Recipe of the Day- Breakfast Cake in a CUP!

So, I might be a bit hungry this morning.  I love to try new recipes, especially with my kids.  



Kids love MUGS.  I mean, think about it... I have my five year old, she is super picky...I mean it too!  Who does not like chicken noodle soup...you guessed it..her!  But, I put that dang soup in a mug and guess what..instantly, it's super cool and she will take it, drink it and eat some noodles (on a good day!).  



It's like some Mom code- 

"give the kids a mug and they will eat..."

So, we tried our version of the Breakfast Cake in a cup- who does not like cake?  

Yea, no hands raised here - sweets are liked!!! 

We had some browning bananas that we added in and wah...lah!  We had a treat in our mug this morning!

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Try this:

Recipe of the Day:

(Banana) Breakfast Cake in a CUP!

(Serves 1)

o   3 tablespoons white flour

o   ¼ teaspoon baking powder

o   1/16 teaspoon salt

o   2 teaspoon sugar

o   1 tablespoon  PLUS 2 teaspoons water

o   1 tablespoon overripe, mashed banana  (can take this out as well)

o   ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For Streusel Top:

o   ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

o   2 teaspoons brown sugar

o   2 teaspoons overripe, mashed bananas  (can take this out as well)

o   tiny pinch of salt

o   1 teaspoon butter

Directions:

For Streusel Topping:

A.     Combine cinnamon, brown sugar, bananas, salt and butter together in a small dish and stir.

1.        Grease a small mug or a 1-cup dish and set aside.

2.       In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar together. Stir.  Then add, water, mashed bananas and vanilla extract to dry ingredients and stir.

3.       Transfer cake batter to prepared mug or dish.

4.      Spoon the streusel topping evening on top of cake batter.

5.       Bake at 350° for 14 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

a.       Can also cook in the microwave- times vary, but about a minute or until toothpick comes out clean!

You can eat in your Mug or Dish, or let it cool completely and run a knife around sides and it should pop right out! 

Compliments of Life at Gray Gables.

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Enjoy everyone! 

Let me know what you think?  



You can make with the Banana or skip it and have a coffee cake in a CUP!  



It's excellent, easy and fun- as I let my little's add the ingredients!

~Kel

Channeling a Writer - Day 8 O- H

It is a BIG deal here in Buckeye Country that I had to give some props to the boys at Ohio State!  

Where we live, they even changed the slogan for our town: 

"Oregon, Ohio: Buckeyes on the Bay, City of Duck Hunters."

Yea, it's kind of a BIG deal!!

Anyways, enough about victories!   

Today is DAY 8- that in itself if a VICTORY!  I feel like I am really challenging myself and going beyond my comfort zone with the word of the day and putting into my mystery writings!

So, without further A-DO...

Our Writing Challenge Word of the Day is:

D R U N K

Her world was crashing around her.  Her legs felt numb, weak, unable to hold her slender frame up. She felt herself sobbing but at the same time could not tell if those were her noises or from another.  It was as if the clock stopped, as if the world stopped turning...for just a moment.  Words were still not coming to her.  Shock filled her system. 

"Kat, you need to lie down." 

He was gentle.  He was holding her, caressing her shoulders, reminding her to breathe.  Mac was trying to be her rock.  He had come bursting into the room, shortly after her Parents.  The look on his face was of disbelief.  He came to her side, pushing everyone else from her, holding her, rocking her. 

"Where are my Parents?"  I said slowly, as if I were afraid they were hurt, physically from the mental pain that was surrounding our family. 

"Kat, they are here.  They are collecting themselves. This is a shock to everyone." 

"I need a pen and paper. Can I have a pen and paper, please. I need to write down something...anything.  I need to capture this moment, the moments I had at the scene.  Why was she there?  How do we know it is her?  Could there be a mistake?"

Questions were rising faster than my brain could comprehend them.  I needed to get them out. I needed to decompress.  I needed to deal.

"Slow down, baby."  He said gently as he rubbed my shoulders, holding me closer.  I could hear his heart, it's erratic beat. I could hear his shallow breaths reflecting off of my eardrum.  I could tell this was affecting him, I could see the sweat beads forming on his brow. 

It was different when you were investigating a case that was a part of your family. One that you have no idea how it is even a part of it. It is hard for you, the family member directly associated, but it is also hard for your team. I see it on their faces.  Their wonderment.  What was Katrina's sister like?  What kind of people did Kat's sister involve herself with?   I needed a bucket...and fast. I felt the bile in the back of my throat.  I reach, grabbed, just in time, the black waste basket, clean now, and filled it back up with the waste of a precious life.  WHO?  I needed to know.  It was a simple question and one that I had to find out.  This was my case.  I was worried.

