How I spent my tax refund this year —-  with a bonus of teaching my kids what hard work really is! After 2 days of laying sod every spare minute to the tune of about 15 straight hours the kids understood the term WORK. LOL

So glad spring is here!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

This is what the spread here will look like on Thursday! MMMMMMMM

Those are Pioneer Womans famous No Knead Dinner Rolls Best recipe ever! Try it - even if you don’t do bread/rolls normally ( I DONT! )  These are goof proof!  http://www.pioneerwoman.com

She has claimed her spot on the front porch next to Bizkit!

Chocolate Zucchini Cake
Recipe from Noble Pig - THANK YOU!

For the cake:
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa, sifted
2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup butter, room temperature
1-1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Zest of one orange
1/2 cup whole milk
2 cups zucchini, shredded or grated
1 cup nuts, chopped (I used walnuts)

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
2 eight-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted

In a medium-size bowl whisk together flour, cocoa (sifted), baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon.  Set aside.

Using a stand mixer or a regular mixer cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy; about three minutes.  Add eggs, one at a time, until each is fully combined.  Continue to mix adding vanilla extract and the zest of one orange.

Add the flour mixture in thirds alternating with whole milk; begin and end with the flour mixture.  Mix on low speed only unitl combined.  Don’t overmix.

Fold in zucchini and nuts.

You can make this cake in layers or in a 9 x 13 pan.  I used two eight-inch pans that were greased and floured and placed into a 350 degree oven for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle returns clean.

Let cakes cool for five minutes in the pan and then flip them out onto wire racks to cool completely.

Once the cakes have cooled it’s time to make the Cream Cheese Frosting.  In a large bowl beat together cream cheese and butter and vanilla extract.  Once combined continue to beat in confectioner’s sugar on low speed.  (If not using right away, place in the refrigerator.)

Frost completely cooled cake and place cake in the refrigerator until ready to serve.  Serve each member of your family one peice and then hide the rest of the cake for yourself - that’s what I did!

Who needs a professional photographer with subjects like these?!!

due any day to have kitties! We have a barn now … so that means we get to have barn cats! I wasted no time…. got the barn yesterday, got the mama cat today! Isnt she purdy?

Have abounded for us this week. Reminding myself to be thank full for all our blessings.