THE BEST CAKE IN THE WORLD

I love love love this cake! I swear it will be your favorite if you try it. And if you bring it to someones house you will become famous for it!! If you don't like coconut than stop reading now...its in the filling. Personally anything that has chocolate and coconut in it is a winner for me. Make sure its really cold before you serve it..oh its so goooood!

Cream Cheese Chocolate Bit Ring Cake

2 Cups sugar
1 Cup oil
2 Eggs
3 Cups flour
3/4 Cup unsweetened cocoa
2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 cup hot coffee
1 cup sour milk (just squeeze some lemon juice in and let sit a few minutes you'll see it start to look funny)
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts

FILLING
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 pkg 8oz softened cream cheese
1 egg 1 pkg 6oz semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup flaked coconut

In a small bowl, beat sugar, vanilla and cream cheese and egg until smooth. Stir in coconut and chocolate chips
Set aside

In another bowl, mix together sugar, oil and eggs, beat 1 minute at hight speed. Add remaining ingredients except filling and nuts, beat 3 minutes at medium speed, scraping the bowl occasionally. Stir in nuts. Pour half of the batter into a greased 10 inch tube pan or bundt pan. Carefully soon prepared filling over batter, then top with remaining batter. Bake in 350 degree oven for 70-75 min. or until done. Cool upright in pan for 15 minutes. and then remove from pan. Cool completely and drizzle with glaze:

Glaze
1 cup confectionery sugar
2 TBS unsweetened cocoa
2 TBS butter melted
2 tsp vanilla
1-3 TBS hot water

Making gnocchi!

MAKING GNOCCHI WITH AUNT MIMI, MY BROTHER DANNY, AND MYSELF!







Set on trays and freeze. When frozen we seperate them and bag them..when ready to cook, we throw them into the water, still frozen, when they float they are done! Louie and the boys helped to seperate and bag them!

Aunt Teresa

This is my 80 year old Aunt Teresa talking about zeppole and easter bread! She is just too darn cute!

St. Joseph Day and Zeppole!

Every year Aunt Teresa makes zeppole and invites the family over to celebrate St. Joseph's day. Aunt Teresa is 80 years old, but she can run circles around most people half her age..and the woman is on no medications at all, shes in perfect health!! So heres a small peek into a family gathering with some pictures!! I have a video but had some problems loading it..maybe I'll have better luck tomorrow!
ZEPPOLE
UNCLE GENNARO
MY BROTHERS DANNY & VINNY


THE ZEPPOLE WITH HONEY AND POWDERED SUGAR

ST. JOSEPH

Typical Sunday Dinner?

So the day started normal. Got up, put the sauce on the stove to simmer till dinner. I had about 14 people showing up at 2pm. Took a shower, ran to the store ( I forgot paper plates for dessert!) and came home to get the antipasto onto the table.Nothing fancy, some prosciutto, some provolone and a bit of caprese, some olive salad and nice crusty bread. I'm all set and pour myself a glass of wine and wait for the arrival of the family and friends.
Everyone arrives on time! 2pm!!We pour the wine, eat a bit, and laugh and catch up. By the time dinner arrives, I've got a buzz, but can't figure out how that could be..until I notice a guest pouring wine into my glass..damn, no wonder I never seemed to have an empty glass!!
During dinner we usually have heated conversations. But someone said something that just hit a nerve with me. I couldn't tell you who said it or even exactly what was said. But it had to do with my choice to stay home with my kids and take care of my family and home, instead of work. I lost it. It was pretty much down hill from there. I was sensitive to everything anybody said. By the time the dishes were cleared and loaded into the dishwasher, I was crying. Now everyone who knows me knows..I do not cry..ever. Was it built up frustrations, or pent up anger that just blew? Probably...but it didn't help that I had drank too much wine either. Thank God that my boys were playing rock band upstairs and didn't witness my melt down.
The more people tried to calm me down, the harder I cried. It was crazy. I just could not stop crying.
After several strong cups of coffee I settled down. It was back to normal, business as usual. Everyone laughed and teased me and I felt like a jerk. I had to call everyone today and apologize to them. They were laughing and said it was no big deal. And then they were apologizing to ME..saying they were sorry if they said something. But that is my family. Thats how we roll.
I spent most of this morning feeling ashamed and mortified! But after talking to everyone, I'm good. My husband, bless his soul..had no idea what to do last night. He wasn't going to win no matter what he said, so he just stayed clear of me and handed me off to my mother! Smart man I married! So was this a typical Sunday dinner? No, but it was the typical response from my family..love, understanding and accepting me and my melt down!