Texas Sheet Cake

Everything may be bigger in Texas, but is it supposed to be the most delicious too? I experimented with a tried and true Texas style cake recipe last night and was blown away. The cake recipe calls for the standards: sugar, flour, vanilla, eggs, etc. but also calls for heaps of Hershey's cocoa and a dollop of cinnamon. YUM! If you like to get a little nutty (pardon my silly pun), you can add some chopped pecans or almonds to the frosting for a little crunch.

The cake turned out extremely moist in the center. My mom even asked if I had infused the middle of the cake with extra frosting...(Um, if anyone knows how to do that please let me know!)

P.S. Thanks for the recipe and wine last night Angel!

Enjoy!
L


Melt together in microwave:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter
• 1 cup water

In a mixing bowl combine dry ingredients before adding wet ingredients:

• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 5 Tbl cocoa (rounded)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking soda

ADD:

• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla

Add water/butter mixture to mixing bowl and mix. Batter is thinner than regular cake batter. Pour into a greased 9x13 baking dish. Bake at 350 and check to see if it's done around 25-30 minutes (if you shake a little on the pan, it shouldn't be jiggly at all.) Time can vary, especially if you are cooking two cakes (which we were- I promise I only took one home!). If using a dark coated pan, lower temp to 325. Frost while warm.

FROSTING:
Melt in microwave

• 1 stick butter
• 4 Tbl cocoa
• 1/3 cup milk

Pour into:

• 1 lb powdered sugar (Yes, 1 pound! It equals 2 cups.)
• 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
• 1 tsp vanilla

Spread over warm cake. It's REALLY good when eaten warm...a little piece of chocolate heaven in your mouth.

Seattle (& Bellevue) Shenanigans...

As some of you may know, I went to the far Northwest corner of the U.S. last weekend. Colette was my tour guide around the Seattle 'burbs (Bellevue, Kirkland, etc) , and we navigated our own way throughout the big city. We stayed in Bellevue at her gracious parent's home, which is about a 10 minute drive from Seattle proper. Colette told me that Bellevue has really taken off and is now much more of a "city" than it was back when she last lived there (high school). Either way, it made me long for a hometown that was actually cool to go out in. Sorry, Escondido/San Marcos- you don't make the cut quite yet!

Our agenda was something like this:

Friday- Got an early start and headed into Seattle to go to the infamous Pike's Place market- it smelled fishy (lots o' crab), yet also scrumptious (fresh donuts, anyone?). Ate a delicious breakfast of Egg's Benny on rosemary sourdough bread (so yummy) at Lowell's. Wandered aimlessly. Got a (tall, non-fat, white) mocha at the very first Starbucks. Got rained on.

Kendra & me on left, Colette & Elizabeth on right

Friday night- headed out with Colette's pals Kendra and Elizabeth (who I have 40 mutual friends with on Facebook- weird!). Went to 5 bars, all within walking distance- I felt like I was in college again!. The hits of the night were: Purple- a swanky wine bar conjoined with Lot 3- a hip new bar for the 24-40 year old crowd that makes delicious tequila+juice shots. Headed to Rock Bottom, where we watched interesting people do karaoke and earned our nicknames for the evening (Unknown, The Dot, Musician, and Beautiful)*. Followed by Earl's- I can't even describe the deliciousness of the martini I imbibed there (Wild Orchid) and lastly, Joey's.

 *Unknown- Kendra, The Dot- Elizabeth, Musician- me, and Beautiful- Colette.

Saturday- Did the things people do after a night of drinking Wild Orchids and wine. And beer. Not a whole lot.

Saturday night- After an amazing Mexican feast at Milagro Cantina in Kirkland, where we noshed on butternut squash and chorizo tacos (delectable), we ventured out to Seattle for the night. We had big hopes for you, Saturday night, we truly did. But such is life when you have high hopes- something inevitably goes awry. We: Couldn't find parking. Had to park "SouthEast" of certain parking signs (what the hell does that mean? Who carries a compass with them at all times?). Went to Peso's where I had a beer and made plans to meet up with friends at some cool dance club. Left for said club...turns out to be in a rather sketchy, industrial part of town. Friends decide not to go to club. We decide to call it a night. Followed by an annoying toothpaste incident (ask me about it).

A tree inside beautiful Milagro.

It was a Mexican kind of evening, I guess...

Sunday: Saw some charming neighborhoods of Seattle (Madison Park, I love you) and looky-loo'd around the UDub campus and surrounding area...So beautiful. Got our toes did. Awaited our 5:30 flights back to California...

Vintage pic I found of Madison Park (vintageseattle.org)

All in all, Seattle was awesome. The topography is unlike anything I've ever seen...the closest thing to it is Northern California, which doesn't hold a candle. It's like being in a city in the middle of the woods: tall pine trees as far as the eye can see, snow covered mountains surrounding you, and a big beautiful lake in the middle of it all. So picturesque. Granted, I could never move there due to the rather constant sprinkling but I absolutely can visit. A lot.

xo,
L

Reflecting...

Today I'm just reflecting on the things I'm thankful for: my health, my wonderful friends, my supportive family, and for Ross.

When someone you know suffers the loss of a friend, it inevitably causes you to think of all of the loved ones you have in this world, and what it may mean to lose them suddenly.

No one wants to think about the harsh realities of life and how unfair it may be, so this is why it is so important to do the best that you can: let your friends and family know how much you care about them, make wise choices, be safe, try to be thankful and happy each day you are here, and appreciate all that you have.

xo,
L