Wishful Homesteader
• Monday, May 12, 2008 - Lord, prop us up
From my inbox...
Every time I am asked to pray,
I think of the old deacon who always prayed,
"Lord, prop us up on our leanin' side."
After hearing him pray that prayer many times,
someone asked him why he prayed that prayer so fervently.
He answered, "Well sir, you see, it's like this...I got an old barn out back.
It's been there a long time, it's withstood a lot of weather,
it's gone through a lot of storms, and it's stood for many years.
It's still standing. But one day I noticed it was leaning to one side a bit.
So I went and got some pine poles and propped it up on its leaning side
so it wouldn't fall.
Then I got to thinking about that and how much I was like that old barn.
I've been around a long time. I've withstood a lot of life's storms,
I've withstood a lot of bad weather in life, I've withstood a lot of hard times,
and I'm still standing too.
But I find myself leaning to one side from time to time,
so I like to ask the Lord to prop us up on our leaning side,
cause I figure a lot of us get to leaning, at times.
Sometime we get to leaning toward anger, leaning toward bitterness,
leaning toward hatred, leaning toward wrong language,
leaning toward a lot of things that we shouldn't.
So we need to pray,
'Lord, prop us up on our leaning side,
so we will stand straight and tall again, to glorify the Lord.' "
|
Comments (1) :: Permanent Link
|
• Thursday, May 8, 2008 - to my daughter
From my inbox...
THIS WILL HIT YOU WHERE IT HURTS!
*Just for this morning, I am going to step over
the laundry,
and pick you up and take you to the park to
play.
*Just for this morning, I will leave the dishes
in the sink,
and let you teach me how to put that puzzle of
yours toget her.
*Just for this afternoon, I will unplug the
telephone and
keep the computer off, and sit with you in the
backyard and
blow bubbles.
*Just for this afternoon, I will not yell once,
not even a
tiny grumble when you scream and whine for the
ice cream truck
and I will buy you one if he comes by.
*Just for this afternoon, I won't worry about
what you are
going to be when you grow up, or second guess
every decision
I have made where you are concerned.
*Just for this afternoon, I will let you help me
bake cookies,
and I won't stand over you trying to fix them.
*Just for this afternoon, I will take us to
McDonald's and buy
us both a Happy Meal so you can have both toys.
*Just for this evening, I will hold you in my
arms and tell you
a story about how you were born and how much I
love you.
*Just for this evening, I will let you splash in
the tub and
not get angry.
*Just for this evening, I will let you stay up
late while we sit
on the porch and count all the stars.
*Just for this evening, I will snuggle beside
you for hours,
and miss my favorite TV shows.
*Just for this evening when I run my finger
through your hair
as you pray, I will simply be grateful that God
has given me the
greatest gift ever given.
*I will think about the mothers And fathers who
are searching
for their missing children, the mothers and
fathers who are
visiting their children's graves instead of
their bedrooms, and
mothers and fathers who are in hospital rooms
watching
their children suffer senselessly, and screaming
inside that
they can't handle it anymore.
*And when I kiss you good night I will hold you
a little tighter,
a ittle longer. It is then, that I will thank
God for you, and
ask Him for nothing, except one more
day.............
|
Comments (2) :: Permanent Link
|
• Thursday, May 8, 2008 - moms
From my inbox...
This is for the mothers who have sat up all night with sick toddlers in their arms, wiping up puke laced with Oscar Mayer wieners and cherry Kool-Aid saying, 'It's okay honey, Mommy's here'.
Who have sat in rocking chairs for hours on end soothing crying babies who can't be comforted. This is for all the mothers who show up at work with spit-up in their hair and milk stains on their blouses and diapers in their purse.
For all the mothers who run carpools and make cookies and sew Halloween costumes. And all the mothers who DON'T.
This is for the mothers who gave birth to babies they'll never see. And the mothers who took those babies and gave them homes.
This is for the mothers whose priceless art collections are hanging on their refrigerator doors.
And for all the mothers who froze their buns on metal bleachers at football , hockey or soccer games instead of watching from the warmth of their cars, so that when their kids asked, 'Did you see me, Mom?' they could say, 'Of course, I wouldn't have missed it for the world,' and mean it.
This is for all the mothers who yell at their kids in the grocery store and swat them in despair when they stomp their feet and scream for ice cream before dinner. And for all the mothers who count to ten instead, but realize how child abuse happens.
This is for all the mothers who sat down with their children and explained all about making babies. And for all the (grand) mothers who wanted to, but just couldn't find the words.
This is for all the mothers who go hungry, so their children can eat.
For all the mothers who read 'Goodnight, Moon' twice a night for a year. And then read it again. 'Just one more time.'
This is for all the mothers who taught their children to tie their shoelaces before they started school. And for all the mothers who opted for Velcro instead.
This is for all the mothers who teach their sons to cook and their daughters to sink a jump shot.
This is for every mother whose head turns automatically when a little voice calls 'Mom?' in a crowd, even though they know their own offspring are at home -- or even away at college.
This is for all the mothers who sent their kids to school with stomach aches, assuring them they'd be just FINE once they got there, only to get calls from the school nurse an hour later asking them to please pick them up. Right away.
This is for mothers whose children have gone astray, who can't find the words to reach them.
For all the mothers who bite their lips until they bleed when their 14 year olds dye their hair green.
For all the mothers of the victims of recent school shootings, and the mothers of those who did the shooting.
For the mothers of the survivors, and the mothers who sat in front of their TVs in horror, hugging their child who just came home from school, safely.
This is for all the mothers who taught their children to be peaceful, and now pray they come home safely from a war.
What makes a good Mother anyway?
Is it patience? Compassion? Broad hips? The ability to nurse a baby, cook dinner, and sew a button on a shirt, all at the same time?
Or is it in her heart? Is it the ache you feel when you watch your son or daughter disappear down the street, walking to school alone for the very first time?
The jolt that takes you from sleep to dread, from bed to crib at 2 A.M. to put your hand on the back of a sleeping baby?
The panic, years later, that comes again at 2 A.M. when you just want to hear their key in the door and know they are safe again in your home?
