Scrape the Plate Good!

So, I've been reading Priscilla Shirer's book The Resolution for Women. In it, she describes how over a delicious chocolate cake, and some awesome girl talk, she realized that she was not living her life to God's fullest. She was discontent, and rushing through, not savoring each moment like she was the chocolate cake she was partaking. I so can identify with her.

Today, during the live simulcast, she was joined by 2 other women and all mentionned LOVING chocolate. Her cousin was touted as being the queen of chocolate ( or something to that effect) and so I said that I would use my blog to post my favorite chocolate recipe, and hopefully, some of the women will join me in sharing their favorite chocolate treats!

It's hard to live lives of contentment. Let's remind ourselves to savor our lives, both the good and the not so good, as we do some of our favorite treats! Without Further Ado:

DOUBLE DARK CHOCOLATE CAKE
1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup of cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup water
6 Tablespoons oil
1 Tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Mix all ingredients until well combined. Pour into an 8x8 greased pan. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.

* For frosting chocolate cakes, you could go with a chocolate frosting, but my favorite is cream cheese frosting and my family's favorite is peanut butter frosting.

Oh, and just because I'm in the mood and I had typed this up for my sister today, here is another chocolate recipe!

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE
2 T salted butter
6oz semisweet chocolate chips (1 c)
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs separated
2 T sugar
1/2 c heavy cream

1. Make a double boiler by setting a metal bowl on top of a medium saucepan filled with a couple inches of water. Add the butter to the bowl and then set the heat to low. When the butter has melted, add the chocolate chips. When the chips are melted, add the vanilla. Remove the bowl from the heat and whisk in the egg yolks.

2. In separate bowl, beat the egg whites until they form softpeaks. Stir egg whites into the chocolate mixture.

3. In another medium bowl, combine sugar with the cream, and then whip the cream until stiff. Fold the whipped cream into the chocolate.

* Mousse will be quite soft at this point, but will definitely set up to a chilled pudding consistency after its been in the fridge for a while.