Friday, December 30, 2011

Mrs. Kringle's Whole Wheat Cake Draped in Milk Chocolate Ganache and Cranberry Coulis


Hi everyone and welcome to Red Couch Recipes.  I hope you have been having a wonderful time with family and friends  and you are ready to ring in the New Year.  I developed this cake recipe for a Hodgson Mill Holiday Recipe Contest.  In the hurry of the holidays, I didn't post it.  I love baked goods with whole wheat flour and this one is a gussied up chocolate cake perfect for holiday get togethers.

.Mrs. Kringle's Whole Wheat Chocolate Cake Draped In Milk Chocolate Ganache and Cranberry Coulis



Yield:  12 servings; Preparation Time:  2 Hours

Step 1 -  Make Whole Wheat Chocolate Cake

Recipe for Whole Wheat Chocolate Cake

1 cup butter
1-1/2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 -1/2 cups Hodgson Mill Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 teaspoon baking soda
7/8 cup boiling water (or 14 tablespoons)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2 (8-inch round cake pans) or line cake rounds with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray. In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar. Then add 2 eggs and beat well. In a medium, and separate, bowl, add the whole wheat flour and cocoa together. In a small bowl, add the buttermilk, almond extract, and orange zest together. Then add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture to the creamed butter and sugar mixture. alternately, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Add to mixture the baking soda. Finally, add the 7/8 cup boiling water all at once and mix thoroughly. Pour immediately into prepared pan(s) and bake at 350 degrees 30-35 minutes..Let cake sit in cake pans for 5 minutes, then move to wire rack to cool. While cake is cooling make cranberry coulis, milk chocolate ganache, and candied pistachios and cranberries.

Step 2 -- Make Cranberry Coulis



Cranberry Coulis Recipe

1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup orange juice
4 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
6 teaspoons orange zest
1 teaspoon corn starch

Rinse cranberries with water and place in colander to drain water. Place all ingredients in blender or food processor and process until finely ground. Remove ingredients from the food processor and place in a medium saucepan and cook on medium high heat until mixture is brought to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook for about 8 minutes or until mixture is reduced. Cool mixture and then place in fine sieve, with bowl underneath, and strain mixture until only the skins and the peel of the orange remain in the sieve. It is helpful to use a spoon and keep pressing the fruit against the bottom of the sieve. Refrigerate until used.


Step 3 -- Make Milk Chocolate Ganache

Milk Chocolate Ganache Recipe

 
12 ounces fine quality milk chocolate chips
1-1/3 cups whipping cream

Place chocolate chips in a medium size bowl and set aside. Place cream in a medium size saucepan and bring to a boil. Place cream in the bowl with the chocolate chips and whisk until fully combined. It will thicken quite rapidly. Cool slightly before applying to cake.


Step 4 -- Candied Pistachios and Sugared Cranberries 




Sugared Pistachios

1/2 cup chopped pistachios, roasted and salted

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Place sugar and pistachios in a medium sauce pan. On medium heat, heat the sugar and pistachios until the sugar just barely begins to melt. Working quickly, using a heat-proof utensil, quickly cover the pistachios with melted sugar. Remove sugared pistachios from heat and cool.

Sugared Cranberries

Wash 1/2 cup of fresh cranberries and drain in colander. Roll cranberries in 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar.


Step 5 -- Assembly

1. Working quickly, because the ganache can harden, take one 8-inch cake round and place on cake pedestal or large plate.

2. Spread 1 cup milk chocolate ganache evenly on top of cake layer.

3. Take second 8-inch cake layer and place on top of first layer of cake.

4. Take remaining ganache and pour on top of cake so that it drapes the cake. If ganache has cooled too much, place saucepan back on burner on low heat until the proper consistency has been reached. Allow ganache draped on cake to cool and harden.

