Hot Fudge Cake

I meant to post this sooner than now, but misplaced the recipe. Until today. Because I'm a forgetful bonehead with eleventy-billion recipe cards and notebooks floating around, full of recipes I will possibly never make. Or find. Moving on.

This recipe is one I came across in a Taste of Home cookbook of casserole and slow cooker recipes. I've heard of cakes from a slow cooker before, but never attempted one. I have made hot fudge/lava cake previously, and it did not turn out well at all, due to the low sugar content of the recipe. So much for dispelling the belief that healthy dessert recipes are a waste of time...and I'd say that one wasn't as healthy as its creator intended, as we had to dump copious amounts of powdered sugar all over it to be able to eat it. We could have gone without, sure, but where's the fun in that?!

My results with this cake were on the generally positive side of mixed. I enjoyed it, overall. It was gooey, fudgy, chocolatey, and everything I think I could have expected from a cake made in a crockpot. Brian's take? "It was the cake equivalent of frozen fish sticks; too gooey in parts, too burnt in others." In truth, there were a few small parts that were overdone. Not burned, just a little well done. Possibly because I suck at not uncovering food in a slow cooker, and possibly because the one I used was not the same size as the one used in the recipe. He was right on about the gooey part, however, as that was kind of the point. So if you are not one for gooey, molten foods, this is not the cake for you. It's also not so much a "dump-everything-in-and-go" type of cake. But enough about mine. Here's the goods!

1 3/4 cups packed brown sugar, divided
1 cup all purpose flour
6 TBSP cocoa, divided (I used Nestlé)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk
2 TBSP butter, melted
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups semi sweet chips
1 3/4 cups boiling water

In a bowl, combine 1 cup brown sugar, flour, 3 TBSP cocoa, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, combine the milk, butter and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients until just combined. Spread evenly into a 3 quart slow cooker coated with non stick cooking spray. Sprinkle with the chocolate chips. In another bowl, combine the remaining brown sugar and cocoa. Stir in boiling water. Pour over batter (do not stir!) Cover and cook on high 4-4.5 hours, or until a toothpick inserted near center of cake comes out clean. (I failed to write down the servings yielded, but I would imagine it'd be in the 6-8 neighborhood.)

It's kind of puddingy, but with a bit more texture. I would not really want to eat this cake cold, but piping hot, with a scoop of vanilla Blue Bell, maybe a squirt of magic shell, and you've got yourself a fine dessert that you didn't really have to bother with for four hours. I would make this again. I would serve this to guests. I would stuff it into my face gladly, and probably not share with Brian, because I'm pretty sure he has no idea what good is.

*Final note- I did add some extras to mine. Cinnamon, ginger, and a hint of cayenne, for a Mexican chocolate flavor. I think a blob of raspberry jam would be great, too.

Sophie

Someone had a big day out recently. 

Here's a hint: it wasn't Stella.

The cats normally don't go outside (half are not interested in anything beyond their food and our bed), Rhett used to be indoor/outdoor and Sophie occasionally gets paraded around to sniff flowers and roll around on the concrete during nice weather. It normally doesn't last for long, as she likes to trot off, roll, trot, roll, dash under parked car. Then, when you try to pick her up, she throws a fit on the level of "they'll never take me alive!!!" and then she's swiftly tossed back inside.

But Saturday, was different.

Plastic Adirondack, or facial scratching device?

I'm just gonna make some biscuits in this clover patch

Since Brian and I were both out for a good bit of Saturday, we put Stella in her pen, and then put Sophie in. And she didn't try to escape. Which she could have, handily. She paraded around, hissed at a too-nosy Stells, flopped about on the chair, and acted like she more or less owned the whole pen. Stella, meanwhile, was glad to be outside, and really, just wanted to sniff some butt.

My face is up here, thanks

Follow the leader, like a boss

This is why you will now be referred to as "the rectangle"

She enjoyed her time outside, wasn't mean until I tried to pick her up to bring her back in, and she probably got more exercise in those 45 or so minutes than she has all year. Hope you had a lovely weekend!

Hey Hey, February

So, I am fully recovered from my birthday of sadness. Now it's time to recover from my engageaversary! Stop looking confused. The engageaversary is a little term I coined (I think I did it, anyway) for those souls who find themselves in long-term engagements. Mine is on year four as of the eighth. Which means in July, we will have been engaged for a wee bit over half of our entire relationship. I find it utterly depressing and exasperating. To the point of never wanting to get married, ever. Really, these things are not meant to be drug out so damn long. Once the shine wears off, you're left with someone whom you're lucky if you can tolerate, you swear you should have eloped 3.5 years ago, you hate all brides, everywhere, and impending nuptials of friends and family send you into fits of rage and jealousy. Or is that just me? 

Yeah....I remember being excited over the thought of getting married. Somewhere around aught-nine. It was a simpler time. Simpler in that, I was filled with rage for totally different reasons. Halcyon days of 4 years ago.

