March 1, 2025

 Heading to Dallas!

Sunset

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       Feb. 28 2025 Long Beach California "sunrise"

 

 "May every sunrise hold more promise

 and every sunset hold more peace." Umair Siddiqui

Carnival at SMU

 

 

 

 

 

 

 The Claw

Recipes I Like by Kiley O'Donnell

 Here are some links to good recipes by Kiley O'Donnell. See her Blog for yumminess.

https://www.wellmadebykiley.com/blog

https://www.wellmadebykiley.com/blog/brown-butter-chocolate-chip-cookies#recipe

 

 https://www.wellmadebykiley.com/blog/salted-caramel-gingerbread-streusel-cheesecake

for recipe see below and details on webpage.

 Details:
Biscoff Cookie Crust:
- 46 Biscoff cookies
- 10 tbsp butter, melted
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
Gingerbread Cheesecake:
- 4, 8oz blocks cream cheese, room temp
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 4 eggs, room temp
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 1/2 tsp ginger
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp cloves
- 1 cup greek yogurt, room temp
- 1/3 cup heavy cream, room temp
Streusel:
- 6 tbsp butter, softened
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- Pinch of salt

*Salted caramel recipe on my website

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350F. Butter a 9” springform pan by; line the bottom with a parchment paper circle. Set aside.
Crust: Pulse the Biscoff cookies in a food processor. Add in the melted butter & sugar; pulse until combined.
Press the crust mixture into the bottom & up the sides of the pan. Bake at 350F for 10-15 mins. Remove & cool to room temp.
Streusel: Mix all of the ingredients together in a medium bowl until you have thick crumbs. Place into the fridge.
Cheesecake batter: In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese & sugars until creamy.
Add in the molasses; beat to combine.
Add in the eggs, one at a time. Then, beat in the vanilla & spices. Lastly, beat in the greek yogurt & heavy cream until fully incorporated.
Lower the oven temp to 325F.
Wrap the bottom of the cheesecake pan with 4 layers of foil.
Pour the filling into the pan, over the crust. Then sprinkle with the streusel.
Place in the center of a roasting pan & pour boiling water in until it reaches halfway up the cheesecake pan.
Bake at 325F for 90-100 mins, until the edges are set and the middle is still slightly wobbly.
Once done, open the oven door halfway & let cool in the roasting pan in the oven for 1-2 hrs.
Remove & run a knife along the edges of the cheesecake to release from the springform pan.
Cover with foil & place into the fridge for at least 4 hrs or overnight.
Release the cheesecake from the pan & drizzle with the salted caramel.
Slice and serve.
Enjoy!

God Grant Me

 "God grant me the patience 

to work with the unjust systems

I cannot change today, 

the courage to strategically

enact progress when

I know I can, and 

the wisdom to know that.

despite structural oppression,

I can still make a difference."

Amen

Recipe Almond Paste Cake

 Ingredients:

Cake: 4.5 oz. almond paste (a little more than half of 7 oz. tube)

1/2 cup sugar

8 T. unsalted butter , softened

3 eggs

1 tsp. almond extract

1/2 cup all purpose flour  or almond flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

 

Topping:

2/3 cup. sliced almonds

2 1/2 T. sugar

Powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions:

food processor

grate almond paste before using

Heat oven 350 degrees

Grease 8x8 pan

lined with parchment paper

can use 8" round or springform pan

Pulse almond paste and sugar 3 min.

Add in sliced butter and pulse 2 min.

Add in eggs and extract pulse 2 min til combined

Mix flour, bp and salt together and add to mixture

pulse 3 min. til combines. Scrape sides. Pour into baking pan.

combine almonds and sugar and sprinkle on top

Bake 20-25 minutes. top with powdered sugar.

 

 

 

There Was A Time

 

 

 '' There Was a Time " 2015
Oil / Canvas
( 60 x 40 ) cm
by Richard SAVOIE
Canadian Painter born 1959

Dallas Kids Weekend

 Look who got a new ride

Michael is 5 months old

 

While Sofia's at a sleep over the boys will play...

 

Then the  whole family goes to the Dallas Symphony Hall to hear Motown and Philly Tunes...

 

Girl's Day Out

 

We had a fun Girl's Day Out attending a sunday Matinee at the Long Beach Carpenter Center of Performing Arts.  Today was a wonderful production of "The Jersey Boys" following the music and story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.  Afterwards a great dinner at Bai Plu a fusion Thai/Japanese restaurant.  

 

 

 

Beautiful Flowers

 

Sofia Growing Up Part 2

 Sofia showed me an application on her phone which imagines what she will look like as a young adult and as an older woman.  I thought this was fun to imagine.

 

Sofia Growing Up

 We can easily mark the speed at which time passes by how fast children grow. My granddaughter Sofia is 9 1/2 already. Where did that little toddler go? I receive texts and photos almost daily from my daughters telling me what the kids are up to. Sofia started guitar lessons this month and I was surprised to see the guitar she chose was purple. That made me laugh. I also received a photo of her making a friendship wreath for people at a retirement home. It was a Sunday school project. She keeps busy for sure and I’m happy that besides all her other activities she’s a loving big sister to her two brothers. She’s growing up so fast. I always say “stay small Sofia, don’t grow up so fast!” She laughs and says “I can’t help it gramma, I just keep growing!”

 

Being Helpful

 

"Look for a way to 

lift someone up.

And if that's all you do,

That's enough." - Elizabeth Lesser

A Short Trip Around the Sun

 

 

I can’t stop thinking about this past weekend and what a wonderful time it was to be with so many of Nancy’s friends and family. There is a great connection to your happiness and well being with those souls you surround yourself. Align your heart with people that lift you up as you lift them. I’m sending this positive loving advice to each of you. Be happy! It’s a very short trip around the sun isn’t it and the times we make those trips are numbered. Enjoy the ride.

 

Amherst 1918

"One moment when the dust to-day

Against my face was turned to spray,

I dreamed the winter dream again

I dreamed when I was young at play,

Yet strangely not more sad than then--

Nothing new--

though I am further upon my way

The same dream again."

-Robert Frost "Nothing new"

 

 

From Yang: 

"Today was a beautiful rough day Dear Nancy.

It's hard for me to accept the new reality of you not physically being here.

I hope you were able to see all of your nearest and dearest together today

celebrating you.  You single handily touched  all of our lives and made a

huge impact on us.  Thank you.  Thank you for making space for me. Thank 

you for taking me in and making me feel like your third daughter.  Thank

you for sharing your wisdom and influencing me to be who I have become.

 Thank you for teaching me how to watch baseball. Thank you for creating my

best friend.  I love you so much. It's hard to say goodbye, but you'll always be in

my heart.  I'm forever grateful to have the memories of you.  I'm lucky I get to keep

those memories and be able to look back on the greatest moments.  For the rest of 

my life I'll be moving with your soul by my side.  Rest in Paradise my Pisces Queen."

 

 

Time Flies

 

Chicken Soup Kinda Day

 In between reading about the adventures of Tom Sawyer I made a pot of chicken soup. So goes this Thursday.

 

 https://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/the-best-chicken-soup-recipe/