Written for the River Current publication; December 19, 2013
Not my best pic. I was cooking for a house full of teenagers and didn't have much time to fuss! It was delish just the same! |
In most of my writings I often include a little blurb or story about
the happenings in my life. Today I would
be remiss if I did not share the recent passing of my dear sweet Mother.
On my drive to Marysville earlier this week, the thought came to me that
it would be a beautiful thing if I wrote down some thoughts about my Mother to
share at her funeral. I began composing
in my head and the words came easily as I was making the drive to Marysville.
When I got home later that evening; in the quiet hours of the night,
the words flowed effortlessly onto my laptop.
Funny, it is easiest for me when writing from my heart…the words seem to
flow quickly and easily through my fingers.
I had my youngest print them out for me the following morning and upon
arriving at the funeral home, I asked the minister if he would be so kind as to
read what I had written for me. In my
heart I knew it would be too difficult for me to share these thoughts out loud.
The one thing that I shared about my Mother was her joy of celebrating
each and every season. She would
lovingly decorate our home; as well as plan and prepare glorious meals
reflective of each season. It was my Mother
who inspired my joy of cooking and sharing that joy with others. For my Mother and myself, it is a reflection
of our love for others.
The season ahead is full of traditions and social gatherings that
often revolve around food and our interpretations of such. Gather friends and family around your tables
and share in the simple joy of celebrating your love for each other.
My Mother loved to experiment with new
recipes (just as I do) and then use us as her eager testers. This is a recipe that my Mom would have
enjoyed. It is indicative of the holiday
season and includes two of her favorite things…chocolate and whipped
cream. It’s as festive as it is
delicious.
Wishing you and your family a blessed holiday season!
Wishing you and your family a blessed holiday season!
Mom’s Cranberry Mousse Pie
½ lb. of fresh or frozen cranberries
½ cup sugar, divided¼ cup orange juice
1 tsp. orange zest
¼ tsp. ground ginger
½ Tbsp. unflavored gelatin; softened in 1 Tbsp. orange juice
1 cup whipping cream
1 chocolate graham cracker crust
1. In a medium saucepan, combine cranberries, ¼ cup sugar, orange
juice, orange zest and ginger. Bring to
a boil, stirring frequently. Lower heat
to medium low and cook, stirring frequently until cranberries break down; about
15 minutes. Remove from heat and let
cool slightly.
2. Combine gelatin and 1 Tbsp. orange juice in a small saucepan. Heat over medium low heat until gelatin liquefies. (You can also do this in the microwave.) Pour
into the cranberry mixture in a steady stream, stirring while adding. Scrape into a bowl and chill about 20
minutes.
3. Beat cream and remaining ¼ cup of sugar until stiff. Fold into cranberry mixture and spoon into
chocolate graham cracker crust. Chill at
least 3 hours before serving. Garnish
with shaved chocolate.
This recipe looks amazing. I might just make it with my boys for one of our Christmas parties.
ReplyDeleteSending you peace and love,
xo,
Olivia
Greetings! Very helpful advice in this particular post! It's the little changes that will make the largest changes.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing!