Chocolate Mint Layer Cake

Chocolate … ah, chocolate.  Chocolate makes me happy.
My sister made this fabulous chocolate cake for us last weekend and it was A-Maz-Za-Zing!  The recipe comes from Epicurious.com (there’s a link below), and I would have posted gorgeous pictures of the beautiful finished product, only … well, it’s gone.  Already.  Don’t judge me.  Make this cake.
Cake
  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups cold water
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 cup corn oil
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups (about 10 ounces) mint-flavored chocolate chips

Frosting

  • 5 cups powdered sugar
  • 3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 8 tablespoons (about) milk
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons peppermint extract
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (about 6 ounces) mint-flavored chocolate chips
  • 1/4 cup red-and-white striped peppermint candies or candy canes (broken into pieces)

For cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour three 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt into medium bowl. Mix 2 cups cold water and sugar in large bowl until sugar dissolves. Gradually mix in corn oil and vanilla extract. Whisk in dry ingredients. Divide cake batter among prepared pans. Sprinkle 1/2 cup mint-flavored chocolate chips over cake batter in each pan.

Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on rack 15 minutes. Cut around pan sides. Turn cakes out onto racks and cool completely.

For frosting:
Combine powdered sugar, cocoa powder, unsalted butter, 6 tablespoons milk, peppermint extract and vanilla extract in large bowl. Using electric mixer, beat frosting until smooth. Thin with more milk by tablespoonfuls, if necessary.

Place 1 cake layer, chocolate-chip side up, on platter. Spread 2/3 cup frosting over. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup chocolate chips. Top with second cake layer, chocolate-chip side up. Spread 2/3 cup frosting over. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup chocolate chips. Top with remaining cake layer, chocolate-chip side down. Spread remaining frosting over sides and top of cake. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome; let stand at room temperature.)

Place striped peppermint candies in heavy plastic bag. Crush with hammer. Sprinkle candies over cake.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Chocolate-Mint-Layer-Cake-1572#ixzz1MXb3tnFw

 

Somnus Relinquo

This winter, I wrote about my epic battle against the germs. I’m happy to report that they are (at least for now) GONE!  [germs are trolls and I am winning!]

Just when I was beginning to picture peace breaking out and rest/relaxation on the maternal horizon, there has in the last couple weeks been a fast and furious attack on another front.

The “WAR OF THE 2 YEAR OLD BED GETTER OUTTER“.

This is a technical* term: see also “Somnus Relinquo” – literally “the abandoner of sleep” (thank you, Google!)
*technical in that I made it up right now and decided to call it technical.

Commence the wracking of brains:

Counselors have been employed…

Positive reinforcements have been offered…

Negative reinforcements have on occasion been instituted…

[Is this starting to sound like the friend of Sam I Am who wouldn’t eat Green Eggs and Ham?  By the way, does that guy even have a name?  I mean, other than “The Ham Guy”?  I digress …]   

 

Back to the Bed Getter Outer … alias: Aidan Russell Gray Ewoldt, age 2 …

Overall, there has been mild progress made on the parental front at large, but this last week there were significant set backs due to advancement in the opposition’s technology.

There was the strategic battle of “Get Out of Bed and Climb The Bookshelf” – the terrain being six feet tall and only 12 inches wide, this was a particular blow to the circulatory system (heart region especially) of the maternal forces.   An immediate extrication was instituted.

There was also the day of the “Early Surprise Attack with Hostages” – in which the civil defense system (otherwise known as his 5 year old sister over the baby monitor) went off at 6:15 AM with the news that the enemy had not only abandoned camp, but had stormed the fortress across the room. (also known as baby brother’s crib)   He had somehow passed the alligator-infested moat (or, yesterday’s toys with pointed edges that hadn’t gotten cleaned up and still lay on the floor) and had taken the bed …er, castle itself.   However, he had made the strategic error of being unable to exit the castle once inside. This knowledge proved fatal to his morale and he opted to wage hard and fast war on the inhabitants (his one year old brother) during his incarceration.
He was duly captured and questioned, maintaining that since he had been in A bed (though not his own), he was innocent of all accused crimes.

Oy.

As of today, I’m … wait … what was that? [shouts from the other room] … he’s WHERE?! … I’ll be right there!!

