Another Year Gone By

Today I am a proud 36 years young - Happy Birthday to Me! I love my birthday and expect to be treated like a Queen on my day & I want to feel like one. Well, I guess this year is an exception because I feel like no Queen. I have fallen ill with a bronchial infection, am on four prescriptions & feel like a croaking toad. Yes, a croaking toad. Knowing I would feel like a non-Queen I knew it would take me a little bit longer to get in the swing this morning so I set that lovely alarm for 5:00 a.m. Guess what? It didn't make a peep! I was awoke by a birthday telephone call at 7:45 a.m. - I HAVE TO BE AT THE OFFICE AT 8:00! I had the perfect outfit picked out to sport my new birthday haircut and had been looking forward to a liesurely morning. Boy, did I have to kick it into high gear and I was forty-five minutes late. Whew! What a birthday greeting. My darling hubby did surprise me at the office with lunch from Panera, knowing I had to work through my day. I just love their French Onion Soup! MMMMMM MMMM! I'm starting to feel a little more Queenlike!

Now for the good stuff...presents, dinner and BIRTHDAY CAKE BABY! Hubby let me pick out my main gift (For some reason he is under the impression that I am picky!), and I selected a gorgeous new watch. Let me just say, I LOVE IT! Boy he has great taste, doesn't he?

My dear sweet niece Ashley gave me the cutest card..about the QUEEN's B-Day and the best gift you could ever receive...a gift certificate to my favorite department store so I can pick out what I want! Hmmm those 800 thread count sheets I saw on sale are calling my name!

To my surprise, my sweet hubby gave me a little something extra, a romance double feature DVD, Must Love Dogs and You've Got Mail. Wow, two of my favorite girly movies on one DVD - what a deal!

Mom surprised me with the most beautiful set of jewelry, jade and sterling silver necklace, earrings and pendant. I had asked for it months ago when we saw it and I had completely forgotten about it. What a nice surprise!

Did I say that I LOVE gifts?!!! I am usually the one giving, giving, giving, so when it's my day, I thoroughly enjoy it! Seeing as how I am so sick, I decided I did not really want to venture out to a restaurant for my birthday dinner so I asked my sweet mama to cook for me. My request - her Southern Fried Chicken (in the cast iron skillet of course), Mashed Potatoes & Cream Gravy, and Green Beans. MMMMM MMMMM so yummy. Remember, y'all, I'm a Texas gal tried and true! My mama's fried chicken is out of this world, finger-lickin' good! I'm so excited! You've got to understand something - she hasn't made fried chicken for us in at least five years because for some strange reason she doesn't think it's healthy! Go figure! Well, tonight all bets were off! I wish you were here but that leaves more for me! This was my delicious dinner, fit for a TEXAS queen!

I was delighted to see the best chocolate cake ever, my mama's Wacky Chocolate Cake, which made its debut after dinner. I request this cake every year and have done so for as long as I can remember. I'm sharing this recipe because you deserve to have the BEST chocolate cake recipe there is! It's wacky alright, just look at the recipe, but it is out of this world delicious, so chocolatey and moist! I'll be eating it for breakfast, lunch and dinner! I hope you try it - you will be pleasantly surprised when that first bite slides off the fork. Feast your eyes on the world's best chocolate cake...

Wacky Chocolate Cake
Ingredients:

2 cups unsifted flour

1/2 cup cocoa

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 cups water

3/4 cup oil

2 tbls. vinegar

2 tsp. vanilla

Directions:

Combine first five ingredients in a large bowl. Add the next four ingredients and beat three minutes at medium speed until thoroughly blended. Pour into greased and floured 13x9x2 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Frost with your favorite chocolate frosting.

We use a chocolate buttercream with two tablespoons of hot coffee in it - makes it even more creamy and delicious! Enjoy!