Writing From Home

News from Across the Web: Baby Stellan, Montana Plane Crash, Red Envelope Abortion Protest, Tea Party Rallies, and a Luscious Lemon Pie

I've been a busy girl this week and have so much to share with you that I thought it best to condense it into one quick post. You can learn more about each item by visiting the links.

Please pray for baby Stellan and his precious family.

Here's the side of the Montana plane crash story you won't see on network news or in the newspapers. I hope it spurs you to prayer like it did me.

And while we're talking about abortion, have you purchased red envelopes for the abortion protest yet? I found some at Tuesday Morning (yes, real cheap!) They are also available at Kinko's and craft or stamp stores. Check here for more info. Then mail out those envelopes on March 31^st.

And since we're in the mood to protest, why not participate in a national tea party (Taxed Enough Already) protesting our government's economic stimulus plan, the mounting national debt and the forced redistribution of wealth. The Tea Party Rallies will take place on Wednesday, April 15, in cities all across the country. You can find out details for the rally in your area here: http://www.teapartyday.com/

Okay, I know these are all heavy issues. Once you've followed those links and learned what you can do about some of the more serious things going on around us, stop by 4 Reluctant Entertainers and be encouraged to open your home and your heart to others during this beautiful Spring season. Sandy provides great entertaining advice and delicious recipes like this one for Creamy Lemon Pie. Yum!

Okay, that's enough information for today. I hope you will join me in prayer for Stellan and for our nation. I also hope you will stand up for the unborn, and for the next generations, who will bear the consequences of decisions made in our generation.

Have a blessed Sunday.

Gratefully,

Beth

Want to Give Your Christmas Guests a Chocolate Thrill?

This is what I'm talking about:

Cinnamon Mocha Pie from Christmas with Southern Living 2003 Edition

Isn't it lovely? Here's the recipe:

½ cup butter or margarine

1 tbsp. instant coffee granules

4 (1oz.) unsweetened chocolate squares (I used Ghirardelli 100% Cocoa Bar)

3 large eggs

1 cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 tbsp. ground cinnamon

1 (9") frozen deep dish pastry shell (I made my crust. I like them better that way, but if you are in a hurry or have a terrible time with crusts, buy the frozen one.)

Unsweetened whipped cream

Ground cinnamon

 

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in coffee granules. Add chocolate, stirring until melted. Cool slightly.

Beat eggs with a wire whisk; gradually beat in sugar.

Slowly stir in cooled chocolate mixture and vanilla. Stir in flour and 1 tbsp. cinnamon. Pour filling into pastry shell.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until set. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature with whipped cream and more cinnamon.

As you can see by the photo, I drizzled with caramel sauce before adding the whipped cream and cinnamon.

I have made this pie for two occasions now and it was a hit both times. I hope you will make it for your Christmas guests and let me know how you liked it. (Believe me, you will!)

Gratefully,

Beth

Thanksgiving Teepee Treats

Tomorrow my little darlings will celebrate Thanksgiving at school with a special feast.

You know what that means…a messy kitchen tonight!

I signed up to bring a Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie for Nathaniel's class and a misc. dessert item for Julia's. (I was suffering from indecision at sign-up time.)

Yesterday, I came across this fun Thanksgiving treat and thought we would give it a try.

The ingredient list was simple:

2 boxes of cake mix

48 sugar cones

2 bags chocolate chips

1 bag pretzel sticks

Sprinkles

Julia mixed the batter.

Then Nathaniel inspected the holes I made in a foil pan.

We inverted the pan to hold the cones for filling and baking.

We filled the sugar cones 2/3 full with cake batter and baked them in a 350-degree oven for 10-12 minutes.

As soon as they came out of the oven I cut off their tops (to accommodate the pretzel sticks) and their bottoms (so they would stand).

If you wait until they are cool, they will crumble.

Next we piped melted chocolate onto the tops and stuck three pretzel sticks into them. We broke the pretzels in half first.

Finally, we dipped the teepees into melted chocolate and then into the sprinkles.

