Fruit Pizza with Pretzle Crust

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• Here is a yummy dessert I made while in Cincinnati for some of my friends.  Sweet and salty + chocolate + fruit = addicting :)  

Crust:

• 3 cups finely crushed pretzels
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 1/4 cups cold butter or margarine

In a bowl, combine pretzels and sugar; mix well. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press into a 9 x 14-in. pizza pan. Bake at 375 degrees F for 8-10 minutes or until set. Cool on a wire rack; refrigerate for 30 minutes. (NOTE: It's a bit hard to predict the saltiness of the crust using regular pretzels.  Buying unsalted pretzels and adding coarse salt to taste gives you more control).

Frosting:

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
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• In double boiler melt chips and add heavy cream, mix until smooth take off of heat.  In mixing bowl cream together sugar and cream cheese until smooth, slowly add chocolate mixture. Mixture will thicken up as the chocolate cools.
  

Topping:

Any fruit you want!  I like fresh berries :)

Sauce:

Frozen raspberries

Sugar to taste

1 -1 1/2 c. Water

Sorry, the quantities are a bit vague because I just eyeball it :)  Puree desired amount of raspberries while frozen. Add enough water to make a nice thin mixture.  Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer.  Add sugar as mixture cooks till desired sweetness is reached.  Simmer about 15 minutes, till thickened.  Sauce will thicken more as it cools.  

After crust is cooled, top with frosting.  I add the berries and sauce to individual slices because leftovers will become soggy overnight if you do it all at once.  Whipped cream would be good too :) 

Next time I make this I think I am going to experiment with a cookie layer, maybe brownies or blond brownies, for an extra strata of yumminess.  And more calories.  Of course.  

Enjoy!

Good Friday

"And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, 'My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.'"

Matthew 26:39

"....But the obedient Son's plea to his loving Father is met with silence.  Why?

Listen to this verse for the very first time: For God so loved the world....that he's silent at this moment when his Son appeals for an alternative.

This is what bearing our sin means to him - utter distress of soul as he confronts total abandonment and absolute wrath from his Father on the cross, a distress and an abandonment and a rejection we cannot begin to grasp.

In this, our Savior's darkest hour...do you recognize his love for you?

'Yet not what I will, but what you will'"

- C.J. Mahaney

- - - -

"...and the curtain of the temple was torn in two."

Luke 23:45b

Cinci Spring

Aida and I just got back from a wonderful whirlwind trip to Cincinnati.  We had a blast spending lots of time with family and several dinner/coffee dates with friends! Aida was a champion traveler both ways, for which I was very thankful.  Amazing discovery made one trip too late:  baby gear (strollers and care seats) are checked for FREE.  It was so nice having a lighter load to tote through the terminal and made security infinitely less painful for me and the people behind me :)  

We were spoiled by lots of Oma, Opa, Aunt L and Uncle K loving, cooking, trips to the zoo and night-time relief during a few rough sleeps.  I am so thankful for my family and love every second I get to spend with them.  I love the comfy, settled feeling I get coming back to my "original" home - thanks for the fun week, Mom and Dad!   We really missed Peter though and were so happy to be reunited with him in DIA.  We had a yummy dinner at Pappadeaux to celebrate being back to together :)  

When we got home, I greeted by a new hall configuration, drywall, kitchen cabinets, lights, hardwoods and appliances - beeeeeea-u-ti-ful!  Peter and Luke worked pretty much around the clock while we were gone and I am so so so grateful!  Soon I'll be able to post pics of the finished product, yay!

Here are some pics of our Cinci trip:

Mom with her offspring

Proud Opa

Fam shot at the Zoo

Aida sporting her new headband from Aunt L

Opa and the little panda bear

Oma and Aida reading the paper

Aida Sandwich

Riding her lamb from Great Uncle Jeff

VerHonken ladies

(Brother and L, I was delinquent on getting photos of you with A, but you are an amazing Uncle and Aunt :))