Fun and Games

Here is Danielle having fun and games with Grandad. I'm not sure exactly what game it is, but they both seem to know the same rules.

Pirate Princess

It was SOOOOO hard to get a decent picture of Danielle in her Halloween dress as she just wouldn't stand still! This is the face she pulls when she's supposed to smile. Anyway, she was a pirate princess who wouldn't wear her pirate hat or the black eye patch we bought her to cover her poorly eye (she has an infected and blocked tear duct). She had lots of fun though seeing all the kids who came to our door and walking a little ways up and down our street going to get candy of her own.

On the porch

My friend Dave sent me this picture of himself and I thought it just looked such a beautiful relaxing setting that I wanted to share, especially with you Mom. He says Hello.

I wish...

...that eating was as hard work as it was for Danielle. Maybe then I wouldn't eat as much and would actually lose some weight! Doesn't she just look so cute though?

My Boys

This is an extremely rare photo. My boys sitting together AND having their photo taken. Wow!

Hooray!

It's 7.41pm and I've just heard that Cloris Leachman has got the boot off Dancing With The Stars, and not before time. Twenty minutes to go and I'm off to watch the wondrous event.

Oh no!!!

I have to put up with Cloris Leachman for another week. What is wrong with America? Who is voting for her?
I admit that at 82 she has tons of energy and flexibility and I hope to have a quarter of that when I'm her age, but she is NOT a great dancer. And dancing aside, when she interrupted those dancing kids who were having their moment of fame talking on camera backstage, well that really got my goat, to put it politely.

Baking time again

Even my mother thinks there may be something wrong with me...I've been baking again. I really don't know what's come over me the last few weeks but it is very strange. Maybe I've been taken over by an alien or something.
In the big plastic container is Applesauce cake, the big glass container is Hawaiian cake, the two plastic containers at the back have Holiday muffins in them, the chocolate looking stuff is Dark Chocolate Fudge and in the blue bowls are Marshmallow Brownies, all ready to be served with chocolate sauce.
Really I should stop this because they do taste rather good, even if I say so myself and just having them in the fridge is a HUGE temptation.
I've been asked for the Hawaiian cake recipe, so here it is, along with the Applesauce cake. I hope I've converted my pounds and ounces into the correct cup measurements.

Hawaiian Cake

Cream together, 4oz (1/2 cup) margarine and 2oz (1/3 cup) brown sugar

Add 1 beaten egg, 5oz (1 1/4 cups) flour and 1/2 teasp. baking powder

Press this mixture into a large greased pan. I find pressing down with your fingers works best

Drain a 13oz can of crushed pineapple and spread over the mixture

For the topping, blend 2 eggs, 6 1/2 oz (about 1 cup) sugar, 3 tablesp melted butter, 5oz (1 1/2 cups) coconut and 3oz (3/4 cup) walnuts (optional)

Spread over the pineapple, bake at 350F for about 40 mins.

I use double this mixture to get the amount shown above. It's great with Cool Whip or ice cream!

Applesauce Cake

Cream together 3oz (1/2 cup ) margarine with 6oz (1 cup) dark brown sugar

Add 1 teasp cinnamon, 1/2 teasp cloves, 1/4 teasp salt, 1 egg, 5oz (1 cup) raisins, 1 can (14oz) applesauce, 2oz (1/2 cup) chopped nuts and 9oz (2 1/4 cups) flour

Place in greased an and bake at 375F for 1 hour

Once again, I usually use double the recipe as these cakes keep really well in the fridge in an airtight container.

Why don't you join me on Wednesday or Thursday when I think I'm going to make pizza from scratch, complete with yeast and flour. Yep, the whole shabang!

I must be ill...

because I baked last week and today as well. What's up with that? Today I made a double amount of Hawaiian cake, a double amount of Applesauce cake, some Andes mint chocolate chip cookies and some date and nut cookies.
Oh I nearly forgot, I also made chocolate nut fudge which went down really well with Daniel and Heather, my testers.
I wonder how long this baking thing will last?

Little Mischiefs

Work and Play

All work and no play makes Janet a very boring girl.
Nothing to blog about!

Halloween Sucks!

Saw this on another blog and thought it was pretty appropriate for these financial times.