I can't cry hard enough......

I am so very sad.

I clicked on my most favorite link today and found out some sad news. My favorite blog that I read on a daily basis is Chookooloonks and it will be no more in a day or two.

K is one of those people who wish you could meet in real life. She's beautiful...inside and out. She is radiant in her mothering and sometimes I wonder, "Do I look like her when I am with my own children?" I know there is absolutely no way I could....I have 5 kids and I'm a bit more frazzled. Not to mention., K has some seriously straight white teeth and her complexion is...to die for! Her mocha skin reminds me of a creamy chocolate bar. Okay..now this is getting a bit weird. Anyway, I'll miss reading my favorite blog and I'll miss her writing.

So, to honor her, I've decided to post a few recipes that she shared with her fans. I thought I'd be able to just access them, when I needed them, from her website, never thinking that one day she would be.......no.....more. ::sob::

This recipe I have tried at least a dozen times and each time it's scrumptious. Since starting WW's in Jan, I have only made the cake once and that was to give it to someone else. It's approximately 15 pts per slice. I can't remember how many slices one cake was...maybe 10? OUCH! So, if you have a non-dieting friend who just had surgery, a baby or a death in the family.....or if you just want to make this cake and give it to your family on Valentine's Day, your efforts will NOT go unappreciated!

PS- Valentine's Day happens to only be a mere 61 days away.

PPS- You can purcase the "I searched every damn store on the planet until I finally just asked K where she got her beautiful heart shaped bundt pan" at:

Spoons and Spice
Kitchen Emporium.com
Amazon.com
Nordic Ware

PPPS- Word of caution!!! Do not drop said bundt pan on your toe. It hurts!

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cake

1 18.25-oz package chocolate cake mix
1 3.9-oz package instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1/2 cup hot water
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extra
1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celcius). Grease and flour a bundt pan.

2. Combine cake mix, pudding mix, oil, eggs, hot water, sour cream and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour batter into bundt pan.

3. Bake for 1 hour. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then invert cake onto wire rack and let cool completely.

Enjoy. Warning: it will make you want to slap yo' mama, it's that good.

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Update: I think this is the recipe I'm going to use for the dark chocolate topping on Alex's mini-natal-celebratory-EXTRAVAGANZA cake. I'll let you know how it turns out:

DARK CHOCOLATE GLAZE

4 oz Ghirardelli Sweet Dark-Chocolate
3 tbsp Butter
1 tbsp Milk
1 tbsp Light corn syrup
1/4 tsp Vanilla

DIRECTIONS: In small, heavy saucepan or microwave oven on medium, melt broken chocolate with butter. Stir frequently until smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in milk, syrup and vanilla. When glaze is cool, pour onto cake. Let glaze run down sides. Chill about 10 minutes to set glaze.

Source: Recipes from Ghirardelli Chocolate Company of San Francisco

Thanks K!!! I'll miss you!! ::blows a kiss::