5. Top ganache with 1 cup cranberry coulee. If desired, allow coulee to drip down the sides of the cake.

6. Top cake with sugared pistachios and cranberries and powdered sugar. Circle cake with about 16 cranberries on the outer edge of the cake top. In the center of the circle place the candied pistachios. Decorate base of cake with sugared cranberries. Apply powdered sugar by putting a small amount of powdered sugar in small-holed sieve, shake gently over cake to achieve desired effect.

7. Serve slices of cake with cranberry coulis on top. If desired, serve warm, by reheating slices of cake in the oven. We love any chocolate cake heated up, but it is good served cold too!




Have a great New Year!

Friday, December 23, 2011

Hope at Christmas and All Year Long


Merry Christmas from Red Couch Recipes.  There is HOPE and Joy for all of us at Christmas!

For years, I have decorated my tree with those things that remind me about the true reason for Christmas.  This Christmas I bring to you a message of HOPE and Joy! 


There is Hope for all of us.  We do not have to go through life alone.

In  Matthew 11:28-30 of the Holy Bible we read:

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

There is HOPE  for the distressed and anxious.

There is HOPE for those that suffer with addictions.

There is HOPE  for the unemployed.

There is HOPE  for the abused.

There is HOPE  for the depressed.

There is HOPE for the dieing.

There is HOPE for those that have lost a loved one.

There is HOPE for those that have lost their way.

There is HOPE for those that feel unloved.

There is HOPE  that have been unfairly judged.

There is HOPE for those in despair.

There is HOPE for those who have been mistreated.


There is JOY in the Christmas season because Jesus was born!



There is JOY in the Christmas season because Jesus was born!

"And the angel said unto them: Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tiding of great Joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savour, which is Christ the Lord." (Luke 2:  10-11)


If you have lost your way, please trust in the Lord and pray to Him!  He is the only true source of light.  My favorite scripture for years has been the following:

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths."
Proverbs 3: 5-6

Merry Christmas from Red Couch Recipes!

Monday, December 19, 2011

Coal from Santa


Welcome to Red Couch Recipes!

I am sure that you know someone who has been naughty and not nice this year -- I know a few deserving people.  Luckily, you don't have to live in a coal-rich area like I do to give them some coal!  In case Santa might make a mistake and forget to give them coal, you can make some "coal" up in a jiffy!

I saw this idea on Pinterest and thought it would be so cute.  Just make your recipe for Rice Krispies and add some black food coloring and roll into "Coal Balls."  We used Cocoa Pebbles, so we wouldn't have to use so much black food coloring ;).


In case you don't have a recipe for Rice Krispies, here is one.

3 tablespoons butter (don't use margarine -- Santa doesn't approve of it!)
40 large (10-ounce bag) marshmallows or 4 cups miniature marshmallows
5 cups Rice Krispies or Cocoa Pebbles
Black Food Coloring

Prepared buttered 13 x 9 pan and set aside.  In a large sauce pan, melt the butter, then add the marshmallows, stirring until they are melted and incorporated into the butter.  Add Rice Krispies or Cocoa Pebbles to the marshmallow mixture and mix well with a long handled spoon.  Add small amount of black food coloring, then mix well.  Add more if needed.  Put Rice Krispie mixture into pan and allow to cool.  Put buttered baggies on your hands to avoid staining and form into balls.

Now we all know the Big Guy is rather busy at this season, so give him a hand and give out some coal to some deserving soul.  I am sure you can think of someone...


Posted with the following:

Friday, December 16, 2011

Socks for Christmas Poem


A Merry Christmas greeting from Red Couch Recipes!

This is such a fun and useful gift idea -- socks for Christmas.  I really do think the dryer or washer eats socks at our home, so when I opened a Christmas package containing a package of socks for each member of my family from my sister-in-law Camille, I was very thrilled.  When asked what he wanted for Christmas, my father used to always say, "Socks!"


