Guess What Today Is?

No, it's not the day I'm finally committed to the wacko-ward. Although that IS probably coming soon.

Today is National Lost Sock Memorial Day!

That's right! Today is the day we celebrate all those missing socks...the purple argyle that was a present from your eccentric aunt, the zillion and one black/grey/white sports socks, the novelty lion print you couldn't resist on your trip to the zoo...wait, was that last one just me? Anyway, today is the day to gather around your clothes dryers and scream "Where? Where are they, rat bastard?!? Gimme back my socks!"

Foodie Friday: Sloppy Joe Stuffed Peppers

This is one of those things that just kind of jumped out at me when I was looking for a new dish to try. It's fairly easy and surprisingly good!

MOM'S SLOPPY JOE STUFFED PEPPERS

PREP TIME
5 mins
COOK TIME
30 mins
TOTAL TIME
35 mins

Author: Morgan

Serves: 6

INGREDIENTS

3 bell peppers (I prefer red, orange, and yellow)
1 lb lean ground turkey
1 can Sloppy Joe sauce (we use Hunt's Manwich)
1 tablespoon canola oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
6 slices colby jack or cheddar cheese
Parsley or green onion, chopped, to garnish (optional)
Brown rice, cooked, to serve (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Using a paring knife or other small knife, cut around the stem to remove it from the pepper and discard.
Cut the pepper in half and cut out any leftover seeds or membrane.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large, heavy bottomed skillet over medium-high heat, add a drizzle of canola oil. Once the oil is hot, add in the ground turkey, breaking it apart as it browns.
Once the turkey browns, drain off any excess liquid. Add in the Sloppy Joe sauce, cook for 2 minutes, and then cover and reduce heat to low.
Spray a large, oven-safe dish with nonstick cooking spray and place in the peppers, cut side up. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until slightly softened.
Divide the Sloppy Joe turkey meat evenly among the pepper halves. Bake again for 15 minutes.
Top each pepper half with a slice of cheese and bake one last time, for 5 minutes or until the cheese has completely melted.
Garnish with parsley or green onion, if you'd like, and serve with brown rice.


Of course those who know me, know I hate brown rice, so this gets served with white rice. Cornbread is also a good side for this.

Books & Bloggers Swap Reveal

I can't believe I almost forgot to post this! My partner, Tula, sent me some great looking books.

Apologies for the picture quality. Photography is not my best skill. Not pictured are the candy bar & Starbucks card that Tula generously included. Those were used almost immediately!

Anyway, it was a great exchange & I'm looking forward to doing another one sometime!

Derby Update

I've seen everything but the drunk with no pants. I figure that one will roll in just after the Derby run when the infield celebrates with the Running of the Porta-Potties. 😝

Yep, it's Derby Time again...

I'm out here at the track as the mobile property clerk. I had to come in at 7 this morning, which was NOT pretty!

Anyway, to keep myself entertained, I've come up with a Fashion Victim Bingo chart. We'll see how many I've checked off by the end of the day.

1. Man in seersucker suit with visible underwear lines.

2. Man in seersucker suit with lack of underwear clearly visible.

3. Woman with skirt that could double for headband.

4. Woman with more material in her hat than in her entire outfit.

5. Group of frat boy types in coordinating ugly plaid shorts.

6. Woman wearing heels too high with skirt too short.

7. Anyone wearing ugly novelty hat.

8. Drunk guy without pants. (Seriously, I have seen this. They usually lose them fighting in the infield)

9. Couple who have taken the matchy matchy look WAY too far.

10. Trifecta- woman in hat too big, heels too tall, dress that provides inadequate coverage on both ends.

Chech back later to see how I did!z

Foodie Friday- Tunnel of Fudge Cake

I *LOVE* a good chocolate cake and this is one of my favorites!

Quick Tunnel of Fudge Cake
Source: Chocolate from the Cake Mix Doctor by Anne Byrn
Servings: 16

FILLING
1 1/2 cups milk
1 pkg.(3.4 oz) chocolate fudge pudding and pie filling mix (not instant)
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 Tbsp. butter

CAKE
vegetable oil spray for misting the pan
flour for dusting the pan
1 pkg (18.25 oz.) devil's food cake mix with pudding
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup water
4 large eggs
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 cups finely chopped walnuts

Place the milk in a medium size saucepan and whisk in the pudding mix. Cook, stirring, over medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil, 4-5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the chocolate chips and butter. Stir until the pudding is smooth and thickened and the chocolate has melted. Set the pan aside.

