Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Do Not Retreat

OK, the pressure's on. I really had been trying to improve my prose and with my Haiku post from November and December's 'Tis the Season post I thought I'd been making some progress. Not ready to be nominated Poet Laureate mind you, but moving that bar up an inch or so.

And then came January's poem Here to Stay. In recovery speak I guess you'd say I had a bit of a slip. In other words, that bar came crashing down. Poetry suckery had returned.

So today I'm here to redeem myself. February's theme is . And I'm getting back in the saddle and doing all I can to do it justice. Because really, if you can't do "love" justice in a poem . . .


Monthly poetry challenge. February's theme: Love|  www.BakingInATornado.com | Graphic by Candice of Measurements of Merriment | #poetry #love



Silently, stealthily
unaware of your approach 
as if I'd been day dreaming, sleeping.
You seep into my brain, saturate all rational thought.

or

Forcefully, violently
aware of your approach
despite all attempts to maneuver, divert.
You crash into my heart, dominate all emotions.

No matter the route, 
silently or forcefully.
No matter the entrance, 
head or heart.
No matter the duration,
long lived or fleeting.
No matter the outcome
bitter or sweet.
Do not retreat.

Because within you, love,
lies humanity.



February's theme: Love | www.BakingInATornado.com | |#poetry #love

I did my best, gave it my all. I lifted that bar back off the ground a bit. Right?

I'll leave you with a delicious Valentine's Day recipe to share with those you love:


Crockpot Red Hot Ginger Snap Apple Cobbler: An apple cobbler kicked up a notch with ther addition of a ginger snap crust and a special ingredient. Easy to cook, right in your slow cooker. | Recipe developed by www.BakingInATornado.com | #recipe #dessert #crockpot


Crockpot Red Hot Ginger Snap Apple Cobbler


Before you go, click on these links to more poetry by some of my friends:


Deepest Desires by Robin of Someone Else's Genius.
Love Poems by Candice of Measurements of Merriment. 
Groundhogs Need Love Too by Dawn of Spatulas on Parade.
A Lover's Valentine by Steena of The Angrivated Mom.
Love, Lovely Love by Jules of The Bergham Chronicles.



Baking In A Tornado signature | www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics





Crockpot Red Hot Ginger Snap Apple Cobbler
                                                                          ©www.BakingInATornado.com
 
Printable Recipe
 
Ingredients:
1 stick plus 1 TBSP butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
3 TBSP white sugar
3 TBSP molasses
2 eggs, room temp
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp ginger
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp salt
3 TBSP Red Hot candies

 8 to 10 tart apples (I like Braeburn) peeled, cored and sliced
1 TBSP lemon juice
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
dash of salt

OPT: ice cream for serving

Directions:
NOTE: You can make the topping a day ahead of time.
*Crush the Red Hot candies.
*Beat the butter, 3/4 cup brown sugar, white sugar, molasses and eggs until creamy.
*Mix in flour, 2 tsp cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, cloves and 1/4 tsp salt.
*Mix in the crushed Red Hots last. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour or up to a day.
*Spray your crockpot with non-stick spray.
*In a bowl, mix together the apples, lemon juice, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 tsp cinnamon and dash of salt. Place into the bottom of the crockpot.
*Remove the dough from the refrigerator and, using your hands, break off chunks of dough, flatten between your palms and place over the apples in the crockpot. Try to cover the apples with the dough as well as possible.
*Put a paper towel over the crockpot so that the cover holds the towel up under the cover. The towel should not touch the food. This is to keep the condensation from the top from falling into the food. Check now and then and replace the paper towel if it gets too wet.
*Cook on low for about 4 hours or until the apples are fork tender and the topping is cooked. Turn off and allow to sit for a half hour to an hour before serving. Serve warm, top with a scoop of ice cream if desired.

22 comments:

  1. Hello there, great poem! I think it is beautiful. Perfect for our theme of "love" this month. :)

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  2. YUM! My Mom makes cinnamon apple dumplings but this sounds just as tasty and way easier!!

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  3. You are brave taking on this challenge.

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  4. Yum that dessert looks divine! Your talents never cease to amaze me!

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  5. Absolutely beautiful. You did a wonderful job!

    This recipe looks AMAZING. Mmmmmmmm red hots!! 💖

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    1. I love red hots too. I tend to find some recipe to use them in this time of year.

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  6. I don't think you give yourself enough credit and I sure as hell don't think the bar dropped at any point. This was amazing, as always (and the recipe sounds pretty good too)! :)

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  7. Beautiful tribute to...love. Wonderful, painful, gently and violent. Great job and when do you deliver the dessert?
    Spatulas On Parade

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    1. Now you know all of my desserts are first come first served, right?

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  8. You had me at apple cobbler. One of my fav desserts. Nice poem too. Good job.

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  9. This was really beautiful. I think that you lifted the bar way up there!!

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  10. I am so horrible! I need to stop commenting in my head and start putting them down in these little box things! Lol. I love this poem! You need to see you've got some hidden talent as a poet, because it's in there...this poem is proof! It spoke right to my heart.

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    Replies
    1. You are way too kind to me. But I'm going to keep trying, so you keep reading.

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