I interrupt this story...

Let me interrupt the Rome story to share my usual day to day things you probably don't care to hear about....
And by day to day things I really mean food...

Katie has had a big group of teenagers over two days in a row...
I love nothing better than being the house where they want to hang out but since they are older and the group includes boys it is getting more expensive to be that house.  I walked in with groceries and it was like vultures surrounding me...
I served up some hot dogs and potato salad for dinner and the boys acted like I was the best mother they had ever met!  One of the boys had never had potato salad and was pretty sure I was fancy cook!

On a not so fun note, we have a family member in ICU and doing very very poorly...he is truly one of the best, sweetest, and loving men I have ever known.  We are sad and praying constantly for him.

I realized mid way through a baking spell this afternoon that worry was directly tied to my cooking...
I thought back and even as a kid and teen I can remember wanting to cook when I was stressed or worried about anything....

Today I saw the recipe for Milky Way cake on Pioneer Woman's web site. 
I am cursing her for it. 
I went to the store, gathered the ingredients and made a cake that has enough fat and calories to kill us all.
She said it was an old recipe from an aunt...and I am assuming it was one of those recipes from back in the day when no one asked how many calories something might have and also when Milky Way's probably cost 10 cents a piece...
I baked it in 3 small pans rather than the jelly roll pan so that I can share it...I haven't cut it yet but I can assure you from just licking the bowl that the cake and the icing are unbelievable!

Milky Way Cake (adapted from Pioneer Woman)

11 whole Milky Way Bars (regular Size),
                          Divided Use ( I only used 8 because at the store I couldn't remember how many I needed)

3 sticks Margarine, Divided Use
2-½ cupsAll-purpose Flour
½ teaspoons Salt
½ teaspoons Baking Soda
½ cups Buttermilk
3 teaspoonsVanilla Extract, Divided
2 cups Sugar
4 whole Eggs
2 cups Powdered Sugar
1 dashSalt
½ cups Milk (more If Needed)
1 cup Finely Chopped Pecans

Preheat oven to 300 degrees


In a double boiler or in a saucepan over very low heat, melt 8 Milky Way bars together ( I used 5) with 1 stick margarine, stirring to combine. Once melted, remove from heat and set aside.

Sift flour and salt together and set aside.

Mix baking soda with buttermilk, then add 2 teaspoons vanilla and set aside.

Cream 1 stick of margarine with the 2 cups of granulated sugar. Add eggs one at a time. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to the creamed mixture, mixing after each addition. Add melted candy bar mixture and mix to combine.

Pour into a greased jelly roll pan or 9 x 13 baking pan and bake for 1 hour or until cake is done in the center. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

To make the icing, melt the remaining 3 Milky Way bars with remaining 1 stick margarine (in a double boiler or in a saucepan over very low heat). Add powdered sugar, dash of salt, milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and chopped pecans and stir over low heat. Add more milk if needed. ( I used about 1/3 of cup milk and added another 1/2 cup of powdered sugar trying to stretch it for three small cakes)
Pour over the cooled cake and allow to set.
Cake will be sticky!
Serve with ice cream or whipped cream

I also made a big batch of cookies to send with Katie on a little trip she is taking and to freeze some for the next time I attacked by all the teenagers...

I also have PW's Dr Pepper Pork in the crock pot...

It will be a good night.