Archive for the ‘turtle cheese cake’ tag
Gifts for a Friend Down on His or Her Fortune
Many of us are faced with a time in which some of our close friends and family are enduring tough economic times. We want to help, but we also don’t want to embarass them by extending unwanted charity. Especially in those types of cases, we want to be sure that the gifts we give them for special occasions are put to good use, needed and enjoyed. I have a few suggestions:
A gourmet fruit basket is healthy, beautiful, delicious and always enjoyed. If you live near your gift recipient, you can find a lovely basket or other attractive container and fill it with fruit that is in season in your region of the country, obtained at a farmers market, and fill it out with a few exotic fruits picked up at your local super market. If your loved one is farther away, you can arrange for any of a large range of beautiful fruit gift baskets to be delivered to the recipient’s home. It will help them to reduce their grocery bill on their next trip to the super market.
A special meal is another way to remember a birthday or holiday. One possibility might be to take the friend or family member to a popular local restaurant. If price is no object to you, be sure to recommend a couple of the more expensive entrees on the menu, so that your guests know that they should not worry about ordering what they want. For example, you might say something like, “The crab legs are wonderful here, but, if you don’t like seafood, try the tender and tasty filet mignon.” If they live too far away for that, you can actually find delicious, gourmet, chef-prepared meals online that arrive frozen and can be heated in almost no time. (I actually keep my freezer stocked with these.)
You might also consider a tasty dessert. No person should have too many desserts, but on a birthday, anniversary or holiday, everyone deserves an opportunity to indulge a sweet tooth. Bake cookies, if that is a skill of yours, and hand deliver or have them delivered. For something a little more special consider giving them a freshly baked pie or turtle cheesecake. Whether you make it yourself or have others do the work for you doesn’t matter. It will be appreciated and definitely enjoyed either way.
You may observe that all my recommendationinvolve food. Someone who is going through a difficult time may not want to accept charity, but nobody can reject a genuinely special gift. If it reduces the grocery bill by a bit, that’s just a bonus. To make it even most festive, invite yourself to share in the delights with them!
Mail this postPopularity: 2% [?]
Happy Birthday Cheesecake
My husband is going to be celebrating a major birthday soon. I would like to commemorate this event by having a surprise birthday party for him. A quiet, composed man, he certainly would not enjoy a large affair. The guest list will remain limited…our immediate family and a few of our dearest friends. Because my birthday boy has whatever he truly needs and since he would be extremely embarrassed by opening gifts, I have asked everyone to bring a funny card for him and, if they wish, to make a donation to their favorite charity in his honor.
I plan to host this surprise birthday party at our home. We have a spacious back yard which is well suited to entertaining. There is plenty of room for our parents and brothers and sisters to sit comfortably on the patio, as well as a nice grassy area for the younger children to cavort. Decorations will consist of strings of colored patio lights, which will also illuminate the area sufficiently. Easy-listening music will be heard via speakers from our outdoor CD player to create an ambience of serenity.
In the past, finding suitable birthday refreshments has been a challenge because my husband is not a lover of cake. I have substituted with various treats like pudding cups, chocolate chip cookies, and candy bars. Since this birthday has such significance, I have chosen a decadent turtle cheesecake to take the place of the traditional birthday cake. The crunchy, salted pecans and rich chocolate and caramel swirls which drizzle over the creamy cheesecake will be a treat my husband will find scrumptious. It’s a delicious alternative that will satisfy all of our guests’ cravings.
Flash forward: With all of the planning of this surprise birthday party accomplished, the day of this celebration finally arrived. Mother Nature provided a gorgeous evening. Our parents, siblings, children and friends were in our back yard, waiting to shout the customary “Surprise!”, as I led my husband outdoors to enjoy the delightful weather. Cards were opened, read, laughed at, and passed around for all to enjoy. “Happy Birthday” was sung as I presented the turtle cheesecake, complete with a few lit candles, to my husband. As I predicted, my husband and our party guests thoroughly enjoyed this birthday cake substitute.
The surprise birthday party I planned for my husband turned out to be exactly what he likes most…a simple get-together with our family; enjoying the easy banter among loved ones; appreciating the time spent in each other’s company. He laughed at the funny cards, romped in the grass with the children, teased his brothers, and especially savored his birthday cheesecake.
When the party ended and everyone had gone, my dear husband thanked me profusely for having the kind of party he truly appreciated. I asked him if he had any suspicion about the surprise. He replied, “I kind of suspected something was going to happen”. At least the exceptional turtle cheesecake was a surprise!
Mail this postPopularity: 3% [?]
Tough Times Gift Ideas
A few days ago, I talked with a family friend who recently learned that his huge manufacturing company was closing his plant. He is actually luckier than most of the people working for that company. He very recently reached the magic age at which he qualifies for early retirement, so he will continue to have a steady income. Those who did not reach that milestone of the specified number of years with the company will get a small severance package and be left to search for a job in that difficult market. That got me thinking about giving gifts for special occasions to those people who are finding themselves in tough situations. I came up with a few ideas that make more sense than a piece of home decor or a new tie. Here are some of them:
A fruit basket is healthy, beautiful, yummy and always enjoyed. If you live near your gift recipient, you can find a lovely basket or other attractive container and fill it with fruit that is in season in your region of the country, obtained at a farmers market, and then fill it out with a few exotic fruits picked up at your neighborhood specialty store. If your loved one is farther away, you can arrange for any of a large range of beautiful fruit gift baskets to be delivered directly to the person’s home. It will help them to reduce their grocery bill that month.
A unique meal is another way to remember a special occasion. One alternative might be to take the friend to a special restaurant. If price is no object to you, be sure to suggest some of the pricier entrees on the menu, so that your guests know that they should not worry about ordering whatever they prefer. For example, you could say something like, “The crab legs are perfect here, but, if you don’t like seafood, try the filet mignon.” If they live too far away for that, you can actually find delicious, gourmet, chef-prepared meals online that arrive frozen and can be heated in almost no time. (I actually keep my freezer stocked with these.) Or you might send a gift certificate to a special place in their town.
A final recommendation is a scrumptious dessert. Now, lets face it, nobody should indluge in too many desserts, but on a birthday, anniversary or holiday, everyone deserves a chance to feel a little pampered. Bake cookies, if that is a skill of yours, and hand deliver or have them delivered. For something a little more special consider giving them a delicious pie or a New York cheesecake. Whether you make it yourself or have others do the work for you doesn’t matter. It will be appreciated and definitely enjoyed either way.
You may observe that all my recommendationinvolve food. Someone who is going through a difficult time may not want to accept charity, but nobody can reject a genuinely special gift. If it reduces the grocery bill by a bit, that’s just a bonus. To make it even most festive, invite yourself to share in the delights with them!
Mail this postPopularity: 2% [?]