Chile Rellenos

There is nothing like homemade Mexican food. I was completely spoiled growing up. When it came to Mexican food, I had it made! Many of our Gomez family gatherings included homemade Mexican dishes that were absolutely delicious. Cooking husband and I are attempting to learn the recipes and we were lucky enough to help my mom make chile rellenos not too long ago. They were sooooooo very scrumptious. Take a gander...

Chile Rellenos

Source: Kitchen of Grandma Gomez

Servings: makes 5 rellenos

For the Chile Rellenos:

5 fresh poblano chile's, peeled and seeded (or 1 large can peeled green chile's)

1 lb ground beef

1 tablespoon onion, chopped

1/2 packet taco seasoning (or a little more than 2 tablespoons if using from container or homemade)

1/2 lb cheddar cheese (or Queso Oaxaca - a white Mexican cheese), cut into 1/2 inch thick strips

4 eggs

1/4 teaspoon salt

Vegetable oil to coat griddle

For the sauce:
2 eight ounce cans tomato sauce

8 ounces water

2 tablespoons onion, chopped
1/2 packet taco seasoning (or a little more than 2 tablespoons if using from container or homemade)
1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/4 teaspoon salt

Peel pablano's by roasting skin over an open flame or burner until it bubbles and blackens. Do this on both sides. Place in plastic bag for about 30 minutes. When pablano's have steamed and cooled, rinse and remove skins. Pat dry. If using canned chile's - drain, rinse and pat dry. Slit poblano's on one side, remove seeds and set aside.

Cook ground beef, onion and taco seasoning. Drain and set aside. Cut cheese into 1/2 inch thick strips, making sure they are a little shorter than the poblano's. Stuff poblano's with 1 heaping tablespoon ground beef mixture, 1 strip cheese and bring edges together. Place in fridge for 20 minutes.

Separate egg whites from egg yolks and place each in their own bowl. Beat egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Beat egg yolks with salt until combined. Gently fold yolk mixture into egg whites. 

Coat griddle with vegetable oil and set to medium heat. Place 5 large spoonfuls of egg mixture on griddle. Place stuffed poblano's in middle of egg mixture. Place 5 more large spoonfuls of egg mixture on top of each stuffed poblano. Cook until each side is golden brown. Place into baking pan and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350. Combine all sauce ingredients in sauce pan and simmer for 5 minutes. Pour over chile rellenos and bake for 10 minutes. Serve and enjoy! 

Step by Step

Peel and rinse pablano's. Pat dry. Slit poblano's on one side, remove seeds and set aside.

Cook ground beef, onions and taco seasoning.

Cut cheese into 1/2 inch thick strips. Tillamook is my favorite brand of cheese. Well, they are my favorite brand of all things dairy! Their dairy is located on the Oregon Coast. Luckily I can still find their cheese here in Georgia. Note: you can also use Oaxaca cheese, a white Mexican cheese that tastes fabulous and melts like mozzarella.

Stuff poblano's with ground beef mixture and cheese. Bring edges together and place in fridge for 20 minutes.

Separate egg whites from yolks and place each in their own bowl.

Beat egg whites and yolks. Gently fold together.

Oil griddle. Place 5 large spoonfuls of egg mixture on griddle. 

Place stuffed poblano's in middle of egg mixture. 

Place 5 more large spoonfuls of egg mixture on top of each stuffed poblano.

 Cook until each side is golden brown. Place into baking pan and set aside. 

 Combine all sauce ingredients in sauce pan and simmer for 5 minutes. 

 Pour sauce over chile rellenos and bake for 10 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

Iced Green Tea Latte

Soooo......I've been obsessed with iced green tea lattes for awhile now. I feel like I'm keeping Starbucks in business with the amount I've been purchasing. I have to admit, I can't get enough of them. I even found some green tea latte candies while I was visiting Savannah. I was thrilled!

When we still lived in Portland I decided it was time to start making my own iced green tea lattes at home. I found some Matcha powder (aka green tea latte powder) from our favorite international grocery called Uwajimaya.

I couldn't read most of what the package said (hello!), but after some experimenting, I figured out the right amount of water and milk to create the perfect green tea latte (for me at least!).

If you enjoy green tea lattes and can find some Matcha powder.....give this a try. Your pocket book will thank you.

