I made this

and it was delicious. Truth be told I thought the cake was a little on the dry side but it was very rich and decadent.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

Get recipe here.

Another thing I didn't need to know about

There are some benefits to being pregnant. Special treatment from friends and strangers alike. The pregnancy glow. Still waiting for that to kick in. And the extra 300-500 calories a day.

I weighed myself this morning and I'm up 4 lbs. That's 4 lbs from my pre-pregnancy weight. Not to brag (although I totally am) but that's a pretty moderate weight gain for being nearly half way through this pregnancy. So who was I to pass up delicious baked goods that suddenly appeared in the office break room this morning? I've been to Specialty's before but never for breakfast fare. They have awesome sandwiches and cookies. But I had no idea about their cinnamon rolls.

Imagine a cinnamon roll approximately 6 inches in diameter and a couple of inches high slathered with so much frosting that the cinnmon swirls are hidden well below. I only ate half of that magnificent creature. And the problem is now I know that it exists. Now I will crave it. Now I will find reasons to visit the Specialty's down the street from my office. And I won't be able to avoid the temptation. Like I said, it's another thing I didn't need to know about.

Fall has its perks

I think summer is my favorite season. I love warm evenings outdoors, hanging poolside and an excuse to make homemade lemonade. The sun and heat held out almost until Halloween but now it is definitely fall. And it is definitely windy. And definitely cold.

But there is a brightside- warming up a cold kitchen by baking fall treats like this Pumpkin Spice Pecan bread I made over the weekend. I topped it off with a vanilla glaze and more pecans. It was delicious.

I gave half of it to my in-laws. My father-in-law said I would be his "write in" candidate for president. You know, normally I would be mad that someone would throw away a vote. But I'm pretty sure Obama will sweep California and, hey, it's a vote for me. That's not a waste. So, Steve, you deserved that delicious pumpkin bread-- you did remember to write my name in, right?