Homemade Weekends

   Yes I realize this is really flirting with the weekend deadline, but I hope you'll forgive me when you see this one.  Once again this week I learned that I really need to stop watching Food Network late at night.  I say as I'm watching the season premier of The Next Iron Chef.  But last Sunday I was watching Iron Chef America and the secret ingredient was pineapple.  I love pineapple, fresh, canned, juiced, whatever.  So watching an entire episode of recipes devoted to it...well let's just say it's amazing I didn't go to the store at 2 am for some.  I was also craving cake so I turned once again to the Food Network website for a recipe.  Now I didn't want pineapple upside down cake, so I had to search through several pages to find one I wanted to try.  Which of course turned out to be a Paula Deen recipe.  I really should know by now to just automatically search for recipes by her or Alton Brown.
   The one I found is called Is It Really Better Than Sex? Cake.  Well that's a loaded question if I've ever heard one.  While I won't necessarily go that far in describing the cake, I will say it was really good and I plan to make it again.  Basically, it is yellow cake topped with pineapple, french vanilla pudding, and fresh whipped cream.  And toasted coconut if you follow the recipe completely.  I left that part off because David hates coconut and I don't like toasted coconut.  I did not feel I was missing anything, but I'm sure the coconut would have been good on top.

The Ingredients

See the whole cake after the break

Truffle Brownies

   A few weeks ago one of my managers at work requested these brownies for her birthday.  I've made them several times now and I must say they have ruined me for most other brownies.  At least when I'm having a serious chocolate craving.  While they are very easy and quick to make prep and baking wise, the hour cool down in the freezer makes them a delayed gratification.  But trust me, it's worth it.  And yes, I did say freezer.  *cue confused faces and head scratching*

Brownie Interior

   You can see from the picture why these are called truffle brownies.  The interior consistency is much closer to a truffle filling than your traditional brownie.  I originally found the recipe on the Food Network website.  The Food Network site is always one of my first stops when I'm looking for a new recipe.  Partially because I'm slightly fan-girl obsessed with Alton Brown.  But honestly I've yet to have one of his recipes completely lead me astray.

Warning: Major Food Porn Ahead!