Even if your schedule is packed, take some time to slow down this weekend. And while you’re at it, enjoy this fabulous ganache recipe. It only takes a few minutes to prepare and is the perfect topping for cheesecake or the first dish of summer ice cream.

Chocolate Ganache

12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate

2 tbl butter

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Combine whipping cream and butter in a heavy saucepan. Heat until mixture just begins to bubble around the edges. Do not boil the mixture! Pour over chocolate chips in a heat-proof bowl. Stir until chocolate chips are melted and ganache is smooth. Drizzle over cheesecake or ice-cream. Ganache may be stored in the fridge and reheated for up to two days.

Do we love great food? Oh yes. But we’re not that weird. Five nights out of seven, most of us would just as soon eat a grilled cheese sandwich as the gourmet meals that Mom prepares. Complete with the fake Kraft cheese. And non-organic ketchup. However, we do fully appreciate Mom’s efforts in the kitchen.

However, sometimes even the best cooks try recipes that really do go awry. One perfect example is presented by what we fondly refer to as “The Chocolate Nightmare Cake”. Her intentions were noble. It was the middle of summer, the sun was beating down, the thermometer was soaring, and bored family members aimlessly wandered the path between the garage and the living room. So Mom decided to make a sumptuous chocolate cake. This wasn’t just a plain sheet cake, either. It was the real deal.

She enhanced two white boxed cakes and created four layers of vanilla richness. Then she created a sinfully delicious milk-chocolate frosting. Emphasis on the milk. It was nothing short of fabulous. The only hitch was that, by the time she was done thickening the frosting with powdered sugar, there was about 3 gallons of the stuff. (Or should I measure that in pounds?) There was a lot. Way too much.

Ignoring that issue for the moment, Mom turned to the task at hand: applying the frosting to the cake. Have I mentioned that the kitchen was hot? The first layer went on as expected. Mom set the second cake layer on and began to frost the top. And then things started to slide downhill. Literally. The second layer started to slide off towards its impending doom.

The gravity of the situation began to dawn upon us. The frosting was melting before our eyes. Mom shoved the bowl into the fridge to chill. A few minutes later, the frosting looked stable. So Mom pulled it out and began to frost the sides. This time she moved fast. And the frosting moved faster. Drip. Drip.

And suddenly, her magnificent tower of chocolate began to look like the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Finally, every inch of the cake was covered in (rapidly liquifying) chocolate frosting. Mom pushed the cake into the fridge, slammed the door shut and reassessed the situation. What were we going to do with the massive amount of extra (melting) chocolate?

What are neighbors for? Mom whipped up another cake mix and slathered excess frosting on it. Then we bore it down the street and delivered with a stern warning: “This is  . . . um . . .  melting. You should probably put it in the fridge. Soon.”

Don’t get me wrong – the cake tasted great. And I’d love to provide you with a recipe so that you could recreate The Chocolate Nightmare for your home. Unfortunately, in the rush of rescuing the cake, Mom neglected to write the recipe down. Sadly, that recipe has disappeared from history forever.

The End.

~Emily

Emily Adams is the oldest daughter of Kathy Adams and a 2007 graduate of  Belhaven College. She is a freelance writer and firmly belives that reality is funnier than fiction.

I alleviate the risk of a holiday disaster by first preparing and serving these dishes in a less stressful atmosphere.

I can rest easy, knowing that my newest creations will be enjoyed, not just tolerated, or worse, just pushed around on a plate.

Here is my latest take on a tried and true classic, the traditional pumpkin pie.

Just Another Pumpkin Pie

3/4 cup white sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 tbl. cinnamon

1/2 tsp cloves

2 tsp ginger

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp nutmeg

6 eggs

1 29 oz. can (3 cups) of pumpkin or equivalent fresh pumpking puree

24 oz. evaporated milk

Pastry for a nine-inch pie

Mix sugar and spices together in a small mixing bowl. Combine thoroughly. Beat eggs in a large mixing bowl. Add pumpkin and sugar mixture and mix thoroughly. Gradually stir in evaporated milk. Divide the  mixture between two pie plates lined with pastry. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Continue to bake for 45 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

“Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise; be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the Lord is good . . . ” -Psalm 100:4-5a

Now, I personally think the entire concept of “quick” breads is ironic. Yes, I understand they utilize chemical leavens like baking soda and baking powder instead of yeast. However, my experience has been that the only thing quick about these flavorful breads is the speed in which they are devoured. They actually take me longer to prepare than most yeast breads.

I will continue to present my family with warm, delicious quick breads: banana, pumpkin, zucchini, and cranberry. Their sweet aroma will be a lovely addition to our home this fall. However, I’ll always feel a little deceived when I think about  ”quick breads”.

Here is a recipe for a particularly versatile pumpkin bread. It is a recipe that I found originally in The Martha Stewart Cookbook (1995 ed.). I have customized it over the years. It is savory enough to be served alone or with butter and yet its texture is the perfect density for delightful sandwiches. It  works well with  tarragon chicken salad.

Pumpkin Bread

3 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ginger

1 tsp nutmeg

3/4 cup (12 tblsp) softened butter

1/4 cup molasses

2 cups sugar

5 eggs

2/3 cup orange juice

2 cups (15-16 oz) pumpkin puree

Mix dry ingredients. Cream molasses, butter, and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition. Beat until light and fluffy. Add orange juice and pumpkin. Blend well. Add pumpkin mixture to dry ingredients. Make certain all ingredients are thoroughly combined. Divide mixture between 2 9″ x 5″ x 3″ generously buttered loaf pans. Bake for 1 hour  at 350 degrees until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Cool for 10 minutes on a rack. Turn out of the pans and continue to cool the bread on the racks.

“Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in Heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” – Matthew 7:9-12