It's a Brand New Day and a Brand New Blog!

Hello my friends! My darling daughter Christy has recently married and moved away from home, all the way to Sunny California, and she has been calling me for recipes and ideas for what to cook for dinner.  She designed the blog for me and asked me to post my recipes, however I had been thinking about doing my own blog and had the idea that I wanted to include not only recipes for food for our bodies, but spiritual recipes for our spiritual souls as well, as they both go together hand in hand, and you will never be truly nourished without both sides of the coin!  So I would like to give you each day a scripture or thought for your soul as well as a recipe!

For our souls today: 

“This is the beginning of a new day.  God has given me this day to use as I will.  I can waste it or grow in its light and be of service to others.  But what I do with this day is important because I have exchanged a day of my life for it.  When Tomorrow comes, today will be gone forever.  I hope I will not regret the price I paid for it”

Anonymous

From  “To Heaven and Back” Mary C Neal, MD

So for today, do something important such as rub your husbands back or feet, rub your childs back or feet, read a book to your child, sit by someone in church today who is sitting alone, smile at everyone you meet today and say HELLO very kindly!

For our bodies:

Because last month and the month before seemed to be birthday months for many, I will start with my number one favorite cake and cupcake recipe.  NEVER make a normal cake again, they do not even taste good after using this recipe.  ALWAYS use this recipe when you need to bake a cake or cupcakes, people will think you are smart and wonderful and awesome!  I found this recipe on Tasty Kitchen from Pioneer Woman, love that lady, and love her Tasty Kitchen site as well.

Sour Cream Almond Cake (Wedding Cake)

I box white cake mix

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup sugar

3/4 tsp salt

1 1/3 cups water

1/8 cups Vegetable Oil

1 tsp Real vanilla

1 tsp Almond Extract

1 cup Sour Cream

4 eggs

Place all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir together with a wire whisk.  Add the remaining ingredients and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.  Pour into greased and floured (I just use Pam or something like that) pans, filling each pan a little over half full.  Bake in a preheated 325 degree (I sometimes do 350 degrees) until cake tests done.  Baking time varies depending on the size of pans used.

For chocolate cake:  use chocolate cake mix and can leave out the almond extract.

Because we are adding more flour and sugar, it makes more cake batter or cupcakes for example I can get 3 dozen cupcakes instead of 2 dozen, and on cupcakes start with a time of 10 to 12 minutes and insert toothpick to test for doneness.  On cakes I start with a time of 15 to 20 min and go from there.

And of course, as all my children know, NEVER use canned icing on this.  I insist on homemade icing as it is so easy and so yummy.  I just use the buttercream icing recipe on the box of C&H powder sugar, which usually consists of a box of powder sugar (4 cups I think) and 5 Tblsp softened or melted butter, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/4 cup milk (about) and mix with mixer.  If you need chocolate icing, just pour in some hersheys unsweetened cocoa powder and wa la, pure bliss!