25 Days of Christmas Day 21

First Day of Winter

 

Today is the first day of winter and it has been raining for the last two days.

 

Most of our snow is gone.

I just got some skates given to me and now I don't think I'll be able to use them.

 Go figure.

I stayed home all day.

Did some baking, laundry, dishes, and clean up.

There are four more days till Christmas.

Every year it jumps out at me and yells "I'm here"!

I tend to make myself too busy and I never allow myself to relax and enjoy the season.

 

I baked a cinnamon streusel cake for friends who hosted my son's 18th birthday because our home is too small for all of his friends.

You can find the recipe here at Picture Perfect Cooking.

I baked it last week and brought it to work and everyone loved it. (I increased the amount of streusel because it seemed like it wouldn't be enough)

 

 We're having some friends for lunch after church tomorrow, so I worked on some goodies for them too which I'll show later.

 

Blessings, Diane

Linking to:
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25 Days of Christmas Day 9

Cranberry Streusel Coffee Cake

 

Nothing shouts holiday time like cranberries.

Brilliant red, tangy, and very good for you.

 For some people their holiday meal is not complete with cranberry sauce. We didn't grow up with this dish in our home. My parents are Dutch and this is very American.

But I did discover a most delicious coffee cake recipe last year that I am going to share with you.

I made it for the very first time and brought it into work.

It got rave reviews. Whew!! (My husband cannot understand how I can make something new when we have company over. I tell him it gives me some incentive to finally try something new!)

Streusel:

3/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup butter

Mix together until crumbly (I use two knives)

Cake:

 

1/2 cup soft butter

1 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup dairy sour cream

2 cups cranberries (fresh or frozen) (I used fresh)

 

Cream butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then vanilla.

Stir in the sour cream and then the flour mixture.

 

Spread half the batter in a greased and floured 10-inch springform pan. (It will be a bit thin and take a bit of time to spread it but it can be done!)

Sprinkle with half the streusel mixture,

and half of the cranberries.

Spread the remaining batter. To be honest, this part requires some patience because there is not much batter to work with and you have to carefully spread it around to fit the pan. I used a knife and a spatula and worked it bit by bit. The same goes for the first layer.

Now this time the cranberries go on first,

then the remaining streusel.

 

Bake at 350 degrees for about one hour or until skewer inserted in centre comes out clean.

Cool, then remove pan. Can bake in a 13 x 9 inch cake pan; instead of layering the mixtures, simple spread batter in pan, then sprinkle cranberries and streusel evenly over top. Bake about 45 minutes.

Serve warm. Makes about 12 servings.

Note: to reheat coffee cake, wrap in foil and heat about 20 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

Can you smell the cinnamon?!! Mmmmm...I can!

It really is very delicious! Great to bring to a potluck or give to a neighbour.

See, I cut you a piece to try!

Something warm and yummy for a very cold day.

 

Blessings, Diane

 

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