Almost Everybody Loves Chocolate Cake

I can't believe I went 17 years without chocolate! One day I was giving my husband a bad time about drinking cola drinks with caffeine and he pointed out that I ate chocolate that also had what I considered the same unhealthy ingredient. "Are you going to give up chocolate knowing it has caffeine?" Being quite determined to only eat healthy foods I responded with yes! I not only gave up chocolate but also carbonation from 1990 to 2007.

What made me go back on chocolate? I think I would still be off chocolate if it hadn't been for my daughter Rachel. She convinced me that Xocai dark healthy chocolate had many health benefits and that it didn't contain caffeine like other chocolate. One square of this delicious chocolate had as many anti-oxidants as a pound of raw spinach or a cup of blueberries. That day in May I went back on chocolate and have been eating healthy chocolate almost every day since.

During my "chocolate free" years, I never quit baking chocolate treats for my family. I continued to make Texas Sheet Cake, Chocolate Chip Cookies and German Chocolate Cake. It was always my tradition, especially when it was their birthday, to cook their favorite dinner and make whatever they requested for dessert. Now I enjoy the chocolate desserts I make and try to keep it in moderation.

Mike and I traveled to Clyde Hill, Washington to celebrate our oldest grandson's birthday. Michael Christopher Atwood turned 12 on April 29th and yesterday was ordained a deacon in the Aaronic Priesthood. To celebrate this wonderful occasion we had an amazing dinner with my son, Andrew, making his special Smoked Teriyaki Salmon. His wife Melanie made Oriental Green Beans, homemade French bread and the most rich chocolate cake ever for Michael's birthday cake. I'm glad I wasn't off chocolate for this dinner!

Triple Chocolate Bundt Cake

1 pkg. devil's food cake mix
1 4 oz. pkg. instant chocolate pudding
2 cups chocolate chips
1 3/4 cups water
2 large eggs, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 12" bundt pan, set aside. In a large mixing bowl combine cake mix, pudding and chocolate chips. In another bowl combine the water, eggs and vanilla mixing well. Add egg mixture to dry mixture, mixing by hand just until blended. Pour into pan and bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until cake tests done when a wooden pick placed in the center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes before removing from the pan. When cake has cooled completely, drizzle with a Chocolate Glaze: In a small mixing bowl combine 2 Tbsp. melted butter, 3 Tbsp. cocoa*, 1 cup powdered sugar and 2 to 3 Tbsp. hot water. Beat by hand until smooth.
* Melanie used the Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa that made it even more rich and delicious.

My Best Easter Sunday Ever

It was a memorable day for me. Most women who are 9 months pregnant would want to be in the hospital delivering their baby, but this Easter Sunday I didn’t want to miss out. My family was having a birthday party for my parents, Milo and Virginia Moody. My dad turned 72 on the 5th and my mom was turning 68 on the 7th. I thought it was a great plan to celebrate the day in between.

We weren’t the only ones celebrating that day. April 6, 1980 was the Sesquicentennial of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Millions of members world wide were watching a special general conference broadcast from the site where the church was organized 150 years ago. That was another event I did not want to miss. I enjoyed watching both sessions with my family. Afterward we all headed to Provo where my sister, Patricia, was hosting the party.

The Moody family always has wonderful food when they get together. I had made a special Easter treat to share, Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Eggs. Before I indulged in all the good food, however, I wanted to pass out the contest forms. A baby contest was fun tradition we had that made the arrival of a new baby more exciting for everyone. It was fun to be a winner by guessing correctly whether the baby is a boy or girl, the day they will be born and the birth weight.

When it was time to eat, I had lost my appetite. My chocolate eggs didn’t even appeal to me. I decided to sit down for a while on the couch hoping to feel better. Then I noticed I was having a few contractions. I had so much false labor with my last pregnancy that I wasn’t concerned. I ignored them at first but the contractions kept getting stronger and more regular.

I soon realized I was really in labor, but if I announced it to everyone it would ruin the contest. I kept a smile on my face, enduring the pains until the party was over. As we left, I told Mike I needed to pack my bags. He knew what that meant. My parents volunteered to stay with our other four children and we headed for the hospital. In less than two hours, our little brown-eyed boy was born at about 11:30 PM . We named our Easter baby, Richard Milo Atwood, a special name for our fifth child, third boy.

