Something sweet for the Sweet!

This cake is addictive!  I'm not a big fan of chocolate, but I do love this cake.  It is nice and moist, and only as sweet as you want it to be.  I don't always put the full amounts of sugar in it, and sometimes just use Ghiradelli's cocoa!  It came from the Partyline Cookbook by the Jackson Mountain Homemakers.  I make it when I am feeding a crew because what cowboy doesn't like cake? (That and it's super easy)!

Metrocel Cake
Mix together:
2c. Flour
2c. Sugar
1tsp. soda
Bring to a boil:
1c. Butter
4tbsp. Cocoa
1c. Water
Add to the flour mixture.
Add:
2 eggs
1/2c. Buttermilk
1tsp Vanilla
Bake in a large flat pan at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, check at 20 minutes, until done.
Topping:
Boil:
1/2c. Butter
4 tbsp. Cocoa
4 tbsp. Buttermilk
Remove from heat and add:
1 box Powdered Sugar
1tsp Vanilla
Spread over cake as it comes out of the oven. This cake is phenomenal!

Under one over one...Rats! Or was that supposed to be under one over two...

For those of you who didn't know, I have a small hobby on the side that has turned into a fairly decent business (when I have the time for it)!  I have a fan page on facebook you should check out called Jennifer's Custom Cinches.  I make many different styles and colors of cinches, mecates, and neck ropes (or get down ropes, depending on where you are from!).  Right now it is getting to the point that I need to expand my business, hire help, and go big, or just keep plugging a long like I have been in the evenings and weekends.  I've decided to test the waters and....

Hit the trade show trail!  It's that time of year again.  Ranch rodeos are gearing up all over the country, and it's time to stick my neck out and hit a few!   We just finished up The National Cowboy Poetry Gathering.  It was kind of disappointing.  I think it wasn't really my clientele since I didn't sell much of anything.  Yeah, I'm just going to go with that!  =)

The next stop will be the Winnemucca Ranch Rodeo March 4th through the 6th, my cinches, mecates, and neck ropes will be for sale and on display in the Cowboy Artisans booth.  Timmy Lyn and Samme do an awesome job and have a little bit of everything, from quilts to cinches in their booth!

After that I'm branching out on my own...somewhat!  My cousin Becky, who is super crafty is going to go in partners with me on a booth at The Spring Creek Ranch Rodeo in Spring Creek this April.  I'm kind of nervous, but the booth fee is cheap, so we should be able to at least break even! 

If you are in the Winnemucca area during March or Spring Creek in April, stop by, say hello and buy a cinch!

Where I am From

I am from hay meadows and icy feed

grounds, from baby calves and old gentle

horses.  I am from strong backs and strong

minds, generations of pioneers -
men and women not afraid to stand
for what they believe, to say what they think.
Mothers who love their husbands and their babies,
no matter what.  I am from wild roses and spur

straps, not afraid of rough horses or hard

work.  I am from cattlemen and teachers,

a cowboy and a city girl.  Looking to the future, trying

no to forget my past.  I am from straight

pins and lass ropes, quilt scraps and horn wraps.

Egg Pancakes

My mom has chickens (these are not her chickens).  I do not.  Like my first born, "CHICKENS....MAKE...ME....ANGRY!"  Well, maybe not that extreme, seeing a chicken doesn't make me mad, and the fact that they say "BOCKATCHOOO" as TR says doesn't bother me all that much either.  I just don't like the work involved.  They are nasty, stinky animals, that when confined together may turn cannibalistic.  Not my thing.  Besides that my mom has kept me in supply of eggs, often more than I need. 

I do prefer farm fresh eggs to store bought eggs. On a side note, I prefer my chicken like this.  Roasted with vegetables.  But I digress!

My mom called me the other day and said "Do you want some eggs?  I have no room in my fridge and need to get rid of some."  Of course I'll take some eggs.  One of the perks of having a mom with chickens, right?  She said she would leave them at my grandma's house, she would send enough for me and my friend Norma.  Great, because I was down to 1 dozen eggs, and I really really hate buying eggs at the grocery store.

When I got to my grandma's she told me that she still had a bunch of eggs from the last time my mom came to town, so she didn't need any and gave me 8 dozen eggs.  What in the world does a person do with 8 dozen eggs (technically 9 if you count the dozen I already had)!  Fortunately my friend Norma took 4 dozen eggs.  That was Wednesday.

I still have 48 eggs in my fridge today.  But I have made a dent in them, and this is how:  Egg Pancakes!  I found this recipe in the Party Line New Generation Cookbook, by the Jackson Mountain Homemakers Club.  This recipe was submitted by Debra Giordano, and it is super good!

Ingredients:

1 stick of butter

1 c. flour

1 c. milk

4 eggs

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Melt 1/2 stick of butter in a glass pie plate.  (I put the butter and pie plate in the oven while it is preheating, and it melts the butter for me)!  Melt the other 1/2 stick of butter.  (I melt it in a glass 4 c. measuring cup, because I can mix everything in it and not get any other dishes dirty).  Add milk, flour, and eggs.  Mix well.  Pour into pie plate. 

Bake for 15-20 minutes or golden brown.  It puffs up beautifully, and is delicious with homemade Strawberry Freezer Jam.  Of course I did some tweaking of my own and added 1 tsp. vanilla, and sprinkled the top with cinnamon.  It is easy and filling.  =)

Enjoy!