Meet me on Monday

Questions:

1. What jewelry do you wear 24/7?
2. Do you twirl your spaghetti or cut it?
3. How many siblings do you have?
4. Were you named after anyone?
5. Coke or Pepsi?


Answers:
1. I don't wear any jewelry all the time. I am so absent minded I tend to lose it. I play with it and then end up laying it down and don't remember where its at. I had been married less than a day and thought my wedding ring was lost. After my husband took the drains and stuff apart, we found it stuck to the bottom of the bar of soap.

2. I am a twirler although I break it in half when cooking it so its not as long of a twirl.

3. Lordy this is complicated in my family. I have 1 brother on my mom's side that got adopted out and I didn't find out about until I was 15. I now know who he is but havne't met him since he isn't interested in his birth family. I have one sister on my mom's side who for whatever reason has chosen to ignore me. I have a sister on my dad's side who is addicted to drugs and I haven't seen in at least 15 years. I have one normal brother who I share a relationship with on my dad's side :). And people wonder why I am so different.

4. I wasn't named after anyone. I was named for a song. Lady Madonna by the Beatles was a hit the week I was born and my mother's cousin picked that for my name.

5. I live and breathe Coke. Our family is a coke family. Growing up, no matter what was wrong with you, my grandmother gave you Coke and now its so ingrained that I think the power of suggestion is what makes it work. I wasn't feeling well one day and my oldest told me that I needed some Coke to feel better :). We even have a ton of recipes using Coke as a ingredient.

Double Chocolate Fudge Coca-Cola® Cake
like Cracker Barrel's®
Rich, delectable cake with Coke® and plenty of chocolate,
topped with an icing of more Coke® and chocolate.

Prep. Time: 1:25
Serves: 18

1 cup real butter - divided
1 1/4 cup Coca-Cola® - divided
1 oz. square semi-sweet baking chocolate
3/4 cup miniature marshmallows
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder - divided
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 tsp. vanilla extract - divided
2 eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup chocolate syrup
3 cups powdered sugar

-In a saucepan, bring 1/2 cup butter, 1 cup cola, and chocolate to a boil.
-Remove from heat and stir in marshmallows until dissolved.
-Set aside and allow to cool to room temperature.
-In a bowl, Combine flour, 3/4 cup cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
-With an electric mixer, beat together sugar, shortening, oil, and 2 tsp. vanilla until fluffy; beat in eggs and buttermilk.
-Beat in 1/2 of the dry mixture, scraping the sides of the bowl often.
-Beat in cooled cola mixture.
-Add remaining dry mixture and beat for 4 minutes; batter will be thick.
-Pour batter into a greased and floured 13" X 9" X 2" baking pan.
-Bake on top rack of a 350 degree oven for 35-40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
-Cream butter with an electric mixer.
-Beat in 1/2 cup cocoa powder, 1/4 cup cola, chocolate syrup, and 1 tsp. vanilla.
-Slowly add powdered sugar, scraping the sides of the bowl often, while beating with the mixer.
-If frosting seems dry, add small amounts of cola until you reach desired consistency.
-Frost cake while warm.

Notes: Serve topped with natural vanilla bean ice cream.