More later …

Songs for Saplings

“Songs for Saplings makes music for kids. We want them to understand who God is and what He has done, as well as what He wants your children to do and to be.”

~from the Songs for Saplings website

A few weeks ago, we had the great pleasure of meeting Dana Dirksen and her family.  Dana and her husband James have six kids and live on the West Coast and (more importantly for the purpose of this post) are the creators of “Songs for Saplings” — A musical ministry to help teach children about God.  Dana has a great, mellow voice and is gifted on the guitar (parents, imagine a CD for your kids that reminds you of a chill afternoon in Starbuck’s), and her children sing and play (dejembe, keyboard, etc) with her as well.

While the music is good, the lyrics will blow you away!  These are such great and strong biblical truths!  Kids will hear such songs as “Who is God?”, “Who are the three persons of God?”, “How can you glorify God?”, and much more!  These three titles that I just named are just the first three songs on their CD: “Questions with Answers: Vol 1: God and Creation”. Each CD they’ve produced is equally jammed with similarly deep themes.

I feel like this music is suitable for all ages.  I really enjoy listening to these and both my 5 year old AND 2 year old love listening and singing along.   (The 1 year old likes it too, but he’s 1 and also likes to watch parked cars, so take his interest with a grain of salt)

In addition to providing this amazing music, the Dirksen family has a strong heart for missions and travels internationally to sing and share.  According to their website “Songs for Saplings music is currently being used in Bangladesh, Malawi, Romania, South Africa, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Zambia.” Supporting the Dirksen family and their music is another way to support international missions.

So, whether you “like” them on Facebook,: www.facebook.com/songsforsaplings

Or, go directly to their website: http://songsforsaplings.com,

Check them out!!  This family, their music and ministry is worth your time!

 

**This youtube video is a little funky with it’s images, but it definitely gives you an idea of their style.**

*This post is something that I felt led to write after meeting the Dirksens and hearing a little bit about their ministry.  This is not a paid endorsement.

March 5th, pt. II

Missed “March 5th, pt I”?  Read it here.

Something that is only too apparent to those who know me is that I’d FAR prefer a root canal to public speaking.  I don’t know why … my husband is the exact opposite … but public speaking petrifies me.

This was my biggest obstacle: speaking as Daryle had asked me to speak had to be done, but I really, really wasn’t looking forward to getting up and speaking in front of the whole church.  The date was set for Sunday, March 5, 2006 (trust me, this date IS significant … but also for a future blog), so I had a week or so to prepare my thoughts and come to term with my nerves.

The morning of Sunday the 5th, I was overwhelmed by God’s grace.  I was not alone in any possible way.  The entire elder board as well as my parents stood behind me as I spoke briefly.  Daryle had prefaced what I said with some thoughts on church support, encouragement, and most importantly accountability (this is a word that you, if you’re around me for any length of time, will hear me use a LOT).  After I spoke, they gathered around me and prayed for me, my precious daughter, and our church.

These few sentences seem to be way too short a description of that incredible morning.  It was a momentous day but, in truth, I remember very little of it.  It passed in a blur.  I recall impressions, like hearing my own voice, the heat of the lights on the stage, appreciating our college pastor’s hand on my arm while praying as I started to feel faint, the almost deathly quiet in the room, the absence of fear, feeling no condemnation.

God’s lavish grace and faithfulness through my church family was incredible.  Again, I was overwhelmed.  They gave me a baby shower … so many people and so many gifts … as I looked around my living room late that night (after the shower) and saw what I would learn in future was most of my baby’s first year of life completely provided for, all I could think of was Isaiah’s response to the Lord’s presence in Isaiah 6: he realized his own sinful heart in the presence of God’s holiness.  Yes, baby gifts are hardly holy, but God’s provision for the sake of His glory is.  I was humbled in such a beautiful way.

Why discuss in such detail the role my church played in these months?  My hope then – and now, even as I write this – is that my talking about what happened in my life and seeking accountability will encourage others to do the same and/or reach out to those around them in need.  We do need each other, and as my wise father often says, “Churches should be hospitals for sinners, not museums for saints.” 

“Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed. The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with” (James 5:16-17—The Message).

I spoke publicly.  The issue was an issue no longer.  It was now a picture of God’s faithfulness.

The baby could be anticipated with joy.