Strawberry Crepes

We've been celebrating strawberry season in a big way.  The berries have been tasty and plentiful.  My own strawberry bed is producing for the first time and I love picking them warm from the sun and popping them straight into my mouth.  No chemicals on these babies, so I can do that with good conscience.  There are not however, enough to make all the wonderful things that I want to make, so I've been supplementing them with berries from the local farms and some from down the mountain in SC.  They're all delicious!   

A dear friend of mine is getting married in August and I've been asked to help with the food at the reception by coming up with a strawberry crepe recipe.  This has been a tasty project that my family has enjoyed!  Unlike his wife, my husband doesn't usually get too excited about food.  But these crepes, well, they have turned his head.  They might be his new favorite dessert!

This recipe is made in three different steps.  First I made a simple strawberry sauce.

 Strawberry Sauce

1 quart of sliced strawberries

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

2 T. cornstarch

squirt of fresh lemon juice

I brought the sauce to a boil and then I took a potato masher and squished the berries, leaving plenty of them in larger pieces.  As soon as the sauce began to thicken slightly,  I turned it off and let it cool.  I didn't want to overcook, because I was going for a nice fresh sauce here, not jam.   

The second step was mixing up the crepe batter.  I don't think I've made crepes since high school French class, but if I had known how easy they are,  I would have tried them much sooner.  I dumped all the ingredients into the blender and mixed everything up in a few seconds.

Crepe Batter

2 eggs

1 1/4 cup milk

1 cup plain flour

4 T. powdered sugar

2 T. melted butter

I sprayed a nonstick skillet with coconut oil and poured about 1/4 cup of batter in the pan.  Quickly I turned the pan from side to side to completely cover the bottom. 

As soon as the batter is set, gently flip over the crepe and cook for about a minute.  This all goes really quickly, so have a cooling rack close by so you can remove one crepe and start the next one.  The recipe makes about ten crepes, depending on the size of your pan.  You want them to be lightly browned, like this.

Putting the crepes together was the fun part.  I took one of the cooled crepes and spread it out on a plate.  

Next came the creme filling.  Oh, I forgot to tell you about the creme filling.  I guess this would be step three.   This filling is a divine mixture of cream cheese, powdered sugar, heavy cream and vanilla.   Mix this all together in your mixer and have it ready to spread on the crepes.  This will keep for days in the refrigerator, if you want to make it ahead of time. 

Creme Filling

2 packages of cream cheese, softened to room temperature

1 cup of powdered sugar

1 cup of heavy whipping cream (unwhipped)

1 t. vanilla

Spread the crepe with the delicious cream filling and then place a few fresh strawberries on top of the cream.

Spoon the strawberry sauce over the fresh berries.

Wrap the crepe tightly with the seam on the bottom.

Make the second crepe, because you will definitely want two.

Sprinkle the tops with powdered sugar.  You could put more fresh berries and whipped cream on the top, but it's really not necessary.  They are perfect just like this.

I think these will be a hit at the wedding!

*Recipe adapted from this website.

May Is My New Favorite Month - Daybook Entry

Outside my window... I'm enjoying an afternoon thunderstorm.  Sunshine and blue skies all morning, followed by a nice little storm later in the day.  This has been the pattern lately.  I can't say I mind it.  Since I've been putting fresh plants in the garden, these little rainstorms are exactly what is needed.  My yard is in full color with peonies, iris, hydrangea, and rhododendron in bloom.  I love it!

I am wearing... pink tshirt, black yoga pants and flip-flops.  I haven't taken the time to get dressed since I got home from my yogalates class this morning.  I'm comfortable, what can I say?

I am listening to... rain.  And, I've listened to a couple of podcasts this afternoon.  I'm not sure why it's taken me so long to learn about podcasts, but now that I have, I'm hooked.  Whenever I'm working in the house, weeding in the garden and driving in my car, I can tune it to one of my subscribed podcasts and listen away.   Today I learned about Carrie Nation from the History Chicks and then I listened to a debate on Intelligencesquared about whether South America would win over Asia as the next Superpower.  And then to get a little more down to earth, I listened to a mom talk about giving birth to quadruplet sons and her ideas on gearing up for summer ( those boys are now in grade school) on Inspired to Action.   And this was all background noise while I drove around in town this morning and made strawberry sauce and strawberry rhubarb jam this afternoon.  These were all interesting, but my favorites this past week have been one about avalanches on Stuff You Should Know and an interview with Joe De Sena on How to Overcome Obstacles and Achieve Peak Perfomance on The School of Greatness.  So you can see I listen to all kinds of things...

