Went-to-Heaven Chocolate Cake - Foodie Friday

It's Foodie Friday!

Went-to-Heaven Chocolate Cake

Well, I tried this cake last night and it was a hit with the Hubs. We are both trying to take off a few pounds, and both love chocolate.

Yes, another bundt cake, but this one is

Low Calorie -Low Sodium -Low Sat Fat- Heart Healthy

I used Hersey's Cocoa because that's what I have in my pantry, but the recipe calls for

Dutch-process cocoa because of it's deep chocolate flavor.

Ingredients

Cake
· 1 3/4 cups all-purpose white flour
· 1 cup white sugar
· 3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
· 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
· 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
· 1 teaspoon salt
· 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
· 1 cup packed light brown sugar
· 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
· 1/4 cup canola oil
· 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
· 1 cup hot strong black coffee

Icing
· 1 cup confectioners' sugar
· 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
· 1-2 tablespoons buttermilk, or low-fat milk

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly oil a 12-cup Bundt pan or coat it with nonstick cooking spray. Dust the pan with flour, invert and shake out the excess.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, white sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add buttermilk, brown sugar, eggs, oil and vanilla; beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes. Whisk in hot coffee until completely incorporated.

(The batter will be quite thin.)
3. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes; remove from the pan and let cool completely.
4. To make icing: In a small bowl, whisk together confectioners' sugar, vanilla and enough of the buttermilk or milk to make a thick but pourable icing. Set the cake on a serving plate and drizzle the icing over the top.

Nutrition Information
Per serving / Makes 16
Calories: 222
Carbohydrates: 44g
Fat: 5g
Saturated Fat: 1g
Monounsaturated Fat: 3g
Protein: 3g
Cholesterol: 27mg
Dietary Fiber: 2g
Potassium: 142mg Sodium: 340mg

Weight Watcher Points: 4

From "Eating Well" were Good Taste meets Good Health

http://www.eatingwell.com/

Love that Chocolate Cake!

Mumzie

For more delicious recipes for this weeks "Foodie Friday"

please visit Gollum @http://designsbygollum.blogspot.com/

Thanks Gollum for hosting this event!

Make Your Own Bath Salts

Bath Salts Mix

Three cups of Epsom Salt,
One tablespoon of glycerin and a couple of drops of essential oil,

such as lavender or eucalyptus.
You can add a few drops of food coloring.
Put into a pretty glass jar.
For a soothing bath, place 1/2 to 3/4 cup of this mixture into the hot water.

Relax and enjoy.

Sometimes all you need on a hot summer's day is a long hot soak in the tub.

Have a GREAT Thursday!

Mumzie

Pigeon Point Bluffs - Outdoor Wednesday 7/29/09

During the 1800s, as ship traffic increased along California shores, the area was known to mariners as exceptionally hazardous.

Many vessels fell victim to Pigeon Point's treacherous shoreline.
The construction of the Pigeon Point Lighthouse 50 miles south of San Francisco was the result of multiple fatal incidents, especially the sinking of Coya and Hellespont in the 1860s.


Living in the Central Valley, we are blessed to be able to travel an hour or so and see the great Pacific Ocean. So, for my birthday weekend, I had a yearning to see the ocean and visit one of our California Missions. We traveled down Highway 17 to Santa Cruz on Saturday, visited my little brother and enjoyed his belated 50Th birthday party that evening. The next morning we visited the Mission and attended Mass at the Holy Cross Church. We then traveled up the coast. Pigeon Point is just one of the many beautiful sites. We stopped in Davenport for some bakery goods and then to Pescadero and for lunch at Duarte's Tavern.

The weather was perfect and it was a great weekend.

It's Outdoor Wednesday hosted by the wonderful Susan @ A Southern Daydreamer. Please visit her blog to see other Outdoor Wednesday participants.

Happy Wednesday!

Mumzie

The Wallace Monument - Braveheart

The film won numerous Academy Awards back in 1995, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Makeup, and Best Sound Editing. It's also one of my favorite movies. It generated a huge interest in Scotland and in Scottish history, not only around the world, but also in Scotland itself. Fans come from all over the world to see the places in Scotland where William Wallace fought for Scottish freedom. And here we were...at the home of "Braveheart."

"Over 700 years ago tyranny and terror were the tools being used by England to rule Scotland. Occupied and oppressed, the Scottish nation sought a hero to challenge the cruelty of King Edward I. Someone to take the campaign for freedom into battle, and on to victory. When the two countries faced each other at the Battle of Stirling Bride in 1296, Scotland was led to victory by a figure destined to become a national hero - William Wallace."

http://www.nationalwallacemonument.com/

******

I took the above picture from the top of Stirling Castle, not aware at the time what the large structure in the distance was all about. I learned later it was the Wallace Monument the home of Braveheart. If you look closely, you will also see the Stirling Bridge at the bottom.

The National Wallace Monument - proudly standing on the Abbey Craig,

overlooking the city of Stirling.

The National Wallace Monument -

Enlarge the photo and look for Sir Wallace's statue on bottom right.

These pictures were taken on June 11, 2009 - - Day eleven of our vacation.

I love Scotland.




