Failed February Cake and Misc Info

Month 2 of year of the cake did not turn out so well. I am going to have to try again but it will have to wait until summer when I will have a little more free time. But I will try my hand at March's cake. St. Patricks day is coming up and will we celebrate it on Friday. I am very much looking forward to celebrating it with Jeff and the kids. I have few posts in the pipeline and plan on getting them all out this weekend. I love this blog, I just wish I was better at time allocation. I have some ideas about the format of the blog as well. I love to study the bible in depth by looking at the ancient language of the text and cross comparing verses with others in the bible. I would like to have a day when we can look at particular verses and just enjoy being in the Word. This will help me be more diligent with my bible study and hopefully give others a quick moment in the Word as well. With school I am not certain when I can start this but hopefully it will be soon. I look forward to our upcoming chats. Blessings to all until next time.

Its been so long, its been so hard

I did not mean to take so much time in between posts. I really want to dedicate more time to writing posts but life is so busy for me now. For those who don't know - I have started classes and UT in hopes of finally completing my degree. It has been a dream of mine for many, many, many years and now I am taking the bull by the horns and doing it. I just didn't realize this bull would be so big, so strong and so ornery.  To be completely honest this endeavor scares me to death. I am 10+ years older than most students, it's been 4+ years since my last class and I have a wonderful family that I desparately love and don't want to neglect.

I keep having to tell myself that I am doing this to accomplish a dream, like a runner just trying to finish a race, not necessarily trying  win the thing. But it is not within my nature to not try to be the best and I tend to see failure in myself for any little mistake. I fear failing. Failing my classes, my children, my husband. How does one keep all these balls in the air and have any vestige of success?

For me the answer to that question lies on how I chose to define success. I have decided that my success depends on, and only on, the fact that I am doing the thing, that I am holding on to this proverbial bull and not letting go. I may get a lot of bumps and bruises along the way - heck, I may even get bucked off. But you know what, that bull is going to know he has been ridden. He will bear the marks of one unwilling to let go no matter how hard he want me too.

Well, that was me letting some stuff off my chest. I hope everyone is having a wonderfully blessed weekend. I will be talking to you soon.


Much Love,
Diana

The Year of the Cake

Hello. I have been meaning to post for a few weeks now but I have been busy getting ready for classes the the spring semester. All the dust should be settled by now and we can have some fun. I recently found a box with some old Martha Stewart Magazines in it. While rummaging  through them I found the January 2006 issue that had an article about the year of the cake and in it contained a sweet recipe (sometimes more than one) for each month of the year. So I decided to take on the challenge and find my inner Martha Stewart (surely she's in there somewhere?). Well here we go....

 January - "Martha's Meyer Lemon Anniversary Cake"

Now I cut down the recipe because the original one served 45-50 people. I also couldn't in good conscience shell out the extra money for meyer lemons so normal everyday lemons were used here instead. The cake was delicious. The white cake was soaked in a lemon simple syrup, layers are filled with a luscious lemon curd and all is topped off with a Swiss meringue buttercream and candied lemons.


Here are some pictures of the process.

I stared with the candied lemons.

Next I made the simple syrup - I apparently made more than I needed.
I used the extra to sweeted my tea.

Here's the lemon curd with plastic wrap so it doesn't develop a film.

For the cake there is a batter and whipped egg whites.

Gently trying to fold in the egg whites into the batter.

THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP - cleaning the bowl with your finger.

Here is the cake after being soaked with the syrup and filled with the lemon curd.

And viola! The finished product.

Just slice and enjoy!

I highly recommend this cake. It is sweet with a tart kiss of lemon. The cake has a beautiful crumb texture which is complimented nicely with the smooth, melt in your mouth buttercream. Here is the link for the recipe. Enjoy!

Diana

And the Lights go Dim

I am watching our Christmas lights dance to music for the last time tonight. My husband put together a beautifully choreographed display of lights this year and it has been a feast for my eyes and soul. My little boy lays asleep having drifted off for the last time listening to his beloved Christmas songs. How my little man loves his songs and lights. I wonder what tomorrow night will bring with its deafening silence and lack of electrical illumination? I have been dreading this day for him for almost a week but as I sit here watching the lights from our study window, my heart is breaking. I know the lights will be back in full force (and then some) next year but I just don't want to part with them.  Maybe, I don't like the dark, maybe I will miss the playfulness of the whole thing or just maybe I just want Christmas everyday. For me, for my husband, and most importantly - my sleeping babies. If only every night we could be escorted to a realm of peaceful dreams on the tail of a colorful twinkling comet with Bing Crosby providing the music accompaniment. Sleep tight everyone.

Lets Get This Started

I am determined to let this be a year that I take control of the reins in my life. I want to be as creative, daring and fruitful as possible. New years resolution - to try things that I am almost certain that I will fail at. Who knows, I might discover some latent talents. My first mission....sewing a dress that I have been meaning to for the past 3 months (2 years if you count how long I have had the pattern). Shameful, I know and I do realize that this is no monumental task, but I thought I would start the year off with something easy, if there is such a thing when you have two little ones underfoot.

Alas, I hope you will join me this year in trying new things and creating order out of chaos.