Or the need to flee from wherever you are and hug your child when you hear news of a fire, a car accident, a child dying?
The emotions of motherhood are universal and so our thoughts are for young mothers stumbling through diaper changes and sleep deprivation...
And mature mothers learning to let go.
For working mothers and stay-at-home mothers.
Single mothers and married mothers.
Mothers with money, mothers without.
This is for you all. For all of us.
Hang in there. In the end we can only do the best we can. Tell them every day that we love them. And pray. |
Comments (0) :: Permanent Link
|
• Thursday, May 8, 2008 - reduce your food budget
From my inbox...
Reduce your Food Budget
by Monica Resinger
13 easy ways to cut your food budget down to size
When trying to cut expenses, food is a great place to start
because there are so many opportunities to save. One way to
watch your savings pile up and be able to use it for a goal,
such as a vacation, down payment on a home or paying off debt,
is to put the cash you saved from any purchase into an
envelope or a jar until you get enough to make a bank savings
deposit. Make a strict rule to not use the money for anything
else but your goal. Here are thirteen easy ways to reduce your
food budget that will help you achieve this:
1. If you don't want to stop going out to eat, check your
local newspaper, the back of grocery receipts and junk mail
flyers for restaurant coupons. A lot of restaurants offer "buy
1 meal get 1 free" on certain days of the week. If you want to
cut back even more, cut back on the number of times you go out
in a month or week.
2. Shop grocery outlets. Every major city has them. Ours is
called The Canned Food Warehouse. Not every item in the store
is a deal; you have to know normal food prices to compare, but
when you do find a deal, it is usually a great one. You will
find enough of these deals to make your trip worth it.
3. Be sure to comparison shop. Look at the sale tag on the
item's shelf and see how much per pound, ounce or whatever the
item is sold as. Compare that to the other products to
determine which is the best deal.
4. Always check the weekly grocery ads for the good sales. If
there is a really good deal on something, be sure to buy it in
multiples. This will save you from paying full price later.
5. Use coupons for food products. I have found the best way to
use them is combined with a sale. Most of the time, if you use
a coupon without combining it with a sale, you will still be
paying more than other brands, so be sure to watch for this.
6. Always use your leftovers. This saves a tremendous amount
of money and time by extending your shopping trips. If you
need ideas for using leftovers, check out "The Leftover Recipe
E-book" that includes over 100 ideas and recipes for leftovers
at http://homemakersjournal.com/leftovers.htm
7. Grow as much produce as you can to eat fresh and/or
preserve for later. To save as much money as possible, start
plants from seed. This can really add up quick and you will
know how your food was grown rather than wondering what
chemicals may have been applied to the plants of the produce
you purchase. If you purchase organic produce to relieve this
worry, it can be quite expensive.
8. Stop buying junk food, sodas and prepared food. These are
not only expensive, but unhealthy. Therefore, they are a waste
of your hard-earned dollars.
9. Always shop with a grocery list and stick to it so you
don't buy unnecessary or expensive items.
10. Never shop hungry! Have you ever gone grocery shopping
hungry? I have and I wanted to buy everything in sight because
everything looked delicious! I didn't buy everything in sight,
but I did increase our grocery bill that day. Also, because I
was hungry, I didn't feel like shopping or making decisions so
this added to the problem.
11. It is good training for kids, if they are old enough, to
comparison shop; I usually ask mine to go get the cheapest
ketchup or whatever is nearby so I can still see them, so they
get hands-on experience. You'll need to supervise this in the
beginning, then later you'll be able to trust they are making
the right decisions. Kids have a tendency to ask for things in
the store; the best way to handle this is to let them get
something within a set price limit and keep this limit each
time you go shopping. If your kids are younger, you may want
to consider leaving them at home with a friend or relative;
younger kids can tire and get difficult in the store spoiling
your frugal efforts.
12. Shop at the store's off-peak hours when you will be less
rushed and can make better decisions.
13. For many, many more ways to save money, check out The
Frugal Living E-book Package that includes the following 7 e-
books:
~ The Big E-book of Frugal Tips
~ Fantastic Frugal Grocery Tips
~ Homemade Household Cleaners
~ Journal Jar (Wonderful Homemade Gift Idea)
~ Frugal Creative Christmas Ideas!
~ Turn your Recyclables Into Crafts!
~ The Leftover Recipe E-BookClick here for information:
http://homemakersjournal.com/ebooklets.htm
Apply these tips to your life and I guarantee you'll see
results!
|
Comments (2) :: Permanent Link
|
• Thursday, May 8, 2008 - when cleaning equals energy saving
From my inbox...
When Cleaning Equals Energy Saving
by Tamara Wilhite
Have a clean, more energy efficient home
There are times when cleaning can equal energy savings.
1. Clean your refrigerator coils. Less dust and grime on them
means improved function of the coils; hence, better energy
efficiency and less electricity required to run.
2. Clean your air filters frequently. If they cannot be easily
rinsed, replace them. This reduces the amount of energy the
air filter motor needs to run. The added bonus is that cleaner
filters will clean your air much more efficiently, reducing
allergen levels more quickly.
3. Clean out the air ducts of your clothes dryer. The build up
of lint and debris in the exhaust air duct reduces the
outgoing airflow, much like a clogged up drain. The clothes
dryer has to work harder and longer to dry the same volume of
clothing, using up more power as it does so. Cleaning out the
air duct for the dryer improves its efficiency. This also
eliminates the fire hazard that the combustible debris in the
air duct poses.
4. Clean your windows from time to time. More natural light
means less artificial light needed.
5. Your showerhead, once unclogged by grime, can reduce your
water usage by giving a full shower blast. And shorter showers
mean less hot water used.
__________________
Author of "Humanity's Edge" and "Sirat: Through the Fires of
Hell," available on Amazon.com
Take the Next Step:
- Take on one or more of these tasks. You'll have a cleaner
home, be helping the environment, and saving yourself some
cash all at the same time.
|
Comments (1) :: Permanent Link
|
• Thursday, April 17, 2008 - up for jumping jacks?
From Cindy's Porch...