My Mother was sitting in the next room. I could see her through the window blinds.  She was crying into a white tissue, her body shaking.  My Father was sitting next to her, looking out of sorts.  Emotions were not his thing. 

I needed to get out of here. "Mac, can we go get a drink. I need to take the edge off." 

The Captain looked at me, looked at Mac and raised his eyebrows, as in, GO.  The little hole in the wall, "Flaggees" was next door and was a local hang out for the Officers and Detectives, and exactly what I needed. 

"Captain, Thank you." I said between my sobs.  "Can you let my Parents know I went next door.  They will understand." 

Mac grabbed my arm and held me up, as my legs were still in a jello state.  We made it down the elevator, my barrings were still jarred, needing Mac's help for balance.  He nestled me on the seat next to him in the dim-lit bar.  Bubba, the bar tender, slide down my usual, a Cranberry and Vodka.  "Kat, I don't have words, dear." 

"I don't either and Thank You." I said as I tipped my glass to him.  He had always been an sweet, older man, one that would listen to our problems and look out for us at the same time.  A good guy, genuine, sweet.  Even in times of death. 

Mac just held me tight, not letting me go, being my rock in more ways than he knew. When I finally felt the butterflies and ease of my soul, I looked over to see a DRUNK Mac. He was still holding me, touching me, rubbing me and looking woefully into my bright green eyes.  I was taking the edge off, he was killing it completely. 

"Who do you think did this to Charlotte?"  His words a slurred mess. 

"I don't know.  I am so sad to say that I have no idea. I didn't even know she was still in Ohio, let alone Toledo."  I could not help but cry.  I had no relationship with my one and only sister.  She was two years younger than me and I had chose my career, my life over all else.  I felt pathetic. 

Mac grabbed me, whirled me off my stool, onto my weak legs and carried me out to the street.  

"I might be drunk, but I love  you.  You know that, right.  I would do anything for you, regardless of our past."  

I just shook my head.  This was not the place, nor the time for this mess.  I had to find out who did this to my baby sister and I had to do it now.

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I think that with Tomorrow's word, we will be unlocking some good stuff here!  Kat and Mac, Charlotte, Mom and Dad - they all have a lot of say still!

I am going to stay brief.  We are all on the mend in our house today- back to school and the regular schedule!  Hope everyone else is going good!  

What are you thinking so far of the story?  

The word of the day?  

Please be honest.  I want constructive criticism, it can only make me better.  I think that the most challenging part is remembering what I wrote the day before- since i am making sure I write each day and not in advanced.  I am trying to keep it moving, but I am feeling like I might be going a little fast. 

Right now, I want to know what is between Mac and Kat?  And what is going on with Charlotte and Kat's relationship that has made these two sisters, two years apart, so far apart? 

Give it to me straight! 

Until tomorrow!

~Kel  

GO BUCKS!!!

Channeling a Writer- Day 7

Today's writing challenge WORD OF THE DAY is:

SISTER

Kat made it back to her desk at headquarters.  The scene that developed at the coroner's office was more than she could handle for a week, let alone one solid days work.  The dental records had been sent off for processing, since this was still a considered a "Jane Doe" without a face or fingerprints.  It was horrific.  The scene. The body.  The thought of what had happened?  What could have gone so wrong?  How did this happen and why?  So many questions that always were the lead of a fresh investigation.  It never got old, never made Kat feel tired, actually the complete opposite was happening each and every case.  She fell into the minds of horrible people, found her way to a conclusion and not just any conclusion, but one that actually existed in reality. 

She felt as much as she uncovered, piece by piece the details of the happenings.  It haunted her more than she had ever hoped that it would.  She found herself the victim more often than the detective lead in charge in her dreams. 

She started with her notes.  Things she had found that were general info, such as who the house, or at this point, lack there of, belonged to.  This did not just mean now, but she had to dig back to the ancestry of the house.  The car that was parked out in front of the house, who did that belong to- a neighbor?  The Victim?  It was a piece that needed to be solved.  There were not many leads to go on.  The neighbors seemed spread out and the ones that were home...were less than helpful.  Seems they all kept to themselves, not sharing casseroles from time to time or helping with the grass mowing. 

The phone next to her rang out loudly, startling her from her train of thought. 

"Yes, Kat here." 
"We have some news."  a shallow breath followed and then silence from the strong voice on the other end of the phone. 

"I'm dying from anticipation here. Do tell."

"Are you sitting." said the voice, in a short, strong tone. 

"Sure. Why?"

"Kat.  Maybe I should come down, do this face to face."

"What the hell are you talking about Grahm GIVE IT TO ME straight, already."

"I'll be right down."

