Devil's Food Cake (44 page)

Shawn needed Pete’s help?
Sadie wondered. She was so confused.

“Oh,” Pete said, setting down his plate next to Shawn’s. “Sure.”

Shawn glanced at his mom quickly before taking one end of the bed table. “We can just wheel this whole thing out there,” he said.

Sadie finally understood. He was creating an opportunity for her to be alone.

Moments later Breanna had disappeared into the bathroom, Shawn and Pete were rolling the cake down the hall, and Sadie was alone. She picked up the card again and flipped it open, ignoring the butterflies she felt for reasons she couldn’t define.

Bonnie,

Thanks for the best time I’ve had in years.

I’m hoping there are even better times ahead.

Sincerely,

Clyde

Died and Gone to Heaven Cake

8 ounces Hershey’s chocolate syrup

1 can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk

1⁄3 cup butter

1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla

1⁄2 gallon vanilla ice cream (softened) *

24 Oreo cookies

1⁄4 cup butter

8 ounces Cool Whip

2 ounces pecans, chopped

In a medium saucepan, bring chocolate syrup, milk, and butter to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir constantly until the mixture becomes thick, like hot fudge sauce. Add vanilla. Remove chocolate sauce from heat and allow to cool completely.

Place ice cream in a large bowl and allow to soften.

Crush 24 Oreos into a graham-cracker crust consistency. (Put the cookies in a zip-top bag and smash them with a rolling pin. Whatever it takes to get the crumbs as fine as possible.) Melt 1⁄4 cup butter and mix into the crushed cookies. Pat into a 9x13 pan. Put in freezer for 10 minutes.

When ice cream has softened to the texture of thick icing, spread it with a knife over the Oreo cookie crust. Freeze for 30 minutes.

Pour cooled chocolate sauce over ice cream. Freeze for 30 minutes.

Add a layer of Cool Whip and top with pecans. Cover with foil and freeze for an additional 4 to 6 hours.

Serves 12.

* Shawn would like me to try this with Starlight Mint ice cream.

About the Author

Josi S. Kilpack was born and raised in Salt Lake City, graduated from Olympus High, made an appearance at Salt Lake Community College, and then jumped headfirst into life as a grown-up. She married Lee Kilpack in 1993 and they welcomed their first daughter a year later. Josi began writing her first novel in 1998, and has followed that with ten more novels. She currently lives in Willard, Utah, with her husband, four kids, a dog, and a varying number of chickens.

For more information about Josi, or to read the first chapter of any of her books, go to her website www.josiskilpack.com