Almost Parfait

I know it's November and the temperature continues to drop, but how could I possibly say no to a parfait? I didn't quite have all the ingredients, like the whipped cream, but it's close enough. It's a simple, delicious dessert that's sure to please any dinner guest. You can make it with any kind of cookie and any kind of ice cream that you like.

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS
4 cookies (Oreos, Fudgee-os, Piroulines, etc.)
4 scoops ice cream (Vanilla, Oreo, Butterscotch Ripple, etc.)
chocolate syrup
raspberry or strawberry syrup
whipped cream (optional)

STEPS

• In a plastic bag, crush 2 of the cookies by rolling with a rolling pin or a bottle. Sprinkle equal amounts of the crumbs into 2 martini glasses.
• Top the cookie crumbs with 2 scoops of ice and drizzle raspberry syrup around the edge and then chocolate syrup on top of the raspberry.
• If using whipped cream, add a nice dollop on top of the ice cream and drizzle more chocolate and raspberry syrup onto the whipped cream. Garnish with another cookie and serve with a spoon and a smile.
  

Looking Back

It's amazing how quickly time goes by. It's already the end of November and I'm not quite sure where the year went.
And then there are the cats...
It feels like just yesterday when we went to choose our first kitten.

Here's Riley when we first met him at 6 weeks old:



And look at him now!



Even Nutmeg is an adult now. We got her in the summer of 2007 at 14 weeks old. She's the kitten in the middle of this picture. She's about 10 weeks old there.



This is Nutmeg now.



They've both changed a great deal. They no longer fit into our hands, but they've found their way into our laps and definitely into our hearts.

They're even becoming more and more fond of each other.



We'll just have to wait and see what the next year brings us.
In the meantime, back to the kitchen!

Hot Chocolate with a Kick!

Here's something else to make you feel warm and fuzzy inside.

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 cup milk

pinch cinnamon

pinch nutmeg

1 ounce rum (can substitute Bailey's, Kahlua, Frangelico or any other liqueur that you like)

STEPS

• Pour milk, cocoa powder, brow sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg into a small pot and whisk well to combine.
• Heat over medium heat and bring to a simmer, stirring often to avoid scalding the milk.
• Once the milk has reached a simmer, pour it into a mug, then add the rum and stir.