Iced Green Tea Latte
Source: adapted from Gino packet
Servings: 1

1 green tea latte packet
1/4 cup boiling water
3/4 cup milk

Bring 1/4 cup water to a boil. Pour powder into cup. Pour boiling water over powder and let completely dissolve. Stir well. Add 3/4 cup cold milk. Put in fridge or freezer until desired temperature is reached. If you want to drink right away, just add ice. Personally, I like to put in the fridge or freezer because ice dilutes the flavor. Optional: add some fun flavored syrups like mint, peppermint, vanilla or almond.

Step by Step

 It's as simple as that! 

No surprise, after looking at these pictures I'm craving an iced green tea latte. I could be headed to the kitchen to make one...

Yukon Gold Mashed Potato Pancakes

I've been MIA the past few months. We moved to a new house and have been dealing with some personal issues, hence the no posting! Moving is always a huge task. I'm glad to say we are finally settled in and loving our new place. We have our dream kitchen that has granite countertops, a huge island, double ovens and tile floors. We love it! Cooking husband is thrilled with all the counter space and now that I've experienced the joy of a double oven, I'm not sure how I survived with just one.

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving with the Paige family. One of the traditions of the Paige family is to make potato pancakes the day after a holiday where mashed potatoes were had! Last Easter I posted our delicious Yukon gold mashed potato recipe. We love them so much that we pretty much make them for any and all holidays. So it's not hard to figure out what happened the day after Thanksgiving at our house. YEP. Potato pancakes!

Yukon Gold Mashed Potato Pancakes
Source: The Kitchen of Mom Paige
Yield: 4-6 small potato pancakes

1 cup leftover Yukon gold mashed potatoes
1-2 eggs
1/4 cup self rising flour
Pinch of salt

Combine leftover mashed potatoes, eggs and self rising flour until fully incorporated. Drop mixture onto a buttered griddle. Cook on medium high until both sides are brown. Serve with butter, ketchup, ranch, sour cream, etc. Note: If you want to get creative and add more flavor try mixing in bacon bits, cheese, chives, onions, garlic, etc. 

Step by Step

Combine leftover mashed potatoes, eggs and self rising flour.

 Drop mixture onto a buttered griddle.

 Cook on medium high until both sides are brown.

Gobble these up and enjoy every bite!

Hello Fall

I love the fall. I love the trees as their leaves change color, I love the cool crisp sunny mornings, I love that thanksgiving is next month and I get to eat loads of mashed potatoes (oh, and of course spending time with family!). Most importantly, I love that fact that I can have my pumpkin spice lattes again. Am I hearing the hallelujah chorus!??!?! Yes. Yes, I am. It could also be that I'm an October baby. In fact, I am celebrating number 35 this very day! 

Since I was feeling the fall spirit, I decided to snazz up our blog for the fall season. I found a brilliant web site called Shabby Blogs through my friend Melissa. There are some talented and creative folks at Shabby Blogs. I was impressed! I spent most of last night perusing through all their adorable freebies and changing up our blog. I enjoyed my little makeover project so much that I've decided to change the look of the blog with the change of every season. 

If you have some time and need a blog makeover....check them out! :)

Happy fall!

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ok......so I'm not exaggerating when I say these are my absolute favorite chocolate chip cookies in the world. Yes, the whole wide world.

A little dramatic, I know. 

But it's so true! 

No surprise - we found this chocolate chip cookie recipe in one of our favorite cookbooks - America's Test Kitchen: The Complete TV Show Cookbook. Everyone who has tried these appetizing cookies loves them.

So make them.

Then you can love them too!!!

Let's see if I can entice you with this plate of cookie deliciousness......

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Source: slightly adapted from America's Test Kitchen

Servings: about 18 large cookies

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons unbleached all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon table salt

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste (or extract)

2 cups milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour, baking soda and salt together and set aside. With a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugars at medium speed for about 1 minute until smooth. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla bean paste (or extract) and beat on medium-low speed for about 30 seconds until fully incorporated. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed for about 30 seconds until combined. Mix in the chocolate chips.

Divide the dough into 18 portions (each about 1/2 cup). Roll the dough into balls. Pull each ball into two equal halves and join the halves together at the their base, with the uneven surface facing up (when baked, this gives the cookies a rustic and rugged appearance). Place the cookie dough on the baking sheets, spacing them 2 1/2 inches apart. Place baking sheets on the upper-middle and lower-middle positions. Bake for 15-18 minutes (the cookies should be a light golden brown, the edges should be slightly hard and the centers should be puffy and soft). Rotate and switch baking sheets halfway through baking time. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets. 