And Tada! We have cute little teepee treats for all the little pilgrims.

These treats were great fun to make. I know Julia's classmates will enjoy eating them. She does not have 48 students in her class, in case you are wondering. I made extra for all those parents who are coming.

If you would like to see the teepees that inspired me, you can find them here. Special thanks to Christie for sharing her idea with me. Such fun!

Now I have one more thing to be grateful for during this busy Thanksgiving week. I had a wonderful evening creating memories with two of my favorite people. And, my house is filled with the sweet aroma of Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie. Yummy! I hope you are having fun this week, too. I'd love to hear about it.

Gratefully,

Beth

Christmas Candy Recipes

This is remarkable. Just click on the name of the CANDY and bam the recipe appears!
Copy and Paste it to your document file for future reference or post it to your blog so
you can share it with your followers.

2 Minute Microwave Fudge

5 Minute Fudge

7 Layer Bars

Aaron's Buttery Cashew Brittle

Almond Bark

Amanda's Peppermint Creams

Ann's Cream Nut Candy

Bavarian Inn Peanut Bars

Beth's Delicious Fudge

Brownie Fudge Dessert

Buckeyes

Buckeyes

Butter Toffee

Candied Yams

Candy Bar Brownies

Candy Cane Brittle

Candy Cane Fudge

Caramel Krispie Treats

Caramels

Carmel Corn

Carol's Christmas Treats

Chocolate Almond Bars

Chocolate Balls

Chocolate Billionaires

Chocolate Chow Mein Candy

Chocolate Covered Cherries

Chocolate Covered Nuts

Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Balls

Chocolate Covered Pretzels

Chocolate Covered Pretzels

Chocolate Covered Pretzels

Chocolate Nut Caramels

Chocolate Popcorn

Chocolate Silk Bon Bons

Chocolate Truffels

Christmas Candied Walnuts

Christmas Crackle Candy

Christmas Mice

Chunky Mallow Candy

Cinnamon Hard Candy

Cinnamon Popcorn

Cranberry Nut Fudge

Cream Cheese Candy

Creamy Chocolate Truffles

Creamy Microwave Pralines (Texas Stye)

Crispy peanutbutter balls

Dark Chocolate Fudge

Deborahe's Holiday Chocolates

Disappearing Marshmallow Brownies

Dish of Dirt

Divinty

Dorothy's Peanut Butter/Butterscotch Noodle Cookie

Dreamcicle Fudge

Easy Candy

Easy Divinity

Easy Divinity Easy Divinity Candy

Easy Fudge

Easy Granola Candy

Easy Microwave Carmel

Easy Microwave Fudge

Easy Pecan Logs

English Toffee

English Toffee

English Toffee Bars

Fabulous Fudge

Fake Brittle

Fantasy Fudge

Festive Chocolate Truffles

Five Minute Fudge

Fool-Proof Fudge

Frosted Pecans

Fudge

Brownies

Fudge for One

Fudge Puddles

Georgia Nuggets

Grandma Donna's Nummies

Grandma F's Delicious Fudge

Grandmother' s Holiday Fudge

Hard Candy

Hard Tack Candy

Hazelnut Fantasy Fudge

Ho-Ho Hash

Holly Confection

Honey Comb

J & D's Peanut Butter Balls

Jeanne's Tiger Butter

Jen's Chocolate Meringues

J's Cream Fudge

Kim's Famous Cashew Brittle

Magic Marshmallow Fudge

Mama's Fudge

Maple Rum Balls

Margie's Best Candy

Martha Washington Candy

Martha Washington Mounds

Marzipan

Melting Moments

Melting Moments

Memaw's Reese's

Meme's Best Ever Peanut Butter Fudge

Meringues

Micky's Mints

Microwave Peanutbutter fudge

Microwave Pralines

Milk Fudge

Milky Way Bars

Million Dollar Fudge

Mimi's Famous Fudge

Mocha Truffles

Mom's Mints

Mr. Monroe's Famous Fudge

Mrs. Eisenhower's Fudge

Never Fail Fudge

Never Fail Fudge

No Bake Rum Balls

No Cook Peanut Butter Fudge

No Fail Fudge

Novia Scotia Treats

Nut Mallow Goodies

Nutty North Pole Fudge

Orange Balls

Orange Glazed Pecans

Out Of This World Fudge

Oven Carmel Corn

Peanut Brittle

Peanut Brittle

Peanut Brittle

Peanut Brittle (Microwave)