I am thankful for... May!  Warm days, flowers, green trees, a garden that's almost planted, a long weekend to spend with my husband, summer plans, strawberries and rhubarb, spinach and lettuce...

Around the house... I've been working in the basement.  I just passed the "it gets worse before it gets better stage" and there is hope.  Even though all the things I have stored in the basement are out of sight for the most part, they are not out of mind.  Just knowing that I have chaos looming below me burdens me down, and I'm tired of it.  So, I'm determined to get it organized.  It's a slow process, because I'm asking lots of questions as I work as to whether these things are something that is valuable to me or things that need to be passed on to someone else, the thrift store or the garbage can.  How do we accumulate so much stuff?!?  And what do we really need?  Not nearly as much as we have.

In the garden... I've been harvesting radishes, spinach, kale, lettuce ( all kinds), asparagus and strawberries.  So delicious.  The potatoes are up and looking good.  I've planted peppers and tomatoes (got my fingers crossed), squash, beets, carrots, green beans and onions.  The garlic bed looks fantastic.  I think I'm going to have some nice big garlic bulbs this year.  And I'm weeding...  I'm going to try hard to keep up with it this year (my garden resolution every year).  

I'm not a fan...  of chili pepper in my chocolate.  I've tried twice and no way!  Don't mess up my dark chocolate bar with chili.  I'll take mine with sea salt thank you.

I'm loving... the Wunderlist app on my phone.  Thanks to Anne for sharing.  I have lists for everything you can imagine and I'm keeping up with all the little things that are easy to forget.  Today's to-do list, the grocery list, errands, movies to watch, books to read, gardening tasks, gratitude journal, prayer list, letters to write, etc. are all on my phone now.  It's wunderful! 

I'm reading... as of this moment... The Catcher in the Rye, The Seven Deadly Sins Today,  Let Your Hearts Rejoice  and Tender at the Bone.   I just finished that last one and as soon as I read the last word, I turned to the beginning and started over again.  It's been a long time since I've enjoyed a book that much.  "Reading Ruth Reichl on food  is almost good as eating it."  Those are the words on the front cover of the book and I couldn't agree more!

I am creating... a vegetable garden and order in my basement. 

I am learning... to speak Italian.  Thanks to Duolingo, another fun app on my phone, I'm attempting to learn another language.  I have plans to go to Italy in 2015 and it would be great to be able to speak a little of the language.  Thirty minutes a day, five days a week, that's how much time I'm investing.  We'll see where that gets me.

From the kitchen... strawberry everything!  I've made ice-cream, shortcake, muffins, jam and crepes. It's a wonderful time of the year.

30 Day Challenge... It's interesting that I placed these two prompts next to each other.  Because of the wonderful stuff coming out of the kitchen, I have to make sure and stick to these 30 Day Challenges.  This month I've started training for that 5K I'm hoping to run in the fall.  It's week four and I'm still hanging in there.  I'm taking it nice and slow.  I'd rather take twice as long to reach my goal and not injure myself along the way.  And just for the record, I'm jogging, not running.  A nice ,slow jog.  

I'm pondering... "Grace happens anyway; the least we can do is be there."   Annie Dillard

Living my faith... This past week I was asked to teach the Nursery children at church.  What a treat that was!  I'm helping with a Relief Society activity that will be coming up soon.  We're having a recipe night, with lots of sharing of wonderful dishes and some demonstrations.  I'll be teaching a pasta making segment.  Time to dig out that machine and start practicing.  My personal studies are taking me into Colossians and I'm pondering what it means to "put on Christ".  More of Him and less of me.

