Happy Mother's Day Greetings

No song or poem will bear my mother's name.
Yet so many of the stories I write,
that we all write, are my mother's stories.
by Alice Walker

Listen carefully to what country people
call motherhood. In these homely sayings
are couched the collective wisdom of generations.
by Maya Angelou

Mother's Day is a day set aside to honor mothers, and motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society. It is celebrated on various days in many parts of the world, most commonly in spring.

Take time on Mother's Day to thank a mom.
If you are a motherless daughter today there are some ways to keep your mother's memory alive.

• Share stories and anecdotes with family and friends.
• Wear your mother's favorite color -- piece of clothing, nail polish, etc.
• Remember your mother's best advice and wisest sayings, follow and share.
• Prepare your mother's favorite recipes, and keep her in your head and your heart as you are making the dishes and serving them.
• Write something -- a poem, a song, a recollection -- about your mother.
• Perform an act of kindness to honor your mother.
• Give to a charity in memory of your mother.

Some may have considered my mother a chocoholic.  There wasn't a piece of chocolate she didn't like. She was tiny and only weighed some 83 pounds. Her all time favorite chocolate dessert was French Silk Pie from Bakers Square but brownies came in at a close  second. 

Roasted Cherry Dark Chocolate Brownies

Cook's notes: recipe inspired by closetcooking.com
A good quality balsamic vinegar can be substituted for Kirsch.
Brownie Ingredients:

• 2 cups dark cherries, pitted and halved (found in canned fruit aisle)
• 1/4 cup Kirsch (cherry brandy) or a high quality balsamic vinegar, Chocolate Balsamic or Black Cherry Balsamic
• 1/2 cup butter 
• 6 oz. dark chocolate coarsely chopped
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder 
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup sugar 
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 TB. Kirsch

Brownie Directions:

• Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Toss cherries with Kirsch or balsamic vinegar.
• Roast cherries at 425 degrees for 25 minutes.
• Cool and halve cherries.
• Melt chocolate and butter on low heat and whisk to blend.
• In a bowl mix flour baking powder and salt. 
• Beat eggs, sugar and vanilla till light and fluffy. Blend in chocolate, 1 TB Kirsch and fold in flour mixture with roasted cherries. Stir to blend.
• Pour into a 8 x 8 greased pan, bake at 350 degrees for 22 minutes or until a toothpick to the center comes out clean. 

Chocolate Frosting Ingredients:

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 4 TB. butter
• 12 oz. package of semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
• 2 TB. Amaretto
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• optional chopped pecans

Chocolate Frosting Directions:

• In a saucepan combine sugar, milk, chips and butter.
• Bring to a boil stirring constantly and boil 2 minutes.
• Remove from heat and beat in powdered sugar and Amaretto.
• Cool frosting before spreading on brownies. 

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY MOM