DECADENCE

I love to cook.

I love chocolate.

Chocolate Pate' with Praline and Raspberries??  

Pure decadence.

This is my all-time favorite dessert recipe.  And I've made plenty.  There's nothing difficult about it, but I would suggest that you have everything laid out before you start.  And plan a big hour to make it.  Butter needs to be softened, chocolate needs to be melted, an orange needs to be zested, praline powder needs to be made, and eggs need to be divided.  Again, nothing hard.  Just detailed.  While it may take a while to make... there's no baking, so that makes up for it.  Go ahead... give it a try!!

Let's start with the Praline Powder that should be made first:

1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons water
3/4 cup sliced almonds

Place the sugar in a saucepan with water, stirring until dissolved.  Over medium heat cook the sugar until it is smooth and lightly brown.  Stirring continuously, add the almonds and cook another minute (warning:  probably not that long).

 Pour onto a parchment lined cookie sheet and let cool.  Pulverize in a food processor to a fine powder.

Set this aside for use later.


Now for the Pate':

     1-1/3 cups water                     

1/2 cup sugar

12 ounces soft butter

2 cups cocoa powder

12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted

1 orange, zested

2 tablespoons Grand Marnier (I use Countreau instead)

2 whole eggs + 4 egg yolks

Praline Powder (that you made above)

Raspberries

Cool Whip

Combine the water and sugar in a saucepan, stirring to dissolve.  Heat to just the boiling point then cool.  Cream the butter and cocoa in a food processor, scraping down the sides often.  Slowly add the sugar water.  Add the melted chocolate, scrape the sides down, add zest, Grand Marnier, then eggs & yolks, scraping the sides down often. 

Fold in Praline Powder.  Line a 1-1/4 quart terrine mold with plastic food wrap (this recipe also fits nicely into a standard loaf pan lined with plastic wrap).  Fill the mold with the chocolate mixture, cover and refrigerate overnight.  

To serve, invert on a serving platter (personally, I like to use white for this one.. with a dusting of cocoa powder first).  I like to place raspberries in tidy rows on the top and serve with a bowl of cool whip.  A sprig of mint looks pretty on top as well.  

This recipe was taken from the Savor Michigan Cookbook.  It features recipes from a variety of Michigan restaurants.  This one came from the Five Lakes Grill in Milford.  The cookbook makes an excellent gift for anyone who likes to cook... so keep that in mind.    

Since this recipe needs to sit overnight, I'll be posting pictures of the final product tomorrow.  It would make a great valentine's dessert...  so here's an idea: why not tackle it tomorrow... refrigerate it overnight... and call some friends up for an impromptu valentine's dessert night!!  Pairs perfectly with a nice red wine.  

What a great way to spend valentine's:  friends, red wine, and a decadent chocolate dessert!!

Check back tomorrow for pics and for a few other simple ideas for a day set aside to celebrate love!!    

Old Friends

I wish I hadn't thrown them away.  Do you have some too??

My favorite ole' hiking boots.  I threw them away... in Colorado.

It was a snowy in day April.

2011.

Really wasn't much left to them.  The soles were about worn through.  Arch support?? Non-existent.  There was no finish left on the leather whatsoever.  Laces were pieced together... knotted here and there... because new one's just wouldn't be the same.  Those boots and I traveled many miles... for many years.  They'd walked fields, sat in hunting blinds, tromped through mud, stood ankle high in water, and literally froze their laces off in snow for me.  They've tended gardens, walked dogs, run from snakes, climbed trees, searched for antler sheds, and found morels.

Yep.  My hiking boots.  I miss 'em.

Sound silly??  Maybe so.  But don't some things you look at just tell a story??  Are there things you own that, although you know they're just "things", hold special meaning because of the hours you've spent together??  Do you agree that sometimes it's the tatters, tears, and scars on things that make them all the more endearing to you??  Make them.... "familiar"??

My boots have been gone now for 9 months... 17 days... and 3 hours (before you think I've truly lost it... JUST KIDDING!!)  They truly were dumped though... in Colorado... to make room in my luggage for a shiny new pair.  So why now am I thinking about my hiking boots??  Because of some women I've bumped into lately.  I noticed their Bibles.  Worn.  Tattered.  The shiny gold stuff on the edges of the pages was all worn off.   Pieces of paper stuck here and there.  I saw endless notes written in the margins.  But mainly it was the leather I noticed.  It reminded me of my old boots.  And it reminded me of the shiny new Bible I was carrying.

I wish I could say that I had bought a new Bible because the old one was SO worn that the pages were falling out.  But that wouldn't be the truth.  And we aren't supposed to lie.  And lying about your Bible?? Hmmm... that seems to cross another line now doesn't it.  Truth is, I bought a new Bible because I wanted a different translation, which I do love.  I still have my old one.  I was quite surprised when I dug it out and dusted it off after WAY too many years of very little use (they have Bibles in church pews, after all) to find old notes, scribbles, and underlining.  Even though it had been a long time, I recognized my handwriting, knew what stage of life I was in when I wrote certain things.  I had used that Bible... way back when.  It made me sad to realize how I had neglected it for so long though.  How many journeys I had been on in my life and left it tucked away in a drawer.

