Making decisions and Chocolate Covered Cookie Balls

Are you good at making decisions?  If you are, can I pay you to tell me your secret?

I am certifiably terrible at making decisions.  Especially when it comes to purchasing expensive items, or making life decisions.  When it comes to buying anything over $100 I panic.  I freak out and spend months weighing out my options.  I literally feel like it is such a waste of money.  When I go to things that cost a lot of money, say the Rodeo, I feel like it is such a waste of money!  $20 for a crappy meal in a super crowded space...no thanks!  I would rather take that money and invite a few people over for dinner and board games...really I would.

Then when it comes to making big life decisions like moving, going to school, jobs...yeah I pretty much make those decisions very quickly and without much thought.  Either it works for me or it doesn't.  Of course I still panic, but I am much quicker at those decisions....usually because I am up against some kind of time crunch.  If I ever get married it will probably be someone I have know for a brief amount of time, and it will be a very quick engagement...just saying, when you know you know. : )  Of course I don't know, so I don't know how I can say that : )

I also recently made another good decision and started watching the John Grisham series on NBC, The Firm.  Highly recommend it!  It is an interesting plot, good acting, and based upon a strong family working together to pursue justice....and no, they do not wear capes. : )  I recently heard they might cancel it because of poor ratings, but I think they just had really bad marketing for it.  I had never even heard about it until 12 episodes had already aired.  So here I am campaigning for it to stay on the air!  Go watch the Firm!

(update ...they cancelled the show...NOOO!)

When it comes to baking that is an easy and painless decision.  It is always a good idea.

Every child that enters and leaves out home knows what a cookie ball is.  My 8 year old niece makes it her mission to promptly shows little guests where we keep the stash of cookie balls in the freezer.  "If you are good  Aunt Dagny might let you have one."  Our freezer is full of random cookie dough balls...one or two peanut butter, chocolate chip, gluten free, experiment cookies, and lots of unidentified ones...never sure what flavor they are until we bake them off. : )  Keeping a nice little stock pile of cookie dough balls in the freezer always makes it easy to have dessert for unexpected guests or occasions...or lets face it, midnight sugar cravings.

Now the cookie ball I am writing about is actually not of the frozen unbaked kind.  These are baked cookies that are smashed, mixed with a little bit of milk, and then covered in chocolate...yes, you heard me right...covered in chocolate : )  Basically the same concept as a cake ball, but made with cookies.  I saw this idea as I was perusing the many food blogs that I follow, and was instantly compelled to try it out.

Was I disappointed?  No.  Was I inspired?  Yes.  Do I recommend you try this technique out in the near future?  Heck yes.

I used Alice Medrich's gluten free oatmeal raisin cookie recipe.  I baked the cookies, let them cool, then put them in a the mixer and mixed them with 1-3 TBS of milk until they clumped together.  Then I scooped them with a mini ice cream scoop onto parchment paper.  Put them in the freezer for about an hour.  Then covered them in chocolate.  The first 1/2 I covered in white chocolate, but the second 1/2 I covered in dark chocolate...way better...soooo delicious!  Once you cover them in chocolate allow them to cool and for the chocolate to harden.

For those of you who have never melted chocolate for coating, be sure to melt the chocolate at 50% power in the microwave, in 30 second increments, stirring well after each time.  Heat the chocolate just until melted, if you over heat the chocolate it will not set properly.  Having the cookie dough balls be partially frozen helps the chocolate harden correctly.  You can also melt the chocolate in a double boiler...again, do not overheat the chocolate.  If you do, add more chocolate to help bring the temperature down.

You can use this technique for many of your favorite basic cookie recipes.  When your cooked dough is staying in a ball form you have added enough milk.  Try this technique out, you won't be disappointed!

Southwest Quinoa Salad

Every time my littlest sister and I go to the movies we witness some random incident.  Usually it involves teenage girls being really obnoxious, and then sometimes it doesn't.  A few weeks ago we were exiting the movie theater via a long stair case.  In front of us was a group of three teenage girls, and directly in front of them were three elderly women.  The three teenage girls were giggling and rushing the old ladies, getting really close to them, and getting really annoyed with the fact that they were walking so slowly.  Then they decided to rush past them and almost knock them down.  Oh how I wanted the old lady to stick her cane out and trip those young girls.  I wanted to call the kids out on their bad behavior, and I also wanted to congratulate the old women on their patience.  Of course I did neither, and we just left with a bad taste in my mouth.

