Ed's Designer Chocolate Birthday Cake

My husband's birthday is right around Thanksgiving.  I couldn't get him to stick a candle in a piece of pumpkin pie and call it a birthday pie.  Can't blame him.  So, many years ago I asked what he'd like his birthday treat to be and he said a chocolate cake.  I've been making the cake for years, but as soon as the kids got old enough I got them involved.  Up till now it's been mostly helping.  This year though my daughter took the project on.  She asked if she could make a designer gourmet cake.  After just a couple suggestions by me for instance it had to be made with things her father liked and steering her back to the fact that this had to be a chocolate cake she did well.

She got out pen and paper and drew out a sketch like she was building a skyscraper and it was her blueprint.  The cake would be chocolate with peanut butter chips baked in.  Then there would be 3 layers of peanut butter fudge.  The whole thing would be coated with a chocolate ganache frosting and pressed into that would be toffee bits.  My husband isn't a big dessert eater.  His main complaint when he has dessert is "it's too sweet."  I didn't know what he was going to think of this cake, but knowing his daughter made it I knew he would be a good sport.

Chocolate Ganache frosting with toffee bits pressed on.

He decided he wanted his cake a day early as to not have to eat a whole chocolate cake practically by himself.  This way he could share it with all who came for Thanksgiving.  This turned out to not be such a good idea for him or me.  Everyone wanted a piece of his beautiful cake.  No one wanted a piece of the pumpkin pie I had baked.
Everyone dove in so heartily into this cake that I barely got a picture before it was all gone!

As you can see there was only 1/4 of the cake left before I realized I wanted to get a picture.

Here you can see the peanut butter fudge layers and the peanut butter chips.

Here's the peanut butter fudge recipe.  My daughter did not chill the peanut butter fudge.  My daughter laid out a piece of plastic wrap and using a rolling pin rolled out some of the fudge.  Using the cake pan as a pattern we then carefully cut away the excess fudge making it the size of the cake round.  Being careful not to cut the plastic wrap.  Picking up the plastic wrap she flipped the fudge layer down on to cake layer.  Then peeled off the plastic wrap and repeated 2 more times.

For the frosting I've been using Mrs. Milman's recipe the last few years.  I hesitate to share it even though delicious, but I've had problems with it every year.  There is even a video where Mrs. Milman talks about how easy it is to make.  My problem is getting it firm enough to frost a cake.  After stirring it for hours in the fridge I ended up leaving the frosting in the fridge overnight.  I figured if it got too hard to spread we'd deal with it in the morning.  Turns out it was perfect spreading consistency.  So, before I call it quits on this recipe I'm going to try making it the day before instead of anxiously waiting for it to firm up the day of.

Where Has November Gone?

It occurred to me on Friday that Thanksgiving is a week away.  I've bought nothing!  Not even a turkey.  I like to get a turkey some where between 23-25 pounds and if I don't get it pronto it won't be defrosted in time.  So, out I went on Friday to get at least a turkey.

When I found out that DH's family weren't coming to Thanksgiving this year (due to health issues of their matriarch) this cut my cooking and planning in half.  I was disappointed they weren't coming, but tickled that Thanksgiving isn't going to be a 3 ring cooking circus.  It's going to be my extend family and I cook a meal for them about every month.  No biggie there.

I got so relaxed about it all I completely forgot that a little planning and prep was needed.

Hot Cranberry Cider
Turkey
Mashed Potatoes
Gravy
Dressing
Brussel Sprouts
Homemade Dinner rolls
Cranberry Sauce, Jellied
Pumpkin Pie
Pecan Pie
Whipped Cream

Every thing will be made by me except for the canned jellied cranberry sauce.  I just love it for some strange reason.

I don't like sweet potatoes and nobody has ever complained that there aren't any.  I also don't like the green bean casserole frequently pushed this time of year.  Sometimes I'll make a wild rice mushroom dish if I'm feeling ambitious.  Frequently, we'll have a green salad too.  It's a big meal and I plan for leftovers.  That's why I get a big turkey.  Everyone can take some home for sandwiches the next day.

On another topic I crocheted a hat to test a pattern for a designer this week.  Here is a picture of the hat.  This Jester doesn't like to be called a fool. :)

FYI:  This pattern is sold on Ravelry (free site to join).  It is located here Silly Court Jester/ Elf hat.  I found the pattern easy to follow and crocheted up fairly quickly.

Thanksgiving With All The Trimmings

I've come to realize that "all the trimmings" means something different to everyone.  My daughter asked, "Would it be too weird to have Cheddar Potatoes Slices for Thanksgiving this year?"  My answer, "YES!"  It's going to be mashed potatoes.  What would one put the gravy on?  I, by the way, made the best turkey gravy I've ever made this year.  Then I was watching the Thanksgiving episode of "Mike & Molly," as he described the crispy cheddar cheese on scalloped potatoes for Thanksgiving.  I told my daughter, "Mike's got your back."

