This Mashed Potato Casserole is the perfect make-ahead side dish. Loosely inspired by a recipe I found years ago, it’s become a family favorite. By now, I’ve made it dozens of times, and it’s always my go-to recipe whenever we have a tasty meal that needs a great side dish to round it out.

Mashed Potato Casserole

I love this potato casserole with Easter ham, but it’s also delicious any time of the year. It’s buttery and fabulous, and the little peaks that you make with a fork get golden brown and look so yummy – and theory are! I make the mashed potato peaks the same way my Mom used to make them, and I’ll tell you just what to do so you can make them, too! [This recipe has been on my blog since 2012!] (more…)

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This French chicken dish is roasted in a braiser or roasting pan, in a tasty sweet onion sauce with white wine and plump juicy grapes. It’s the ultimate recipe to serve for company on a cool fall day. Grab your roasting pan, turn your oven on, for this easy Chicken Veronique with grapes recipe!

Chicken Veronique with grapes

We always love a good roasted chicken recipe that you can prepare ahead, and pull out of the oven when company arrives. You can serve this main dish with a side of rice, mashed potatoes potatoes, or mashed sweet potatoes, polenta, or a light salad. We’ve also served a similar recipe, Baked Chicken recipe, that is made with Five Spice and honey sauce! (more…)

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Today’s post is in honor of a family friend, Clara Bell, who passed away last week. She lived 86 years, and the lives she touched could only be counted in heaven, if heaven is even big enough for that. She was an amazing lady, a good friend of my parents; thus a good friend of my sisters and me. Clara taught us all about life, and food was at the core of everything we did. She was a school cook, youth camp cook, church cook, and more intimately for our family, she was the “lead cook” when it came time for our annual one week campouts over in Eastern Oregon.

Everyone loved Clara’s cooking.

A few years back, when I was about 3, Clara often gave my mom a reprieve from me, the youngest of 3 girls, and quite the little stinker (can you tell?) I’d spend nights with Clara, and I think I spent a week once. And I’m sure I loved it, because she always made homemade cinnamon rolls and her house smelled so good. Clara was a country cook, nothing fancy, just wholesome, uncomplicated food.

I chose this picture to share (with my sisters) because Clara took me shopping and bought me this dress that I loved – with a big red bow. She had 2 older sons, who teased me a lot, but I was tough. I could handle it.

Clara’s tacos and tomatoes.

Our campouts where not your typical pork and beans type of campouts. When Clara came, we had fried bread for breakfast, and the best spaghetti and homemade French bread for dinner, plus homemade chili and cornbread, and always … always … Clara’s tacos.

Bud and Clara had a large garden, so on the summer campouts, they’d bring giant heirloom tomatoes. Which goes with this recipe today.

Clara Bell’s tacos were always cooked exactly the same. Fried tortillas, ground beef with beans, refried beans, cheese, finely chopped iceberg lettuce, olives, hot sauce, and Schleigh chopped garden tomatoes.

She set the standard high.

She set the standard high for our family. If the tacos were cooked any other way, they just weren’t good enough. :) I’m sure all the young kids, who are all old kids now, have gone on to make Clara’s tacos to meet our own perfect standards.

Healthier approach to a taco.

There are so many ways to make a taco, and today I’m sharing a healthier approach. You take your meat or bean mixture, or as I did, Quinoa Chili, and add Buttercrunch lettuce, and all the toppings.

So tasty. Even more delicious are my sweet memories of Clara Bell, and her tacos topped with her heirloom red tomatoes, diced in large chunks.

Heaven.

The world was a better place with Clara touching so many lives, mostly children, and I can’t wait for the sweet reunion in heaven one day as I get to see my Mom and her lovely friend, Clara.

Reunited.

What’s your healthy way to make tacos?

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Quinoa Turkey Chili Lettuce Wraps Lettuce Wraps

Make quionoa in rice cooker: 1 cup of quinoa + 1 1/2 cups of water. Cook in the rice cooker on “brown rice setting.”

