"I'm not where I thought I would be or where I wanted to be at this point in my life." Have you ever uttered these words to someone else or has someone spoken these syllables into your life? The quotation marks are intentional as they represent words which have echoed within the chambers of my soul from the moment I was told them nearly a year ago. To reconcile ourselves with pain we must first be thankful for the pain. What a minute?This is such a tough notion to wrap our flawed human desire around, as most of us will shut down rather than dive into hurt.
The Tibetan Buddhist nun, Pema Chodron opened my soul to search beyond love and to examine attachment. We can both love and yet separate ourselves from being attached to people. For in loving them we can also learn to let go of them. The love does not seize to exist. It's merely transformed. Perhaps it's through death, divorce or a geographical distance that we find ourselves separated from a love we once came to know and could not or would not imagine ever being apart from.
As we enter into the season of Easter, I ponder upon how Christ spoke of such separation at the time of his Crucifixion. As he expressed the feelings of being forsaken by his father. Religion does not solely represent peace and love. Faith however in a collective spirit of inner self love is a common thread through out all religions..In that common thread our soul can find peace.
Love yourself where you are at this point in your life. Give love and be open to receiving love. Not the greedy sexual desire of love as Henri Nowen speaks of in his book The Return Of The Prodigal Son. There is a pure love. Outwardly, we can fool, trick and be impostors of love. Inwardly, until we reconcile ourselves to our own pain and reconcile ourselves with the source of pain, the searching will continue and self love will always elude us. We will never arrive to the point in our life where we "want to be."
Offer praise and thanksgiving for suffering as it is in those times that we see the face of God.
Almond Brittle Biscotti
Make your Almond Brittle
2 tablespoons of butter
3 tablespoons of sugar
1/4 cup sliced blanched almonds
Melt the butter with the sugar in a skillet over medium heat. Add almonds and cook until the nuts turn golden brown and are caramelized. This will take a little while, shake your pan, stir, watch them closely. Once the almonds and sugar syrup are golden turn the mixture out onto a parchment lined baking sheet to cool.
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
Make your dough.
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
Cream that butter and sugar together until nice and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl combine your flour, soda, salt and baking powder. Add the flour mixture to your creamed mixture and gently stir them all together. Remember you want a nice tender dough. Just combine everything and then stir in your beautifully caramelized almonds.
Divide the dough in half. Creating 2 individual sections. Shape each section into logs on your parchment lined baking sheet.
These should be about 1/2" high by 1 1/2" wide by 14'" long. Wet your fingers to make this process work more efficiently.
Bake for 25 minutes.
Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes.
Place on cutting board or flat surface and slice each log with a serrated knife into about 3/8 inch thick slices. Yes, the dough really expands in the baking process.
Lay the slices back on the baking sheet.
Bake for an additional 10 minutes or until your desired crunchiness. I baked mine for about 12 minutes.
Bake these to share with those you love. By all means bake them just for you. Love yourself!
The Tibetan Buddhist nun, Pema Chodron opened my soul to search beyond love and to examine attachment. We can both love and yet separate ourselves from being attached to people. For in loving them we can also learn to let go of them. The love does not seize to exist. It's merely transformed. Perhaps it's through death, divorce or a geographical distance that we find ourselves separated from a love we once came to know and could not or would not imagine ever being apart from.
As we enter into the season of Easter, I ponder upon how Christ spoke of such separation at the time of his Crucifixion. As he expressed the feelings of being forsaken by his father. Religion does not solely represent peace and love. Faith however in a collective spirit of inner self love is a common thread through out all religions..In that common thread our soul can find peace.
Love yourself where you are at this point in your life. Give love and be open to receiving love. Not the greedy sexual desire of love as Henri Nowen speaks of in his book The Return Of The Prodigal Son. There is a pure love. Outwardly, we can fool, trick and be impostors of love. Inwardly, until we reconcile ourselves to our own pain and reconcile ourselves with the source of pain, the searching will continue and self love will always elude us. We will never arrive to the point in our life where we "want to be."
Offer praise and thanksgiving for suffering as it is in those times that we see the face of God.
Almond Brittle Biscotti
- Make your Almond Brittle
- Make your Biscotti Batter
- Shape
- Bake
- Slice
- Bake Again
- Share with Love
Make your Almond Brittle
2 tablespoons of butter
3 tablespoons of sugar
1/4 cup sliced blanched almonds
Melt the butter with the sugar in a skillet over medium heat. Add almonds and cook until the nuts turn golden brown and are caramelized. This will take a little while, shake your pan, stir, watch them closely. Once the almonds and sugar syrup are golden turn the mixture out onto a parchment lined baking sheet to cool.
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
Make your dough.
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
Cream that butter and sugar together until nice and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl combine your flour, soda, salt and baking powder. Add the flour mixture to your creamed mixture and gently stir them all together. Remember you want a nice tender dough. Just combine everything and then stir in your beautifully caramelized almonds.
Divide the dough in half. Creating 2 individual sections. Shape each section into logs on your parchment lined baking sheet.
These should be about 1/2" high by 1 1/2" wide by 14'" long. Wet your fingers to make this process work more efficiently.
Bake for 25 minutes.
Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes.
Place on cutting board or flat surface and slice each log with a serrated knife into about 3/8 inch thick slices. Yes, the dough really expands in the baking process.
Lay the slices back on the baking sheet.
Bake for an additional 10 minutes or until your desired crunchiness. I baked mine for about 12 minutes.
Bake these to share with those you love. By all means bake them just for you. Love yourself!
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