Family Favorite Dessert

Queen Anne's Cake

 

This is by far one of the richest cakes I've ever had but it is so delicious. I am asked to make this for friends and family during the holidays, birthdays and just because. :)

 

Ingredients:

• 1 box (roughly 18 oz) devil s food cake mix               
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup canola oil
• 3 1/2 oz instant vanilla pudding mix
• 1 cup milk
• 48 oz hershey bar (I buy the multi packs that have snack size bars) *important--freeze bars prior to grinding them up in food processor. Then  put them back in freezer until ready to add to frosting mixture*               
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 18 oz cool whip

Directions:

For cake, blend all ingredients with a mixer and pour into three 9-inch cake pans that have been well greased and floured. Cook at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

For filling, in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugars. Blend until it's not quite so grainy, for about 2-3 minutes. Fold the Cool Whip into the cream cheese mixture.Blend chopped Hershey bars into the cream cheese mixture.

Frost the cake and decorate as desired.

 



Valentine's Recap

I know..I'm a week behind but I was on vacation last week and my family had top priority. Here is a recap of what our Valentine's Day looked like:

Homemade cake balls for the teachers

Semi-homemade Valentine's for friends

Flowers from my hubby

A beautiful cake on display at a local bakery

Valentine treats for my babies

 

We ended our special day with Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown

 

I will be back soon with the goodies that we found last week while thrift shopping. Happy Thursday!



Currently...

reading: The Duck Commander Family by Willie and Korie Robertson...it's full of laughs!

waiting for: more patience. I need it.

 

excited about: our "stay-cation" next week

trying to: get over a cold/sinus infection that I've had for close to 3 weeks now

working on: a bathroom upgrade (more on that later). We've purchased paint and a new shower curtain. Just working on the details now to pull it all together.It will include some of this:

Source

 

enjoying: the Spring like temps we've had this week. Nothing makes me happier than comfortably wearing a pair of sandals and jeans to work

 

using: Pinterest for more dinner ideas. This is what's for dinner tonight

 

Source

 

wearing: lots of sheer blouses (with a shirt undernearth of course!). I like them because you can dress them up with a pair of boots or wear them casually with a pair of sandals

 

planning: Valentine surprises for my hubby and kids

singing: One More Time by Gary Allan. I can't get enough of that song.

 

needing: more peaceful sleep

 

learning: Quality, not quantity

 

listening to: CBN Contemporary Christian radio station

 

wishing: there were more hours in a day to spend with my kids and less hours working

doing: less eating. I'm down at least 5 lbs so far

 

dreaming of: a summer vacation to Georgie and Alabama. For these two reasons:

 

Recent Craft Projects

Just in time for Valentine's Day!

 

 

Our Recent DIY Projects

Custom table made by my husband:

 

 

Finally took the plunge and painted stripes on one of our walls:

 

 

 

In addition to a newfound desire to blog and create, I've been trying to find the time at night to read more. My guilty pleasure for a couple of months was the Fifty Shades Trilogy. But the last book kept me wanting more. Something about the end just left me hanging. One day in Target I came across this book:

I was convinced that it wouldn't be as good as Fifty Shades but I was wrong...so wrong! In my opinion, it was better. I finished it within just a few days. During my next trip to Target I chose Deeper by Megan Hart but no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't get in to it. I guess Beautiful Disaster was too hard to top!

My most recent book was Heaven is Here by Stephanie Nielson. See here! She is hands down one of my favorite bloggers for many reasons. She delights in being a mother, she's beautiful, brave and funny. I finished her book in less than 5 days. Stephanie gave me a new outlook on being a wife and mother. I'm trying to savour the moments that we get to spend as a family a little bit more.

Prior to Beautiful Disaster I had started on Raising Up Boys by James Dobson. I've made a vow to myself to finish it before starting another book. Don't ask me how I went from reading Fifty Shades to a James Dobson book! I like a little variety in life! :)

Did you forget about me?

Well, it's been over 2 years since I've looked at or even thought about this blog. Quite a lot has happened in those 2 years..new baby, job "promotion", lost a few friends, gained a few friends, lost my desire to create/blog and then found it again. I have to admitt that I lost my desire to be creative due to stress going on throughout the 2010 year. I've decided to start again primarily to keep up with projects that my husband and I have done around our house, and also so that I have something to look back at 10 years from now to reminisce on the years that my children were growing up. I'm making a promise to myself to to blog at least 3-4 times a week with projects, favorite items, pictures from the week and anything else that strikes my fancy. At any point though that I see this blog overtaking my family time, it will immediately be put on the back burner. I hope you will stick around!

~Rebecca