Operation Angel Cookbook
To you who've lost a precious baby:
I couldn't sleep last night so I was up writing some ideas down. You know
how recipes get handed down from one generation to the next - like Grandma's
apple pie or Aunt Sally's ambrosia salad - well I got to thinking how
neat it would be and a wonderful way to keep our babies memories alive,
if we named recipes after them or even created a special recipe and named
it for them. I've already come up with two recipes for Darrell and Melody.
One is "Darrell's Daredevil Chili" and "Melody's Melt-in-your-mouth
Chocolate Chip Pizza." (Recipe at bottom of email) It would also
be a great idea to name recipes after your living children. I have a cake
recipe that I'm going to name "Anna's Angel Cake", "Bradley's
Brawny Brownies," "Mallorie's Marvelous Muffins" and "Lindsey's
Luscious Lasagna."
To get your creative juices flowing, here are some things I thought of:
for Maggie - "Lilli's Lemon Drop Cookies", Rosie - "Thomas'
Terrific Tacos," Glena, Caitlyn's Colossal Cocoa". And who knows,
some of you may come up with a prize winning recipe! Wouldn't that be
something and you could use the prize money to do something in memory
of your babies. For those of you who have other children, let them help
you create recipes.
I also thought how neat it would be if one night a month, we designate
as "Family Favorites Night" and make every family member's favorite
food and let that be the meal! You may end up with all desserts or vegetables,
etc. but it's only for one night a month!
I can't wait to see what some of you are going to create with all the
talent we have in our groups! And of course, I'm going to want a copy
of everyone's recipe for my "OPERATION ANGEL MEMORIAL COOK BOOK!"
I love doing new things with recipes. I'm going to try some "Surprise
Muffins" where I fill the muffin tins partially, then add in some
M&M's or a Hershey's Kiss and then finish filling the tin. Try making
pancake faces by using raisins for eyes, a round banana slice for a nose
and an apple slice with the peeling still on for the mouth. My granddaughter
Mallorie loves to have her hotdog wrapped in a flour tortilla instead
of on a hot dog bun. Or try spreading peanut butter on a tortilla, cut
a banana in half lengthwise and wrap in the tortilla for a healthy snack
or sandwich. I mixed my four favorite flavors one night and made an absolutely
delicious pie. I took a package of chocolate and a package of butterscotch
pudding mix that had to be cooked, then just as it was thickening, I added
two tablespoons of peanut butter. I poured into a cooked pie shell and
added banana slices around the edge.
With Christmas coming up, you could make pretty recipe cards with your
computer, and put your recipe on them, then give them to family and friends
(if money is available - include the ingredients in a basket) and have
on the recipe cards, "This recipe is given to you on behalf of Darrell
Taylor, who left this world on June 15, 1962 but will always be in our
hearts." (Of course you'd put your babies name and date of loss)
I've been thinking of special recipes in memory of the World Trade Center,
and the other places that were hit. I've come up with names, but haven't
actually worked on the recipes yet. I'd like to create a special "NYPD
BLUEberry muffin," a "Firefighter Frankfurter" dish and
possibly "Pentagon Pancakes." I also want to include the plane
that went down in New Jersey but haven't thought of a name yet. It's amazing
how many things we can do in memory of loved ones when we just think "outside
the box."
Get your creative hats on and let's see what we can come up with to remember
our babies and honor our living children. You might want to have your
own recipe book and get recipes from family members - moms, dads, grandmothers,
aunts, etc. I love you all and wish I could personally give each of you
a big hug. When you send a recipe, please give your babies full name,
date of loss and parent's names. When the recipe book is completed, we
will let you know so that you can purchase one.
Here's the recipe I created for Melody:
Melody's Melt-In-Your-Mouth Chocolate Chip Pizza
Prepare coffee cake recipe from package of Bisquick. Divide equally and
spread on two pizza pans. Alternate sprinkling chocolate chips and butterscotch
over cake dough. Put in 350 degree oven for 15 minutes. Cover with miniature
marshmallows and ground nuts, put under broiler just until marshmallows
turn brown. Remove, slice and serve immediately.
I came up with this on one of those nights when my boys wanted a dessert
and my cabinets were empty except for the above ingredients. I suppose
you could use a pizza crust, but what I like about the cake dough is that
it rises around the chips and makes them so luscious! Enjoy!
Because of our precious babies,
Jo Ann,
http://fly.to/OperationAngel
ofm@mtnhome.com
In loving memory of Darrell, miscarried at 16
weeks on June 15, 1962 - due November 10th and Melody, miscarried at 16
weeks on June 23, 1963 - due November 15th.
"Mommy will hold you in her heart till I can hold you in my arms."
Author Biography
Jo Ann is the proud mother of two heavenly angels, Darrell & Melody,
mother to two earthy angels, Stewart who is 37 and Phillip who is 28;
grandmother to three of the most beautiful little granddaughters in the
whole world and one handsome grandson. I am truly a blessed woman. I've
been married to my one and only love for 40 years. My husband and I have
our own Christian Counseling Ministry in Mountain Home, Arkansas. He's
also a Youth Pastor. http://fly.to/OperationAngel
.
