Moving slowly towards spring!

This winter is relentless and now that the holiday lights have gone out and the lovely colors have gone, the season has taken on a grim tone. The days are so short and the snow is so high that a warm evening beverage is a definite necessity. I make a point of having something cheerful at the end of each day to ease the grey feeling. A cup of chocolate almond coffee with a splash of Irish Creme topped with whipped cream takes the bite out of the Winter chill. Decaffeinated coffee can be dressed up deliciously without the alcohol if so desired. A cup of decaf (brewed with a sprinkle of cinnamon) and kissed with a tsp of maple syrup can really warm the heart. General Foods International Café from the makers of Maxwell House make some delicious coffees. Just microwave a cup of water and then add the coffee mixture (cream is included). It is just delicious. An interesting coffee recipe available on Kraft's web site includes a cup of coffee blended with a scoop of chocolate ice cream and 2tbs of peanut butter. I tried it for a change of pace and found it quite tasty. Ice cream and coffee are a popular combination with liquor. The trick is to add the flavored liquor that most compliments the ice cream. For instance; Butter Pecan is best with butterscotch schnapps and chocolate chip mint ice cream tastes best with peppermint schnapps, and coffee ice cream is fabulous with coffee liquor.

At least there's Easter to look forward to!

The brightness of those Easter Eggs is worth the wait. Sweet bread (Polish baba is my favorite) and a roasted lamb dinner is as good as any Christmas morning to me. The favorite U.S. meat is ham and I am not prejudice. When a friend makes a fine ham I get to dinner on time. I always have plenty of Easter eggs on hand. Coloring hard boiled eggs is a simple procedure. Let them cool to room temperature. Pour 1/2 cup water (room temperature) into a large coffee mug, add twenty drops of food coloring and 1tbs of vinegar. Use a spoon to gently lower the eggs into the mug. The longer you leave the eggs in the mug the more color they will retain. Hey, it beats walking in the snow!