Month: August 2017

Cakes · Chocolate · Daily Thoughts · Uncategorized

Chocolate Ganache (thank you Ina)

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A couple of weeks ago, we had dinner at a sweet friends house. She served all our favorite Southern Dishes, Southern fried chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy and green beans. The great ending to the evening was this amazing chocolate cake, which she had found in her Ina Garten (the Barefoot Contessa) cook book. So, needing my fix of weekly chocolate, I bought the can of chocolate syrup yesterday and made it first thing this morning. It is such a rich velvety cake with coffee granules in the ganache frosting. It actually will make you forget that the weather is not cooperating with cool temps, just because we are ready to have the fall decorations up. Treat yourself to this wonderful rich cake that is truly very simple to make.
Thanks Marilyn (and Ina) for sharing that heavenly cake with us.

Cake
1/4 lb unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup sugar
4 extra large eggs (this is the first cake recipe I have seen that called for extra large eggs instead of large)
1 (16 oz) can of Hershey’s chocolate syrup
1 tables pure vanilla extract
1 cup all purpose flour

Ganache
1/2 cup heavy cream
8 oz good semisweet chocolate chips (not imitation)
1 teas instant coffee granules

Preheat oven to 325. Butter and flour a 8″ cake pan, then line the bottom with parchment paper.
Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time. Mix in the chocolate syrup and vanilla. Add the flour and mix just until combined. Don’t over beat, or the cake will be tough.
Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 40-45 min, or until just set in the middle. Don’t overtake. Let cool thoroughly in the pan.
For the ganache, cook the heavy cream, chocolate chips and instant coffee in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until smooth and warm, stirring occasionally. (I don’t have a double boiler, so just cooked over low heat until chips were completely melted and mixture was smooth. I stirred it almost the whole time)
Place the cake upside down on a wire rack and pour the glaze evenly over the top, making sure to cover the entire cake and sides. Then place cake carefully on a serving plate. it frightens me to have to transfer a cake layer from a wire rack to a plate so I * (once again, I didn’t do that. I just placed it on a cake plate and poured the ganache over the top, allowing it to flow over the sides of the cake.*
image

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Face Lifts & Labs

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Since this story was written on Labor Day, 2013, I thought it might give some smiles in a time that we are praying and thinking so much about Texas and the many needs they have this Labor Day Weekend.
As we continue to pray for Texas as they begin to face more difficult days ahead, we want to remember this Labor Day Weekend, those who have sacrificed so much and those that continue to do so. Military, First Responders and those that are responding to the call for help. God’s blessings on each of you.

Chocolate Castles

This morning I fasted. I would like to say that I did it to spend more time in prayer, but the fact is that I had to have some lab work done. I put on enough make-up so as not to scare anyone and headed out the door at 7:05 a.m. Now, I am the first to admit that I truly am one of those that need all the layers of makeup so that I hopefully hide several years of wrinkles. I had just had my roots watered and fed and so no gray was showing. When I walked into the waiting room, I thought to myself, “hum…I shouldn’t have really worried about how my hair or makeup looks, most of the people there looked like they barely had rolled out of bed, much less brushed their hair and maybe not their teeth. But I sat down to wait my…

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Daily Thoughts · Uncategorized

Tell Of His Wondrous Acts to Perform

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We are instructed in Psa 105, to “O give thanks unto the Lord; call upon His name; make known his deeds among the people. Sing unto Him, sing psalms unto him; talk ye of all His wondrous works.” When we pray asking the Lord to guide us, that is what we are suppose to do. To allow Him to guide us, not walk ahead of Him; but that is exactly what I have been doing.

