Happy Birthday Emily! Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake

  

HAPPY BIRTHDAY EMILY!!! 
Wow!  Seems like we just brought you home from the hospital, a tiny little baby all wrapped in blankets.  How did the years go by so fast?!?!?  I can't believe you are turning 24 today. It has been 24 wonderful years for your Dad and I, we are so grateful to God for letting us be part of the lives of two fabulous children!  Because I'm a sentimental mom, I've been looking back at birthday photos.  Here are a few I'd like to share with you.

Here you are celebrating your first birthday at the Tonn's. Harriet made your cake!  We also had a "party" with Donald Mathers and Steven Langmaack, you were all born around the same time and celebrated birthdays together for years.  You took your first steps on the day you turned 1 year old. 

We spent your second birthday at the Minnesota Zoo with Aunt Shirley and Uncle Dwight.  You loved going to see the animals.  Looks like you had a Rice Krispie treat for a b-day cake! 

Be careful blowing out those candles Sweetie!  We celebrated birthday number three with family on the Sunday that Tyler was dedicated at church.  What a big day!  You loved being a big sister! 

On your fourth birthday you celebrated with Kelly and your little friends at a "Peter Pan" party.  Aunt Shirley painted the cake topper for your cake!  You still have it in your room and Peter Pan is still one of your favorite books!

Last year we celebrated your special day with our "in-town family".  I am so grateful for all the people, family and friends, in your life who have surrounded you with love.  As you celebrate today, remember YOU ARE LOVED!

Part of your celebrating in the past few years has included cheesecake.  Today will be no different.  Chocolate Chip Cookie-Dough Cheesecake has become one of our favorite recipes and it is definitely celebration worthy!  Enjoy it tonight with your friends! Happy Birthday Emily!!!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake

Ingredients

• 1-3/4 cups crushed chocolate chips cookies or chocolate wafer crumbs
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 
  FILLING:
• 3 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 
  COOKIE DOUGH:
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 cups miniature semisweet chocolate chips, divided

Directions

• In a small bowl, combine cookie crumbs and sugar; stir in butter. Press onto the bottom and 1 in up the sides of a greased 9-in. pan. Place pan on a baking sheet; set aside.
• In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low just until combined. Add sour cream and vanilla; beat just until blended. Pour over crust; set aside.
• In another bowl, cream butter and sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add water and vanilla. Gradually add flour. Stir in 1 cup chocolate chips. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls over filling, gently pushing dough below surface (dough should be completely covered by filling). Place pan on a baking sheet.
• Bake at 350° for 45-55 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight.
• Remove sides of pan. Sprinkle with remaining chips. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 12-14 servings.

Cherry Winks Update

I got a letter from Aunt Janice yesterday on this cute note card.  Here is a bit of what she had to say:
I have enjoyed reading your blog.  The one on Cherry Winks got me thinking.  I have Mom's recipe box and so, years after looking through it, I once again got it out.  I found the Cherry Winks recipe which looks like the same one you used.  Isn't it funny how we can remember things in the past as being so good, but when we relive it, it isn't!  (Recipes, old movies, etc.)
It was fun to look through the recipe file.  Many are handwritten by Mom and Grandma R.  Also, many recipes by friends and relatives!  We should look at it sometime when you're home! 
Speaking of vintage, this note card is one I've had since I was a teenager.  Fun to send it to you!


I loved getting this envelope of goodies! 
First: I totally remember these note cards of Janice's!  Just one of the very cool things about my "Big Sister"!  The girl's hair, skirt and shoes are bedazzled with gold glitter, something I would have loved! 
Second: The recipe card.  I actually remember these cards Mom had with a picture of a happy woman putting something into her very big old cast iron stove.  Mom had typed the recipe onto the card with her typewriter, using the red ink setting.  I remember my Mom using her typewriter so it brought back lots of memories.  In the line that tells who the recipe was from she has written "Mother Renshaw".  I don't know if this is what she called my Grandma, but it seems very dear.
Third: It has solved part of the mystery about the recipe.  The only difference I could find was that Mom's recipe used 1/4 cup less flour.  I guess that could make the cookies a bit less cake-like.  Still, I don't think I will try the recipe again for a long time, if ever.  Some memories are best just the way we remember them.  Thanks Janice for sharing this with me and for wakening new "old" memories!

