I've mentioned before that I love a good pound cake.  They are so simple, yet there is magic...magic makes that simplicity so good.  Actually, I think it's all the butter that makes it so good, but let's stick with magic, shall we.

This pound cake had plenty of magic--perfect pound cake density, but still very tender, buttery and full of banana flavor. 

Banana Pound Cake!
You know you want some.


So make some pound cake already!

Craziness these past few weeks!  Craziness!

I love having a menu plan for the week.  It helps get a healthy dinner on the table and saves me time and effort.  I know I sound like a broken record, and I'm sorry for that...I just need to share with you what a difference having a menu plan makes for me. :)

I've taken up training with some friends on the Couch to 5K plan.  I love it!  The runs are getting easier and I feel so much better.  Prior to starting, I did not, absolutely did not like to run.  ACK!  I ran ONLY in extreme situations requiring me to a) sprint to assist one of my children or b) get away from a murderous lunatic and/or rabid dog chasing me.  So, what I'm saying is that this is a big deal for me.  :)

Anywho!  Here's my plan for the week.  What are you eating?

I had an awesome dream last night.  Can I tell you about it?
I dreamed....I dreamed about my pantry.  My pantry.  I surely must officially be old, if my most exciting dream ever involves my pantry and neat rows of beautifully organized dry goods.

In reality, my pantry is mediocre.  It's fine.  I can close the door and know that the oatmeal and Cheerios are secure.  Teddy Grahams and diced tomatoes, I got 'em, and they're fine in there.  I do have a special hide-y spot for my secret stash of dark chocolate.  It's beside the black beans and under a bag of tiny green split peas.  I don't really know why I hide the dark chocolate.  Hubs isn't interested and my kids only have eyes for the snack drawer when they open the pantry door.  I just feel better, more secure, hiding it from rogue pantry door-openers.  ?

Anywho!  My dream.  In my dream, I opened my pantry door to find that it was HUGE!  Just huge, like a warehouse!  I could walk down the rows and admire all of the beautiful, matching bins that organized my pantry staples.  JOY!  There was even a lounge chair I could sit in and marvel at it all, and probably eat my chocolate in peace.

And then I woke up.
Poof!  It was over.  My pantry dream was so real, it made me so happy.  Oh, WHY did it have to end?  Bitter, that's how I'm feeling right now.

Let's talk Cake Truffles then, shall we?  I'm certain they'll take the bitterness away.



They're so cute and tiny.  I did hundreds of these little treats just before the holidays.  Hundreds.  Only once did I think to take a picture of them.  Once, just before I closed the lid on their little box and packed them up for delivery.  So, sorry for the stinky photo.  :(

You should make some for yourself.  You can make any flavor combination that floats your boat.  Here are some of my favorites.

Red Velvet Cake + Cream Cheese Frosting, Dipped in White Chocolate/or Milk Chocolate
French Vanilla Cake + Vanilla Buttercream, Dipped in Dark Chocolate
Chocolate Cake + Fudgey Chocolate Frosting, Dipped in Dark/Milk Chocolate

They are pretty simple to make, they just take time and a little patience.
1.  You make a cake.  Your favorite cake.  Make it from scratch or use a mix, no judgements here. 
2.  Let the cake cool.  Cool completely.  I usually make my cakes a day ahead.
3.  Crumble the cake and put it in the bowl of a mixer.  Turn on the mixer and let the blade break the cake into fine crumbs.
4.  Add some frosting, whatever you like.  I usually use about 1 cup of frosting, anything more is too sweet, in my opinion.  Mix it in with the cake crumbs.
5.  Roll the mixture into 1" balls and set them on wax paper.  I don't refrigerate mine like some people.  I find that they set up just fine at room temp, and if they are too cold when you dip them in chocolate, the chocolate coating cracks.  That's sad.
6.  Melt some good quality dipping chocolate.  (I like Ghirardelli bars or Guittard wafers.)  I use a little fork to lower the cake balls into the chocolate, gently roll them to coat with chocolate and then lift them out.  Give the fork a couple taps on the side of the bowl to get rid of the excess chocolate and then place them back on wax paper.  Let them sit a minute as you continue dipping, then you can drizzle them with a little more chocolate and top them with sanding sugar or sprinkles.

That's how I do it and it works for me. :)
Make some!

Let's start the new year off right, shall we?
Like with chocolate and marshmallow fluff.
The right stuff.

Rocky Road Brownies


Make some today, before all of those silly resolutions make you feel guilty about eating things like this.  Do it for me.

I found this recipe at Confessions of a Cookbook Queen, a blog that I love and adore not only for the super awesome recipes, but also because her posts make me laugh hysterically.  Check her!