Death By Chocolate Recipe by Kimber Flory

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

Having had a strong craving for chocolate recently, I started looking up some quick and easy chocolate recipes. I found this one and think I'm going to try this one.

Ingredients

* 1 (18.25 ounce) package German chocolate cake mix
* 1 (3.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix
* 1 2/3 cups milk
* 3/4 cup strong brewed coffee
* 1 (12 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
* 6 (1.4 ounce) bars chocolate covered toffee bars, frozen and crushed

Directions

1. In a 9x13 in pan, bake cake according to package directions. Cool and crumble. Make pudding, according to package directions, with milk.
2. In a large trifle or other glass serving bowl, place half of the crumbled cake. Pour half of the coffee over the cake, and spread half of the pudding over that. Top with half of the whipped topping, sprinkled with half the crumbled candy bars. Repeat layers in the same order. Refrigerate until serving.

Sounds good to me. :)

 

I have recently had a great craving for chocolate. Which doesn't surprise me because I have been particularly out of sorts this week. I don't usually even like chocolate. But every once in awhile, during a certain time of the month, I will get a craving. So I decided to find out about chocolate and why so many people (especially females) crave chocolate. I have heard that it contains different things that help improve moods, heal broken hearts, increase feelings of happiness. And even a few people who claim to have been drunk on chocolate. But how much fact is behind that? Is there really truth that chocolate can make you feel better?

Well, yes and no. Depends on who you ask. There have been many, many studies done on chocolate. There are studies that say the chemicals in chocolate are in such small amounts that you would have to consume large amounts in order to improve your mood. There are those who also say that it's great for a pick me up. Some of the studies say that it is actually harmful, because it can block some of the chemicals that do their job naturally. Others say it boosts the chemicals that help make you feel better. Browsing through the various studies did little to help me understand why or if chocolate really does improve moods. One study stated that it is all a matter of whether you believe it will help your mood or not. If you believe that it is a mood lifter, then it will improve your mood. But it also stated that if you expect a huge increase in your mood, you may be disappointed and it can have the opposite affect.

Chocolate does contain mood lifting chemicals, such as seretonin in it. It also contains sugar, which can give you a lift in energy and spirits. It also has calcium which can be known to improve moods. It is said that you should look for darker chocolates, as it is the cocoa in the chocolate that really has the kick behind it. The higher the cocoa content, the more helpful. But there are also studies that claim all of this is bunk. So, while I was going to give some real truths about chocolate here - I found it very hard to find the truth. So instead, I'm going to ask you - are you a chocoholic? Do you crave it? Does it improve your mood? What do you think?

[Lady Boru]

Thank you--I love chocolate and this sounds very good!