Saturday, August 16, 2008

A Cast, A Cake and Clothespins


A Cast:

I was told by the cast-man that I could get my cast off six weeks from the day the break initially happened if all went well. I broke my foot on July 6th. That means tomorrow it will be six weeks since the dreadful event. So, on Monday morning at 10 a.m. I have an appointment to see my family doctor (I originally went to a minor emergency clinic since the break happened on a Sunday), and hopefully I'll be rid of my heavyweight boot. I. Can. Hardly. Wait.


A Cake:

Today I made a Chocolate Carrot Cake. The description of the cake indicated that it contains 1/3 the amount of fat of a regular carrot cake. That, coupled with the fact that chocolate was involved, plus a chocolate cheese icing, forced me into trying out the recipe. Oh. My. Word. It was great. Not a hint of carrot . . . I could fool so many people into eating this "healthy" (ha! ha!) cake and they'd never know the difference. Here's the recipe:

Chocolate Carrot Cake - from the Company's Coming Cookbook Series

4 Large Eggs
1 1/2 C. Granulated Sugar
1/2 C. Cooking Oil
2 tsp. Vanilla

2 C. All-purpose Flour
1/2 C. Cocoa
2 tsp. Baking Soda
1/4 tsp. Salt (I omitted this, actually)

3 C. Grated Carrots

Beat eggs together in a bowl. Add sugar and beat well. Add cooking oil and vanilla. Beat and blend.

Stir flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt together in a separate bowl. Add to egg mixture. Mix well.

Add carrot. Stir. Turn into a greased 9 x 13 in. pan. Bake at 325 degrees F for 40 - 45 minutes until wooden pick inserted in centre comes out clean. Cool.

Ice with Chocolate Cheese Icing. Cuts into 24 pieces.

Chocolate Cheese Icing

8 oz. Light Cream Cheese, softened
1/4 C. Butter or Margarine, softened
1/2 C. Cocoa
2 tsp. Vanilla
3 C. Icing (Confectioner's) Sugar
1 T. Coffee Granules, crushed
1 T. Boiling Water

Combine first 5 ingredients in bowl. Beat on low to moisten. Beat on medium until light and fluffy.

Stir coffee granules and boiling water together in small cup. Add to icing. Beat in. Makes 2 2/3 cups.


Clothespins:

I have spent the last couple of days doing laundry. Thankfully, it's been super-hot here this weekend and therefore I don't have to resort to using my clothes dryer . . . I use the great outdoors and my clothesline and clothespins to get the job done. Prior to moving to the acreage I did not have the luxury of a clothesline. But let me tell you . . . I look forward to pinning up our clothes in a neat row and letting the sun and wind do all the work. The only problem is that towels in particular end up being a bit "crusty", so to remedy that problem, I still put them in the dryer for about 5 or 10 minutes with a dryer sheet and "air fluff" them, once I've taken them off the line. After that, they are soft and outdoor-fresh.

I feel blessed to live where I do. While this summer has not gone exactly as I had hoped for or planned, I've felt God's complete and awesome goodness and control over all things. I hope you've experienced His blessings too as you reflect on your summer.

1 comment:

Kimmie said...

Hi Kimmy;

You must be so thrilled to be rid of the boot! Hope everything healed perfectly too.

Love your clothesline part...I've been asking my Knight if he'd buy me a retractable one...hoping to save money...especially with at least one little one coming soon.

xoxo
Kimmie
mama to 6
one homemade and 5 adopted

WE GOT A NEW ADOPTION WAIT LIST #!