My daughter asked why would it be weird.  I said it really wouldn't be weird it just wouldn't be the Thanksgiving I look forward to every year.  I told her when she cooks Thanksgiving dinner she can serve whatever she wants.  I did say keep in mind you don't want a riot on that day, so you might want to have a few traditional foods.

Lynne's Thanksgiving with all the Trimmings
Turkey (big enough for leftovers for everyone)
Dressing
Mashed Potatoes
Gravy
Jellied Cranberry Sauce
Oven Roasted Brussel Sprouts
Big Green Salad
Pumpkin Pie
Apple Pie
Pecan Tassies

Lynne's note:

Best Turkey Gravy Ever

In the pan under a 25 pound turkey place roughly chopped celery, carrots and onions.  Add one quart of chicken broth.  Bake turkey covered with foil for half of it's baking time.  Remove foil and bake until turkey is done. Strain vegetables out of broth in bottom of turkey pan.  Skim fat off of broth.  Measure broth.  I had 6 cups.  To skillet add 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of flour per cup of broth reserved.  When butter is melted and flour incorporated add turkey broth.  Stir until thickened.  Add garlic powdered and Lawry's Season Salt to taste.

Mashed Potatoes Any Time

We don't need a special occasion at my house to have mashed potatoes.  Any time there is an opportunity for gravy and/or someone feels like peeling potatoes we'll have mashed potatoes.  For years I made Swanson's Skinny Mashed Potatoes.  They are actually quite good and fit well with Weight Watchers.

Skinny Mashed Potatoes
Serves: 6
3 1/2 cups Swanson® Natural Goodness® Chicken Broth
5 large potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
Generous dash ground black pepper

Heat the broth and potatoes in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 10 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Drain the potatoes well in a colander, reserving the broth.

Mash the potatoes with 1 1/4 cups broth and black pepper. Add additional broth, if needed, until the potatoes are the desired consistency.
Weight Watchers Points®*: 3
Dietary Exchanges: 2 Starch, 1/2 Other Carbohydrate
USDA MyPyramid: 1 cup Vegetables

Now I'm on my "who are we kidding" chapter of my life and I went wild last Thanksgiving and made Pioneer Woman's Creamy Mashed Potatoes.  I did them exactly how she said to do them and boy were they good.  Decadent even.  They were good without gravy.
 
Tonight I wanted to make mashed potatoes and thought I'm going to do them like Pioneer Woman's, but I have to admit I just couldn't go all the way with the butter and the half n half.  So, I went part of the way and they were still wonderful.

Lynne's Scaled Back Pioneer Woman's Creamy Mashed Potatoes
2 to 3 pounds of peeled Idaho Potatoes, cut into pieces about the same size
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese straight from the fridge
2 T butter
1/4 - 1/2 tsp Lawry's Season Salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper

Place prepared potatoes in pan and just cover with water.  Bring to boil and reduce heat to simmer.  Cook until potato chunk when forked slides right through.  Remove from heat and drain.  Don't worry if a little water is left in pan.  I just tip it carefully over the sink enough so the potatoes don't fall out, but water drains.  Return to stove (hot burner but turned off) add cream cheese, butter, salt and pepper and begin mashing.  Once cream cheese and butter are warmed up I pull pan off hot burner and keep mashing until it's the consistency I like.  Serve.

Tonight we once again thought they were so good that gravy was just an added bonus.  I had a small serving and DH and DS ate all but 2 cups of the mashed potatoes.  I could see them circling and knew I might want more potatoes maybe tomorrow.

Chicken.... errrrr Turkey and Dumplings

This family favorite began as a way to use up leftover turkey at Thanksgiving. I'm not even sure where I got the recipe any more, but it's SO good. I use to make it only at Thanksgiving time. Now I occasionally use leftover chicken and make it another time or 2 during the year.


I have kind of a funny story regarding this recipe. Believe it or not there is usually leftovers of this recipe. Since my husband is not a cold lunch person I usually send all dinner leftovers with him for his lunches. One year about 8 years ago I sent an unusually large serving with him to lunch. My husband was on his way to lunch when a friend of his didn't bring lunch and was going to buy a cafeteria lunch. Dear hubby told him to never mind and he'd give him half of his wonderful Turkey and Dumplings. They both enjoyed their lunch. Life went on. About one year later and around Thanksgiving hubby's friend comes up to him and asks, "Do you think you're wife is going to have any leftovers of Turkey and Dumplings she could send my way?" He then laughed and said, "Just kidding." In way that dear hubby said meant "I'm really not kidding, but don't want to sound presumptuous." So, I sent each guy their own serving of Turkey and Dumplings. Dear Hubby came home with rave reviews again. I had no idea the work friend loved my Turkey and Dumplings that much.

