J, Apple and I were having fun with the ‘photo booth’ application on my computer.  I know this isn’t our best side, but it was truly hilarious.  J and I were laughing so hard I was crying.  And well poor little Apple had no idea what on earth we were doing.  We took about twenty photos before we were finished.  One day I will pull them all together into a photo album just to remember how much fun we had being silly.

Can I also say that I am now officially a knitting addict?  It all started with a hat.  Actually it started with a book about hats that turned into a complete addiction.  Apple doesn’t have her own hand knit blanket.  J has three but is only willing to temporarily lend the one that he never uses to her for the car.  She is constantly grabbing his blankets and staring at his blankets and so I started knitting one.  What you see above is one weeks worth of knitting.  By the time I am finished it will be summer, but that’s ok because she will still need a blanket in the summertime.  I really enjoy that I have something to keep my hands busy, but I may have to take a break for a few days to get caught up on a few items on my to-do list.

My to-do list could be a blog post on its own, it is two whole pages long.  And that is lined paper, not just a note pad.  I have already crossed off a couple of cleaning to-do’s.  Like the loft.  Our never ending clutter room.  That is the room that houses my work table, Hubby’s desk and the kids desk.  Everything get put there for sorting.  Piles of paper, stuff without a home.  So together Hubby and I cleaned it up this Sunday.  It was great because I cannot be crafty surrounded by clutter. Today I tackled two cupboards in the kitchen.  All of a sudden I realized that there was a whole shelf us stuff I hadn’t touched since we moved in here almost three years ago.  Today was garbage day so off it went. And now the shelf has become the chip shelf so the chips no longer have to reside on top of my pots and pans.  I am so happy!   The rest of my to-do is pretty much crafty projects I want or need to complete.  I have a few new ideas floating around and can’t wait to finish my blanket so I can give them a try.

A friend that I haven’t seen in years recently came back into my life.  Many Years ago we worked together at a restaurant and when we would have those deadly 8am staff meetings after working until 2am, I would bring this coffee cake.  I hadn’t made it quite a few years but, was determined when she reminded me of it.  At first I couldn’t find the recipe, a tragedy all by itself as I hate to lose anything.  After much searching it surfaced. So, I not only had to make the coffee cake for our visit today, but I had to record it here so it would never be lost again.  I had forgotten how much I love this cake.  Not for one on a diet but, tried and true comfort food.

Without further delay, I want to share with you one of my favourite recipes.  I hope you try it and enjoy.  It can be halved if you wish.

 Chocolate-Chip Coffee Cake

Serves: 12 (large pieces, more if you cut them smaller)

½ c. packed brown sugar
½ c. walnuts, chopped
1 c. semi-sweet mini chocolate chips

3 c. cake flour
1 ¾ c. sugar
1 ¼ c. milk
½ c. shortening
2 ½ tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs

1.    prepare topping: In a small bowl, mix brown sugar, walnuts and ½ cup chocolate chips; set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour 13”x9” baking pan.
2.    Into large bowl, measure flour and all remaining ingredients, except remaining chocolate chips.  With mixer on low speed, beat until mixed, constantly scraping bowl.  Increase speed to high; beat 2 minutes occaisionally scraping bowl.  Stir in remaining chocolate chips. Pour into pan.
3.    Spread toping over batter.  Bake 40 to 45 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean.  Cool in pan on rack.

Enjoy!