A few weeks later we went to the movies again...and yes, going to the movies is the thing to do here in Houston. This time we were able to witness a complete 360 in how people treat their elders.  An elderly couple arrived late to the movie and entered on the opposite side of where we were sitting.  The theater was packed and they were trying to find a seat, but really there weren't any.  They were standing there trying to figure out what to do when a young couple, probably in their 20's, offered up their seats for them.  It was pretty much awesome, and I smiled as my faith in humanity grew.  Way to go awesome people!

Not too sure why I wanted to share those two stories with you, but I did. : )

Now look at these lovely ingredients that go into this scrumptious salad, and tell me it doesn't look amazing!

Now onto the recipe...Southwest Quinoa Salad.  This is a great summer recipe!  Perfect for all those BBQ's you get invited to, or perfect for eating by yourself because you didn't get invited to any BBQ's. It also makes a great week day lunch.  I made this salad last summer, and have been thinking about it for some time now since the weather has turned into summer all of a sudden.  Since I have resorted to talking about the weather I think that is a good sign that I should stop writing since that is all I can comment on at this point in the day. : ) 

Enjoy your Memorial Day Weekend, be thankful for those who give their lives defending ours, and make this salad to bring to your holiday festivities!

Eat your heart out,

Dagny

Southwest Quinoa Salad

Mix together in medium bowl:

2 cups cooked quinoa*

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup frozen corn, defrosted, or fresh cooked corn

1/2 cup chopped red pepper

1/8 cup diced red onion

2 cloves diced garlic

1/2 jalapeno diced

1/3 cup fresh cilantro chopped

Mix dressing ingredients below in small bowl and pour over the above ingredients:

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp cumin

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp oregano

juice of one lime

 Mix together and serve room temperature or cold.  Store in fridge.  Should last about a week in the fridge...and yes, a "fridge" is a "refrigerator" for all those people who make fun of us for calling it that.

* If you don't have quinoa you can also use a variety of cooked grains instead : rice, farro, millet, Bulgar, amaranth, etc...

Italian Cream Cake Whoopie Pies and the power of music

 What does this picture have to do with this post?  It is a coconut tree, isn't it lovely?

Here is a pecan grove, can you see Scarlet O'Hara in the way off yonder?

Thankful for my Louisiana roots, and for instilling in me a love of pecans at a wee age.

Do you listen to music?  What is your poison of choice? Radio, cd, pandora, grooveshark, live performances?

What is your genre of choice?  Pop, rock, country, classical, Christian, rap, opera?  I used to think that if I drove around blaring classical music people would think I was smart, intelligent, classy, and sophisticated.  Then I got sick of not having words to sing along with, and that idea fizzled out like pop rocks on my tongue. 

I was filling my car up with gas the other day and an old man drove up to the pump next to me with some kind of sweet old smooth car (pardon my complete ignorance of all things car related)...all I can say is it looked like a car a member of the rat pack would be driving.  He was blaring old school jazz music with the windows down, and was dressed like a swing kid, hat and all.  I was very compelled to cross over the window wiper box and give this man a high five.  If only I could be that cool when I am his age...heck, if only I could be that cool right now!  I realized in that moment what a pivotal role music played in making this man appear as authentic as he seemed.  The music literally transported me pack to the streets in a scene from "Guys and Dolls". 

Music is such a powerful tool!  When I listen to country music I instantly pick up an accent, and start to 2 step in my head.  When I listen to Christian music I am comforted and at peace.  When I listen to the YMCA I am instantly at a wedding attempting to remember the alphabet.  When I listen to dance music I instantly imagine I have really good rhythm and have the best moves ever.  Really, have you ever stopped and thought about the power music has over a person?  If you sing a child to sleep you are really hypnotizing them into restful sleep...sneaky Moms.

Many of you have heard me say this, but really everything is better when sung!  Imagine if your life was a musical?  Have you ever tried fighting with someone while singing all the words you want to get across to them?  Try it.  Say "What you did really hurts my feelings and I seek an apology."...now try singing it!  So much better right?  I feel as if your true emotions are better communicated through song.  Next time I find myself in a fight I am singing my way out of it.  Let me know how that goes for you if you try this technique as well.  If it works I am going to conduct a field study and write a book about it.

