One-Pan Chocolate Cake

After our comfort food list of three post a couple of weeks ago, we received a few requests for my favorite chocolate cake recipe.  I snapped a few pictures and intended to post them with the recipe, but the lighting was all wrong and just didn't do the cake justice, so sorry, no photos after all.  This is a quick, easy cake, perfect for dessert or just a snack.  I like to bake anyway, but I especially love baking in the winter because the aromas seem to warm up the whole house.  With how cold it has been here this week, we need all the extra warmth we can get, so let's bake a cake!!

One-Pan Chocolate Cake
Preheat oven to 350.  In an ungreased 9x9 pan (a round cake pan would probably work, too), stir together:
1 c flour
2/3 c sugar
2 1/2 Tbsp cocoa
2/3 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
Then add:
2/3 c water
2 tsp white vinegar
2/3 tsp vanilla
1/4 c cooking oil
Stir with a fork until smooth.  Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.  While cake is baking, mix frosting:
1/4 c melted butter or margarine (I melt in a saucepan on the stove, then remove from heat and add all other ingredients to the saucepan)
2 Tbsp cocoa
3 Tbsp milk or evaporated milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 - 2 c powdered sugar
1/2 c chopped nuts (if desired)
Don't worry about small lumps in the frosting.  The recipe says to frost the cake as soon as it comes out of the oven, but I usually let it stand for a few minutes so that the weight of the frosting doesn't make the fluffy cake collapse.

Make it this weekend and let us know what you think!

Winner!!!!

Wow!  A huge thanks to everyone for your entries in our giveaway, and another huge thanks to Tara of Winsor Photogrpahy for donating our photo shoot!  We also want to extend a sincere welcome to all of our new followers and friends. :)

And now...the big moment...drum roll please...

Our lucky winner, according to random.org, is:

CONGRATULATIONS, MATT AND CAROLYN!!

To everyone else that entered, thanks again!  Even though you didn't win, we hope you will still be our friends. :)

We also thought it would be fun to include a little bit of information about our fabulous friend and photographer, Tara.  She is an incredible photographer and a wonderful friend that I've known for over four years.  Read on to learn more!

Tell us a little about yourself: My name is Tara Winsor, I grew up in Kaysville Utah, moved to Logan to go to school and met my sweetheart. :) We were married less than a year later, and have been married for almost 9 years. We have 1 little boy (bubba)  who we adopted at birth in 2008. He is the light of our lives, and we are SO glad he's with us. We currently live in Layton Utah where I have two full time jobs. Mother and Photographer. :) And I wouldn't change it.

When did you realize you wanted to be a photographer? I realized I wanted to be a photographer when I picked up a camera back in my Freshman year of High School 12 years ago. :) I always wanted to turn it into a business, and finally did about a year before we got Bubba. :) And have been running a business since.

What is your favorite photo you've ever taken? I have a few, but if I had to narrow it down, they are of my brother who is serving in the Army. It is a silhouette of him lifting his son into the air. And another one was when he came home for his 2 week break, I took photos of him coming in at the airport, and his wife and son with their arms wrapped around him. I wouldn't trade that experience for the world. But I usually have at least one photo from every session that I absolutely adore and am emotionally attached to. :)

Any photo shoot horror stories to share? Luckily I haven't really had any horror stories. That's one of the things that I like to do, is just roll with whatever is handed to me in a photoshoot. We can always make something work. :)

 

Where is the coolest place you've ever traveled, either for a photo shoot or just a vacation? New York. I went there this last year with my friend Stacy to shoot a wedding, and a few different things, and there is SO much history and just goodness there! I loved being able to get around without a car, and living how they commonly live there. It was SO much fun, and just breathtaking there.

What is the food that you cook the best? Enchiladas. :) That or Chicken Alfredo. Sam says I can completely dominate those two meals. :) Too bad I don't make them that often. Haha. I think I make a mean bowl of cereal as well. But that's just me. 

Favorite book/movie? My favorite book that I have read over and over again is "Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry". AMAZING book, and one that emotionally moves me. I could read that one over, and over, and over again. Favorite movie is "Pride and Prejudice" The l.o.n.g. one. Absolutely love it. The emotion, the videography, everything. Love. 

Favorite quote? "All you can do, is all you can do; and all you can do is enough" Can't remember who it's by, but it hung on my grandmother's fridge, and I would read it every time I saw it. :)

Something that makes you smile? Bubba snuggling into me to watch a movie and repeating "I luw you momma" :) melts my heart every.single.time.

