Shortcut to the Long Way

I recently made a no-bake strawberry flavored cheesecake.  While making it I had a great idea for another recipe.  I saved some of the cheesecake filling, cut the bottom off of some fresh strawberries then sliced the tip.  I piped the leftover cheesecake into the strawberries and dusted the top with graham cracker crumbs.
 
It was so easy.  After all, I used the filling from another dessert.  It was healthy (just give me this one, you see what I usually make), after all, who can argue with fresh ripe strawberries.  It was delicious, we all liked it except Older Son who won’t eat fruit because he says that all fruit gives him a sore throat (don’t ask me, I don’t know).
 
So I get taking shortcuts, cutting corners, making things easier.  What I’m having a hard time with, though, is when a shortcut is really the long way around.

Strawberry Cheesecake filled Strawberries

 

Recently Older Son bought a doohickey that connects to his computer and does something or other with songs.  He’s figured out a way to hook his thingamabob to his phone and with commands he's pre-assigned, he can press a button and his phone would call 911.  With the press of another button, his voice recognition would tell 911 his address.  This way if we are hiding from a serial killer in the house, we can get help silently. His affinity for scary movies may be leaving its mark.   I’ll have to look into that.
 
That was fun for Older Son, but under normal circumstances, how much extra effort do you really want to expend to get out of doing what would take less effort to just do?  Follow that?
 
I get so frustrated when I ask something (let’s face it, anything) of the kids.  They are older now and much more independent.  They seem to think that this means that anything I ask from them is up for consideration…and inevitably rejection.  If I persist, then it’s up for discussion…and inevitably rejection.  If the issue remains on the table, then it’s up for replacement with something they’d rather do… inevitably a rejection.  Really, the smallest things can go on forever.  Why go so far out of your way to make things more difficult?  Just do it, get it over with, let’s all move on.

When Older Son left to take his ACTs back in April, he was pondering aloud whether to actually answer the questions or just answer everything with a "C" and play the odds.  While he was gone, I found myself sitting at home pondering which choice he made
 
To discourage this particular short cut, Older Son took the ACT prep class up at the High School this summer.  Just make things easier (for me), Younger Son took it too.

Cheesecake-filled Strawberries

                                    ©www.BakingInATornado.com

Printable Recipe

 

Ingredients:
1# fresh ripe strawberries, cleaned
8 oz block of cream cheese, softened
¼ cup sugar
1 cup heavy cream, whipped till stiff peaks form
1 tsp strawberry extract
Crushed graham cracker crumbs
 
Directions:
*Carefully cut the green leaves off of the tops of strawberries so they’ll sit flat.
*Slice into the tips and down into the strawberries making sure not to cut through the bottom.
*Beat the cream cheese with the sugar and extract until smooth.
*Carefully fold in the whipped cream.
*Pipe cheesecake filling into strawberries.
*Sprinkle with crushed graham cracker crumbs.