When my children were little and the budget was tight, I used to grind up carrots, onions, garlic, and saute them in a bit of olive oil and pass it off as either ground meat in the pasta sauce or use it on homemade pizza. Sigh . . . One evening, my older son, an avowed hater of all things fresh and natural, discovered the tiniest crumb of tell tale carrot orange on his pizza and ended that era of my kitchen creation.
So far, they haven't discovered the 'secret' ingredient in this recipe. Of course, I do take into consideration that they are now 26, 24, 22, and 18 . . . but you can't be too careful!
Applesauce Cinnamon Brownies
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground clove
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup nuts, your choice
Melt chocolate and butter together. Set aside to cool.
Mix together the applesauce, eggs, sugar, vanilla, spices, and orange zest. Stir in the remaining dry ingredients. Blend in the chocolate/butter mixtures. Add the nuts. Spread into a vegetable-oil sprayed 9-inch baking pan. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20-30 minutes depending on your oven. Cool before cutting into serving size squares.
Ideas . . .
Use 1/2 cup white or chocolate chips instead of the nuts.
Drizzle an orange or chocolate glaze over the warm brownies.
Friday, September 7, 2012
Benediction by Cardinal Dolan at the DNC event, yesterday.
With a “firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence,” let us close this convention by praying for this land that we so cherish and love:
Let us Pray.
Almighty God, father of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, revealed to us so powerfully in your Son, Jesus Christ, we thank you for showering your blessings upon this our beloved nation. Bless all here present, and all across this great land, who work hard for the day when a greater portion of your justice, and a more ample measure of your care for the poor and suffering, may prevail in these United States. Help us to see that a society’s greatness is found above all in the respect it shows for the weakest and neediest among us.
We beseech you, almighty God to shed your grace on this noble experiment in ordered liberty, which began with the confident assertion of inalienable rights bestowed upon us by you: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Thus do we praise you for the gift of life. Grant us the courage to defend it, life, without which no other rights are secure. We ask your benediction on those waiting to be born, that they may be welcomed and protected. Strengthen our sick and our elders waiting to see your holy face at life’s end, that they may be accompanied by true compassion and cherished with the dignity due those who are infirm and fragile.
We praise and thank you for the gift of liberty. May this land of the free never lack those brave enough to defend our basic freedoms. Renew in all our people a profound respect for religious liberty: the first, most cherished freedom bequeathed upon us at our Founding. May our liberty be in harmony with truth; freedom ordered in goodness and justice. Help us live our freedom in faith, hope, and love. Make us ever-grateful for those who, for over two centuries, have given their lives in freedom’s defense; we commend their noble souls to your eternal care, as even now we beg the protection of your mighty arm upon our men and women in uniform.
We praise and thank you for granting us the life and the liberty by which we can pursue happiness. Show us anew that happiness is found only in respecting the laws of nature and of nature’s God. Empower us with your grace so that we might resist the temptation to replace the moral law with idols of our own making, or to remake those institutions you have given us for the nurturing of life and community. May we welcome those who yearn to breathe free and to pursue happiness in this land of freedom, adding their gifts to those whose families have lived here for centuries.
We praise and thank you for the American genius of government of the people, by the people and for the people. Oh God of wisdom, justice, and might, we ask your guidance for those who govern us: President Barack Obama, Vice President Joseph Biden, Congress, the Supreme Court, and all those, including Governor Mitt Romney and Congressman Paul Ryan, who seek to serve the common good by seeking public office. Make them all worthy to serve you by serving our country. Help them remember that the only just government is the government that serves its citizens rather than itself. With your grace, may all Americans choose wisely as we consider the future course of public policy.
And finally Lord, we beseech your benediction on all of us who depart from here this evening, and on all those, in every land, who yearn to conduct their lives in freedom and justice. We beg you to remember, as we pledge to remember, those who are not free; those who suffer for freedom’s cause; those who are poor, out of work, needy, sick, or alone; those who are persecuted for their religious convictions, those still ravaged by war.
And most of all, God Almighty, we thank you for the great gift of our beloved country.
