Simple Woman's Daybook

Go to The Simple Woman's Daybook to read the rest!

FOR TODAY December 22, 2008...

Outside my window... pale morning sunshine and Jack Frost visited during the night and painted some beautiful frost flowers on my storm window.

I am thinking... of how I wish that I did not have to work today.

I am thankful for... a warm house, good food to eat, Jesus in my life.

From the kitchen... Nice hot potato soup, John Wayne Specials, lemon curd, Berry shortbread dreams and Nutcracker Sweets.

I am wearing... my new fleece nightie and some long underwear bottoms, housieslippers.

I am creating... pomanders. I just love the smell of a pomander.

I am going... to go shopping early tomorrow morning. Stamps at the post office, go to the library, Aldi's, Country Mart and Wal-Mart.

I am reading...Not much, but I have some new Janette Oke books set aside for later this week.

I am hoping...that it will not be as cold today as it has been.

I am hearing... the space heater blowing from under my desk - blissful warmth.

Around the house... Not a lot, but the kitchen needs a good scrubbing.

One of my favorite things...is giving someone something - especially when they are not expecting it!

A few plans for the rest of the week: Today - work, bake cookies. Tomorrow - shopping, cleaning, baking. Wednesday - make roll dough, thaw ham, fix potatoes and refrigerate, make trifle custard. Thursday: Fix salad and bake ham and rolls. Assemble trifle. Relax! Friday: Last day of work for the company I work for now. YAY!

Here is picture thought I am sharing...



Cranberry Cake with Hot Butter Sauce
Serves 12

Cake:
2 cups all purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup milk
2 cups fresh cranberries

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9 x 13 glass pan. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Combine butter and sugar in large bowl. Beat with a mixer on medium speed until well-blended. Add eggs. Add milk alternating with dry ingredients, starting and ending with dry ingredients. Mix well. Stir in cranberries. Transfer to baking pan. Bake 30 minutes.

Sauce:
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
1 cup cream or half-and-half
2 teaspoons vanilla

To make sauce, combine all ingredients in saucepan over medium-low heat and cook 10 minutes or until sugar is melted, stirring frequently. Pour hot sauce over cake.(Best to pour sauce over individual pieces of cake)

Could substitute blueberries, blackberries, raspberries or even cherries!

This is the cake I served at my Christmas Tea and everyone loved it. A very pretty presentation and I could eat the sauce with a spoon!