Rocky Road Chocolate Cake

Here's a brand new recipe for a gooey, delicious cake that you make in a crock pot! If you're looking for something new to surprise the family with this holiday season, this will be a hit-I promise!

Try it, and let me hear from you on how you like it!

Rocky Road Chocolate Cake

1 (18.25 oz.) package German chocolate cake mix
1 (3.9 oz.) package chocolate instant pudding mix
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup sour cream
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 ¼ cups milk, divided
1 (3.4 oz.) package chocolate cook-and-serve pudding mix
½ cup chopped pecans
1 ½ cups miniature marshmallows
1 cup semi sweet chocolate morsels
Vanilla ice cream (optional)

1. Beat cake mix, next 5 ingredients, and 1 ¼ cups milk at medium speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes, stopping to scrape down sides as needed. Pour batter into a lightly greased 4-qt. slow cooker.

2. Cook remaining 2 cups milk in a heavy nonaluminum saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, 3 to 5 minutes or just until bubbles appear (do not boil); remove from heat.

3. Sprinkle cook-and-serve pudding mix over batter. Slowly pour hot milk over pudding. Cover and cook on LOW for 3 ½ hrs.

4. Meanwhile heat pecans in a small nonstick skillet over medium-low heat, stirring often, 3 to 5 minutes or until lightly toasted and fragrant.

5. Turn off slow cooker. Sprinkle cake with pecans, marshmallows, and chocolate morsels. . Let stand 15 minutes or until marshmallows are slightly melted. Spoon into dessert dishes, and serve with ice cream.

Winter Season 2010-2011 Climate Outlook

The National Weather Service Office in San Angelo has issued its comprehensive study for the Winter Season climate trends for 2010-2011. I thought you all might enjoy reading their projections for upcoming temperature and precipitation. Next Spring, it'll be interesting to look back on this study!

With La Nina conditions developing this past summer, we can expect La Nina conditions to continue through the upcoming winter season and into the spring of 2011. This may become one of the strongest La Nina events on record.
The temperature outlook indicates an enhanced probability for temperatures to average above normal across West Central Texas during the upcoming winter season.

The precipitation outlook shows slightly enhanced probability for winter season precipitation to be below normal across roughly the northeastern half of West Central Texas, with a greater probability of below normal precipitation across the southwest half of West Central Texas.