For we are indeed “one nation under God,” and “in God we trust.”
So dear God, bless America. You who live and reign forever and ever.
Amen!
Let us Pray.
Almighty God, father of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, revealed to us so powerfully in your Son, Jesus Christ, we thank you for showering your blessings upon this our beloved nation. Bless all here present, and all across this great land, who work hard for the day when a greater portion of your justice, and a more ample measure of your care for the poor and suffering, may prevail in these United States. Help us to see that a society’s greatness is found above all in the respect it shows for the weakest and neediest among us.
We beseech you, almighty God to shed your grace on this noble experiment in ordered liberty, which began with the confident assertion of inalienable rights bestowed upon us by you: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Thus do we praise you for the gift of life. Grant us the courage to defend it, life, without which no other rights are secure. We ask your benediction on those waiting to be born, that they may be welcomed and protected. Strengthen our sick and our elders waiting to see your holy face at life’s end, that they may be accompanied by true compassion and cherished with the dignity due those who are infirm and fragile.
We praise and thank you for the gift of liberty. May this land of the free never lack those brave enough to defend our basic freedoms. Renew in all our people a profound respect for religious liberty: the first, most cherished freedom bequeathed upon us at our Founding. May our liberty be in harmony with truth; freedom ordered in goodness and justice. Help us live our freedom in faith, hope, and love. Make us ever-grateful for those who, for over two centuries, have given their lives in freedom’s defense; we commend their noble souls to your eternal care, as even now we beg the protection of your mighty arm upon our men and women in uniform.
We praise and thank you for granting us the life and the liberty by which we can pursue happiness. Show us anew that happiness is found only in respecting the laws of nature and of nature’s God. Empower us with your grace so that we might resist the temptation to replace the moral law with idols of our own making, or to remake those institutions you have given us for the nurturing of life and community. May we welcome those who yearn to breathe free and to pursue happiness in this land of freedom, adding their gifts to those whose families have lived here for centuries.
We praise and thank you for the American genius of government of the people, by the people and for the people. Oh God of wisdom, justice, and might, we ask your guidance for those who govern us: President Barack Obama, Vice President Joseph Biden, Congress, the Supreme Court, and all those, including Governor Mitt Romney and Congressman Paul Ryan, who seek to serve the common good by seeking public office. Make them all worthy to serve you by serving our country. Help them remember that the only just government is the government that serves its citizens rather than itself. With your grace, may all Americans choose wisely as we consider the future course of public policy.
And finally Lord, we beseech your benediction on all of us who depart from here this evening, and on all those, in every land, who yearn to conduct their lives in freedom and justice. We beg you to remember, as we pledge to remember, those who are not free; those who suffer for freedom’s cause; those who are poor, out of work, needy, sick, or alone; those who are persecuted for their religious convictions, those still ravaged by war.
And most of all, God Almighty, we thank you for the great gift of our beloved country.
For we are indeed “one nation under God,” and “in God we trust.”
So dear God, bless America. You who live and reign forever and ever.
Amen!
Cardinal Dolan's Prayer at the RNC - correction!
Thanks to an observant reader, I realized I had originally credited this to having been given at the DNC when, in fact, it was at the RNC. Someone, I would have loved to see the reaction if this had been the presentation in front of the DNC crowd!
With a ‘firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence,’ let us close this convention by praying for this land that we so cherish and love.
Let us pray.
Almighty God, father of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, revealed to us so powerfully in Your Son, Jesus Christ, we thank You for showering Your blessings upon this our beloved nation. Bless all here present, and all across this great land, who work hard for the day when a greater portion of Your justice, and a more ample measure of Your care for the poor and suffering, may prevail in these United States. Help us to see that a society’s greatness is found above all in the respect it shows for the weakest and neediest among us.
We beseech You, almighty God to shed Your grace on this noble experiment in ordered liberty, which began with the confident assertion of inalienable rights bestowed upon us by You: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Thus do we praise You for the gift of life. Grant us the courage to defend it, life, without which no other rights are secure. We ask Your benediction on those waiting to be born, that they may be welcomed and protected. Strengthen our sick and our elders waiting to see Your holy face at life’s end, that they may be accompanied by true compassion and cherished with the dignity due those who are infirm and fragile.
