Paula Deen and I appear to have something in common. We both believe that if you are going to make dessert, you might as well just go all out. Bring out the butter, pour on the sugar… none of this Splenda and light this and that business. Everyday cooking, you need to lighten up, but dessert? If you can’t making something indulgent, why make anything at all?

Now, listen carefully because there is a significant sequence of events that have led me to have to say goodbye to Paula for awhile. Even though I love Ms Paula, a few words “from the mouths of babes” have encouraged me to re-think things a bit. Maybe there is a reason those of you who post about light desserts are skinny. Maybe, just maybe, you are on to something.

Written here, is the sequence of events that have certainly changed my immediate future as I know it.

• On a whim, I saw Paula Deen’s Best Desserts on the magazine stand and I picked up a copy
• As soon as I got home, I thumbed through the magazine and dog eared page, after page, after page of delicious dessert recipes
• Fast forward a few days and I am in the shower. In to the bathroom walks my 3 year old. She glances at me and says “Mama, why are your boobies laying down on your tummy?” To add insult to injury, I thought for sure I had misunderstood what she said, so I  had her repeat it. Nope… word for word, spot on. No denying what she said.
• Just a mere two days later, my 6 year old walks into my bathroom, again, while I am in the shower. She looks at me and her face turned to the most excited expression and she shouts “Mom? We’re having another baby??!!!!” Yeah… thanks a lot. She was immediately cut from the will.
• I quickly decide that #1 – I need to get a door on the master bath so my insulting kids can’t come in and verbally assault me anymore while I am helpless in the shower and #2 – I need to buy an elliptical.
• Elliptical purchased, kids banned from my bathroom, and my dear, Paula Dean Best Desserts magazine sits staring at me, day after day…taunting me to make something – anything.
  
• Finally, I couldn’t take it anymore. Paula Deen and I meet again. I had an occasion to make a dessert. Is it a sin to make something of Paula’s light? I think so. I’m pretty sure it would have been #11 in the Ten Commandments had they had room on their stone tablet for one more.
• Made Cookies & Cream cupcakes and <gasp> did cut down on the powdered sugar by a couple of cups, but otherwise kept all of the butter, sugar, cream, in tact.

These Cookies & Cream cupcakes from Paula Deen’s Best Dessert Special Collector’s Issue (which should be banned from butter lover’s anonymous because there is a lot of butter in this book. Paula must have something special going on with the National Dairy Council.) They may have a lot of calories, but they are worth every last little bit. And if your kid starts to comment on the size of your behind, just stuff a cupcake in their mouth. That should take care of it.

Cookies and Cream Cupcakes from Paula Deen Best Dessert Special Collector’s Issue

• 1 1/2 cups butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbs baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 14 coarsely crushed cream-filled chocolate wafer cookies (Oreos)
• Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe follows)
• Garnish: miniature cream filled chocolate wafer cookies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 28 muffin cups with foil liners.

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar at medium speed with a mixer until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add to butter mixture, alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just until combined after each addition. Stir in crushed cookies. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups. Bake for 16 to 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks. Spread or pipe Cream Cheese Frosting evenly over cupcakes. Garnish with cookies, if desired.

Cream Cheese Frosting (Makes 6 cups… I only needed half of this recipe for the cupcakes)

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 12 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 9 cups confectioners’ sugar (I only used 6 cups and the frosting was great)

In a large bowl, beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with a mixer until creamy. Beat in cream until combined. Gradually add confectioners’ sugar, beating until smooth.

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I had the opportunity to go to a half day retreat at our church this past weekend. Sister Charlotte White was the retreat leader and the retreat was entitled “Stardust and Pig Wallows.” This retreat came at such a good time for me. I was feeling slightly overwhelmed by life, gloomy because of the winter weather, and was in need of a good “pep talk”.

As the tiny little Catholic nun stood in front of us sharing her wisdom, she asked a question… “What makes plants and flowers grow?” Well, the obvious answers were thrown out there… water, sun, soil, etc. She then said “Anything else?” Everyone looked around perplexed and then someone in the front said “Fertilizer”. “Exactlly!”, exclaimed Sister Charlotte. “Fertilizer…which is also known as sh*t. Just like plants, it is the sh*t in our lives that make us grow.” The room burst out in laughter, shocked to hear a little Catholic nun use such language, but the point hit home like nothing else. In order to grow, we have to go through the sh*t. We are challenged during those times, we are put to the test, and when we survive those struggles, we grow and become the individuals we are meant to be.

How do we get through those times though? It is one thing to be in the thick of the sh*t, but how do we survive and come out of the sh*t feeling like a beautiful rose? One thing that I think is important to have is a good friend or confidant to talk to.  Just having someone to vent to…someone to share your struggles with can help you to get through the tough times a little easier. I am lucky to have always had that in my mom, and I can tell you that just having a sounding board really does help to make times seem a little less tough.

The other thing that I think is important is chocolate. Seriously, have you ever gone through a rough patch in life while you were dieting? It isn’t fun, is it? I think not having the chocolate makes the patch all the more bumpy. Chocolate is like good therapy… sit down and savor some the next time you are down on life and I guarantee you that for even just a minute you’ll feel a bit better!

Mark over at Culinate informed me this week that one of my readers had nominated Dine and Dish for the Death by Chocolate contest. Thank you, whomever you are! A trip to Napa Valley would cure my winter blues and what could be better than going to a Chocolate Festival? Seriously… I never knew there was such a thing! Details from Culinate: The winner among readers will be chosen at random from all entries. Readers will vote for their favorite blog posts, and the winning food blogger will be selected by a panel of judges from the top 10 reader favorites.

So, head over to Culinate.com and enter to win a trip to Napa as well as some other great prizes! I’ll be submitting my “Fertilizer of Life” post as my Death by Chocolate entry…. if you feel so inclined to vote, please do! I’m sure there will be some great chocolate therapy to choose from!

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