I’d be remiss if I didn’t at least mention in passing the 10th anniversary of the invasion of Iraq. It’s a raw memory for everyone on both sides, but it just amazes me that it’s been ten years. I posted something to that effect on my Facebook page, and the memories started pouring out. Personally, I was sitting with my heavy equipment, ready to knock down the border obstacles and make way for the sea of iron waiting on the Kuwaiti side of the border. Two friends and a former boss were in the tanks waiting to cross. Another friend was in a signal company, running communication support. My husband’s unit was training in Kansas, preparing to step in for those of us already in the desert. My uncle was there, preparing to lead a broadcasting team into Iraq with the tanks. It was one of those pivotal moments in our lives when we knew nothing was ever going to be the same for us again.
That was just the first of many moments like that where I found myself longing for the little things that I’d always taken for granted. Phone calls home. The comforts of the kitchen. Being able to take a glass of wine out onto the patio and watch the world go by. Those are the moments that remind you that life is a gift, that any minute not spent celebrating it is a moment wasted. There are so many who would want the moments we have, who would enjoy them, that we have a duty to make sure that they don’t go by wasted.
Because of that, I want to share with you something that brings me joy. My father’s cooking and the tastes of home are always things that have brought me great joy. We made tiramisu together so many times growing up, that just having a little spoonful of it brings me the joy of great memories, of those times at home, sitting around the kitchen table or on the patio, listening to Dad clank around in the kitchen and Mom laugh at something he said or did, my sisters teaching each other as they sit on the couch, and the warm California sun washing over everything. I can’t have that for the asking, but if nothing else, at least now I have the luxury of going in to the kitchen, pouring a glass of wine, making a familiar family recipe, and picking up the phone to hear the sounds of home.
Tiramisu Cheesecake Cups
What you’ll need {non-alcoholic ingredient substitutions provided}:
- 3-4 crushed ladyfinger cookies
- 3 tbsp butter
- 8 oz mascarpone cheese
- 3 egg yolks
- 7 oz semi-sweet chocolate, grated
- 1 tsp kahlua {or espresso}
- 1 tbsp Amarula {or cream}
- 1 tsp Godiva chocolate liqueur {or 1/2 tsp cocoa powder}
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp water
- 2 oz cream cheese {preferably whipped}
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
How to make them:
- Preheat your oven to 325F and lightly grease four large-ish ramekins.
- Crush the ladyfingers into crumbs and melt the butter. Mix them together in a small bowl and then press the resulting mixture into the bottom of the ramekins. Sprinkle this mixture with a little bit of grated chocolate.
- Beat the mascarpone cheese, egg, kahlua {or espresso}, Amarula {or cream}, and chocolate liqueur {or cocoa powder} together with a mixer until it all takes on a creamy smooth texture.
- Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and slide into the oven, bake for 35-40 minutes {you can also bake these in a water bath, but I prefer not to – I don’t want them evenly cooked}. The cheesecake cups are done when the tops are taking on a golden brown tinge and beginning to split.
- Beat together the 2 oz of cream cheese, vanilla, water, and powdered sugar for frosting. Spread over the tops of the cakes and sprinkle with chocolate.
- These should be chilled for 2-3 hours before serving, but my husband and I ate one set right out of the oven. Yummm!
Out of even the roughest of memories, good things can come. When I look back on my service time ten years ago, what I remember most is thinking about home and that has only led me to appreciate the things my family has passed down, and the tastes and sounds and smells of home all the more.