4 Pound Turtle Cake

[KathieK]

hmm. sounds good, Jane! but the thread reminded me of a Kitty Litter cake we once had at work...

[JaneYoung]

Don't get me started, Kathie...do NOT get me started...

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Someone sent me the recipe for that kitty cake last week. It was just gross! Of course, some team members ordered me a birthday special down in Disney World during Chamionship one year. It was crushed Oreo Cookies (just the outside) with gummi worms. Looked like worms in dirt. They made me eat it but how do you dunk in milk?

[KathieK]

Originally Posted by Al Skierkiewicz

Someone sent me the recipe for that kitty cake last week. It was just gross! Of course, some team members ordered me a birthday special down in Disney World during Chamionship one year. It was crushed Oreo Cookies (just the outside) with gummi worms. Looked like worms in dirt. They made me eat it but how do you dunk in milk?

Up here we call that a "dirt cake" and it's often served in a sandpail. Kitty Litter cake is served in a (new) litter box and scooped out with the litter scoop, of course. Yellow cake mix, crumbled, with some green food coloring on some of it to represent the chlorophyll. Then take small tootsie rolls and warm them up and pinch off the ends to represent... well, you know. Place those on top. Voila! Kitty Litter Cake!

[Mark McLeod]

Originally Posted by Al Skierkiewicz

Looked like worms in dirt.

At some of our birthday parties when the kids were much younger we added chocolate pudding to that mixture and made individual cups of worms in mud. I got to finish off the uneaten cups. I picked out the worms though.

[Al Skierkiewicz]

OK, here is one from my wife, named for her Aunt Honey, it's Auntie Honey's chocolate cake. (or my birthday cake however you choose to look at it.) You can substitute decaf but that's just for wimps. And again, just for effect, (Mark and Kathie) that's just gross!

2 C flour
1-3/4 C sugar
1/2 C cocoa
1 T baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 C sour milk (if you don't have any, I add some vinegar to sour it)
1 C hot strong coffee (if you don't have any made, I use instant, but make it a bit strong)
2/3 C salad oil
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla

Mix all ingredients together. Bake in 350 degree oven for 45 minutes.
9x13 greased & floured pan.
Frost with fudge icing (below).

Fudge Icing -
2-1/2 C powdered sugar
4 sq baking chocolate
4 T margarine
1 tsp vanilla
dash salt
5 T milk

Melt margarine & chocolate over low heat. Remove from fire. Add remaining ingredients & beat until smooth. (If it gets a little lumpy, return to heat and beat, but watch so as not to scorch - add a few drops of milk.)
Spread over cake. (It's ok if it's a bit thick - it's yummy.)

Enjoy!

Dottie

[JaneYoung]

Originally Posted by MissInformation

I'm thinking I may make some toffee bark on Tuesday (lots of chocolate there)... and this time maybe I'll add the pecans like the recipe says!

Heidi

OK, I would love to have Heidi's toffee bark recipe.

and - since we have discussed - kitty - litter, I thought it might be nice to add some - bark -.

[MissInformation]

Originally Posted by Jane

OK, I would love to have Heidi's toffee bark recipe.

and - since we have discussed - kitty - litter, I thought it might be nice to add some - bark -.

Now everyone will know how easy my toffee bark is to make... yeah, easy, but good... it's gotten me many declarations of love and even a marriage proposal or two... So here it is:

Toffee Bark:
Line a buttered cookie sheet with graham crackers.
Combine and boil for 3 minutes:
1 Cup Margarine (or butter)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup pecans
Pour over graham crackers and bake at 350 for 10 minutes.
Pour 12 oz. chocolate chips over it when come out of oven.
Spread when melted. Refrigerate and break into pieces when hard.
Store in air-tight container.

You can leave the pecans out, which I do most of the time because I usually make these for Robotics and I don't want to have to worry about nut allergies, though why anyone allergic to nuts would be on a robotics team is beyond me... after all, we're all nuts there. If you leave out the pecans, you have to lessen the boiling time by at least 30 seconds.

Heidi (who will be making toffee bark in about an hour)

P.S. The chips should be semi-sweet or milk chocolate (I tried dark chocolate once, and it was odd) and if you use margarin, use a kind with dairy. I tried making a Vegan variety of this once for Eric's sisters using vegan margarin and the dark chocolate chips, and it was nasty, very very nasty.

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Yum,
We call them toffee squares up here and we (my wife) only makes them at Christmas. Good eating, milk or coffee on the side is your choice.

[JaneYoung]

Originally Posted by Jane

Is it nice and fall-ish out east yet? This is another perfect fall recipe, me-thinks.

Would anyone like to chime in with a leaves report in your neck of the woods? Color, hint of color, smell of autumn?

I get to start making soups soon.....

[KathieK]

Originally Posted by Jane

Would anyone like to chime in with a leaves report in your neck of the woods? Color, hint of color, smell of autumn?

I get to start making soups soon.....

CT update - leaves are starting to turn but are behind our normal season slightly. Many trees have developed mold/fungus infections due to the rains earlier this year and the leaves are dropping early without turning color. Allergies are bothersome due to the mold. Pumpkins, mums and apples are being sold everywhere and there's a hint of fall in the air!

[Mark McLeod]

On L.I. the trees are lagging about a month behind. Most are still green. a couple have started to drop brown leaves. Like Kathie's area we've had higher than normal rainfall.

I do have one tree outside my window with the tips of two branches a flaming red, and a couple of young trees I can see in the distance are red.

I take a parkway to work and it's really pretty when the trees are all changing, but it hasn't really started yet.

[MissInformation]

Originally Posted by Jane

Would anyone like to chime in with a leaves report in your neck of the woods? Color, hint of color, smell of autumn?

I get to start making soups soon.....

Today was in the low 70s and the sky was bright blue with a few wispy clouds straggling about... but the leaves are still green. When will nature put on her autumn dress? Soon I think, soon. The temperature is starting to go into a downslide... on Friday, the high is predicted at 64 with an overnight of 43... and that nip in the air is a good omen of orange, yellow, and red leaves to come...

Heidi

[KarenH]

Originally Posted by Jane

Would anyone like to chime in with a leaves report in your neck of the woods? Color, hint of color, smell of autumn?

Since it's about 50 miles from here, I can't see it, but we're getting our usual fall colors--pale gray or brown smoke in the air, white ashes on the cars, flaming orange leaves (literally flaming--but only slightly brighter than New England maples at their best), charcoal black hillsides... Smell of burning brush (yes, the smoke even came our way for a day or two)... Did you know we call California "The Golden State" because of the golden air?

The Day Fire continues to burn unabated; today it's threatening Lockwood Valley, which is uncomfortably close to where our team leader lives. We could really use some rain up there... Prayers for our firefighters and area residents would be appreciated.

[JaneYoung]

Originally Posted by KarenH

The Day Fire continues to burn unabated; today it's threatening Lockwood Valley, which is uncomfortably close to where our team leader lives. We could really use some rain up there... Prayers for our firefighters and area residents would be appreciated.

Things are sounding serious out your way, Karen. My thoughts and prayers are with your fire fighters and residents.

Jane