Chocolate Sheet Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting

I made this sheet cake for my book club a couple of weeks ago.  It was amazing.   Seriously, who does not love peanut butter and chocolate together?  Okay- my mom doesn't,but she might possibly be the ONLY person I know who does not.  

My grandma made Texas Sheet Cake for me quite often when I was young.  She also used to make it for my one cousin who always refused to share it when she made it.  No- I am so not kidding.  She would eat the whole thing by herself.   

Grandma's Texas Sheet Cake was an amazing treat.   And this cake is such a fun spin on it.  The peanut butter frosting adds an amazing level to this cake.   I will make my Grandma's Texas Sheet Cake soon and share the recipe with y'all.   Okay I feel just a little silly for saying that.   Being an Ohioan and all.  

Look at the beautiful crackles on the top of this cake.   And ignore my bad photography skills.  I need camera lessons ASAP.

Let's just take one more look at this amazing cake.  Keep in mind this cake is a thin cake and bakes in a jelly roll pan.  And you pour the hot frosting on top and let it cool.

Are you drooling yet?  

If you want to try out this recipe- I made the one shared by Iowa Girl Eats.   I did add quite a bit more peanut butter to my frosting though.  I wanted it to be super duper peanut buttery.   I added close to a 1/4 cup more peanut butter.   But, this is one recipe where either way is amazing.   And because it is a sheet cake it makes a large pan of cake.   So make this cake when you plan on sharing it with a large group.   Please don't eat the whole pan like my cousin.   Well- I guess you can if you want to..... 

Can you believe it is almost December?    I can't wait to share the cutest pictures from Thanksgiving with you.   

Smiles, 

Marci

Baked Oatmeal

I have been avoiding baking here recently.  Not sure why.  I still love it, but have found little time for it.  Actually, I am not sure where any of my time recently has gone. I am falling behind on my tv shows again.   My house needs a deep cleaning- and that one is definitely at the top of my "I want to do it now" list- NOT.

But, I do want to share a simple recipe with all of you for Baked Oatmeal.  I was introduced to Baked Oatmeal by my friend Melinda.   And I have been hooked since.  I find Baked Oatmeal to be soothing and comforting.  And lately, I think I have been needing some comforting.  So I made some Oatmeal.

Here are the ingredients:

It is super simple to throw together on the weekend.  Plus, this dish is especially comforting as the weather grows cooler.   I love curling up with a bowl of this oatmeal on a cold winter day.

I like to eat this oatmeal hot from the oven with milk poured over it.   The milk cools the oatmeal just enough that you can eat it without yelping in pain.   Plus, I like my oatmeal a touch soupy.   The best part of the oatmeal- you can eat it however you want to.  With milk, without milk, with cream, with dried fruit.  You can customize to whatever your family likes.   And I think that this would be a super filling and hot breakfast for Thanksgiving Day.   It would definitely tide you over until the big meal.   Ignore the "burnt" edges.  I might have not paid as much attention as I should have to the clock when baking this.  But- those crispy edges actually tasted great!

I hope everyone is enjoying fall!

Marci

Baked Oatmeal

1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup milk (I use 2%)
2 tsp baking powder
3 cups oatmeal
1 tsp salt

Mix together butter, sugar and eggs.   Add remaining ingredients.  Pour into 8x8 cake pan that has been sprayed with non stick spray.   Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes 

You can add nuts or dried fruit to the baked oatmeal after baking to personalize it to anyone's taste.   I do love dried fruit in mine, but sometimes plain is just what I am craving!

A Halloween Dinner Party

Don't laugh.  I know it is November and I am just getting around to sharing pictures from a Halloween Dinner Party I went to.   I tend to procrastinate a little.  In college I was the gal who waited till the night before to churn out a 20 page paper.  Don't get all panicked there.  I was the queen of papers.  I can blab on about anything.... and 20 pages- CAKE!!  

But, here are pictures from a fabulous Halloween Dinner Party I attended.   We had appetizers- cheese, fruit and crackers to start with.  Oh- and olives too, but I don't count olives because I don't like them.   Isn't it funny how easy it is to forget food that you don't like.   The cheeses were amazing and I fell in love with a mango ginger Stilton that was served.  

Look how cute this platter is waiting for food.    And those serving spoons- perfect for a spooky Halloween Dinner Party.   Can I give you a hand? :)

More shots from the appetizer area.

No Dinner Party is complete without a dinner cocktail.   Our lovely hostess served Witches Brew and Vampire's Kiss.  I did not partake as I was giving my liver a "rest".  But, I did manage to eat half a jar of maraschino cherries.  Don't ask how it happened.  I am not quite sure either.   The details are hazy.

More fun treats from the party.  Pumpkin Seeds- my favorite seasonal treat.  I did not carve a pumpkin this year so I missed out on this treat!  And a shot of the table decorations.  Those eyeballs looking at you are salt and pepper shakers.  Adorable!  I want a set.   hmmmm I just used to words adorable and "I want a set" to describe eyeballs.... Let's not think on that too long.  