OK, everyone who has ever felt (or is currently feeling) frustrated
about your own financial situation, please stand up and do 15 jumping
jacks! (Jumping jacks are much better than beating yourself up LOL)
Puff puff puff – whew, I am out of breath! You are not alone.
Now, roll up your sleeves, there is work to be done! We're looking
for Financial Balance.
At Cindy's Porch, we believe that the money that comes in every month
has to take care of three "livings":
1) Living in the Past – this is our debts. BLECH! It is the
credit card debts, the buy now pay (much more) later plans, the $20
your borrowed from your friend, the extras you took out on your home
equity, etc. I don't consider your mortgage payment to be part of
living in the past – although, I like to pay this guy down as fast
as possible too – I simply don't like to be in debt. The more debt
you have, the more your monthly pay check goes towards living in the
past. Double Blech!
2) Living in the Present – the things we do and enjoy everyday.
This is a gift.
3) Living for the Future – this is our savings, our investments,
our Cash Christmas, our holiday funds, our educations funds, etc.
Unfortunately, a lot of our cash that could be used for living in the
future is too busy paying off our "living in the past" debts.
We're looking for financial balance.
If Living in the Past is taking up too much of your money to allow
you to enjoy living in the present (and save for Living in the
Future) then you are out of financial balance. And I am going to warn
you all right now – it is a SLOW process to turn that around. Debt is
really quick and easy to obtain. It is slow and difficult to get rid
of.
There is however, good news and more good news.
First good news: Your "BUYing lifestyle" is temporarily on hold.
Whoa, don't hang up the phone yet. This IS good news. You just don't
realize it yet. It is amazing how exciting "Living in the Present"
can be when the need to BUY is taken out of the equation. "Fun" is
not something that has to cost money.
Second good news: Your "DOing lifestyle" is getting kicked into high
gear! And if you have kids, they are going to LOVE this. The "there's
nothing to do" whine is going to change into "what are we going to DO
today?"
You are going to have to be stubborn about this. Put away ALL the
credit cards that are keeping you living in the past. File them
under "S" for "stubborn." Clean out your wallet – get it ready for
living in the present.
If your debit card(s) are also keeping you living in the past, then
put them away too. In our home, even our check book is filed away in
our office. We only drag it out when we are paying the monthly
utility bills. The only "buying" power that you will keep in your
wallet is the CASH you have CHOOSEN to spend that day (or week).
You get to choose. Remember, "stubborn."
Right now, a lot of your money is going towards "Living in the Past."
There isn't anything you can do about this EXCEPT keep chunking away
at this. EVERY extra dollar you can find each month goes into paying
ABOVE the minimum payment. When a card is paid off, celebrate! Then
use its old minimum payment as an extra chunk more on the next card
targeted to get paid off. SLOW and STEADY. (It took my husband and I
two years to chunk away at our credit cards – they are finally at
zero again).
We're looking for financial balance.
Now for the "Living in the Present" part. Yup, because of the debt,
there is less money for living in the present. But that is temporary.
For the next while you are watching what is spent on:
1) Food
2) Transportation
3) Utilities
4) Entertainment
5) Insurance
6) And anything you spend money on.
Everything is fair game. Can you save an extra $20 here and perhaps a
$30 there. These extra savings add up faster than you can earn them
Use these mini-bonuses to keep chunking away at the debt.
And now for the important part!
-----------------------------------------
HAVE FUN DOING THIS!
I know, it sounds corny to tell people to have fun while they are
suffering with debt. But why waste "Living in the Present"? Will
Rogers has a fantastic quote:
"Don't let yesterday use up too much of today."
Worrying about your debt accomplishes nothing. DOing something about
it does. You are going to be spending the next few YEARS getting out
of debt. You may as well enjoy living while doing this.
Spend a few minutes on your financial plan. How much debt is still
left (keep track of this month after month)? How much CASH are you
going to spend today (aim for none as much as possible)? What is ONE
thing you can do today to keep a few more dollars in your pocketbook?
Tackle ONE thing per day – magazine subscriptions, cell phone, cable,
meal planning, transportation fees, utilities, etc.
Now spend a few minutes on your "fun-ancial" plan. What are your
going to DO today that won't cost a dime? What can you DO instead of
BUY today? What is one thing you have been planning on doing that
hasn't been done in a long time?
Today is a gift. Yes, you are in a bit of an unbalanced financial
situation right now. But with a plan you will slowly see your
finances shift so more will be available for the present and more
will be available for the future.
|
Comments (1) :: Permanent Link
|
• Saturday, April 12, 2008 - 5 lessons
From my inbox...
Five (5) lessons to make you think about the way we treat people.
1 - First Important Lesson - Cleaning Lady.
During my second month of college, our professor
gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student
and had breezed through the questions until I read
the last one:
'What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?'
Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the
cleaning woman several times. She was tall,
dark-haired and in her 50s, but how would I know her name?
I handed in my paper, leaving the last question
blank. Just before class ended, one student asked if
the last question would count toward our quiz grade.
'Absolutely,' said the professor. 'In your careers,
you will meet many people. All are significant. They
deserve your attention and care, even if all you do
is smile and say 'hello.'
I've never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her
name was Dorothy.
2. - Second Important Lesson - Pickup in the Rain
One night, at 11:3 0 p.m., an older African American
woman was standing on the side of an Alabama highway
trying to endure a lashing rainstorm. Her car had
broken down and she desperately needed a ride.
Soaking wet, she decided to flag down the next car.
A young white man stopped to help her, generally
unheard of in those conflict-filled 60s.. The man
took her to safety, helped her get assistance and
put her into a taxicab.
She seemed to be in a big hurry, but wrote down his
address and thanked him. Seven days went by and a
knock came on the man's door. To his surprise, a
giant console color TV was delivered to his home. A
special note was attached..
It read:
'Thank you so much for assisting me on the highway
the other night. The rain drenched not only my
clothes, but also my spirits. Then you came along.
Because of you, I was able to make it to my dying
husband's bedside just before he passed away... God
bless you for helping me and unselfishly serving
others.'
Sincerely, Mrs. Nat King Cole.
3 - Third Important Lesson - Always remember those who serve.
In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less,
a 10-year-old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and
sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him.
