Happy New Year!

Chris sent me this from Wales

I had a date we had a drink and appetizer then decide to part. I was home by 8:30. He was a bit Young and came from almost 50 miles away,
When I heard him say he couldn't come down often and didn't realize what he was saying.

The last guy I also met at Red Lobster I could tell I was too big for his tastes too, but he was polite and bought me a cup of tea then shook my hand.

If I had just asked him in the lobby if he wanted to part company, because I could tell that fast, he would have been too polite to be as abrupt.

This dating is hard


I have another date on Fri. and had another on Thursday that was more successful.

Since me had a blue moon, the 2nd full moon in a month which is rare, I would have liked to take a sleeping bag and chair up to Mt. Hamilton and watched the heavens,

Chris should be home from his trekking in Wales too. He wanted to bring wine and a movie and come over for a hug.

Eclair Ring

Inspiration:
My sister Ellen made this for us over the holidays using the recipe of a family friend.


Ingredients:

Dough
1 cup water
1/2 cup butter
1 cup flour

4 eggs
Filling

2 3-oz packages instant French vanilla pudding
1 9-oz Cool Whip
1 t vanilla
2.5 cups milk
Topping

2 squares semi-sweet chocolate (melted)
2 T butter
2 T milk
1 c powdered sugar
1 t vanilla

Instructions:

Make dough-- heat butter and water to rolling boil. Stir in flour at once over low heat. Beat until ball is formed, and take off heat. Beat in eggs one at a time with mixer. Spoon onto a cool pizza pan to form circular shape with a hole in the middle. Bake at 400 degrees for 45-50 minutes. Cool away from drafts.
When cool, split horizontally and fill with filling. Place top layer on filling and spread with topping.

Notes: This is an impressive dessert for parties, and it isn't too hard to make. (Easy for me to say... I didn't make it this time!)

I'd love to figure out a way to make a vanilla custard filling that doesn't use pudding mix or Cool Whip. I'll be working on it, but if you figure it out, let me know!

Ellen and I were also discussing adding fresh raspberries to the filling, which would be a nice addition.