That was my best Easter Sunday ever. The baby came at the perfect time, my labor and delivery was the shortest and smoothest and natural childbirth was a quicker recovery for me. I was so happy to have my doctor daddy come over and check the little baby that would be named after him. On the Atwood side, he would be the fourth generation to have the name of Richard. The only thing that wasn’t perfect about that day was I missed out on a lot of good food and didn’t get to taste my marshmallow eggs.

Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Eggs

1 envelope unflavored gelatin
2 Tbsp. cold water
1 egg white
2/3 cup corn syrup
1/4 cup hot water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. flavoring
food coloring
dipping chocolate

Use two 9X13” pans putting about 7 cups of flour in each. Push a clean egg half way down in the flour making 12 impressions in each pan. Set aside. Soften the unflavored gelatin in cold water for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, beat egg white until very stiff. Add corn syrup and continue beating until thick. Set aside. Add hot water and sugar to the gelatin mixing well. Pour into a double boiler and beat over boiling water until thickened. Add egg white mixture and continue beating until soft peaks form. Remove from heat. Add flavoring and food coloring if desired. Work quickly to spoon marshmallow mixture into egg impressions. Let eggs set for several hours. Turn eggs over in flour to coat lightly so they won't be too sticky to handle. Melt dipping chocolate over hot water. Dust flour off eggs and dip in melted chocolate. Set eggs on a greased cookie sheet and when chocolate is firm, store in an airtight container.

Five Generations: When Gavin Richard Atwood was born Nov. 2006, he was the fifth generation to have the name Richard. It started with Melvin Richard who died in 1973. Pictured left to right: Richard Milo, father holding baby Gavin; Archie Richard, great-grandfather and Michael Richard, grandfather.

Taking Care of Little Easter Chicks

When I was in high school the most popular past time for teenagers in Spanish Fork was “dragging main”. What were we thinking? It was such a waste of gas and time, but gas was only about 25 cents a gallon and I guess it was better than going to a wild party. You could always tell your friends by the car they drove. I was well known for driving one of the oldest and biggest cars, a blue 1947 Chevy. I’m sure my parents wanted to keep their newer cars free from scratches and dents.

Mike was the tall, handsome star of the basketball team back then. Somehow he squeezed his tall 6 foot 7 inch frame into one of the smallest cars, a VW bug. I really liked his car and it became our little “Love Bug”. Our early dates together were in that car. The car was built to last and we drove it many years even after we were married.

Mike was one of the best basketball players to ever play for the Spanish Fork Dons. When he was a senior, he received more than 70 letters from colleges wanting to recruit him to play for their team. When he decided to go to BYU on a full athletic scholarship, I was elated! I was already an avid BYU fan, attending football and basketball games with my dad for years. I was also Mike’s biggest fan, keeping stats of all his games his senior year. I think he was quite impressed that I knew how many points, rebounds and assists he made.

In preparation to go to college, Mike decided to paint his little car. To save money, he worked so hard sanding and preparing it to get painted. He picked the perfect color, a metallic blue, similar to the old BYU blue color during our college days. After painting it, my dad let him keep it in our garage until the paint had cured. It was beautiful and looked like new. We named it “Herbie” after the famous volkwagon in the movies.

I remember the day we drove up to show it off to his parents. Mike ran to the back door not noticing his sister’s Easter chicken that was perched on the window ledge. He scared the chicken that was old enough to fly and watched as it tried to make a landing on top of the newly painted car. It left six long scratches which made Mike absolutely furious. He chased down the chicken and there was a tragic end to what once was a cute Easter chick.

Children love caring for animals. They can learn to work and be responsible by taking care of chickens or other pets. This week my grandchildren bought baby chicks and they are preparing to give them a good home. They will live in their fenced in back yard. Plans are underway for a grand chicken coop where they can sleep and hopefully lay many eggs. I will gladly help them with this project so maybe they will share a few eggs with me. In return, I will invite them over for a breakfast of fantastic Carmel French Toast. There’s nothing better that fresh eggs laid by happy chickens.

