WOW! NEW FAVORITE CAKE!

Mocha Chocolate Icebox Cake

To celebrate Father's Day and kick off my birthday week, my mom made this for dessert from the Barefoot Contessa! SO YUM!!!  This is rich, but the leftovers will be calling my name tomorrow for breakfast I am sure!

2 c cold heavy cream
12 oz mascarpone cheese
1/2 c sugar
1/4 c kahlua
2T unsweetened cocoa powder
1t instant expresso powder (my mom skipped this as we do not like coffee tasting things!)
1 t vanilla extract
3 8oz packages of chocolate chip cookies (she used enteman's boxed cookies)
shaved semi sweet chocolate for garnish

In a bowl combine (with mixer) heavy cream, mascarpone, sugar, coffee liqueor, cocoa powder, and vanilla.  mix on low to combine, and raise speed until it forms firm peeks.

To assemble cake, arrange cookies flat on a 8inch spring form pan, covering the bottom as much as possible (she broke cookies to fill in gaps).  Spread the mixture on top (evenly), place another layer of cookies, add more mixture until full, ending with a layer of cream on top.

Cover and put in fridge overnight.

Run a small sharp knife around the outside of the cake and remove the sides. Sprinkle with shaved chocolate, cut in wedges and serve...........

~~~It did not look as pretty as the Contessa's version, but OMG......YUMMO!!!!!!!

Growing up

My J is growing up.  As part of his birthday he wanted us to "redo" his little kid room (of transportation) into something cooler...Like sports.  After being sad for a bit, I pulled out my primer and sadly primed over the hand painted race cars I had painted in that room 4 years ago.....I was letting it go.  He was growing up.

J and I went out and found "posters" (not my choice!) of teams he wanted in his room. I would have picked all vintage sports stuff, but this was his room, his choice, my money!  LOL

He stuck with Chicago teams but wants to add more pendants from places our friends and family live.  No sport was left out. Baseball, Football, Basketball and Hockey were the picks.  We even tossed in soccer too.

On his birthday, while he was at school I loaded up the room for him.  He wanted the load in to be a surprise and I added a few more things too. 

 Was able to flip his "car" quilt over for a plain blue!  Cheap!  Love it!

 Found that great subway art online and spray painted a frame from his room red to match!

I found the desk chair on the curb..I actually found 4 so I spray painted it red too!

He loves his new room! It is so "him".  I spent less than 75.00 on the entire thing, including posters.  We are not working on C's room, who WANTS transportation!  Stay tuned!

~SUMMER~

WOW!  Only one week into our official summer break and we are going a mile a minute...2 soccer camps (one for each boy) is keeping me in my car much more than I would like....BUT....I have finished (I think) the porch table project! (Photo's coming later!) 

After numerous emails to some of my most crafty friends, they guided me in 200 different directions, having me really think about the table.I came up with a variation of different ideas, tried them, hated it, sanded, primed and repainted MANY times. While my hubby thought plain white was fine the entire time!  (what does he know!) 

I stuck with my original idea of keeping it pink and green and little else (although I tried other colors too!)  The simplicity of the table is what I love.  The small pops of color! 

My porch and yard are now complete for this season.  6 flats of pink impatiens, countless pots full of colors, super green grass and trimming our overgrown hedge has made our yard "the party place", just in time for the 4th of July!   I love living outside with my pretty pink yard and relaxing on my ubber preppy porch!  I wish it was summer all year long!

I am off to clean off the porch (the pollen is leaving a lovely yellow dust on everything) and will share later!