Life is short and it is precious. We take things for granted and want to believe we are going to love forever. But time catches up with all of us eventually. I would like to believe that when I am gone, someone will remember me fondly and speak of me kindly. Momma Said, “Try to leave behind more than just footsteps.”
For instance, I came to work this morning and someone had taken fall pumpkins from the next door neighbor and smashed them in the street. What purpose did it serve other than make a mess in the street and wreck the decorations on the porch. I just don’t understand why people have to ruin things for other people. Momma Said, “What goes around, comes around.” Someday those irresponsible people will get what they give.
Why can’t we just live in peace and harmony, is that so hard to do? We could be kind to each other and try to help others when possible. That doesn’t sound like it would be hard to do, but in this day and age it seems as if it is impossible. Momma Said, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” But it is just the opposite today. What is mine in mine and what is yours in mine.
Greed will be the ruination of the world. It will consume us in a blaze of glory and we as a species will be gone. I would like to finish what years I have left in a kinder world. I try to do my best to help when I can. And I pray, when my time comes God takes me home in a kind and gentle way.
Italian Cream Puffs
Ingredients
For the pastry
- 2¾ cups unbleached AP flour
- ⅛ tsp salt
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 2 cups water
- 9½ tbsp butter
- 6 large eggs
For the custard
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup flour
- ¼ tsp salt
- 3 cups whole milk
- 4 egg yolks
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp rum
Instructions
For the pastry
- Preheat oven to 425. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Sift the flour, salt, and baking soda together and set aside.
- In a heavy saucepan, heat the water. Add the butter. When melted, remove the pan from the stove and add the flour mixture all at once. Beat with a wooden spoon, then return the pan to medium-high heat, beating the mixture until it comes away from the sides of the pan. Remove the pan from the heat and add the eggs one at a time, beating with a wooden spoon or hand mixer in-between additions to mix well.
- Fill a pastry bag fitted with a ½-inch tip with the cream puff batter. Squeeze out 3-inch puffs, about ½-inch apart on a cookie sheet. Bake 20 minutes or until golden brown. When done, carefully slit the side of each cream puff with a knife to allow steam to escape and to prevent the puffs from becoming soggy inside. Transfer to cooling racks and let cool.
For the custard
- In saucepan over moderate heat, combine sugar, flour and salt. Add milk gradually, cooking and stirring until mixture is thick and bubbly.
- Lower heat, stirring for 2 minutes and remove from heat. In a small bowl, add cream mixture to eggs slowly. Return mixture back to pan. Bring to gently boil for 2 more minutes, adding butter, rum, and vanilla. Transfer to a shallow bowl to cool, placing plastic wrap on the top of the custard to prevent a skin forming. Refrigerate.
- Once custard has cooled completely, pipe into opened pastry shells until they are so full they might pop, top with a cherry, and dust with powdered sugar.