Double Chocolate Coca-Cola Cake

Double Chocolate Coca-Cola Cake

Coca- Cola Cake… Is there another dish that makes you think more of the South? I mean, Coca-Cola originated in Georgia. Every soda in the world is called a “Coke” in the South. Seriously, Sprite, Dr. Pepper, 7-Up, all get called a Coke. We grew up with Cokes that you put salted peanuts in the glass bottles. And this is a featured recipe at Cracker Barrel Restaurants. You get where I am going here.

My mother never made a Coca-Cola cake. Her specialties were Texas Sheet Cake and Pea Pickin’ Cake. But, through church gatherings, picnics, and other social gatherings, I was able to sample this wonderful treat. So wonderful. Now, if you have never tried this cake, rest assured, you do not taste the soda, and it certainly doesn’t fizz. No, the Coca-Cola just adds sweetness.

I found this recipe on Facebook, one of those “Like my recipe” things from Robyn Long’s Facebook account. I saw it, and had to try it.

Double Chocolate Coca Cola Cake

 1 cup Coca Cola (real thing, not diet)

 1/2 cup vegetable oil

 1 stick butter

 3 Tablespoons cocoa

 2 cups sugar

 2 cups flour

 1/2 teaspoon salt

 2 eggs

 1/2 cup buttermilk

 1 teaspoon baking soda

 1 teaspoon vanilla

 Frosting:

 1 stick butter

 3 Tablespoon cocoa

 6 Tablespoon of cream or milk

 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 3-3/4 cups confectioner's sugar

 In a saucepan, mix Coca Cola, oil, butter and cocoa and bring to a boil. In another bowl, combine the sugar, flour and salt. Pour the boiling Cola mixture over the flour mixture and beat well. Add the eggs, buttermilk, baking soda and vanilla and beat well. Pour mixture into a greased and floured 13 x 9 inch baking pan and bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove pan from oven. Cool for about 10 minutes before frosting.

Frosting: In a saucepan, combine the butter, cocoa, and milk. Heat until the butter melts. Beat in the remaining ingredients and spread on the cake while it is still warm.

This cake was WONDERFUL warm and still really good, the next day. We enjoyed it with a cold glass of milk, but I would also suggest serving it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. And, you may need insulin after eating a slice because the cake (frosting especially) is VERY sweet.

Moore Oklahoma and Chicken Taco Soup

Moore Oklahoma and Chicken Taco Soup

A massive tornado hit Moore, Oklahoma today. 51 killed at last count and they are still searching for survivors and victims. The smallest victims are always the hardest to take. Children trapped in a school, with their teacher/angels trying desperately to protect them. My heart goes out to the victims and their families.

Maybe because of such a tragedy, but I feel we are all in need of comfort food. So, again, I post a soup recipe. In May. From Georgia. As the temperatures rise. What am I thinking?

I found this recipe several years ago on allrecipes.com. It is a slow cooker recipe, and a dump recipe. In other words, you pretty much open up cans and dump the ingredients in. Then, just let it cook all day. It is so very good. I’ll admit, as soon as everything cooks down and the chicken is shredded, I start “testing” the soup to make sure it is good before serving it to my family.

So, this is the recipe, and it is fantastic!

Chicken Taco Soup

Ingredients

1 onion, chopped  (We are not big onion eaters, so I often use a small onion, or only half of one)

1 (16 ounce) can chili beans, undrained

1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained

1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce

1 cup chicken broth (I use low sodium)

1 (14 1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 (14 1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained

1 (1 1/4 ounce) package taco seasoning  (I usually use the low sodium, because the other ingredients have a lot of salt)

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts

shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

sour cream (optional)

Directions

Place the onion, chili beans, black beans, tomato sauce, chicken broth, and both cans of diced tomatoes in a slow cooker. Add taco seasoning and stir to blend ingredients.

Lay chicken breasts on top of the mixture, pressing down slightly just until covered by the other ingredients.

Set slow cooker on low heat setting, cover and cook for 7-8 hours.

Carefully remove chicken breasts from the soup and allow to cool long enough to be handled. Dice the chicken into bite size pieces and return to slow cooker. Stir soup to blend in the chicken.

Serve topped with shredded cheese or sour cream.

Do you believe how easy this is? Honestly, the most effort goes into chopping up the onion.

