My one and only baking excursion this week...

A friend posted this recipe to her facebook page this week and I clicked on the recipe and thought...that sounds easy...and good.
I made "Preacher Cake" for a young kids gathering that the workers asked us to be at to help them out at (don't ask me why we were asked) :)
It was probably the easiest cake I have ever made. And 30 mins bake time turned out a light, moist cake. The secret...pineapple.
So here it is...and oh yah...cream cheese icing helps too

Ingredients:

2 c	sugar (may cut the sugar to 1 cup - 1 1/2 cups as it is very sweet)
2 c	all-purpose flour
2	eggs
2 tsp	baking soda
1/2 tsp	salt
2 tsp	vanilla
1/2 c	nuts - walnuts or any that you prefer (I used crushed pecans - I chopped them in my magic bullet)
1 can(s)	20 ounces crushed pineapple - undrained (I use pineapple in it's own juice)
FROSTING
1 pkg	8 ounce cream cheese - softened
1 3/4 c	powdered sugar
1/4 c	butter or margarine
1/4 tsp	salt
1/2 c	nuts - walnuts or any that you prefer ( I omitted) 2 tsp vanilla

Directions:

1

 PREACHER CAKE: Combine dry ingredients; add remaining ingredients and mix by hand Bake in a 9 x 13 prepared pan at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes - depending on variables. Do not over bake or it will be rubbery, but still delicious :

2

 FROSTING: Mix well and spread on cake in pan. Enjoy!

3

 * If you would like to save calories, instead of using the frosting, just sprinkle top of cake with a bit of powdered sugar and enjoy!

4

 * There is NO milk, butter, or oil in the cake.

April 27, 2012

Where has this month gone? Perhaps the pictures will show our whereabouts.

 Last week we made a flying (driving) trip to Edmonton because Shawn had a course on Thursday. Hanna was thoroughly enjoying her cousins.

 Friday morning we arrived in Abbotsford and visited ABC for breakfast. Gpa introduces Hanna to jam.

 After 2 very warm days early this week, I pulled out her long sleeved outfits that she still hasn't worn and put them on as time is running out for long sleeved clothes. She is somewhere between 6 and 9 month clothes now.

 Hanna still spends lots of time in her jumparoo and likes her new toy from Gary and Krista Hewitt! Thank you!

 Last Friday we spent the afternoon with Gma Radom and met Great Gpa Phillips for the first time.

 Lauryn Radom and Hanna Radom...luv at first sight for these cousins

 Aunty Paula gives Hanna snuggles.

 U Shawn watches Alyssa's activities on her IPad

 Alyssa checks us all out.

 Alyssa shows her love for Hanna.

 Brothers and their girls.

 Cousins!

Taking a break from her car seat at the gas station.

Home again doing what she does best - eating and playing.

April continues to speed along...

 Our time is filled with lots of playing! We roll over like an expert now. Hanna still does not sit up on her own but she is getting stronger.

 Hanna is discovering lots of new foods! This was an attempt to feed herself.

 April has also been filled with lots of precipitation - mostly in the form of snow. Don't worry, we don't mind. It usually melts the next day.

 Hanna discovers Mum Mums. They are fun for her to eat herself but they sure make a mess. Foods she has tried so far: mango, avacado, peaches, banana, peas, chicken, salmon, haddock, blueberries, apple, pear, sweet potato, squash and of course, rice cereal, oatmeal cereal and mixed cereals. She seems to have passed the gluten test so we're very excited about that...not that we have too much of that in the family.

 Our long weekend was lots of fun with visits to Great Grandma and Great Grandpa Pihrag and here with Grandma Pihrag.

 We also got to see lots of kids and visit our special friend, Marion in Regina on Sunday. We also visited Great Grandma Lewis.

Lots of attention from Roman. We think he is so special!

Hanna occupies herself on the way out to Moose Jaw. Only on the outskirts of Moose Jaw did she start to complain about sitting so long.

April 12, 2012 - Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread - Eating Clean recipe

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp ground flaxseed
pinch of sea salt
3 ripe bananas, mashed
2 egg whites
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup raw honey (I used agave syrup from costco)
1/4 cup flaxseed oil (refrigerated at a grocery store)
1/3 cup chopped dark chocolate

Preheat oven to 350. In a medium bowl, mix you dry ingredients.

In a lg bowl, mix your wet ingredients.

Mix dry ingredients into banana mixture and STIR in chocolate.

Mist a loaf pan and pour batter in. Bake at 350 for about 50 mins. The recipe said 25 mins but that's a joke. It took much longer than that.

Calories per slice - 182. Fat 6 grams Fibre 3 grams = 3 pts

I could eat this instead of breakfast, lunch, supper and dessert...It's so yummy.

April Fools week

Well, we have had a wonderful week thus far minus the fact that Hanna has been sick all week. She still gives lots of smiles when she's had enough sleep but she is particularly cuddly and has been waking up in the night with a stuffy nose.

Brother Braden graced us with his presence on Sunday night and so on Monday I took him to the zoo. It was a BEAUTIFUL day and a great opportunity to get a little walking in and to learn more about the animals - particularly the ones in the Canadian wilds.

Yesterday was a wonderful day. Dennis and Gildas - workers in the North Central field, came over for lunch and then Valerie and Alea (our NW workers) came for supper and then we had a few over for a music night. Some of you might know those that came:
Tom and Marilyn Watson, Marvin and Marg Crowley, Anne Larson (minus her hubby Darryl), Sarah Pihrag, Wayne Cussitar (minus his wife Beth, who is away), Graham and Joey and of course...us. We thoroughly enjoyed Alea's bassoon. Graham got out his sax and played with us which was awesome.

Valerie eats gluten free so I made this chocolate chip cookie that doesn't have any flour in it. I have made it many times before. It's tasty but a bit crumbly.

We look forward to heading out to SK for the long wknd so we look forward to seeing some of you there.

Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies:
1 cup unsalted almond butter, stirred well ( I ran out and used a bit of peanut butter - it made them flatter than usual)
3/4 cup sucanat (look in health food store or organic section of grocery store. It's like a course brown sugar)
1 lg egg
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp sea salt
3 oz dark choc (I used bernard callebeaut chips from bulk section at superstore)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stir together first 5 ingredients and then stir in chocolate.
Bake 10-12 mins or until lightly browned. Let cool ON baking sheets for 5 minutes. (Otherwise they'll fall apart). Let cool for 15 mins more.

If you use Weight watchers pts, they are 3 pts. This recipe came from the Eating Clean Magazine.

 Instruments....beautiful music.

 Hanna gets a tad overwhelmed with all the noise but knows her U. Graham.

 The non-instrument guests play a game of "Pick 2"

 At the zoo on Monday...check out the elephant in the background. I bet they can/t wait to get outside.

 The very popular indoor penguin exhibit. We got in on the last viewing before the zoo closed for the day. You should see the water filtration and cooling systems for this exhibit!

 Our sick baby enjoys lots of cuddles from her Daddy.