No, we didn't wait until Christmas to open up the package!  In fact, I have a pair on right as I am typing!  Enclosed with the packages of socks was this cute poem.

Oh, my feet are really chilly,
for my socks are rather thin.
If you hung them in the window,
they would let the sunshine in.

And it feels a little funny when my
toes and heels are showing,
They just might freeze inside my boots
when it should go to snowing.

So, I want socks for Christmas
don't laugh because it's true,
they can come in any color
(though my favorites would be blue).

You can buy them in a package,
You can get them in a pair.
And, if I get one hundred,
I will just have socks to spare!

You may think that I am kidding
but the truth of this be sworn;
I would like some socks for Christmas
Just to keep my piggies warm!

Thanks Camille, this was really fun! 

Posted with the following:  Weekend Wrapup, Made By You Monday

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Candy Cane Chocolate Cake


A Merry Christmas Welcome to Red Couch Recipes!


An easy way to dress up a cake during the Christmas season is to add some candy canes to a cake.  It gives the cake a Christmas look and flavor.   I took this cake to a church Christmas dinner on Friday night -- it was easy to put together and delicious.  If you are short on time, you could even gussy up a store-bought cake to give it a bit of panache.

I frosted my cake with Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting, see below, and added some mini candy canes, some chocolate curls, and some crushed soft peppermints.  I like to use Bob's Peppermint rods -- they are softer than traditional candy canes.  I made the small curls with a vegetable peeler and a chocolate bar.



I made my mother Nedra's Whole Wheat Chocolate Cake, because I love its texture and flavor.

1 cup butter
2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
2 -1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
7/8 cup boiling water

Grease and flour a 9 x 13 pan or 2 (8-inch round cake pans). In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar. Then add 2 eggs and beat well. In a medium, and separate, bowl, add the whole wheat flour and cocoa together. In a small bowl, add the buttermilk and vanilla together. Then add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture to the creamed butter and sugar mixture. alternately, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Add to mixture the baking soda. Finally, add the 7/8 cup boiling water all at once and mix thoroughly. Pour immediately into prepared pan(s) and bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes if using a 13 x 9 x 2 pan or 25 to 30 minutes if using the 8-inch round pans. Frost with Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting -- see recipe below.


Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting

Blend together 3/4 cup room temperature butter, 4 cups powdered sugar, 1/2 cup cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 3-4 tablespoons water. You may need to add extra water, depending on how thick you want it.  I always like a moist frosting.

While frosting is still moist, place small candy canes on the side of the cake.  Add crushed peppermint rods and chocolate curls to the top of the cake.  Make sure to add some crushed peppermint to the cake platter to give it that Christmas feeling.



Thanks for dropping by Red Couch Recipes!

Posted with the following:  Weekend Wrapup, Made By You Monday

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Red and Green Christmas Whimsy



At Red Couch Recipes, you know I love red and I also love lime green at Christmastime.  Come on and sit a bit at my table.

The table is set and we are ready to eat a fine Christmas feast.  The red bowls, red dinnerplates, and green salad plates are just some of my everyday dishes.


The footed cake platter was a gift from my sister Jacqueline, Purple Chocolat Home, a Christmas or two ago.  I just love those footed cake platters -- so cute and whimsical.


The green mugs are a new addition to my holiday dishware.  I have 5 in green and 5 in red.  They go perfectly with the red and green pitcher.  They were $1.00 at Tai Pan Trading.


I bought quite a few dozen of those icy candy canes years ago at a craft store.  I festooned them on my cellophane bags of toffee that I gave out and thankfully saved enough to decorate my trees.


Here's a long shot.  I love those oversized jingle bells that add to the whimsical feeling of this table.


The little footed bowl was purched at TJ Maxx and more last year.  So cute.



Thanks for dropping by my Whimsical Christmas Table.