Oh, we have also drained the juice and served the goodies in taco shells. That is also very tasty.

The Ultimate Comfort Food

Chicken Gnocchi Soup – The Ultimate Comfort Food

Three years ago, my father had open heart surgery… a triple bypass and a carotid endarterectomy, all at the same time. Approximately six hours after he went into the surgery, he was wheeled out. The doctors reported that he went through the surgery well and he went off the respirator a few hours later. We were all relieved and expected the average recovery, which involved rehab and being released within ten days.

Little did we know that Daddy would not recover so easily. A lifelong smoker, he ended up on and off the respirator for weeks. He developed pneumonia, reacted poorly to medications, just about anything that could go wrong with recovery did go wrong. Finally, six weeks after the surgery, he was finally released to go home and do rehab from home.

During the six weeks he was in the hospital, my four siblings and I, along with my oldest niece, switched out shifts at the hospital. Daddy was rarely left alone. One sister and I did not live close, so we stayed at Dad’s house and drove back and forth, one hour each way, to the hospital, for most of this most difficult time. We grew very tired of fast food and hospital food. Then, we discovered the gnocchi soup at Macaroni Grill. I think we ate that soup every day for two weeks. Comfort in a bowl.

Like I stated, Daddy eventually was released and has recovered. But, my sister and I still talk about that wonderful soup. One day, about a year ago, I discovered this Chicken Gnocchi Soup recipe from The Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker blog. Oh, heaven. It was as good as that wonderful soup that we ate so often.

Now, I will warn you, don’t even think about the calories involved. And there is prep work involved. It normally takes me about three hours to make.

Chicken Gnocchi Soup

16 ounces gnocchi
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup onion, diced (I use much less, maybe half an onion, but it’s according to taste)
1/2 cup celery (about 2 stalks), diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup flour
1 quart half and half*
1 (14 ounce) can chicken broth (I use low sodium)
1 cup carrots, shredded (I usually add a shredded thumbnail at this point – yuck!)
2 (4 ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced and cooked (I usually bake it in the oven and add more than 4 ounces)
1 cup fresh spinach, coarsely chopped (I use baby spinach and add more, it does not change the flavor)
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (I add more because I like the flavor)

Bring a medium saucepan filled with water to a boil. Cook the gnocchi according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large Dutch oven over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion, celery and garlic and sauté until the onion becomes translucent, about 7 minutes (the vegetables should be tender). Whisk in the flour, forming a roux. Cook for 1 minute. Pour in the half and half, and add the carrots and chicken to the dutch oven. Simmer until the mixture begins to thicken, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth, and allow the mixture to thicken again, stirring often, about 5 minutes or until the consistency desired is achieved. (I’ll be honest with you, this 5 minutes and 5 minutes doesn’t work for me. I usually cook at least 15 minutes at each stage for the best consistency) Stir in the gnocchi, spinach, and seasonings and simmer until soup is heated through. (I add the seasonings first to distribute properly).

Serves: 8 (4 as an entrée)

*I don't recommend using a low-fat or fat-free version of half and half, but if you choose to do so, make sure you do not let the soup come to a boil as this will cause the cream to break (making it grainy).

Adapted from Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker

Mother’s Day

Yesterday was Mother’s Day. Happy Mother’s Day!

The holiday is bittersweet at our house. I lost my mother almost six years ago. My husband lost his mother almost two years ago. We spend the weekend thinking about these two amazing women.

Thoughts of my mother, Barbara Ann, bring a smile to my face. I always marvel at how she coped with raising five children on a small income, and did such a great job at it.  

One thing that always amused me (and amazed me) was that she had such an innocent joy in everything. The woman did not have a cynical bone in her body. Anything new was exciting, and luckily, my daughter is taking after her in this gift. New restaurants, a road trip to anywhere, even a school play or band concert. It didn’t matter what it was, she enjoyed them all.

Mom encouraged all of her children to find our happiness and don’t be afraid to go out on our own. Ironically, we all stayed in the southeast, only one moving more than five hours away from our parents. She always encouraged us to try new things and take chances. When my husband was considering a job move, I would tell him to talk to her. And I did the same thing.

We no longer have her as a cheerleader. But, I feel she is in heaven, watching us, wishing for our happiness. Mom, I love and miss you.