Now this recipe might look familiar, and it is.  It is just my vanilla bean cupcake recipe that I recently posted made into whoopie pies sandwiched with cream cheese icing and rolled in toasted pecans and coconut.  Man, I wish I hadn't given them all away yesterday, I really want one right now!

Listen to this lovely peaceful song, make these whoopie pies for your friends, and reexamine the power the music you listen to has over you.

Jon Foreman - In the House of God forever

Only picture I was able to get before sending them off, I was in a hurry and made these in under 30 minutes!

Italian Cream Cake Whoopie Pies

1½ cups all-purpose flour PLUS 2 TBS

1 cup granulated sugar

1½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon table salt

1 Stick unsalted butter, room temperature

½ cup sour cream, room temperature

1 large egg , room temperature

2 large egg yolks , room temperature

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. vanilla bean paste (optional...if you don't have this just swap it with extra vanilla extract)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie trays with parchment paper.

Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in bowl of standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Add butter, sour cream, egg and egg yolks, and vanilla; beat at medium speed until smooth and satiny, about 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula and mix by hand until smooth and no flour pockets remain.

Using a 1oz ice cream scoop or a TBS scoop onto pan a few space apart from each other, because they will spread.  Bake until tops are pale golden 10-15 minutes.  Cool on parchment before taking off pan.  I had to use a spatula to get them off without breaking.


1 cup chopped, toasted pecans
1 cup toasted coconut

Cream Cheese filling

8 ounces cream cheese , at room temperature

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter , at room temperature

1 pound confectioners' sugar (about 4 1/2 cups sifted)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat butter and cream cheese for a few seconds until smooth.  Then add the powdered sugar and vanilla and beat just until smooth.  If you over mix cream cheese frosting it will become runny and you can't fix it.

Pipe about 1 1/2 TBS of filling onto half of the cookies.  Sandwich in between an uniced cookie.  Roll edges in coconut and pecans.

Eat your heart out,


Dagny

Coffee Maple No-Knead Cinnamon rolls and Mise en place

If you asked me what the most important thing was that I learned at Pastry School and from working at a bakery, I would have to say "Mise en place."  Now when you say this French phrase be sure to add some southern twang to it, trust me it sounds so much cooler and people will think you are smart.

What is this "Mise en place" I speak of?  Well quite literally it translates into "everything in place."  Basically it is setting out/weighing your ingredients, and setting out all the equipment needed to make a dish.  This was very essential when it came to making large batches of cookies, as it helped guarantee you didn't forget small but important ingredients like baking soda.

I have to confess I am quite terrible at the whole "mise en place" concept.  I can't tell you how many times I set out to make a dish and come to find out half way into it I am missing an essential ingredient, like sugar.  Part of the reason I am really horrible at this is because really most of the things in my kitchen can't be in place because they never had a place to begin with.  I live at home with the parents, and I cook out of their kitchen.  So on top of it being a very busy family kitchen it also doubles as my experiment lab and part time bakery.  I honestly don't know why my parents haven't banned me from their space yet, because not only to I invade it, but I dominate it!

"Mise en place" is a great idea in theory, and also a great practice you should implement into all your cooking ventures.  It will help you stay on point, stay on track, and follow a recipe more exactly.  I guess my creative and scattered brained mind just can't be confined by the rules of "mise en place", and that is why I often find myself making chocolate chip cookies without chocolate chips.

Now most people are intimidated by yeast bread recipes, but if you mise en place your way through it you will be fine.  Trust me, I made these cinnamon rolls with one hand...honest I did. Another way to implement "mise en place" is by "mise en placing" your mind.  Read through the recipe entirely so you know what to expect as the recipe progresses.

I have had this recipe bookmarked for some time now, and have been waiting for an occasion to arise that merited fresh cinnamon rolls, but then I decided that every day fits that bill.  I check the Pioneer Woman blog every so often to see what she is up to.  I have tried many of her recipes with mixed results.  I have conflicted opinions about her recipes because sometimes she uses taboo ingredients that a snob like me never uses...like cake mix or God forbid bottled salad dressing.  Shock of all shocks * gasp!