'How much is an ice cream sundae?' he asked.
'Fifty cents,' replied the waitress.
The little boy pulled is hand out of his pocket and
studied the coins in it.
'Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?' he inquired.
By now more people were waiting for a table and the
waitress was growing impatient.
'Thirty-five cents,' she brusquely replied.
The little boy again counted his coins.
'I'll have the plain ice cream,' he said.
The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on
the table and walked away. The boy finished the ice
cream, paid the cashier and left. When the waitress
came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the
table. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish,
were two nickels and five pennies..
You see, he couldn't have the sundae, because he had
to have enough left to leave her a tip.
4 - Fourth Important Lesson. - The obstacle in Our Path.
In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a
roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if
anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the
king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by
and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the
King for not keeping the roads clear, but none did
anything about getting the stone out of the way.
Then a peasant came along carrying a load of
vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the
peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the
stone to the side of the road. After much pushing
and straining, he finally succeeded. After the
peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed
a purse lying in the road where the boulder had
been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note
from the King indicating that the gold was for the
person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The
peasant learned what many of us never understand!
Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition.
5 - Fifth Important Lesson - Giving When it Counts...
Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a
hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who
was suffering from a rare & serious disease. Her only
chance of recovery appeared to be a blood
transfusion from her 5-year old brother, who had
miraculously survived the same disease and had
developed the antibodies needed to combat the
illness.. The doctor explained the situation to her
little brother, and asked the little boy if he would
be willing to give his blood to his sister.
I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a
deep breath and saying, 'Yes I'll do it if it will
save her.' As the transfusion progressed, he lay in
bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did,
seeing the color returning to her cheek. Then his
face grew pale and his smile faded.
He looked up at the doctor and asked with a
trembling voice, 'Will I start to die right away'.
Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the
doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his
sister all of his blood in order to save her but he had chosen to save her anyway.
'Work like you don't need the money, love like you've never been hurt, and dance like you do when nobody's watching.'
|
Comments (2) :: Permanent Link
|
• Saturday, April 12, 2008 - butterscotch lace cookies
|
From my inbox...
2 1/4 cups (560 ml) rolled oats
1 1/2 cups (375 ml) packed brown sugar
1 cup (250 ml) butter, melted
3 Tbs (45 ml) all-purpose flour
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
1/2 tsp (2 ml) sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
Combine the oats, brown sugar, and butter in a bowl and let stand at
room temperature overnight. Mix in the remaining ingredients and drop
level teaspoonfuls (5 ml) at least 2 inches (5 cm) apart on a heavily
greased baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 375 degree (190C) oven for 5 to 7
minutes, until brown around the edges. Cool slightly on the baking sheet
before removing to a wire rack. Makes about 6 dozen cookies.
|
Comments (1) :: Permanent Link
|
• Tuesday, April 8, 2008 - potatoes that taste better than the chicken
Martha Stewart had a French chef on her show a few weeks ago, and he made this recipe. I printed it out off of her website, and it was supper tonight. Everyone loved it!! I did use dried herbs instead of the fresh, but it still turned out!
Potatoes That Taste Better Than the Chicken
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 tablespoons grapeseed oil
2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 whole (2 1/2 to 3-pound chicken, wings removed
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 chicken liver
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 head garlic, halved crosswise
Fleur de sel, for serving
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Butter a medium roasting pan with 3 tablespoons butter and 3 tablespoons oil. Place potatoes in a single layer in roasting pan. Season chicken inside and out with salt and pepper. Place liver, rosemary, thyme and garlic inside cavity of chicken; using kitchen twine, tie legs together to enclose. Rub chicken with remaining 3 tablespoons each of butter and oil. Place chicken on top of potatoes on one of its sides.
Transfer roasting pan to oven and roast for 20 minutes. Turn chicken onto its other side and continue roasting 20 minutes more. Turn chicken, breast side up, and add 2 tablespoons water to pan; continue roasting until juices run clear and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, 10-20 minutes more.
Carve chicken in roasting pan allowing the juices to combine with the potatoes. Serve from the roasting pan, spooning pan juices over potatoes. Sprinkle with fleur de sel. |
Comments (1) :: Permanent Link
|
• Saturday, April 5, 2008 - I will not be discouraged!
From my inbox...
I will not be discouraged!
by B. J. George
I refuse to be discouraged,
To be sad, or to cry;
I refuse to be downhearted,
and here's the reason why:
I have a God who's mighty,
Who's sovereign and supreme;
I have a God who loves me,
and I am on His team.
He is all-wise and powerful.
Jesus is His name;
Though everything is changeable,
My God remains the same.
My God knows all that's happening;
Beginning to the end;
His presence is my comfort;
He is my dearest Friend.
When sickness comes to weaken me,
To bring my head down low,
I call upon my mighty God;
Into His arms I go.
When circumstances threaten
to rob me of my peace;
He draws me close unto His breast,
Where all my strivings cease.
When my heart melts within me,
and weakness takes control;
He gathers me into His arms,
He soothes my heart and soul.
The great "I AM" is with me.
My life is in His hand;
The "Son of the Lord" is my hope,
It's in His strength I stand.
I refuse to be defeated,
My eyes are on my God;
He has promised to be with me,
as through this life I trod.
I'm looking past all my circumstances,
To Heaven's throne above;
My prayers have reached the heart of God
I'm resting in His love.
I give God thanks in everything.
My eyes are on His face;
The battle's His, the victory mine;
He'll help me win the race.
|
Comments (3) :: Permanent Link
|
• Saturday, April 5, 2008 - lemon bread
from my inbox...
Lemon Bread
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup shortening
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 beaten eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
finely grated lemon rind of 1 lemon
1/4 cup sugar
juice of 1 lemon
Combine sugar, shortening, eggs milk and lemon rind. Add dry
ingredients to first mixture. Pour into greased 9 x 5 loaf pan and
bake at 325F for approximately 1 hour. While the loaf is baking,
combine 1/4 cup sugar with lemon juice. Stir until sugar is
dissolved. When loaf is baked, allow to stay in pan for a few
minutes. Turn it out on a plate. Poke holes in loaf and pour sugar
and lemon juice over loaf and leave to cool. |
Comments (0) :: Permanent Link
|
• Saturday, April 5, 2008 - celebrate ENOUGH
From Cindy's Porch...
