Happy Mother's Day

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

Celebrating my mom, Mary Pat Lentsch (photo taken Christmas 2004)

Mother's Day, a day set aside to honor mothers, motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society, is celebrated on various days in many parts of the world, most commonly in spring.
Take time to thank your mom for her influence on your life's journey.
If you are a motherless daughter today, there are some ways to keep your mother's memory alive.

• Share stories and anecdotes about your mother.
• 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, keeping her in your head and heart as you make and serve the dishes.
• Write something about your mother- a poem, a song, a recollection.
• 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 83 pounds. Her all-time favorite chocolate dessert was French Silk Pie from Bakers Square, but brownies came in at a close second, plus her supply of Dove Bars in the freezer.  

My mother liked to cook and try new recipes, and with eight of us she got in lots of practice. She always liked to try out some of her recipes in advance for upcoming bridge groups, which at one time belonged to a total of 13!

So, in honor of Mom, I also tried a new recipe as chocolate speaks to us all.

Dark Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes with Truffle Icing

Cook's notes: Here's a showstopper dessert that will wow your guests. Chocolate and raspberries are a marriage made in heaven. Very yummy!

The recipe was adapted from Midwest Living, making 12-14 cupcakes. 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 eggs
• 1- 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1- 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 cup buttermilk 
• 1 pint raspberries, rinsed and drained on a paper towel 
• optional 1 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions

• Let butter and eggs stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a medium-sized muffin cup pan with cooking spray or use cupcake liners and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, stir together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In a small bowl, combine granulated sugar and brown sugar. Set aside.
• Beat butter with an electric mixer in a large bowl for 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar mixture, about 1/4 cup at a time, beating on medium speed about 3-4 minutes or until light and fluffy, scraping side of bowl occasionally. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.
• Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk to the butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition until combined. Beat on medium to high speed for 20 seconds more. Stir in mini chocolate chips.
• Divide half of the batter among the prepared muffin cups. Divide the 1 pint of raspberries among muffin cups, adding 3 berries to the center of each cup. Spoon the remaining batter over the berries in muffin cups.
• Bake for 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pans; cool completely on wire racks.
• Prepare Chocolate Truffle Icing. Place chocolate cakes on a wire rack set over a parchment-lined rimmed baking pan. Spoon icing over the cake, allowing excess to drip. Chill cupcakes for about 20 minutes or until the icing is set. If desired, garnish cakes with additional raspberries. Serve at room temperature.
  

Chocolate Truffle Icing 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons light-color corn syrup
• 1- 1/3 cups semisweet chocolate pieces
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla
• Optional 1 tablespoon Chambord (a liqueur that is an infusion of red and black raspberries) makes a delicious addition

Directions:

• In a medium-heavy saucepan, combine whipping cream and light-colored corn syrup. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until the mixture simmers, then remove from heat. 
• Stir in semisweet chocolate pieces, vanilla, and Chambord. Whisk until the chocolate is melted. Transfer to a large bowl. Cover and chill for about 20 minutes or until icing reaches a thick, pourable consistency, stirring occasionally.