HAGDWJ!...... and other signs of love. Macaroni Special

I LOVE YOU - in sign language and stickers from Lily

WARNING: This post is sprinkled with signs of LOVE.  

This morning, after Kim and I walked in the GBN field house at 6AM,  I met Ellen Henderson for coffee at Starbucks.  Carri and Ellen had been meeting on a regular basis and when the Madison's moved I asked Ellen if I could take Carri's place.  

This was our first time meeting, we shared a scone and sipped our drinks as we caught up on each others lives.  We talked about our kids, we love our kids.  We talked about Pastor Tom and Barb, we made a plan to try to get to know her better.  We talked about JT, Carri and Lily, we both miss them a LOT. We agreed that Lily is a very smart 3 year old! We laughed about JT buying espresso at the gas station now, but we are glad they seem to be settling in to their new town. We talked about our parents, how it is hard to watch them getting older.  We talked about our Bible study groups, Ellen's needs more people, our group needs to get involved somehow. Then all too soon it was time for Ellen to head off to work and for me to go home and clean bathrooms.

A kiss from Max

As we said goodbye in the parking lot, I said "Have a great day with Jesus!"

I thought of YOU.  

I can't remember when I began telling you to "have a great day with Jesus".  Was it in high school?  Jr high?  Whenever it was, it became part of my goodbye routine: A hug, a kiss on the cheek if I could get one, then I'd tell you "I love you, have a great day with Jesus" as you raced off to wherever your day was taking you.  

A rose from Dad

When I learned how to text, it became my daily greeting, "I love you, hagdwj!"

But, even though you get this message from me in some form almost everyday, I want you to know it is not a meaningless ritual for me.  "Hagdwj" has become for me an opportunity to invite Jesus into my day.  I know He loves me.  I know He is always with me.  But this phrase has become a cue for me to become aware of His presence and actually include Him in my day.  Instead of heading out to face my day alone, I make the choice to bring Jesus with me.  It brings me comfort to know Jesus is heading out into the world with you too!

To bring you comfort, I am sharing this favorite recipe.  You have both enjoyed this soup for years.  It is from the Best of Friends, Too! cookbook, a gift from Auntie Lou's friend Gayle.   Emily, I know you stayed home sick today, you probably have everything on hand to make this for dinner.  Hope it helps you feel better.

Macaroni Special

2 1/2  cups shell macaroni (or whatever shape you choose)

3 1/2 cups 2 % milk ( I always use skim)

butter or margarine

salt and pepper to taste

Cook the macaroni according to package directions.  When done, drain and add milk.  

Heat to desired temperature.  Ladle into individual bowls;  top with a tablespoon of butter;

add salt and pepper to taste.  It can't get any easier!

I always added the butter, salt and pepper to the mac and milk in the pan before serving. 

Either way it tastes great! 

I love you, HAGDWJ!

Photos of people we love and new artwork from Lily

Our Wedding Day- Macaroni Overnight Salad

Twenty-nine years ago today your Dad and I got married.  We were young, and in love, and chose a winter wedding in Minnesota. Hopefully we have grown wiser as well as older.

Our wedding fell on the middle of three weekends of terrible weather in southwestern Minnesota.  I did some hunting online and found these statistics about the weather that day:

Winds= 45-60 MPH

Wind Chill= 50-100 degrees BELOW ZERO

which combined to produce a "severe ground blizzard"

Check out the frost on the door frame and windows!

As a result we weren't sure if it was safe to let our friends and family travel to be part of our special day.  

G'pa and G'ma, Aunt Shirley and I drove in from the farm the evening before to have an early dinner with the Warnygora's and other friends who had arrived.  The wind came up and we are still surprised that we found our way home that night. Many times that weekend, Grandpa recommended that we postpone the service, but at some point we called the local radio station and had them announce that our wedding would go on as scheduled! We were so grateful to all those who braved the roads and we greatly respected those who were forced to stay home.               

