I'm so glad he liked it. I enjoy baking and have made a batch of Toll House cookies every week for the last 25 years. lol Oh my gosh our anniversary is next month. Guess I better get busy and plan something special. DH loves anything lemon so I try and make a lemon meringue pie when we are invited somewhere, so he'll have something for desert he'll like. He complains that he only gets one piece though! I took one to my aunt's for Christmas once, my cousin called about an hour after we left to tell DH that he'd just finished the pie and it was sooo good! DH was fit to be tied. I did make him another the next day. Linda thanks for reminding me about hollowing out the cake and adding strawberries and whipped cream I'd forgotten all about that one. Marion

Thank you, ssommerville, NancyLouise and cynic! NancyLouise, the movie was very fun and I can't for it to be released on DVD. The trailer for the movie I posted, isn't the best acted or highly recommended film of all time, but I love the music and it never fails to entertain me :-). My favorite characters from the new Oz movie were The Wicked Witches, especially Theodora (Wicked Witch Of The West). Cynic, I bought the Director's Cut of Little Shop Of Horrors a month or so ago and I love how true to the musical it is. Our day yesterday was a lot of fun and the food at Red Lobster was fantastic as always :-). Dad and I didn't have room for dessert, but we enjoyed it very much. I haven't been cooking anything special lately or used my new skillets yet, but, I was texting my one best friend and former high school classmate yesterday and she and I made plans for a picnic sometime soon. We have to work out the details (like what food we want to make, if we just want it for us or to bring a few friends along), but we know we want to make some sangria at least lol. I think she'll like the idea of inviting a few people along, but, like I said, she and I have to work on it. Thank you again, everyone, and Happy Easter. Brad AKA Moonwolf

Cookie8, I almost always end up rewriting recipes, so I can make them in the order I need to. (Starting with preheat the oven to...) The way some recipes are written, reading ahead is necessary, although not always an option. I find it makes the instructions much longer, which makes the recipe look more intimidating. The truth is, if I can follow it easily to the letter, I find my results are more successful. Sometimes, I'll rewrite a recipe several times before it's where I need it to be. You didn't really ask, but I always get out every ingredient, bowl, spatula measuring cup/spoons and mixer that I'm going to need before I even start. I measure it all, and set everything on a tray, so all I have to do is mix everything together. (If a recipe has multiple parts, I set up different trays.) That way, when you read through the recipe, it's all set up and easy to ''check off'' while you're baking. I hope you try again. Determination is a fine quality to possess! I have an easy one bowl chocolate cake recipe, if you need something to go to, that's tasty, easy and worthy of a birthday cake. I usually make it with a Cinnamon Buttercream Icing, and get requests for it often. Just let me know if you'd like the recipe. Deanna, I always use the recipe on the back of a bar of Bakers Sweet German Chocolate. It's no secret, but rather more time consuming to make as a cake, than anything else. It's our favorite as the buttermilk always makes it so moist, and it's a cake that only gets better with time. We always make it the day before, so the flavors have time to meld. It's also fun to anticipate eating it, when it looks so good sitting under a glass cake cover.

My apple cake with the gravy, because it is very heavy with apples is not good as a layer cake, doesn't cut well and with 4 cups of apples, it's heavy!. But it is spectacular as a 9 by 12 cake....with gravy on each square....passed warm in a pitcher....with maybe a small scoop of vanilla ice cream....and the "gravy" over the top. You can probably cut 16 pieces out of one cake....but....it's also very good for breakfast!! I have used this one for a layered birthday cake....with a caramel frosting...or maybe a burnt sugar....I forget. I cut back a little on the nutmeg....I think 1 tsp is a bit much and for a layer cake, that recipe makes 2 8 inch layers. And I always use my own applesauce. When I am making applesauce, I reserve a cup and make this cake. Cake, Applesauce, mine 1 egg beaten 1/2 cup shortening�I use butter 1 cup of sugar 1 cup cold unsweetened applesauce 1 3/4 cups AP flour 1 tsp soda 3/4 tsps salt 1 tsp nutmeg 1 1/2 tsps cinnamon 1/4 tsp powdered cloves 1 tsp vanilla 1 cup raisins and nuts cut up�optional Sift together, flour soda, salt and spices Cream shortening, beat in sugar, beat in the egg and the applesauce and vanilla�.add the flour etc and pour into a greased 8 � by 11 pan and bake at 350 for 45 to 60 minutes�.until a pick inserted in the center comes out clean.