A few weeks ago, I took my first cruise.

Even though the seas were rough, my appetite was not really bother enough for me to forgo dessert.

At the larger, more formal dinners in the evening, we were given several options for dessert, but some were available all 5 nights. The Chocolate Melty Cake was truly enchanting.

It consisted of a chocolate batter that was baked, leaving the top spongy, but the center a fudgey gooey consistantcy that was deliciously rich.

I did enjoy the extra calories, even though it means that I have to pay for it at the gym now.

It totally was worth it.

I'm on a diet.

Having said that, yesterday I needed some protein and carbs so I could go work out and clean the house.

So for breakfast, I had a grilled peanut butter and banana sandwich.

To make it healthier I used the following ingredients:
1. Wheat bread (go fiber!)
2. Peanut butter
3. Smart heart faux butter
4. Banana

After peanut buttering two slices of wheat bread, I dropped in 1/2 a teaspoon of butter in a pan on HIGH. I cut up a quarter of a banana in thin slices to cover one slice with fruit. Close the sandwich and drop it in the pan, rubbing it into the faux butter until as crispy brown as you like your grilled sandwiches.

Repeat on the other side.

Turn off the heat and enjoy with skim or low fat milk.

It was good energy, yo.

I hope everyone's Thanksgiving was filled with love and food.

My family usually has a big extended family Thanksgiving the evening of the great day. We play catch up with all the cousins and see new babies and eat lots of yummy food.

The next day, my sisters, brother, and parents have a smaller party just for us.

And this year, we had a great dessert. Sansrival.

Oh, oh evil buttercream frosting. Why do you taunt me so?

This is a Filipino dessert that takes meringue torte and adds in the temptation of buttercream AND nuts.

It is evil.

It is heaven.

It's like 400+ calories per freakin' serving, but I won't think about that.

I've been reading online about how hard this is to make since you have to bake each thin layer of meringue and then delicately add in the filling and nuts, but if a homemade Sansrival turns out as good as the one from Goldielocks, then I'm going to be making this piece of heaven myself from now on.

The butter flavor is not overwhelming as the buttercream is light and fluffly. It's the combination of crunchy meringue and nuts that is so satisfying. It's a cake with texture and flavor.

This is a cake best served cold --even frozen as my uncle suggested. It's perfect with a cup of tea (no sugar needed when eating this!) or coffee. The cool crunch is really fabulous.

While I did have a piece of pumpkin pie on Thursday night, Friday night's dessert of Sansrival truly had no rival (Um, that's what Sans Rival means, btw.).

So I hope you all had a fabulous Turkey day. I gained a few pounds, I think, but in the end it was totally worth it.

Plus, I'm waking up early tomorrow to try to work some of it off. Um. really.

Alas, I am trying to restrain myself. Halloween is here and candy abounds.

The fact is that there is toooo much candy. I need to stay away.

So to block myself from temptation, I have switched to another, more wholesome snack.

1. Take wheat bread - 1 to 2 slices, depending on your hunger.
2. Add peanut butter to bread.
3. Stick peanut buttered slices in toaster oven (peanut butter side up, of course).
4. Toast till peanut butter starts to form a golden brown crust (I usually put it to MED on mine).
5. Take out toast and drizzle honey.
6. Fold OR put together the slices.

Enjoy along with a glass of milk or tea.

I'm on a road-trip to Santa Barbara. I've actually never been here before, but this afternoon, we went to see the ocean. The smell of salt and sea isn't my favorite, but I love seafood. Strangely enough however, I had fried chicken at the Santa Barbara Wharf restaurant Moby Dick.


But for dinner, Sat and I had dessert.


I haven't really indulged in dessert in a long while, so we searched online for a place with amazing desserts in Santa Barbara. We found it at the Cafe Sojourner.


I'm in love with this flourless chocolate torte. Combined with the coffee (cafe sojourner's signature coffee - layered chocolate, coffee, milk, and whipped cream), I was in choco-heaven.


The top of the torte was decorated with a light sprinkling of powdered sugar, stenciled in a delicate pattern, but that wasn't what I will remember. The torte was a rich burst of flavor. Each bite was decadently rich. Not too sweet, the richness took full advantage of the complex nature of chocolate. Sweet blended into bitterness and the texture melted in my mouth.


It's a must-eat dessert if you visit Santa Barbara.

I've moved to the desert. It's hot. God, it's hot. I realize I haven't posted in a while. I've been a bit busy with conventions and moving and stuff like that.

I actually like the cold better than the heat, but with the advent of air conditioning, I think I'll survive. It's very cold in the winter time, so I'll have plenty of time to enjoy the chill.

