Irish Cream Brownies

4 oz. semisweet baking chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1/4 c. Irish Cream
1 c. all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
Irish Cream Frosting (recipe follows)

Oven 350F

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease 8 inch square baking pan. Melt chocolate and butter in medium heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time, with wire whisk. Whisk in Irish Cream. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in small bowl; stir into chocolate mixture until just blended. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan.

Bake 22 to 25 minutes or until center is set. Remove pan to wire rack; cool completely. Prepare Irish Cream Frosting; spread over cooled brownies. Chill at least 1 hour or until frosting is set. Cut into 2-inch squares.

Yield: 16 brownies

Irish Cream Frosting:

1/4 c. (2 oz.) cream cheese, softened
2 tbsp. butter or margarine, softened
2 tbsp. Irish Cream
1-1/2 c. powdered sugar

Beat cream cheese and butter in small bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. Beat in Irish Cream. Gradually beat in powdered sugar until smooth.

* For fun, I tried a variation. I used a box of Betty Crocker Brownie Mix and substituted the 1/4 cup of water with a 1.4 cup of Irish Cream. Baked the brownies according to the directions on the box. Once cooled, I cut the brownies into squares, placed on a plate, topped with ice cream and drizzled with Hershey's Chocolate Syrup.

Happy St. Paddy's Day

Many sites will tell you that the little trefoil known as the shamrock was once known as "seamróg", pronounced "Seamroy", meaning "little clover". They also mention the fact that it is a very common clover that grows heartily in Ireland.

Many agree that the ancient Druids honored it as a sacred plant. The Druids believed the shamrock had the power to avert evil spirits. Some people still believe the shamrock has mystical, even prophetic, powers. It is said that the leaves of shamrocks turn upright whenever a storm is coming.

According to Lady Wilde, the shamrock "enlightens the brain and makes one see and know the truth".

The ancient Irish Celts also revered the shamrock because it has three leaves, and they considered "3" to be a sacred number. The ancient Celtic Druids believed many numbers held mystical powers.

The three leaves shaped like hearts were associated with the Triple Goddess of Celtic mythology, otherwise known as the "Three Morgans". The Triple Goddess represented the Triple Mothers, the hearts of the ancient Celtic tribes.

This Celtic tradition of honoring "3's" continued in Ireland for millennia.


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Great things do come in threes, after all...


past, present, and future


land, sea, and sky


love, valor, and wit


faith, hope and charity

Three was also sacred to devotees of the goddess, Brighid, signifying totality. And the Irish bards continued the significance of "3's" by using triple repetition in their storytelling rhythms.

Actually, many spiritual belief systems, ancient and contemporary, find the number "3" to have mystical properties. The shamrock was considered a sacred plant to ancient Iranians, for example. They knew it as "shamrakh" and honored it as a symbol of the Sacred 3's.

Shoes, shoes, and more shoes!

"He slipped the high heeled sandal off her beautiful foot. Carefully holding it in one hand, he poured his scotch over her toes with the other. She squirmed with delight as he sucked the golden liquid off each digit."

Sigh. In my reality, shoes are small, dirty, smelly, and scattered all over the floor. On cleaning day, I took inspiration from the Asians. Asian cultures have removed their shoes before entering a home for thousands of years. Every family should have such a practice. Not only does it cut down on the amount of dirt in the house - which translates into sweeping and vacuuming,but it also helps prolong the life of your carpets and rugs. Leaving your shoes at the door will keep daily toxins and pesticides that linger on the soles of shoes from being left all over the home.

I have a cute but heavy braided rug by the front door for visitors and family members to leave their shoes. A rubber boot mat comes in handy during the winter months. I've even seen some people use a shoe tree by their door to collect and air out shoes. Personally, I love a little basket with a variety of slippers placed near the door. Guests are invited to wear the cozy footwear while their shoes remain in their place.

"He tugged the knit slipper off her slender foot. She soon felt the coolness of the peppermint cream as he gently massaged the tender spot under her heal. His fingers with all their exquisite talent sent her along waves of minty bliss." -ahhhh....
Which do you prefer... toe sucking or a full foot massage?