Step by Step

 Combine dry ingredients and set aside.

Beat butter and sugars.

Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla bean paste or extract and beat together. Helpful Hint: I use Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste. It gives the cookies a gourmet look because of the vanilla bean seeds.

Add dry ingredients and combine.

Add chocolate chips. Helpful Hint: I use Ghiradelli milk chocolate chips. Personally, I prefer the milk chocolate chips. But you can use semi-sweet, dark, peanut butter, white chocolate, etc. I've tried different chips and they all taste good. I added some toffee bits along with the milk chocolate chips once - they turned out fabulous!

Divide the dough into 18 portions (each about 1/2 cup).

  

Roll the dough into balls. Pull each ball into two equal halves and join the halves together at the their base. Place the cookie dough on the baking sheets. Bake and cool.

 Enjoy these beauties with some ice cold milk. YUM!

Fresh Red Salsa

Believe it or not, I'm a quarter Mexican. My maiden name was Gomez and the blonde hair, blue eyes and light skin usually threw people off. Many times people would ask "Ummmm.....are you married to someone from Latin America or Spain? How do you have that last name?" Nope! Padre Gomez is Mexican and Irish (there's some Spanish and French thrown in there as well). A fun combo I might add. Our family gatherings are always lively!

Grandpa Gomez was from Guadalajara and Grandma Gomez is from Oregon. When Gramps lived in Oregon he could never find any Mexican restaurants that had really good authentic Mexican food. Soooo.....Grandma G, as I call her, started making Mexican at home. She collected some recipes from the family in Mexico and perfected them. This is why I'm a Mexican food snob. Because when I say she perfected them - I mean it! Grandma G's Mexican food is pretty much AMAZING and I can't say enough about it.

Here's a quick pic of Grandma G. She is such a beautiful woman inside and out. I love her dearly......

For Christmas one year we received the family recipe book from Grandma G and I was beside myself. Phily and I have been slowly but surely trying each Mexican recipe. We want to perfect them just like Grandma G has. I have to admit, we are getting pretty good. Especially with the fresh red salsa. We make that pretty much every week.

But still, nothing seems to taste as good as Grandma G's. 

Fresh Red Salsa
Source: Kitchen of Grandma Gomez 
Servings: 10-12 

8 large ripe Roma tomatoes, peeled
1/2 cup water
1/2 small onion, minced
1 jalapeno, minced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Salt to taste

Peel tomato skins and dice tomatoes. Add diced tomatoes and water to bowl. Transfer to Molcajete in batches and mash well. Transfer back to bowl. Mince onion. Roast and mince jalapeno. For a mild salsa, take out the jalapeno ribs and seeds. Chop cilantro. Add onion, jalapeno, cilantro and desired amount of salt to bowl. Mix thoroughly. Refrigerate. 

QUICK VERSION: dice tomatoes into medium size pieces and add to food processor. Mix well. Transfer to bowl and add water. Dice onion and jalapeno into small pieces and add to food processor. Mix well. Transfer to bowl. Add cilantro to food processor. Mix well. Transfer to bowl. Add salt and mix thoroughly.

Step By Step

Peel tomato skins and dice tomatoes. Helpful Hint: for easy peeling, slice a few X's in each tomato, blanch for a few minutes, transfer to cold water and peel. 

Add diced tomatoes and water to bowl. Transfer to Molcajete in batches and mash well. Transfer back to bowl. Fun Fact: a Molcajete is the Mexican version of the mortar and pestle.

Mince onion, roast and mince jalapeno, chop cilantro and transfer to bowl. Helpful Hint: roasting the jalapeno brings out the flavor. A quick way to roast a jalapeno is to hold the skin over an open flame or burner until it bubbles and blackens. Do this on both sides.

Add salt and mix thoroughly. 

 Enjoy with tortilla chips!

Eats and Treats: Seattle

Seattle is one of my favorites cities. It has been for quite some time.

I went to Seattle Pacific University, so I was lucky enough to spend 4 amazing years in the Emerald City. Even though I have traveled and lived all over, it always seems to stay at the top of my list. 

Seriously, you can't get much better than Seattle. Well if I'm being completely honest I think it could get much better if there wasn't so much rain (being the sun lover that I am). Then it would be my personal heaven here on earth!

But then it wouldn't be Seattle would it?

