Tea Party

Yesterday I was invited to a 60th Birthday Tea Party.  My sister, Linda and had never been to this place before so of course we got lost.  We did arrive before the guest of honor though, thankfully.

We were able to have as many cups of tea as we could drink.  I stopped myself at 4, hoping I would be able to sleep that night.  We had a variety of choices of scones, soup, salad, and sandwiches.  Each course was served by friendly staff with time in between for conversation.  After singing "Happy Birthday" to our special guest we enjoyed cake and ice cream.  

Special times like these make me appreciate all that is good in my life:

  My friends,

  my sister, Linda,

my car that gets us to where we want to go,

tea and scones,

soup and sandwiches,

cake and ice cream!

I will be planning a Mother's Day Memory Tea for the ladies at the YMCA on May 4th and hosting our annual Mother Daughter Dinner at church on May 5th.  

I hope the women who attend these events will leave with the same feeling of thankfulness and joy that I experienced yesterday.

Father God, Lead, guide and direct me as I prepare activities that would be pleasing to You and memorable to my friends and family.

In Jesus name, Amen.

FRIED CHEESECAKE ROLL-UPS

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

35 mins

 

Super easy recipe for Fried Cheesecake Roll-Ups. Just serve on a serving platter with various dipping sauces. Perfect for get togethers.

Author: Cupcake from Brown Sugar

Recipe type: Dessert

Serves: 15-20

INGREDIENTS

• 24 oz. Cream Cheese
• ⅔ c. sugar
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3½ c. vegetable oil
• 1 stick butter, melted
  
• 15-20 small flour tortillas
• ½ c. sugar
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• SAUCE
• 1 lb. strawberries, diced
• ¼ c. sugar
• ⅛ c. vodka (berry flavored if you have it)
• ⅛ c. water
• ⅛ c. strawberry preserves
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INSTRUCTIONS

1. For the sauce: In a medium sauce pan, add the strawberries, sugar, vodka, water, and place on low to medium heat and allow to simmer for 10 minutes. Using a potato smasher, smash the strawberries while in the sauce pan. Add the strawberry preserves and allow to simmer for another 5-7 minutes or until sauce thickens. Remove from heat.
2. In a large bowl, cream the cream cheese, add the sugar, and vanilla extract. Take a flour tortilla and add about a spoonful and a half of the cream cheese mixture and spread in the middle of the tortilla. Begin to roll the tortilla away from you; half way through tuck in the sides; and roll to the end of the other side of the tortilla making a roll. Complete the process until all of the cream cheese mixture is gone.
3. In a large saute pan on medium heat (make sure it isn't too high) heat the vegetable oil. Add a couple of the cheesecake filled tortillas to the pan seam side up. Allow to fry for 1 minute on each side. Use a slotted spoon to remove from heat once golden brown on both side. Repeat until all tortillas are cooked.
4. Use a pastry brush and brush each tortilla with butter, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture, and allow to cool before serving. Use the strawberry sauce for dipping.

All Natural Ingredient Recipes:

I'm trying to eat healthy with no preservatives or artificial ingredients.  This recipe caught my eye as I was looking through old magazines.  I have made the corn casserole with Jiffy corn bread mix. Do you realize it is full of salt, sugar and artificial ingredients!  Bill tasted it as gave it a thumbs up.  

Last week I made this macaroni and cheese.  It was delicious.  

I admit I'm a better baker than a cook but I plan to practice cooking more often.  It is difficult to cook for just myself when Bill is away and Julianne is at college. (new idea...a cooking class for single people)  It could happen, stay tuned.

Proverbs 19:21

Many are the plans in a person's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails.

Dancing In The Mine Fields (Official Music Video)

Michael W. Smith - Surrounded (Fight My Battles)

Austin French - Freedom Hymn (Official Lyric Video)

Carrollton - Shelter (Lyric Video)

God's Angels of Protection
This morning I was reading my "Upper Room" and "Jesus Calling" devotionals.  The theme for today seem to be God is with us and will protect us.  Even though we don't see Him, He is here.  After reading the story from 2 Kings 6 about Elisha I was compelled to find our more about angels:

Judges 6:12  When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, “The LORD is with you, mighty warrior.” 

2 Kings 6:16 “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 

17 And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, LORD, so that he may see.” Then the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 

Psalm 91:11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;

Psalm 34:7 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. 

Daniel 6:22 My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, your Majesty.