When we moved to Arizona, we had spent many hours in prayer asking the Lord to lead us to the church home that He wanted us to be in service to Him. After visiting churches around the area, we found a church that had amazing preaching and people who were so very easy to love. Even though it was very different from the churches we have been members in both Texas and California, we felt that this church had great folks and great preaching, so we decided that this would become our church home. Each week, we would leave the service and get in the car and I would get teary eyed. Randy would take my hand and say, “I know this is not what we are used to, but churches out here are very different and I guess this is the best it’s going to be.” I know this is not the attitude that we should have, but I began to think that if we joined, maybe it would feel more like our “home church” and being a member would make us feel better about things. So I began to tell Randy that we should begin the church membership process. This is certainly not something that I am proud of, and is exactly why we are encouraged to allow the husband to be the head of the household. I could tell he was not feeling the same about joining, but after me continuing to say that “we need to do this”, he agreed and we went forward in preparing the church membership videos. The appointment was set to meet with one of the pastors and we went. The entire hour we met with this sweet young man, I felt a check in my spirit, but just decided that maybe it was because I was still trying to “make it happen”. So we joined. The two Sundays after joining, each week, we would leave the service and get in the car. Tears would fill my eyes, and we both knew that we had indeed got ahead of the Lord and was not in the place where we should be.

The week after joining, a friend called me to tell me that they felt that they had found their church home. She began to tell me about it and let me know that it had a traditional service and had Sunday School and a Women’s Ministry, which is something that has always been such a passion of mine. As she spoke, I remembered the whole past year of both Randy and I praying and asking the Lord to allow us to find a church which had Sunday School and a traditional service and a Women’s Ministry. Randy had heard the whole conversation because I had my phone on speaker phone. This was on a Thursday. Right then I decided that for once, (yes I do get ahead of God so many times) I would not even mention this to Randy, but to let him be the one who suggested that we attend Grace Community Church. Calling my BFF in Dallas, I began to relay the whole story to her when she spoke up and said, “Trudy do you not remember me mentioning Grace Community to you when you first moved there?” No I didn’t remember. She had heard about it from her daughter who lives in Scottsdale and had friends who attended Grace. The next Sunday morning, we got up and began to get ready for church when he quietly said, “what do you think about going to visit Grace Community this morning?” Quickly I responded, YES! So off we went. After the service, we walked out and got in the car and just looked at each other. As he looked over to me, I said, “what did you think? He told me that he loved it and we both said that it was a church we could see ourselves growing old in and serving” The next 3 weeks, we went back and have begun visiting Sunday School classes. But now the burden of telling our sweet friends who have been not only our small group leaders, but my ladies Bible study leader who invited us into their small group. We left for a couple of weeks for vacation and we ask friends in California to pray for us as we felt badly for now telling these folks who had become such sweet friends to us, that we would be leaving the church. But God….He truly goes way beyond our needs and answers prayers which still amaze! When I talked to Marilyn, she was just so sweet and kind and told me she totally understood. Then she told me a story. She said that as soon as she got my email explaining our story, she went in to tell her husband. It was then that he revealed to her that he had just received an email from a couple who had tried once before to get in their small group, but there wasn’t room. The man had written to Bob and had ask him if there was still no opening in their group, as their small group had disbanded and they were desperate to be in a small group. So us leaving allowed them to be able to invite this couple into theirs. All that happened on the very same day. A confirmation from the Lord that we were being called to a new place. So from this circumstance, several things were learned.
1. Do not try to “make things happen”. Allow God to lead in His timing, not mine.
2. Don’t settle for something less that what God has intended to give you. We had been praying for a year for a church that was more like our home church in Texas and California. We didn’t wait, but took it upon ourselves to get ahead of the Lord, thinking that this was as good as it was going to get. God never gives you anything but His best. Why can I not learn that?

3.When we don’t wait on God and lead ourselves, instead of allowing God to lead, there are consequences. Yes, He forgives our trying to control situations, but my consequences were that I had to go back then and tell precious friends that we had made a mistake and acknowledge that this was just not the place for us.

4. Quit trying to be the spiritual leader of our home. Randy was not ready to join, and had I listened to him, we would not have signed a church membership covenant.

Lord, there are so many times when I try to get ahead of you and think that I know better than you how to live my life. Forgive me Lord and may I learn to trust You more and more and may my faith in You grow no matter the circumstances.

“Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask, when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.” Mark 11:24

2 Corinthians 5:7 “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”

Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith, it is impossible to please Him, for He who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Cakes · Daily Thoughts · Desserts · Holiday Fare · Pies · Uncategorized

Paula Deen Ooey Gooey Pumpkin Butter Cake

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Yesterday, Peter Pumpkin began bringing in boxes of Fall Decorations. Of course, all I could think about was Pumpkin Cakes, Pumpkin Pies and Pumpkin Lattes. So I got the cream cheese out of the fridge and took out a can of pumpkin and remembered the recipe I had seen in Paula Deens cookbook and after making it, decided that this will be one of our “go to” recipes during this upcoming Fall Season. Thanks again, Paula for all the yumminess you have given to us! We owe our growing waist lines and added pounds to you, but very thankful for you sharing your love of great cooking with us.

Combine for Bottom Crust:

1 Duncan Hines Yellow Cake Mix
1 egg
1 (8 oz) stick unsalted butter, melted

Stir until all ingredients are combined. Press dough into bottom of a lightly greased 9×13″ baking pan.

Combine
1 can pumpkin puree
1 (8 oz) softened cream cheese
3 eggs
1 (8 oz) stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled a little
2 teas vanilla
1 teas cinnamon
1 teas pumpkin pie spice seasoning
1 (1 lb) box powdered sugar

Combine the pumpkin and cream cheese and beat until smooth. Add the 3 eggs, the 1 stick of melted (cooled) butter and vanilla. Beat until combined. Add the powdered sugar, cinnamon and pumpkin pie seasonings and mix well.
Pour over cake mix batter. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 40-50 minutes. Make sure not to over bake as the center should be a little gooey. Cool before serving.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar or top with whipped cream.

Daily Thoughts · Uncategorized

Fall Is Falling Upon Us Quickly; Tidbit Tuesday

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IMG_5833Oh my gosh, I can’t believe that I remembered that Tuesday is posting in bullet points…on Tuesday instead of 3 days later. So maybe all those vitamins are working! Or maybe it is the notes I have plastered all over the house to remind me to Tuesday Bullet Post. Whatever, at least I remembered to look at the reminders and didn’t just past by them, thinking that they were tags that were placed on furniture for which child gets what when they cart us off to the nursing home. But since it is Tuesday, I will stick to my promise and post in bullet points instead of paragraph form, which does make me look oh so hip. Speaking of hips:

1. I have noticed that when I get down on my hands and knees to clean up anything; lets just say that my next Amazon order will include a life alert!

2. This week, everyone around me is talking about getting all their Fall decor out of storage. I purposely have them on speaker phone so Randy can hear them talk about all their decor and how they might be tired of what they have and are going shopping for new items. I give him the look of, “see what a good wife I am? I use mine until the fake pumpkins look like they are ready for pumpkin graveyard and the wreaths are totally withered” He gets the message. One of my dear friends has 3 storage cabinets and an off site storage for all her decor. You know who you are! One of my favorite reminders to him when I want to go get new decor, is telling him that at least we no longer have an off site storage unit and that everything we own is right here so if we don’t buy the 24 roll of paper towels at Costco, there is a little more space under the bathroom cabinet that would fit a few more new Fall items.

3. This brings me to buying Fall decor. We ventured into Big Lots after a recent visit to DSW, down the way. Their pumpkins were arriving and were being put on the shelf as we walked in. After I promised Randy that I would be very selective in my new purchases, he left me alone (which scares him since I carry a credit card with me at all times) with an empty basket as he ventured off to go see if anything in the store interested him, while I mosied on over to the Seasonal aisle. All I can tell you is this, you need to hurry over while they still have a great selection of really pretty fall decorations. As soon as my basket was full, I went looking for Mr. Relax in Any Place He Can Find in a Store. There in the furniture aisle, was my husband on a fake leather couch, with his feet up, pretending that he had a drink in the cup holder. In no uncertain terms, I motioned for him to get up and I made him promise never to even think about bringing one of those home. But if he ever did, to just expect me to put up a velvet painting of Elvis on the wall over it. He quickly got up. Run, don’t walk to Big Lots! But don’t take your husband, they might bring home more than you bargained for. i.e. couches which take up more room than all my boxes full of Christmas decorations!

