Happy Valentine's Day!

I hope that your day is filled with love and romance. I enjoy hearing the little tokens of love that couples give to each other: one friend always gets malted milk balls from her husband, another friend gives her husband jelly beans. These aren't traditional, but they are small tokens of affection that are appreciated.

Love,
Carolyn

Bon Appetite, International Friends. We are continuing to eat our way through February. We enjoyed two delicious fondue treats: cheese fondue and a chocolate fountain. Everyone brought their favorite "dipping" items. I was shocked to find out that the current chocolate fountain recipes call for oil! ICK! You can find the two easy recipes that we made at the very bottom of this post.

Tuesday, February 17
International Friends Bible Study, 9:00-10:30, room 100: Meet to read John 6:60-71 and John 7:1-13. Things are heating up for Jesus!

International Friends, 10:30-until we are full!: Let's celebrate Mardi Gras!
Join us for lunch at Mudbugs Cajun Cafe, 20 W. Main Street, Carmel for a taste of the South and to celebrate Mardi Gras. Meet at the church to caravan over 10:40. Park just off Main Street in either the North or South parking lots or in the parking garage North on 1st Avenue NW.

Wednesday, February 18
Conversation, 4:30-6:00: Join us as we watch some prime time TV and learn some American culture, slang and conversational English.

small tokens of affection: little gifts to show love
call for: requires
Things are heating up: becoming intense
caravan: drive as a group
ICK!: exclamation of not good
prime time: broadcast television programming that occurs in the middle of the evening. This broadcast is usually fairly family friendly.


Beer Cheese Fondue (our recipe)

1 clove of garlic

1 bottle/can of beer
2 Cups Gouda cheese, shredded

1 Cups of Mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 tbsp cornstarch
2 tsp sweet Bavarian Mustard
Dash of Worcestershire sauce

Rub the inside of the pot with the garlic clove. Set it aside for other use or discard. Bring the beer to a boil over medium-high heat in a fondue pot or a medium heavy saucepan. Reduce the heat to medium-low so the beer is gently simmering.

Toss the cheeses with the cornstarch in a medium bowl. Add the cheese mixture to the beer one large handful at a time, stirring the cheese in a figure-eight pattern until completely melted before adding more. Stir in the mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and paprika, and season with salt. Serve immediately. The fondue can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 2 days and then rewarmed over medium-low heat, stirring in a figure-eight pattern, until the cheese is melted and hot.

Chocolate Fountain

Basic recipe:

1 pint of cream

2 cups Semisweet chocolate chips

2 cups milk chocolate chips

1-2 t vanilla 

You can spice things up with your own add-ins

Heat the cream over medium low heat. Add the chips a hand full at a time to melt.

Tip: as your chocolate fountain begins to thicken add a tablespoon or two of milk or half and half.

half and half: Half cream and half milk