Our neighbors here are very friendly though and today one of our friendly neighbors sent over some Halo-Halo, one of my favorite Filipino desserts.

It's a variation of shaved ice. A mixture of preserved fruits, red beans, ect., are placed in the bottom of a tall glass. Shaved ice is added on top. Sometimes (as in the deluxe version) ice cream and ube is added on top with evaporated milk added to the mix.

Then... you take a spoon and mix it.

There's nothing better on a hot day. The fruit, milk, and ice are so refreshing.

My oh my, I haven't posted any new desserts in a while.

Sadly, I have been trying to cut down on my carbs. I realize this is hard to do since I am particularly obsessed with dessert.

Anyway, my dad made a quick pineapple upside down cake using yellow cake mix, canned pineapples and preserved cherries. He arranged all of the fruit on the bottom of the pans then poured the mix into the pans. I guess he learned it from his days as a US Navy chief.

The yellow cake is moisten even further by the fruit.

Once the cake is baked, he flipped it onto a plate and it looked lovely.

So.

I ate some.

....

And it was good.

Go Carbs.

I love custard. I think it's from my halcyon childhood days, eating leche flan made with 18 yolks, condensed milk, and lots of love (and secret spices that I cannot reveal here) made by my daddy. My sister makes a mean flan, too.

Anyway, the rich velvet feel of creamy custard. God.

But since I'm trying to watch my diet a bit (insert sighing and weeping here), I have forgone the wonderful taste of my dad's secret leche flan recipe. That does not stop my father from making it in hopes of tempting me.

Luckily I have a way to "dispose" of such goodies.

I just bring the flan to work. It's gone within a few days. \^o^/

BTW, I tried a Fluffernutter for the first time. Now that's evilly good. I must get others to eat it and save me from scarfing the lot of it over the next few days. ;_; I just KNOW the marshmallow cream is calling me why I type up my reports.

I turned 30 last month. Actually, it was anticlimactic. I don't feel any different.

Anyway, one of my friends turned 30 about 2 weeks before me, so we had a small dinner to celebrate. One of my friends had given me a s'more maker for Christmas a few years ago, but I never had an occasion to use it.

But this time, I brought it to the dinner. We lit up a gel warmer thing and fired up the marshmallows using fondue forks.

I have never really eaten a s'more. I mean, I've gone camping and had toasted marshmallows, but never did the s'more thing.

While some of my friends waxed eloquent about the sugar sandwiches, I was reluctant. I mean, it's just sugar + chocolate + sugar + bread-sugar.

I took a bite. The chocolate, gram cracker, and marshmallow burst on my tongue. Yes, it was delicious.I turned 30 this past weekend. Actually, it was anticlimactic. I don't feel any different.

Anyway, one of my friends turned 30 about 2 weeks before me, so we had a small dinner to celebrate. One of my friends had given me a s'more maker for Christmas a few years ago, but I never had an occasion to use it.

But this time, I brought it to the dinner. We lit up a gel warmer thing and fired up the marshmallows using fondue forks.

I have never really eaten a s'more. I mean, I've gone camping and had toasted marshmallows, but never did the s'more thing.

While some of my friends waxed eloquent about the sugar sandwiches, I was reluctant. I mean, it's just sugar + chocolate + sugar + bread-sugar.

I took a bite. The chocolate, gram cracker, and marshmallow burst on my tongue. Yes, it was delicious. A heady combination of sweetness and...more sweetness.

But, I can honestly say I could go on living without having MORE.... Maybe I'm too old to appreciate it. It might be something that is imprinted on a child. The taste more nostalgic than addictive.

That being said, it was yummy. Maybe I'll have s'more, um, after hiking in the woods and camping (which I will probably never do).

Though, I do like the thought of chocolate drizzled popcorn balls.

Hm, well that's the name of the 7th HP book.

But this is a dessert blog, so I shall discuss something else.

Director Stephanie Sheh sent over a holiday gift to our offices. Belgium Waffles & cakes!

An authentic Belgium waffle, I learned on NPR's Splendid Table, actually has bits of sugar in it that crunch when you eat it. It's heavier, more like a cake than a waffle.

So when I scurried over to the desk of death (where all the holiday treats go to tempt staffers), and bit into one of the treats, I gasped in joy. This was the REAL DEAL! Crunchy bits and cake-y consistency.

The gift basket had chocolate covered ones as well as the plain one, both of which had the crunchy bits. I know. I tried them both...

Anyway, now I have tried them I can say, "Those waffles ain't Belgium." when I go to IHOP. Or... I'll just stick to the Original Pancake House. They've got the best batter anyway.

Happy Holidays All!
<3 Ardith