Tasty Tuesday: Depression Cake

This cake is anything but depressing!

I don't remember how I came across this recipe, but it made it into my notebook and might be my favorite cake.

The recipe came from the Great Depression, hence the name. If you are familiar with the time period, you know that ingredients were hard to come by, and money was extremely tight/nonexistent. So, people had to make do with what they had. I am glad this recipe still exists, because it is fantastic.

I do not like super chocolatey flavored food. Chocolate in itself is something I can live without. However, this cake is simple and not overpowering. You can dress it up however you want, just like my brownies; however, I prefer this with just a dusting of powdered sugar.



Chocolate Depression Cake

-1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
-1 cup sugar
-1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
-1/2 tsp salt
-1 tsp baking soda
-1 tsp vanilla extract
-1 tsp white vinegar
-1/3 cup vegetable oil
-1 cup water

1. Combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda in a large mixing bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, combine vanilla extract, vinegar, oil, and water. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients; mix until combined and no lumps remain.
3. Pour batter into greased 8x8 pan.
4. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
5. Let cake cool completely before decorating and cutting.

Tasty Tuesday: Basic Brownies

Warning: The next two Tasty Tuesdays focus on chocolate desserts, so if you don't like them... read it anyway lol.

Today's recipe is easy to make, easy to customize, and way too easy to eat. At one point I was making these brownies twice a week because they were requested so much. They have a nice rich flavor without being too heavy. You can add anything you can think of (I've done Andes mint pieces, walnuts, chocolate chips, peanut butter). Don't be afraid to experiment!

Without further ado, here is my favorite brownie recipe.

Basic Brownies

-1/2 cup vegetable oil or melted butter (butter gives a richer flavor)

-1 cup white sugar

-1 tsp vanilla extract

-2 large eggs

-1/2 cup all-purpose flour

-1/3 cup cocoa powder

-1/4 tsp baking powder

-1/4 tsp kosher salt

-1/2 mix-ins, if desired

1. Preheat over to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x9 inch baking pan.

2. In a medium bowl, mix together oil, vanilla, and sugar. Beat in eggs.

3. Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt (I usually sift everything into a bowl); gradually stir into egg mixture until blended. Stir in extras, if desired. Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan.

4. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until brownies begin to pull away from the edges of the pan. Let cool on wire rack before cutting into squares. (I will note, I do not have a wire rack, cooling it in the pan worked just as well.)

Tasty Tuesday: Garlic Dipping Sauce

Have you ever ordered pizza and gotten a side of garlic sauce? Of course you have, and you have probably wanted to drink it because OMG it's sooooo good. (Don't do that) And then, maybe next time you ask for extra. Don't do that, either!!! Why, though?

Because it is super easy and cheap to make. Most likely you have the ingredients already, so why bother shelling out money for a packaged product, when you can have it fresh? I prefer to make things whenever I can, so I know exactly what is going in my family's bodies.

WARNING

This is not a diet-friendly recipe!!!! However, if you are eating the ones that come with pizza, this is a better option.

Garlic Pizza Dipping Sauce

-1/8-1/4 cup butter or margarine
-1/2 tbsp garlic powder
-1/4 tsp salt

Melt butter in microwave, about 30 seconds. Add salt and garlic powder to taste. Microwave about 5 seconds longer. Done!

He's Gone...

Fifteen years ago, my cousin was murdered.

One of her killers committed suicide before trial. Now, the other one was found dead in prison. Her family now has closure...

Except me.

Everyone is relieved and glad he's gone. And maybe it is because I am more removed from the situation, but I don't feel that way. All I feel is everything I felt that first night that she was gone. I feel those powerful emotions that came when I read her obituary, and followed the newspaper reports of the court proceedings.

I feel that loss all over again.

Everyone keeps telling me I should be happy that there is finally justice. But, I didn't think of him, didn't care about him. The moment he went to prison, he was a distant memory, except to be glad he had to live with what he did.

Thinking about him doesn't bring Carrie back. For that, I sing. I look at pictures and videos of my beautiful angel, my big sister. And I relive all of our memories, because we had a ton. But, when I heard the news, that sorrow returned in full force, and I was faced with memories of loss, and the life she would never get to live, and how lonely it is without her.

Since the day I found out, my heart breaks over and over again every time I wake up. I wasn't healed before, but now yet again I am shattered. My best friend has been stolen yet again, because now all I see is his face.




I just wanted to share my thoughts, because I feel like no one understands my reaction. If you read this, thank you for dealing with my grief.

Happy New Year!!!

2020 is here, people!!!!

Obviously I am overexcited for this year. People closest to me know that last year was not my best, so I'm going to be working really hard to make sure the upcoming year is amazing, for myself and my family.

Some things I am looking forward to this year:

• getting to my goal weight
• building up my savings account
• going back to school for Psychology
• Disney trip
• consistently posting on blog and both YouTube channels

There is so much more, but those are the ones I am comfortable sharing ahead of time. Today starts my consistent posting on the blog, Youtube is going to take a little longer. Next week will continue the Tasty Tuesday and Worth It Wednesday series, with some amazing products and recipes for you to check out!

I hope you all have a great day, and Happy 2020 to you!! 



**OHHHHH, I saw a tip for this year I want to share with everyone: put the full year on any paperwork that requires a date. If you put it as 1/1/20, there is potential for an unsavory person to forge the date to make the document invalid. But, if it is written as 1/1/2020, there is no space to fill an invalid year.**