I quit.

I quit my second job. Hallelujah! Its is a HUGE blessing to be back down to one job!
So, summer is here, and I have been working on some really awesome projects. I am quilting two quilts that I have been putting together for a while. I will post pictures on those soon.
This is really random, but yesterday my friends and I went to dinner and I ran into Turbo. Yeah, TURBO. It was crazy. I haven't seen him in months. He gave me a hug, which I wasn't expecting. I think I might invite him to come do something with us soon. I didn't realize that I missed talking to him until I was talking to him again. I think he was surprised at how much my life has changed since we last talked. I don't think anyone ever thought I would actually leave me second job. I was starting to wonder for a while, but I did it! And it feels GLORIOUS!
     There is a lot more to be said, but I haven't the time to write it right now, so I will bid you adieu until I have time again!

DEMOLITION DERBY Cake

     I have this friend...and for some reason one of my nieces calls him Turbo. She's never heard anything about him, or met him, she helped me put the cars on top of his cake and she keeps calling him Turbo.  I think its pretty funny, so we're just going to call him that.

   Any way, it was Turbo's birthday last Thursday and jokingly told me about a month ago that his birthday was coming up if I wanted to make a cake...I think he's kind of cute, and he's a really great guy, so I told him I'd make him a cake. He was kind of surprised. So, we talked later about it and decided that I would make him an ice cream cake with a car theme to it. I just went to a demolition derby, so I took that and made it my theme.
    I love how the flames turned out on this cake. It is one of my favorites, and Turbo thought it was super awesome. He already knows I'm a good cook, and tells people on a fairly regular basis. It kind of makes me smile a little bit.
   I don't know if he was more excited about the cake, or the cars on top (which I left for him because he really wanted to play with them).
    I am so glad that my first ever ice cream cake turned out so well! It was a really delicious cake and I had so much fun making it!

Something new, maybe a little bit different, but mostly good!

So, I bake and cook a lot, and generally that is an understatement. I LOVE cooking, it is sooooo relaxing for me! So, I am going to start throwing in some of the recipes I try as I find them. The first is called a Decadent Chocolate Cheesecake, and I really wish I remember what blog I got this from, I am sooo sorry, I will be better in the future! Any way, here is the recipe:

Decadent Brownie Swirl Cheesecake Recipe

• 16 Servings
• Prep: 30 min. Bake: 1-1/2 hours + chilling

Ingredients

• 1 package fudge brownie mix (13-inch x 9-inch pan size)
• 
  FILLING:
• 4 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract or 1 teaspoon almond extract and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• Fresh raspberries and chocolate curls, optional

Directions

• Prepare brownie mix according to package directions for chewy fudge brownies. Set aside 2/3 cup brownie batter; spread remaining batter into a greased 9-in. springform pan.
• Place pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Securely wrap foil around pan. Bake at 350° for 25-28 minutes (brownies will barely test done). Cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack.
• In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla on low speed just until combined. Stir 1/3 cup into reserved brownie batter; set aside. Spoon half the cheesecake batter into crust; dollop with half of reserved chocolate cheesecake batter. Repeat layers. Cut through batter with a knife to swirl the chocolate cheesecake batter.
• Place in a larger baking pan; add 1 in. of hot water to larger pan. Bake at 325° for 1-1/2 hours or until surface is no longer shiny and center is almost set.
• Remove pan from water bath and foil. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around the edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight. Remove sides of pan. Garnish with raspberries and chocolate curls if desired. Yield: 16 servings.

K, here are the things that I did not like about this recipe. I cooked the brownies until they were almost done, and I used a 9 in. pan, but when I took this cheesecake to a meeting I had, the brownie part was completely dough-y. I was SO disappointed. They cooked for over 2 hours, there is no reason those brownies should have been goo. It was a meeting of the RS Presidency and the EQ Presidency and all the guys said it was delicious and totally awesome (including Digger), but I was still disapointed. Next time (because I liked the taste, just not the gooeyness of it) I will try it in a 10in pan and I am going to cook the brownies longer in the pan before I add the cheesecake part to the top of it. The taste was good (where the brownie was not goo) it is SUPER rich, but I think with the modifications, a completely AWESOME cheesecake recipe!