Family Today!

We had a great time! Friday afternoon Isabel arrived with her chauffeur. Grandpa on a walk with Brook and Isabel...Isabel fell asleep about 2 seconds later.

For supper we had shrimp pasta salad and Irish soda Bread.

http://keepyouinstitches.blogspot.com/search/label/Traditional%20Irish%20Soda%20Bread

Before...


...after...

After Isabel's night bedtime Friday, Colt showed up with his entourage. After some visiting, Colt got fussy. Granny (that would be ME) took him out to the screen porch and we sat in one of the rocking patio chairs. He fell asleep in about 2 seconds.

Saturday morning...HELLO COUSIN. Unfortunately, Colt had a bit of a stuffy nose and they weren't permitted to get too close to each other.

We visited and played and I held babies ...although from the photos you would never guess it!

I baked a ham and cooked pinto beans, roasted sweet potatoes drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with a bit of grated nutmeg and a very light sprinkle of cayenne pepper, roasted asparagus drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with Kosher salt, mixed green salad with homemade honey mustard salad dressing... http://keepyouinstitches.blogspot.com/search/label/honey%20mustard%20salad%20dressing ..., homemade peppercorn salad dressing, and a bottled jar of raspberry vinaigrette. And a loaf of bread machine white bread...with butter!

For dessert...a strawberry pie. http://keepyouinstitches.blogspot.com/search/label/Strawberry%20Pie

Before... ...after.

I'm going to have to do something different with the strawberry pie. The juice is too juicy. I don't want it set up like pudding...but I don't want it like water. I've always used flour for thickening in my fruit pies. Next time I bake a strawberry pie I am going to use cornstarch. If that doesn't work, I'll try tapioca.

We also had a chocolate pudding cake.

http://keepyouinstitches.blogspot.com/search/label/Chocolate%20Pudding%20Cake

I did not get a photo of it. And now...there's only one slice left. Hmmm...See you later!

Chocolate Anyone?

I woke this morning before the heater cut on (see below post about thermostat war). The inside temp was 70 degrees. Not cold at all...but still 2 degrees shy of the heater kicking in. So. I had a mug of hot chocolate. If I hadn't been dressed in my summer pajamas without a robe, I would've gone outside where it was a crisp 54 degrees and sat in the screen room to enjoy it. Alas. The heater kicked in...Note to self...set out robe for tomorrow morning.

To continue in the chocolate mood, I decided to bake a Chocolate Pudding Cake.

This is such a good cake. Without eggs in the batter, I even licked the whisk, bowl, and spatula. ;o) This looks weird with water floating on the top.

During the baking, that water sinks taking with it the brown and white sugars and cocoa sprinkled on top...

...making a pudding layer on the bottom.

After it cools, scoop out a slice and flip it upside down on the dessert plate with the pudding on top. A bit of a drizzle of chocolate syrup (since I was watching Julia and Jacques on PBS).

About as good as an orgasm. OH! Where'd he come from? Gotta turn the ceiling fan on again!! (I admit it. I did not take this photo.)

How to make your own...

Chocolate Pudding Cake (If Sean ever comes to visit...I am NOT sharing him!!)

1 1/4 cup sugar, divided (3/4 cup and 1/2 cup)
1 cup flour
7 tablespoons cocoa, divided (3 tablespoons and 4 tablespoons)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 1/4 cup hot water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine 3/4 cup sugar, flour, 3 tablespoons cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Blend in milk, butter, and vanilla; beat until smooth with a wire whisk...it doesn't take long. Pour into an ungreased 8- or 9-inch square baking dish. Stir together remaining 1/2 cup sugar, brown sugar, and remaining 4 tablespoons cocoa; sprinkled mixture evenly over batter. Pour hot water over top; do not stir.

Bake at 35 to 40 minutes or until center is almost set. Let stand 15 minutes. Spoon into dessert dishes, spooning sauce from bottom over top.

Garnish with whipped cream or sprinkle with powdered sugar...then do the Julia thing with the chocolate syrup if so desired. ;o)

Makes 8 to 10 servings. hahahahaha Unless one is a chocoholic. Me!