Karen's FAVORITE Chocolate Cake

I am on a recipe roll. Maybe because I have had almost zero creative time this week but have had several things to cook for. This is my very favorite chocolate cake dessert. I think you'll love it too! I hope to have something creative to post again SOON! Hang in there. I am going through creative withdrawals and just HAVE to find some time to make something soon or else I might scream!

Karen's Favorite Chocolate Cake

Start with a 9x13 chocolate cake. You can make it by scratch or use a mix. I use the Betty Crocker Butter Recipe Chocolate Cake mix. I like to cook it about 5-7 minutes less than the box says. I wait until it is just BARELY able to be touched on top and bounce back. This makes a MUCH moister cake. I have found that most cake mixes have you bake the cake too long...at least in my expert opinion (tee hee). Let cake cool.

Topping Layer One:
1 - 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 - 4 serving size instant chocolate pudding mix
1 - 4 serving size instant vanilla pudding mix
3 C. milk

Put cream cheese in mixing bowl and add one packet of pudding and about a 1/2 cup of the milk. Mix. Then slowly add milk as you are mixing (otherwise you will have TONS of lumps). After you have got a nice, smooth mixture with all of the milk added, put in the other pudding mix and beat until blended. Let this thicken for a couple of minutes and then pour over cake.

Topping Layer Two:
8 oz cool whip (or whip your own whipping cream)

Spread this layer over the pudding layer on the cake.

Topping Layer Three:
Add chocolate curls. The ones in the photo have wilted a bit because I didn't take this photo until the next day. I just use a carrot peeler and a chocolate bar and make my own curls. It works best if the chocolate bar has been refrigerated. Otherwise it gets melty as you work.

Store cake covered in the refrigerator and serve cold.

Enjoy!

And Away He Went...

Tannon got a call this afternoon from the coach of an elite AAU travel basketball team (Salt Lake Metro) here in Utah. At the last minute he needed one more player to go and play in a national tournament in Las Vegas. He said if he could go, he would be picking Tannon up in about 30 minutes. Luckily, we know the boy T would be rooming with very well and felt good about the situation. So, away he went.

Yeah or Boo Hoo? Both! I just got him home less than a week ago after being gone 10 days to a football camp and a basketball tournament in Kentucky, so letting him go again for another 5 days was a killer. On the other hand, he was so excited to play. What a great opportunity for him. GO METRO! I can't wait to hear how they do!

I love you, Tan-Man!

Cherry Sheet Bars

Yesterday we had several family members over for dinner and I made something I haven't made in a while for dessert. I forgot how much we love these! I thought I'd share the recipe with you!

Cherry Sheet Bars
(from Karen Pedersen’s Aunt Carol)

Cream and mix well:
½ C. margarine
1 ¾ C. sugar

Add one at a time, beating well after each:
½ t. vanilla
4 eggs

Mix in dry ingredients:
3 C. flour
1 ½ t. baking powder
½ t. salt

Spread ¾ of the batter on greased cookie sheet (not a jellyroll pan. That’s too big). It’s really sticky so you almost have to pat it with a spatula to spread it.

Top with:
1 can cherry pie filling (large can)
½ t. almond extract

Drop rest of batter in small spoonfuls, hit and miss, over top of pie filling. Bake at 350* for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.

Icing:
4 T. butter
4 T. milk
½ t. vanilla
1 ½ - 2 C. powdered sugar

Drizzle icing over bars. If you like it melty do it right when it comes out of the oven. I like it more like frosting and wait until the bars are cool to put it on top. On the other hand, it is good served hot with vanilla ice cream on top too! Gosh, it's yummy any way! I think I'll go have a cherry bar!

Did I share this?

I can't remember if I have shared this or not. Duh! Anyway, just in case I haven't, I thought I would. It is one of my favorite layouts of Easton. It's his 19th birthday layout and I made it a couple of months after he left on his 2 year mission (left in January, made layout in April). Gosh, I love and miss this kid! 6 months and one week until he gets home, but who's counting?

All produts except the stars are Close To My Heart. I can't remember where I got those cute red chipboard stars. I am on my way out the door and don't have time to list all of the specific products and their order numbers, but just remember you can always click here and order from my website 24/7.

P.S. You can always click on any image and view it larger.

It's a Girl

This is my 3rd post of the day (making up for lost time this week) so be sure to scroll down to see the others.

I combined 2 different challenges on this card as well. I used Mojo Monday's Sketch 95 and Jeanette Lynton's Color Me Monday challenge from this week. I had lots of fun with both challenges.

CTMH products used: Sweet Baby Stamp Set (C1359), Spot On Backgrounds Stamp Set (D1280...One of my FAVES!), White Daisy Textured Cardstock (X5671), Hollyhock Cardstock (1246), Baby Pink Stamp Pad (Z2102), Key Lime Stamp Pad (Z2131), Grey Wool Cardstock (5571), Grey Wool Stamp Pad (Z2125), Clear Buttons (Z1155), Pastel Pencils (Z922 - for shading on flower), Black Legacy Writer (4275), Round Sponge (Z697 - to sponge the edge of the card and sentiment with baby pink ink), Designer Ribbon Rounds, Blush Collection (Z1138), 3D Foam Tape (Z1151).

Click here to order from my website 24/7.