Year 3 rolls around and I asked my husband if he wanted Turkey and Dumplings for his friend. He said, "Yes." This year though his friend wasn't working that day. Being the weekend my husband just popped the container into the work freezer until he saw his friend again. A few days went by and the friend came by and said he had taken a few days off. Said his only regret was he missed out on my Turkey and Dumplings. Dear hubby reached into the freezer and handed him his container of Turkey and Dumplings. My husband said he never saw a grown man do a bigger happy dance than that. Said it was almost embarrassing. We both laughed. His friend had brown bagged it that day and hubby told him he could take the Turkey and Dumplings home if he wanted. He said, "NO WAY! My sandwich can wait until tomorrow."

So, here we are years later and hubby says his friends still starts getting excited a few days before Thanksgiving. Coming by his office and licking his chops and patting his belly making sure dear hubby knows he's greatly looking forward to Turkey and Dumplings.

Chicken (Turkey) and Dumplings

4 cups of cubed cooked chicken (or turkey)
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped onion
1 sprinkle of garlic powder
8 T butter (one cube) 10 T flour
5 cups water
5 tsp chicken flavored instant bouillon
2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1 cup frozen peas
salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in large pan. Sauté celery, onion and carrots in butter. When onion is clear sprinkle garlic powder and flour over vegetables. Cook for 5 minutes stirring occasionally.



Stir bouillon into 5 cups of water and slowly pour into pan. Add chicken and stir in egg yolks. Bring mixture to a boil over low heat. Check thickness of sauce and adjust if needed. Stir in frozen peas. Reduce heat to low boil for dumplings as you don’t want to burn the bottom of your sauce. Top with one recipe of Bisquick dumplings. 6 servings

(Nothing fancy just good ole simple Bisquick Dumplings)

Bisquick Dumplings
2 ¼ cup Bisquick
2/3 cup milk

(I like to use a large cookie scoop to measure out the dumplings)

Mix together. Drop into boiling liquid by the spoonful (size 40 cookie scoop works great for this.) Cook 10 minutes uncovered. Then cook 10 minutes covered. For slightly bigger dumplings 3 1/3 cups Bisquick, 1 cup milk and cook 15 minutes uncovered and 15-20 minutes covered. Use size 16 cookie scoop to measure and drop the larger dumplings into liquid.
(This is the dumplings prior to cooking. Sorry the feeding frenzy after they were done prevented me from taking an "after" shot.)

Thanksgiving Surprises

I took the holiday on the first year I got married. It seemed to be a holiday that shifted around the family a lot. No one person willing to take it on. My thinking was it was all the cooking. Even today 21 years later it doesn't scare me. I love to cook and feed my family good food. What does scare me is the offers of people wanting to bring stuff. With my husband's side of the family one does not know exactly what you'll get. Not that they are weird, but I don't know them well not growing up with them. I have to admit though there have been some odd surprises they have all been pretty good.



There was one year a green bean casserole with a one inch thick coating of sour cream on top. My husband HATES sour cream with a mad passion. You can't even sneak 1 T of it into a dish... his sour cream senses go off! If it were an actual useful sense I'd have him team up with Spiderman, but all of mankind doesn't need to be protected from sour cream. His cousin set the 9X13 inch dish of sour cream green beans right on the table. I could tell my husband was on the verge of retching. Since nothing on the table was nearly that big except the turkey I slyly suggested we set it on the kitchen counter as it took up SO much room. That I'd send a smaller bowl of it around. I got a silent very thankful look from my husband.



There was the year of the green salad with dried cranberries and sugar glazed pecans. We like savory salads at my house. So, biting into something sweet in a salad was about as shocking as the time I inadvertently sprinkled chocolate chips on my salad at a dimly lit salad bar not knowing it connected to a dessert bar. After the initial shock of the sweet bits and the tart dressing it was actually quite good.



This years surprise came in another form. Starting on Monday we began slowly cleaning the house a little bit each day. Then Wednesday was the push to finish everything up. My daughter volunteered to clean the bathroom. Not that we need a volunteer it's not that bad, but I was surprised she did it without being told to do it. I just let her run with it. Keeping any of my own ideas or suggestions to myself. She'd come out and say, "I'm putting the rugs into the washer" or "I just mopped the floor." I knew things sounded like they were going well. I let her have full credit for a job well done. The big surprise came Wednesday night when my son alerted me to a sign on the bathroom door.
He was very aggravated. "Mom," he says, "Can she do that?!!" I looked at the sign and had to chuckle. I knew exactly how she felt. I've wanted to put a similar sign on the front door many times and have my family check into a hotel for the night. You work so hard and the family mess up your hard work before the company even gets there. We have 2 bathrooms, so I told my son yes she can do that.