4. This week showed me that I am my mother. We ran around all day Saturday and got home about 4. After we rested our feet, we began to talk about where to go to dinner. We decided upon Mexican food and I went to get some nicer clothes on when I looked in the mirror and noticed something not quite right. As I looked closer, I realized that all day long, I had been out with a black shirt, black flats, black purse, back earrings and…navy blue shorts! And….Randy had let me out looking like that. I ran back into the living room and said, “do you see anything wrong on me?” He took a moment and said, “uh…you didn’t roll your hair the same way?” Quickly I reminded him that he is suppose to “be his brother’s keeper” and not let me out of the house without earrings or unmatched clothes. He reminded me that there have been occasions when, after being out all day, I look over to him and say, “personally, I wouldn’t have worn that shirt with those pants.” He always ask me why I wait until we get home to tell him that and I tell him I didn’t want to hurt his creative side so early in the day, so I just wait until we get home to hurt it. Isn’t marriage grand?

5. Had bunco at the house last night and served Ice Cream Cake. You need to make this cake. Isn’t it wonderful to have friends and family gather together to visit and eat? That is truly one of the greatest joys of life. Friends, Family and Food….so as we enter the time of year when (soon, hopefully very soon)temps begin to fall and pumpkins are showing up everywhere, don’t wait for Thanksgiving to gather. Make something simple or buy a Marie Calendar’s pie, if you don’t enjoy baking. Make a phone call and have someone over. It will bless you both!

Cakes · Chocolate · Daily Thoughts · Desserts · Uncategorized

Ice Cream Cake

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IMG_5829August…ice cream month! So to celebrate that special time, I made an ice cream cake for bunco tonight. It is so simple, yet so flavorful and yummy! Layers of Klondike bars, intermingled with caramel, hot fudge, and Cool Whip.

4 packages of Klondike bars, (the flavors are up to you, but I use the double chocolate and original ones)

1 pint of cookie dough ice cream (or another flavor if you prefer)

1 (16 oz) container of Cool Whip

1 (8 oz) container of Cool Whip

Jar of Hot fudge
jar or salted Caramel

4 sugar cones, broken up into pieces

Maraschino Cherries for topping

Using a deep dish 9×13″ casserole, unwrap 6 Klondike Bars and place them in bottom of dish. Either cut up about 2 more Klondike bars or fill in with some of the pint of cookie dough ice cream to fill in spaces. Microwave (took about 20 seconds) the caramel sauce until you can Drizzle caramel sauce over this layer of ice cream. Cover with the 8 oz of Cool Whip. You will then need a little of the 12 oz container of Cool Whip to completely cover the bars. Then place more of the Klondike Bars to make a second layer. Fill in with cut up Klondike bars or more of the pint of ice cream. Microwave (about 15-20 seconds) the hot fudge until you can drizzle it over the ice cream bars.Finish filling in any empty spots with the cut up Klondike bars or the rest of the pint of ice cream so that you have no empty spaces left. Cover with the rest of the Cool Whip. Top the Cool Whip with drizzling more of the caramel and hot fudge. Crush up 3-4 sugar cones and spread over the top of cake and then top this with maraschino cherries! Cover and freeze until needed. You might want to take the cake out of the freezer about 10 minutes before serving to soften it a bit before cutting.
Makes 12-15 pieces.

Cakes · Chocolate · Daily Thoughts · Desserts · Uncategorized

Tuxedo Cake

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IMG_5814
We are having company this evening after going out to eat. When I was thinking about what I might bake, this cake came to mind, as it is really one of my favorite cakes. I know I say that about every cake, but really, this is one of my most favorite. It has chocolate frosting, almond flavored vanilla frosting and a gooey chocolate ganache topping that just tops it off beautifully.
All you need to do is make one Duncan Hines Chocolate Fudge Cake mix according to directions for the 2 9″ layers. Then make a Duncan Hines French Vanilla Cake mix, following the directions for the 9″ layers, giving you 4 layers when you have finished.
Layer the vanilla/chocolate layers one at a time, frosting between them with your favorite chocolate frosting. If you need a good one, there is one of the blog. When you have all 4 layers (chocolate,vanilla, chocolate, vanilla) frost with the almond vanilla frosting, which is as follows.
1/2 cup of softened butter
1/2 cup Crisco Shortening
Heavy Whipping Cream to get to spreading consistency (about 1/2 to 2/3 cup probably)
1-2 teas of almond extract (remember, almond extract is stronger than vanilla so start with 1 teas and taste. If you desire a little more almond flavor, add a little at a time)
3 to 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Beat all ingredients until well blended and of spreading consistency. Frost sides and top of cake. Top with the ganache. I used Martha Stewarts ganache recipe. When it gets to room temperature, spoon over top of cake, allowing it to drizzle down the sides of the cake.
This makes a beautiful presentation!

