Thursday 15 October 2009

Quite. a. day.

It has been quite. a. day. Do you ever have them? Actually, I've have quite. a. week. but it has certainly culminated today. I don't want to go as far as saying it's been quite. a. year.; after all, there are still a couple more months left. I've been handed a few more lemons recently and am finding it harder to get on and make lemonade. It will pass.

Without wanting to sound too much like Pascalle West, I need to continue to "focus on the beautiful positive". (Outrageous Fortune fans will know what I mean.) Some days I'm pretty good at it, but I think I can (un)successfully write today off. I'll try again tomorrow.

Coincidentally, I had booked in a relaxation massage at nourishe for this afternoon. As I have mentioned before, Deborah is a miracle worker and her massage skills were certainly put to good use today. She kneaded and rubbed out the tension that has been building in my body and sent me on my way feeling just that much better. But I think may be still a while yet before we chill the Pelorus and throw that lemonade party.

3 comments:

Sab said...

Ooh, a massage sounds wonderful.

Sometimes those lemons just don't want to get in the juicer!

This is just one of those months... October (and September) are always so busy... and then Christmas isn't far off either. IT stresses me just thinking about it!

Random Thoughts said...

Hope your days have been better, however maybe give up on trying to make lemonade... try making lemonade cake! It's so divine!

Lemonade Layer Cake

Cake

1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
6 tablespoons (tbsp) butter, softened
1 tbsp grated lemon rind
3 tbsp thawed lemonade concentrate
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 cups fat-free buttermilk
Cooking Spray

Frosting

2 tbsp butter, softened
2 tsp grated lemon rind
2 tsp thawed lemonade concentrate
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
8 ounces 1/3-less fat cream cheese
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. To prepare cake, place first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 5 mins.). Add eggs and egg whites, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda; stir well with a whisk. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; beat well after each addition.
3. Pour batter into 2 (9-in.) round cake pans coated with cooking spray; sharply tap pans once on counter to remove air bubbles. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pans. Cool completely on wire rack.
4. To prepare frosting, place 2 tbsp butter and the next 4 ingredients (butter through cream cheese) in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until fluffy. Add powdered sugar, and beat at low speed just until blended (do not overbeat). Chill 1 hour.
5. Place 1 cake layer on a plate; spread with 1/2 cup frosting. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Store cake loosely covered in the refrigerator.
Yield: 16 servings. (serving size: 1 slice).
Per serving: 322 cals (28% from fat); 9.9g fat (sat 5.9g, mono 2.9g, poly 0.5g); protein 5g; carb 54.1g; fiber 0.5g; chol 53mg; iron 1mg; sodium 293mg; calc 60mg.

Caffeinated Weka said...

This recipe looks absolutely divine! Maybe you're right; making lemonade is obviously not working, but cake is soooo good. I will definitely give it a try - I just need to find lemonade concentrate.