Ninth Annual Blanco, Texas Christmas Rally Dec. 9, 10, 11, 2011

[sunnyskye]

To all those who asked for the Flourless Chocolate Cake recipe, here you go. Once you make it, you will know that the one I brought was not the best effort I have ever made, it is normally even more creamy and delicious.....but, you will also know that, when using good chocolate, even a less than perfect outcome is delicious!

Skye's Flourless Chocolate Cake

1/2 C water
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 C sugar
18 0z. good quality bittersweet chocolate (the better the chocolate the better the cake)
1 C unsalted butter
6 eggs

Preheat oven to 300. Grease a 10 inch spring form pan - set aside

In small pan, combine water, salt and sugar, stir over med. heat until completely dissolved and set aside

Melt chocolate in top half of double boiler or in microwave (do not over heat, just melt slowly and keep stirring) pour melted chocolate into bowl of electric mixer.

Cut butter into pieces and beat the butter into the chocolate, 1 piece at a time. Beat in the hot sugar-water. Slowly beat in the eggs, one at a time.

Pour batter into the prepared pan. Place spring-form pan in a larger pan and fill the larger pan with boiling water halfway up sides of the spring-form pan. (water bath)

Bake cake in the water bath at 300 degrees for 45 minutes. The center will still look wet. Chill cake overnight in the pan.

This cake is best served with raspberry puree, and home-made whipped cream. ENJOY

[bwoodtx]

Bruce and Roseann, thank you guys for showing us that shortcut...we shook open doors and cabinets that have never come open before! We owe you!

Hold on, there my friend!! Could it be that your old latches could not withstand the Airstream shake test? Or....... maybe it is time to be thinking 'bout them axles Everthing in mine was fine and I'll bet the SOB's doors stayed closed even if the poor driver was white knuckled at the time. We go that way all the time when heading out 281 and really haven't had any problems. Glad y'all made home safe along with the kids and now that son in law has been through a little construction, he can do anything

Take care-hope to see all of you in Jan at the buddy rally.

[rosewoodtx]

Mary - (as i type one handed) If no one else claims the lid and sheet, they are probably ours. thanks to all for everything.

[bwoodtx]

ALL RIGHT EVERYBODY!! What a wonderful rally!! Many thanks to our gracious hosts for an exceptional time. Everything was fantastic!! Lots of pretty birds this year, competition is getting tougher. I can see that I gotta step up the light show next year-Sid & Bonnie/Chuck & Skye- great job on your campsite decorations!! Kudos to the rest of you as well who decorated well. I have some work to do! Everything was fantastic we had a lotta fun right up until I pinched Roseann's finger in the table Even afterward she had a good time-a little wine, a little hydrocodone-better living through drugs, I say! Seriously, she handled it like a trooper even sending me back to decorate our flamingo to a fabulous 2nd place finish. She didn't even stay mad at me long and even let me sleep in the trailer out of the rain Sat night

Hope to see all of you next year and in the meantime we gotta do a summer thing again.

[MikenLora]

Originally Posted by Frank&Mike

What??? You had Tequila shots? And all I had was coffee?

Yes sir, we were serving up Tequilla shots on the far side of the pavillion Saturday night. That's partly to blame for the hostesses getting louder and funnier as the Dirty Santa exchange progressed. Ummm, I wonder if it helped Lady Flamingo Gaga win 4th place? Hmmmmmmm .....

I don't know about louder and funnier but I do always feel a little better looking after a good shot of tequila.

[Joy M]

We had a great time thanks to all who worked to put this event together!! It was a blast decorating my flamingo even if it didn't win a prize. Can't wait to do it again. And the food was delicious!! Thanks for posting the cake recipe Skye. Would love to get into the park next year, but we had fun at the settlement too! So many fun people!!!

Joy & Jim

[maryh2omann]

Originally Posted by rosewoodtx

Mary - (as i type one handed) If no one else claims the lid and sheet, they are probably ours. thanks to all for everything.

Roseanne,
Send me our address and I will mail you the lid and sheet. So far no one else has claimed the sheet and lid. How is the finger? Great seeing you guys!