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Tuesday (actually Thursday but I forgot on Tuesday) Tidbits

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Why can I not remember that I have said on Tuesday I will post in bullet points? Actually, I was out of town and did not have a minute to sit down and post on Tuesday, so will do that today. We were in California for 13 days, but came home last night. What a wonderful time we had. OK enough paragraphs, here are the bullet points.

1. California ranks in top 3 places I like to visit.

2. Love that i can have my hair cut and colored for $100 and love the experience of visiting a old fashioned salon where there are still hair dryers along the back wall. AND…the stylists always have cookies or candy and there is always coffee or sodas. (Debbie if you are reading this, thank you for putting up with me, and my humor.)Poor Jerry, the guy who does my hair never knows what color I’m going to ask for every time I am in town. I take him brownies to make up for the trouble I cause.

3. Traveled to Doyle Springs where we stay in a house that is built over a waterfall and stream. There is nothing quite like sleeping with an open window that allows you to sleep with the sound of water cascading over rocks. LOVE IT!

4. Found out that I cannot eat homemade ice cream 4 days in a row, steaks, grilled chicken, ice cream pie, Lebanese food, chile rellano casserole, two nights of Panda Inn and not expect to only fit in Moo Moos and maternity pants.

5. Played Hand & Foot with 5 ladies while having lunch. Great laughter and fun playing cards…

6. Went crazy driving down interstate 5 frantically telling Randy we have to turn around and go back so I can take pictures of all the deer I saw on the side of the road. After he let me go on and on about never seeing so many deer out like that so close to the road, he finally tells me that they weren’t real.

7. Learned that I do like British Programs, got hooked on The Crown while staying at a friends house. Even Randy loved the series. Cannot wait until November when the next season begins. Have now watched all 10 episodes.

8. Came home in a mood to bake. So just finished baking a tuxedo cake, my favorite. It will be for dessert tomorrow night when 4 couples come over after we go eat at Singing Pandas. Yes, back to reality. Laundry, trying to decide what to make for dinner…but, was wonderful sleeping in our own bed last night. Nothing quite like being home! We love to go but always wonderful to get home and start planning the next adventure.

Thanks to our precious friends in California who always treat us with love and make us feel so welcomed. One of these days we might need to find new places to stay, I think we stay in the Smith, Duncans and Welches houses more than our own.

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Streams of Silence

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imageAs i sit on the back porch overlooking the most beautiful waterfall with rocks and majestic sequoia trees, it was just the perfect picture of Gods provision to us when we desire to be in the middle of the stream, with a goal in mind!  As i opened up my devotion book it read, “the law of His God is in his heart, none of his steps shall slide” Psa 37:31.  Looking over the railing of our porch, there below were 2 fly fishermen walking the river trying to get above the waterfall! It dawned on me that in their desire to get above the fall, they had a choice to either walk over the slippery rocks in the water which is cold and moving very fast, or they could have climbed out and walked the ground above the water, both paths taking them to the same place…their desired destination! I began to think of my actions and the different paths that i take!!  Yes i sometimes tend to take the path that causes my feet to slide on “slippery rocks” when Gods Word promises me that “obedient-hearted men shall be sustained in every step he takes” (taken from Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith) “the Word of God has never misled a single soul: its plain directions to walk humbly, justly, lovingly, and in the fear of the Lord”.

It is my choice, to spend my days trying to live life without Gods wise council which would take me over slippery rocks without anything to hold onto or be obedient to His will and “walk along the great high road of His providence” * (cheque book of faith)

May I yield to His lead so that even in the days of unsure footing, I know that God will walk with me every step of the way