News 19 Forecast Team Blog

Catered for Kids' Sake...

The 4th Annual Catered for Kids' Sake at the La Crosse Radisson was a great success.  It benefits the Coulee Region Big Brothers Big Sisters organization.  The evening is a get together of seven local caterers who prepare an appetizer, main entree, and a dessert.  The dessert recipes are supplied by seven local celebrities from around the area.  There was also free wine tasting as well as a live and silent auction.

During the evening, you walk around trying all the different appetizers and then vote for your favorite while there's a short presentation.  The same thing is done for the main dishes and the desserts.  At the end of the evening, the top three in each category are announced.  Last year I won the "Best Dessert" category for my mom's Apple Cinnamon Sauce Cake.  So, of course, I had to call her this year and ask for another recipe to "defend" her title.

This year's recipe was her Sin Cake consisting of coconut, chocolate, pecans, and cream cheese.  It is fantastic, but I have to make it without the coconut for myself.  I decided to bring in some for my co-workers to try, and everyone has loved it.  Amy said I should post the recipe online, so I have it below for you to try.  If you try it, please mention where you got it and email me to let me know how it turns out.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!


Thanks for checking in...

Zach Brown, Daybreak Meteorologist

Mama Brown's SIN CAKE
Preheat Oven to 300°F

1                      Box German Chocolate Cake Mix
1 stick            Butter, melted

3/4 cup          Coconut
3/4 cup          Pecan Pieces
3/4 cup          Mini-chocolate morsels
1 tsp                Vanilla

8 ounce          Cream Cheese - softened
3                      Eggs
1 box               10x Confectioner's Sugar

Mix first three ingredients to form ball.

Spray 9x13x2 glass baking dish with Pam spray.

Spread cake mixture evenly, pressing down.

Sprinkle coconut, pecans, and chocolate morsels on top of cake mixture - set aside.

Mix vanilla, cream cheese and eggs well.

Add 1 box of sifted 10x confectioner's sugar.

Spread over cake, touching all sides.

Bake 1 hour at 300°F.

Cool. Then cut into squares.

Thanksgiving myth...

Do you feel tired and worn out after Thanksgiving and not just because you were up at 5 a.m. cooking?  I know I always feel that way.  Usually, it ends with a nap on the couch!  I'm sure you've heard that the turkey makes you sleep because of a natural chemical in the bird.  Well that's only partially true.

Tryptophan is an essential amino acid crucial for good health.  We need this chemical to build certain kinds of proteins.  What's the sleep connection you ask?  Well, the body uses typtophan in a multi-step process to make serotonin which is a neurotransmitter in the brain that helps regulate sleep.  Turkey does have the chemical, but so does all meat.  The real culprits are all those carbs you'll eat today.  The massive intake of carb-heavy calories stimulates the release of insulin, which in turn triggers the uptake of most amino acids from the blood into the muscles except tryptophan.

With other amino acids swept out of the bloodstream, tryptophan - from turkey, ham or any cheese for that matter - can better makes its way to the brain to produce serotonin.

Tryptophan can trigger the production of serotonin and sweet dreams if taken alone or on an empty stomach.  In fact, tryptophan supplements were a popular sleep aid in the 1980s.  Then the FDA banned their sale in 1991 after a massive outbreak of an autoimmune disease. 

Like a good dinner, this 16-year-old argument might be stimulating or just put you to sleep.

ZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

What?  Huh?  Oh sorry...I must have dozed off there for a minute.

Have a great Thanksgiving!


Thanks for checking in...

Zach Brown, Daybreak Meteorologist