Let the party begin!

Food - Doesn't this dessert scream "LET the party begin?" We thought it did - so it did! This dessert is not only festive looking, it's delicious too. I hosted the annual Christmas Party at my home for a group of girls I call "Emily Girls," and we had a blast (we always do!) I made this dessert and everyone loved it so much, they asked for the recipe. Girls, I have a confession to make. I did not do it on purpose, but, I gave you the wrong recipe, hopefully you haven't tried making it yet....So, without further ado, here is the recipe:

8 Step Triple Chocolate Peppermint Trifle Cake
Cake Ingredients:
Vegetable oil cooking spray
2 T. unsalted butter
1/2 c. whole milk
3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 lg. eggs, room temp.
3/4 c. granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla

Syrup Ingredients: Hershey's chocolate syrup or a chocolate flavored liquor.

Mousse Ingredients:
2 1/2 c. heavy cream
12 oz. white chocolate, finely chopped. (I used Ghirdeli's bar)
1/2 c. coarsely chopped peppermint candies or candy canes. (I also added Andes mints.)

Pudding Ingredients: 1 lg. pkg. chocolate pudding, make as directed on box.


Topping Ingredients: 1 container cool whip and chopped peppermint candies or candy canes.


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make the cake. Coat a 9" round cake pan with cooking spray. Line bottom with parchment paper, coat with cooking spray.

2. Bring milk and butter almost to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove from heat, and set aside. Whisk flour cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Put eggs into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat on high speed until pale and fluffy. Gradually add sugar, beating until pale and thick, about 5 minutes. Add vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add hot milk mixture in a slow, steady stream. Add flour mixture and beat until just combined.

3. Pour batter into ban. Bake until center springs back when lightly touched, 25-30 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack 20 minutes. Turn out onto rack. Remove parchment; let cool completely. Halve cake horizontally, set aside.

4. Make the mousse. Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Bring 1 c. cream just to a boil in a small sauce pan. Place white chocolate in a food processor; with machine running, pour in hot cream in a slow, steady stream, and process until smooth. Transfer to a medium bowl set in ice-water bath. Let cool, stirring occasionally, until thick enough to hold ribbons on surface, about 15 minutes.


5. Beat remaining 1 1/2 c. cream to nearly stiff peaks. Fold into white chocolate mixture, then fold in candies. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until thickened and almost firm; 4-6 hrs.

6. Make the chocolate pudding as directed on box.

7. To assemble the trifle: spread one third of the mousse into bottom of a glass trifle bowl that is 8-10 inches in diameter. Top with 1 cake layer, and brush cake with chocolate syrup. Top with half the pudding, then another third of mousse. Place remaining cake layer on top; brush with chocolate syrup. Top with remaining pudding, then mousse. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 12 hours.

8. Top trifle with whipped cream and sprinkle with crushed candies and with a shaved chocolate bar.

Merry Christmas to all and to all - - - a good night! This dessert is the perfect ending to any event.

Dish - Annual Christmas Parties are also a great way to catch up on all the "dish" going on in each other's lives.

Researchers and studies show that people have many acquaintances in their life time, but only a couple true friends.

While it's true that people come in-and-out of our lives, leaving foot prints on our souls (hopefully not too many heel prints though.) It is equally true, that we are never the same, as we were prior to them entering our lives. In some way, shape, or form, they have either added something, or taken something from us. Forever, continuing the process of molding us into who or what we are to become. You might say helping us, in a sense, to achieve our real potential; our true meaning in this little thing called life. And we in turn, without always consciously knowing it, we have helped shape them as well. As Good, bad, or indifferent some of these friendships we may have garnered have been - they are ours - we own them! To keep forever and ever....until death do us under.

But we don't need studies to tell us all of this, and the fact that, if you are fortunate enough to have had numerous friends in your life time, then you have been blessed. I have truly been blessed then! Because I am fortunate to have, and have had, a host of people in my life that I call "friend." Without them, life would not be all it was meant to be. Would it?

Here is a picture of some of the gals I happen to call: FRIEND! Thanks, Emily Girls, for helping "shape" me. God knows I need all the shaping I can get! I'm so glad we choose laughter as our aerobic workout routine.


Emily Girls - Sorry I wasn't the perfect host (ask Jackie.)

We missed you girls not able to attend - xoxo

Just in case your group of friends don't know how to "dish" or have a good time, here are some jokes you can tell at your next party.
What does Santa Claus use when he goes skiing? A North Pole.
What happens when Frosty the Snowman gets dandruff? He gets snowflakes.
How does Santa Claus take pictures? With a North Pole-aroid camera.
What is Santa's favourite breakfast cereal? Frosted Flakes.

If you need more lame jokes to tell....maybe you shouldn't go to the party, or maybe.... you need to pick a new group of friends.

Embellish - I would rather have 30 minutes of "wonderful" than a lifetime of nothing special.