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 8 servings

Author Sandy Coughlin

Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground turkey
• 1 15 oz. cans Mexican-stewed tomatoes, undrained
• 1 15 oz. cans Bush’s black beans, drained
• 2 15 oz. cans Bush’s kidney beans, drained
• 2 cups peach mango salsa I use Costco’s brand
• 2 tsp. smoked ground cumin
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• salt and pepper
• 2 cups pre-cooked quinoa
• Buttercrunch lettuce large leaves
• 1 can olives
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2-3 heirloom tomatoes chopped

Instructions

• Cook quinoa, either on stove (follow directions) or in a rice cooker (directions in summary).
• Cook ground turkey on medium high heat until brown; strain if needed. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Add to a large pot, the beans, tomatoes, salsa quinoa, and spices.
• Heat on medium high for 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Turn down to low and simmer for 20 minutes.
• Chili will be thick and perfect for lettuce wraps!
• Tear off outer leaves of lettuce. Fill each lettuce leaf with a large scoop of Quinoa Chili, topping with sour cream, tomatoes, and olives. Serve!

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For me, cooking involves love and working from the heart.

Cooking is sensual.

Cooking is sensual, in a way. It’s beautiful–especially straight out of the garden–and it smells so good. Like fresh baked cookies, bread, soups on the stove, or prime rib or turkey in the oven. The smells permeate the house and it just makes you feel so good. There are so many textures and senses that go along with food.

Cooking is simple.

Cooking doesn’t have to be grand, and in fact, simple is sometimes the best. This past weekend, one night we made fresh lamb chops with a shallot, balsamic glaze, risotto, and baked asparagus. You couldn’t get any more basic that those simple ingredients, but it was was the way it was cooked, and the story behind the chops (our friend sent them fresh from her WI farm), and then how it was attractively presented and served and the perfect time, that made the meal a true memory.

Cooking tastes good.

When everyone gathers–especially when the boys are home from college and we’re all together–that’s when the food tastes the very best to me. :) Yesterday my daughter whipped up a new waffle recipe that our family loved. It is gluten-free, dairy-free, and we served it with maple syrup, fresh honey bells oranges, and cranberries. And boy, did they taste good!

I love it when our kids get in the kitchen and create their own recipes. And they love it even more when the recipes actually turn out! :) Abby found this Vanilla Cultured Coconut Milk at Trader Joe’s, which is just like yogurt.

Cooking is creative.

Cooking can be experimental, creative, and fun. It’s a HUGE success when the family doesn’t expect perfection, but is delighted by something so delicious.

I hope you enjoy these waffles today – and how about you use your creativity and come up with your own toppings?

PS. A little waffle love was sent as a snack, for the journey back up to college. (Waffles + almond butter = Love.)

What’s your favorite topping on a waffle?

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Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free Waffles with Cranberries and Orange Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Author Sandy Coughlin

Ingredients

• 1 cup gluten-free flour such as Namaste Gluten Free Perfect Flour Blend
• 1 cup blanched almond flour
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 1/4 cup almond milk we used Vanilla flavor
• 1 cup cultured coconut milk which looks like yogurt, purchased at Trader Joe’s
• 1/2 cup cranberries
• Orange zest

Instructions

• Heat the waffle baker to high. Beat the eggs and set aside.
• Mix both flours, baking powder, soda, and salt. Add the eggs, almond milk, and cultured coconut milk. Mix thoroughly.
• Add the cranberries and orange zest.
• Makes about 6 large waffles.

Harry & David provided the Honeybells, but did not sponsor this post today. They were delicious, and all opinions are my own!

The post Cooking Is … and Gluten-Free Cranberry Orange Waffles appeared first on Reluctant Entertainer.

The intoxicating scent of waffles baking is almost too much to bear. And when you add chocolate and fruit on top, it’s heaven!

I’m partnering with Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry for the next couple of months to create recipes for my readers, and also invite one reader to join me on a trip to the Pepperidge Farm® Innovation Center in Norwalk, CT by sharing your own idea of creating something delicious with Puff Pastry! Scroll down to the bottom of this post for more information, and to see who my winner was from January!

This recipe today is one of the easiest, classiest desserts you can make for a brunch. The Puff Pastry Shells are so easy to work with. They come 6 in a pack, and you defrost them in the fridge for a couple of days before using. Break them apart, place on your steaming hot waffle iron, “cut” lines facing up, and shut the lid to bake.

It’s really that easy. This gives you a few minutes to set up your platter with Nutella and fresh fruit, so when the waffles come out of the baker, they’re hot and ready to serve!

The shells are the perfect size for one portion per guest, so one package serves 6. In a matter of minutes you could bake 2 packages for a decadent dessert for 12 guests.