The Bibles I saw those women holding stood out to me.  I wondered what stories they saw when they look at them.  What memories flowed from the leather through their fingers as they held them.  They had obviously been through many years together... traveled many miles... probably shared some celebrations and sopped up many tears.  Dare bet those Bibles even saved a life or two.   Something so "loved" must be very precious to them.

You can buy boots that look old when they're actually brand new.  I've seen Bible covers that have that weathered look also.  But I don't want that for my new Bible any more than I want a "vintage" looking pair of new boots.  I want my new Bible to earn it's scars.  I want it to weather with me.  I want to know it so well I would recognize it as mine on a book shelf of thousands.   I won't mind if there are tear stains on the leather... or if the edges are frayed.  You know why?? Because I want to see my life when I look at it's worn pages... knowing it's been part of the journey.  MY journey.

I'd love to insert a picture of my old boots here... you'd see their story... but I can't.

I threw them away.    

Say CHEESE!!

Did you have braces growing up??  I didn't.  Probably should have.  But do now!!

I'm wearing the Invisiline type braces.   Great for an adult that doesn't want to walk around with metal hardware in their mouth.  But I think I had this vision that fixing my smile would be a breeze.  WELL.. it's not.  They hurt at times.  They're uncomfortable.  They impair my speech.  And while I was hoping they wouldn't be noticeable to others... they are.  I'm supposed to wear them 21 hours per day, but haven't been very faithful to that.  I seem to think that I'll be able to get by with just wearing them at night.  But last I checked... I didn't graduate from dental school.

As I shoved them back in my mouth yesterday and felt the discomfort, I had to chuckle.  I can be the same way with my life.  There are things I know need correcting.  There are things that I know God tells me I need to do differently.  There are things I hope no one else notices.   I have the "instruction manual of instruction manuals" available to tell me what to do.  And I'm not receiving my guidance from one of many who graduated from some school.  My guide is the one who created me!!  But it hurts sometimes.  It's uncomfortable.  It reveals my imperfections.  Sometimes it impedes the way I'd LIKE to live my life.  And just like thinking I can get away with wearing my braces only at night... I want to think I can get away with following Him MOST of the time... when it's convenient and when it's comfortable.

The dentist is offering me a great smile if I follow his directions and allow the correction to take place.  MY JESUS is offering me a beautiful LIFE... if I follow HIM and allow HIS correction to take place.

If you bump into me on the street, I'm really not that concerned that you notice my straight smile.  I did that more for me than anyone else.  I DO hope you notice a smile on my face, though.  And I HOPE that smile radiates the love of our Jesus in me.  I have chosen to follow Him for ME... but want to share Him with YOU.

Beauty In Brown Eggs GIVE AWAY!!

I've been told that in the world of blogging, it's quite trendy right now to do one of two things.  One is a "What I Wore On Wednesday" weekly post.... and the other is to do a "Give Away".  Since I'm quite sure that none of you really care what I wore on Wednesday, I've decided to have some fun with celebrating Beauty In Brown Eggs' 2000th page view and do a giveaway!!

So what am I giving away??  Jeremy Camp's "STAY".  It's my favorite DVD that has been my "go to" music when I want to tune everything out and spend time with God.  Thank goodness I live on a few acres, because I've been known to belt the songs out while working in my garden.    Amazing music... inspiring lyrics.  Even has some good beat to it if you happen to be a jogger.

I hope to do this quarterly, but we'll keep the first one simple.  No challenge questions.  Just leave a comment with your first name, general location, and how you found Beauty In Brown Eggs... OR email your entry to:  beautyinbrowneggs@gmail.com  One entry per person please... but let me know if you're one of the members and your name will be entered twice!!  The winner will be drawn and posted on Feb. 15.  We'll touch base by email after that for mailing instructions if you aren't local.

GOOD LUCK!!  and thanks so much for following.

ASK YOURSELF THIS...

I have a quick question for you today.  But first, spend a few quiet moments going back in your heart to people/things that you are completely head-over-heels in love with (past & present).

Is (was) it a romantic relationship??  Possibly you're seeing the faces of your children.  Or maybe your thoughts even include the big puppy dog eyes of a favorite pet.

Are you there??  Got all those head pictures and emotions rounded up??  Is your heart swooning??

Now ask yourself this honestly:

HOW DOES YOUR REACTION TO YOUR JESUS COMPARE??

Is your heart overflowing??  Are you giddy with excitement anticipating the next time you meet Him?? Are you glowing visibly??  Do you find yourself babbling uncontrollably about Him??

