Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Oreo Cream Cake



Oero is celebrating its 100th birthday this year.  What a grand accomplishment to have such a successful product that it’s still flying off of store shelves 100 years after the first sale.  I do my part to keep Oreo very alive in the sales industry.

Yesterday I anticipated would be a day of celebration!  It was J’s first volleyball game of the season!  She’s been working hard this summer to hone her skills, but with no club ball experience, we weren’t sure how she would be able to compete within her team for playing time.   

The team unfortunately lost both sets but battled pretty well.  On the way home, J mentioned that she was surprised she got to start but was pretty sure since it was her fault they lost the first game, she wouldn’t be a starter anymore.  She also spoke of her lonely plight at school having few classes with her friends and how hard it was to try and make new friends on her team and in her classes.  She was emotionally charged.  I was surprised she was so down on herself.  It’s true; she mishandled a deep set on the final play.  However, she had done well overall and the team as a whole had some rough transitions.  I wondered if someone had said something to her to make her feel it was her fault, or if we just needed to chalk it up to excessive raging hormones…

It was not the ride home I expected.  

We came home and I did my best to transition quickly to provide a hot meal on the table.  While I tasked, Y called from college and talked for awhile with J.  Without knowing it had been a rough night, in incomparable Y style- he pumped her full of confidence; she laughed at his exuberance. It was exactly what she needed. She happily ate her dinner and began homework.  I emerged from the garage with my celebratory cake.  Her eyes lit up.  

Oreo Cream Cake

Begin by making Yummy In My Tummy Chocolate Cake, omitting the chocolate chips.  Cool completely. 
For the Oreo Cream:
12 oz.  softened cream cheese
12 Oreos
Blend cream cheese with Oreos in Kitchenaid until smooth.  The Kitchenaid will automatically crush the Oreos into the cream cheese.  If using a smaller mixer, you can break up Oreos first. 
Fold in 16 Oz.  Cool Whip whipped topping. 
Layer cake and cream as desired.  Frost with remaining cream and garnish with crushed Oreos, Cool Whip dollops and whole Oreos.

I thought we’d be celebrating the first volleyball game of the season.  Such was not the case at all.  We celebrated family – the way we can lift and love each other in ways that make life’s mountains a little easier to climb.