The phone went silent.  She was left with nothing but bewilderment as to what the heck was going on.  What required a face to face?  What did he find? 

A tall, dark and slightly handsome man, dressed in a bright blue lab coat, blue framed glasses outlining his bright blue eyes walked through her office doorway.  The worry was wrinkled within his thin, long face. 

She peered at him through her piercing green cat-like eyes.  No smile could cross her now worried face. 

"I don't want to alarm you." 

"Um, yea, we are past that!" she spat out at him.

"The dental records came back with a match."

"OK, Sherlock Holmes, I kind of figured that.  To what do I owe the face to face for the facts?"

"Kat... it's your sister."

Her world went black.  Her insides quickly joined the outside world, meeting the black trash can that was within reach under her dark wood desk.  She could not see straight.  The questions whirling in her brain were to much. This was too much.  A dream?  She was not within the reality of the world right now, there was no way.  She fell to her knees from her blue office chair, her stocking covered knees meeting the cold linoleum, dingy flooring.  She felt his hand on her back, rubbing small circles. She felt his cold, man hands holding her hair while more of her inside met the outside.  She felt the cool fingertips run down the back of her neck to try to soothe this tragedy. 

More voices came into the small office.  She swore she heard her mothers voice. Then her father's voice, but grief, disbelief were clouding everything that made her...well her...

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Well...there was a twist of events for you!  

How was everyone's weekend? 

We had a pretty uneventful one here!  Gray Gables Farm had some drywall done in the Playroom/Office... since last week, with temps down below 5* were a little brutal for the lack of insulated room!  

Today, I am enjoying myself in the toasty room, working (of course) and my two tots are with me ...again...as school was cancelled!  

SNOW DAY!  

And yes, OHIO is finally...finally...getting SNOW.  To bad my youngest is TOO sick to go out and play- BUMMER.

Well, have fun...  

write.write.write 

and until tomorrow!

~Kel

Channeling a Write- Day 6

Let's get to it!

Our Challenge Word - Writing Prompt of the day is:

VILLAIN

Kat stood in the coroner's room.  The bones had been moved, carefully picked up, nothing left behind and transported to the cold, steel table where they lie now.  The coroner, a guy in his mid thirties stood tall with his skinny arms at his sides, hands in his pockets.  He looked troubled. Ill.  He looked at me with a look of utter disgust, for me for doing this work, for himself for having to process whatever this was. I did not speak first, I waited, watched.  It was worse than it had been at the scene, now it was what it was, nothing confused with the earth of our land. 

"Who would do this?  To a person?"  his words fell harsh to join the body on the table.  My thoughts were alone with me.  It was as if I heard him, but I was outside of my own body.  Body.  This was not a body, I was a body, this before me, clearly was not. 

Bile rose in my mouth.  These thoughts wrecking havoc on my instincts, my head, my mind.  It was sick. The coroner's question was spot on within my lonely thoughts.  Did the animal who did this know that this was a person?  A living, breathing person?  I had to meet my villain.  That is what this person was, a Villain and I was the superhero who had to stop this animal dead in his tracks.  I had to do right. I had to have the passion flowing freely in my blood and end this animal, this terrible villain,  from existence...from LIFE.

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Of course, I will need proofing. I am just flying by the seat of my pants, the passion of my writing taking over all else.  If I start to think about the editing part, I will wipe it and deflate my challenge in its entirety.  I am having fun.  This is thinking outside of the box and letting my thoughts flow freely and I have never felt so happy before. 

Please share all!  By the way, I am hoping your Sunday is starting off right!  Thank you so much for following and don't forget to leave a comment! ;)

Happy Weekend!

~Kel

Channeling a Writer- Day 5

Today our CHALLENGE WORD is:

HEART

Detective Kat gave her work all that she had.  She put herself in her victim's shoes, walked their steps, studied the evidence and tried, at all costs, to tell their story.  She was caring, compassionate, full of love and life, her HEART ruled her work, which was very different from that of her partner, Booker, or her fellow Police Officers and Detectives. 

They knew how she worked.  They understood her skills and saw how it worked for her through her cases, nearly all of them had been solved, to date.

This case was no different.  She knew that, felt that, as she stared at the ash in front of her.  Nothing was left but a few shards of white among the nothing-ness that could be confused with the earth. In the end, she knew they would find teeth, knew that she would succeed in making her victim the hero.  She was o the case and nothing was going to stop her until she solved it. 

The medical coroner followed her, joining her in the great stare at the ground before them.  The nothing-ness.  The void of where a person once did lay. 

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Ok, well I managed to do something that surprised me very much, I managed to use ALL the words I have had up to date and guess what, I did NOT do that on purpose.  A crime scene is what we have and it just so happens, this is what makes all the words we have had in this challenge work. 