I have a "fat" screen TV and it's awesome and it is enough!
What a hodge podge of financial headlines this past week! Everything
from a recession just around the corner, to declining stock markets,
to rebounding stock markets, to housing boom up, down, to confidence
in the economy is low, is high, etc.
YIKES!
There are three very powerful gifts you can give yourself and your
family right now.
NUMBER ONE: Celebrate "Enough"
----------------------
Advertisers, marketers, and retailers are doing their very best to
convince you to BUY – and BUY more now! And if you don't have the
cash, they are very "interested" in your credit. And at 19 or 23%,
they want to maintain your "interest" for as long as possible.
As well, these same retailers know that many of you are receiving
rebates, refunds, and other cash bonuses at this time of year. And
they want that money coming their way!
I was watching a new ad for a popular laundry detergent. "It's even
better!!!" "Two times more powerful!!" "Even whiter!!" "Even
Cleaner!!" Hmmmmm – makes me wonder what was wrong with the "older"
versions I have been using up to now LOL.
The point is, nothing. Our clothes are clean and white enough.
The "New and Improved" is just an advertising ploy.
Leave the advertising ploys in the store.
Celebrate Enough!
How many flyers have you been receiving lately? One would think
Christmas is just around the corner when you see all the
advertisements that have been showing up on our front porch this past
week. BUY this, BUY that. Spring is here – REDO your entire home. BUY
more. BUY it now. It's on SALE now!! They know that this is tax
refund season!
Blech! Grab all those paper flyers and stash them into the recycle
bin. Remember, there is always another sale.
Celebrate Enough!
When you look around your home what are you thinking?
"I want to BUY..." or "I have enough." Think about it. Do you want
more? Or Do you have enough?
Those two very different thoughts are going to make a HUGE difference
in your finances – particularly over the next year as the economy
unsettles and resettles, and does whatever it is going to do.
If your thinking is "I want to BUY..." then look out pocketbook. Your
cash (or worse – your credit) is a magnet for every "new and
improved," "new for spring," and "you deserve it" shopping
opportunity out there. Advertisements are designed to make you feel
unsatisfied with what you have already bought – so you will BUY more.
Retailers love unhappy shoppers who think that BUYing will make them
happy. Retailers know that the "happy" is temporary and those
shoppers will be back soon – with their credit cards.
Celebrate enough.
If your thinking is "I have enough" - then look out world! You are
ready to DO! When you are satisfied and happy with the things you
already own, the things you have already paid for, the things you
have already chosen, then you open the doors to huge opportunities to
use those things, to enjoy those things, and to share those things.
(how's that for a run-on sentence LOL).
Celebrate enough.
I love going through my closet to rediscover my spring wardrobe. I
have many wonderful clothes that I have purchased over the years that
make me smile. I have enough – and I plan on wearing these clothes
and enjoying them (some of them need to be ironed first – I don't
like doing that LOL).
I love slipping on my walking shoes, my snowshoes, or my hiking boots
and heading out into the great outdoors. Add a picnic made from food
we already had in the home, my stainless steel water bottle (which is
much better for you than using store-bought non-refillable water
bottles), and my digital camera and I am set for an adventure in
DOing that has taken me from the tops of mountains (short mountains –
hee hee) to the valley floor. I never know what I will see.
I love curling up in my favorite spot on the couch in my living room
with a good book from the library. If my special guy happens to bring
me a cup of tea – I am in reading heaven! In my living room, we have
a piano that we inherited from our first home (the original owners
left it behind), an antique radio from my husband's grandmother, a
wool rug from my grandmother, my sofa and a chair, plus a couple of
plants, a couple lamps, and a few decorating touches. On the walls
are two pictures given to me when I "retired" from my workplace to
stay home with our kids. I treasure these two special gifts every
time I look at them. As well, my piggy bank is curled up on the floor
next to the sofa. There isn't really much in this room, but I love
it. It makes me smile. There is enough.
And that's just me. In our home – the kids and my husband all have
their own "enoughs." Over the years, we've created a place that isn't
built upon BUYing more, but is happy with enough – because we would
rather DO than BUY!.
Take a look at your home. Do you have enough?
When those rebates, refunds, and other cash bonus come into your
homes over the next few weeks, what are you going to DO with this
cash?
Do the stores get it or DO you?
Celebrate enough! |
Comments (0) :: Permanent Link
|
• Saturday, April 5, 2008 - banana pancakes
from my inbox...
Serves: 2
Prep. time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: cook until crisp
- 4 very ripe bananas
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil, additional if needed
Mash bananas in a food processor. Add eggs, lime juice, sugar, and
vanilla. Blend until smooth. Add flour, mixing well. Add water if
necessary to make batter into a very thin consistency. Heat oil in a
heavy skillet. Drop one tablespoon batter into oil. Turn once or twice
until lightly browned all over. The pancakes should be crisp, similar to
a fritter. Serve with butter and hot maple syrup.
|
Comments (0) :: Permanent Link
|
• Saturday, April 5, 2008 - leaving the credit cards at home
From Cindy's porch...
Leaving the Credit Card(s) at Home.
During the month of April, we have been trying to see "How Low Can We
Go?" The objective is to spend as little money as possible. We've put
our credits cards on holiday and we are blowing the dust off our
savings account….
Huh? You haven't put your credit cards on holidays? They're still in
your wallet? And you can't remember the last time you made a deposit
into your savings account? Hmmmmmm…. No problem.
Let's deal with the credit cards. They are one of the most ingenious
tools ever created for BUYing stuff and more stuff (and they come in
all colors, but I haven't found pink yet). You can BUY things for the
home, for the kids, the pets and for yourself. When you get hungry,
you can BUY lunch at the local restaurant, and then when you are worn
out from all that BUYing, you can use the same credit card and hop
into an exotic spa and order yourself a massage and fancy toenail
painting session.
You can do all this and NEVER see a dime!
But gosh, it is going to cost you much, much more than a dime!
