Celebrate National Chocolate Mousse Day with my Super Simple Triple Chocolate Mousse. Luscious layers of chocolate mousse get adorned with whipped cream and fresh berries.
Super Simple Triple Chocolate Mousse
This is not only Super Simple, but it can be made ahead of time!
Special Dark chocolate syrup
Chocolate mousse (instant is fine)
Whipped cream (fresh or straight out of a can)
Fresh raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, and/or strawberries
Squares of special chocolate, such as Lindt Intense Orange (1 per serving)
Start with any clear serving bowls or glasses… even champagne flutes. Drizzle chocolate syrup up and down on the inside of the glasses. Then spoon a little chocolate mousse in the center. Place 3-4 dabs of whipped cream around the outer edges and place a berry between the dabs. Add a full layer of chocolate mouse over it all and decorate around the edges and in the center, if desired, with more berries. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until serving time. To serve, top each bowl with whipped cream and accent with a square of special chocolate. (Yeah… a big, fresh strawberry in the center would be super.)
KISS Tip: This dessert looks soooo sensational, but it is Super Simple and flexible. For example, swap out a favorite pudding for the mousse. Use any berries you like. Swap out the square of special chocolate with a rolled wafer cookie or a favorite milano.
Decisions, decisions. I must announce my long-thought-out decision. I have decided to retire.
“Effective leadership is not about making speeches or being liked; leadership is defined by results not attributes.”
“Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the men of old; seek what they sought.”
“How incredible it is that in this fragile existence we should hate and destroy one another. There are possibilities enough for all who will abandon mastery over others to pursue mastery over nature. There is world enough for all to seek their happiness in their own way.”
“It’s not that diamonds are a girl’s best friend, but it’s your best friends who are your diamonds.”
On St. Patrick’s Day we may tend to think about green beer or Irish whiskey. Or we hunger for traditional Irish foods. When doing so, corned beef and cabbage may come to mind, even though the dish is not originally from Ireland. In truth, it was popularized by Irish immigrants in America when they couldn’t afford their more traditional bacon. Something special happens when we add crispy bacon and caramelized onion to cabbage. So, here are a couple of Super Simple recipes, one with sausage and one with bacon. Both will satisfy your St. Patrick’s Day hunger and set you on course to dash blarney back and forth with friends… with or without green beer or Irish whiskey.
Sausage and Cabbage
Fried Cabbage
“Why is it when we talk to God we’re praying, but when God talks to us, we’re schizophrenic?”
Welcome to Sully’s Place in Columbus, NC! This new all-American grill sits in the classic location of the former Green River Tavern and Larkin’s Carolina Grill. The menu features a great selection of pub appetizers, salads, soups, and sandwiches. They opened with great success AND consistency out of the kitchen… NOT an easy feat. We enjoyed the Pretzel Knots and opted for the white queso cheese dip. They are soft inside and perfectly crisp on the edges… far more than “knots,” and you can also opt for a mustard dip.
Ahhhh…. When steak is done right and “your way,” little can be more satisfying. Some like it fancy with sauces; some prefer it black and blue and straight-up.
I like to season all sides with kosher salt, freshly cracked pepper, and some garlic powder; then I let it sit in the refrigerator (uncovered) for up to 24 hours. Dry brining this way helps “seal” the exterior a bit, delivering perfectly crisped outer edges when cooking and helping the meat maintain moisture as it cooks.
To serve, I do sprinkle on a bit of flaky, finishing salt and, perhaps, some herbs or herbed butter. (For non-beef eaters, dig into a portobello mushroom cap or two. They grill beautifully and can be seasoned precisely to your taste. For a little extra pizazz, top it with some sliced shiitake mushrooms, sautéed with some chopped onions and a favorite herb, such as thyme.)
Cathy’s Sesame Scallop Kebabs 
Put scallops in zip-top plastic bag. Combine all other ingredients and pour over the scallops. Seal the bag and refrigerate 10-15 minutes, turning the bag once. Drain, reserving the marinade. Divide scallops among 6 skewers (warm water-soaked, if bamboo or wooden). Place in foil-lined 15×10” baking pan with sides; pour reserved marinade over skewers. Bake at 425°F for 10 min or till tender, turning once. Serve hot, garnished with fresh chopped flat-leaf parsley and lemon wedges, if desired. Makes 2-3 generous servings.
Joining the nation in 1859, Oregon became the 33rd state in the U.S. Since the discovery of a small, prehistoric stone knife in 2012, some archaeologists believe people have lived in the region for at least 15,000 years. Home to 10 Native American tribes, Europeans began arriving in the 1500s, when both Spain and Great Britain claimed it for themselves.
Bordered by Washington, Idaho, Nevada, California, and the Pacific Ocean, the 9th largest state in the U.S. is slightly larger than the United Kingdom. The origins of the name Oregon remain disputed. Some claim it comes from the French word “ouragan” meaning “hurricane,” a term used by French explorers to describe an especially windy part of the region… but others say it’s derived from the Chinook word “oolighan,” a type of fish eaten by the Native Americans.
“Half the world is composed of people who have something to say and can’t, and the other half who have nothing to say and keep on saying it.”
“An optimist may see a light where there is none, but why must the pessimist always run to blow it out?”
For National Snack Day, let’s munch down on a little Pepperoni Pizza Dip. Super Simple and soooo satisfying. (The picture is how it looks heading into the oven. Sorry… no picture of how it looked when we took it out of the oven because it disappeared very fast.)
“Desire is the key to motivation, but it’s determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal — a commitment to excellence — that will enable you to attain the success you seek.”
True… a person turning 100 years old today only got to officially celebrate 25 birthdays. This is also National Frog Legs Day. But, of course! A couple of silly one-liners seem in order. Sooooo…. What do athletes wear on Leap Day? Jumpsuits, of course. And what do you call a talking kangaroo? Unbe-Leap-able.
24 years ago today, I was on the eve of a Leap Year Day surgery. Following a diagnosis of Stage IV ovarian cancer, I was given 3 months to live. If I didn’t wake up from surgery in the hospice ward of Mass General, I had signed off to let the surgeon use my body for experimental treatments that might help save other women after I was gone.
The dozens… or perhaps even hundreds of stories I have heard over the years from people who did not feel the warmth, comfort, and strength from someone supportive became the impetus for me to write one of my books. 2019’s “
“America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.” 
Let’s celebrate National Clam Chowder Day with a simple discussion of the Great Chowder Debate. Some insist it must have a clear broth base; others want it creamy and thick. Some add tomatoes; some stick to onions and potatoes. Everyone is right. Chowder is perfectly adapted to anyone’s texture and taste preferences.
The word “chowder” comes from “chaudiere,” a French word for an iron soup kettle. Originally, New England clam chowder was made in such a kettle, and was a simple, clear broth chowder… just clams, onions, salt pork, potatoes, and pepper. Gradually, people started adding crumbled hard biscuits to thicken the broth. Then came additions that include milk or cream, celery, butter, bacon, corn, salt, paprika, parsley, thyme, and carrots.
Regardless, the big, hard-shelled Quahogs remain the preferred clam of choice. That said, steams have also won prizes for chowders in recent years.
