and in the One Who made it all.

* help me to fulfill my purpose and callings - The many resource books I read on cooking, hospitality, entertaining, activities and games help me to carry out my God-given responsibilities and bless my relationships.  They provide inspiration and ideas that help me create a fun, stimulating, and encouraging environment for my family, friends, guests, neighbors, and all those that are a part of the sphere of my life.

* evaluate my heart - The Brokenness, Surrender, & Holiness triology by Nancy Leigh DeMoss never fails to cause me to evaluate and examine my heart.  (Actually, any book written by NLD has the tendency to that!)  I so appreciate Nancy's commitment to holiness and spiritual growth in the LORD.  Reading her writings always brings about revival in my heart.

* inspire me - Reading about the lives of such people as Lilias Trotter, Amy Carmichael, and Dietrich Bonhoeffer never fails to inspire me and keep me following hard after God.  Getting a glimpse into the lives of others who are willing vessels for His work inspires me to want the same.

* challenge me to deeper thinking - Any book written by C. S. Lewis challenges me!  I love his logic, his way with words, and his ability to succinctly and perfectly sum up a thought.  I always say that I can only handle a bit of Lewis at a time.  I must take a bite and chew slowly - but once digested, how sweet it is.  Breath for the Bones: Art, Imagination and Spirit - A Reflection on Faith and Creativity has been a challenge for me to deeper thinking as well.  The author's writing is beautiful and thought-provoking and inspiring.  So much so that a friend and I have read and discussed it together - I wanted and needed another to help sort through and discover the depths and riches of the concepts in this book.

* teach me - Instruments in the Redeemer's Hand - People in Need of Change Helping People in Need of Change is a book I've read again and again.  It has taught me how to build relationships, counsel others, ask good questions, and, in general, be of help to other brothers and sisters in Christ.

* grow me spiritually - Choosing Gratitude and One Thousand Gifts have both been used by God to create and cultivate a thankful, grateful heart.  He has used the concept of gratitude to change my life.

* help me to form my philosophies, my ways of thinking and living - Books have helped me develop and strengthen why I do what I do in regarding to marriage, parenting and living life, in general.  Shepherding a Child's Heart, Joshua Harris' books, and When Sinners Say I Do are just a few of the many that have helped to grow my ways of thinking in relation to who we are as a family.

Whew.  That's what I came up with - why I read books.  And, you know, as my list grew, it became clear to me to that there's a common thread woven through each of those reasons.  They all direct me back to Him.  They show me more of Him.  In just about any book I've chosen to read, He's there - whispering, shouting, guiding, revealing Himself in sometimes unexpected places.

And so, if I had to sum up why I read books in one short sentence, it would be this:  To know more of Him.

From Last Week's Library Run

Mint Brownie Cheesecake Cups

So, here's the recipe I made for our Valentine-making session the other night.  I was in charge of dessert and thought these little treats would be just right - a finger-food bite of goodness.  They would be fun for St. Patrick's Day, too - just change the heart sprinkles to shamrocks.

Mint Brownie Cheesecake Cups

9 Oreos, crushed
1 - 4.67 oz. pkg. of Andes mints (or 1 cup of the Andes baking chips)
1 - 8 oz. pkg. of cream cheese, softened
1/4 C. sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Seasonal sprinkles

Place miniature paper cups into a mini muffin pan.  Press 1 tsp. of the cookie crumbs into the bottom of each cup; set aside.  Heat candies on high in microwave for 30-60 seconds or until melted, stirring every 15 seconds or so.  Cool to room temperature.  Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth.  Beat in egg and vanilla.  Stir in melted candies.  Spoon 1 tsp. mixture into each cup; scatter a few sprinkles on top of mixture.  Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until tops appear dry and begin to crack.  Cool for 1 minute before removing to wire rack to cool completely.  Store in refrigerator.  Makes 2 1/2 dozen.

Valentine Candy Jars

A friend and I have been exchanging Valentine gifts for many years.  It's a left-over from when we used to have an annual Valentine party when our kiddies were little.  Though the kids grew out of those celebrations, the gift-giving goes on.  Part of the gift I put together for my friend this year was Valentine Candy Jars.  I found these quaint, decorative jam jars at a thrift store recently for pennies.  Filling them with fun Valentine candies was a way of gifting, not just my friend, but her whole family with some sweet goodies for the season.

Sundaes & Chuckles

I spent yesterday afternoon eating a hot fudge sundae and watching old Tom & Jerry cartoons.  With my teenagers?  No.  With my grandmother.

Part of Mim's daily routine is to watch Tom & Jerry from 1 to 2 each afternoon.  She says that she watches it to get some "chuckles."  And she recently mentioned that I should join her at that hour sometime so that I could get some "chuckles," too.  So I went over yesterday afternoon.  But not empty-handed.  I picked up two McDonald's sundaes.

The sundae idea is a left-over from the days when my boys were little and my grandfather was still alive.  Periodically, he and Mim would treat us to lunch at Mickey D's.  And because I come from a family that simply must have a little something sweet at the end of their meal, sundaes all-around was the norm.

So I thought it might be fun to take her a sundae.  I even remembered how she liked them.  Hot fudge, whipped cream, a cherry on the top.  No.  Nuts.  And she was delighted.

So was I.  Why would I not be?  With a hot fudge sundae and the very same Tom & Jerry episodes that my sister and I watched as children, I was in my glory.

And I think we've made a new tradition.  Neither of us can wait for our next session of Sundaes & Chuckles.  And by the way, I definitely did get some "chuckles."