 

Pet peeve? People not following through on commitments. I admit I'm sometimes guilty of it, but it drives me crazy.

What is something you want to accomplish before you die? I would like to visit Europe. There is SO much over there that I would love to see and experience. I want to definitely make it there before I die. :)

Thanks, Tara!!  Be sure to keep checking back as we have some more exciting things coming up, including a recipe for my favorite one-pan chocolate cake and some guest posts!!

GIVEAWAY Time!!

Michelle and I are so excited to feature this giveaway!!  We really have been on pins and needles about this!  Our fantastic giveaway is courtesy of the amazing Tara of Winsor Photography.  Tara is an incredible photographer and she also happens to be one of my greatest friends.  Check out some of her awesome skills:

For today's giveaway, Tara has kindly offered to give one of YOU a photo shoot!  Here is what you will get:

1-2 hour photo session with up to 8 people

Online viewing gallery of photos

Images on a disc with a print release

The fine print: The photo session must take place in 2011 in Utah between Utah and Cache counties (so if you don't live in that area, make arrangements to visit!).  Sorry, no weddings.

So, how do you enter?

Leave us a comment with your name, email address, and a description of how you'd use your photo shoot (family pics, photos of your newborn, graduation pictures, etc.).

Don't worry -- you can change your mind about how you want to use your photo shoot. :)

It's that easy!

If you want to increase your chances of winning, leave us an additional comment for each of the following:

Become a follower of She Said

Become our friend on Facebook
Post about our giveaway on your Facebook

Become a friend of Winsor Photography on Facebook

Please make sure that your comments include some way for us to contact you.

The giveaway is open through 12 PM PST on Monday, January 31.

The winner will be announced on Tuesday, February 1.

If you win, we hope you will make sure to become a follower.

If you don't win, we still hope you'll be our friend anyway.

GOOD LUCK!

The Perfect Brownie

My dear friend Greg is constantly on the search for "The Perfect Brownie" and when my friend Heidi fed me this one (she really didn't have to feed it to me, after she told me what they were I opened my mouth and shoveled them in happily) I knew that I had found : "The One"

Cookie Dough Brownies (oh yes! They do exist!)

1 Box Brownie Mix, plus ingredients for the brownies
1/2 C. Butter, softened
1/2 C. Brown Sugar, packed
1/4 C. Sugar
2 TBS Milk
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 C. Flour
1-3/4 C. Chocolate Chips, divided (I also use whatever chocolate candy I have on hand. I used chopped up Reeses eggs in the recipe pictured)
1 TBS Shortening

1) Prepare and bake brownies according to package directions in a greased 13x9 pan. Cool completely.
2) Cream butter and sugars in a mixing bowl. Add milk and vanilla mix well. Beat in flour. Stir in 3/4 C. Chocolate chips. Spread over cooled brownies and refridgerate until firm.
3) Melt remaining 1 C. Chocolate chips and shortening, stirring until smooth. Spread over filling. (The brownies that are pictured are not iced)
Store in an airtight container in the refridgerator.

Enjoy!!! Sometimes dreams really can come true!

P.S. The two reviews that I have had on this say that they really don't like refridgerated brownies - neither do I - in fact I don't put them in the fridge. I think they say that so that leftovers can stay firm, but if you are like me there will be no left overs!!!
P.P.S. If you are thinking, "but there is cookie dough on top that needs refridgeration!" there isn't Egg in this recipe, so don't worry! But they aren't bad from the fridge.....JUST EAT THEM!

List of Three...Comfort Food!

Cold winter weather creates the perfect opportunity for indulging in some of our favorite comfort foods.  Whether it's a favorite childhood food or something recently discovered, everyone has a few recipes that work wonders when it comes to nourishing both body and soul.  Although there are many things I would classify as being "comfort food", here are the first three that came to mind.

 1- Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup.  Come on, who doesn't have a memory involving this?  It HAS to mixed with milk, not water.  My mom always made it his way; it turns the broth yellow and gives it a richer taste.  Add some oyster crackers, and life is good.

2- Spaghetti.  You may find it strange (and Michelle will probably shudder when she reads this), but I love spaghetti with just butter and salt on it.  Growing up, this was my go-to comfort food when I was sick.  A bowl of spaghetti while watching Disney's Cinderella made just about everything better.

3- Chocolate cake.  I have a one-pan recipe that my mom makes.  It's super easy, delicious, and perfect when paired with a glass of milk.