[Bambi_Bandit]

Originally Posted by Westfalia

Kevin, I was wondering if that was yo guys hitching up after dinner. Guess it was and sorry to hear it. It was great to see you guys out. We need to hookup on another local campout this season, or meet over at Garner.

Yup, but it wasn't bad. We live close enough and it worked out for our packed schedule on Sunday anyways. I did figure out the 12v blade fuse had blown, but I wouldn't have found it in the dark and rain. We had a small leak in maxwell at the time, so it may have been related...

[Westfalia]

I was down at the river fishing when several rigs where departing. The water was still and the light was OK. If you've ever heard the adage "the best camera is the one you have with you", these are from my iPhone 4S and turned out pretty good for, well, an iPhone. Of course, If I remember all the rigs, the first pictures is Carnegie1935, 87MH, bwoodtx and casa3805. If anyone want's a full size original, PM me!

Enjoy!

[CatStream]

wonderful pictures of everyone coming across the Blanco River, this is what it 's all about, seeing the shinny rigs back at the River, and our Friends inside, even as they drive off in to the SunRise...see you all down the road!

[Airstream76]

Aww, looks like y'all had fun! I wish we would have been able to go! Would love to get on on a summer meet-up!

[whitsend]

Originally Posted by 87MH

Chuck - which of the items below would qualify as a boat anchor???




Anyone who has replaced an original univolt knows the answer to that.

Dennis should know 1st hand. Back when I was young & clueless (maybe 3 years ago now?), Dennis offloaded a 300 lb. Univolt on me at the Vintage Rally in San Antonio, saying "You're gonna need this for your '54 Cruiser!! I donated it to the US Navy for use on an aircraft carrier. And yes, this was the rally where an unnamed couple (see above) redefined the defination of in-your-face bribery, with a huge tiki decorated tent & 2 very young ladies dressed in nothing but coconuts & grass skirts serving adult beverages to one & all over the age of 12!! It was at this rally where I learned how much fun this wonderful couple can be.

Last I heard, the US Navy ultimately donated the Univolt to the Panamanian Navy.

[casa3805]

So glad you were fishing while we were leaving Chris. What great shots. Mine is now my desktop at work...when it gets stressful I will look at this pic and go to my” happy place”

[Jimarq]

[Jimarq]

[Jimarq]

[Jimarq]

[Jimarq]

[87MH]

Another very successful Blanco Rally.

I urge all to add thanks (Rep Points) to all who have added to the enjoyment of the get together. The "Thanks" button is found on the bottom right corner of each individuals post. These Rep Points and comments are shown on the individual users Control Panel (CP). Please let them know that their contributions are appreciated.

Special thanks are due to Pahaska, Jimarq, Westfalia, Casa3805 and anyone else who posted pictures of the event, once again I failed to take a single pic and have to depend on the generosity of other participants to provide digital memories. If any one has any additional pics please post them.

Also, add some special reps to Casa3805 for providing the Coffee Porter - I think a quarter keg (7 1/4 Gallons) will be sufficient for future celebrations. Also, if you are in the area, stop by the park and thank the camp hosts, first of all, they did not check the alcohol content of the Coffee Porter (even though it was being dispensed out of an iced aluminum pressurized container), and most importantly for the super service and friendly smile and demeaner they always provided.

Thanks (reps) are needed for Whitsend and CoryandNat for providing the excellent firewood - it would not be the same camping experience without the communal fires. MJMarkhams70 for the first place site decorations prize (the big marine cooler), and Andy at InlandRV for most of the other site prizes need to be recognized. Don't forget CatStream for the Flamingo prizes.

Lastly (but certainly not least) to PeterH - the founder of this Forum Rally. Thanks to Peter not only for hosting the Dirty Santa gifting, put for some really special help in putting this years rally on. A pat on the back, personal thanks, and rep points to EVERYONE else who pitched in an made this most recent rally a special and memorable event.

[Cap-N-Red]

Just wondering , since I didn't wet a line at the rall/nonrally. Did anyone catch any rainbows in the river?