Simple Recipes

Peanut Butter Cups

If you’re looking for something quick and easy, you’ve gotta try this!


Ingredients:

16 oz semi-sweet or milk chocolate, chopped (or use chips)
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup confectioners sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

Directions:
In a small glass bowl, heat half of the chocolate in the microwave for 30-60 seconds. Remove from the microwave once the chips begin to slightly melt. Use a fork to stir until smooth, using the heat of the chocolate to melt the remaining chips entirely. If needed, re-heat in 10 second intervals until smooth. DO NOT over heat the chocolate, as it will burn and seize.

Line a muffin tin with cupcake papers. Spoon a small amount (about 2 teaspoons) of chocolate into the bottom of each paper. Tap the pan on your counter top to help smooth and spread the chocolate. Place the pan in the freezer for 15 minutes to harden the chocolate. Meanwhile, prepare the peanut butter.

In a small bowl, beat together peanut butter, butter and confectioners sugar until smooth and fluffy. Remove the pan from the freezer, and spoon a small amount of peanut butter on to the chocolate layer. Again, tap on counter top to level and spread the peanut butter. Return the pan to the freezer and allow to harden for about 15 minutes.

Repeat the first step and melt the remaining chocolate in the same manner. Spoon the top chocolate layer over the peanut butter and return to freezer.

Serve very cold, and enjoy!

The Praying Old Lady

The Praying Old Lady

My mother sent for me after I had spent two years living with my aunt Lydia in St. Croix. Now I was back with my mom in Brooklyn, New York.

Mostly I was excited that I would see my grandmother Emma again. On Fridays after she got out of work, she would pick me up and take me home with her on the train. It was a treat to know I could spend a weekend with her.  

Abuela, as I called her, was a seamstress. My wardrobe was non-existent when I came to live in Brooklyn from the island. My grandmother would search through scraps of leftover materials and would sew me a little dress in no time; I was aware I would look presentable when we attended the church service on Sunday.

During the summer months, I spent more days with her whenever she took time off from the dress factory. She would teach me to sew dresses for a Skipper doll I had at age 8. Whenever I was with her, I would hand sew my doll a dress with the same material I was wearing.

Another thing she did was sing hymns so that I would learn them. I know hundreds of them thanks to her. Yet, if anything can top learning these songs of praise, it was when her friend came to pray with her.

When her elderly friend came over, they would kneel by the bed and pray about many situations. I was not allowed in the room, but I could see them from the living room where I was told to wait and instructed not to make noise. I was to look at the Life magazines or the National Geographic ones that lay on the living room table.

However, the presence of the Holy Spirit was so viable, I had no desire to look at the magazines. I wanted to pray with them and enjoy what they were enjoying! My grandmother had no idea why I preferred to be in the bedroom with them for I could not fully express it at that time. The Holy Spirit was already calling me to enjoy His Holy presence, but the adults did not get it.

The adults might think their children are too young to enjoy prayer, but when the Holy Spirit is at work in an atmosphere where hearts are expecting, the moment is right for children to learn to seek Him prayerfully, in spirit and in truth.

I do not remember the praying lady’s name, but I can still see her smooth dark face radiating with a blessed smile. I thank God for my grandmother Emma, and that praying old lady!