Matthew 4:6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “ ‘He will command his angelsconcerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’

Matthew 13:49 This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous

Luke 4:10 For it is written: “ ‘He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully;

Hebrews 1:14 Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?

Hebrews 13:2 Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angelswithout knowing it.

Revelation 5:11 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders.

This made me look back at what has happened lately in my life and know that God's angels were protecting me and my family.  
-Starting with Bill's diagnosis of melanoma...God provided the correct doctors and nurses to take care of him.  God even sent him an angel in a dream to reassure him that "You'll be alright."
-And then Julianne's wreak on Interstate 79.  One of the busiest highways around!  She was driving too fast for the weather conditions and paying attention to what was going on beside her and not in front of her.  She could have hit the other car much harder, and crashed into the guardrail with enough force to send her over the guardrail and down the embankment.  But thanks to God and His angels, she was protected.

Father God, I'm so glad that You are  constantly present in our lives and Your protection is just a prayer away.  Help me trust in You always and for everything.  Amen.

A friend asked me to paint a set of wine glasses with a cardinal in a birch tree for her.  She says cardinals remind her of her mother who passed away. 
That got me thinking about why a cardinal would be associated with the death of a loved one.  So I did a little research:
    The cardinal's color, red is symbolic of vitality, importance, faith and power.
    The cardinal's sound is a symbol of cheer, clarity and elevation.  It's call sounds like the           words,"cheer, cheer." 
    Cardinal health means strength, readiness, and vitality.  They are known to be feisty and protective.
    Cardinal's  parenting skills are nurturing, and caring.  The male shares the duties of the family.
I hope she enjoys these glasses as she sets her table for the holiday and remembers her mother and all the good times they had together.

German Chocolate Cheesecake

This rich and creamy german chocolate cheesecake will bring any chocolate lover to their knees. I’ll show you how to make this decadent dessert with lots of step-by-step photos.

yield: 12-16 SERVINGS

Ingredients:

For crust:

• 8 full sheets (140gr) graham crackers
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1/3 cup (75gr) unsalted butter, melted

For cheesecake filling:

• 8oz (225gr) bittersweet chocolate
• 24oz (700gr) cream cheese, softened
• 14oz (400gr) sweetened condensed milk
• ½ cup (130gr) plain Greek yogurt
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature

For coconut-pecan topping:

• ½ cup (65gr) chopped pecans
• ¼ cup (30gr) sweetened coconut flakes
• 1 large egg yolk
• ¼ cup (50gr) brown sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoon (30gr) unsalted butter, softened
• ½ cup (120ml) heavy cream
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

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1. To make the crust, in a food processor, pulse the graham crackers until fine crumbs. Add sugar, cocoa powder and melted butter and pulse until combined. Press the mixture evenly onto the bottom and slightly up the sides of an ungreased 9-inch spring form pan. Refrigerate while preparing the filling.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
3. To make the filling, break the chocolate into small pieces and place in a medium heatproof bowl. Slowly melt the chocolate over simmering water, aka double boiler. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. If desired, reserve a small amount (about 3 tablespoons) of melted chocolate for drizzling.
4. In a large mixing bowl with paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese until fluffy on medium speed, about a minute. (Or you can also use electric hand mixer.) Add condensed milk and Greek yogurt, and continue to beat for about 2 minutes, or until smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl once. Stir in melted chocolate, vanilla extract and salt. Beat in the eggs one at a time and mix just until combined on low speed. (Don’t beat the mixture too long and too fast after you add the eggs. Otherwise too much air will incorporate to the batter, which might cause a crack in the cooked cheesecake.) Pour the batter into the prepared crust.
5. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the edges of the cheesecake is set, but the center is slightly wobbly. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of the pan to loosen; cool for another hour. Then refrigerate for at least an hour to cool completely.
6. To make the frosting, place the pecans and coconut flakes in a medium bowl and set aside.
7. In a medium saucepan, whisk together egg yolk, brown sugar and salt until combined. Stir in butter. Then whisk in heavy cream and vanilla extract and cook over medium high heat for 5-7 minutes, whisking occasionally. The mixture will be thickened, but still runny. Pour it over the pecans and coconut flakes and mix until well combined. The mixture will be slightly runny. Cool to room temperature, then place it in a fridge to cool completely, until ready to use. At this point, the frosting will be thick and spreadable. Spread the frosting evenly on the cooled cheesecake. If reserved, re-melt the reserved chocolate and drizzle over the cheesecake. Store in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days.