Cinnamon Roll Cake

I've admitted in the past that I'm really not much of a cook.

I'm a maker of simple meals.

Easy dishes that are filling and family favorites.

Pinterest has proven to be a wealth of information

when it comes to simple, yummy dishes.

Like this one right here.

Here is the link to the original recipe. 

(I think. I'm still trying to figure out the Pinterest source protocol.)

I made this last weekend when my kids were home.

I measured out everything the night before.

On Sunday morning all I had to do was put it together

and bake it.

This is the cake layer.

On top of that you add a cinnamon, brown sugar, butter layer.

Seriously wonderful.

Fresh out of the oven.

 My favorite cinnamon roll ever in this world can be found at

 Ann Sather in Chicago.

The sugar glaze that goes on top of this cake

when it's hot from the oven tastes identical to the

frosting at Ann Sather.

I'm not kidding.

To. Die. For.

As you can see it makes a huge cake.

Enough for a crowd with left-overs.

My family gave it a thumbs-up.

Here's the recipe if you would like to try it.

Cinnamon Roll Cake

12 servings

CAKE:

·                     3 cups Flour

·                     1/4 teaspoon Salt

·                     1 cup Sugar

·                     4 teaspoons Baking Powder

·                     1 1/2 cups Milk

·                     2 Eggs

·                     2 teaspoons Vanilla

·                     1/2 cup ( 1 stick)  Butter, melted

TOPPING:

·                     1 cup ( 2 sticks) Butter, softened

·                     1 cup Brown Sugar

·                     2 Tablespoons Flour

·                     1 Tablespoon Cinnamon

GLAZE:

·                     2 cups Powdered Sugar

·                     5 Tablespoons Milk

·                     1 teaspoon Vanilla

Directions:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 glass baking pan with cooking spray. Set aside.

In an electric or stand mixer add the flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, milk, eggs, and vanilla. Once combined well , slowly stir in the melted butter. Pour into the prepared 9x13 baking pan.

For topping, In a large bowl mix the 2 sticks of butter, brown sugar, flour and cinnamon together until well combined and creamy. Drop evenly over the batter by the tablespoonfuls and use a knife to marble/swirl through the cake.

Bake at 350 for 28-32 minutes or when a toothpick inserted near the center comes out nearly clean.

FOR GLAZE:  In a medium bowl, mix the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla together with a whisk. Drizzle evenly over the warm cake. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Open House Party at No Minimalist Here

Link It Up Thursday at These Peas Taste Funny

Inspiration Friday At The Picket Fence

Fridays Unfolded at Stuff and Nonsense

I'm trying really hard to remember to update my Linky Follower dashboard.

If you haven't followed me there it only takes a minute.

The box is on my sidebar.

Thanks!

Monday Marketplace at Common Ground

Debra at Common Ground

is hosting a weekly linky party

featuring items by Etsy shop and online boutique owners.

Each owner is asked to feature

a particular item...not their shop in general.

It's sort of like an online flea market with great stuff.

Sound good?

Stop by Debra's blog and check it out.

I am featuring my linen tea towel this week.

We're all ready for a bit of spring...this tea towel

shares those sentiments with all of your guests.

Have a great week!

Until Next Year ~ Goodbye Downton

It's over.
No more anticipation. No more looking forward to Sunday night.
It was wonderful though...wasn't it?

Of course I'm referring to Season 2 of Downton Abbey.
Personally, it was everything I had hoped it would be.
There were a few slow scenes here and there...
and I was disappointed that Sybil was missing
from the last episode.
Other than that I was completely and utterly delighted.

The clip below is called
"The Best Maggie Moments."
There were more than a few...
I think she had the best one-liners I've ever heard.

                            Watch Downton Abbey: The Best Maggie Moments on PBS. See more from Masterpiece.

Getting back to Sybil...
I read that she will be back for Season 3.
Most likely pregnant.

Season 3 will pick up the lives of our friends
(and they are friends, aren't they?)
 in the 1920's.
Female hair styles will be bobs and spit curls.
Ragtime jazz, the Charleston and
poor Mr. Bates still in prison.

