Dark Chocolate Caramel Cake with Dark Chocolate Buttercream

Finally.  Finally, she posts the recipes for that birthday cake.  From last week.  It's starting to seem like I never post anything new around here, isn't it.  I usually do my recipe testing and experimenting on the weekends, but lately, it's feeling as if I'm just drained by the time the weekend rolls around.  No bueno!  And as you read this, I'm en route to Ohio for a work trip.  (Ohio in February?!  Brrrrrrr!)

But after all the sugar from last week, I'm feeling fairly icky and my teeth are pretty much screaming for me to lay off the sweets.  So my hope is that these cravings for all things green and crunchy will translate to finding some awesome recipes to post in the very near future.  Til then, I'm just reveling in the fact that I finally got all the sugar out of the house.  Go me!  (Or, don't go me.  Because you know how I ultimately got the sugar gone, don't you?)

Making a Wish

psst!

Today is my birthday(!).  And this is the cake I made.  Even though Bo will make me another cake today.  Yeah.  I get two.  It's pretty fantastic.

Smiles,



p.s.  Dark chocolate cake with caramel sauce and dark chocolate buttercream.  Recipe for this bad boy will get posted soon!  You need this in your life.

White Chocolate Chunk Krispies Treats for Valentine's Day

Are we surviving the week ok?  I thought I'd pop in with another dose of pink and red sweetness to help us find something to smile about.  Plus, who doesn't love fancied-up krispy treats?!

Things are still in transition on the home front, but actually going smoother than I was expecting.  Bo and I are going all dog whisperer on his mom's dogs, and I'm convinced that peace and quiet are just right over the horizon.  And once the weather gets a little nicer, we won't all be cooped up in the house all day.  (Am I bleeding optimism?  I hope so; I've really been working on it.)

So, anyway, to get sugar out of my house (because you know I always make creme brulee for Valentine's, and then it's all about birthday cake next week), I brought this batch of krispies treats in to work.  And immediately regretted having made only an 8" pan of them.  Word got out that I was sharing treats, and I only had enough for the desks closest to me.  Whoops!!  Maybe I'll earn back the office love by bringing in leftover birthday cake next week.  Speaking of cake (I'm incapable of focus this morning) - I've decided that this year's fancy birthday cake will be chocolate.  With caramel sauce between layers.  And covered in the most perfect homestyle chocolate buttercream.  I. Cannot. Wait.!!!

Strawberries and Cream Valentine Tarts

Aren't these little guys just too adorable?  When my girlfriend came over on Saturday, we dreamed up this delicious little dessert, and I'm so excited to share the recipe with you!

I didn't get a chance to write this up until just now because I've been fairly preoccupied this week, with Bo's mom and her little dogs arriving on Monday afternoon.  It's actually been a fairly smooth transition so far, but I haven't had a roommate in such a long time, that it's going to take some adjusting for us all.  But, I'll admit to playing dirty - I whipped up this recipe for her on Tuesday evening.  Major points right off the bat! :)

Roundup of Super Bowl Recipes

I just wanted to give ya a little collection of Super Bowl recipe ideas (most are healthy, but some are not).  I'm spending my weekend doing very anti-football types of things.  Tomorrow, my girlfriend is coming over to play with glitter and sugar (you think I'm kidding, but I so am not), and then on Sunday, I'm taking Rory running before I tackle some cleaning projects around the house.  Bo's mom is coming to live with us, so I'm aiming to have the house spotless before she gets here on Monday.  So, that doesn't leave a whole lot of room for football watching!

What are you all doing this weekend?  Anything out of the ordinary?  And - the better question - what's on your menus for Sunday??

Score!