Anyways....there's mountains, lakes, sounds, islands, parks with gorgeous city views, fabulous food, amazing coffee and I could go on and on. I won't though because I'm getting a little weepy just thinking about it.

Take a gander and you'll know why I have such fond memories of this city......

Why am I getting all sentimental about Seattle? Because I have put together a snazzy list of all my favorite Seattle restaurants, cafes and coffee shops. My list is pretty small compared to what the city has to offer, but I imagine it will keep growing each time I go back to visit.

If you happen to be in Seattle and need a place to eat or need a caffeine fix - check out some of these places!

Eats & Treats: Seattle

Disclaimer - I'm not a food critic, just a gal who loves food!

{Asian}

Wild Ginger Asian Restaurant & Satay Bar
Web Site: http://www.wildginger.net

Thoughts: beautiful restaurant with wonderful food.

{Burgers}

Dick's Drive In

Web Site: http://www.dicksdrivein.com

Thoughts: greasy yet delicious burgers and fries. Great for late night hunger attacks (they are open late).

Kidd Valley

Web Site: http://kiddvalley.com

Thoughts: juicy burgers, hand-made fries and shakes. The shakes are really tasty.

Red Robin

Web Site: http://www.redrobin.com

Thoughts: started in Seattle, now have locations all over the U.S. and Canada. They serve up some fantastic gourmet burgers. Love, love their fries - really thick and crispy and are heavenly when dipped in ranch. Tasty appetizers as well. 

{Cafes & Pubs}

Belltown Pub

Web Site: http://www.thebelltownpub.com

Thoughts: good breakfast and lunch. Nice outside seating for when the weather is warm and sunny!

Beth's Cafe

Web Site: http://www.bethscafe.com

Thoughts: well known for it's breakfasts - especially it's omelette's.

Blue Star Cafe & Pub
Web Site: http://www.bluestarcafeandpub.com

Thoughts: another delicious breakfast place.

Boka

Web Site: http://www.bokaseattle.com
Thoughts: Fun appetizers and desserts. The molten chocolate cake is to die for. Good breakfast too!

Five Spot

Web Site: http://www.chowfoods.com/five
Thoughts: friendly Queen Anne neighborhood cafe with good old fashioned American cuisine. Also known for it's breakfasts.

J & M Cafe

Web Site: http://www.jmcafeseattle.com
Thoughts: one of the oldest cafes/bars in Seattle. Awesome burgers.

Queen Anne Cafe 

No Web Site. Address: 2121 Queen Anne Ave. N., Seattle, WA 98109 / p 206.285.2060

Thoughts: another Queen Anne neighborhood cafe. Great breakfast and lunch. 

{Caribbean}

Paseo

Web Site: http://www.paseoseattle.com

Thoughts: absolute best Cuban sandwich I have ever tasted (I lived in Miami for a few years, so I have tried many Cuban sandwiches!). If you live in Seattle or are visiting - you MUST go to Paseo. It's well worth it! 

{Coffee Shops}

Thoughts on all these coffee shops: I love them all! I went to all of these except El Diablo over and over during college. Great for coffee dates, studying, reading, etc. I discovered El Diablo after college during one of my visits. It's a unique coffee shop - it has a little Latin flair!

The Bahaus

Web Site: http://www.bauhauscoffee.net

Caffe Appassionato

Web Site: http://www.caffeappassionato.com

Caffe Ladro

Web Site:  http://www.caffeladro.com

El Diablo Coffee Company

Web Site: http://www.eldiablocoffee.com

Seattle's Best

Web Site: http://www.seattlesbest.com

Starbucks

Web Site: http://www.starbucks.com/

Tully's

Web Site: http://www.tullyscoffeeshops.com

Uptown Espresso

Web Site: http://www.uptownespresso.net

{Desserts}

Gelatiamo

Web Site: http://www.gelatiamo.com

Thoughts: impressive gelato. The flavors, the texture - pretty much perfect!

Trophy Cupcakes

Web Site: http://www.trophycupcakes.com

Thoughts: fabulous cupcakes. I can't say enough about Trophy - the cake, the frosting, the flavors - all excellent. 

{Doughnuts}

Top Pot

Web Site: http://www.toppotdoughnuts.com

Thoughts: amazing, amazing doughnuts. The old fashioned chocolate is to die for.

{Greek}

Costas Opa

Web Site: http://www.kostasopa.com

Thoughts: enjoyable Greek. Went here again and again during college!