Caramel Apple French Toast

6 Tbsp. butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp. corn syrup
2 apples, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup raisins, opt.
8 slices French bread cut 1 “thick
5 large eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups milk
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt

In a saucepan cook butter, brown sugar and corn syrup over medium heat until bubbly, stirring constantly. Pour into a 9x13 inch pan. Place apple slices in rows over the caramel sauce and sprinkle with raisins, if desired. Place the bread over the apples. In a bowl, combine eggs, milk, cinnamon, vanilla and salt and pour over the bread. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes, then invert on a serving platter. Serve immediately.

Baking the Perfect Holiday Dessert

It seems everyone wants to celebrate Valentine’s Day at their favorite restaurant, but not me! Going out to eat on a holiday is not only expensive but it takes too much time! First you wait for a table and then you wait for your food. Sometimes you have chips or peanuts or popcorn to snack on while you wait. By the time you are served, you may be too full to enjoy your meal. I would much rather celebrate Valentine’s Day by fixing my sweetheart an extra special dinner. If you believe the saying “actions speak louder than words” then making his favorite meal is the best way to say “I love you”.

I usually ask Mike what menu he wants, and through the years it has varied. At first it was steak, baked potatoes and steamed veggies. Now it is more likely to be heart healthy foods like chicken or grilled salmon. One thing has remained constant: he always chooses cheesecake for dessert. After trying many recipes, we both decided the very best is the rich and creamy “Cheesecake Supreme” topped with a cherry glaze. It is the ultimate dessert for our Valentine dinner.

Making cheesecake is truly is a labor of love. First, you must have a good quality spring-form pan. For the best results you should use only the best ingredients: 5 packages of cream cheese, six eggs, heavy cream and a cube of real butter for the crust. It takes about an hour to bake and another 2 hours to cool it slowly to room temperature. The longer you chill it, the better it is. I try to make it the day before so it chills 12 hours or more. Because it is laden with calories and saturated fats, Mike and I decided it would be a splurge only on special occasions.


In a family with eight children, special occasions came often as we celebrated their birthdays. Our birthday tradition was similar to our Valentine’s tradition. My children got to choose the menu for a special family dinner and I baked them their favorite cake for dessert. I convinced them that pie and cheesecake were not in the cake category, but when my boys became teenagers, all three of them wanted Cheesecake Supreme. Being a loving mother and wanting to please them, I did as they requested. Some years we had as many as five dinners where cheesecake was the dessert.

It was a great day when I found a mini cheesecake recipe. It helped simplify my life for birthday dinners and other special events. They are easy to make and bake in half the time as regular cheesecake. Making them a day ahead makes your meal time preparation so much easier. I make mini cheesecakes quite often for my family, but Mike is my “yobo”- which is “honey” in Korean. He still gets the very best Cheesecake Supreme so he knows just how much I love him.

Mini Cheesecakes
2 (8 oz) pkgs. cream cheese
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
12 vanilla wafers
3/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 Tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. lemon juice

Allow cream cheese to come to room temperature or soften in the microwave for about 15 second each. Beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Put a vanilla wafer in the bottom of 12 baking cups in a standard muffin tin. (I like to use the foil variety.) Fill each with the cheese mixture until almost full. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Combine sour cream, sugar and lemon juice. Remove the cheesecakes from the oven and put a tablespoon of the sour cream mixture on each. Return them to the oven to bake for five more minutes. Cool for about 30 minutes at room temperature and then chill at least 3 hours or longer. Top with your favorite fruit topping such as cherry or blueberry pie filling. Strawberry or raspberry topping is also good when fresh fruit is available.

Serving with Love in Haiti

Church service was my brother’s full time job. For 25 years, Michael F. Moody served as the chairman for the General Music Committee for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. During that time he was instrumental in the printing of the 1985 hymnal which was translated in over 20 different languages. As part of his job, he visited countries around the world to provide music training. One of those trips took him to Haiti.

When Michael visited Haiti in 1998, he wrote home to his wife, “I love this place and its people; I did from the moment I arrived. They are black, shiny, and beautiful. They are humble and spiritual. They are hopeful and happy.” As he attended churches there, he found the chapels were overcrowded and often without plumbing and electricity. They didn’t have air conditioning and in that hot, humid climate it was quite an experience for him.