Thank heavens we said goodbye to
the disagreeable Mr. Carlisle.

I don't know about you...
but I did breathe a huge sigh of relief
when Lord Grantham put a stop to the hanky-panky
with Jane the maid.
That would have just been too much.

Julian Fellowes didn't disappoint with the ending.
Matthew proposed to Mary.
(Wasn't the snow the perfect touch?)
I thought for sure she was going to America to stay with her grandmother.

Speaking of Mary's grandmother...
enter Shirley MacLaine.

She'll be playing Cora's American mother.
Can you just imagine the scenes with her and Maggie Smith?

Makes me smile just thinking about it.

(If you are using Internet Explorer the video may not play.
I checked it on Chrome and Mozilla and it worked great.)

Playing Catch Up

I'm taking a few days off to play catch up.

Have a terrific weekend!

Re-Discoveries

Ever since I was a young girl I have loved fabric.

It all started when I was about 10 or 11.  My mom signed me up

for a summer sewing class at our local Singer store.

That was the beginning.

I loved it.

All the tools, notions, fabrics and tricks of the trade.

I spent many happy days over several summers

 in the back of that store sitting at a sewing machine.

The first summer I didn't sign up for the lessons the ladies

in the store actually called my mom and asked where I was. 

I had found a summer job.

Life interrupted.

During my teens and early twenties I sewed very little.

After that I "re-discovered" my love of sewing several times.

The first time was the year my daughter was 2.

She told me she wanted to be a white cat for Halloween.

I made her the coolest cat outfit.

Many costumes followed.

My all-time favorites were these bunny costumes.

My kids have accused me of forcing them to be bunnies for several years in a row.

If I remember correctly, it was only 2.

I made the giant carrots from felt. Don't you love the face paint?

When my son was 3 I began to get restless

as a stay-at-home-mom but I wasn't ready to go back to work.

Re-enter my sewing machine.

I hooked up with a friend and we began travelling around

to craft shows. 

I made appliqued girls jumpers, wall hangings and Christmas stockings.

I didn't make this but it's very similar to what I did.

I never made any real money but it was sure fun.

Most importantly it gave me something to do.

For the past 15 years I have sewed mostly home furnishings for myself

and an occasional relative or friend.

I was always sewing something. 

New pillows, curtains, cushions, whatever.

Now, at another crossroads in my life, sewing has once again

 come to my rescue and given me something to do.

My most recent discovery is the world of vintage linens. I am hooked.

Antique textiles tell such a story.

I'll be sharing a few of those stories in upcoming posts.

The first one will be on...

and 

I hope your week is off to a good start.

At the moment I am in danger of slipping into a food coma.

We celebrated Fat Tuesday today.

Let's just say I celebrated a bit too much. 

Blessings to all as we enter this season of Lent.

Sharing Sunday ~ Filling the Nest

Last fall I was fortunate enough to begin

a working relationship with Miss Mustard Seed herself.

I shamelessly sent her 2 huge boxes of

items from my Etsy shop.

She had shared on her blog that her business was

growing so fast that she couldn't keep up.

She had decided to start out-sourcing.

I couldn't get those boxes in the mail fast enough!

She liked my stuff and placed 2 large (for me) orders.

Some things flew out the door of Lucketts and some things didn't.

(Mama Mustard Seed got a few of the left-overs.)

Fast forward to today.

Marian has down-sized her space at Lucketts and is writing a book.

No more orders.

So much for my big break...

In reality, it was probably the best thing that could have happened.

It forced me to focus on my Etsy shop.

I had to count on myself, instead of someone else, to make my dreams come true.

As a result, I have discovered things inside my soul that I didn't know were there.

I have dreams now where there once was an empty nest.

source

I have filled that empty nest and all those empty hours

with things I love.

Sewing.

Blogging.

Learning new things.

Dreaming.

Thank you to any and all of you who have stuck by me

as I have figured this all out.

I'm not saying I have all the answers.

But I feel as though I'm one step closer to 

making my dreams come true.

All on my own.