I have been making a lot of chocolate cakes lately, but that has given me more time to work on getting it just right.  I think I have it.  A perfectly moist, rich chocolate cake.  ​

I made one for a cub scouts banquet a couple of weeks ago and doubled the icing ingredients except I forgot to double the powdered sugar.  The icing was slowly making its way down the sides of the cake like slow moving lava.  I put the whole cake in the freezer while we ate dinner hoping the lava flow would stop and I could salvage the cake.  It did stop and the cake was devoured.  I think we brought home two slices.  Lesson learned:  Make sure to double all of the ingredients when doubling a recipe and people will eat it anyway.  It is chocolate after all.  

I made a cake last week for my son's school staff.  Parents are asked to bring things in once a month for staff birthday celebrations.  I would have loved that when I was teaching.  It was always exciting to find treats in the teacher's lounge and it did make me feel appreciated when the PTA did something for the school staff.  

When my husband saw that I had made yet another cake that would be exiting our house, he said, "I wish you would make a cake for us and not just for other people."  I thought about it and realized that he was right, although I know he ate a big slice of cake at the cub scout banquet so he wasn't completely deprived of all things delicious and chocolate.  

So alas here we are...a great big chocolate cake for our family.  The boys have been loving this.  One morning I even let them have cake at breakfast.  

A little goes a long way.  Enjoy this rich chocolate cake with a tall glass of cold milk. 

Cake Ingredients:

2 3/4 cups flour
1 cup cocoa powder
2 1/2 cups sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 cups buttermilk
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  

2.  Grease and flour two 9" cake pans , one 9 X 13 pan, or line cupcake cups with paper liners.

3.  Place all ingredients in mixer.  Start on a low speed to blend ingredients then increase speed to medium high and mix for about 3 minutes.  Scrape down sides of bowl as needed.  

4.  Pour batter into prepared pans and bake.  To test cake doneness, stick the center with a toothpick and when it comes out clean the cake is done.  

Two 9" rounds = 40-45 minutes
9 X 13 pan = 50-55 minutes
Cupcakes = 20-25 minutes 


Chocolate Frosting Ingredients:

1 12-ounce package semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips*
1 cup half-and-half 
1 1/2 cup butter (3 sticks) 
5 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (powdered sugar)

1. Combine the chocolate chips, half-and-half and butter in a heavy saucepan.

2. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate chips melt. Remove from heat.

3. Gradually add the confectioners' sugar, stirring well.

4. Put icing in mixing bowl and refrigerate until cold and firm (overnight or for several hours).  Then mix with electric mixer until light and fluffy.  

*Use semi-sweet chocolate chips to make a dark chocolate frosting and milk chocolate chips to make a milk chocolate frosting.  

Linking up at Friendship Friday, Create with Joy, Lou Lou Girls, Do Tell Tuesday, Share the Wealth

Pork Schnitzel is one of our favorite meals that I have been making for years.  In fact, this recipe has been on my blog for over three years.  

I have been making efforts to improve my food photography and I use my blog as my own personal recipe collection (meaning, a lot of these recipes are in our regular menu rotation), so as I can update recipes and photos, I will. 
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For anyone else interested in food photography, I have to recommend Tasty Food Photography.  See the button in the side bar.  You can order a copy using my link.  I will add it to the end of this post too.  Full disclosure, it is an affiliate link so if you purchase, thanks for supporting Home Ec @ Home.  If you are looking to improve your food photography this is a great place to start.  I quickly devoured this ebook, staying up a little later than I should have on more than one occasion, but it was worth the tired eyes.  There is so much practical information that is easy to use.  Compare this old Pork Schnitzel picture from three years ago (left) to this new one (right).  ​

I don't claim to be a food photography expert, but I see improvement.

Now back to the pork schnitzel.  We like to serve it with homemade applesauce and red cabbage with apples.  I buy red cabbage with apples in the international section of my grocery store.  All you have to do is heat it up and enjoy.  

We love red cabbage with apples.  I buy this in the international section of the grocery store.  Aldi has it too and it is delicious.  
​

​Instructions:  

• 4 thin boneless pork chops*
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 Tbsp milk
• 1 cup Japanese style Panko bread crumbs
• olive oil or canola oil

1.  Use a meat hammer to pound the pork cutlets to 1/4-1/8 inch thickness. ​

2.  Set out 3 shallow bowls.  One with a mixture of the flour, seasoned salt, and pepper.  The second with the egg and milk whisked together.  The third with a mixture of the panko bread crumbs and paprika.

3.  Drizzle a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet and heat at medium heat.  Dredge the cutlets first in the seasoned flour, then dip the cutlets in the egg mixture, and then into the mixture of bread crumbs.

4.  Working in batches, sauté the cutlets for 3-4 minutes on each side. Salt and pepper to taste.  When you flip the cutlets, drizzle more olive oil in the skillet as needed.  Remove the cutlets from the skillet and cover with foil or place in a warm oven to keep warm while you cook the remaining cutlets.  

*You may be able to find tenderized pork cutlets from a good meat department.  I buy them at our local University meat lab.  

Linking up at Create with Joy, Friendship Friday

I am so excited to be featured in Meg Makes today in the food section of The News Gazette.  Check it out and see my featured recipes.   

I saw a great video posted on one of my favorite blogs, Clover Lane, recently and thought I would share it with you.  Watch it and see what actual kids say they want most.  It is about children in Spain, but is subtitled in English.  

We live in such a busy, fast paced world that it is sometimes hard to slow down and just live and enjoy each moment with our children.  Remember the old saying about parenting that the days are long, but the years go fast.  Something to think about.  Our children want our presence, not presents.  Although they want things too, nothing can replace precious time spent together.  What do they really want? Our attention, time, and love.  

In 25 years will our children remember all the stuff they received?  Maybe, maybe not.  But more than likely they will remember playing catch in the backyard, baking cookies, and reading stories each night before bed.  

Linking up at Friendship Friday