Though the people lived in poverty, Sunday was a special day for them and as they attended church, he observed, “They are unbelievably clean and neat. Today they are all dressed in white shirts, ties, and beautiful Sunday dresses. The women have their hair impeccably done. The men have their shoes shined.” He felt a great love for the people and conveyed this to his wife in that letter. Less than 2 years after that visit, Michael was called to be president of the Haiti Port-au-Prince Mission.

Upon hearing the news of their call to serve, my first concern was for Maria. I wondered how she could survive what some described as a “two year camping trip” in a third world country; but Maria had great faith. Even when the call was extended to three years, she showed her willingness to support her husband. I witnessed that Maria is a woman of strength and a blessing to her husband when I visited Haiti in 2002. I went with my husband, Mike and brother, Milton. It was a trip I will always remember.

On our arrival, Michael and Maria were there to greet us. As we walked through the crowded airport, people reached out to touch him as if my brother was a celebrity. I later found out that he was known to many of the Haitians as “President Love”. Some of the people were seeking a blessing from this religious leader and others may have wanted money. To the latter, he would give them crackers for which they always seemed grateful.

Most memorable to me were the children. We drove through the country one day and saw many school children, some neatly dressed in matching uniforms. They were happy, smiling and willing to pose for photos. Another day, we walked to an orphanage not far from the mission home. I remember picking up a little girl, feeling sorry that she had no clothing on. She stroked my long straight hair as several others gathered around seeking my attention. How I wished I could have taken all of them back to Utah with me and find them good homes.

When I heard of the earthquake and saw the devastation there, I saw a news report that an orphanage had been completely destroyed. I was sad to think it might have been the one I visited that day. My brother told me that about 20 of the church members he knew had been killed, but it was truly a blessing that all of the missionaries were accounted for.

Michael and Maria found happiness in Haiti by focusing on the positive. An email from them said, “We are rejoicing in the daily adventures of our mission – meeting friendly, happy people, experiencing a culture and way of life far removed from our own and basking in the tropical pleasures. We are on a hectic schedule but finding joy each day.” We could all find added happiness in our own lives by reaching out to others in need and serving them with love.

Finding a Fitness Friend for Life

I always wanted to be a mother and have a large family. My father always told me that life’s greatest job was being a mother. He told me I could influence my children for good by teaching them important values and setting a good example. What he didn’t tell me is that being a mother is also life’s most stressful job. When my sixth child was born and my oldest was only eight, I felt overwhelmed with cooking, cleaning, laundry and everything else I had to do.

My biggest challenge was managing my weight. With every baby I had gained extra pounds that I couldn’t lose. I was depressed that I couldn’t fit into my clothes and didn’t want to buy new clothes in a bigger size. I decided the only way to lose the unwanted pounds was by exercising, so that summer I signed up for Dorothy’s aerobics class. As I faithfully attended, I made new friends and it became a social outing that I needed very much. I didn’t lose a lot of weight, but I lost over 11 inches the first few months. The best thing however was it gave me an outlet for the stress in my life. That summer changed my life. I was happier being a stay at home mom and had more energy to accomplish my daily chores.

It may have been the upbeat music or the friends in class, but I loved dance aerobics so much that I decided to certify and teach classes in my home. When my class became larger, I moved to Salem Elementary where I taught through the Community Education program. My daughter, Melinda, joined my early morning aerobics class at age 16 and became my best student. I found out she was not a typical teenager. For three months straight at 5:45 AM she never missed a class!

I taught aerobics for almost 16 years. My daughter, Melinda, followed in my footsteps and became a certified fitness instructor, teaching yoga and step aerobics. Now for the past 10 years she has been my teacher. Changing to step aerobics was a challenge at first, but through her example and with her encouragement, I now teach once a week and enjoy being in her class the other two days.

Melinda has inspired me in other ways. After serving a mission, she was diagnosed with diabetes. I remember that day of tears as we received instructions from the dietician. She would have to use insulin and change her eating habits for the rest of her life to control her blood sugar levels. I remember the positive attitude she had as she accepted that challenge. With an associate degree in nutrition, she went on to finish a Dietetic degree at BYU. I was amazed that she accomplished her goal, having her first baby in November and graduating the following May.

