Monday Message

“But there will be helping hands along the way, many such, to give you encouragement and strength to move forward.” Gordon B. Hinckley 

Look for ways to give encouragement and strength along your way. It will make you feel happier to lift others up right now and it will make the person you lift up happier too. True, we must do it from afar but it can be done.

https://www.waterford.org/resources/random-acts-of-kindness-ideas/ - this has some great ideas.

I hope you were able to plant a garden or some pots.

Are you finding things to do during this time?

Don't forget now is the time to learn skills.

https://bestlifeonline.com/hobbies-to-master/

https://liveablissfullife.com/best-skills-to-learn-during-quarantine/

https://www.theactivetimes.com/home/learn-new-hobby-at-home-guitar-language/slide-9

https://www.rd.com/advice/things-you-should-do-for-yourself-during-self-quarantine/

https://nokneadbreadcentral.com/traditional-videos/ - this is a different no knead way of making bread and I have watched him for years. I like how he does the mixing with the handle of the wooden spoon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJ5c7MW8xKI I pulled this out as she does a great job but they have many videos...

https://www.youtube.com/user/everydayfoodstorage/videos so watch and learn these wonderful things.

I figure about now you will need a fun thing to make...

You can make chocolate cupcakes anyway you choose box mix or use my

favorite chocolate cake - http://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2020/04/monday-message_20.html

Click HERE then scroll down for my favorite chocolate cake recipe!!

So make and cool the cupcakes.

Now this is cupcake filling. Whatever you do, don't double this recipe or you will have so much you won't know what to do with it.

Cupcake filling

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. milk

2/3 c. shortening

1/4 tsp salt

1 tbsp water

1 tsp vanilla

Beat together really good, add about one bag of powder sugar and beat five minutes.

Fill a pastry bag with a tip and poke in from the top of the cupcake in the center, then squeeze in enough that you see it bulge but not crack the cupcake.

Then frost the top with chocolate frosting, you can use any frosting or my favorite...

Creamy Chocolate Frosting

(I double this recipe for a 9x13 cake or for cupcakes, leave as is for 9x9 cake)

3 tbsp butter or margarine

3 tbsp cocoa powder

1 tbsp light corn syrup or honey

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 c. powder sugar

1-2 tbsp milk

Cream butter, cocoa, corn syrup and vanilla.

Add powder sugar and milk, beat to spreading consistency.

So you put the frosting on top as normal and if you do these on the sly no one knows that there is filling in the cupcake till they eat it and yum what a nice surprise!

Enjoy something different while every day seems like the day before.