Saturday, August 28, 2010

Only 16 more Saturdays until Christmas!

Back in the days when I spent my days behind a desk, I used to count the Saturdays until Christmas because I knew that Saturdays were my only days to get things done. Monday - Friday were busy enough and Sunday was church and family day. I tried to get my projects done on Saturdays and for the most part, I did pretty well. I shopped online and had most things delivered to my office. I got to know the UPS driver by first name :) Since I'm a full time stay at home wifey these days, one day seems very much like the next and with my fibro, I can have the best of intentions to do something the next day and wake up feeling miserable, so those plans get nixed. I realized that making a list of crafts that need to be finished for Christmas wouldn't be a bad idea. I have 11 sewing projects and 10 birthday cards to make between now and Christmas. It's nice to have a list. I was able to check one item off my sewing list yesterday. I would love to post a picture, but I'm not really sure if my sweet daughter in law reads this blog or not and I don't want to spoil the suprise. I will post pictures of the orange dinosaur for David and the stacking rings for Gabriel as soon as I finish them. The 2 russian dolls that I am making for my mom are almost done too! So in the meantime and to get into the Christmas spirit I will share the Hazelnut Cake recipe I made for Christmas Eve last year. Super yummy and I got it from a calendar I bought for $1.00 at Michaels!


Hazelnut Cake
1/2 cup butter
2 pkgs (2 1/2 oz each) hazelnuts
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
Glaze
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 tsp vanilla
Heat oven to 350. Lightly grease bottom only of 10 inch springform pan. In 1 quart pan, melt butter over low heat. Allow to cool.
In food processor process hazelnuts until ground. Reserve 1 tblsp for garnish.
In large bowl beat eggs, sugar and 1 tsp vanilla on medium speed 2 to 3 minutes or until thick and lemon colored. On low speed, blend in flour, baking powder, salt and ground nuts. Continue beating, gradually adding cooled melted butter. Mixture will be thick. Spread batter evenly in pan.
Bake 35 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 15 minutes. Remove sides of pan, run a long knife under cake to loosen from bottom of pan and place a heatproof serving plate upside down over cake. Turn plate with cake over. Remove pan bottom. Cover cake with cloth towel. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
In 2 quart pan, heat whipping cream just to boiling point. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips until melted and smooth. Stir in 1/2 tsp vanilla. Spread glaze over top of cake and allow some to run down the sides of the cake. Sprinkle reserved ground nuts over the top.
Stand back and admire your handiwork!

4 comments:

  1. Are you sick woman??!! Reminding me about Christmas already?? Okay, so it's not like I already have my cards designed and printed and ready to be addressed or anything. It's not like I have my three new star trek ornaments ready to be hung with the other 48...........:-)
    ps....I have a box only better recipe for snickerdoodle cake if you want it. Non chocolate lovers, and there are a few, love it!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sure! I love to try new recipes all the time!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Karen!
    This is Anna.. we met at Natalia's birthday party. I'm so glad we got reconnected by Terri. I was wondering how your apron (the one that you're sending and the one you're waiting for) turned out. I hope you can post pictures of them on your blog (and your cards!)... Your blog is so fun to read! I love the recipes too! BTW, Terri tells me you're a pastor's wife. I am too! =) Wow, 16 Saturdays until Christmas sounds so soon! Thanks for telling me about etsy! I can't believe I've never heard about it. It opens new doors for me and my crafts! :) Do you have an etsy store?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Anna! Thanks for coming by and leaving comments for me! It's so much fun to know that someone took the time to read my ramblings :) I have a picture on my blog of one of the aprons I made for the swap. I haven't received mine in the mail from my partner yet. I'll post it when I do. I can't wait! I love to get mail! I do have an etsy store, but it's still empty. I want to make a few more items before I open the store. Thanks again for stopping by!

    ReplyDelete