Ho!Ho! Comfort food I think I could ride that train all year long! There are so many different dishes that I can associate with comfort food, but I'll try to whittle it down to my top three:

1- Grilled Cheese Sandwhiches, preferrably with some tomato soup. I really like this on cold, rainy days. There is something about toasted, buttered bread and gooey melted cheese that makes you feel oh so good. In fact when I was preggers I craved them so much that one night I couldn't decide between grilled cheese and hamburgers that Mr. S made me a hamburger with grilled cheese sandwhiches as buns....how is that for love, comfort and ...calories!

2 - Spaghetti. If anyone ever asks me if I could only have one food for the rest of my life this would be the one! Now I don't share the same love for butter and salt, but I do love my Dad's tomato sauce. It's actually made me a spaghetti sauce prude. I'm very picky about my spaghetti sauce. Whenever I go home this is what I request - homemade spaghetti sauce please!

3- Macaroni & Cheese. I think if you want to comfort me just give me melted cheese!! A small talent of mine is that I can eat a whole box of Mac & Cheese by myself, it's true. But I have found a new...little more healthy love, in homemade macaroni & cheese. I'll have to share the recipe with you in another post, but it's oh so good and I could eat the whole cassorole dish and not feel guilty - a little gluttonus, but not guilty!

What are your three favorite comfort foods?

 

A Flashback

While watching Dick Clark's Rockn' Eve to celebrate the new year they were listing off their entertainers for that night and my ears perked up when I heard The New Kids On the Block. I was a HUGE fan back in the day. I had (and still have stashed in a box somewhere) all of their tapes...ya cassett tapes, my New Kids blanket & the Jordan & Joe doll. But wait! There was more! Backstreet Boys would be performing with them! Now the Backstreet Boys was our (mine & Nan's) first BIG concert. Me, Nan & our friend Merisa (along with Merisa's wonderful Mom Jane) shouted and screamed and sang along with a billion other girls at the E-Center for the Backstreet Boys.
Sadly I didn't get to watch their performance on new years eve - I was swiftly out voted by my dad & two brothers, but I found it on You Tube (ya got to love it). I guess they will be touring together this summer.
For your viewing pleasure I have their performance at the VMA's...who knew they had so much in common?

All you people can't you see, can't you see N-K-O-T-B-S-B!!!

Hey ladies! Shout out your favorite New Kid and/or Backstreet Boy!

Mine's kinda complicated. I started to like Jordan, but then changed to Joe and I have always liked Nick!



What I Want Next Process

It's about that time of year that we start to make new resolutions for the new year!I found this while reading a magazine & immediately tore the page out so I could keep it. I've held on to it for four years now and use it whenever I want to set new goals, make new resolutions, set priorities or just figure out what the heck I want!

You Need: A pencil, a paper, a watch/timer and your personal calendar.
You are only allowed three minutes per answer because you don't want to overthink your answers. Write down whatever pops into your mind first. You are looking for bullets, not paragraphs
You should go through this process often. Today's answers might not be next months.
Again, there are no limits or boundaries. Write down whatever comes to your mind, personal or professional as large or small as you imagine.

1. Spend three minutes listing items to answer this question: " By the end of my life, what do I want to have done?"
2. Spend three minutes listing itmes to answer this question: "By one year from today, what do I want to have done?"
3. Spend three minutes listing items to answer this question: " I just found out I have 30 days to live. What do I want to have experienced in this last month of my life?"
4. Circle the three most important items to you from each of the first three steps. Combine repeated item answers into a single goal.
5. List your top three goals for Steps 1, 2 & 3. You may have fewer than nine goals after combining duplicates into one goal. Now, look at your schedule for the coming week. For each goal you listed, make time on next week's calendar to take a specific action twoard accomplishing that coal. Write down the action you will take and specific day & time when you will spend at least an hour working on it.
Goal: ___________________
Action: ___________________
Day/Time: _____________________
6. Be realistic. If you can't easily think of an action to take or don't want to spend an hour to move forward on it, then cross that goal off your list.
7. Now you have your final list of your most important goals, an action to propel you toward each goal and a specific time to take that action. If you crossed a goal off the final list, don't be concerned. It probably wasn't that important to you. (or isn't the biggest priority for right now)
Take a look at the list of all the goals still left. Study it. Search for broader themes about what you want to do next. What do these goals say about who you really are and what you want? Take a wide view of your goals so you can complete the following sentence:
What I want next is........

Sadly I don't have the authors name to this process, but it's taken from the book What I Want Next: 30 Minutes to Reveal Your Future (whatiwantnext.com)
It looks like I want to be more organized in the new year...what are your goals/themes?