{Mexican}

El Puerco Loron

Web Site: http://www.elpuercolloron.com

Thoughts: I tend to be a Mexican food snob because of my maiden name (Gomez). But, this restaurant has exceptional authentic Mexican. Tamales are awesome. Chips and salsa too!

Galeria's

Web Site: http://galeriasgourmet.com

Thoughts: another great Mexican place. I enjoyed a few birthday's here - sombrero and all!

Taco Del Mar

Web Site: http://www.tacodelmar.com
Thoughts: started in Seattle, now have locations all over the U.S. and Canada. Great burritos and tacos.

{Seafood}

Anthony's

Web Site: http://www.anthonys.com

Thoughts: I enjoy the Pier 66 location. You can enjoy a view of the sound and fresh and fantastic seafood. 

Athenian

Web Site: http://athenianinn.com
Thoughts: gorgeous view of the sound if you sit by the windows. Good clam chowder. Fun Fact: they filmed a scene from Sleepless in Seattle at the Athenian. 

Crab Pot

Web Site: http://www.thecrabpotseattle.com

Thoughts: you can feel like a kid when you eat here. Get one of the Seafeasts and they dump all the food on the table and you dig right in. You even get a bib. Outstanding seafood! 

Franco's Hidden Harbor

No Web Site. Address: 1500 Westlake Ave. N., Seattle, WA / p 206.282.0501
Thoughts: cute little restaurant on lake union. When the weather is nice you can sit on the deck and enjoy your seafood and the view of the lake. 

Ivar's

Web Site: http://www.ivars.com
Thoughts: Ivar's has been around for years - since the late 30's. Excellent fish and chips.

Pike Place Chowder

Web Site: http://www.pikeplacechowder.com

Thoughts: no surprise, they have magnificent and award winning chowders. Perfect on a cold day. 

Ray's Boathouse & Ray's Cafe

Web Site: http://www.rays.com

Thoughts: spectacular view of the sound and the Olympics. Great food as well.

{Japanese}

Shiro's

Web Site: http://www.shiros.com

Thoughts: authentic Japanese food. Awesome sushi and sashimi.

{Indian}

Cedar's

Web Site: http://www.cedarsseattle.com

Thoughts: I adore this place! Food is delightful and Chai is bottomless. Which is good for me because I drink it the moment I get there until the moment I leave.

{Irish Pubs} 

Thoughts on all these Irish Pub's: like the coffee shops, I love them all! It's probably the Irish roots. :) I love the food, the drinks (hard ciders are my fav), the live music, all of it!

Fado

Web Site: http://www.fadoirishpub.com

Kell's

Web Site: http://www.kellsirish.com/seattle

Owl & Thistle

Web Site: http://www.owlnthistle.com

T.S. McHugh's

Web Site: http://www.tsmchughs.com

{Italian/Pizza}

Alibi Room

Web Site: http://www.seattlealibi.com
Thoughts: very cool restaurant and bar. Delightful appetizers. A variety of pizza's. The spicy mac is splendid!

Buca di Beppo

Web Site: http://bucadibeppo.com/

Thoughts: lively atmosphere and large portions. Great food!

Il Bistro

Web Site: http://www.ilbistro.net
Thoughts: charming little romantic bistro - candlelight and all.

The Old Spaghetti Factory

Web Site: http://www.osf.com

Thoughts: this restaurant started in the Northwest and is now all over the U.S. They have a wide variety of pasta. A few of my favorites - angel hair pasta with marinara sauce (or meat sauce) and a side order of pesto sauce mixed in (sooooo good!). Also, angel hair pasta with mizithra cheese & browned butter. The Italian soda's are very refreshing.

Pagliacci's

Web Site: http://www.pagliacci.com

Thoughts: over all really good pizza - can't wrong on any of them!

Zeek's

Web Site: http://www.zeekspizza.com

Thoughts: same as Pagliacci's - just plain old good pizza.

{Sandwiches/Wraps}

Sisters European Snacks

Web Site: http://www.sisterssnacks.com

Thoughts: serves tasty grilled focaccia sandwiches.

World Wraps

Web Site: http://www.worldwrapps.com

Thoughts: delicious wraps with an international flair - you can find Thai wraps, curry wraps, teriyaki wraps - you get the idea!