Peanut Butter Balls

Peanut Butter Balls

Peanut Butter Balls

Peanut Butter Bars-An Elve's Favorite Treat

Peanut Butter Candy

Peanut Butter Candy

Peanut Butter Cups

Peanut Butter Cups

Peanut Butter Fruit Squares

Peanut Butter Fudge

Peanut Butter Fudge

Peanut Butter Fudge

Peanut Butter Snowballs

Peanut Clusters (mircrowavable)

Peanut Krispies

Peanut Patties

Thanks to Jennifer at Through the Storms of Life! I found this on her blog and thought you should see it too. Enjoy!

Gratefully,

Beth

Christmas is Coming

My kids watched Elf today while I baked cookies to take to our new neighbors. Our house was enveloped with the aroma of my favorite cookies (see recipe below) and the sounds of Christmas music from the movie and all of the sudden I caught the Christmas spirit.

I know it's a little premature, but I can't wait to decorate! I want my man to pull our tree (and the 20 or so boxes of decorations) from the attic and let me turn our house into a Christmas Wonderland. Of course I would have a better chance at talking him into getting a kitten than decorating this early. (Um, let's just say he's not a cat person.)

Instead of decorating, I did a little online Christmas shopping. That satisfied me for today, but tomorrow is another day. Christmas joy is coursing through my veins and it must be shared! Tomorrow I'll start writing out our Christmas cards.

Meanwhile, here is the best Oatmeal Raisin Cookie recipe I have ever tasted. I am not boasting, I did not create this recipe, Mrs. Fields did. Every time I make them my family raves. I hope you will try them.

Mrs. Fields Oatmeal Raisin Chews

Preheat oven to 300.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, soda, salt and oats. Whisk together and set aside.

In a large bowl blend sugars with electric mixer at medium speed. Add butter and mix to form a grainy paste. Scrape sides of bowl, then add honey, vanilla and eggs. Mix at medium speed until light and fluffy.

Add the flour mixture, raisins and walnuts and blend at low speed just until combined. Do not overmix.

Drop by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheets, 1 ½ inches apart. Bake 22-24 minutes or until cookies are light golden brown. Immediately transfer to a cool flat surface.

Makes 3 ½ dozen.

Enjoy!

Gratefully,

Beth

The Ultimate Comfort Food

Election night was a night for comfort food at our house. We had Cheddar Chicken Chowder, one of our favorites. I hope your family will enjoy it, too!

Cheddar Chicken Chowder

(From Cooking Light)

2 slices bacon (I use peppered bacon for this recipe, about 4-6 slices.)

Vegetable cooking spray

1 pound skinned, boned chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces

1 cup onion

1 cup diced red bell pepper

4 ½ cups fat-free chicken broth

1 ¾ cups diced red potatoes

2 ¼ cups frozen corn

½ cup flour

2 cups 2% low-fat milk

¾ cups shredded cheddar cheese

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

Cook bacon in Dutch oven coated with cooking spray until crisp. Remove bacon, crumble and set aside.

Add chicken, onion and bell pepper to bacon fat and sauté 5 minutes. Add broth and potatoes; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Stir in corn.

Place flour in a bowl. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended; add to soup. Cook over medium heat 15 minutes or until thick, stirring often. Stir in cheese, salt and pepper. Top with bacon. Yield: 7 servings.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 306 (22% from fat)

Fat: 7.5g (if made with only 2 slices of bacon)

Protein: 25g

Carbohydrate: 33.7g

Fiber: 2.9g

Cholesterol: 58mg

Iron: 1.6mg

Sodium: 376mg

Calcium: 193mg