Bitsey is quite famous at our house! We have never had the wonderful privilege of meeting her but she has a mighty fine cake recipe! Bitsey is a friend of Brad’s grandmother and shared her cake recipe one day years ago never knowing that it would be passed through generations, passed to friends and even posted on the web now! The taste is incredible yet simple it just takes you back to being a kid and simpler times! This cake is wonderful with a glass of milk and incredible with a bit of ice cream on top! It is perfect for sharing with your valentine!

Bitsey’s Chocolate Cake

2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter
4 tablespoons Cocoa
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup water
2 eggs
1/2 cup of buttermilk OR 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 tablespoon of lemon juice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Melt butter and bring to a boil adding cocoa, oil and water. Boil till mixed and remove from stove top. Add chocolate mixture to flour, sugar, eggs, buttermilk, baking soda, cinnamon and vanilla mixing well. Pour into a greased 9×13 pan baking at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.

Bitsey’s Icing

1/2 cup butter
4 tablespoons cocoa
6 tablespoons milk
3 3/4 cups powder sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Melt butter and bring to a boil adding the cocoa and milk stir till mixed and remove from the stove top. Add chocolate to powdered sugar and vanilla mixing well. Pour onto a cooled cake. Enjoy!
*The icing is really the best part of this recipe!*

This little project has been in the works for the last week. It has stretched my sewing skills a little bit but that is a good thing right? I have to point out the wonderful Joel Dewberry fabric that I snagged at unheard of prices back in December at JCaroline’s 12 days of Christmas sale. I cannot share what this little creation is yet as it is a surprise for the recipient who just so happens to check in on the blog from time to time so it will remain nameless until it is received. I hope to share sometime next week so stay tuned!

I am not sure what it is exactly but I am pretty fired up about Valentines Day this year. Can’t explain it at all but I am pretty whole hearted about it! We had our small group over tonight and these are their goody bags that they got! They also got to have Chocolate Cake and strawberries (more on the chocolate cake soon). It was a yummy night. I also had a lot of fun making V-day cards for them with some hearts cut out of fabric! Fun fun fun! Love is definitely in the air!!!

Brad and I have a season subscription to our local theatre and I have to admit that I have greatly enjoyed it! I was not so sure about it at first but now I really look forward to our date nights. It guarantees us a night out without the kiddos (generally once a month and sometimes more) and sometimes even a little dinner out before hand! We have been able to see so many terrific shows and concerts (Brad is really good to post about them on his blog). I also love the way the theatre looks and feels. A few years ago they did a huge restoration/update on it taking it back to the way it was in the late 20′s. It is truly a beautiful work of art that takes you back in time. Just thought that I would share where we have been spending out date nights lately!

Ahhh, one more Christmas gift completed! I know here it is February! I finished up the quilt for my mom about a week ago. I am really excited about the way that it turned out as it is perfect for her family room (if I do say so myself). The colors and the feel just seem to fit. I ended up only quilting the white squares which is a little odd but I really like the way it is…a little different. I have not washed it yet. I thought that I would leave that up to mom but it should give it a little more of a loved look. Now I just have one unfinished project of placemats for my mother-in-law. She got her table runner and 4 placemats at Christmas but I wanted her to have a total of 12 so I have a few more left to sew up. I have projects lining up after that. I am really excited about several of them and who knows what I will start first!

Yesterday it was cold and rainy with the high hovering at only 50 degrees. We embraced the cold rainy day with some
stew for dinner

and a batch of chocolate chip cookies for dessert.

What a difference a day makes! Today the high almost reached 70 degrees! We emraced the warm sunny day and celebrated it at the park! It was a little windy with the wind whipping off the lake but it was still so warm!

Nothing like a little swinging on a warm spring like day!

Now I have spring fever!!!

And The Shofar Blew
By: Francine Rivers