It's scary how dependent we have become on those little pieces of
plastic. We "need" them to establish a credit rating. At colleges and
universities, signing up "new blood" is big business. Both the campus
bookstore and the campus pub accept credit cards. Then, when we get
married, the credit card pays for the dress, the tux, the reception,
the gifts, the decorations, and whatever else the bridal magazines
said were "must-haves" for the perfect wedding. I just read today,
that the average wedding costs $36,000. When we have children, those
credit cards BUY our nurseries, the kid diapers, the kid food, the
kid clothes, the kid toys, and then more diapers and more food. The
diapers eventually disappear, but the food requirements just keep on
going up up up! I don't think we can BUY a home with a credit card
(yet), but we can certainly BUY everything we need for the home using
a credit card. Then there is all the fun stuff in life; entertaining,
going out for supper, vacations, new clothes, new shoes, the new pet
and all its must-haves, the new car, the new plasma flat screen TV
(we are definitely procrastinating on that thing LOL), and everything
we BUY for everyone else that gets wrapped up in paper, tissues, and
a bow and paid for by – you guessed it – the handy credit card. Whew!
And if one credit card isn't enough to do a ton of damage, we are
offered two, three, four, and sometimes even five new credits cards a
WEEK. Yick! No, thank-you.
The credit card companies make everything seem cheap and easy with
the concepts of low introductory interest rates and the ever-
popular "minimum payment." As further enticement, they even offer
you "cash back", points, and rebates when you use the card. I wonder
if more people know how many "points" they accumulated versus how
much savings they have accumulated.
It is time to leave the credit card(s) at home. Consider it a trial
run for the rest of April and the month of May.
YIKES! I would rather leave my husband at home (just kidding). But we
have become so accustomed to the "convenience" of having a credit
card, that we just can't imagine not having it with us at all times.
What are some of the risks we take when we leave the card at home?
1) I might run out of gas.
2) I might need to pick up supper on the way home.
3) There might be an emergency.
4) I might not have enough cash in our wallets to pay for it.
5) I might spot a great sale (now we are getting someplace LOL).
What are some of the good things that begin to happen when you leave
the card at home?
1) We check the gas gauge before we leave the home. If it looks
like it will need a fill, we either grab an extra $30.00 or we leave
the car at home and choose to walk or take the bike.
2) We plan our suppers before we leave home. We SHOP at home
FIRST to use up the foods we have already paid for. Some of us even
dig out that old Crock-pot and we set up supper in the morning so it
is ready for us when we get home in the evening. Fast food from a
slow pot LOL!
3) We carry a few extra dollars in case of an emergency (that's
the "Ten-Ten Rule" – more about that next week).
4) We get really good at approximating what the total will be at
the checkout (very important at the grocery store). We average up the
price on each item so that we know there will be enough cash in our
wallets to pay for the bill. And, if the total does come in higher
than we can pay cash for, we take a look at the long line waiting
behind us and say, "I will probably never see these people again."
Then we pull a couple items from what we purchased and we get them
deducted from the total. No big deal. No embarrassment. This has
happened to me several times and it doesn't bother one little bit!
When we walk out of that store, we will OWN everything that is in our
cart.
When the others that were behind us walk out of that store, there is
a good chance that they will still be paying (much more) for their
items long after they finished eating them or enjoying them!
5) As for that great sale? We look long and hard whether or not
the item is worth spending cash for. If it is not worth spending cash
for, it is certainly not worth going into debt for. It is amazing how
many fewer IMPULSE (I Must Purchase Use-Less Stuff Everyday) buys you
make when it costs real money and not plastic money. The exception to
this is shopping at garage sales. LOL.
So how are we going to leave these credit cards at home? I have heard
everything from freezing the cards into a huge block of ice to
cutting them up and scattering the pieces. Both of them seem too
complicated to me. The only credit cards I cut up are the ones that
are completely paid off and have been cancelled. These are typically
the department store or specialized store credit cards. They usually
came with an original offer to save 10% when you signed up. Now they
are simply temptation in your wallet. Get them out of your wallet.
Put them on vacation.
I can't imagine what it takes to chop a credit card out of a hunk of
ice. LOL. I can picture me missing the ice and hitting the credit
card (or worse yet, my thumb). I can picture my husband leaving the
block out on the countertop – for a few hours.
Me, I keep it simple. I put the credit card on holidays. I simply put
it into my desk drawer. Every once in awhile I take a peak at it to
ensure it is still enjoying itself. If you have more than one credit
card, put them all in. They can have a party!
Leaving the credit card in your desk does not hurt your credit
rating. It simply forces you to rediscover your money. It does not
stop you from BUYing the things that you want and need, but I assure
you, it will make you think twice about deciding whether that thing
in your shopping cart is really something you want or need.
Leaving your credit card at home is the difference between OWNING
what you buy and OWING on what you buy. One simple letter – the
letter "N" for "No, thank-you."
Put those cards on holiday. Mine are busy sun-tanning between the
paper clips and the hole-punch!
Take care of you,
Cindy
PS: I know some of you use your credit card for your purchases and
then you pay off the entire amount each month. You like the
convenience of seeing what you bought itemized on the credit card
bill. This is what we do. And this is good! However, try putting your
credit cards on vacation and switching to cash for a month or so
(just as a trial). You are still going to be amazed at how much more
thought you put into BUYing stuff when you use paper money and coins.
My favorite example is going to the movies. When we take our family
to the movies and I insert the credit card into the automatic ticket
dispenser, I only flinch a little when I see the total ($42.75) flash
by on the screen. And then, when we load up on popcorn, pop, tacos
with cheese sauce (my husband's favorite) and a chocolate bar (for
me), I kind of only hold my breath for a couple seconds as I sign the
credit card bill ($28.50). But gosh, if someone tells me that I have
to spend $71.25 in cash to see a movie, you can bet your britches
that I will be waiting until the movie comes out in DVD and I will be
digging out the air popper from the bottom kitchen cabinet! (It's
been a long time since we have gone to a big-screen movie LOL.)
Leave the credit cards at home – it doesn't cost a dime!
|
Comments (1) :: Permanent Link
|
• Sunday, March 30, 2008 - 5 cups of anything cookies
From my inbox...