Rocky Road Cake for a Rockin' Dad

Today is a great day. Why you ask? Well, let me tell you. My precious Padre Gomez is celebrating his birthday today. I bet you are wondering how old he is...

60.  

Yep. The big SIX ZERO.

Let's throw some streamers around, blow up some balloons and put on our party hats. It's time to celebrate! That's exactly what we did a few weeks ago. We had an early birthday celebration. My sister and our hubby's headed to Arizona so we could all be together. We went to Disney and then spent some time at my parents house. They have a gorgeous backyard with a pool, so we spent most of our time there, soaking up the hot and intense Arizona sun.

For the record, dad doesn't look like he's turning 60...

I mean, look at that young face! Anyone who knows him would say he is young at heart too. Speaking of that heart of his, he's got a big one! He loves so many things with all of his heart.....

I could list many, many more. We'll leave it at that for now.

Oh....and how could I forget, he has a BIG HEART for Rocky Road Candy Bars. That's how we came up with his cake for the big 60th birthday celebration. He requested a chocolate malt cake with white frosting that wasn't too sweet and rocky road candy tied in some how. Mom and I did some brainstorming and here's what we came up with...

Rocky Road Cake

Chocolate malt cake source: adapted from Martha Stewart

Yield: two 9 inch cakes

2 1/4 cup all purpose flour 
3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder 
1/2 cup granulated sugar 
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar 
1 1/2 tsp baking soda 
1/2 tsp salt 
1 cup milk 
1 1/4 cup malted milk powder 
1 cup vegetable oil 
3 large eggs, room temp 
1 cup sour cream, room temp 
1 tsp vanilla bean paste (or extract) 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking pans with parchment paper. Whisk together flour, cocoa, sugars, baking soda & salt. In another bowl, whisk together milk and malted milk powder until dissolved. 

With mixer on medium-high speed, beat flour mixture, milk mixture and oil until combined. Add eggs one at a time, beating until well incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl. Add sour cream and vanilla. Beat until just combined.

Divide batter evenly among two 9 inch baking pans. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until cake tester comes out clean or baked about 30-35 minutes. Cake can be stored up to 3 days at room temp, or frozen up to 2 months in airtight container. Refrigerate up to 3 days in airtight containers. 

Step by Step

 
Combine flour, cocoa, sugars, baking soda & salt. 

 

In another bowl combine Ovaltine and milk.

Combine flour mixture, milk mixture, oil, eggs, sour cream and vanilla.

Pour batter into two 9 inch cake pans. Bake and let cool.

Rocky Road Filling

Source: adapted from My Recipes
Yield: 2 3/4 cups

1/2 cup butter 
1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/3 cup cola soft drink 
3 cups powdered sugar 
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 
Desired amount almonds & marshmallows

Combine first 3 ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring until butter melts. Remove from heat; stir in powdered sugar and vanilla. Let cool for a few minutes and add desired amount of almonds and marshmallows.

Step by Step

Once saucepan mixture is cooled, add desired amount of almonds and marshmallows. Helpful Hint: make sure the filling is cool enough so it won't melt the marshmallows.

Spread filling on the first cake. Helpful Hint: the filling should be easy to spread but firm enough that it won't drip down the sides of the cake. If the filling isn't firm enough, slowly add more powdered sugar. If that makes it too sweet, slowly add more cocoa.

Whipped Cream Frosting {Sans Whipped Cream}
Source: Kitchen of Mom Gomez
This will frost one 9 inch cake

2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup shortening
1/2 cup granulated sugar

Mix flour and milk until smooth, then cook over low heat until a thick paste is formed. Be sure to stir constantly. When thick and smooth, set aside to cool. Cream together butter, shortening and sugar until creamy, light and fluffy. It should have the appearance of whipped butter. Gradually add the flour/milk paste and continue beating with an electric mixer for 5 minutes. Add vanilla and beat for another minute.

Step by Step

Heat flour and milk mixture.

Cream butter, shortening, sugar.

Beat with electric mixer.

Frost cake and decorate!

We decorated the cake with some fun colorful edible letters we found at Michaels. The cake itself turned out wonderful - nice and moist and full of chocolate flavor. The rocky road filling was delicious - it had a chocolate fudge flavor and the almonds and marshmallows gave it a great texture. The frosting turned out perfect - light, airy and not too sweet!

 The cake (and the whole birthday celebration) turned out just how dad had wished!

Happy 60th birthday pops! I love you...as you would say...more than the water in ocean, the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore!