Sour Cream Raisin Bars

I made these tonight and love how tasty they are. Super moist, nice cinnamon flavor. That is a weird thing to hear me say, because I don't normally like cinnamon. I did in these!

Sour Cream Raisin Bars

2 cups raisins

1 1/2 cups sour cream

3 eggs 1 cup brown sugar

1 cup sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 3/4 cups oats

1 3/4 cups flour

1 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter, softened

Combine first 6 ingredients in medium saucepan and cook and stir over low heat until well blended. In a large bowl combine remaining ingredients until crumbly (I used a pastry blender). Press half the crumbs in the bottom of a greased 9 by 13 pan. Pour raisin mixture over the top (spread raisins out evenly) Sprinkle the rest of the crumb mixture over the top. Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Cool, cut, enjoy. Store in the fridge.

Catfishin' at the Riches Pond

The Riches have a lot of kids. The kids spend a lot of time swimming in their well stocked pond. Obviously the catfish get fat nibbling toes. They are monsters! My kids like to swim in here also, after seeing this fish maybe I whould worry a little.

an evening at the "Joe"

Am I too late to post about our 4th of July activities? No? Great. So here goes...

We have ended up with a tradition of going to a Charleston River Dog game around the 4th. The fireworks game. This year it was actually on July 3rd. For the past few years we have lamented that we can't seem to get off the beach and to the "Joe" until right when the game is going to start. This year we were there when they opened the gates. Ella went straight to guest services and asked to sign up for the Hula Hoop contest. Every year she wants to participate and we get there too late. Adrian even called the ballpark this year so we would know when the gates open.

She asked to sign up and they looked at her a little funny and said, "We don't have a Hula Hoop contest."

Epic Fail, as the teenagers say.

We were all bummed. So I asked what contest/competitions they were having.

"The only thing we have left open is the pie eating contest." she replied.

Pie eating contest? Now William is our pie maker and eater, but Rachel is our competitive pie eater, so I signed her up.

and here is the video of the results:

Harrison and Lucy looking thrilled

Always happy Ella



William

Grandpa and Harrison


Linda, Grif, and Lane

To the victor goes the spoils (in this case an apple pie from Harris Teeter)

I need a 12 Step program for fabric addiction

So when I was perusing the new Fabric Depot ad and wishing that I lived in Portland so I could actually shop at Fabric Depot I spotted this fabric.

OH MY GOSH!!! I love it!!! It is designed by Karen Snyder for Timeless Treasures.

This is the cutest fabric ever. Now I am going to sit and look...

William and Lucy riding Seadoos

Tubing in the Atlantic

The four younger kids have spent the week at my parents house. They convinced my brother to take them out on the ocean yesterday to go tubing. Ella called me so very excited that they had gone. She said, "I asked Uncle Pat and he said yeas and then I asked Grandma and she said yeas and then I told Uncle Pat and Grandma to talk to each other so that it would really happen."

She has obviously learned how life works!! Ha ha

The result of her perseverance was a day on the ocean!

Molly

Harrison

Harrison

Harrison

Ella

Ella?

Ella!!







Captain Uncle Pat and some of the ocean booty they scored (with Rachel looking on.)

And after an exhausting and fun day of tubing they were rewarded with a pod of dolphins that spent (according to Ella) 45 minutes playing right next to the boat. They even had babies!!!

Thanks Captain Uncle Pat for an EXCELLENT ADVENTURE!!!

William drumming at dance

This is dark since it was dark in the gym, but you can hear William, even if you cant see him. Adrian found that it helps if you stand up and look down at the monitor.
These others are after the dance when the lights were on.

Everyday Cake

What is it that makes cake so special? Cookies, pies, brownies... they are all nice and I actually prefer them most of the time over cake.


But cake is, well, cake!

Weddings, birthdays, baby showers, they all are celebrated with cake.

CAKE=CELEBRATION

And what better to celebrate than Tuesday. Or Wednesday. Or even lowly Thursday!


I was reading Orangette and she had this Everyday Cake recipe. It is brilliant. It kind of had an eggy flavor. (3 eggs) We loved it.

And I had to make it because Adrian cracked an egg when he was removing them from the fridge to boil a few.

I had to make this cake. My husband left me no alternative.

He is a smart guy.

She made hers in a Springform but I opted for an Angel food pan. I also didn't have any white wheat ground and was too lazy to get the grinder out so I used Traditional (Hard Red) Wheat. Because of this I decreased the ratio. I used 1 1/2 cups of unbleached all purpose and just 1/2 cup of whole wheat.

It was divine.

I was good and only had one piece the day I made it. And then one piece the next day.

I'm tweeting.

I guess.

Rechelle is my only follower so far. And some stranger. Why does a stranger care what I am saying on Twitter?

Of course Rechelle and I have never actually met each other. But we are BFF's.

Honest!!

So if you Twitter please go and find me so I can feel validated.

Click HERE