Cooking is an Elixir

Some of you may wonder why I include recipes in my posts. Well, my mother taught that cooking was a cure all. Not the act of eating but the act of preparing food for others whom we love. Someone we love can however, include ourselves, of course! But cooking; stirring the pot, smearing the cream, boiling the broth -- the very act of providing sustenance for ourselves and others is a way to survive our own turmoil. Cooking is a calming practice even if the dish does not turn out perfectly. Try one of the dishes on this blog. Take your time and savour the process. Then the food. Relax and save your adytum. Love yourself. PTSD can take that power away from you. Cooking, for me, restores my soul to life. I hope it does for you too.

Chocolate Slices

8 cups Corn Flakes

1/2 cup soft butter

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup cocoa

1 egg, beaten

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup shredded coconut

1/2 cup chopped nuts

• In a ziplock bag, crush corn flakes into fine crumbs.

• Combine butter, sugar, cocoa, egg and vanilla in the top of a double boiler.

• Cook over hot water stirring constantly until mixture is well-blended and slightly thickened.

• Remove from heat.

• Add coconut, nuts and corn flake crumbs and mix well.

• Press the mixture into a 8x8 inch pan.

• Chill.

  
  

1/4 cup soft butter

1 tsp. vanilla

2 cups icing sugar

2 tbsps. milk

• Beat butter until soft.

• Add vanilla and sugar gradually, stirring until well-blended.

• Stir in just enough milk so that mixture will spread easily.

• Spread over chocolate mixture and chill again.

• Cut into squares to serve.

OR BEFORE CUTTING: Cover the chilled mixture with

Chocolate Glaze

2 squares unsweetened chocolate

1 tbsp. butter

Melt chocolate with butter in double boiler.

Mix well and spread over chilled mixture before cutting into squares