Simple things

Simple things can be the best you know?

Here is my homage to simple today:

Easiest cake recipe EVER

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1 pint of your favorite ice cream softened(this doesn't really work with "no sugar added" or "slow churned/low fat"ice creams)

1 1/2 cups self rising flour

Stir together that LONG LIST of ingredients just until mixed and pour into a lightly greased 9" cake pan, bake for about 40 minutes.

Let the cake cool for a minute and then upend it onto a cooling rack-depending on your preference you can tip it back up-since this is a single layer unfrosted cake I like it right side up. Let the cake cool and if you like you could serve it with a flavor appropriate sauce.

Today I made a coconut cake and I'm boiling down a can of pineapple in it's own juice together with about 1/4 cup of UNPACKED brown sugar to go alongside.

I anticipate a pretty tasty non-traditional coconut cake.

The verdict is in...very yummy and the recipe is a keeper.

We're gonna try double dark chocolate next, maybe with a nice raspberry sauce.

Early O'clock

It's early o'clock and I'm awake again. Too many apocalyptic books and movies will do that I guess-especially if they're good ones.

No I don't have any titles... It's early o'clock.

The birds are singing in the still predawn air, the best sound to wake up to. Aside from them it's quiet, no one stirring about but me.

I like this time best when I feel rested like I do now though I'll be honest it would be better if the trash had been taken out last night.

I'll light a candle for that poor dead chicken later...

Hear that? Coffee's ready.

Why yes, a little cream today would be lovely.

Comfort Food

Today's Comfort food: A big bowl of sliced strawberries with a spoonful of sugar and some milk.

Takes me back to New York, Rte 50, Schuylerville Elementary, and the strawberry farm across the road. A penny a pint for picking was the going rate and you could eat the overripe ones as you went. Blondie was telling me to call her and Rod Stewart was wondering if I wanted his body. The woods were dark and deep behind the house and that Winter I accidentally burned the mittens my Nana crocheted for me when I forgot about them on the space heater in the garage. I can almost taste the school lunches, smell those red rubber balls in gym,feel my self swinging on the uneven bars and see all those skinny books in the Library. The twins got a baby doll that POOPED and PEED, we got bikes and learned to ride them. I got a huge scrape on my knee and still have the scar 30 years later. We raked leaves and jumped in them, tried to swim in the unheated pool after Labor Day and came out fast shivering and blue. I saw the floaties in my eyes for the first time while cloud watching lying on a blanket in the front yard. Nana taught us Kanasta and Crazy 8's and Scott shot Rachael in the head with one of those little suction cup guns. I dried the dishes with a rag that had been used on the floor-boy was that a mistake. I rubbed lotion on my Mom's feet at night and watched the fire in the family room. Sometimes we got dressed in our school clothes the night before and slept in them-we thought we were sooo clever. We played with the BIG Star Wars Action Figures-we had them all(I had a crush on Han Solo-his gun was the best!) and Donnie and Marie dolls from the Osmond show. I had a pack of mini cards and a chenille "magic" worm -both from bubble gum machines-and I cherished them. We helped plant yellow-orange marigolds and purple and yellow pansies at the front flower beds, nails all black with dirt. We ate the crusts of sandwiches and drank the dregs of sweet and milky coffee after Mom's parties. Liquid Sweet n Low was somehow delicious when sucked out of a toothpick. I drove a rigid frame mini bike into a tree at full throttle. Sisters were awesome and little brothers weren't all that bad, Special K was gross and so was the neighbors old warty miniature poodle. I see all this in my minds eye,through nostalgia's foggy lens-it's not everything of course, but it's enough.

That was a pretty amazing bowl of strawberries.

Maybe...

I should start blogging again.

I'm thinking.