Sure, sometimes love is a decision.  A commitment.  A choice.   But if your honest answer to the above question left you feeling slightly "flatline"...  if a sense of "duty and commitment"was your dominant reaction... or if you "know about Him" more than you "know Him"... I'm here to tell you that there is SO MUCH MORE!!  It IS possible to fall head-over-heels in love with our Jesus!!    

One thing I've learned and experienced over the past couple years is that no matter if you're male or female... Jesus Christ desires a "sacred romance" with us.  He desires that we literally fall in love with Him.  He wants MORE than the dutiful feelings that come with settling for a "show up on Sunday and do good deeds" type approach to our faith.  How cool is that!!!!

If you desire to take things to a more intimate level with your Saviour... TELL HIM so!!
Ask Him to show you how.
Ask Him to show up in your day today.... and then watch for Him.
Ask Him to speak to you through Christian music... and then listen for Him.
Talk to Him intimately from your heart when you pray... and spend time in silence to hear what He's saying back.
Get to know Him better by reading books by reputable authors.
Dive into HIS book with a childlike openness.
If you don't already, try praying out loud!!
Ask His Spirit to actively move in you.
Spontaneously tell Him "I Love You!" throughout your day.  

Well now... I'm chuckling.  This post was intended to be a simple one-line question.  HA!  I guess I got carried away and started babbling again.  I can't help it though....

I'M IN LOVE!!!!  

JUNK DRAWERS

So here we are… the last week in January.   How many drawers have you cleaned??  How many closets have you reorganized??  It seems to be an instinctive need we have at the beginning of a new year to “clean house”.   Retailers are well aware of this tendency and market their organizers, plastic tubs, and books.   Endless strategies are offered in book stores, on t.v., and online.

Getting rid of junk feels good, doesn’t it.  Sometimes the messiest spots are the hardest to tackle though.  I’ve opened junk drawers like that, took one look, and simply closed them again!!  The task seemed too daunting….  maybe later.

I cleaned house last week.  Not my house in the literal sense, but instead… I cleaned “MY house”.    I asked God through an very extended, focused prayer time to expose to my mind and heart any area in my life that needed to be hauled out, gone through, evaluated, and/or eliminated.  Some of what I found in those deep, dark closets surprised me.  Like finding an old sweater from high school that you didn’t even remember you still had possession of… or discovering a grade school artifact that you had totally forgotten about.   These things were part of your life.  They represent the person you were.  They played a role in who you became. 

While high school fashion may make you laugh and grade school art may bring a smile to your face…. not everything you find in the deep dark corners of your heart will.  But opening those places and then just shutting the door to them again because the task is too daunting won’t make them go away.  They’ll still be there…. collecting even more and more dust. 

God brought things to my mind from way back when.  Silly things, I had thought… but when I hauled them all out and laid them side-by-side, I could see the pattern that God wanted to reveal to me.  Patterns, that unbenounced to me, had played an important role in who I am today. It was good at that point to literally ask God to go back into those situations with me.   It was amazing how in those “corners” where I was crying, I saw Him crying beside me.  In the “drawers” I opened where I felt ashamed or laughed at, He revealed Himself as having been there with His arms open wide saying “You are mine”.  And in those “closets” that exposed times where I felt rejected, I saw Him smiling at me, saying “Sandy... I CHOSE you”.

It’s a good feeling to have a clean house, isn’t it.  But, I wish there was a way to keep those freshly cleaned LITERAL drawers and reorganized LITERAL closets clean.  To the best of my knowledge, there isn’t any full proof product or strategy on the market as of yet.  Eventually, they will become disorganized and messy once again.   

   

The GOOD NEWS is there IS a way to protect our spiritual and personal house.   And it’s part of the cleaning process that I had missed before.  After hauling things out, sorting through them, dumping the crap, and at times handing over treasures… I asked the Holy Spirit to literally move into those places inside me that were now left exposed.  I asked Him to FILL THEM so those spaces were now occupied, and that particular junk could never return to them.  Of course they’re always be new junk to contend with, but those old spots are now FILLED… and sealed off forever… with the Holy Spirit.   I’ve never in my life felt cleaner... and can honestly say I've never felt closer to God.

 

I have to admit that it makes me grin how all this happened in January… the month notorious for cleaning house.  Ha!!!  Our God is SO awesome, isn’t He. 

Thank you, God… I love you too.   

PASSION

NO... I haven't disappeared.  Just going through a bit of a block and also had been at an amazing conference on the power of the Holy Spirit!!!  Can't wait to share ways God is working. 

In the meantime, I encourage you to check out this amazing you tube video clip from the book "Crazy Love".  Francis Chan REALLY expresses the passion for Christ that I wish for all of you... and for myself. 

Here's the link:  http://www.crazylovebook.com/videos.html  From there, click on "more videos" at the bottom and then on "Just Stop and Think". 

WHO said Christianity needs to be boring!!  Let's fall CRAZY IN LOVE... with the lover of our soul!!