1 cup margarine
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 tsp. Baking Soda
½ tsp. Baking Powder.
Add 5 cups of anything!
Cream margarine, brown sugar and white sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and
vanilla. Slowly add 1 cup flour, baking soda and baking powder, mix thoroughly. Add
remaining cup flour and 5 cups of whatever is available to go in the cookies. Drop on
cooking spray sprayed cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Suggestions for 5
cups follows:
Oatmeal
Peanut butter
Dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, diced apricots or peaches, etc.)
Leftover Christmas fruit
Jam
Chocolate, butterscotch or vanilla chips
Nuts
Cornflakes
Rice Crispies
Bran Flakes
Finely grated carrots
Finely grated apples or pears
Or anything else you have on hand that might go into cookies.
|
Comments (1) :: Permanent Link
|
• Saturday, March 29, 2008 - snickerdoodles
From my inbox...
Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
4 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a mixing bowl, beat the butter on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add the 1 cup sugar, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in the egg and vanilla until well blended. Beat in as much flour as you can with the mixer, and stir in remaining flour. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.
Combine the 4 tablespoons sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Shape the dough into 1 inch balls and roll in cinnamon sugar mixture to coat. Place balls of dough 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 11 minutes or until edges are beautifully golden. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool.
|
Comments (1) :: Permanent Link
|
• Saturday, March 29, 2008 - save bread
From my inbox...
Save Bread
by Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
Never toss another crust again
Man may not live by bread alone, but with these tips, you may
never toss another crust again!
- Save slices in the freezer until you get enough for making
stuffing. It's great with chicken, pork and turkey.
- Crumb slices with a food processor, along with paprika,
parmesan cheese, minced onion, salt and pepper. Top a
casserole and broil until browned.
- Pop a slice in the cookie jar to revive hard cookies.
- Make slices into French toast by dipping in a 50/50 batter
of egg and milk with a sprinkle of ground cinnamon.
- Tear up slices and feed the birds.
- Thickly butter slices and sprinkle with garlic powder. Toast
in a 350-degree oven for Texas toast.
- Crumb slices for breading. Brush 10 chicken strips in
buttermilk and dip into a mix of 1 cup of bread crumbs, 1/2
tsp. seasoned salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper, and 1 tsp. dried
cilantro. Bake on a greased rack in a baking pan for 15
minutes at 375 degrees.
- Make croutons by cubing slices, tossing in canola oil and
sprinkling with garlic powder, paprika, and onion powder to
taste. Then baking at 300 degrees until crisp and dry.
|
Comments (2) :: Permanent Link
|
• Saturday, March 29, 2008 - a person has to live too!
From Cindy's Porch...
"A person has to live too!"
When we hear these words, they are usually associated with BUYing
something, or spending a ton of money on an activity like supper out,
an expensive holiday, or a special treatment at a spa or hair salon.
Marketers, retailers, and advertisers love using these words on us.
It's implied that if you don't BUY whatever it is that they are
selling, then you are not living. I say "phooey" to that!
"A person has to live too!"
People who are BUYers, not DOers love to use these words too. They
use them on themselves to justify all the purchases lingering around
on their credit card debt, plus the one they are about to add at the
checkout counter. And they use them on their friends and relatives to
encourage them to make as many IMPULSE purchases as they do. I have
learned that BUYers like to try and convince others to become BUYers
too. I remember a shopping trip in New York City. Wow! For this
prairie gal, there were so many things to see. I had no plans to BUY
anything; I was there to look. It was absolutely wonderful. But my
shopping companion just couldn't understand how I could be in all
these stores and not BUY a thing. "Come on Cindy, a person has to
live too. You should buy something to remember this trip by." So I
bought a 10-cent postcard. I shopped in New York City on a dime LOL.
Let's think about this "living" thing. Why has it become all about
BUYing? "A person has to live too." Sheesk!
Let's get rid of the retailers, advertisers, and marketers'
definition of "living." Let's define "living" in our own words. Not
BUYing, but DOing. Are you ready? Go grab a cup of tea; this is a
long one.
There are three stages of "living." They are living in the present,
living for the future, and living in the past.
The first is "living" in the present.
----------------------------------------
I love living in the present. It is a gift. This is where I get to
enjoy the weather, a walk with my special guy, spending time with our
kids, working on Cindy's Porch, doing work for other clients, caring
for our home, visiting with friends and family, hiking during the
summer, skiing during the winter, reading all year round, and
whatever else happens to come along during the day.
To enjoy "living" in the present, we eat healthy foods, move our
bodies, and take care of our health (hmmmmm – it's time for me to
make an appointment for "that" annual visit to the doctor).
While "living" in the present, we look for ways to keep costs down.
We're not talking about "cheap" as in "junk." We're talking about
shopping SMART - with our eyes open. And we are patient. We
procrastinate when BUYing. No more IMPULSE (I Must Purchase Use-Less
Stuff Everyday) buys. When we are patient, we know we will find
exactly what we are looking for, for exactly the amount we want to
spend. Or else, we will learn that we didn't actually want or need it
in the first place. We spend our money on things we love and things
we use. And we want to OWN these items, not OWE on them.
We DO instead of BUY.
Great conversation, giggles, a healthy sweat after a bike ride, a
great supper cooked at home using fresh veggies from the garden,
watching your oldest child beat grandpa at a game of chess, a good
book, and a glass of cold lemonade shared with someone special on the
front porch is "priceless." That's living!
If retailers, marketers, and advertisers had their way, "living" in
the present would mean BUYing absolutely everything our hearts desire
(and everything we didn't know our hearts desired until the retailers
hawked their stuff). And if we couldn't pay for this stuff using
our "present" funds, we could dip into our "future" funds and pay
with our credit cards or the ever popular, "BUY now, pay (much more)
later" money offers. YIKES!
The second is living FOR the future.
--------------------------------------------
We've all heard of the rainy day fund, the emergency fund, the
vacation fund, and the retirement fund. These funds are about living
for the future. Even our "I'm dreaming of a Cash Christmas" is about
living for the future. This is a future I plan on enjoying with my
friends and family.
