Now thats love

Further illustration that Misha is willing to go to depths that cause even me to give pause:

No she didn't

Deb over at Smitten Kitchen, who happens to be the creative genius behind my favorite food blog ever, just posted a recipe for POP TARTS. Why is she doing this to me? She knows I'll go out and make them, and then eat most of them (sparing one or two for the hub) in one sitting. I'm kidding about the last part.

What can I say? The possibilities for fillings are tantalizingly endless, and I think my little world just doubled in size with opportunity. That make sense to you? No? Me neither. Just know I'm super excited, and very interested in giving home made pop tarts a great big GO.

Weekending

Sunday found us at the coast, where we did a big loop from the Tillamook Cheese Visitor Center to Hug Point State Park to Astoria. We saw the ocean, got our feet wet, toured a Coast Guard vessel, visited the Columbia River Maritime Museum, said hello to some sea lions, and did a little exploring in Astoria. It was a good day.

My go-to cake

People, you can't go wrong with this one. You just can't. It's chocolaty, it's moist, it has a roasted coffee flavor, and it happens to be vegan. It's great as a coffee cake with brunch, or as a late-night dessert cake. Or as an any time I-need-a-snack cake. This weekend it was a gift cake for some friends who are moving. Here it is, in all its glory:

One Pan Cake
2 1/2 c. flour (I bake with one part all purpose flour to one part wheat flour)
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. cocoa
2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
2/3 c. vegetable oil
2 T. cider vinegar
1 T. vanilla
2 c. cold coffee or water
1/3 c. sugar
1/2 t. cinnamon

Stir together the dry ingredients (flour, 1 1/2 c. sugar, cocoa, baking soda, salt) in an ungreased baking pan.*

Make three wells in the mixture and pour the oil, vinegar, and vanilla into each. Pour in the coffee and stir with a fork until well mixed. Spread into an even layer and bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes.

While the cake is baking combine the 1/3 c. sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle over the hot cake** and let cool for 15-20 minutes before cutting.

*The recipe calls for one 12x8 inch baking pan; this time I used two pie plates.

**I usually wait to add the cinnamon sugar until I'm going to serve it.

Recipe from the Marlboro Country Cookbook series

These two again

Here you have a typical moment between my two family members, Ryan and Misha (aka Meech, Mama Girl, Nancy Nanny). Have I mentioned before that these two are the best of friends? They have created an inner circle that I am not allowed in, under any circumstances. Meech stands guard.

While I have permission to gingerly pet Misha (all the while alert for any signs that she might hiss or scratch me), Ryan is able to wrestle with her like she's a pup, hang her upside down by her tail (practically), and - heaven forbid - scratch the inside of her ear (she loves it, but I wouldn't dare). All he has to do is walk into the room and she starts purring, and when she's not curled up on his lap with her face wedged into his armpit (another thing she loves), she is sitting by his feet gazing up at him. Really.

Anyway, here they are in all there inner-circle glory. It must be nice. Sigh.

A hand-quilting project

Remember this project? I started it last year as a summer quilt to be used for beach lounging and midnight star gazing. Since the season is upon us, it must be finished!

At this point, the top is assembled and the layers of the quilt are in place, ready to be hand quilted. An interesting side note, several years ago Abby & I attended a discussion by the quilters of Gee's Bend. One gem that stuck with me is their tradition of re-using old, tattered quilts by sandwiching them between a new top and backing as the batting or fill. I'm doing the same thing here, using an old department store quilt my grandma (Mama) sent me a while ago. It's top finally started to come undone, so I'm using that as my batting. Also, the backing is one side of an old flannel duvet cover that happens to coordinate suitably. See? Recycling and reuse in action.

Anyway, all this is to say that I have chosen one very thick set of layers to quilt by hand. It is slow going, but I've been assured by several expert quilters that this route is easier than machine quilting such a large and unwieldy project. We will see. In the mean time, wish me luck!

P Dub in the house

the crowd

So last night my friend Katie and I went to Powell's to hear Ree Drummond, aka Pioneer Woman, aka P Dub, speak and to get our cookbooks signed.

I'm not usually one to leave work early to arrive at an event an hour before it starts, and then wait for two hours after the talk to have a book signed (standing all the while). But boy howdy! am I glad I mustered up the endurance last night.

Pioneer Woman is just what you'd imagine her to be: funny, beautiful, genuine, and seemingly more than pleased to sit in a crowded, over-lit, stuffy room meeting and singing the books of over 500 fans. Plus, she even did her Ethel Merman impression. So good.

And I am so glad I went.

P Dub in action

a gushing and nervous me

Sugar & spice

More babysitting action, this time with sweet Miss Alexis, who enjoys knocking down towers of blocks, clapping and laughing, and practicing her crawling & walking moves.

Green is good

We've recently jumped on the green smoothie bandwagon and there's no telling where it might take us! Today we had it for breakfast. Sometimes its for dinner if we're feeling like a "detox" is in order.

As far as I can tell, there is no single formula or recipe. It's all about what one has on hand and infusing your body with whole-food fresh goodness.

The general rule of thumb is this (remember, all FRESH):

fruit + leafy greens + water and/or juice
+ honey + ginger + herbs (last three optional)

Here's what we have in the picture above:
the fruit
- 1 banana
- 1 mango*
- frozen berries

the veggies
- 1/2 bunch of kale
- celery heart

the liquid
- juice from 1 orange
- water

other
- a chunk of fresh ginger
- honey

*Bad, bad Rebecca for buying out-of-season produce. I know. Its just that mangoes are my favorite summer-time fruit and I had to indulge just once. Please forgive.

For today

(image: Desire to Inspire)

My heart goes out to a co-worker & friend and his family, who are currently experiencing the most overwhelming of tragedies.

For today: do tell someone you love how important they are, give them a great big hug, then get out there and celebrate your life.

Henry, Part Deux

Little man Henry stopped by for a visit last night while his parents went to the movies. We had a grand time, eating apple sauce, playing with Micky, dancing around, reading books, and finally tuckering out to the point of exhausted oblivion. We told Henry he's welcome to swing by any ol' time.

(check out our demented but relatively harmless cat)