Chocolate Nut Cake and A Mother's Love

I don't care what anyone says, making delicious and healthy food is a way a mother shows love for her family. And noone makes a deilcious meal like an Italian mother.
We are still fans of Everybody Loves Raymond, although Clarence finds the Italian mother Marie quite annoying. I say you'd be lucky to have someone like that to make all those wonderful meals and desserts, and the way she cleans, so fastidioiusly!


Clarence posed in front of this old police car at Gus's Diner

We recently went to one of those diners that are all show and no go near Sun Prairie and the food was lousy and their desserts looked just awful. I've never seen such an unappealingy pie and cake window. The waiter was dirty and there was a bathroom full of ladies who were following around a young man dressed up like Elvis. I told them that he should do his own thing instead of singing like somebody else. They were all wearing spangled t-shirts with his picture and name on them so I don't think they listened. He came in to cool off and get a drink of water but I didn't see him go near the desserts either.

There were a lot of old cars in the parking lot, but I just wanted to get out of the house and out of the heat. Both my husband and daughter seemed to enjoy their food, but I don't think anyone makes a meal like an Italian mother. I tried some of Jeanna's fries and a little chicken sandwich but didn't care for either. Jeanna just wanted to get back and see if Joan Rivers was on the red carpet because The Emmys were on. That Joan Rivers can be horrible, I don't know how she gets to talk about how other people look. Sometimes I see her on the television and think she's wearing a mask.

Sometimes you're better off making your own dessert instead of counting on someone else to do it for you.  Of course we didn't know how bad all that rich food and butter and fat and sugar was for you back when I was doing most of my baking and cooking. But everything in moderation. Although I do enjoy some of the desserts at the Hubbard Ave. Diner where we saw our doctor acting naughty and eating an enormous caramel apple pie covered with hot caramel sauce.

Here is a cake that is so good it doesn't need frosting but works well with more than one flavor if you choose to frost it. Even people who say they don't like chocolate will love this cake. Do we believe anyone who says they don't like chocolate? Clarence says that all the time and he always eats every last crumb.

Chocolate Nut Cake


Keep the ingredients at room temperature
1 Cup Soft Margarine
2 1/2 Cups Sugar
5 Ounces Semi-sweet, Melted Chocolate
2 Teaspoons Vanilla
6 Eggs
2 1/4 Cups Flour
1 1/2 Teaspoons Baking Soda
1/4 Cup Cocoa
1 1/2 Teaspoons Salt
1 Cup Salad Dressing
1 Cup Finely Chopped Nuts


Blend sugar and butter with mixer until smooth and fluffy
Add vanilla and cooled chocolate
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each one
Add sifted dry ingredients, alternating with salad dressing
Beat well and add nuts, mixing throughout the batter
Grease and flour a 10 inch tube (bundt) pan
Bake 1 hour, 20 minutes at 350°
Cool thoroughly and turn onto a cake dish You can frost it with lime frosting for St. Patrick's day or Chocolate butter cream frosting
Or it is very good served with a generous sprinkling of powdered sugar

Before the poem called A Mother's Love, I'd like to share a photo from my grandson who has started cooking and baking now that he is in an easier class. He was taking Chinese and that is so hard, but now he is taking Spanish, a language he has taken since grade school.

This is a lasagna and cherry pie Joey made and put on my Facebook page (whatever that is). You have to understand that he is mostly Italian.

A Mother's Love


Strong mother love does what no other can
Her gentle hands mould destiny of man
Through patience, trust, and faith she shows the way
To mend the broken is her tender plan


God listens to her bright and happy tunes
Her majesyt of song lights eager rooms
Cold corners feel warm sunshine from her touch
Her throbbing love brings springtime's scented bloom


She never wearies of the hundred chores,
Performed each day behind contented doors
A mother's heart bears pity for all men
Her mercies hush the ugly cannon roars


Her lips console with comfort in her kiss
Dispersing cares and summoning sweet bliss
A mother lessens, soothes, and heals dismay
Earth's richest wealth dare not compete with this