tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-875332497263654282.post8741064013752946624..comments2008-06-20T04:42:59.003-04:00Kimberly Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04251317057797217082noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-875332497263654282.post-52420125094303083392008-06-20T04:42:00.000-04:002008-06-20T04:42:00.000-04:002008-06-20T04:42:00.000-04:00Oh my. I'm a bit of a lurker on your site, though I think I've left a comment or two at this point so perhaps you'll recognize me. I'm so sorry to hear...but it does sound like one of those good riddance things. I am half Italian, and unfortunately, culturally "real" Italian boys are often OCD on their Mama's...I think in part it depends on what order in the family they are. I would guess your man was one of the younger ones. That's the worst. Anyway, for some reason when I read your post about eating and not eating (I'm the same way, BTW, when I'm heartbroken I can't eat at all) I remembered this great book I have titled "Consuming Passions" by Michael Lee West -- a southern, foodie woman who wrote one of those foodie memoirs of the type I really love. I flashed on some sort of cake recipe she had in there and looked it up. <BR/><BR/>In her prologue to the recipe she says: "In my family, whenever a chocolate sheet cake appeared, it was usually to soothe a broken heart, or to soften the impact of an impulsive thrift-shop purchase." <BR/><BR/>Even though it's been a few years since I read this book, for some reason the broken heart/chocolate cake thing stayed in my mind, and then it popped to the surface when I read your beet it! entry. With no further ado, then, here's the recipe: <BR/><BR/>Brabham Family Chocolate Sheet Cake<BR/><BR/>2 cups all-purpose flour<BR/>2 cups sugar (um, yeah, yikes!)<BR/>1 cup water<BR/>2 sticks unsalted butter (double yikes!)<BR/>4 tablespoons cocoa<BR/>1/2 cup buttermilk <BR/>3 eggs, lightly beaten<BR/>1/2 teaspoon salt<BR/>1 scant teaspoon ground cinnamon<BR/>1 teaspoon baking soda<BR/>1 teaspoon vanilla<BR/><BR/>Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a big bowl, mix the flour with the sugar. Boil the one cup of water in a large saucepan. Add the butter and the cocoa. Mix until the butter melts and the sauce is thick. Pour over the flour-and-sugar mixture. Using a large spoon, blend well. Add the buttermilk, eggs, salt, cinnamon, baking soda, and vanilla. Mix. Pour into a buttered 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake 35 minutes. Cool 5 minutes and ice the cake in the pan. <BR/><BR/>Chocolate Icing<BR/><BR/>1 stick unsalted butter (e-gads)<BR/>4 tablespoons cocoa<BR/>6 tablespoons milk<BR/>3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar<BR/>1 tablespoon vanilla<BR/>1 cup chopped pecans<BR/><BR/>In a saucepan, melt the butter. Add the cocoa and blend. Slowly add the milk, whisking. Remove from the heat, then add the confectioners' sugar. Beat. The icing will be grainy, almost lumpy. Beat in the vanilla and the chopped pecans. Spread over the cake. Work fast -- the icing dries quickly. It's traditional to have a young assistant lick the pan (I'm just copying this stuff down...I see nothing wrong with the baker licking the pan). <BR/><BR/>So. There you have it. My two cents on feeling better. Sorry about the calories, but you've starved for a week already so you deserve it. <BR/><BR/>BTW, should you buy and read the book, I've actually made her macaroni and cheese for friends and it was a huge hit. Not heart healthy, but fantastically delicious. Her book rocks. A definite mood lifter if ever there was one. <BR/><BR/>Feel better. <BR/><BR/>P.S. If you actually make the cake, I'd love to hear how it turns out. <BR/> <BR/>GMS<BR/>http://pettyvices.typepad.com/petty_vices/ginashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457428869860187526noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-875332497263654282.post-88827372839338260662008-06-19T14:37:00.000-04:002008-06-19T14:37:00.000-04:002008-06-19T14:37:00.000-04:00Unfortunately in my experience they (the Italian men) are all mama's boys in the end. I'd rather the blue cheese.Butter Cupcakeryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18344638936547639378noreply@blogger.com