"To dare is to lose one's footing momentarily. Not to dare is to lose oneself." - Soren Kierkegaard

Good morning friends! For any of you that gave up sweets for Lent, I apologize for posting pictures of these delicious butterscotch Kahlua puddings. But this recipe is too good not to share!! I loved butterscotch pudding as a kid. My mom made it often for dessert, using the little Jello-brand instant mixes. It was easy – add the powder, add some milk, beat with the electric beaters, and chill – so we had it often.

In recent years, I've found myself craving this nostaligic dessert, but couldn't bring myself to make the powdered variety. I did a little recipe research and decided to create my own version, from scratch. I had some Kahlua in my cabinet, so I decided to make a more "adult" version, topped with homemade whipped cream and caramelized pecans. The Kahlua took the dish to the next level, as did the crunchy sweet-salty-spicy pecans. This has quickly catapulted to one of my all-time favorite desserts. And the best part? It can all be made completely in advance.

Butterscotch-Pudding

So why the random Kierkegaard quote at the beginning of this post? Brandon shared this with me the other day, and it really resonated with me. Putting myself out there, day after day on the blog – sharing recipes, stories, successes, and failures – has been an incredibly vulnerable experience. Even more vulnerable still has been creating a cookbook in the face of stiff competition and rather impossible odds, and daring to believe that my dream will in fact come to fruition.

Taking that first step towards a dream definitely feels a bit wobbly (as Kierkegaard points out), because you're suddenly walking on new terrain. But don't worry: that feeling doesn't last long. It's the courageous act of taking the step – from comfort into the unknown – that's the hardest part. But once you've done it, the possibilities are endless. I mean, I'm 90 days into this cookbook project, which just seems incredible to me. The photos are nearly done, the recipes are nearly done, and I'm working on a plan to publish a real live cookbook! It's happening. And despite my fear of uncertainty, I'd rather lose my footing momentarily than lose myeslf.

What about you? Is there something you're longing to do, but find that first step hard to take? It's easy to tell ourselves all the reasons why we can't do something, or why now's not the right time, but what if you allowed yourself to think of all the reasons why you should pursue your dream? I'll leave you with one last question – one that Brene Brene shared in the last class of her course. You've probably heard the quote "What would you do if you knew you wouldn't fail?" Well, Brene had a different take on it, which I think is way better: "What's worth doing even IF you fail?" Think about it: what for you, is worth doing, even if you fail? And is there a dream that means so much to you that, if you don't go after it, you risk losing yourself? Big questions, but I'd love to hear your thoughts...

(Photos by Signe Birck)

[recipe:best-butterscotch-kahlua-pudding-spicy-pecans-recipe]