Why do I like using Puff Pastry’s shells for a quick waffle fix? Because the dough is already made, and the pastry comes out fluffy and flakey.

For entertaining, you’re sure to have the perfect dessert in a matter of minutes.

You can either display them for guests to assemble, or pre-assembly the treats so they’re ready for eating!

As for the treats themselves, this recipe today is perfect for any brunch, any season of the year, and perfect this week for a Valentine’s Day treat for your family.

I love showing love to my family and friends through food.

Love and fresh fruit and chocolate and puff pastry are a perfect match made in heaven!

My TOP PICK winner from the last Puff Pastry recipe I shared, Rebecca, from Foodie with Family. 

Congrats to Rebecca! Now it’s your turn to comment and share YOUR own original Puff Pastry recipe/idea and/or twist on an existing dish using Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry, for a chance to win a trip to the Pepperidge Farm Headquarters!

What ideas do you have to share for Valentine’s Day treat or a brunch?

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Puff Pastry Shells Waffles with Nutella and Fruit Recipe

Defrost the shells up to 24 hours in fridge, prior to baking in the waffle iron.

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Author Sandy Coughlin

Ingredients

• 1 10 oz. box Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Shells 6, defrosted
• 1/2 cup Nutella
• Fresh fruit slices (strawberries)

Instructions

• Preheat waffle iron to as hot as it can get.
• Break apart the shells and place 3 on the waffle iron (or 4, if you have a very large baker).
• Bake until golden brown. Remove from the baker.
• Spread Nutella on top, while still warm.
• Garnish with fresh sliced fruit and serve.

Disclosure: I am working with Pepperidge Farm over the next few months to create recipes using their Puff Pastry products as part of their “Puff is the Spark” panel. I use this product regularly in my kitchen, and as always; all opinions shared are my own.

Looking for more Puff Pastry ideas for Valentine’s Day?
Peanut Butter Mousse Cups from Recipe Girl
Strawberry Cream Puffs from Glorious Treats
Mini Chocolate Pastry Donuts from Pizzazzerie

The post Puff Pastry Waffle Shells with Nutella and Fruit appeared first on Reluctant Entertainer.

Once I realized that entertaining doesn’t always have to be fine dining, you know, where you serve a zillion courses and sit at the table, it really did become easier for me. For example, tonight I’m having a few lady friends over for dinner and I’m making a giant salad with warm crunchy bread. How perfect is that? Perfect enough, and I may be whipping up this delicious crumble, as well.

Learn to enjoy.

You don’t have to be a reluctant entertainer forever. When you have a simple plan, and you determine to have a good time with your friends–I’ve learned to sit back and enjoy whatever happens. The great thing about ladies coming for dinner is that someone will jump up and help, if I need it. I’ll never be “stuck” and on my own.

Entertain together.

Entertaining is fun when you share the load and do it together!

The food is important, but what happens while you’re eating the food is really what entertaining is about. :)

Freeze the “crumble” topping.

I keep this “crumble” topping recipe already made up and in the freezer (I {heart} Ziploc bags) so all I have to do is prepare the fruit, add the crumble (even frozen), and pop it in the oven!

Good for the heart.

Perfection at its finest.

I’m always glad I say yes to entertaining, because it makes my heart feel really good.

When’s the last time you invited a small group over for a casual meal?

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Bosc Pear Crumble Recipe

From Harry & David’s Fruit of the Month Club recipe collection.

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Author Sandy Coughlin

Ingredients

• 5-6 ripe Bosc Pears
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp. ground cardamom
• 1 stick butter 1/4 lb:
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1-1/2 cups of chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup rolled oats

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375F. Quarter and core and roughly chop them into a medium sized pot. Cook for 7-10 minutes, until some of the juices are released and the fruit is softened. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom, coating the pears with spices. Place into a 8” x 8” baking pan or 9-inch pie plate.
• Heat the sugar, butter, rolled oats and chopped pecans over medium heat in a medium sized pot until the pecans and oats are fully coated.
• Sprinkle the topping over the pears and bake for 25 minutes or less, until the topping is golden brown and the pears are completely soft and bubbling. Another indication that the pears are done is that the skin should be brown and no longer green or yellow. Remove from oven and cool slightly.
• Serve warm or cool, plain or topped with ice cream or fresh whipped cream.