The money we earn today has to take care of living in the present AND
living for the future. And often, our poor future gets little
financial attention.
I know it is hard to find the dollars to put into savings accounts
and retirement funds. And gosh, the chances of setting aside three to
six months of your income into an emergency fund seems as likely as
winning that elusive lottery.
But it can be done, one dollar at a time. Keep reading….
The third is living in the past.
-------------------------------------
You know why it is so tough for so many people? They are living in
the past using their future dollars while trying to find the last
penny to pay for living in the present (you may have to read that
sentence a couple times LOL).
Think about it. If they have long-term credit card debt (not the kind
that is paid off in total every month, but the kind where only the
minimum payment is paid), then they are living in the past. Their
monthly income is used to pay for meals they ate two months ago, for
clothes they wore last winter, for a wedding gift from last summer,
and for a trip they took over a year ago. They are living in the past
and paying much more for it now. There is nothing left over for the
future.
And retailers, marketers, and advertisers don't help this at all. In
fact, they give us "discounts" when we use their credit cards instead
of cash. They want to keep us living in the past. They want to
maintain our "interest" for as long as possible. And gosh, at 20%
interest, this is very profitable. BUY now, pay (much more) later is
another one of the schemes that keeps us living in the past. And if a
person cannot pay the total amount by the year 2007 (or whenever it
was due), no problem, the retailer will let you transfer the amount
onto one of their store credit cards (for an extra fee) and you can
keep living in the past at 23% interest for several more years. That
stereo is starting to get VERY pricey.
Living in the financial past keeps us from enjoying the present and
saving for the future.
This is a vicious cycle, but one that can be broken. It is going to
take time. You have three tools that are going to help you:
1) DO instead of BUY: this is what living is really about - the
things that you DO. Think about the things you've always wanted to
DO. Instead of heading to the shopping mall, head to local parks,
swimming pools, or other places where you can move your body. Instead
of going out for supper, invite friends and/or family over for a
potluck meal. Learn how to make a new salad. All of us like to DO
different things. We just have to DO them.
2) SHOP at home FIRST: This is one of my favorites. Over the
years, all of us have purchased tons of stuff (I know it is tons,
because ours got weighed a few years back when we moved YIKES). In
your home you have food waiting to be eaten, craft supplies waiting
to be used, tools waiting to be put to work, clothing waiting to be
worn, shoes waiting to be walked on (except those red high heels –
what was I thinking, they're only good for standing on for about two
minutes LOL), toys waiting to be played with, sports equipment
waiting to be used, cleaning supplies waiting to be sprayed, brushed,
and broomed, bubble bath waiting to be bubbled and more. Our homes
are a treasure trove of things waiting to be discovered. SHOP at home
FIRST. You have already paid for this stuff, you may as well use it.
(I think I will take the kids for a bike ride this afternoon – it
won't cost a dime).
3) PROCRASTINATE: Remember, there is always another sale. If you
are thinking of BUYing something, try to procrastinate. Wait a couple
hours, a couple days, a couple weeks, or even a couple months. There
is a good chance you will find it at a better price, or you will
discover you didn't really need (or want) it at all. No more IMPULSE
purchases (been there, done that).
These three tools are going to help you bridge the gap between living
in the present, paying for the past, and looking forward to the
future. The less you spend, the more there will be for credit card
payments (beyond the minimum amount).
Once those credit cards start to get paid off, there will be more
dollars left over at the end of the month. Keep focusing on your
financial goal. Use those dollars to pay off that high-interest debt.
When the cards are paid off, cancel the useless ones. Keep a couple
for emergency or travel expenses. Start using cash for living in the
present. Before you know it, a few extra dollars will begin to appear
to put into your future savings account. I've seen it happen over and
over. Here's a link on Cindy's Porch for tackling credit card debt:
http://www.cindysporch.net/pages/mon8chunkmore.shtml
The more we live by DOing, instead of BUYing, the more we will have
to live for!
|
Comments (1) :: Permanent Link
|
• Thursday, March 27, 2008 - lemon and thyme roasted chicken
5-lb. Chicken
1/4 c. butter, softened
1 T. minced fresh thyme
1 tsp. lemon zest
1 T. fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 cloves garlic
1 lemon, cut into quarters
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line roasting pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Place rack inside pan.
Rinse chicken and pat dry. Loosen skin from breast without detaching it. Place in prepared pan.
In a small bowl, combine butter, thyme, zest, juice, salt and pepper. Carefully rub 2 tsp. butter mixture under skin on breast. Rub remaining butter mixture over chicken. Place garlic and lemon quarters in chicken cavity. Truss legs with twine. Bake 30 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees and bake 40-50 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees. Let stand 10 minutes before carving. |
Comments (2) :: Permanent Link
|
• Sunday, March 23, 2008 - slow cooker chocolate fondue
From my inbox...
Slowcooker Chocolate Fondue
Ingredients:
12 ounces dark chocolate
1 cup heavy cream
3 TBS butter
Food Dipper Suggestions: Fresh fruits such as strawberries, cherries, banana & orange slices, pineapple chunks; Dried fruit, Figs; Thin cookies, Shortbread, Lady Fingers, Biscotti; Whole nuts; Cake cubes; Marshmallows.
Tip: Selected fruits can be grilled first if you wish (grilled pineapple slices and grilled banana are especially good).
Optional Flavoring Ideas (choose one): 1/2 tsp Cinnamon; 3 TBS Brandy or Irish Cream, or Amaretto or Rum; 3 TBS Coffee Liqueur, Orange Liqueur, Mint Liqueur.
Directions:
- Cut or break chocolate into pieces and place in the crock pot.
- Add butter, cream and rest of the ingredients. Stir it up to mix.
- Cover the slowcooker and set to low, allow to heat for about 2 hours until the chocolate is melted. Stir once or twice while heating.
- Once the chocolate has melted, whisk for a bit to completely mix the ingredients. Serve the melted chocolate fondue with pieces of fresh fruits, nuts and thin cookies.
Yield: Approximately 6 servings. |
Comments (0) :: Permanent Link
|
|