Four things made me try this recipe:

1)  The never ending laundry list of rave reviews from her readers

2)  The fact that the dough is "no knead", which is always what I need...too far, yeah I thought so : )

3)  The frosting being made with coffee and maple syrup...so unique and divine sounding

4)  The addition of baking soda and baking powder to a yeast dough intrigued me and I had to see for myself if it worked...it did  :)

Thanks Pioneer Woman for a great keeper recipe!

Look I made you a video!  A little long I know, and many editing issues, but I promise to get better at editing : ) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrEUL_IhqlQ&feature=youtu.be

Coffee Maple No-Knead Cinnamon Rolls

Adapted slightly from The Pioneer Woman blog

Ingredients

2 cups Whole Milk
1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
1/2 cup Sugar
1 packages Active Dry Yeast, 0.25 Ounce Packets
4 cups All-purpose Flour
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon (heaping) Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon (scant) Baking Soda
1 1/2 teaspoons (heaping) Salt
1 1/2 sticks softened Butter
1 cups Brown Sugar...or white sugar
Generous Sprinkling Of Cinnamon

Coffee Maple Frosting:

1 pound Powdered Sugar
2 teaspoons Maple Syrup
1/4 cup Milk
 2 TBS Melted Butter
1/8 cup strong Brewed Coffee
pinch of Salt
Preparation Instructions:

Heat the milk, vegetable oil, and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat to just below a boil. Set aside and cool to warm. This will take about 40-60 minutes to cool.*  Sprinkle the yeast on top and let it sit on the milk for 1 minute.

Add 4 cups of the flour. Stir until just combined, then cover with a clean kitchen towel, and set aside in a relatively warm place for 1 hour. After 1 hour, remove the towel and add the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and the remaining 1/2 cup flour. Stir thoroughly to combine. Use the dough right away, or place in a mixing bowl and refrigerate for up to 3 days, punching down the dough if it rises to the top of the bowl.

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

To assemble the rolls, remove half the dough from the pan/bowl. On a floured baking surface, roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 30 x 10 inches. The dough should be rolled very thin.

To make the filling, spread 1 /12 sticks of softened butter over the surface of the dough. Use your fingers to spread the butter evenly.  Sprinkle with 1 cup of the brown sugar spreading evenly.  Then sprinkle with a generous sprinkle of cinnamon.

Now, beginning at the end farthest from you, roll the rectangle tightly away from you. Use both hands and work slowly, being careful to keep the roll tight. When you reach the end, pinch the seam together and flip the roll so that the seam is face down. When you’re finished, you’ll wind up with one long buttery, cinnamony, sugary, gooey log.

Slice the log into about 30 pieces.  Pour a tablespoon of melted butter into the bottom of 3 cake pans, or 2 TBS into 1 13x9 pans, and swirl to coat. Place the sliced rolls in the pans, being careful not to overcrowd. (Each round cake pan will hold 9-10 rolls.)

Repeat the rolling/sugar/butter process with the other half of the dough and more pans. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cover all the pans with a kitchen towel and set aside to rise on the counter top for at least 20 minutes before baking. Remove the towel and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until golden brown. Don’t allow the rolls to become overly brown.

While the rolls are baking, make the maple icing: In a large bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, butter, coffee, maple syrup, and salt.  Whisk until very smooth. The icing should be somewhat thick but still very pourable.

Remove pans from the oven. Immediately drizzle icing over the top. Be sure to get it all around the edges and over the top, spread around with a spatula.  As they sit, the rolls will absorb some of the icing’s moisture and flavor. They only get better with time.

* The first time I made these I wasn't paying attention and didn't let the milk/sugar/oil mixture cool...which resulted in me killing the yeast and the rolls not rising...what was I thinking!!!

Vanilla Bean Cupcakes and the SUMMER OLYMPICS!!!!

Please note...these pictures were taken a few weeks ago with my old camera : (

I have 3 brothers and a dad.  For some reason they never did watch sports like the typical American male.  They preferred to play as many sports as possible instead.  They don't have any favorite baseball teams, football teams, hockey teams, basketball teams, or anything!  For this reason I know nothing about football...and I am okay with that.