My advice to everyone is to choose a form of exercise you really enjoy and make time to workout at least three times a week. Even if it means getting up at 5 AM, the health benefits are worth the sacrifice. Finding a friend that will workout with you will make it easier to follow through with your fitness goal. Maybe you can exercise with a family member and have a fitness friend for life.

Applesauce Pancakes

2 cups white or wheat flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
3 Tbsp. sugar
2 eggs
1 cup applesauce
1 1/2 to 2 cups buttermilk
3 Tbsp. oil

Whisk dry ingredients and set aside. In a large bowl, combine liquid ingredients using 1 1/2 cups of buttermilk. Stir in dry ingredients and then add more buttermilk if needed to make it the desired consistency. Grease a griddle or spray with a cooking spray. Use 1/4 cup batter for each pancake and brown on both sides. Serve with Apple Syrup: 1 cup sugar, 3 Tbsp. cornstarch, 1/4 tsp. cinnamon, 2 cups apple juice and 2 Tbsp. lemon juice. Mix sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon in a saucepan. Add juice and lemon juice. Bring to a boil.

Giving a Gift of Friendship

A year ago I got a memorable Christmas gift. A friend of mine gave me what appeared to be a zip lock bag with pancake batter in it. It was a cup of Amish bread starter and it came with instructions on how to keep it “alive”. Years ago I had tried to establish the Amish baking tradition and it was too hard. It took eight days of stirring and two days of “feeding” so that on the tenth day I could bake “Friendship Bread”. The instructions said to share 2 or 3 starts with friends so they can bake bread every ten days too. That was the hard part for me, finding someone who really wanted to bake that often.

I accepted the gift with a smile and a thank you. My mother use to tell me, “If at first you don’t succeed try, try again.” I decided to give Amish bread another try but this time make the recipe healthier. I cut out half of the fat and used whole wheat flour. Adding grated apples made the bread moist and delicious. Baking it in mini loaves made for smaller portions. After all the changes, my bread was more like a muffin than a dessert. Those watching their sugar intake could eat it without feeling guilty and my family loved the new recipe.

My friends are the reason I keep making Amish bread. Gerrie is a neighbor who lost her husband this past year and now lives alone. She likes my bread and even asked me for a starter. Giving her bread saves her the hassle of making her own. My friend, Phoebe, had a stroke several years ago and relies on her husband to cook their meals. Friendship bread it a treat that she and her husband really appreciate. Then there is sweet Cleo, 90 years old and restricted on what she can eat. When I deliver a loaf of bread to her she seems overjoyed to get it. It makes me happy seeing her eyes light up and her bright smile as she says “thank you” several times.

This month I will be baking more than every ten days. I have a freezer full of Amish starter that I never gave away and a list of friends I like to remember at Christmas time. If any of them like the bread and want to try baking it, I will gladly give them a starter, recipes and the instructions. I will also give them a warning that they might become addicted to it and feel like a slave spending so much time baking and washing dishes. They can weigh the pros and cons and then decide if giving a gift of friendship is really worth it.

Amish Apple Friendship Bread

Marilyn Atwood

3 cups flour (half whole wheat) *

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

3 teaspoons cinnamon

1 1/2 cups sugar

3/4 cup oil

4 large eggs, beaten

3/4 cup milk *

3/4 cup applesauce

1 1/2 cups grated apples

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 cups Amish Friendship Bread starter

1 large box instant vanilla pudding (3/4 cup) *

Grease three 9x5 inch loaf pans or 7 mini loaf pans. Mix 1/2 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Dust the greased pans with half of the mixture. Set aside the rest to be used later. In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside. In a large non metal mixing bowl combine sugar, oil and eggs. Use a large wooden spoon to stir. Add milk, applesauce, grated apples and vanilla. Stir in dry ingredients. Add Amish starter and vanilla pudding. Stir just until blended. Pour into prepared loaf pans. Sprinkle the top with the remaining cinnamon and sugar mixture. Bake at 350 degrees: large loaves for about 50 minutes and mini loaves about 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before removing from the pan. Cool completely on a wire rack then wrap in plastic wrap.

* I use food storage items so I can rotate my wheat, powdered milk and large cans of pudding.