A few plans for the rest of the week.. keep working in the basement and in the garden.  Go visiting teaching and make some pasta.  Distribute flyers for Patriot's Camp. Enjoy the beautiful weather, maybe take a hike.  Yes, definitely take a hike!

A Tendency to Wander

We had a thought provoking lesson in Sunday School today.  Well, at least it has provoked my thoughts!  The text was from Deuteronomy, when Moses is preparing his people for his upcoming death.  He's been through a lot with these people.  Called by God to be their prophet/leader, he's tried his best to lead them from Egypt to the promised land.  Forty years of wandering in the wilderness has been the result of rebelliousness and disobedience.  This calling was not one Moses asked for, in fact he did his best to convince the Lord that he wasn't the right one for the job.  Chapter after chapter, we read of a people who do not trust God for their deliverance (even when they've witnessed parting seas, food drops from heaven, water brought forth from a rock, etc.).  Moses must have wanted to give up so many times.  But when you serve people, you love them, even when they make you crazy and you just want to shake them!   And now as he prepares to leave them, he's reminding them of the lessons he's taught and the miracles they have witnessed.  He wants them to remember to love the Lord with all their hearts, souls and might.   In the sixth chapter of Deuteronony he  tells them to teach their children these things, to talk about them in their homes, as they go about their daily round, when they get up in the morning and when they lie down at night to remember to love the Lord with all their hearts, souls and might.   And to help them remember, they are to have visual reminders in their homes, on their doorposts and even on the clothes they wear.   This is important stuff.  Everything they've experienced in their wilderness experience has brought them to this point. They have been given the ten commandments and many other laws to keep them focused on their God and his gospel.   God knows it is in their nature to forget Him, and He is telling them through their prophet to do these things, to help them remember. 

It's easy enough to read through this history and judge those Israelites for their lack of faith (especially since we know how the story ends).   I mean really, we wouldn't wander around in the wilderness like they did for forty years.  Surely, if we had seen the miracles and witnessed the power of God as they had, we would have been more obedient and probably made it to the promised land much, much sooner, right? 

The scriptures are filled with examples of wilderness experiences.  Think about it.  In the Old and New Testament, Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants, we read of great people who struggled with their faith, veered off the straight and narrow path, isolated themselves from righteousness, disobeyed the commandments and found themselves alone and lost.  And I think the reason we have these examples in the scriptures is because we will probably find ourselves in a wilderness experience of our own at least once in our lifetime.  I think a wilderness experience is part of life's journey, because there are valuable lessons that can only be learned in the wilderness.     

Of course, we should do those things that give us protection and help us to stay on the straight and narrow, but we will sin and fall short at some time.  When we find ourselves in the wilderness we should try to get out as quickly as possible.  Lessons do not have to take forty years! And when we truly repent we will find it easier to stay on the straight and narrow and be less tempted to wander.  

Along with those examples of wilderness experiences are countless admonitions from the Lord to always remember Him.  He knows we need to do the same kinds of things the Israelites were taught to do.  We live in a world of distractions and temptations.  Our Sunday "high" will begin to fade as we move into Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday if we're not careful.  How do we remember?  Our instructor shared how he has started using any time where he has to "wait" to read the scriptures on his phone.  Isn't it wonderful that we can carry the scriptures around with us everywhere we go?  Yay for smartphones!  Here are some other things that can help us remember: daily prayers, immersing ourselves in the scriptures, living our covenants and standing as a witness.  Constantly nourishing our spirit with good music, art, and the written word every day helps.  Spending time in nature and praising God for his creations helps me and I try to start each morning that way.  For those of us who have made temple covenants, we can always remember Him as we dress each day.  Partaking of the sacrament is the highlight of my week.   We can display reminders in our home, where we will see them often.  I have a small picture by my bedroom door that asks the question, "Did you think to pray?"  Mark made that for me and I love it!  I have post it note and index card reminders scattered on my desk, the refrigerator and the bathroom mirror.  I have a picture of Christ on my bedside table and a painting of the temple on my wall.  I know that I need things to help me to always remember Him.  As much as I want to love the Lord with all my heart, and with all my soul, and with all my might, I know my weaknesses and how easy it can be to become distracted and forget.  I'm more like the Israelites that I might like to admit.