Table Information

Red Dinner Plates, Red Placemats, Small Whimsical Plates, Pitcher:  Wal-Mart
Red Bowls:  Michael's
Lime Green Salad Plates:  Smith's Grocery Store
Flatware:  World Market
Napkins:  Target
Napkin Rings:  Style Sisters
Water Glasses, Ceramic Mugs:  Tai Pan Trading
Footed Cake Plate:  Gift
Large "Cookie" Plate:  Hallmark
Small Footed Bowl:  TJ Maxx
Large Jingle Bells:  Robert's Arts and Crafts
Posted with the following:

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Italian Breakfast Strata and Hodgson Mill Giveaway Winner



Planning for a Christmas morning breakfast, then this just might be the ticket!  It whips up it minutes and you make it the night before and just pop it in the oven in the morning.  Don't you just love things that you can prepare the night before, especially for Christmas morning when the kids just want to jump at the presents. 

With the aid of Random. Org, Commenter Number 15 is the winner of the $25 Gift Code for the online Hodgson Mill Stores.  Start your oven  Marlis (Creative Journeys)!  Marlis creates beautiful tablescapes on her blog and is a very gracious blogger.  I know you will bake up something delicious!  I just used Hodgson Mill whole-wheat flour for a cake and it was so yummy and moist. 

 

We always eat a huge breakfast on Christmas morning and the rule is that the children can only open their stockings before breakfast -- the kids have to wait to open their presents until after breakfast.   Yes, I am a mean mother :).

The Broken Bread



Ingredients for Italian Breakfast Strata
Adapted from the December 2011 issue of Family Circle

1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes (NOT soaked in oil)
1 cup water
1 pound of sweet Italian sausage with casings removed
1 each of green and red bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced
8 green onions, diced
1 loaf Italian bread (14 ounces), cut into 1-inch cubes
8 large eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup packed basil leaves, chopped
2 cups shredded  mozzarella
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

When I was making this, I felt very Christmas-y with all the red and green going on.


1.  Bring 1 cup of water to boil.  Place sun-dried tomatoes in a bowl and add water.  Let stand 10 minutes to soften tomatoes.
2.  Meanwhile, place sausage into a large nonstick skillet.  Cook over medium to medium-high heat for six minutes.  Add peppers and onions and cook, sitting occasionally for about four minutes.  Remove from heat.  Drain sun-dried tomatoes and chop.  Stir into sausage mixture into skillet.
3.  Place bread cubes in a very large bowl.  In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, milk, and chopped basil (or dried basil).  Stir sausage mixture into bread along with 1 cup of mozzarella cheese.  Pour egg mixture over bread mixture and stir to moisten all ingredients.  Coat a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.  Pour bread mixture into prepared dish.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight
4.  Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Uncover baking dish  and top with remaining Mozzarella Cheese and Parmesan Cheese.  Spray foil (the side that will touch the casserole) with baking spray.  Cover baking dish with foil.  Bake, covered, for 45 minutes.  Uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes.  Cool slightly before serving.

Notes:  Fresh basil and red peppers are very dear right now so I used 1 tablespoon of dried basil.  I know it would taste much better with fresh basil.  I  used two green peppers instead of a green and a red.  I knew I would be okay because I had the red of the sun-dried tomatoes already in the mix.




Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Step into Christmas Tablescape


A Merry Welcome to Red Couch Recipes and to my "Step Into Christmas" Tablesetting.  These transferware plates remind me of an old-fashioned Christmas -- snow, a wreath, and tree peeking out of the window.  You just know that as you walk into the home, all the indoor trimmings will match the outdoor trimming.  My sister Jacqueline gave these to me recently -- 16 dinner plates and 16 salad plates -- whoo hooo!  She said I need 16 for all my future grandchildren that are sure to visit in the Christmas season!  

