orange

pink

key lime cake

My niece, Becky, recently sent me a recipe she had tried from the book "All Cakes Considered". I tried out the recipe too & it is wonderful. Even after a couple of days I was still snacking on it. It almost seemed like a cheesecake as it aged. I easily found key limes at my regular grocery store. They were small (about the size of a walnut) & a bit short on the juice side. Double the glaze recipe for the full effect (I got tired of squeezing limes).

Key Lime Cake (adapted)

Cake:
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temp
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 3/4 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
1 key lime

Glaze:
1/4 cup key lime juice
1/2 cup confectioners sugar plus one Tablespoon for dusting

Grease 8" round or square cake pan. Line pan with parchment paper. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter with mixer on medium speed & gradually add sugar, beating well after each addition. Add the eggs, one at a time, & beat after each addition. In a separate bowl, dry whisk the flour, baking powder & salt. Slow down the mixer & add half the flour mixture to the batter. Beat, then add 1/3 cup of the cream. Beat, then add the rest of the flour mixture. Beat, then add the rest of the cream. Beat on medium speed for two minutes. Grate the rind of the key lime & squeeze out one tablespoon juice. Add the zest & juice to the batter & beat for two minutes. Pour the batter into the pan & bake for 20 minutes. Cover the pan with aluminum foil & bake another 20 minutes (this keeps the top from burning.) or until done (check with toothpick). Cool for ten minutes in the pan then flip cake onto cake rack. Use a toothpick to poke small holes in the top of the cake. Whisk the glaze ingredients together & spoon it over the cake while the cake is still warm. After the cake has cooled dust with confectioners sugar.





Photo submitted by Becky. Thanks for sharing!

ride to the farm part 2

Watch it in full screen size.

a drive to the farm

Earlier this year I bought another SLR camera. Didn't really need a new camera; just wanted a few more bells & whistles. One of the features I was interested in was this camera's ability to make movies. I had a certain movie in mind & yesterday when I visited Dad I made an attempt at that movie. One of the things I love doing with Dad is driving around the countryside looking at crops & talking. I've worried that my chances to do that with him are dwindling & making a video of it seemed like a good idea. When learning anything new, a lot of practice is needed. I haven't had a lot of practice yet. I am still learning how to get the focus & the lighting right. The entire video is about sixteen minutes long. Youtube only allows ten minute videos so I will post the other portion tomorrow hopefully.

tour of the house

While Don was out hunting this past weekend, I found myself with time on my hands inside the ranch house. With my camera. So I walked through the house looking for something interesting & really the whole place is fascinating. Starting with all the old doorknobs that have so much character.



An old rotary phone is on the wall in the entryway.









Don calls this his "mushroom gun". It's the one he takes along when hunting for morels. Just to have something along in case a turkey crosses his path. His other shotgun is heavier.













These are the stairs to the basement. I don't go down there unless I have too. There are new garage doors up this year to help keep out any big varmints but I'm sure there are a few mice lurking in the shadows. Our friend, Don H., took a header down these stairs a few years ago & lived to tell about it. Don has gotten a lot of mileage out of that story.



These are the stairs going upstairs.



A bedroom upstairs. A room with a view.









Another upstairs bedroom (there are three). This portrait on the wall is one of Don's ancestors. I have not ever slept in this bed & do not care to with him looking over me all night.







The front hallway. Back at the beginning.



I hope you enjoyed the tour.

purple irises

I finally made it to the ranch this past weekend with Don. He did not get another turkey but we found a few morels. This is the latest in the season we've ever found them. And these irises were blooming near the house & in the orchard.