My Funny Valentine

I love Valentine's Day. I love cooking for my husband, setting the table, and dressing up. Just call me Suzy Homemaker. I even cooked dinner in heels & pearls with my apron . . . totally 1950s. I spent most of the day cleaning the house and when it got closer for my sweetie to get home I began assembling the table setting. We only have a table that seats 6 so I tried to re-arrange things to make it a little more intimate.



I made Buffalo Chicken Salad with Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake. Two favorites. The salad was really simple. I had some leftover lettuce that I chopped and added with some bagged lettuce and threw the mix in my pretty serving bowl. I used chicken tenderloins and diced them into bite-sized pieces, sauteed them in 2 tablespoons of margarine and added some hot sauce right at the end. Those little soldiers were thrown into another serving dish and placed on the table. I took a picture with the cake on the table and then put it back in the fridge since it was made with whipped cream. Didn't want the peanut-buttery goodness to melt!!

I took out as much fat from this meal as possible. I worked hard especially on the cake since I love to devour desserts. Here is my version of the recipe:

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake









Ingredients
1 box devils food cake mix
3/4 cup liquid egg whites
1/2 cup applesauce
1 & 1/2 cups water
1 (3 oz.) package Vanilla flavored sugar free, fat free pudding
1 cup skim milk
1/2 cup reduced fat peanut butter
1 & 1/2 cups fat free whipped topping (from the tub, not the can)

Directions
In a medium bowl, add cake mix, egg whites, applesauce and water. Mix until well blended. If batter seems too thick you may add another 1/4 cup water. Divide batter evenly between two 8 or 9 inch round pans that have been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack until completely cooled. (You know the drill.)

For the Filling:
In a separate bowl, combine the milk and pudding mixture and stir with a whisk for 2 minutes until it has thickened. Add peanut butter and blend well. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Place one layer on your serving plate with the bottom facing up. (This will give you a flat surface.) Spread 1 cup of the peanut butter mixture and place the other layer on top facing right-side up. Gently fold the whipped cream into the rest of the peanut butter filling until it's blended well. Frost the cake with the whipped cream mixture and refrigerate until ready to serve.