Cheesecake Saturday–Cappuccino Cheesecake

Well, my hopes and dreams for a new creation were dashed with a busy week and a missing ingredient.  My perfectionism creeps in demanding a particular cocoa powder that cannot be found at the commissary.

So I will instead feature a delicious Cappuccino Cheesecake that was fantastic. Again this recipe comes from the Junior's book.

It went very easily and does not require much more than an original New York from last week.

(Grated chocolate curls on top with some coffee beans)

The change that pushed this one over the top, too rich to finish, OH MY! delicious was the crust.  I thought and fretted asking for input for that special thing.  A friend came to my rescue and after a trip to the store I found something to work.

I used these cookies, ground up, add melted butter, and 2 tablespoons of Amaretto.  10 minutes in the oven and an amazing crust appeared.

I attempted this one a second time but the cookies could not be found.  I did find a very delicious almond thin gourmet cookie and did not add amaretto (none to be found at home in TX).  It was delicious but not WOW which is what I usually aim for when baking.

(Please forgive my picture taking ability.  I am working on it.)

Now to the store for that cocoa.  It must be made!

FOTO FRIDAY–Scenes from an airplane

 

This is what 3 boys excited to see their cousins and grandparents after 18 months looks like at 6 am.

On every airplane they read the emergency procedures THOROUGHLY.  I think it was the dramatic pictures.

USO in DFW Airport.  Free food and no fear of kids running off, at least not too far.  Leather Chairs and the freedom to change the channel to Disney or Nick Jr., so amazing.

Second plane.

After a week of cousins, 2 more plane rides without DH, at 10:30 pm they all 3 insisted I take a picture of them in front of this new Jeep by baggage claim.  BOYS!

I NEED A PARENT

 

Well, maybe not a parent but someone to act like one.  Someone to ask “Did you finish that? You know it was due today.  You know you will be in trouble and hate yourself later.”

Norman Rockwell’s “Mother Spanking Her Child”

This is the lazy answer to my life long struggle with self-control.  We were supposed to learn this as children and I apparently wasn’t listening.  What my mom required of me came easily.  I could make A’s without studying and keep up appearances without any work.  No one caught me putting in less than half the effort I could have been.  They were happy with my mediocre.

Now that life is real and no one is taking up the slack this giant hole of weakness is apparent to me everyday.  Now that I am a parent and see what it will do to my children if I let them give me only half of their potential what good will come?  If they see me giving half and giving up after a small effort what will they learn?

I pray earnestly they will learn much more than I did.  I pray they will struggle less with self-control, at least with the everyday things like cleaning up their room.  Maybe my hopes are too high but when did lowering expectations make anyone a better person?

Today is new day.....

says Chicken Little and so do I. I love Mondays. It is a do-over on last week. It holds potential that your week can be great, life-changing, or productive. On Monday my entire to-do list is possible and nothing has messed it up yet.

So far today we are behind on school because we were behind from last week and I got a cold. Now I am catching up with house chores and the monkeys are restless. For some reason manners and common courtesy got left on the airplane. It takes a lot of extra time and energy to hand out punishments.

But I think we are all caught up on colds, sleep, and laundry. So my to-do list is entirely possible and my hope for Monday continues.

What is your favorite day of the week?

Cheesecake Saturday!

Here at Apple Tree Hill we do 3 things (besides parenting, marriage, living an Army life,etc): organizing, quilts, and cheesecake.

Every Saturday I hope to post a recipe and pictures of the cheesecake I have made that week. My husband will be very pleased.

We will begin Cheesecake Saturday with the original New York Style Cheesecake, Junior Style. This is my favorite book lately. I have made 6 cheesecakes out of this book since I got it a year ago. They are famous in New York and beyond. I have never been to New York City or the state for that matter. I hear good things about Juniors and they do have great recipes.


This is their Original New York Cheesecake. Very creamy and delicious.



Now I have tried their sponge cake crust before and find it wanting. Perhaps I did not do it correctly, which is entirely possible. I am not perfect. But the graham cracker crust came across better to me and my husband prefers it. Afterall I started making cheesecakes for him so I guess he gets the final say. No one else is complaining.

Decisions, decisions

Okay, while I have many other things to do it is time for my weekly quilt "class". I really don't know why we still call it a class. We try to meet every week, but often reschedule, and just keep going. There is no end which is fabulous.

I adore my classmates and our teacher is a wealth of information. The problem is my ability to stay on task, to stay focused on one project and to stay OUT of the fabric store.

Well today I have approximately 2 hours before they arrive. I must make a decision before they get here so I can accomplish something in class today.

Here is my dilemma:
I am making 3 baby quilts (eventually) for 3 nieces. I just had the pleasure of visiting 2 of them.



The 3rd niece is one the way, due in May. Aren't they precious? They are so kissable too! Perfect and precious, which is what I get to say being the aunt who lives so far away. Nana says it too but she says that about all the grandkids.

Here are my choices. Each is easy to do and I have 1 fat quarter bundle of 40's fabric and 2 jelly rolls (see Moda Bakeshop for jelly roll explanation) to choose from. So easily I can make 3 small quilts (not crib more like 60x60) from all that. Yes, backing fabric and sashing will need to be purchased but when does it not?




These are all courtesy of Moda BakeShop Blog (www.modaebakeshop.com). They feature some fabulous quilters and crafters using Moda fabric. I love to look at it all.

So opinions? advice? Tell me I am crazy, why would I attempt 3 quilts when I have 5 ongoing projects? It is a sickness I think. The quilting disease that all quilters get. It is wonderful.

Tossed About

I just wrote about distractions (see previous blog entry) and how they are inevitable. How they should be welcomed because if we are to trust that God is in control then those distractions are not distractions but part of His plan. Right?

Whatever they are they still rush past me tossing me about. Whether they be little or gigantic I grow weary of the pushing and pulling.

After being tossed about a few months ago (I am sure it had something to do with DH being gone on training) I was reminded of these verses: Ephesians 4:14-16 "so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love."



This reality hit me that I was that child, tossed to and fro, drowning from the waves of the life I am living. I wanted to stop the waves never realizing that I just needed to find an anchor.

Every time a wave hit instead of turning to God in prayer I tried to work my way out of it. I still try but not as often and I don't get that far before I remember that I don't like the tossing and I am not a good swimmer.