Pear TIP:

Bosc pears are sweeter and more flavorful earlier i the ripening process than other pear varieties. As a result, the complex flavor, honey-sweetness and juiciness of these pears can be enjoyed before their flesh has fully softened.

Harry & David provided me with beautiful Bosc pears, but I was not paid to write this post. I love Harry & David products; but as always, all opinions are my own.

The post Say Yes to Entertaining with Bosc Pear Crumble appeared first on Reluctant Entertainer.

With the Super Bowl right around the corner, I’ve learned to keep Puff Pastry products in my freezer at all times, for quick and easy recipes (so many options!), or for last minute treats for our guests, such as Sour Cream Lemon Shells, made with Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Shells, the perfect dessert for a few quick bites in between all the excitement.

This recipe is not only perfect for Game Day, it’s been a great dessert to take when we’ve been invited to a weekly home party to watch Downton Abbey!

We all get pressed for time, but at the same time we want to make a bite of “Oh, My, Goodness!” for special events, so this recipe is just that.

Oh, My, Goodness!

It involves these easy ingredients:
Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Shells
Lemon Curd
Sour Cream
Cinnamon/Sugar
Raspberries
Almond slices

You start with Puff Pastry shells, sprinkling them with cinnamon and sugar before you bake them. Pop them in the oven for 20 minutes.

Then mix the lemon curd and sour cream together. You can do this 2 ways; either buy Lemon Curd (I buy Trader Joe’s), or you can make your own (but you will need to make in advance to allow to cool before adding the sour cream).

Time may not be your friend, to make the curd, so an easy entertaining tip: Keep different flavored “curds” stocked in the pantry. (Right now I have lemon and cranberry flavors.)

After the shells cool, fill them with the lemon mixture.

Top with fresh fruit (raspberries) and sliced toasted almonds.

I love anything lemon this time of year, as our lemon tree plant is just beginning to flower, but it’s nice to make a fresh tart treat for Game Day guests. It seems like we eat so much dip, chips, veggies, wings, meatballs, sliders …

These Sour Cream Lemon Puff Pastry Shells will top off the game in a good way, no matter who wins, I promise.

Now it’s your turn. To win a chance to come with me to the Puff Pastry headquarters this spring, you get to participate by answering my question. Here are more details:

Would you share what creamy delight you’d fill these shells with for Game Day guests?

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Sour Cream Lemon Puff Pastry Shells

Make your own curd: Take 2-3 fresh lemons cut in half; squeeze through a strainer. Take 1/2 cup of lemon juice, adding to a medium sized stainless steel mixing bowl with 2/3 cup white sugar, 1 Tbs cornstarch, 3 large eggs and 1 egg yolk; whisk to combine. Cook mixture over a double boiler by bringing 1-2 inches of water to a boil in a deep stainless pot, placing the bowl with the lemon mixture over the top. Make sure the bowl isn’t touching the water and whisk regularly as it thickens. Once it is thick, whisk in 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, a little bit at a time. Use a rubber spatula to push that mixture through a strainer into a mixing bowl, or deep plastic container, and place it into the fridge with a layer of plastic wrap pressed down on its surface to completely cool down. (Makes 1-2 cups of curd).

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Author Sandy Coughlin

Ingredients

• 1 box frozen Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Shells
• Cinnamon and sugar 1 Tb. of each
• 1 10 oz. jar lemon curd
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• Fresh berries such as raspberries, blueberries, or blackberries
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds toasted

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425. Bake the Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Shells according to the directions on the box, for 20 minutes, sprinkling with cinnamon sugar before baking.
• Allow to cool for 5 minutes. (Bake shortly before serving so they stay fresh and crunchy).
• Mix the lemon curd (whether using pre-made or homemade recipe) with the sour cream.
• To serve, gently scoop out the center of the shells, filling the shells with the lemon mixture.
• Top with 3 fresh berries and a few sliced almonds. Serve.

My TOP PICK winner from the last recipe I developed, who came up with a delicious way to use the Puff Pastry products, was Sommer from A Spicy Perspective. Soup Shots? LOVE this idea!

Disclosure: I am working with Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry, creating recipes using their products as part of their “Puff is the Spark” panel. As always, all opinions are my own.

The post Game Day Sour Cream Lemon Puff Pastry Shells appeared first on Reluctant Entertainer.