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 deg. F. Lightly mist a 12 cup Bundt pan with vegetable oil spray, then dust with flour. Shake out the excess flour. Set the pan aside.

Place the cake mix, oil, sour cream, water, eggs, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 min. more, scraping the sides down again if needed. The batter should look thick and well combined. Fold in the walnuts, making sure they are well distributed throughout the batter.

Reserve 2 cups of the batter. Pour the remaining batter into the prepared pan. Spoon the pudding filling in a ring on top of the batter, making sure it does not touch the sides of the pan. Spoon the reserved batter over the filling, smoothing it out with the rubber spatula. Place the pan in the oven.

Bake the cake until it springs back when lightly pressed with your finger and is just starting to pull away from the sides of the pan, 45 to 50 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes. Run a long, sharp knife around the edge of the cake and invert it onto a rack to cool completely, 20 minutes more.

Meanwhile, prepare chocolate icing.

Place the cake on a serving platter and pour the warm icing over it. Let the cake rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Slice and serve.

* Store this cake, wrapped in aluminum foil or plastic wrap, or in a cake saver, at room temperature for up to 1 week. Or freeze it, wrapped in foil, for up to 6 months. Thaw the cake overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

Her note: This cake contains a lot of walnuts simply because that's how Ella Rita Helfrich created it. If you want to cut back to 1-1/2 cups, that's fine. Just make sure the nuts are finely chopped so they don't interfere with the crumb of the cake. You can do this easily in a food processor or with a good sharp knife and a cutting board.

Pour your favorite chocolate glaze over the cake, or Martha's Chocolate Icing as I recommend here. Or just dust it with some confectioners' sugar and leave it as is. With the pudding inside, this cake needs little adornment. Note that I call for regular pudding mix here; not the instant kind."

MARTHA'S CHOCOLATE ICING
1 cup granulated sugar
5 Tbsp. butter
1/3 cup whole milk
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Place the sugar, butter, and milk in a medium-size saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until the mixture comes to a boil, 3-4 min. Still stirring, let the mixture boil until the sugar dissolves, 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat.

Stir in the chocolate chips, and continue to stir until the mixture is smooth and the chocolate has melted.

Spread the icing over the cooled cake or cupcakes of your choice.


My notes: I usually leave the nuts out altogether. I like them, but prefer the pure chocolate. I also usually skip the icing and use just a bit of powdered sugar over a slice or eat it plain.

Foodie Friday: Angelica's Carrot Cake

I love a good mystery novel. Thrillers, police procedurals, cozy mysteries, I love them all. Lorna Barrett's Booktown series combines bookstore & foodie happenings into one fun series AND she shares recipes like this one!

Angelica’s Carrot Cake

6 cups grated carrots
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup raisins
4 eggs
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup chopped walnuts

In a medium bowl, combine grated carrots and brown sugar. Set aside for 60 minutes, then stir in the raisins.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 10 inch cake pans.

In a large bowl, beat eggs until light. Gradually beat in the white sugar, oil and vanilla. Stir in the pineapple. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon, stir into the wet mixture until absorbed. Finally stir in the carrot mixture and the walnuts. Pour evenly into the prepared pans.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes in the preheated oven until the cake tests done with a toothpick. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan. When completely cooled, frost with maple butter cream frosting.

Maple Butter Cream Frosting

1 cup butter, softened
2 3/4 cups Confectioner’s sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
¼ cup chopped walnuts

Place the softened butter in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer for 30-40 seconds until whipped. Scrape the sides of the bowl. Sift the confectioner’s sugar into the bowl. Beat with mixer for 30 to 40 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl and add the brown sugar and maple syrup. Beat for 2 to 3 minutes or until the mixture is fluffy; scraping sides of bowl as needed. Stir in walnuts until just until mixed and spread on the cooled cake.