Baby Girl

I combined a couple of challenges on this card. I used Laura's sketch 30 from 2Sketches4You and Jeanette Lynton's Color Me Monday color combo (Hollyhock, Baby Pink, Grey Wool, Key Lime. All Close To My Heart colors).

Close To My Heart products used: Sweet Baby Stamp Set (C1359), Spot On Backgrounds Stamp Set (D1280...One of my FAVES!), White Daisy Textured Cardstock (X5671), Hollyhock Cardstock (1246), Baby Pink Cardstock (1299), Baby Pink Stamp Pad (Z2102), Key Lime Cardstock (1235), Key Lime Stamp Pad (Z2131), Grey Wool Cardstock (5571), Grey Wool Stamp Pad (Z2125), Clear Buttons (Z1155), Pastel Pencils (Z922 - for shading on flower), Black Legacy Writer (4275), Round Sponge (Z697 - to sponge the edge of the card and sentiment with baby pink ink)

Click here to order from my website 24/7...even when holding a baby girl!

Welcome Home!

Welcome home, Tannon! We finally got him home this week after being gone for 10 days. He started at football camp and then flew out from there to Louisville, Kentucky where he played in a national basketball tournament.

I missed this guy! He fills our home with laughter and silliness. I missed his singing and dancing around the house. I missed him asking me what we have that would be good to deep fry (see 2nd post from July 5 entitled "A Deep Fryer?"). I missed his asking if there are any yard jobs that need doing because he wants to work on his tan. I missed him showing me his latest dance move. I missed him coming in 5 minutes after curfew and acting like he didn't realize it (OK, not really!). I just plain old missed him. Why do kids have to grow up?

I had to include this picture of him the day he got home. I was tending my little granddaughter, Daci and Tannon decided to try his hat on her. SO CUTE!

Another Butterfly and My Easton

Here is another butterfly card for your enjoyment.

All products are Close To My Heart: Celebrate Life Stamp Set (C12878), Silhouette Creative Basics Paper Pack (X5803), Stardust Level 2 Paper Pack (X7109B), Colonial White Cardstock (1388), Black Stamp Pad (Z2105), Chocolate Stamp Pad (Z2111), Mini-Medley Autumn Garden Collection (Z1119), Primary Pencils (Z921), Earth Pencils (Z920), Autumn Terracotta Swirl Clip (retired)

Click here to order from my website 24/7, even while celebrating life!

Now on to my Easton...Here are a few photos I got in the mail this week from him. I love Easton mail!

1. At the baptism at one of the ladies he taught and who chose to be baptized. Happy day!
2. Splitting wood for a family in his missionary clothes! Oh dear!

3. Mardi Gras with a family that he became close to on Galveston Island (he is now in Houston). Mardi Gras on Galveston is a big deal...but not a good place for missionaries, if you know what I mean. That's why they celebrated inside with a family!

4. A very interesting pet he and his companion found while out teaching one day.
5. This photo of of him "laying eggs" on Easter is proof he is still my son. He may be a wonderful missionary who serves the Lord every day, but he hasn't lost his ridiculous sense of humor in the process. That is good. I would miss it.

Days of Miracles and Wonder

Here is my card for Sketch #23 at Card Patterns. I had fun creating a card with some really girly colors and papers that I think will be a perfect baby card.

Close To My Heart products used: Celebrate Life Stamp Set (C1287), Butterfly Kiss Stamp Set (C1299), Perfect Day Level 2 Paper Pack (X7100B), Perfect Day Level 2 MyStickease (X7100C), That's Amore Level 2 Paper Pack (X7107B), Black Stamp Pad (Z2105), Clear Buttons (Z1155), Pastel Pencils (Z922)

Non-CTMH products used: Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist (love this stuff!)

This next sketch is a bonus sketch that was also revealed this morning at Card Patterns (#26). I've been into butterflies and dragonflies this week so I stuck with that theme for this card, but used a whole different color scheme which gives it, in my opinion, a totally different feel than my first card.


Close To My Heart products used: Celebrate Life Stamp Set (C1287), Colonial White Cardstock (1388), Olive Cardstock (1245), Silhouette Creative Basics Paper (X5803), Emporium Level 2 Paper Pack (X7105B), Black Stamp Pad (Z2105), Primary Pencils (Z921), Black Legacy Writers (4275), Designer Ribbon Rounds Black Collection (Z1034), 3D Foam Tape (Z1151), Autumn Terracotta Accents (retired).

Click here to order from my website 24/7...even in the days of miracles and wonder!

Darn!

Darn! I applied for the new Design Team over at Creative Scrappers and wasn't chosen. That's OK. I'll try again next time. I'm sure the people who were chosen are so talented and I look forward to seeing their work each week. Congrats to my blogging friend, Jamie Harder for being a returning design team member. Her work ROCKS! Check out her blog here.

This is the layout I created to apply for the position. Even though I wasn't chosen, I have to say that I was really happy with this layout. How could I not be with such cute little subject? I just love the stuffin' out of this grandbaby of mine!

Close To My Heart products used: Boom Di Ada Level 2 Paper Pack (X7095B), Boom Di Ada MyStickease (X7095C), Dimensional Elements Simple Alpha Lower (Z1048), Dimensional Elements Borders (Z1156), Mini-Medleys Autumn Garden Collection (Z1119), Autumn Buttons (Z1283), 3D Foam Tape (Z1151).

Click here to order from my website 24/7...even when you are exploring nature!