Anyhoo, I am not all doom, gloom and homicidal rages currently. I actually kind of like this time of year. Sometimes the weather is nice, sometimes we get snow (ahem, ice), there is chocolate around every corner, and Easter is not too far away. It's the most wonderful time of the year, if you're into pastels. And I so am! Seriously, these early in the year holidays make me miss elementary school. Except for my inability to ever locate a prize egg during Easter hunts. Yes, I will carry this to my grave. I have more baggage than Samsonite. But yes, I adored the parties, the cupcakes, the arts and crafts involved in the days prior. I even liked addressing each and every valentine card to each and every classmate. As well as trying to pick out the one for each and every boy I had a crush on. It had to convey my exact feelings, but be subtle. Nothing says "I'd like to be more than just that fat girl you detest," like George Jetson relating our mutual happiness if nameless recipient would only be my valentine. Spoiler: no valentines for me until I was 24, and even then, it took almost 8 years to get my first heart full of chocolates. Russell Stover can be my valentine any day.

I'm pretty sure I actually handed out these one year. Partly because I recognized the one with Rosie, and partly because I've always hated the Flintstones.

In other news, I'm excited to announce to no one in particular, I have located green zinnias. Big friggin whoop, you may be thinking. It is to me, as last year I ordered some that never arrived. Which led to a months-long battle with Park Seed Co. But now I have my green zinnia seeds, which will go great with the purple ones, and I'm already excited for summer. Which hasn't happened since the 90s.

Happy (late) Valentine's Day!

I normally don't give a crap about Valentines day. It is my late aunt Rhonda's bday, and she loved all the hearts and teddy bears and reds and pinks associated with February 14th...she really was how you would expect someone born on that day to be :) and my grandma always said she was the only little girl born in that hospital on that day, which was kinda cool. So happy (late) birthday, aunt Rhonda, I hope you are having a fun day wherever you are!

I've never received flowers, candy, stuffed animals, or fancy cards (beyond school party ones) for this day. So I told Brian this year, I want a big heart full of chocolates. He'd brought home a little box of mixed Rochers a couple weeks ago, which I happily shared, and would happily consume at any time. I love those things. So, when yesterday  passed, sans candy, I was let down. Especially after I shared my pitiful sob story about how never once did a guy give me jack for Vday. I can't actually recall if I ever had a boyfriend for the day, honestly. Now that I think about it, there's only been him, as he's my longest relationship. Which lends a new level of sadness, because in the nearly 8 years we have been together, I have only been taken out to dinner maybe once. When he arrived home today, with sinus medicine and seemingly no heart full of candy, I was more than a little hurt. Then, he whipped it out-

Exactly what I've always wanted :) I think the raspberry caramels are my favorites. I know it's cheesy to care about Valentine's day, but sometimes you just want some chocolate. I'm not the red roses, stuffed animals type, but chocolates, they are the way to go. Italian food doesn't hurt, either. Hope you had a lovely Valentine's day, filled with the tokens of your liking! <3 p="">

Shop Happy

There are two good things about staying with my sister- one, I get to bond with my niece, Kaitlyn, whom I consider 1/3rd my child (as I have spent a lot of time with her. Nothing better than a grin from my little Reeves Mcadams!) Two is the shopping, as there are plenty more options to do so in her neck of the woods than mine. Mainly Ulta and TJ Maxx.

Last weekend, as a sort of late birthday celebration, but somehow still not really (I haven't figured it out yet, either), our mom and I were watching Kaitlyn as last minute sitters, and then going to eat and shop. If you're ever in Shreveport and don't mind casino buffets, I recommend the El Dorado buffet. So good. Plus, there;s a Swarovski Elements counter right outside the buffet, so come with enough money to buy a crystal-encrusted octopus or Hello Kitty. The Sunday brunch buffet is great, and this comes from someone who is not a big fan of breakfast foods. The fried fish is excellent, and they have enchiladas, which I didn't try but heard only good things about. I think I am going to insist Brian plan a trip for us there soon. I have dreams about that fish.

It took a near act of Congress to convince everyone to even drive to TJ Maxx, but it was worth it, as I found a purse, a laptop bag and a wallet (all by Betsey Johnson) for $80. If the "compare at _____" tags are correct, I saved $134 on everything. And there's an even larger BJ bag there I still want, and am debating snatching it up next time I go.

This trip did not involve Ulta, but I did find another Lampe Berger for my growing collection at a resale shop. It's a blue tassel-looking affair, in lovely shape, and didn't even cost $7. Next time I go to Beehive, I will be getting the oil to go in it. I love anything that makes the house smell....not like it currently does. I'm a big fan of Scentsy warmers and BBW Wallflowers, but seriously, catalytic fragrance lamps will fragrance your space quickly and effectively. If I keep finding them the way I have been, I'm on my way to needing a curio cabinet.

I hope next time I go to TJ Maxx, they have some BJ jewelry. I may have the taste of a high schooler, but hey, I know what I like!