Happiness and Thoreau

Hershey 'Perfect Chocolate Cake'

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup Hershey's cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water


Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9" round cake pans.

Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa baking power, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Add eggs. milk, oil, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour into prepared pans.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes and remove from pan, turning onto a wire rack. Frost as desire


'PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE' FROSTING

1/2 cup butter or margarine
2/3 cup Hershey's cocoa
3 cups confectioners sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter. Alternately add confectioners sugar and milk. Beat to spreading consistency.
Add a small amount of milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla.

Happy New Year!

Happy 2011! I really meant to post on 11/1/11, but still had (have) the flu. I came down with it just before Thanksgiving and still have it. Blah!

When I was awake, we spent the time making plans for the new year - details to come.

At this point, my Etsy account is inactive. It's just too demanding on my time with the holidays and my poor health. I hope to have it active again soon.

I did all of my holiday shopping on the Internet. What a treat not to have to fight the crowds when I'm feeling poorly. Darling hubby wouldn't tell me what he wanted, so he got lots of gourmet cookware - including a gelato machine that makes ice cream in 30 minutes. Wow! Trouble is, I think we can eat it faster than that!

We are learning the newest game of Trivial Pursuit. Such questions! It has also added the element of gambling. I'm not totally against gambling, but I'd rather answer questions.

Ray bought me a fabulous bracelet from Morning Glory Designs - to be found on Etsy. It is shown in the picture above. Willie does the most fabulous work!

Must rest for a while, so I can beat Ray playing Trivial Persuit. (He beat me 2 out of 2 last night. Hum Bug!

Ruth Ann

Recipe for Bell's Seasoning

If you have been unable to locate
Bell's Seasoning,

here is the recipe for making it yourself:

· 1/4 TEASPOON THYME

· 3/4 TEASPOON SAGE

· 1/4 TEASPOON MARJORAM

· 1/4 TEASPOON ROSEMARY

· 1/4 TEASPOON BLACK PEPPER

· 1/4 TEASPOON NUTMEG

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope that you all had a fun and blessed Thanksgiving!

We survived the usual boring dinner at the funeral home.
We had a few extra people this year which made life more interesting.

The Lord has truly blessed us this year.

I am still alive and able to walk some
even though my doctor says that I should be dead.

Ray has been laid off almost two years now.
We had health insurance through last month -
though at a very high rate.

We have had the time to plan for a new business
where we will be totally self employed.

I have had the opportunity to plan some new beadwork.

May the Good Lord bless you and your family!

Ruth Ann

JackieEvancho

Bananas Foster Crepe Filling

1 fresh banana, sliced

2 Tablespoons of salted butter
3 Tablespoons of dark brown sugar
A a splash of white or dark rum
Sweetened whipped Creme

Saute the first 3 ingredients until hot and bubbly. Add rum, spoon into a crepe and top with a banana slice and whipped cream.