I’m a horrible calorie counter or diet person. When I hear the word “diet,” I automatically am consumed by food, meaning I think about it non-stop. What’s that about? But when I hear the word “salad” I get very excited, because there are so many ways to make a salad taste good. So many options, like today’s recipe, Chop Chop Salad with Garbanzo Beans.

January is the month that I really crave balance, coming off the holidays. I want health and exercise, and I want to eat as healthily as I can. It’s sort of a hunkering down month for me!

Eating healthy helps me focus spiritually on what I need to learn each day, and apply it to my life. Do you ever feel that way?

When I eat junk food, I feel yucky — body, mind, spirit.

My day working from home usually involves making a salad for my husband and me at lunchtime. Or, sometimes, he spoils me and he makes one for me!

Which, by the way, we just got these 2 seed packs in the mail this week. (Squeal! It’s almost garden-time!)

We’ll be trying a new Red Russian Organic Kale, and Organic Lady Di Pole Beans this year.

It’s a start … and we love Territorial Seed Company (right here in Oregon)!

What else do we love in a salad? I try to include avocado, lots of greens, and in today’s recipe instead of cheese or nuts, I thought I’d add a little bit of salami for flavor. But the other options are turkey or chicken, or no meat.

Life is short. Life is sweet. Life is better when we feel good about ourselves and when we are accountable to God for our actions, discipline, and the way we love others.

So what we put into our bodies really counts.

Not that we can’t enjoy a bite of chocolate (my favorite), or salami now and then! :)

Which tastes better when you’re enjoying it with someone you love!

What are the top 3 ingredients that you “must have” in your green salad?

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Chop Chop Salad with Garbanzo Beans

Chop it up and serve with salami, cheese, turkey, or chicken breast!

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Author Sandy Coughlin

Ingredients

• 5 oz. baby spring mix greens
• 2-3 small heirloom tomatoes cut in small pieces
• 1 cup diced dry salami cheese, turkey, or chicken breast
• 1 cup Bush’s Garbanzo Beans drained
• 1/4 cup red onion chopped
• 1/2 cup cucumber chopped
• 1 avocado peeled and cut into small pieces
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 T. lemon juice freshly squeezed
• 1 T. Dijon mustard
• 2 closed garlic cloves minced
• 2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp. sugar
• 1 cup olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh cilantro optional

Instructions

• Cut all salad ingredients into small pieces, and mix together in a large bowl with the salad greens.
• Place the vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, oregano, pepper, and sugar in a blender or food processor. Blend for 30 seconds. Add salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle in the olive oil; blend.
• In a large bowl, drizzle the salad dressing over the salad greens and toss to distribute evenly.
• Serve immediately!

The post Body Talk and Chop Chop Salad with Garbanzo Beans appeared first on Reluctant Entertainer.

Happy Monday, Friends! Breakfasts are an easy approach to entertaining, especially if you’re serving a brunch. You can definitely keep things simpler by buying pre-made desserts, muffins, and coffee cakes, but I like to know that my family and guests are eating as organic and homemade as possible. My favorite new recipe is Quinoa Granola with Currants and Coconut, which I adapted from this recipe, but added in quinoa and chia seeds, and different fruits and nuts.

Perfect this month served with Cara Cara oranges (love the fantastic flavor!)

You start with Greek yogurt and a little bit of honey (or Agave).

Oh, my goodness.

Then sprinkle on top the granola.

Top with Cara Cara oranges, and you have the perfect breakfast!

I’ve sort of had the winter blues the past week. One, I tweaked my back at the gym. Two, I’m tired of the cold weather. Three, I am much happier when the sunshine is OUT!

But, putting those things aside, I’m grateful for so much in life. There’s really no room to complain.

Because these photos are so beautiful, and we’re talking about family, life, good food … and sunshine, I’m borrowing a few of my daughter’s stunning photos from her hike up to Roxy Ann a few weeks ago in the snow, with her Dad and Haggis (our Cairn Terrier).

Yes, the sun was peeking through the clouds. (Abby overlooking the Rogue Valley.)

Back home, Quinoa Granola with Currants and Coconut was waiting for the hungry hikers. :)

Love the combination of quinoa, currants, coconuts and golden raisins. To me, this is a wintry recipe.

I love changing up my traditional granola recipe, and making something fresh and new!

There’s something about snow and sunshine and a good healthy breakfast that really warms my heart!

What’s your “secret ingredient” that you love putting in granola?

