Happy (Belated) Mother's Day

Yesterday was Mother's Day and I really wish I had not been halfway across the country from my mom. I would have loved to be visiting her and cooking a special meal to show how much I appreciate everything that she has done for me.

My mom is really the best mom. Look at her with the cutest dog in the world. Olli the Portuguese Water Dog needs no excuse to hand out kisses to her.

Since she gave me life, clothed, and fed me for all my life I might have on rose coloured glasses when it comes to her, but I have yet to meet another mom that beats my own.

I know everyone says that, but if you get the chance to meet my mom, you'll see she's at the very least better than the average mom.

So what would I have cooked for the best mom I know? It it might not sound special to you, but she loves grilled cheeseburgers with bacon so I would have started with those. (That's actually what my step dad made her for her special day.)

Then, I would have finished up the meal with an array of yummy desserts because whose mom doesn't love a little bit of chocolate or sugar?

And it's Mother's Day so diet is a four letter word that shouldn't exist on your mom's special day, so don't even mention anything about that!

My mom makes a wonderful chocolate cake with seven minute frosting and I know that I could not have topped that so I wouldn't have have tried to compete with my version.

She did show me her recipe for carrot cake so I could have tried that.

And she did teach me how to make lip smacking good pastry so I could have tried to make a pie of some kind. Maybe my fresh strawberry and rhubarb pie?

I know the trick is to try and keep your pastry as cold as possible. I use ice water and keep my shortening the the fridge.

Or maybe I would have tried to make something that I've never made before.

I have tried my hand at creating new desserts. I tried a rice pudding parfait and also a combination of banana cream pie and cheesecake. Both were really good. :)

My new desserts have always been a great combination of tasty and pretty, but I'm not sure that a new dessert is something you should serve your mom on Mother's Day.

And though I've heard that copying is the sincerest form of flattery, I don't think making my mom something from her own recipe box is the best idea either.

No, I think I the dessert I would have made for her if I was home for Mother's Day would have been a recipe that I got from my Nana -- her mom. It's a recipe that I love and it's chocolate so who could complain? I think that would have made the day really special.

Chocolate Creme Drops

• 1/2 cup(s) of butter or margarine
• 1/2 cup(s) of shortening
• 1 1/2 cup(s) of sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp. of milk
• 1/2 tsp. of vanilla
• 1/2 cup(s) of cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 cup(s) of all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. of baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. of salt
• 1/2 cup(s) of Philadelphia Light Cream Cheese
• 2 cup(s) of icing sugar
• 1 cup(s) of Philadelphia Light Cream Cheese
• 1/2 cup(s) of butter or margarine
• 1/2 cup(s) of white chocolate chips
• 1 tbsp. of butter (to melt your chocolate chips with)
• 1 tsp. of vanilla
• 1/4 cup(s) of white chocolate chips

Directions

1. Cream butter, shortening, Philadelphia Light Cream Cheese, and sugar.
2. Stir in milk, egg, and vanilla.
3. In a separate bowl combine dry ingredients. Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.
4. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Mix to combine and spoon onto a greased or lined cookie sheet. Don't forget to decorate because mom's love the added touch. I place a white chocolate chip on top of each top layer cookie but you could use a nut or sprinkles. Whatever you like!
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 - 15 minutes. My nana was specific and said 13 minutes but she was also very accurate when measuring out her cookie dough. :)
6. Once out of the oven, remove from cookie sheet and let cool.
7. Now make your icing while your cookies are cooling. Combine Philadelphia Light Cream Cheese (1 whole package of whipped cream cheese), icing sugar, butter, and vanilla. Melt chocolate chips with 1 tablespoon butter and mix in.
8. Your cookies should be cooled now. Turn one of the cookies without a white chocolate chip over so the flat side is upright and spread a thick layer of icing on it. 
9. Use a cookie with a white chocolate chip on it to top the icing covered bottom layer cookie and sandwich them together. Now you are done! Enjoy!