Cake

Rosalind made me a birthday cake: light and fluffy chocolate cake topped with light and fluffy cream cheese frosting with a light sprinkling of grated chocolate.

I can't remember enjoying a cake more.

Chocolate Cake

3 cups all purpose flour (or cake flour if you have it)
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
2/3 cup cocoa powder (dutch-processed if you have it)

2 cups water
2 Tablespoons vinegar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon vanilla

In a bowl, combine all the dry ingredients (first five ingredients). Whisk together.

In another container, measure out the wet ingredients, whisk together, then dump all of it in the bowl of dry ingredients. Fold until just combined.

Bake in a greased 9x13 pan at 350F for about 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool.

Cream Cheese Frosting

16 oz cream cheese (at room temperature)
2 cups powdered sugar
1 Tablespoon vanilla

In a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, mix the cream cheese at high speed until there are no more lumps. Add the powdered sugar. Mix again, slowly at first until the powdered sugar has been incorporated. Add the vanilla. Mix at high speed until light and fluffy.

Our Daily Grains

This is our mix: stark naked granola, no chopped nuts or dried fruits to dress it up. It's just grains with peanut butter, honey and cinnamon. We are just simple folks with simple taste.

Admittedly there are times when we wake up in the morning and we feel like walking on the wild side. Then we might feel so bold as to dress up our granola with creamy vanilla yogurt, bright-colored fresh fruit and even a sprinkling of nuts.

Peanut Butter and Honey Granola

4 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cups puffed brown rice
1 1/2 cups puffed millet
1/2 cup ground flax
1 T cinnamon

1 cup peanut butter
1 cup honey

In a large bowl combine the oats, rice puffs, millet puffs, flax and cinnamon. In a 2 cup glass measuring cup, measure out peanut butter and honey. Heat in the microwave for a minute then mix thoroughly with a spoon.

Pour the peanut butter mixture onto the bowl with grains.

Using a rubber spatula, coat the grains with peanut butter and honey.

Divide the granola onto 2 sheet pans and spread in a single layer.

Bake at 300F. After 15 minutes give each pan a good stir and trade place (put the bottom pan on top and vice versa). Bake for another 15 minutes or until golden brown.

The granola will crisp up after it cools.

At the Flying House