This is a great holiday cookie…make them with a friend, and finish off the bottle of wine while you work.

Collect these ingredients:

6 cups all purpose flour

6 tsp baking powder

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 cup red wine

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp allspice

6 tablespoons cocoa

1 stick + 6 tablespoons softened butter

2 cups pecan pieces

Sift and mix all the dry ingredients except for the sugar and pecans.

Beat eggs, sugar and butter…add to dry flour mixture.  Add wine and mix.  Now, dd the nuts.

Roll into tight 1-inch balls and bake 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Let cool, then ice.

Icing

1 box powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Pet Milk

Stir in drops of heavy cream or pet milk until you reach a pancake batter consistency.  Drizzle over cookies.

I thought it only came from a packet…

Onion Dip
Adapted from Ina Garten’s Pan Fried Onion Dip

2 large yellow onions
2 large shallots
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 ounces light cream cheese, softened to room temperature
2/3 cup reduced fat sour cream
2/3 cup light mayonnaise

Directions:

- Cut the onions and shallots in quarters and slice into thin strips.
- Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Combine butter and olive oil in pan.
- Add the onions, shallots, cayenne, salt and pepper. Saute for about 10 minutes, until softened. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue sauteing for another 30 minutes, stiring frequently, until the onions are browned and caramelized.
- Remove onions from pan and let cool.
- Place cream cheese, sour cream and mayonnaise in a large bowl. Using a electric mixer, beat until fully combined and smooth.
- Add the onions. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve at room temperature with chips (Best made the day before, and Fritos are a great match!).

Then, it occurred to me that those pelicans were adjusting to the same constantly changing winds that I was.  Their adjustments were so fluid, so subtle and so natural.  They made it look so easy, so friction-free…and, I’d like to think that somehow maybe it is.

The moral of the story:  Let’s be more like a pelicans.

…AND, send some postcards.  Make your people feel loved with a memory they can hold in their hand.

Michael

It’s beautiful in its simplicity and soooo true.  Amid the hustle and bustle of the external world, peace of mind is a great thing.  When I look around this spring at the flowers blooming, birds chirping, pollen flying, sprouts growing, I remind myself that there are so many good great forces at work.   As I try to make things happen, fix what’s not “right”, and absorb the news of what seems like chaotic change in the world, I can afford to take a step back and know that the world is in perfect balance.  Easy does it.

So, this spring, reach out to friends and family, enjoy the time we have together, relax, have fun, and remember…Easy does it!

P.S.  SEND SOME POSTCARDS.  People are waiting to hear from you!

Michael