Saturday, April 28, 2012

Recipe: Milky Way Cake

Steel Magnolias...the Cuppa-Cuppa Cake...have you made it?  I have...

Jessica Simpson...Slutty Brownies...have you made them? I have....

This time I was actually reading an online newspaper when someone mentioned the Milky Way Cake...sorry I forget who...and I just had to make it.

Once again I turned to my friendly internet to find the recipe and, of course, read the recipe completely through before starting.  I decided the recipe writer was one of those people who liked to do things with lots of dishes, including the mixer which required handwashing to maintain it's prettiness...wasn't going there.  So after musing it about, I managed to create an awesome cake with only two mixing bowls, one measuring cup, one measuring spoon, one whisk, and one plastic spatula.

Things to remember:
- This is not a recipe for those watching their weight. You use ELEVEN MILKY WAY BARS...
- This is not a pretty cake; it's an ooey-gooey, finger-licking cake.  If you want a pretty cake, make the Christmas Gingerbread Cake.
- This is my interpretation of the recipe. If you're looking for easy, quick and good, here it is; however, if you're one of those cooks who has to scrap off the measuring cup for correctness, don't go any further...


MILKY WAY CAKE


Cake Ingredients
Eight (8) Milky Way Bars regular size, unwrapped
Two (2) Sticks Unsalted Butter, unwrapped
2-1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
2 Cups Sugar
1/2 Cup Buttermilk
4 Large Eggs (no shells involved unless you like crunchy)
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract

Cake Process
Step #1: Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Take a 9X12 pan and spray liberally with your baking PAM.

Step #2: Your Milky Way Bars and Butter need to become friends.  Place all eight candy bars and one stick of the butter in a bowl and microwave in 30-second increments until just melted, stirring after each "beep" on the microwave.  I did this in 90 seconds total.

Step #3: Don't think about this step, but just do it...pull out another bowl and whisk those dry ingredients together...the flour, salt, baking soda, and sugar. Yes, the sugar too!

Step #4: The other stick of butter wants to play. Place it on top of your whisked dry ingredients and microwave in 30-second increments until melted, stirring after each "beep" on the microwave.  I did this in 60 seconds total.

Step #5: Add your buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients; mix until just combined. Yeah, you've just made basic cake batter.

Step #6: The melted Milky Way Bars need to become one with your cake batter...go ahead and dump them together; stir until just combined.

Step #7: Pour all that lovely, glorious batter into your baking pan.

Step #7.5: If you're like me, you seriously need to "taste-test" that itty-bitty bit of leftover batter in your last mixing bowl to make sure it's OK to feed your family before you go any further.

Step #8:  Place your pan on the middle rack of your oven; close the oven door.  Bake for about 60 minutes, depending on your oven....mine was 55 minutes.

Step #9: Remove from oven and let cool completely.

Frosting Ingredients

Three (3) Milky Way Bars regular size, unwrapped
One (1) Stick Unsalted Butter, unwrapped
Two (2) Cups Powdered Sugar
1/2 Cup Whole Milk
One (1) Cup Walnuts or Pecans, completely optional

Step #10: Repeat Step #1 with the three (3) Milky Way Bars and one (1) stick Butter.

Step #11: Add the powdered sugar, milk and nuts to the melted Milky Way Bars...mix well.

Step #11.5: Repeat Step #7.5.

Step #12: Pour the icing onto the top of your cooled cake...wait until frosting sets until serving if you can.  (You can put it in the freezer for a few moments to quicken the process, but I never told you this).

May I suggest serving this with a scoop of vanilla ice cream?








Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Mad Men Candy


Accept the fact...I'm a Mad Men junkie.

I have a black 50's purse that I will swear I've seen Peggy use.

And when Peggy just had to find her good luck charm for this week's past episode...Violet candy....I had just had to find some too!

Choward's Violet Candy...I found a pack today at one of my favorite stores, Cost Plus World Market.  I had to try them immediately.

I gagged almost as soon as it was in my mouth...and spit it out!

Maybe I'll use them as a good luck charm?

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Pay It Forward - Volunteers Needed

Some time back I signed up for Michelle's Pay It  Forward...and yesterday I received this awesome potholder in the mail:

I love the soft colors, I love the fancy stitching she used to quilt it...I just love it! Thank you, Michelle, for sharing...it will be used and loved in my home!

Now it's my turn to Pay It Forward. I need a minimum of three (3) kind souls to sign up to received something I've made.  Once you receive your package, you'll have a year to make something for three others.



Just leave me a comment if you'd like to participate...





Saturday, April 14, 2012

Edgar at Three Months

I can't believe it...Edgar is three months old!

He's doubled his weight...from 12 lbs to 23.4 lbs today.  Now I know why  I go through a 20 lb. bag of dog food every two weeks just for him.

He barks if you're not doing something he thinks you should be doing, such feeding him. He jumps on to furniture when he's not supposed to, although I love seeing his happy face wiggling on the sofa when I walk in the door.

And his newest habit you ask? Think Charmin toilet paper commercial...yes, he loves toilet paper and will run with it through the house if you don't keep the bathroom door closed.

Life is good!


Friday, April 13, 2012

The Pink House


My daughter called this week with exciting news for us...she found a city in Indiana that would be great for us to retire...Carmel.

Her reasononing: It had an awesome mall like Fashion Island here in the OC...complete with a Nordstroms for all of her needs!

I did a little research and, although Carmel seems like a wonderful city, it would not be for me as it reminds me a lot of Irvine...planned community with cookie-cutter homes.

She did make me think..where should I retire?  Searching realtor.com lead to Oberlin, Ohio...a community I've visited quite a number of times in the past...great people, awesome quilt shops, and even a Trader Joe's close by...with decent house prices.  I think this one will do quite well:


It definitely needs a bit of spiffying-up...could I turn it into the pink house complete with awnings and pink rambling roses? I think so.....and my Pinterest boards are full of pink house ideas!

Monday, April 9, 2012

Recipe: Purple Potato Salad



Easter Sunday was warm...about 94 degrees at our home.  Definitely didn't want to start the oven for the traditional dinner, so we did the next best thing...grilled.  Dinner consisted of grilled chicken legs and corn on the cob, purple potato salad, and fresh cantaloupe.

Purple Potato?  Some of my friends didn't believe me and had to Google it to see that it actually exists. I love the color it gives the potato salad, bringing something from very traditional yellow to a vibrant purple.

Purple Potato Salad
2 pounds small purple potatoes
1 purple onion, diced
2 celery stalks, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 lemon, juiced
Salt and pepper, to taste

1. Bring a pot of salted water to boil.  Boil the potatoes until fork tender but no mushy, about 20 minutes.  Drain, rinse in cold water, and cut in quarters.
2. Place the warm potatoes in a large bowl and toss with onion, celery, dill, and parsley.
3. In another bowl, stir together mayonnaise, mustard, celery seed, cayenne pepper, vinegar, and lemon.  Check seasoning.
4. Add the dressing to the vegetable mixture.  Toss gently to coat taking care not to mash the potatoes.  Season with salt and pepper.

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

The Momma's Easter Basket

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The Momma moved to California a few years back for the great California sunshine....and the parent/kid relationship has now reversed.

Along with sending the Dear Daughter a basket at college, I responsible for the Momma's Easter Basket.

It must be blue...no pink for her.

It must have the old plastic green grass...no new funky stuff for her, even if it is better for the environment or you could eat it.

It must have a jar of bubbles and a chocolate Easter bunny...that's what I always had in my basket.

I think I did a pretty good job...what do you think?