"What's cookin' round here" June 2015

Moist Chocolate Cake

The locals (and some tiny people in my family) have really enjoyed the dessert course of meals we've shared with them in our home, especially this cake.  This month, I took a break from hosting locals for dinner but I still had the opportunity to make this favorite of ours for a precious friend who moved away. Mine doesn't always turn out pretty but it is usually a hit with the taste buds.

Original recipe from http://foodess.com/1982-moist-chocolate-cake.html

IT'S A SUPER EASY AND REALLY YUMMY CAKE! Only make it for guests though since, it's full of yumminess which translates to sugar and fat lol
I have made it with a simple cream cheese icing since I've been able to score cream cheese here and it's a treat for everyone to have that here, but any icing would be good on it. I've tried it here with white butter cream icing also. Any who, on to the recipe:

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk (or substitute by putting 1 tbsp white vinegar in a cup and then filling the rest up with milk; let stand for 5 minutes until thickened)
1/2 cup melted butter
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 cup hot coffee (or 2 tsp instant coffee in 1 cup boiling water)

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degree (or if you are in my apartment, just the highest setting the oven goes and just keep a watch on it!).  Grease and flour two 9-inch baking pans (or line with parchment paper) (I now use one big 9x13 pan instead) and set aside.

2. Stir together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Stir together the eggs, buttermilk, melted butter, and vanilla.  (although the original recipe does not call for using two bowls, one for dry and one for wet ingredients, I use two bowls and then combine them) Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and beat until smooth (about 3 minutes).  Stir in the hot coffee with a rubber spatula. The Batter will be very runny.

3. Pour the batter evenly between the two pans (or in the one big pan)and bake on middle rack of oven for about 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with a few moist crumbs attached.

4. Allow to cool 15 minutes, then run a butter knife around the edge of the cake.  Cool completely before frosting.

June 2015

William and Kaitlynn teaching a friend to do "ring around the rosies". He doesn't like the fall down part because the kids get their pants dusty. lol 

On my way to tutoring using the tram.

the remote to our air conditioner...after 8 months, I had to ask someone to help me figure out what the thing says since it's in the other language spoken here...you know the one I don't even know how to count in lol 

It's fun to have friends who make you a cardboard shield. 

Just a little light reading 

during a trip to the Dinosaur "Museum"...don't think bones and artifacts, think moving, rubberized, roaring, motion sensored  "real" dinosaurs! It was really cool!

So thankful for the shade around our home and on my way home from the bazaar. It's a precious gift in the heat and was rest to my soul to look at this cool path He gave us. 

Thankful they sell steamed corn on the cob...most people don't know it, but I'm quite fond of corn on the cob.  I might have eaten 5 of them the first time Jeremy came to meet my family when we were courting, maybe. :)

Thankful my sweet friend and house helper loves our kids and can make them giggle and laugh :) 

our littlest thrill seeker loves to swing..."higher higher"

Just a boy and man on a horse...right outside our apartment...in the middle of a city where over 3 million people live.

Two totally different yet totally cool kids...one sweats if he doesn't have an air conditioner and the other wants long sleeve pjs to sleep in when it's 100 degrees. 

These guys love that there is a shopping cart at this supermarket to drive.  They played in a play car like this in the states EVERY DAY and we are thankful when they get to enjoy a car ride like this here.

My sweet spot...Jeremy went to the Aqua Park and took pictures so I could know what to expect before he sent me and a local friend there for a few hours...I LOVED IT! It was very refreshing and I totally forgot that I was in the middle of Central Asia and that it was hot because the water was AWESOME! Thanking Him for simply precious gifts like this! Oh and the kids LOVED it the next day and a week later with friends! 

Kaitlynn and William love this bread and jam that a very special friend of ours makes here. We are thankful for her and for her awesome cooking skills too!

Yeah, that's a triceratops, I think. 

How you know your food is ready

When we pick up William from his school now that it's how, all the kids are in their undies...the first day it was a bit to take in for me, but now I totally understand...It's freaking hot in there! No fan or air, over 100 degrees outside, no shade on the building, and 20-30 three year olds, I'd be a sweaty mess in there! lol If you thought William liked to be without his clothes in Georgia, you should see him now...the second he comes inside he strips down and if you ask him what he is doing he will tell you he is hot and everyone at school does it..duh mom.


:) Until next time!