At the end of the class our instructor asked a few questions for us to ponder as we started this new week.   Here's what I'm thinking about...   

  "If someone walked into our home what would they see?"  

"Would they find evidence that a disciple of Christ lived there?"

 "Have we surrounded ourselves with ways to help us always remember Him?"  

"Do we take the time to remember all the things that God has done for us?" 

"How can we protect ourselves and our families from wandering in the wilderness?"   

What helps you to remember?

O Taste and See that the Lord is Good...

First Monday counting... when I share entries from my gratitude journal.

(I realize it's not the first Monday.  I'm so behind.  I have lots of ideas for posts, but not enough hours in the day.) 

181- peach colored roses

182- Tuesday morning Book of Mormon study

183- toes in the sand

184- sailboats 

185- holding hands

186- a weekend escape

187- the salty smell of the ocean

188- soaking up the sun

189- safe travels

190- chinese take out

191- chocolatey, chocolatey birthday cake

192- shopping with Tara

193- well wishes from friends

194- a giant burrito!

195- calla lilies

196- warm chocolate chip cookie with a cold glass of milk

197-looking up

198- opening my computer in the morning and finding a 

note from someone who loves me

199- green

200- big boys going through an old toy box

201- listening to childhood memories

202- shaping warm bread dough

203- celebrating Jantzen's birthday

204- a breakfast omelet made with fresh eggs and 

asparagus from the garden

205- spotting the first butterfly of the season

206- spa day with Kenzie

207- lighthouse view

208- rushing to get sunrise pictures

209- Easter treats

210- lemon curd

211- planting potatoes under dad's supervision

212- cooking for my dad

213- visit with Cindy and family

214- make up lesson from Kenzie

215- an amazing burger

216- beautifully wrapped gift

217- celebrating 33 years of marriage

218- asparagus from the garden

219- lilacs

220- celebrating grandpa's birthday 

" O taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the woman who trusts in Him."

Psalm 34:8

Springtime in the Heart

First Monday counting...
                         when I share entries from my Gratitude Journal

"It is always springtime in the heart that loves God."

Jean-Marie-Baptiste Vianney

131- planning a wedding

132- fresh tortillas from Susana

133- kissing practice

134- lemon verbena laundry detergent

135- lunch with the Asheville kids

136- slow cooked chicken in the crock pot

137- bouncing a red haired, blue eyed baby on my lap

138- GPS on my car

139- a well prepared teacher

140- celebrating Mardi Gras with jambalaya

141- birds singing their wake up call

142- doggie ears flapping in the wind

143- Carolina blue skies

144- riding through the mountains with the sun roof open

145- a milkshake so thick you have to eat it with a spoon

146- pruning fruit trees with Dad Wray

147- a cupcake gift from my sweetie

148- growth opportunities

149-eating granola and peaches and thinking of a far away friend

150- sore muscles after a day of yard work

151-Kelly dressed in white, ready for baptism

152- a pretty new spoon rest

153- a fireside visit with our home teachers

154- Trader Joe shopping with Kenzie

155- listening to Mark speak at Stake Conference

156- a son who always helps with the dishes

157- the first day of spring

158- daffodils

159- making french toast with my great grandmother's bowl

160- sitting in a circle with a group of primary children, all

of us wearing gloves, talking about the gift of resurrection

161- girls night out

162- Starburst jelly beans

163- a clean, organized desk

164- starting a new tradition with Relief Society brownies

165- words of encouragement, following a challenging week

166- kitty purring at my feet

167- morning stretching

168- pillow talk

169- working with mom and dad in the garden

170- earthworms crawling through rich brown soil

171- freshly baked dinner rolls

172- Jessica's salsa

173- a truck load of mulch

174- tiny seeds carefully placed in rows

175- warm, sunny skies

176- an early morning cookie delivery

177- travel plans

178- a weeded asparagus bed

179- rain

180- yellow, the color of spring

In daily life we must see that it is not happiness that makes

us grateful, but gratefulness that makes us happy.