Chocolate Funfetti Sheet Cake

Chockfull of rainbow sprinkles, this dense and fudgy Chocolate Funfetti Sheet Cake is topped with the most airy & light chocolate whipped frosting. A little slice of happiness on a plate!

I have been contemplating the meaning of happiness lately- the complexities of it, the things that enhance our own personal happiness and the things that seem to hinder or take away from it, and the various ways that we sometimes seem to get in the way of our own happiness.

I mean, when do we know that we are truly happy? 

When we stop reaching for the next big thing? The better thing? When we allow ourselves to finally feel some contentment with how things are in the here and now?

But then you have to ask yourself- is that really true happiness? Or is that just settling?

Shouldn't we always be striving to better ourselves? To improve our lives? To love harder? To love ourselves more? To push that extra mile or two? To not give up on the things that we feel are important in our lives just because it may be hard at the moment?

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cracker Bars

You only need 4 simple ingredients to make these no-bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cracker Bars...

I don't normally post new recipes on the weekends, but this weekend is the exception. Because today would have been my friend Joan's (aka, Chocolate, Chocolate and More) 50th birthday. 

Some of you all may remember me talking about Joan last October shortly after she died. Though I didn't know Joan well and only had the opportunity to meet her in person once, she had such a huge impact on who I am as a food blogger. 

And I think the same can be said for pretty much every single food blogger who was lucky enough to have known her. She freely shared her knowledge of the blogging business and social media world with all of us. She believed that we should build each other up, & not always be in competition with one another. 

She taught many of us that we are worth far more than we give ourselves credit for sometimes. And she was a sweet soul who didn't see you in terms of follower numbers or page views, but rather as a kindred spirit who also loved sharing delicious recipes & their love for chocolate with others as much as she did.

So, today myself and other bloggers from across our food blogging community are celebrating Joan's life and honoring her memory in the best way that we know how- by sharing some of her time tested & amazing recipes with you all. And let me just say that browsing through Joan's extensive list of recipes & trying to choose just one to share today was no easy task, folks. ;) 

But I finally ended up zeroing in on her Chocolate Peanut Butter Cracker Bars. I mean, can you blame me? Just look at these scrumptious bars! 

10 Chocolate Recipes Perfect for Fall

From perfectly spiced to pumpkin infused to chocolate candy filled, you are sure to find a chocolate dessert recipe today to celebrate fall in these 10 Chocolate Recipes Perfect for Fall...

Today is National Chocolate Day so it only seemed appropriate that I share this collection of chocolate recipes perfect for fall with you all today. But today's post isn't just about celebrating and sharing my love for all things chocolate with you all. 

Today's post is also about celebrating the life of my friend and fellow food blogger, Joan of Chocolate, Chocolate and More. 

When Joan died suddenly of a heart attack last week, the food blogging community I am a part of was shocked and shattered. Joan had been a pillar of our community, a friend, a smart business woman, and a bright light to all who knew her. 

Though I had known Joan from the online food blogger groups I am part of for years, I finally had the pleasure and honor of meeting this southern firecracker in person at the Food & Wine Conference this past July. 

In fact after coming back late from a break between sessions on the Saturday of that weekend, I found myself quickly grabbing an empty seat near the back of the room. It wasn't until after I sat down that I realized my new neighbor was Joan. THE Joan from Chocolate, Chocolate and More. 

I have to admit that I found myself a little starstruck. Joan had reached a level of food blogging that had inspired so many of us. She was one of those "bigger bloggers". 

I had no doubt that she would at least say hello to me, but I didn't expect much else. I mean, I wasn't even close to being in her league as far as blogging was concerned. 

Much to my surprise, Joan started chatting with me like we were old friends. She knew exactly who I was and was familiar with my blog. Wait... my blog?? 

Joan didn't see bloggers as big or small, successful or new. She just saw us all as food bloggers, recipe creators, photographers who loved the food that we made and had a passion to share that with the world....

Chocolate Pumpkin Walnut Biscotti

These Chocolate Pumpkin Walnut Biscotti are perfect for dunking in a warm cup of coffee on a chilly fall morning...

Okay, friends... so, I had fully planned to share this recipe with you all last Thursday. And then blogger funk set in. Blogger funk as in... I don't feel like writing. I don't feel like doing social media. I don't feel like doing much of anything blog related. 

Blogger funk (or burnout as someone like to refer to it) happens to just about every blogger that I know every now and again. I decided that it was best not to force it (because nothing good ever comes from that), and then made the decision that this post would go up on Saturday morning. 

I rarely post on the weekends, but I thought who wouldn't want to be looking at these delicious homemade biscotti while sipping on their Saturday morning cup of coffee? 

And then Thursday happened... On Thursday, the food blogging community that I am a part of took a huge blow. And I needed a few days to take it all in and recover.

A blogger that I considered a mentor, an inspiration, and a wonderful friend slipped away suddenly leaving us all reeling and in utter shock. There is a good chance that many of you all may already be familiar with Joan of Chocolate, Chocolate, and More and all of her amazing sweet treats & dessert recipes. 

I would encourage you all to visit her blog often as the holidays approach and use it over and over again as a dessert resource for all those get-togethers, family gatherings, holiday dinners & parties. 

Help us keep her legacy to her three children- her blog- alive and thriving. And be looking for a very special post from me on Wednesday (aka, National Chocolate Day) dedicated to my good friend Joan and everything chocolate.

Honestly, I am not going to talk too much about these Chocolate Pumpkin Walnut Biscotti in today's post. But I do have a feeling that Joan, being the chocolate lover that she was, is approvingly giving me a thumbs up from above because I just totally made it okay for you all to have some chocolate for breakfast this week... ;)