Quote, Diva challenge zentangle, recipe, less pain

    I've been thinking about my blog lately and have decided that I will be sharing more of my happenings and thoughts than I've done up to now. 

Today it's about 60 degrees here in Indiana with a little wind and a lot of sun.  While I was out shopping I saw several convertible cars with the tops down.  I don't even have a sun roof on my car, but I did open the window. 

My back is feeling better after the shots on Thursday - hopefully when I go Thursday for another shot, it will relieve all the pain so that I won't have to have surgery.


Today's challenge is #98 by The Diva.  She challenged us to use the tangle pattern called "keenes" by
Donna Hornsby.  I like the pattern and in my mind I always think of the song, "Teeney Weeney Yellow Poka Dot Bikini" whenever I use that tangle in one of my zentangles.  Anyway, since the pattern is a round shape and I'm in the Christmas mood already, here's mine:

 

 

Since I am feeling better, I even decided to bake.  I looked through the pantry and for some reason, I had 4 cans of pumpkin.  Why?  Who knows but since they were so many cans, I chose to make pumpkin bread.  I searched through my file for a new pumpkin bread recipe because I haven't really liked the recipe I've been using. When I say my file, it's actually a big box with recipes from magazines, friends, family, etc. that I just knew I'd get organized.   Eureka!  There was a hand-written pumpkin bread recipe (in my hand-writing on a scrap of paper so who knows where I got this recipe.).    The results using this recipe is the best pumpkin bread I've ever made.  It's spicy, but not too spicy and very moist:

 

Pumpkin Bread

 

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

 

1 cup liquid oil (corn oil is what I used)

4 eggs

15 oz. (appr. 2 cups) pumpkin (I used Libbys pumkin)

2 1/2 cups sugar.

2/3 cup pumpkin ale beer (or water if you prefer)

 

Mix the above ingredients. 

 

Mix together :

 

3 1/2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. nutmeg

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

 

Add the dry ingredients to the first mixture and mix well. 

Add apprx. 1 cup chopped pecans, and mix well.

 

Pour into two greased lg. loaf pans filling each 2/3 full.

 

Bake for 70 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

 

 

I forgot to mention, that since you use only 2/3 cup of pumpkin ale, drinking the rest of the bottle while mixing the dough could be a good thing (if you like beer  - I don't, so I'm saving the rest of the bottle for my hubby after he gets home from work).

 

 

 

Well, since the bread turned out so well, I've decided to make some chex-mix.

It's in the oven now.  I don't know if being in so much pain is the reason I've been so hungry this past week or what, but I've eaten every package of chips, etc. in the house. Honestly it's like I have a tape-worm.    Thus, the reason I'm making the chex mix. 

 

Hopefully tomorrow, I will feel even better and I will get out the Christmas decorations.  That will add to my festive mood even more.