A Day In My Life

Signs of Hibernation...

I put the electric blanket on the bed tonight...

I have applesauce cooking in the crock-pot:

One of my favorite fall candles going:

Hot Vanilla Chi tea in my Big Girl panty cup:)

Flannel cooking on the stove:

WHAT?????  Flannel on the stove?  Okay...that is not a sign of hibernation...probably more of a sign of craziness:)  I am tea dying some flannel for a project...honest I fed my family spaghetti tonight NOT flannel:)

I am headed to snuggle in and watch So You Think You Can Dance and then GLEE.

Lauren didn't go to dance tonight as she was not feeling well...and I am still not feeling great, so it's time to lay low...

Good Night

Dancingly, Denise

   

CAKE...

Okay, so I don't want to talk about life today, cuz things are just to  mind boggling:)  So I am going to share with you the cake I made Ruth (my mom-in-law) the other day for her birthday.  This is NOT to be confused with the white raspberry cake I made LAST week...I will, maybe, post that recipe, but it is several pages long so I may not.  This cake was easier, BUT oh so delicious!

 

Quick 'n' Easy Chocolate Cake (from the book The Birthday Cake Book)

Makes 2 9x2-inch round pans

3 cups all purpose flour

2 cups sugar

2/3 cup sifted natural cocoa

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 cups water (room temp)

2/3 cup veg. oil

2 tblsp. apple cider or distilled white vinegar

1 tblsp. vanilla extract

350 degrees

1.coat inside of 2 pans with nonstick cook spray, line the bottoms with parchment rounds, spray the parchment.

2. Whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt in large bowl.

3.  Whisk together water, oil, vinegar and vanilla in med. size bowl.

4. Pour wet ingredients over dry ones and whisk until combined and smooth. (I didn't whisk I used my  new "MORE POWER" electric hand beater:)

5. Pour mixture evenly into two pans.  Firmly tap the bottom of pans on work surface to dislodge any bubbles (This was so cool!)

6.  Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the layers shows a few moist crumbs.

7.  Cool the pans on wire rack for 10 minutes.  Unmold, peel off parchment, place on racks to cool (I left parchment on till cooled as the cake was so moist it sort of was sticking to the wire rack:)

Now, when they were cool I still had a half portion of raspberry frosting left, so I added more confectionery sugar to it...some milk...and some raspberries and Voila a YUMMY cake!

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Nate and I had a nice time tonight while waiting for Lauren to finish dance classes.  He and I ate at Applebee's.  I have missed having that time with him, and he talked non stop!

Cakingly,

Denise

Corn Chowder

ICK!  I dislike corn chowder VERY much...BUT my family likes it...so this time of year I start making it about every other week.  I made some tonight...and they seemed very happy to have it.  ME?  i had chicken:)

Now, have you heard the Corn Chowder and DAD story?  If you have...go ahead and skip over this...if you haven't you are in for a treat:)

When dad first started his chemo treatments (back in March) he was still able to eat somethings...though it was getting tougher for him.  (Now he has a feeding tube and eats very little by mouth.)  Well, anyway...he would have chemo for 8 hours on Fridays, so one week I made a great sugar free Strawberry pie and dropped it at their house before I headed up to sit with him and Bonnie ...and he really liked it...and was able to swallow it. .Then one week, I made a Corn Chowder...I dropped it at their house and headed up to sit with them during chemo.  I felt very DOLLY DOMESTIC like...very proud of myself.  That night, while talking to dad on the phone he said he was eating the corn chowder. 

He said..."what kind of corn did you use in this"

Me(proudly) "Whole kernel corn"

Dad:  "Hmmmmmm  Bonnie uses CREAMED corn in hers"

Me: "Oh"

Dad:  "Did you use SKIM milk in this?"

Me (healthily): "Yup"

Dad:  "Hmmmmmm  Bonnie uses WHOLE milk in hers"

Me: "Oh...really enjoying my Corn Chowder, huh dad?"

He has ribbed me about Corn Chowder ever since...and he hasn't wanted anymore of MY chowder either.  AND I told him I was making him anymore:)GRIN

Tonight I called and told him I had Corn Chowder cooking and I would bring some over to share with him tomorrow.  "Don't bother" he said:)

Here are a few pictures of last weeks 365+1 days photos:

The fog rolling into Bucksport

One of Nate's favorite fall treats...Pumpkin Chocolate Chip cookies

Grocery shopping Sunday.

Saturday Lauren took Grammie and Nate out to lunch at a local restaurant.  She paid for their meals and everything.  What i don't understand is HOW she talked Grammie into letting her pay for her meal.  Scott and I can NEVER get her to let us pay...hmmmmmmmmmm.  Guess Lauren is "cuter" than us:)

I had musical rehearsal tonight...and we started and finished "Those Magic Changes" and we started "Summer Nights"  Lot's of work and they did great for our first night of dance.  I am beat...

I am trying to do a "carb Deplete" cycle this week...and today is the first full day of it.  I am HUNGRY tonight...but part of it is not eating two hours before bed...and we just got home...there is no way I am going to stay up for another two hours...so I guess I will stay a tad hungry.  By Wednesday I will be BEAR:)

Thank you all for your kind words...it helps so much.  I am still feeling quite fogged over about all that has happened...and very sad.  Your kindness is very much appreciated.

Love to all..

Denise

Weight Watcher's Strawberry Pie

This pie is so easy to make, and it's yummy.  I made two of them today and shared one with some special buddies of mine:)

Strawberry Pie

1 small package (1.1 oz) sugar-free Cook and Serve vanilla pudding
2 cups water
1 small package (0.3 oz) sugar-free strawberry Jell-O
4 cups sliced strawberries

EDIT: Premade graham cracker pie crust

In a medium saucepan, stir together water and pudding mix. Heat to a boil. Remove from heat and immediately add the Jell-O. Stir until dissolved. Set the pan aside and let the mixture cool slightly.

Place strawberries in the bottom of a (edit) store bought graham cracker pie crust. Pour cooled pudding mixture over the strawberries. Refrigerate until chilled. Let it set well before slicing.

EDIT:  2 points per 1/8 of pie

I usually put cool whip on it when I am ready to eat it.

It's YUMMY for your TUMMY!

I just got back from Musical rehearsal.  I am finished choreographing all the large dance numbers.  Now i will help out here and there in solo and small group numbers...but my big work is done!  YIPPEE!

Dancingly,

Denise