Happy Anniversary to us & Cherry Cordial Creme Cheesecake!

Tomorrow, March 10th, 2012, my 'Sugarbear' and I (his 'Trixie Lou') will be celebrating 44 years of wedded bliss!

Oh how blessed we are to be growing old together!

My sis-in-love has been posting some old (really old!) photos on Facebook, so I snagged one to share today...

We were high school sweeties...began dating at the end of his senior year, but were good friends before that. 

This one was taken while we were dating....how could I not adore those dreamy eyes!!?? OR those Marine Corps blues???

We wrote tons of letters while Ron spent 3 tours in Vietnam - 2 years, 2 months and 2 days. He was home on leave for a month afterwards and we decided to get married just before he left again.

This was of our wedding day (we planned it in 3 days because he was headed to Parris Island, SC - where he became a drill instructor.) We spent another 6 weeks apart while I finished business college.

I was 18, he was 20.

(All right - now don't go figuring how old that makes us now!) ha

He ended up getting out of the Marines after 4 years, was a civilian for 3 years (while we had 2 of our kids)...the job situation was tight, so he joined the Air Force and retired in 1988 after 20 years of military service. 

Oh how I LOOOVED our military life!

Besides living in SC, we've lived in TX (twice), California, Alaska  (twice) & WA state.

This is the most recent picture I could find of the two of us...taken this past summer.

We've grown UP together and OUT together too...

(teehee)

(We make a great pair...I love to cook, and he loves to eat=)

Actually - in case you don't know this...I LOVE LIVING UP TO MY NAME!  When folks have told me I'm a good cook, my favorite response has been "But I'm a Better BAKER"....(grins!)

We are the proud parents of 3 wonderful adults and 8 of the cutest grandkids on the planet.  It's so true...Grandkids make life GRAND.  They are absolutely some of our greatest joys!

One thing I would share that makes for a good marriage...is to keep a sense of humor!  My man has always had a terrific sense of humor...how do you stay mad at someone who always makes you laugh???  *-*

Some things that keep our marriage sweet are holding hands and hugging often.  The little things in life really are the big things!

Enough of the mush & gush..onto the recipe...

A dear friend (thank you Sandy) gave me a bag of these Hershey's kisses so I could make the recipe on the package, which I did...for Valentine's Day.

But I decided to save it to share now, for our special celebration.

(After all - there is a HEART on top of the cheesecake!=)

The recipe is on the back of Hershey's cherry cordial creme kisses, and it's M-M good!

CHERRY CORDIAL CREME CHEESECAKE

(from Hershey's)

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, melted

1-1/4 c. white sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 eggs

2/3 c. all purpose flour

1/2 c. (Hershey's) baking cocoa

1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1 (8 ozs) pkg. cream cheese, softened

1 c. powdered sugar

1/2 c. chilled whipping cream

1 (21 ozs) can cherry pie filling, drained

25 Hershey's Kisses - cherry cordial cremes, unwrapped

Heat oven to 350*. Line 9-inch round cake pan with foil, extending foil beyond sides.  Grease foil.

Stir together melted butter, white sugar and vanilla in large bowl.

Add eggs; beat well using spoon.  Stir together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; gradually add to egg mixture, beating with a spoon until well blended.  Spread batter in prepared pan.

Bake 25 minutes or until cake is set. (cake is fudgy and will not test done). Remove from oven; cool completely in pan on wire rack.

Beat cream cheese and powdered sugar in medium bowl until well blended.  Beat whipping cream until stiff; gradually fold into cream cheese mixture, blending well. Spread over brownie layer. Cover; refrigerate until serving time.  Use foil to lift out of pan; remove foil.

Just before serving, put drained cherry pie filling in 5-inch wide heart shape in center of dessert.  Place chocolates around edge.  Cut into wedges; serve with remaining pie filling.  Cover; refrigerate leftovers.

Yield: 10 - 12 servings.