When I was in college at Brigham Young University, right after finals one year, my roommates, friends, and I left to go to California to see BYU play in the Holiday Bowl.  On the way there, it snowed and the mountain pass was closed.  We sat for six hours on the freeway!!  It was at least a 10 hour drive there and then with the added delay it seemed like forever to reach the home of my roommate's parents.    When we came to their home in Southern California, it just looked, smelled and felt like Christmas.  We had just endured this long trip and when we walked into her parent's home I had literally Stepped Into Christmas. 


I am old-fashioned and am still a sucker for green and red at Christmas.


Love these new snowflake goblets.


Crystal and red are always another favorite at Christmas.


I filled the lamp with some festive candy canes.


These are HUGE, OVERSIZED, GIGANTIC napkins -- I love them...


It is just so Christmasy!


Thanks for dropping by Red Couch Recipes where the Christmas fun has just begun!

My Hodgson Mill $25 gift code giveaway ends tonight.  Click HERE to enter.

Table Information
White Plates:  Tai Pan Trading
Transferware Plates:  Home Goods and Gift
Red Goblets:  Costco (years ago)
Snowflake Goblets:  Smith's Grocery Store
Flatware:  Home Goods
Napkins:  Target (last year)

Posted with:  Tablescape Thursday

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Cranberry Pistachio Cookies



Hurray the Christmas baking season has arrived!  Do you feel that way too?  I made these little gems for the first time and we all fell in love with them.   Salty, sweet, chewy, and tasty is how I would describe these -- and they whip up in just a few minutes -- they are made with a Betty Crocker Sugar cookie mix.  Their delicate green coloring is from pistachio pudding and gives the cookies such a pretty color.  These little gems are perfect for any holiday cookie plate or for the "Big Guy's" visit on Christmas Eve.

Leave some out with some milk for Santa.


Recipe for Cranberry Pistachio Cookies
Via Betty Crocker

1 pouch Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Mix
1 box (4 serving size) pistachio instant pudding and pie filling mix
1/4 cup flour (See my 'Notes.")
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 eggs
1 cup dry roasted salted pistachio nuts, chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


In a large bowl stir cookie mix, pudding, and flour. Add melted butter and eggs and stir until incorporated.

Add pistachios and cranberries and mix well.
Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto a parchment lined cookie sheet.

Bake for about 8 minutes.  They will look like they are not done, but they will be.  Let them sit on the cookie sheet for about two minutes.  Do not over bake!  Cool and eat.  Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Notes:  Make sure you make a test cookie.  After making a test cookie, I added about 2 more tablespoons of flour to make more of a full cookie.  I also sprinkled the cookies with sugar before baking.

Leave some out for Santa to eat -- oops looks like "The Big Guy" has been here already!




Thanks for dropping by Red Couch Recipes!

Posted with;

Foodie Friday

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Happy Thanksgiving!



Wishing you a wonderful Thanksgiving from Red Couch Recipes!

I hope you have a wonderful time with family and friends.

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Hodgson Mill $25 Gift Code Giveaway




Sure glad you dropped by Red Couch Recipes today.  I am pleased to offer one of my readers a $25 gift certificate to Hodgson Mill's online store.  Hodgson Mill is a family-owned business that has been in operation  for over 125 years providing all-natural, high quality, freshly ground grains and mixes.   At their online store they offer many varieties of flours, such as buckwheat, pancake mixes, and other mixes and much more.  The flours and mixes are reasonably priced and would be perfect for the holiday baking season. Click here to see what is available at their online store.  I have some Hodgson Mill's Rye Flour on my shelf right now that I mix into pancakes and waffles that adds a wonderful taste.


 To qualify to win the gift code to their Hodgson Mill's online store, just leave a comment telling me what your favorite thing to bake for the holidays or what is your favorite grain to use in baking or cooking.  Leave a comment by Wednesday November 30, 2011 to enter to win.  Make sure, you leave an e-mail so that I can contact you.

Disclosure Note:  I have not been compensated to offer this giveaway on my blog.  I was given some flour to use in a recipe that I am developing for a Hodgson Mill Holiday Baking Contest.

