A Birthday Girl

Well I know I am quite late in posting this and I have more posts to come!!! I have to share with you the celebrations with my "niece" who I sometimes call Sweet Pea :) Due to a wedding of some friends we celebrated her actual birthday on Friday instead of the Saturday that was her actual birthday... The kids and I had made the dessert she chose previously after watching the take home chef. (We like him even though we have only gotten to see him a few times!) It is called a chocolate bomb. This time our bomb did not turn out looking as nice as it did last time but it definetly tasted yummy! You can make this with any fruit or fruit combinations we have used oranges and strawberries and I have used strawberries and pinapple *my fav fruit combination. Well Sweet Pea's birthday is celebrated with dessert just like her brother and she also recieves flowers every year. Always roses... a special pink rose :). Ask her about it if you know her and she can tell you why they are special! I started that tradition on her 2nd birthday (the roses, on her first birthday she recieved flowers but not roses). It is fun to find flowers for her every year... those of you who know me will have heard me say every girl deserves pretty flowers on her birthday. Flowers have a way of making a girl feel special and bringing a smile to a face. Well let me tell you how this sweet girl is a blessing to me. When Lisa told me she was pregnant I was so excited I screamed... much to the dismay of the baby boy I was holding at the time who proceeded to scream and cry back at me :)

She is such a blessing to me always ready with a hug and a smile. A few weeks ago I hadn't see their family all week and when I arrived at church I looked up to her and her brother running toward me. They were just happy to see me. This blessed me so much because right at that moment I needed a hug. I rarely get the amount of hugs I desire but God sees fit to shower them on my through these precious children and many others on Sunday. I have to get my fill for the week!~

Well better late then never here are the pics from the Birthday celebrations and the recipe!

Chocolate Covered Mango and Vanilla Ice Cream Bomb
Serves 8
Ingredients:

Two 1-quart containers vanilla bean ice cream

1 large ripe mango (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled, pitted, coarsely chopped (or other fruit)

11 ounces dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), chopped

1 1/3 cups heavy whipping cream


Method:
To assemble the ice cream bomb:Allow 1 quart/946 ml of vanilla ice cream to soften slightly until it is semi-firm and a spoon can be moved through it, being careful not to melt the ice cream completely. Spread the softened ice cream over the bottom and sides of a 2½-quart/2.3-liter stainless steel bowl so that you have a 1-inch/2.5-cm layer of vanilla ice cream.Freeze the stainless steel bowl of vanilla ice cream for 1 hour or until it is hard. Puree the mango in a blender until smooth. Using the back of a ladle, push the mango puree through a fine-meshed strainer and into a large bowl.Soften the remaining 1 quart/946 ml of vanilla ice cream then stir it into the mango puree. Remove the stainless steel bowl of vanilla ice cream from the freezer and spoon the mango ice cream into the center. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 3 hours or until the ice creams are completely firm.Place a wire rack atop the bowl of ice creams, and invert the bowl onto the rack. Set the rack atop a baking sheet. Using a hot moist towel, gently wipe the sides and bottom of the bowl (the heat from the hot towel will allow the bowl to be easily separated from the ice cream.Allow the ice cream to release from the bowl and fall onto the rack. Return the ice cream bomb to the freezer and freeze again until it is firm on the outside.Meanwhile, to make the chocolate cover:Stir the chocolate in a metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water until melted and smooth. Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it nearly simmers. Slowly stir the cream into the chocolate. Remove from the heat and allow the chocolate sauce to cool to room temperature.Once the ice cream bomb is firmly set, remove it from the freezer and place it (still on the rack atop the baking sheet) on the counter. Working quickly, poor the room temperature chocolate sauce over the ice cream bomb, allowing it to drip down over the bomb and cover it completely. Be sure the chocolate sauce is at room temperature when you pour it over the bomb or else it will melt off of the ice cream.Immediately return the chocolate-covered bomb to the freezer for about 5 minutes or until the chocolate covering is firm. Using a large palette knife, transfer the bomb to a serving plate. Cut into wedges and prepare for your guests to go crazy! You can "garnish" it with chocolate covered strawberries like we did too! I think that was Sweet Pea's favorite part!