cooking...

I've been busy in Roberta's kitchen for the past few days...,

It smells so good...

Yummy cake, made from scratch...

Recipe is included in this post.

I love making deviled eggs...,

Fantasy Fudge...,

If you make this cake let me know how it turns out... comments are appreciated.

PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE:
You do not need an electric mixer for this cake, I like mixing it with a wooden spoon.

INGREDIENTS
Topping:
1/4 C Butter
1/2 C Dark Brown Sugar (packed)
1 can Pineapple Rings (in juice), save 1/2 C juice
Marischino Cherries

Cake:
2 C all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. allspice
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 C Butter (soft)
1 C granulated sugar
2 Eggs
1/2 C milk
1/2 C Pineapple juice
1 tsp. vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS
Heat oven to 350 degrees, Grease 13" x 9" cake pan

Topping:
Melt butter, mix in brown sugar, spread in pan
drain juice into bowl and place pineapple rings in pan, add maraschino cherries

Cake:
In large bowl, mix butter and sugar till creamed
add eggs one at a time stirring till well blended
add all dry ingredients, stir in gently
add 1/2 C Pineapple juice, and milk - stir
add vanilla - stir till blended
Pour gently over topping

Bake 40 minutes at 350 degrees, or until a toothpick can be inserted and comes out clean.  Allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes, put a plate (or baking pan) on top of cake pan and carefully turn over.  Did any of the topping stick to the pan?  Scape it off while it's still warm and put it back on the cake.
Enjoy!!!

Waiting for spring...

Any guesses what these are?

Strange, aren't they...

Does this help?

Getting warmer?

 They're Morning Glory seeds 

...I'm waiting to plant them in the spring!

These are some of the first seeds I've ever collected for spring planting...
I wonder if they will "take". 

sweater

I've had several people ask me about China's green sweater... 

The top of the sweater

Bottom view...

China, modeling once again...

Suzanne and I are thinking about making these sweaters for sale.  Anyone know any chilly cats or dogs???

China's new sweater

I know - I know, I'm prejudiced..., but is China not the cutest kitty ever?     

China, modeling his new green sweater...

Someone said green is my color...

Will I get standard modeling wages... or catnip?

Catnip would be fine!!!

I made China's sweater... Do you like it? 

I'm back - finally...

It's been a long, long time since my last post, but I'm finally on line... right here in my own home.
 
Have to introduce you to the newest member of the family.

China Cat Sunflower 

China for short, or Buddy, 

or Kinkers for the broken spot on the end of his tail... 

or any of a number of silly endearments.

China with his little sister 

The first evening of their rescue

Here he is living up to his Grateful Dead namesake 

wearing a stylish tie-dye sweater

Suzanne loving his little sister... 

What will this little Peanut eventually be called?

These kittens are feral rescues... there were actually three of them on the sidewalk outside Suzanne's apartment. 

Lured by the incredible flavor of chicken burritos, two of these apparently starving babies were captured by Suzanne's husband, Jeff.  They searched for the third kitten but it had vanished.  These babies were docile from the moment they were touched.  

On the second morning of searching, we did find a humane trap with a note attached to the top saying not to disturb it as they were trying to capture feral kittens in order to foster them and adopt them out, so we were hopeful that the third kitten would be caught.

About two weeks later a woman left a note on Suzanne's door saying she had been searching for the person who rescued the two kittens.  She was wondering how they were caught so easily, as she had been trying to catch them for a period of time.  She is involved in a UC Davis research of Feral Cat Colonies - trapping kittens for fostering and adoption, and grown cats for neutering/spaying then returning the adults to their colony.  Suzanne contacted her and learned that the third kitten had been caught about a week later (evidently the mother had just left them to their own devices, and they lied about being starved), then the mother and an adult sister, and finally the papa.  She said the kitten she caught was as tame as could be, and if she had not been studying these cat's she would not have believed the kittens were feral.  All's well that ends well.