Please continue to write, share and have fun!

Have a good weekend!

Kel

Channeling a Writer- Day 4

Just to re-iterate what is going on over here at Gray Gables Farm...we are feeling creative and with that we have taken on a new challenge encouraging us to write with prompt words.  I have, in turn, challenged my readers to try this challenge, with me, to wake their inner creative side.

That being said, I think it is ONLY fitting to say:

Ahh...I thought you would never get here Friday!  It is going to be a totally unpractical day at Gray Gables today, but it is Friday, so WHAT?  

My kiddos are home. One is sick (my l.o.- boo!) and my other had School Cancelled. 

I am excited!  Probably more so than she even is!  I got the message of a 2 hour delay for this morning last night and seriously said....BOO!  I sent a text to my Hubby and told him that they were being Sissies, they should just call it OFF, and to my surprise, at 6:30 a.m. this morning the text came through saying SCHOOL WAS CLOSED! (again!)

Anyways, I decided that with the roads being less than good, it was a day home for these girls.  Right now, I am "working" and they are busy using markers at their Art Table. (it's great!)

So, enough about us...let's get our minds right!




Writing Challenge word of the DAY:

Bones

Detective Kat got to the scene first.  Her black Dodge Charger put to work to ensure her arrival, safe, and within minutes, leaving her partner in her dust.  The call came in 9-1-1, stressing the urgency of the scene.  

People were everywhere, from the public, news crews, to Police, Fire and EMS.  The air was cold as it hit her lungs, tunneling through her scarf to catch within her breathe.  Ice covered the lawn, she knew, due to the fire crews having to put out the blaze that was happening minutes before.  

"What am I seeing?" she said in a scruffy, hurried voice to no one in particular.  She was all business, from her no fuss pony tail, her curly light brown locks matching her attitude.  Her black North Face coat was always zipped clear up to her cleft chin, ears covered with none other than leopard print ear muffs.  

"A Crime Scene Kat." he called out in his egotistical manner that he was known best for.  His blue eyes reflecting the shiny ice, his slight, upright smile casting a shadow of something better than what it seemed. 


"Asking for Details, Chevaz, keep up."  she said, matching his confidence, his smile.  It was always a game between the two.  Some kind of adolescent banter. 

"Kat, your here already?"

"Sure, Captain.  What am I looking at?"

"Bones."

She scratched her head, looking at the blackened pile of ash that was just beyond her right foot.  She would have walked right through it, thinking her crime scene was just beyond the yellow, do not cross this line, tape.  She took a hard swallow.  This was a first.

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I am going to try to new approach, something i was thinking of before I fell asleep last night.  I am a kind of all over the place, person!  I think that, in order to challenge myself, really challenge myself, I need to focus. I need to take this format, these characters and compile something that can be read as one.  

Yes, I just went crazy!

Please let me know how you are doing- any suggestions that you might have- any ideas for future posts- I LOVE FEEDBACK!

Have fun everyone and have a FANTASTIC weekend!

#thankgoditsFriday

~Kel

Channeling a Writer- Day 3 (Yes, I am LATE!)

It has been a busy day! It is a wonderfully warm -1 degrees outside today with a windchill of -28!  Oh YES! Makes me want to go find the SUN that is teasing us so, and lay out....RIGHT!

Right now the TV is blarring Parenthood and my kiddos are tucked in tight and I am finally....sitting down to BLOG my little heart out!

Let's get to it!

CHALLENGE for TODAY:

T E E T H

 

 

She put on her coat. Hat. Mittens.  She bundled herself up trying to find the warmth within, knowing that just beyond those entry doors lies a winter wonderland.  One that she was pretty sure Elsa herself had put into motion. North Mountain is what this vibrant five year old has discovered.  

The first step outside proves her theory. The wind caught her coat first, whipping her little body in the immediate direction of the dreaded bus stop to wait for the four minutes that it took for the bus, that was now in view, to come to the restless stop at the end of the drive. 

She walked quietly, one foot in front of the other.  Her only stop was at the stone pillars that introduced Gray Gables to the outside world, greeting them tall and proud. Her teeth started to chatter as the yellow school bus pulled to a stop.  The visible cold showing on her pale face as she walked to the bus to take her seat in the warmth that greeted her, kindly.

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Yes, my Kindergartener is my inspiration this evening, as she is fresh on my mind with her sweet heart and the impeding details on whether or not there will be school tomorrow!  Right now, we are on a 2 hour delay.  I say - Sissies!  They let them have a SNOW DAY today- why not tomorrow too?  FRIDAY!!

Short and sweet tonight!  You all have a great evening and I will put this on my agenda for tomorrow!  (consistency!)

~Kel