Quote of the day: On "Love"

I believe we all shape eachother to be the people you are. Well I am proud to say I know my friend Jess.(This is her. Isn’t she cute?) We were just chillin’ in LA the other day and she was telling me about a movie she saw and she said there was thisone line that just summed up her whole life for her it’s: “Love is not a emotion it’s an action. Love is not something you feel it’s something you do. It’s not what you say it’s actions which tell someone you love them.” I couldn’t agree more. You know it makes me question the people I have said those words to and the people who have said them to me. I mean why is it that the people we love are sometimes the people we put last?

There ain't nothin' Chocolate can't fix!

My dad just celebrated his 21st birthday for the 66th time (I know )So I took him to his favorite restaurant in the whole wide world, “Cafe Irvina.” Where the service looks just as good as the food Well that’s what he says. Anyway, so the order from the birthday boy was a “healthy yet delicious”meal. My dad is recovering from colon cancer so healthy is important. For the main course we served Sea Bass Puttanesca from Rachel Ray’s Magazine….soooooo good! On the side we had asparagus with a homemade digon dressing and for dessert we had (what was supposed to be) chocolate pecan cake. However in Aunt Irvina style I was doing a little too much chatting on the phone while I baked and a little less paying attention to the directions. Short story- I used DOUBLE the amount of cream I needed for the cake. Which means I had less than half the amount of cream for the frosting…Bummer….SLIGHTLY! But, I licked my fingers and didn’t give up. As you can see I didn’t have much frosting so I smothered the sucker with a ton of chocolate syrup. Like I always say, “There ain’t nothing chocolate can’t fix!” The result? My dad said I needed to have some children to cook for and I said, “You show me tall, dark, smart and hansome and I’ll show you filet mignon” Ciao kids!

Chocolate Praline Cake:

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

3/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans

1 package of chocolate cake mix

TOPPING:

1-3/4 cups heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup confectioners sugar

1/4 teapoon vanilla extract

2 very “focused” eyeballs on this recipe!

In a large saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter and cream. Stir over low heat until butter is melted. Pour into tow grease 9-inch round baking pans. Sprinkle with pecans; set aside.

Prepare cake mix batter according to package direction. Carefully pour batter over pecans. Bake at 325 degrees for 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes; invert onto wire racks to cool completely.

For topping, beat cream in a mixing bowl until soft peaks form. Add sugar and vanilla; beat until stiff.

Place one cake layer, pecan side up, on a serving plate. Spread with half of the topping. Top with second cake layer and remaining topping. Sprinkle with a whole lot of chocolate syrup! Store in the refrigerator until it’s devoured. Serves 8-10 chocolate lovers