A little leaky but the roof is still on! LOL!

What a storm last night!  Not a very restful night but no tornado or loss of power or need to go to the basement.  It hailed like crazy though and that's enough to wake anyone!  It was about marble size when I looked out but the lightening was never ending and really bright!  As for the porch, there was some moisture but no dripping and it was much less than before so I called them and they will be by before the next storm for sure.
I had a few local errands to run today.  I'm making  a master grocery list in my bullet journal and will probably head to Wally World tomorrow as I am running low on staples....not the metal ones either! LOL!  
I've been working on secret (only on YOP Sunday) Easter projects and just doing household chores that seem to keep me from getting to the projects I really want to work on!  I have been adding lots of great websites to my sidebar also so check them out!
Tonight was meal making so the potatoes are boiling to be mashed and the chicken fried steak and gravy are done...........I only have one burner that works....a small one can you tell?

 but they're cooked..............

 The gravy is so good!  Yes, I had to taste it to season and it is the best gravy I've ever made or ever had.....this is going to be the greatest comfort meal of all time!  Oh, did I mention the mashed potatoes not only have butter in them but cream cheese too!  If you don't see me out in blogland you will know that meal was more powerful than my statin pill could handle!  In my defense though...this was the Valentine's Day dinner I never got. 

 

It will be early to bed tonight and I am sure everyone here in town will sleep well!

I hope you do too!  Oh, I am having whole kernel corn for a vegetable to go with the chicken fried steak and mashed potatoes and gravy......and lemon cake for dessert....BTW, the Italian Fresh Cream Cake was okay but nothing to write home about....here's THE BEST lemon dessert...........I've made this many a time and it never disappoints!

The American version of the famous English Lemon Drizzle Cake
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I used my Kitchenaide stand mixer for mixing this up.  It makes one loaf pan that I lined with parchment paper.  I baked it for 30 minutes or until done at 350 degrees.
1/2 C butter (really soft)  (1 stick)
3/4 C self-rising flour
1 tsp baking powder
the rind of one lemon grated (I use a micro plane and just the yellow skin...the white is bitter)
1/2 C superfine sugar
2 eggs
3-6 T milk

After whipping the butter, I added everything else and whipped it for no more than 3 minutes and much less really.  I wanted it incorporated well but also whipped it to get the eggs nice and fluffy. I poured it into my loaf pan and baked it for 30 minutes although it said 30-40 mine looked great at 30.  I had previously mixed up the syrup to pour on top which is merely the juice of 1 lemon mixed with 1/2 C superfine or granulated for the "frosting".  I looked at so many recipes and not a one of them were the same! LOL!
I used the superfine also for my frosting.  I just mixed it with a fork in a small bowl and poured it directly over the cake after it came out of the oven while it was still hot.  Some recipes I looked at later said you should poke holes in the top before pouring the frosting mixture on top but I didn't do that but I might next time.  You then let it cool and I took it out later and sliced it like pound cake

P.S.  To make 'sueprfine' sugar just pulse regular sugar in your food processor (if you have one) and you will have 'superfine' sugar!

As for crafting.........look at this cute little number.....and yes, I printed it off............it's a free pattern from the Temecula Quilt Co. which is now on my sidebar!  Happy baking, cooking, sleeping, eating and crafting!

American Patriot Collection

Marcus Brothers new line American Patriot Collection

is here and just in time to get something done for the

4th of July. This project is really simple.

Enjoy this free pattern.

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Crayon Box Quilt

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Finished Quilt - 20"

Fabric Requirements

39 small scraps of dark ( red and blue )

1/3 yard light background

1/4 yard middle border and binding

2/3 yards backing

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Instructions

Cut: 39 ** 3 -1/4" x 1 -1/2" rectangles from dark scraps

Piece these together in 3 rows of 13.

Cut: 2 ** 2-1/4" x 13-1/2" strips from background fabric

Piece center section alternating background

strips and rows of "crayons"

Add borders by measuring your quilts side lengths

and cutting borders as follows:

First Border ** 2-1/4"

Middle Border ** 1-1/4"

Outer Border ** 1-1/2"

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Finishing

Quilt as desired *** Bind *** Enjoy

Happy Trails!