Friday, November 18, 2011

Apple Scrap


Welcome to Red Couch Recipes!

Growing up in Madison, Wisconsin, when a new restaurant would open, my Aunt Ionia would often say, "There's a new restaurant I would like to take you to."  Those words were magical to me!  Someone wanted to take me out to dinner!  She still wanted to take me even after I fell off my chair at a fashion show luncheon at an upscale restaurant.  She still wanted to take me even after I spilled my water and it flew onto another's customer's suit, who of course was upset.  Everyone should be so blessed to have an Aunt like Ionia.  So at this time of Thanksgiving, I thank my Heavenly Father for blessing our family with such a wonderful Aunt!

One of the restaurants she took us to was the "The Ovens of Brittany."  At the time, this restaurant took Madison by storm.  In later years, my sister Jacqueline, Purple Chocolat Home, gave me a cookbook from their restaurant.  This recipe for Apple Scrap was included in their recipe book and I have made it over the years.  Today, I would like to share this recipe with you.

Note:  This tastes best when served the second day.
 Apple Scrap

Crust Ingredients
1-1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold butter, cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons orange juice or apple cider

Filling Ingredients
1 egg, lightly beaten
1-1/2 cups half and half
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups, peeled, chopped apples OR pitted sour cherries

Topping Ingredients
1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Recipe Instructions

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan.  To make crust, mix dry ingredients together.  Cut in butter until mixture is of very fine texture.  Mix in liquid until just combined.   Pat into pan.
2.  To make filling, combine all ingredients, except the fruit.  Fold in fruit and spread over crust.  Bake 30 minutes. 
3.  To make topping, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt.  Cut in butter until size of peas.   Stir in nuts.  Refrigerate topping until bars have baked the first 30 minutes. 
4.  Sprinkle topping over partially-baked filling.  Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes.  Cool and serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.



I hope you enjoy!  Thanks for dropping by Red Couch Recipes.




There's a warning that comes with this recipe -- do not eat the Apple Scrap warm -- wait until the next day to eat it.  Some things just taste better the second day.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

An Attitude of Gratitude Tablescape


Welcome to Red Couch Recipes and to Tablescape Thursday.


Even if research doesn't suggest, though I  think it might, I believe that those who are grateful, live happier, more fulfilling lives lives.  What a great gift or developed skill being a grateful person is.  Today my table is titled "An Attitude of Gratitude."  These little tiles were given out to all the women at our church at a meeting earlier this year.  I have displayed in prominently in my home to help me remember to be grateful for what I do have and not to whine for what I don't have.


At this point, I don't believe that I am cooking Thanksgiving dinner.  This is just a fun tablescape that I put together in honor of Thanksgiving. I bought the fall leaf plates years ago at Target.


This table is filled with my favorite things at Thanksgiving time.  The black kettle at the left corn is stuffed with pumpkins and gourds -- love the color and the shapes of them.


The napkin rings were from a giveaway at Cuisine Kathleen's blog.  She is one of the warm and funniest bloggers around.  I think they look so well with the faux sugar crusted pumpkin and spray.


In my other life, I am an aide to 4t h, 5th, and 6th graders for mainly math at my daughter's elementary school.  Today, instead of being an aide, I was asked to substitute for a few hours in a class that I usually am an aide to.  At the end of the period I received a little note from one of the students.  I thought I would share it with you.

"You were a great sub today in class.  One of the best subs in the world.  Even in the universe.  Your one of my favorite subs.  I will give you this letter and I hope you like this.  I will never forget you when I grow up.  You will still always be my favorite teacher."  That definitely put a smile on my face :).



This "little note of gratitude" brought tears to my eyes and I quickly wrote her a return letter.  I was really touched by this sweet letter.  Truly, gratitude can make one's day so much better.


So go make some one's day better by expressing your appreciation!     

Posted with the following:  Wow Us Wednesdays

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