I know many men and their families who are die hard fans of certain teams.  They know all the history, all the facts, all the stats, and never miss a game.  When I watch these fans be so consumed  with love of their team I just sit their in awe not understanding at all how they can feel such devotion to team, or to a player.  This concept of being obsessed with sports is so lost on me.

Now Olympics is a whole different story.  Growing up we didn't have a TV in the house, but every 2 years somehow a TV would appear for 2-3 weeks just in time for the Olympics.  We were hard core fans and would watch constantly every event from start to finish.  Even our curfew was done away with, and we would all sit on the floor until the wee hours of the night staring up at the heroic Olympians striving to reach their golden dreams.

I loved all the back stories, getting to know all the competitors and how their journey's had led to this point.  All the hard work, dedication, and sacrifice was inspiring and mesmerizing!  Oh how we all wanted to be Olympians.  I even remember at one point thinking I would maybe start learning how to throw a javelin...that was short lived. : )  I can't even throw a Frisbee or a football...what was I thinking?

So start the countdown folks, the summer 2012 London Olympics starts on July 27th!  When they do start I highly recommend you make these cupcakes to help celebrate the festivities!

I came across this recipe because I occasionally make birthday cakes for our office parties, and this month I decided to make cupcakes.  I was pleasantly surprised by the end product, and will probably be making these more often now that I know they taste so good.  The recipe is super easy to mix up, and only requires one bowl.  At first I was weary of not mixing the wet together and then adding the dry...instead this recipe basically tosses everything into the bowl and calls it a day.  I originally wanted to use a frosting recipe with heavy cream in it, but since the cupcakes were being made a day ahead and I had no fridge space I opted for this version instead.

Vanilla Bean Cupcakes

Adapted ever so slightly from the Brown Eyed Baker blog

Yield: 12 cupcakes

1½ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon table salt

1 Stick unsalted butter, room temperature

½ cup sour cream, room temperature

1 large egg , room temperature

2 large egg yolks , room temperature

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. vanilla bean paste (optional...if you don't have this just swap it with extra vanilla extract)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line standard muffin/cupcake pan with liners, or spray pans well with baking spray.

Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in bowl of standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Add butter, sour cream, egg and egg yolks, and vanilla; beat at medium speed until smooth and satiny, about 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula and mix by hand until smooth and no flour pockets remain.

Divide batter evenly among cups of prepared tin. Bake until cupcake tops are pale gold and toothpick or skewer inserted into center comes out clean, 20 to 24 minutes. Remove the cupcakes pan and transfer to wire rack; cool cupcakes to room temperature before frosting.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2½ cups powdered sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Whip butter using whisk attachment on blender for about 5 minutes.  Add powdered sugar and vanilla, whisk until smooth and combined.  Frost cupcakes.  Leftovers can be stored in fridge.

(If you want to spice up your cupcake add a little cinnamon to the frosting or some honey...super yum indeed)

Check out this video for a fun way to ice a cupcake : )

Eat your heart out, and watch the Olympics this summer!!!

Dagny

The best laid plans...California Eating and my camera love

You know when you have high hopes for a vacation and then it totally doesn't go as planned?  Come on, I know everyone has had at least one of those trips...or maybe it only happens to me.

So...I FINALLY bought my new camera and was excited to travel to California for the Easter weekend to see my sister and get to know my new camera.  That is exactly what I did with the addition of sickness and way more couch time then I was planning on.

I had weird sickness with swollen glands, sore throatness, for 3 days out of my 5 days there.  Thankfully my sister and her husband were gracious enough to move at my slow pace and not do all the hiking, travelling around, touring that we had planned on.  Next time California, next time! 

Somehow we still managed to eat at quite a few restaurants, and then I ended my trip with a 4 mile walking bakery tour with a childhood neighbor/friend who is now living in California.  So, even though things didn't go as planned, it was still a nice vacation away from the heat of Texas.

Day 1:  We ate dinner/Happy hour at a cute modern boho feeling restaurant in Culver City called Fraiche.  We all shared a Truffle burger, a Lamb sloppy Joe, and herbed French fries.  Delicious!  Then we walked around a bit and had some chocolate chip cookies at Ugo and my brother invented a new drink...Frangellico and an espresso shot...way to go Jobro.

