name that flower

If anybody knows what these things are, please let me know. It will ease my curiosity. 😉

Have only seen them in this one protected corner that doesn’t get full sun. There’s even a little furled bud down sort of in the bottom right corner.

It’s still cool enough to get a bit of baking done before the heat and humidity starts. Am chomping down the latest – Wacky Cake, or Chocolate Depression Cake. A cake with chocolate must be tried, don’cha think?

This recipe has quite a history, but here’s the version I used. (My modifications are in parentheses.)

Wacky Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift these ingredients into an 8 inch ungreased pan.

• 1.5 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup brown sugar (used less than 1/2 cup dark brown sugar)
• 3 tablespoons cocoa (used heaping tablespoons!)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Put each of these into a separate dent in the dry mix.

• 1 teaspoon vanilla (I never add vanilla to anything chocolate!)
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 5 tablespoons melted butter or marge

(there is not supposed to be a dot here, just a blank space… 😠)

• Add 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup coffee to the pan and mix everything together in the pan.

Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean.

Ice or dust with powdered sugar or eat without icing!

Still slow sewing up these flannel trousers. One of the seams is going to have an interesting design detail… the side where a swatch got cut out. 🥰 Lol!

Advertisements

desperate for a treat?

3-minute microwave treat:
melted choc chips in a dark chocolate cake.
yuuummmmyyy!

Guaranteed to brighten your day is this quick & easy recipe from Corinna Chapman, the Melbourne (Australia) bread baker-cum sleuth of Kerry Greenwood’s Corinna Chapman series.

Here’s a direct link to the recipe (see p. 25), and below are her and my versions.

i use a 2-cup pyrex measuring cup

completed

ready to serve!

“MICROWAVE CHOCOLATE CAKE

“This is from Peter Russel Clarke, a great pioneer of Australian cooking, though his laugh reminds me far too closely of Kerry O’Keefe’s. Which is not his fault, poor man. This, despite my extreme scepticism, actually works and will produce a hot puddingy cake in 3 minutes cooking. For the midnight munchies. Or the three-in-the-morning horrors.

• “4 tablespoons self-raising flour
• 4 tablespoons caster sugar
• 2 tablespoons cocoa
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons light vegetable oil
• a few drops of vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons milk

“Mix all the dry ingredients, stir in the wet. You can add a handful of choc chips or cut up chocolate bar (i.e., a Bounty bar, a Mars Bar) if you like. Or honeycomb. This was supposed to be made in a coffee mug but I used a plastic microwave dish and it rose very well. Cook in the microwave for three minutes on high, or 100 per cent. Leave it sit for a moment. Turn it out while hot. You can then make a chocolate sauce with equal quantities of chocolate and cream in the microwave to decorate it. Yummy. If you keep to the proportions you can make instant fruit cake and all manner of unusual items. Nice if you want to experiment and don’t want to waste too much food. If you leave out the cocoa you need to replace it with 2 or more tablespoons of flour. The mix will bear about half a cup of additions. It does not brown, so ice it. Or just eat it at once.”

right outta the cup

here’s my dark chocolate-lover version:

• 4 tablespoons self-raising flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 3 tablespoons cocoa
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons light vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 cup 60% dark chocolate chips (I use Ghirardelli – the darkest available that I can afford!)

Bake as above.   I don’t ice mine.   Its already brown.

sliced in half to show those yummy melted chips

I should try a ginger spice version… but right now I need chocolate.

❤      ❤      ❤

happy holidays!

getting lots of wear with several different scarves (this one’s from vogue chicago fabric at least 8 years ago!)

Thought I’d better extend best wishes now, as its been a bit crazy round here for the last month or more. And will probably continue…

But there’s also been odd moments of sewing and crochet going on at some very odd times.

right is latest tee (above) which is getting lots of wear; left is possible hemlock (grainline freeby pattern)

And even have some photos to share!

Best wishes to all you Lovely Readers ~ may all your gifts be inspired and plentiful.

May all health, happiness, joy, and peace be yours now and in the coming year.

(And all your holiday sewing be completed magically!)

just finished renfrew short-sleeved v-neck (after altering the neck so seams match)

no idea what or if to use the top green fabric – its pilling already & has only been washed once

cake-in-a-cup recipe from author kerry greenwood – needs more chocolate & less sugar (recipe here, scroll to end: http://earthlydelights.net.au/)

🎄   🎄   🎉   🎄   🎄

sunday sevens #14?

It’s been a while, but finally pulled few piccies together. It’s been work-work-work over here for da-a-ays, so no sewing.

😢

Natalie, over at Threads and Bobbins, came up with the idea of Sunday Sevens. Anyone can join in, and you don’t have to do a post every Sunday.

took this last week, but have no idea what the bush is called.

lovely button used as zip pull

love how Josée pulls such gorgeous scraps of recycled fabric together – plus another outstanding button! she’s got a real gift –

also included small tissue pouch with yet another sparkling button (and another view of zip pull button)

The above prezzie from me to me arrived last week from a dear & very talented sewer in Canada, Josée Landry. I am seriously thrilled with it. Mmm-wah  & mille mercí, Josée!

it’s been very humid here so put chocolate bickies in the frig.  still have ’em with hot cocoa… or tea!

sunday sevens #10/11

Finally got 7 piccies the easy-for-me way, which (hopefully!) is just as easy for you.

Natalie, over at Threads and Bobbins, came up with the idea of Sunday Sevens. Anyone can join in, and you don’t have to do a post every Sunday.

And now I’m off for a late telecon.

Have a grand week, everyone!