Our good friend Jim added another year to his age today, though he was very clear that he was NOT 40 yet. We were happy to celebrate his 39th year the best way we know how – with great food and plenty of laughs. The birthday boy himself made the main dish – a kickin’ meatloaf that rates right up there with my mom’s, and Justin and I took care of the rest. Justin worked hard to make the perfect card for Jim. It involved a pink unicorn, and that is as much as I’m going to say about it. Believe me, you don’t want to know the rest!
We rounded out the meal with Pioneer Woman’s Dinner Rolls and Twice Baked Potatoes. But it wouldn’t be a birthday without a cake! When I asked Jenn what I should bake, she suggested a German Chocolate Cake, as that is Jim’s favorite. Well, despite my aversion to coconut, and the fact that I’ve successfully escaped ever making or eating a German Chocolate Cake up to this point, I can’t argue with birthday favorites. And actually, after our visit to Baked in Charleston, and the fact that there is a recipe for German Chocolate Cake in their cookbook, I was quite willing and looking forward to making one.
The cake came out splendidly, but is a deep, dark, rich, intense cake, with a wonderfully sticky sweet coconut pecan frosting/filling. While phenomenal, after an already filling, superb meal, we pretty much just wanted to roll onto the floor when we were done. Here’s the kicker – the only one of us that was actually able to finish a (three layer!) slice of cake was Madie! Yes, not-quite-70-pound, 10 year-old Madie. It was quite a feat.
Happy Birthday, Jim – we love being your friend!
