Grasshopper New Media Presents...

You know why I’m so happy? I’m not penned in between the Nekkid Neighbors and the Nasty Neighbor. That’s right. We’re on vacation. Ta-da!!!! In Colorado, no less. (Denver at the moment.) The weather’s perfect, thanks for asking.

Our neighbors at home have left this stay-at-home Wacky Mommy a little stressed. I was more than ready to hit the road. It’s not that I wish any harm on the Nasty and Nekkid Neighbors, it’s just… I sometimes wish they’d spontaneously combust. And take their families with them. Our house are a wee bit too close together.

But here in suburbia? Spacious lots. We’re staying with my mother-in-law, who has kindly opened house and hearth to us. We had a family reunion night before last, with her side of the family, and tomorrow we head to Vail for a family reunion with my father-in-law’s side. This morning my mother-in-law asked my daughter to go to her senior tap-dance class with her, so Wacky Girl could test out her new tap shoes. I tagged along. It was so fun. They danced to “Steam Heat,” “All That Jazz,” “One,” and some other standards. Wacky Girl kept up with the butterfly time-steps, the jazz hands, jazz squares… I’m signing her up for tap-dancing again as soon as we get back to town — it’s been awhile since she’s taken dance classes.

Would you like my mother-in-law’s recipe for Microwave Cherry Chocolate Cake? Yeah, I thought so.

Ingredients
1 2-layer chocolate cake mix (we like devil’s food)
1 can cherry pie filling
1 tablespoon almond extract
2 eggs
Powdered sugar or chocolate frosting

Process

Beat eggs, add almond extract and cherry pie filling. Mix ’til combined. Add cake mix and mix by hand until thoroughly combined.

Pour into pan and bake:

9 x 13-inch glass baking dish: 11-12 minutes
Microwaveable Bundt pan: 15-16 minutes

Cover with waxed paper and let stand for 5-10 minutes.

Turn out cake and frost with powdered sugar or chocolate frosting when cool. Great with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream on the side.

Bon appetit!

[tags]kids, children, food, family, fun, recipe, cake, neighbors[/tags]
Photo graciously provided by *reesie, through a Creative Commons license, some rights reserved