Day 2:  We Farmer's Marketed near Venice Beach.  I bought a bag of tiny clementine oranges and ate all of them before I left Cali.  BEST ORANGES EVER.  You opened them and I swear the sunlight burst out of them and every little orange segment was oozing with juicy deliciousness!  So divine!  I also had a very delicate rugelach cookie that was simple, but scrumptious.  I also decided that I am going to venture out to try to make a rugelach cookie bar in the near future.  Can't wait!

We enjoyed a wonderful seafood dinner at the Santa Monica Seafood Company.  Salmon Tartar, and yes I actually tried it...and no, I didn't like it.  All raw fish should be cooked...I am not changing my mind on that one anytime soon.  We shared some very crab filled crab cakes with a mustard glaze, and then shared a shrimp and grilled vegetable salad.

Then we went to Good Friday Services at Saint Monica church in Santa Monica.  The music was impressive, but the lyrical dancers ruined it.  Really didn't go to church to see middle aged people dancing around the church in black leotards...weird, just weird.

Day 3:  We Farmer's Marketed again...can you tell I love farmer's markets?  Shared a perfect breakfast wrap.  Forgot to take a picture I was too hungry to get my camera out.  Then we had a beach day for about an hour...which is about how long I usually last at the beach before my insides melt and I have to seek air conditioning.  Then we wandered around the Manhattan beach area and had lunch at a little place called Sloopys.  Shared a really good Chinese chicken salad wrap, can't wait to make up my own version soon!

Then we wandered to a bakery called "Lidos."  Bought some really good coconut macaroons.  Perfectly sweet, not full of fake coconut extract, and super toasty.  Also bought a really hearty date crumb bar, it was good but a Bakery in Santa Barbara has better ones.

Day 4:  Harrison Ford's son made us Brunch at his restaurant in Culver City, Ford's filling Station.  Great food indeed!  We shared an awesome sunny side up egg with homemade sausage, and spinach plate.  Then we split a homemade challah french Toast topped with a million blueberries and creme fraiche.  So divine!  Then my brother in law got black bean soup, because that is what normal people eat for breakfast at 9am.  Um yeah, no

Then we feasted on an incredible Easter meal prepared by my sister.  Roast Lamb, prosciutto wrapped asparagus, spinach filled mushrooms, Easter Mashed potatoes, and arugula salad with strawberries and balsamic dressing.

Day 5:  Bakery Tour Time!  We walked, and we ate.  My favorite place was called Big Sugar Bake Shop.  Really great State Fair Oatmeal Raisin cookie, really tasty mini doughnut muffins, and a perfect pecan bar.  We also shared a really good breakfast at Sweet Butter Kitchen of mashed white beans and arugula on wheat toast with scrambled eggs and roasted tomatoes.  Very, very good!

  Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner for the day after travelling : )

So for any of you curious people out there I ended up getting a Sony Nex-C3.  It is one of the new mirror less cameras (capabilities of a dslr but size of a point and shoot).  Obviously as you can tell from my pictures, I haven't figured out all the bells and whistles, but the photo clarity is leaps and bounds better then my old point and shoot.  I think this camera has real potential and I look forward to taking many pictures with it. : )

Holy Week and Chocolate Ricotta Pie

Holy Week!  I love all the tradition that comes with Holy Week.  I really don't have much to say on the subject, because I am no expert...so I am handing this one over to Pope Benedict XVI with a passage from his Palm Sunday homily:

"May Palm Sunday be a day of decision for you, the decision to say yes to the Lord and to follow him all the way, the decision to make his Passover, his death and resurrection, the very focus of your Christian lives. It is the decision that leads to true joy..."

To read the rest of his homily click here.  Don't miss out on Holy week this year!  It is awesome!

I really do love our Lenten hymns, they are haunting yet peaceful.  Here are a few of my favorites : )

This is one of my favorite desserts to make for Easter Sunday.  I didn't have the time or energy to make one for you so this will have to do.  Chocolate Ricotta Pie...so divine!  The texture is amazing, and the filling is light and smooth.  So tasty!

Click here to find the recipe.

I am headed out West for Easter and I will be back again and posting in one week! 

Have a blessed Holy week and Happy Easter!