Aunt Jana wore my friends' dress un-hemmed and with no shoes.

 As you can imagine, some key people were unable to attend.  

Among the missing: 

*a bridesmaid (Aunt Jana wore the dress which fit perfectly)

*our soloist (the youth pastor at the church was able to sing all the songs we had chosen beautifully)

*our guitarist arrived, frozen and white knuckled, about 1/2 an hour before the service, but his guitar and voice warmed up and warmed our hearts!

It is fun to look back at our wedding pictures. I met Auntie Lou for the first time that weekend.  Who knew she would become one of my favorite people ever!  Uncle Chuck, Corey and Andy stayed home.  I don't think Kate was even born yet??? Todd couldn't come, he was at a hockey tournament.  Check out cute baby Stephanie! They were brave to bring out their tiny baby in that horrible weather!

Keith and Chandra weren't born yet either. And Aunt Shirley hadn't even met Uncle Dwight yet.  Goodness, it is hard to imagine our family without him!

Fast forward to 2011.  Kelly and Dan got engaged this weekend! Congratulations!!!  We wish them all the best! Because of this, in the last few days I have been thinking about how weddings have changed over the years.

When we got married in Worthington in 1982 a catered reception was not the norm.  Grandma, Aunt Marion, my sisters and I spent hours that week preparing the food.  We even made hundreds of molded mints, which were a popular thing in our area at that time. I don't really remember what food was served, but I am sure it was served buffet style, kind of like a glorified church potluck. The ladies of the church worked in the kitchen serving and cleaning up.  We ordered the yummy cake from 2 local ladies who made cakes for absolutely every event in the area.  It was served, no doubt with individual plastic tubs of vanilla ice cream and egg coffee.  That was the way it was done, and it worked out great.  My, how times have changed!

Here is a recipe that was served at our wedding.  Grandma joined our family with this in her recipe box.  I haven't had it in years, but it is a winner! (Aunt Shirley sent me the recipe, the notes are from her.)

Macaroni Overnight Salad

Cook 1 box ring macaroni (7oz.)

Cool and combine the following:

1 medium can fruit cocktail

1 medium can pineapple

1 medium can seedless grapes (I have seen it using fresh grapes)

Drain (saving ½ cup), add 2 cups miniature marshmallows and mix fruit with macaroni.

 

Cook in double boiler:

4 beaten eggs

1 cup powdered sugar

½ cup fruit juice

Stir constantly until thick, cool and pour over mixture.  Refrigerate overnight.

Add 1 cup whipped cream before serving.  I have also added the marshmallows with the whip cream instead of the night before. 

 I don't remember the marshmallows but it has been 29 years!  Maybe Kelly might like to serve it at her reception. I bet I can find some mint molds if she is interested.  I hear they might be making a comeback!

Cherry Winks!

I've been listening to Christmas music and I love it!  I guess for me,  music is one of the best parts about the Christmas season.  Most years I find a new song or a new album and just immerse myself in it.  But this year the old carols are really taking me down memory lane.  Joy to the World, Away in a Manger, Silent Night and so many others.  Saturday night while we were singing at the Santa Lucia Festival at NPU I was flooded with memories of Christmases long past.  In my mind I was a little girl sitting in the backseat of the family car with your Aunt Shirley.  We were bundled up on a cold winters night riding home to the farm with our Mom and Dad in the front seat.  Shirley and I were singing Christmas carol after carol.  We were belting them out and our parents were joining in.  Unlike the Griswold family in "Christmas Vacation", we were all having fun!  Although the ride was long and the car was cold for most of the way home, our hearts were warm as we sang the words to those old familiar songs.

