Get Well Card

Here is a Get Well Card I made for a friend's husband.  It is with one of my favorite retired Stampin' Up! sets called Happy Healing.  I used Designer Paper from Stampin Up as well and cut out the image and words with Nesties.

Now I am off to finish the California Gold Rush Ghirardelli Chocolate Bundt Card I made for a family birthday - has Ghirardelli Milk Chocolate Carmel Squares and Toased Pecns hidden in the middle!  Can't wait to taste it.  I will let you know how it turns out.  I am also baking a Cheesy Chicken Casserole for dinner too!  OMG! I feel like Julie in the movie Julie & Julia writing this in my blog!  I had a flash back to my youth when I was mixing the cake and then baking the chicken ahead of time for the casserole for dinner tonight, it was about when my sister Karen and I were little girls visitng my Grandma and Great-Grandma in Monroe, Washington.  Right after breakfast they would start preparing items for dinner and we would laugh about us just getting done with breakfast.  Does this mean I am turning into my Grandma and Great-Grandma or just thinking ahead?

Well I just TRIED getting the bundt cake out of the pan and it didn't come out in one piece...got it reshaped (not as pretty though) on the plate.  The part that stuck to the pan is oh so tasty though - yes I had to sample it and so did Rick.  You know the saying "Never trust a cook who doesn't eat their own cooking so I HAD to taste it - I sprinkled it with powdered sugar and it looks presentable for family, especially my family - They will eat most anything!.  Need to grease the pan better next time.  Here is the recipe if you want to try it:

Ghirardelli California Gold Rush Cake

 

Michele Covarrubias of Lodi won first place with this recipe in the Ghirardelli Chocolate Championship at the California State Fair.

·        8 ounces (two 4-ounce bars) Ghirardelli 100 percent Cacao Unsweetened Chocolate Baking Bar, chopped (I used 60% - found at Fred Myers, couldn't find 100%)

·        1 cup unsalted butter

·        3 cups granulated sugar

·        5 eggs

·        1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

·        1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

·        1 teaspoon salt

·        1 bag (5.3 ounces) Ghirardelli Chocolate Squares, Milk Chocolate with Caramel Filling, unwrapped

·        1/2 cup toasted pecans, finely chopped

·        1/4 cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray fluted two-quart bundt pan with baking style cooking spray. In a one-quart saucepan over low heat, melt butter and both baking bars. Remove from heat when chocolate is almost entirely melted. Continue stirring until chocolate is completely melted. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine flour and salt. Set aside.

In a stand mixer on low speed, mix sugar, eggs and vanilla. When these are incorporated, gradually increase speed to medium-high. Beat on medium-high for approximately 10 minutes. (got to love that Kitchen Aid Mixer I bought for myself last Christmas!)  Batter will be pale yellow and fluffy. Alternately add chocolate mixture and flour mixture to egg batter, beginning and ending with the chocolate. Mix until just incorporated.

Pour half of the batter into prepared pan. Place unwrapped Milk Chocolate Squares side by side around the center of the pan on top of the batter.

Sprinkle toasted pecans over the chocolate squares. Pour the rest of the batter in the pan, spreading it evenly over the candy and nuts. Bake cake at 350 degrees for 45 to 55 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for about 15 to 20 minutes. Invert cake onto serving plate and cool completely.

Before serving, dust cake with powdered sugar.