Hello and welcome to Outdoor Wednesday hosted by Susan at A Southern Daydreamer. Please visit her blog for a complete list of participants

Mumzie

Have a great Friday.....

Dost thou love life?

Then do not

squander time, for

that is the stuff life

is made of.

* * *

Remember how short my time is....

Psalm 89:47

*****

Said yesterday to to-morrow:

when I was young like you.

I, too, was fond of boasting

Of all I meant to do.

but while I fell a-dreaming

Along the pleasant way,

Before I scarcely knew it,

I found I was to-day!

And as to-day, so quickly

My little course was run,

I had not time to finish

One-half the thinks begun.

Would I could try it over,

But I can ne'er go back;

A yesterday forever,

I now must be, alack!

And so, my good to-morrow,

If you would make a name

That history shall cherish

Upon its roll of fame,

Be all prepared and ready

Your noblest part to play

In those new fleeting hours

When you shall be to-day.

---The Pacific

* * *

I'm off to finish all those projects, I've started and yet to start!

Mumzie

Poblano Chile Chicken Burgers - Yummmmm

Hey, we're fans of the old "Turkey Burger", and I saw this "Chicken Burger" recipe this morning on the "Today Show" from Martha Stewart.

********

This summer, cook up a spicier, zestier twist on the burger -- it's sure to become a new favorite. Poblano adds gentle heat to the topping. If you like, serve these burgers with watermelon and cucumber, plus lime wedges dipped in a mix of ancho chile powder and salt.

Ingredients
Serves 4
1 poblano chile
4 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 large white onion, halved and thinly sliced lengthwise
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 1/4 pounds ground chicken breast
4 slices sharp yellow cheddar
2 teaspoons butter, room temperature
4 whole-wheat burger buns, split
Directions
Over a low gas flame or under the broiler, roast chile until charred, about 6 minutes, turning frequently. Place in a bowl and cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Let chile steam 20 minutes, then rub with a paper towel to remove skin. Remove stem and seeds. Slice chile into 2-inch strips and return to bowl.
In a large skillet, heat 2 teaspoons oil over medium-high. Add onion and season with salt and pepper. Cook until onion is soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add onion to bowl with chile and stir to combine.
Form ground chicken into four 4-inch-wide patties and season with salt and pepper. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Add 2 teaspoons oil and swirl to coat. Working in batches, cook burgers 2 minutes. Flip, top each with cheese, and cook until cooked through, about 4 minutes more.
Meanwhile, heat broiler. Butter inside of buns and place on a baking sheet, buttered side up. Toast under broiler. Place burgers on buns and top with onion-and-chile mixture.

Guess what's for supper tonight?

Where's the Chicken?

Mumzie

Saturday Fun with Tapado

Tapado

Tapado & the Hubs

Beautiful skies that day, so I sat down in the middle of the pasture and looked up, what a view!

Scottish Thistles in Oakdale?

Couldn't resist taking a picture of this thistle which I almost sat on.

Standing still is hard...Tapado just wants to get going.

Crawford, he's from Crawford Texas but Oakdale is home now.

Such a cute dog.

Working on getting in shape.

Doing nicely between the poles.

Doing much better.

Crawford racing alongside.

Micky the pup...he's a cat chaser.

Both are having really great fun!

What a fun Saturday!

Mumzie

A Midsummer's Day - Collin's View

Today was a special day...for it was the first day I saw my grandson, Collin. What's strange is that he has not yet been born. His expected delivery date is on or around October 19th. This morning I went with my daughter Jen and her husband Curtis to see the little fellow at "Womb with a View" in Modesto. They use 3D-Live ultrasound (also known as 4D) to view the baby in live motion while still in the womb. It was something very special....he's a cute little guy and it was definitely confirmed...he's a boy! I'm very excited about his upcoming arrival this October. It was great to watch and see him today; but I'll wait until he's born before sharing any photos of the little guy. It seems strange to have already named him and everything. I guess things are different these days than they were way back in the olden days when my children were born. We all went out for lunch afterwards and then I came home and took these pictures.

The Sterling Dog

Are you looking at me? No we were looking for you.

We looked high and low for Scottish Terriers during our stay in Scotland.

We found one little guy in a shop walking towards Sterling Castle. Is he not cute? He has that Scotty attitude look just like our Connor boy

when the groomer tries to trim his front paws.

We found him just down the street from Sterling dog.

So cute!

Sterling Dog

This beautiful Siberian Husky caught my eye. Perhaps she is a Malamute, I'm not sure, because she did have brown eyes. I think she looks like a lady. I know Malamutes only have brown eyes, but I think Sibieian's can have blue or brown. Anyway, she looked like a real lady sitting proudly in her window. Her well manicured silver coat and big beautiful eyes were so charming. She seemed so content to just sit in the window and check everyone out as they walked by on their way to the Castle. I named her Sterling.

She has great views out her window.

So pretty.

Such a lady.
She's probably still sitting there in the window today.


Watching everyone walk by.....

Mumzie

Beautiful Hats & Old Magazines

I love hats!


Mumzie

Watermelon Salad - My Favorite

I usually use whatever fruit is in season.

This one was:

Watermelon

Cantalope

Grapes

Strawberries

Blueberries

Lemon Juice

YUMM!

Mumzie