Cake Recipe

This sounds all too good - I have to try it. I borrowed it from: http://laurasbestrecipes.com/ She has some lovely veggie recipes that are wonderful! I have not yet tried it but I will be trying it soon! If you try it let me know how it comes out and when I try it I'll share my results!

Pineapple Pumpkin Walnut Cake

This cake resembles a spicy carrot cake. You can modify the sugars to your own taste - more brown or darker brown for more molasses flavor. If you really love the cream cheese frosting, just double that recipe for a taller layer of frosting. The pumpkin puree can either be homemade or canned. You may also want to modify the spices to your taste... some prefer more spice than others.

Cake Ingredients:

* 1.5 cups walnuts
* 3 cups all purpose flour
* 1.5 cups sugar
* 1 cup light brown sugar
* 2 tsp baking soda
* 1/2 tsp salt
* 1.5 TBSP cinnamon
* 1/2 tsp nutmeg
* 1/2 tsp ginger
* pinch of allspice
* 1.25 cups canola oil
* 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
* 1 TBSP real vanilla extract
* 1.5 cups pumpkin puree
* 3/4 cup drained crushed pineapple
* 1 cup golden raisins (optional)
* 1 cup shredded coconut


Frosting

* 3 ounces cream cheese (room temp)
* 3 TBSP unsalted butter (room temp)
* 1.5 cups confectioners' sugar
* 1 tsp real vanilla extract
* 3 TBSP milk

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. LIghtly butter a 9 x 13 baking pan. Line w/ parchment paper along the bottom and sides.

Bake walnuts in a small pan until just lightly toasted (10 minutes) then chop.

In a large mixing bowl, stir flour, sugars, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and allspice. Add the oil, eggs and vanilla. Beat using mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add the pumpkin and pineapple. Mix lightly until just combined. Using a spatula, fold in the walnuts and coconut... and raisins if you used them.

Pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan and smooth the top using a spatula. Bake about 1 to 1.25 hours until it is firm in the center or until a toothpick comes out clean. Transfer from pan to a wire rack and allow to cool at least 10 minutes.

Frosting:

Beat cream cheese and butter until creamy. Add confectioners' sugar, vanilla and a little of the milk at a time to make the frosting creamy. Spread frosting on cooled cake.

Updating

Wow - it's been a while since I did anything out here - I'm working on updating everything today and probably tomorrow too. Thanks for being patient with me!

Beth Stone's Art Work! WOW!!!

You have to check out my friend's art work - and a give away she is doing for Thanksgiving!


http://bethstonestudio.blogspot.com/2009/11/thanksgiving-giveaway.html?showComment=1257217441400#c8220305620231831388

More Animations

I am still loving creating animations. Most of the animations within the tags are Lori's creations - the tag and the way it is put together is mine. You can see Lori's creations at Doodles from my Noodle She makes the most delightful things for me to play with in PSP! Thanks Lori for your unending generosity!

Life and it's ups and downs

Life is such a trip! Easiest way to put it! I am playing with government forms and lovely government yuck is the only way to put it. Why do they ask the same question 47 times in 47 different ways? Are they trying to catch me? Are they just bored? Who thinks up these forms????? Never mind legal ease - I need a psychiatrist just to answer a question!

Making difficult decisons lately - and hurting about all of them. Left my prayer chain at church - just felt it a burden. And praying should never be a burden. Also told the pastor that I am unable to continue doing the presentation at the moment for Sunday Celebration Services. Just feel lost and confused and need to step back from responsibilities for a while and decide what's best for me. If I sit still - Yes God I am listening - and actually listen to what He says - Maybe I'll get it! Because lately I'm feeling overwhelmed with responsibilites and have no time for me. Praying for peace, decision making and help with guidance in this red tape nonsense.

Ups, downs, in betweens, etc - it's all out there and in here too - I just need to find the right track for me and get on it!

The Generosity of Children

My heart is full - so full it's about to burst. Our church, small in size - but HUGE in heart - invited a group of children from a Florida based christian school up her for a mission trip. They were to work on needs in the community. One need was a member of our church who is having a baby, and needed to redo a room to have space for the baby. Another member a single mother with three boys needed some repair work to her home done - her roof, insulation and siding. And my family - of which I didn't know this was going to happen - got a new deck and a new wheelchair ramp for me! I am thrilled beyond words. These children did almost all of the work - of course, at their age - teenagers - they are not permitted to use electric tools. But they ripped our old porch and stairs/ramp and helped nail down and measure the boards. They were friendly, open, very sweet and worked very hard. Our church also had them to services on Sunday and to a dinner after church. They say they want to come back as they we very welcomed here and enjoyed the friendship and fellowship. I hope they do and I would love to go to visit them as well in Florida. Our church has some pictures of the event at www.disciplespoint.org - enjoy! God's Blessings on those lovely children!

My crazy husband and sister-in-law!

Well you be the judge. I think they are crazy. My husband shaved his head a bit ago, and now likes the look. Actually, don't tell him, but so do I! And now with my sister-in-law going to have surgery on her arm and hand, she did it again (yes, she has done this in the past). This time at least it makes sense, since working with her hair with her arms after surgery is going to be a problem - but they are still crazy!

Here they both are:



And here is Kathy alone:



And here is Harry alone:



Like I said, you be the judge - crazy or not?

Blinkies! I finally learned how to make them!

I am thrilled beyond words - I finally learned how to make blinkies. Thanks to Jazzl for her tutorial. And thanks to Lori for her blanks. Here are my first attempts at blinkies. You can see Lori's great stuff at her blog Doodles from my Noodle

This first one is from the tutorial from Jazzl - I need to get her link.




The next two are from blinkie templates by Lori - her site link is above. Thanks Lori for the inspirations for me to make these.

The Merry Maines - A Shaggy Cat Story

I just read the most incredible cat book! While I wholeheartedly have enjoyed the Warrior Series - this book is more from the home and hearth. It touched me deep within my heart of hearts. I adore cats and have always felt that they are communicating. The Merry Maines - A Shaggy Cat Story - put the words out there for the cats and for the cat lovers as well. I deeply appreciated the cat knowledge as well as the sheer fun of the story. Bad guys, good guys, and that was just within the cattery! If you have a love of cats, books, mystery, fun, anything you will find it in this book. A sheer pleasure from the first page. I can't wait for the sequel to see what the gang has been up to! I give it 5 PAWS UP!!!!



You can go to Amazon - Garnet Quinn to get the book. In some places they have spelled her name as Gartnet Quinn.


Now, I'll tell you a little secret.....shhhhhh....don't tell anyone.....I know the author!!! Garnet Quinn - great lady - and an all around Cat Lover Extraordinaire!!!