Christmas carol memories come easily from my childhood.  The Baptist church we attended in Adrian holds special memories of Sunday School Christmas programs.  Each child spent weeks memorizing a "piece"  for the program, then suffered through what seemed like a entire day long rehearsal with each class taking turns "onstage" practicing their parts, until finally the pastor and teachers declared it perfect!  On the night of the program we all came traveling through the snow, to the warm church, dressed in our best Christmas finery, and performed our pieces around a very clean manger and filled the night with beautiful carols and felt the love of Christmas on the faces of each parent sitting shoulder to shoulder in the little church.  At the close of the service, when we had greeted all our friends and said thank you to all the folks who commented  on our wonderful performance, we bundled into our coats and hats and headed to the door.  There the deacons wished us all a "Merry Christmas"  and then they gave each child a shiny red apple and a brown paper bag filled with candy!  We hurried to the car, I held my candy bag tightly, not wanting to loose a piece of it in the snow.  The candy was the old fashioned kind you hardly see anymore, colorful hard candy ribbons, cinnamon balls, peanut shapes filled with peanut butter, anise, fruit filled (yucky), candy canes and more!  I felt so rich!

On Christmas Eve, after days of preparation,wrapping, baking, cooking and cleaning, we little girls waited eagerly for family to arrive to celebrate.  Andy Williams would be playing on the stereo, the table set with Mom's best dishes, the tree twinkling and surrounded by presents.  Shirley and I, having gotten in the way, and making Mom crazy with our favorite question, "When can we open presents?", loved to sit upside down on the sofa and look at the tree!  If you have never done this you really should give it a try.  Dim the lights, plug in the Christmas tree and hang your head down off the sofa, feet up in the air, be sure to squint a bit for the best effect.  The tree looks especially beautiful when viewed this way by little children who are so excited for Christmas! Amazing!

I came across a cookie recipe online that my Mom used to bake at Christmas time.  Turns out it was one of the first Pillsbury Bake Off winners and had been printed on the Corn Flakes box too.  I don't remember Mom adding the nuts and dates, but I know I liked these cookies and I enjoyed making them with Mom.  Hope you'll like them too!

CHERRY WINKS

• 3/4 cup shortening
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cup dates, pitted and chopped
• 1/3 cup maraschino cherries, chopped
• 2 1/2 cups crushed cornflakes cereal
• 10 maraschino cherries, quartered

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease baking sheets.
2. Cream the shortening with the sugar. Blend in the eggs, milk and vanilla.
3. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in the chopped pecans, chopped dates and 1/3 cup maraschino cherries.
4. Shape teaspoonful sized chunks of dough into balls. Roll each ball in the crushed corn flakes. Place balls on the prepared baking sheets and top each cookie with 1/4 maraschino cherry.

Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool completely before storing in airtight containers.  Best while enjoying some Andy Williams or your favorite Christmas carols!

*Disclaimer:  I did not have time to try this recipe until the day after I posted it.  It is definitely not the taste I remember, so I think my Mom had a secret recipe!  Perhaps Aunt Shirley might have the original somewhere.  But, oddly enough, the cookies tasted better 1 day old than they did fresh from the oven.  I'm sure I have never disliked freshly baked cookies before.  Hmmmmmm. 

Hanukkah O Hanukkah! - Mandel Bread

 Yesterday was the first day of Hanukkah.  This Jewish holiday begins on a different day each year because it follows the Jewish calendar.  I have never figured out the system, but thinking about Hanukkah has brought up some memories!

You both learned pretty much everything you know about Judaism in school or from your friends.  Then you came home and taught me.  First grade seemed to be when Northbrook kids really became aware that other kids had different religions and holidays.  Little Emily came home from 1st grade  and informed us that some of her classmates were "Christmas" and some were "Hanukkah", referring of course to the holiday their family celebrated.  Soon we learned that some families celebrated both holidays!  Why?  What is the difference between a  Christmas tree and a Hanukkah bush?  Why do we Christians only get to open presents on Christmas when our Jewish friends get presents for 8 nights?  Dad and I found it very educational to answer your questions, lucky for us they didn't start too difficult.

