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Saturday, December 6, 2008

BANANA CHOCOLATE CAKE



Made this cake this morning. I've made it before - it's a lovely moist chocolate cake, with just a hint of banana. The icing is just a plain white icing, nothing to fancy. The pan I put it in is a 10x14 (they call it a 9x13 but it's a bit bigger) and once the cake is baked it is quite full, hardly enough room for icing. My sister-in-law told me a trick she used to get the cake to be the same level all the way across. Take an old towel, wet it, ring out most of the water and wrap it around the cake pan in the oven. The towel has to be touching the cake pan all the way around or the cake won't be level.

BANANA CHOCOLATE CAKE

3/4 cup butter or margarine softened
1 3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups mashed banana (about 3 med bananas)
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt

3/4 cup sour milk (see note)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream butter with sugar and 1 ett together very well. Beat in second egg. Mix in banana and vanilla.

Mix flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in small bowl.

Add flour mixture to butter mixture in 3 parts alternately with sour milk in 2 parts, beginning and ending with flour. Spread in 2 greased round 8 or 9 inch layer pans. Bake in oven until an inserted wooden pick comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Frost.

Note: to make sour milk, add milk to 1 tbsp. vinegar in measuring cup. Stir.


Friday, December 5, 2008

ORNAMENTS

Realized this week that I have the tree up and decorated, the presents are under the tree but I haven't bought any new ornaments this year! This is probably the first year since the boys were born that I haven't bought at least one ornament. Is my Christmas spirit gone? I DON'T THINK SO!! Maybe there are just too many to choose from. That must be it.

I have painted 46 rusty tin star ornaments in various colors for the students on my bus. Last year I decided to start this as a new bus tradition. Most kids would prefer candy, but I think they probably get enough junk food & candy everywhere else. Each student does get a candy cane and a small chocolate bar too. I also decorate the inside of the school bus with red and green bows. Will try to take a pic after I've finished decorating it. The small kids get a kick out of the decorations. After all the inside of a bus is pretty boring.




There aren't a lot of decorations around the house other then the tree. I'm one of those people that would decorate everything that stand still long enough, but I live with 3 males who don't think it would be a good idea. I know - it's my house too, but they do have a point. After all Christmas isn't really about decorations and who gets the biggest gift. Not saying that presents are a bad thing- but how much stuff do we really need. I do have one wreath with a snowman that I made last year from a Renee Mullins design that I hang on a door.

Just love Snowmen & have quite the collection, but have stopped collecting due to lack of space & boxes to store them in for the summer. I used to keep them on the shelf and the piano all summer but it was to much dusting.

I've been checking blogs to see if anyone is "decorating" for Christmas and there are a few. There have been many "giveaways" drawn already with what looks like many more to be done in the next 19 days before Christmas. Aren't giveaways fun!?! After all "it is better to give then to receive"!!


Thursday, December 4, 2008

Christmas Music

As some of you may have noticed, I've added Christmas Music to my blog. I LOVE Christmas music - could start listening to it in Sept. Maybe it's because I start shopping for Christmas early, or it's because I just love the music.

The old Hymns I learned in Sunday School and Church are by far my favorite songs. Growing up in a Christian home, in a Christian community and taking piano lessons from a young age has made music a part of who I am. But the music we hear at Christmas is special. It brings back memories of practising for school programs and Sunday School programs, piano recitals, and something special to do at Grandma & Grandpa's. Even in the school programs they managed to squeeze in the true Christmas story.

As Christmas gets closer we hear music in the malls, stores, on the radio, at home and in our vehicles. The secular Christmas songs are nice. Jeff Foxworthy's version of the 12 days of Christmas is actually quite funny. But give me "Joy to the World", "O Holy Night", "Angels We Have Heard on High" or "Little Town of Bethlehem" any day. Some how these songs don't get played, as a rule, in malls, stores or secular radio. They probably wouldn't make people go out and shop. Instead they make us picture home, church, family, friends, joy, peace & love. Isn't that what Christmas is about? It's hard to hum "Peace on Earth Good Will Toward Men" as you are being pushed, shoved and almost run over in shopping malls and stores right before Christmas. Isn't this the time of year where we stop and reflect about all the blessings God has given us in our lives and how God sent His only Son down to earth for us?

While sitting in our Christmas Craft Store and watching people race around trying to get their shopping done, talking about all the school Christmas programs they have to attend, the kids piano recitals they have to listen to, sports games their children will be in, the baking they have to do - it makes me wonder when anyone will have time to slow down, relax and truely reflect on why we celebrate the holidays.

So - My wish is that everyone has a wonderfully relaxing Christmas Holiday, spending a joyous time with family & friends while listening to their favorite Christmas Carols!!


IT CAME UPON THE MIDNIGHT CLEAR

It came upon the midnight clear, That glorious song of old
From angels bending near the earth, To touch their harps of gold
"Peace on the earth, good will to me, From heav'ns all gracious King"
The world in solemn stillness lay, To hear the angels sing.

Still through the cloven skies they come, With peaceful wings unfurled,
And still their heav'nly music floats, O'er all the weary world:
Above its sad and lowly plains, They bend on hov'ring wing,
And ever o'er its Babel sounds, The blessed angels sing.

And ye, beneath life's crushing load, Whose forms are bending low,
Who toil along the climbing way, With painful steps and slow:
Lok Now! for glad and golden hours, Come swifly on the wing:
O rest beside the weary road, And hear the angels sing.

For lo, the days are hast'ning on, By prophet bards foretold
When with the ever circling years, Comes round the age of gold;
When peace shall over all the earth, Its ancient splendors fling,
And the whole world give back the song, Which now the angels sing.




Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Another Award!

Oh my - I have received an award from Gail at Doodles for Life. Wow - who knew my addiction to blogging would interest other people!! Thanks so much Gail!



Now the hard part - picking 10 award deserving blogs out of all the ones I love. I think I will start with some of the quilting ones I featured in my previous blog and move on from there!!

The rules for this award are:
1. Put the logo on your blog
2. Add a link to the person who awarded you
3. Nominate 10 other blogs
4. Add links to those blogs on yours
5. Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs






Amanda Jean at Crazy Mom Quilts














Anastasia at Matt's Crafty Wife








 

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