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Quinoa Granola with Currants and Coconut Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 35 minutes minutes

Servings 12 servings

Author Sandy Coughlin

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2-3 tsp. vanilla
• 1 tsp. Sea Salt
• 5 cups Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats
• 3 cups quinoa cooked
• 2 cups coconut
• 3 cups sliced almonds
• 3 cups whole walnuts chopped
• 2 cups dried currants
• 1 cup golden raisins
• 1/2 cup chia seeds

Instructions

• Heat oven to 250 degrees. Line 2 rimmed backing sheets with parchment paper.
• Mix all dry ingredients together in a large bowl, except the dried fruit (will add in later).
• Whisk the first 5 ingredients together. Pour over the dry ingredients. Mix well with a wooden spoon.
• Transfer the mixture to the baking sheets, baking on 2 oven levels, stirring every 15-20 minutes. After 40 minutes, swap pans on the oven racks.
• Bake for 60-80 minutes until granola is the consistency that you like.
• Remove granola from the oven and cool on cooling racks for an hour before stirring in the dried fruit.
• Using an airtight container, you can store on your kitchen counter for up to 2 weeks (if it lasts that long).

Snow photography by Abigail Coughlin.

The post Winter Blues and Quinoa Granola with Currants and Coconut appeared first on Reluctant Entertainer.

I think about people this time of year. Shopping, gift giving, opening our homes for gatherings and dinners, and the courage that it takes for some of us to even face this holiday. For many the holidays are painful and dreaded, so it takes effort to coordinate the schedules, be vulnerable with possibly inviting those you’re not crazy about, and extending good cheer and happiness when you don’t really feel like it. For me, I love this time of year. I love planning different events with different groups of friends and family. But just because entertaining comes easy to me doesn’t mean I don’t feel the losses, hardships, divorces, and sadness that some of my friends are facing this holiday season.

I’m reminded of Anne Lamott’s words:

“People say you can’t have faith and fear at the same time. But you can. I’m exhibit A. I prefer to think, Couarge is fear that has said its prayers. So I said my prayers: Help, help, help.”

I wrote in a few posts back how I didn’t decorate the tree this year, instead choosing to display just its tiny white lights. I wondered who all would even notice, but as the front door began to open, in the background our neighbor, who was delivering a gift to our family over the weekend, could see tiny white lights on the tree, said, Oh, I love the white lights on the tree.

As I sit in the living room in the early mornings, coffee in one hand, gazing into the tree, I think about my friends and people who are hurting. Christmas has come to bring joy to the world, and peace to mankind. It reminds me to pray, for not only myself and my family, but for others in this world who need courage – and help, help, help!

Thinking of my love for those people in our lives, who overcome to do things when they’re afraid, and for the lowly and hurting around us, I offer this delicious Flourless Almond Date Chocolate Cake today!

Wouldn’t it be great if all it took to make this world a better place was to bake a cake, to offer a slice, and all hurts would be healed?

For the gluten-free crowd out there, and for any chocolate lover, my prayer is that each bite of this cake would bringing healing, unity, love, and peace this Christmas season!

Have a wonderful next few days, my friends!

Do you lack courage when it comes to entertaining, or is it something you really enjoy doing?

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Flourless Date Chocolate Cake Recipe

This cake is so rich, and perfectly paired for the holidays with Egg Nog or Peppermint or a rich Vanilla Bean ice cream!

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 12 servings

Author Sandy Coughlin

Ingredients

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 12- ounce bag semi-sweet chocolate chips + 1/4 cup for garnishing
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 8- ounce bag pitted dates
• 5 eggs
• 1/4 cup blanched almond flour

Instructions

• Heat the oven to 350 F. Coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray.
• In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat the cream until just simmering. Remove the pan from the heat and add the chocolate chips. Stir until melted and smooth.
• Combine the chocolate-cream mixture, vanilla, almond extract, and dates in a blender. Puree until smooth (it will be very thick), about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the eggs and blanched almond flour, then puree again until completely blended.
• Pour into the prepared pan and spread evenly with a spatula.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until completely set at the center. Cool completely, then remove the sides of the pan.
• Grate 1/4 cup of chocolate (using a small Cuisinart or a grater) and sprinkle over the cake. Garnish with pomegranates or fresh raspberries and serve. Excellent served with a small scoop of ice cream.

The post Courage and Flourless Date Chocolate Cake appeared first on Reluctant Entertainer.