MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

Good day CAL members,

There's nothing better than a good friend, except a good friend with chocolate. That being said, you can bring chocolate to BB anytime, sweet friends.

Thank you for braving our weather and coming to our general meeting on Wednesday. Tim Behrens as Patrick McManus was so entertaining. There is a new album of him performing that you can access via the bulletin or the website. The pictures can't tell the complete story of how expressive he is - his body, his face, his props - all fit his stories! He will be on stage at the Panida on Saturday, February 11, with an amazing one man show created in collaboration with Patrick.

Our by-law change, to include our Scholarship chairman as a board position, was passed. Thank you & we welcome Betsey Walker to our CAL board.

I apologize to our Blankie Ladies for not acknowledging your donations this month. We truly appreciate your caring gifts. Sherry Ennis will acknowledge you next month, but I'm going to have to tie her down to keep her home.

Our February 15th General Meeting will be held downstairs in the large room next to Tango. I'll send out a reminder next month. If you know a member who does not have online service, please pass on this information.

This month's recipe is one shared by Karen Hanna. She brought this delicious treat to our January meeting. She had many requests for the recipe so she decided she would share. Thank you Karen. Yummy!!!

New Year’s Eve Graham Cracker Cookies

1/2 sheet (11 X 17) jelly roll pan (recipe can be halved for a 1/4 sheet pan)

1 1/2 sleeves of graham crackers (approximately) or optionally, saltine crackers
2 sticks unsalted butter
1 C packed brown sugar
1 1/2 C chocolate chips (dark or semi-sweet) - I cheat and use a bit more!
1/4 C of Sprinkles (holiday inspired, chocolate, green, red, etc)
Sea Salt (optional)

Heat the oven to 425. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray or use nonstick foil. Arrange the crackers in a single layer on the baking sheet.

Melt the butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir while butter melts and bring to a rolling boil (about 3-5 minutes). Remove from heat and carefully pour over the crackers. Bake the toffee crackers at 425 for 3-5 minutes until the toffee is bubbling all over. Carefully remove the pan from oven.

Immediately sprinkle the chocolate chips on top of the hot toffee, allowing them to soften and melt. Once softened, use an offset spatula to spread the melted chocolate over the entire surface of the toffee as evenly as possible.

Cover with sprinkles and Sea Salt, if desired. Freeze for about 30-35 minutes. Once set, break in to small pieces by hand. Store uneaten (if you have any left) in an airtight container (can be in the refrigerator) for up to a week.

Have a beautiful weekend,
Linda Zinn