Happy Birthday Mr. Wonderful...

A very Happy Birthday to my Wonderful husband. Today is his birthday.
We are do-overs and since we have only been together since our forties we got a rather late start. We couldn't be more opposite - in everything and everyway. Somehow it not only works it actually enhances the togetherness of us. We seem to balance one another.

So today is all about food which he loves dearly. Yesterday in the cold rainy weather it was so nice to turn on the oven and bake this chocolate cake from scratch. Thank you to Ina Garten for her fabulous recipe. This cake is so moist and delicious. But wait...

It is all about the chocolate butter cream frosting from scratch that makes this cake To-Die-For! It is also Ina's recipe. When it came time to turn on the Kitchen Aid mixer and make this DH just had to help. He cut up and melted the chocolate which I was certain we wouldn't have enough because of his sampling so much. He mixed all the ingredients and did some more sampling. Butter is definitely his favorite yellow food. He has been known to put a dollop of butter right on top of his Oreo's that he is eating. Yes he has! I, of course, am a neat freak and about fainted to see the mess he was making but had to remind myself this is his birthday and this is his cake and let him have fun and that I, the maid, could actually clean up this mess and all would be fine. DH thinks you aren't a good cook unless you make a huge mess all over the entire kitchen. LOL He then spread the frosting on his cake and TA DA!
Happy Birthday Honey. Job well done.
P.S. We did eat a piece each after dinner last evening while it was snowing and OMG this cake is the best I/we have ever made.
Birthdays should be a joyous occasion so in the spirit we will be eating our way through the day as food is what makes him happiest.

Happy Birthday to you...

Happy Birthday to you...

Happy Birthday dear DH...

Happy Birthday to you!

Smile and Sunshine...

"One little smile can fill the room with sunshine" is a little saying off the inside of Dove Promises candy wrappers. What a nice treat...a delicious bit of chocolate and an uplifting thought. I agree that a smile brings sunshine not just to a room but also to other people. I always try to smile at others just in case it helps them feel better or gives them a reason to smile back. Actually a smile is the easiest thing to give. It costs no money, takes no tools, has no obligations and is something that benefits the giver as well as the receiver. In fact, you can be the recipient of your own smile...just look in the mirror or a piece of reflective glass and smile.
Funny how when you commit to write a blog how quickly the days pass by and you realize that you really should write something but you have no idea what would be good to have anyone read. Well, I just sit down and whatever comes to my mind or something I see around me is usually what I end up putting through my fingers to the keyboard. I think that is a lot of what makes blog reading so interesting and different. I read lots of blogs from others and the more diverse they are the more interesting I find them. Of course that is a personal preference.
Nothing clever or creative today. I spent time in the kitchen not only cleaning it but baking a chocolate cake for my beloved husband. He actually requested a chocolate cake around the Christmas holiday but we just had enough other things to keep us satiated. Well, today is the day for him to enjoy his chocolate cake. He has been working very hard and has gotten a rotten cold and achey bones so I thought this would help him get well. It is a double layer triple chocolate cake with dark chocolate and chocolate fudge frosting and in the center between the layers are Ghiradelli chocolate chips. I probably won't sleep for a week just from licking all the bowls, spatulas and beaters. It is definitely a chocolate lovers dessert. "Let them eat cake!"
I just reviewed what I have written and realized I began and ended today's blog with chocolate.
Here is a smile for everyone :-)