We praise and thank You for the gift of liberty. May this land of the free never lack those brave enough to defend our basic freedoms. Renew in all our people a profound respect for religious liberty: the first, most cherished freedom bequeathed upon us at our Founding. May our liberty be in harmony with truth; freedom ordered in goodness and justice. Help us live our freedom in faith, hope, and love. Make us ever-grateful for those who, for over two centuries, have given their lives in freedom’s defense; we commend their noble souls to your eternal care, as even now we beg the protection of Your mighty arm upon our men and women in uniform.
We praise and thank You for granting us the life and the liberty by which we can pursue happiness. Show us anew that happiness is found only in respecting the laws of nature and of nature’s God. Empower us with Your grace so that we might resist the temptation to replace the moral law with idols of our own making, or to remake those institutions You have given us for the nurturing of life and community. May we welcome those who yearn to breathe free and to pursue happiness in this land of freedom, adding their gifts to those whose families have lived here for centuries.
We praise and thank You for the American genius of government of the people, by the people and for the people. O God of wisdom, justice, and might, we ask your guidance for those who govern us: President Barack Obama, Vice President Joseph Biden, Congress, the Supreme Court, and all those, including Governor Mitt Romney and Congressman Paul Ryan, who seek to serve the common good by seeking public office. Make them all worthy to serve you by serving our country. Help them remember that the only just government is the government that serves its citizens rather than itself. With your grace, may all Americans choose wisely as we consider the future course of public policy.
And finally Lord, we beseech Your benediction on all of us who depart from here this evening, and on all those, in every land, who yearn to conduct their lives in freedom and justice. We beg you to remember, as we pledge to remember, those who are not free; those who suffer for freedom’s cause; those who are poor, out of work, needy, sick, or alone; those who are persecuted for their religious convictions, those still ravaged by war.
And most of all, God Almighty, we thank you for the great gift of our beloved country.
For we are indeed “one nation under God,” and “in God we trust.”
So, dear God, bless America, You Who live and reign, forever and ever.
Amen.
So, which group are you in?
My grandfather once told me that there were two kinds of people: those who do
the work and those who take the credit. He told me to try to be in the first
group; there was much less competition.
Required Regulations?
In case you wondered if the United States has enough regulations, this should set your mind at rest. On a public street, a man is approached by a panhandler who asks for money. The kind gentleman hands the guy two dollars. In making the transaction, one of the bills falls to the ground and the recipient of the charity quickly picks it up and pockets it. The men part company but just a ways up the path, the charitable man is stopped by the police and cited . . . for littering!
In my way of thinking, littering is deliberate dropping or dumping of trash with no regard of the outcome of said trash and leaving it for others to deal with. These people should definitely be fined for this behavior. In the case mentioned above, one man was handing the other man a couple of dollar bills and, as sometimes happens, one fell down but was immediately picked up. No mess, no fuss, and certainly no littering . . . yet the police felt obligated to fine the man who handed over the bills a hefty fine.
Over regulation? I think so! Fortunately, the judge dropped the charges for the fine but why would a kindly citizen even be faced with this? The man was charged a $500 fine because he dropped a dollar bill that didn't stay dropped more than a few seconds.
In my way of thinking, littering is deliberate dropping or dumping of trash with no regard of the outcome of said trash and leaving it for others to deal with. These people should definitely be fined for this behavior. In the case mentioned above, one man was handing the other man a couple of dollar bills and, as sometimes happens, one fell down but was immediately picked up. No mess, no fuss, and certainly no littering . . . yet the police felt obligated to fine the man who handed over the bills a hefty fine.
Over regulation? I think so! Fortunately, the judge dropped the charges for the fine but why would a kindly citizen even be faced with this? The man was charged a $500 fine because he dropped a dollar bill that didn't stay dropped more than a few seconds.
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