When Ty was is first grade he was good friends with a boy named Adrian.  Ty came  home after playing at Adrian's  house feeling confused.  "They have a menorah and a Christmas tree!  Are they Jewish or Christian?"  It really bothered you.  You wanted answers.  Our ideas about the parents having different religious beliefs and choosing to celebrate both holidays were just not good enough.  There must be a better answer!  So December came and went with Tyler still wondering.  Then Tyler came home one day so excited, the mystery had been solved!  The children had been learning about their heritage in school and Tyler had discovered "Adrian isn't Jewish or Christian!  He's Italian!"

In keeping with the theme of Hanukkah here is a favorite holiday recipe from one of my Jewish friends from Greenbriar.   In Italy it would be called biscotti, a good Swede would call it skorpa, skorpor or almond toast.  But at this time of year in Sunset Foods it is called mandel or mondel bread.  Happy Hanukkah!  And Happy Birthday Kelly!

Felicia's Mandel Bread

1 tsp salt

1/2 lb butter

1/2 cup sugar

4 eggs

1 tsp almond extract

1/4 tsp lemon extract

3 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder

1 bag of chocolate chips

1 pkg chopped nuts, (almonds, walnuts or pecans)

1 box raisins, craisins, etc, optional

ground cinnamon

sugar and cinnamon on top

First, cream the sugar and butter.  Then add the eggs one at a time but keep beating.  After the eggs are put in add the almond and lemon extract.  Put some ground cinnamon in the batter, there is no measurement.  Then measure and sift the flour and baking powder together and add to the mixture.  Mix well.  If you want to make 2 different flavors, divide dough in half now, then add chocolate chips, nuts and raisins as desired.  Divide the dough into 4 equal parts.  Put flour on your hands and roll the dough into long loaves, place on cookie sheets and sprinkle tops with cinnamon sugar.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.  Remove from the oven and let cool for about 5 minutes.  Slice the loaf into thin slices and lay flat on cookie sheet, return to oven for 15-20 minutes, until lightly toasted.

This season when you see a menorah in a store window or find yourself singing the "Dreidel" song, take a moment to remember all our Jewish friends who have enriched our lives.  And of course Jesus, the little Jewish baby in the manger who grew up to be the Savior of the world, and our reason to celebrate!

Big Soft Ginger Cookies

Tonight I was looking into a mixing bowl of cookie dough and found myself thinking of you!  Seeing the rich colors of the spices against the molasses dough made me remember mixing this favorite cookie with you. Baking was a favorite afternoon pastime of ours when you were small children.  You both loved to help in the kitchen, measuring, stirring, tasting and I enjoyed spending time with you creating yummy treats. Sometimes, especially in winter, we baked 3 or 4 days a week.  You would take turns measuring and dumping ingredients into the bowl.  Cracking eggs was always interesting!  Cookies were a favorite to bake because it also gave you a chance to play with the dough.  Sometimes we just made our own fresh play-dough so we could enjoy playing with warm soft dough!

Baking gave us a fun activity to share together.  But since we didn't need to eat all of our creations ourselves, we had to find people to share those tasty treats with.  Often this meant Dad would have baked goods to take to work and share with his co-workers.  Here is a picture of us together at Bethany Covenant Home where Dad worked.  Crazy, big glasses, huh?  We moved to Northbrook shortly after this picture was taken.

I found today's recipe  in a magazine when we lived at 4201 Beard Avenue North.  It looked like it might be perfect for our baking days and give us a nice change from chocolate chip and sugar cookies.  The spicy cookie has become a family favorite that we still enjoy year round.  Get ready to mix up a batch, they are a perfect treat to have around for Thanksgiving and Christmas!

Big Soft Ginger Cookies

3/4 butter, margarine or shortening

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup molasses

2 tsp. ground ginger

3/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. cloves

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt (opt)

2 1/4 cups flour

 2 Tbsp. sugar

Beat the butter with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds.  Gradually add sugar, beat until fluffy.  Add egg and molasses, beat well.

Mix in the spices and soda.  Add the flour to mixture and mix well. 

Shape into 1 1/2 inch balls (1 heaping Tbsp each). Roll the balls in the 2 Tbsp sugar.  

Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes or until light brown and still puffed, may be slightly cracked.  Do not over bake.  Let cool 2 minutes before removing from the cookie sheet.