Peach Cobbler Bites by Elizabeth

My great-niece Elizabeth came to visit today after school, and she is ready to teach me how to make her own original recipe, Peach Cobbler Bites. She makes these at Grandmother Jan's house, so naturally we wanted to see what all the excitement is about. Elizabeth is 9 1/2 years old and already is devising her own recipes!

This is the Cast of Characters: a roll of Pillsbury Lite Crescent Rolls, a can of peaches, honey, and cinnamon sugar.

The first thing Elizabeth did was to take the baking pan outside to spray it with Pam. That prevents the mist of oil from landing on my counters and furniture!

Then it was time to pop the Pillsbury tube and pull out the section of dough. The other section can be left in the tube and put in the refrigerator to keep it cold. It is always easier to handle dough that is cold!

Find the straight seam that goes across the roll and unroll on the counter so that you can see the perforations marking the triangles.

Drain the can of peaches in the colander so there will not be too much liquid within the dough.

Place a slice of peach in the middle of the triangle, and dribble a few drops of honey over it.

Wrap the dough around the peach slice, gathering and pinching the dough together on the bottom. Turn the bites over and lay on the baking pan. Don't you just love the green nail polish? :D Perfect for spring...

Shake cinnamon sugar on each dough bite.

Pop them in the oven at 375 degrees for thirteen to fifteen minutes until browned and cooked through.

Put on a pretty plate and...

share with mom (Kendra) and Uncle David. They really enjoyed coming home from work and walking into a house that smells like peach cobbler. We even saved some for Elizabeth's dad (Chris).

These are really delicious, easy, and fairly healthy, if anyone cares about that! What a great recipe for a nine year old to be able to fix on her own. Congratulations, Elizabeth!!

A Christmas Carol

Recently my sister, Jan, her daughter-in-law, Kendra, and her granddaughter, Elizabeth, and I attended a local production of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, or "The Gospel According to Ebenezer Scrooge!" This version is an original adaptation written, directed and choreographed by my friend Paul. The costumes were designed by his wife, Anne.

In researching Dickens' life, Paul states that Charles was going through a 'particularly "dark night of the soul" during the pre-holiday season of 1843, facing many of the challenges that we face in our day - financial, family, and struggling with a sense of personal self-worth.' He began writing  A Christmas Carol simply as a quick way to make some holiday money, but during the writing of it, a miraculous changed occurred, not only to Scrooge, but to Dickens himself!

Dickens wrote in various diaries and correspondences that in the writing of the story he was "reborn," and in the setting down of the tale he "wept and laughed and wept again, and excited himself in a most extraordinary manner!" In Paul's adaptation Scrooge undergoes a spiritual awakening as well which adds tremendously to this classic Christmas tale.

Our eight-year-old Elizabeth, we are proud to say, managed to stay awake during the entire play, never was afraid of any of the three "visions," and lined up with us afterward to thank the players.

Well done, Lizzie!

And so, as Tiny Tim observed, "God Bless Us, everyone!"