The table all set up and later full of food.  And the food was AmaZinG!!!I wish Beth would cook for me every night......

I hope everyone had a fun and safe Halloween.   And I hope everyone's November is off to a fabulous start!!  I know that I have so much to be thankful for!

Smiles,
Marci

Oreos & Baby Boys....

I was asked to make some treats for a friend's gender reveal party.   And she and her husband are Oreo fans so they asked me to make some homemade Oreos with a special hint in the middle.   

My friend even found me the perfect recipe from My Kitchen Addiction.  I followed her recipe for these homemade Oreos.

And inside each cookie was a "pop pf color".   It was amazing to be there at the party and to see everyone's faces and especially K & LA's faces when they bit into their cookies.

And I had to make some extra Oreo treats for the party as well.    Oreo cupcakes with Oreos on the bottom.   So simple and yummy.

I had a lot of fun baking up this surprise.   Although, when I received the envelope with the baby's gender it was a tad surreal.  I knew what the gender was before the parents even knew.   But, the party was very special.   Do you know anyone who had a gender reveal party?

Smiles and have a great weekend.   I have been busy "Car shopping".   I hate to admit it- but it is the one kind of shopping that I HATE.   Wish me luck!

Marci

Covet

As the holidays are approaching one cannot help but checking out goodies online.   And of course, I manage to find things that I adore.   Here are a few of recent favorites.  

Look at these beautiful measuring cups.   They make me want to mix butter and sugar together.  forever.  I imagine that cookies made with these taste so much better than ones made with my plastic measuring cups.   They are from Anthropologie.  Of course.  Who doesn't love that place?  

Oh and these beauties.   Anthrolopologie again.   I think that they sneak into my subconscious and create things from the ideas I have there.   So, Anthropologie owes me for all of their great ideas.  Or they at last owe me some cute measuring cups.

Check out this cute cookie stamp Sophie showed me.   Adorable.   Perhaps not the most practical but very cute.  Source: The Spoon Sisters.

And now onto the measuring spoons.  I love gingerbread men.   I can almost smell them.  Okay that sounded weird.   Let's just forget I said that.
source: Pier 1

Check out these cute owl measuring spoons.  I adore owls.   They are my favorite.  
Source: Pier 1

Speaking of owls.  These owls are a set? from World Market.   The largest owl is a cookie holder and the medium sized owl is a measuring cup set and the mini's are measuring spoons.   I LOVE this set.   LoVe!!

But this is what I am asking Santa for this Christmas.   I would like the porch and this swing.   Minus the sleeping lady.   Yeah, that would be kinda creepy if Santa included the sleeping lady.   But, I have no doubt that Santa can wrap up a wrap-around porch and swing for me.   I am sure it will fit just dandy under the tree.

What items are on your list this holiday?
I am sure I will find more goodies to share as we get closer to Christmas.  So prepare yourself.   I might get a little carried away.

Smiles,
Marci

A sweet Little Punkin.....

I went back to Lynd's a couple of weeks ago.  My Mom and I took Doodles pumpkin picking.   There were oodles of pumpkins to choose from.  

But Doodles wanted nothing to do with big pumpkins.  He only liked the lil pumpkins.

He's a cute lil punkin too.  Isn't he?

The perfect size pumpkin.

Yep- we went pumpkin picking.

And we had a great time.  

Smiles,
Marci

It's never too late for a giveaway is it??

**GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED**

THE WINNER IS #5 

happy4mla@aol.com

I have sent you an email!!!   

I know that I have missing for a bit.   And I promise I have a good excuse.   I am hopefully on the road to recovery.   I had a few bumps in my health and am glad to be home now.   But, being out of commission for a while means that I have not baking.   And based on how I feel now, I probably will need a few more days till I jump back into the kitchen. 

So, in order to make it up to you all (all five of you!) I am offering a fun giveaway.   I was at Tar-jay a couple of weeks ago and picked up some fun Halloween goodies.   Halloween is one of my favorite holidays and I am just sad that it is approaching so quickly.  

So if you would like to have some fun baking up some Halloween goodies with your kids or friends- just drop me a comment below on my blog.  Be sure to leave your email address so I can contact you.

And if you would like to have one more chance to win this giveaway- just head over to Suzy Social Worker's facebook page and "like" it.  https://www.facebook.com/SuzySocialWorker  Then leave me a comment letting me know that you liked my page.

That is it folks.   Easy Peasy right?

This giveaway will close on Saturday October 20th.   I will announce the giveaway winner on Sunday.  So be sure to pop back on Sunday to find out if the winner is you.

Unfortunately, I can only open this giveaway to US residents as my social work budget does not quite accommodate overseas shipping costs yet.  :(

Have a great day everyone!!
Marci