Quilt update, Roses and Tea Cake

 A Robin has built a nest in my Crabapple tree and has taken up residence... (click to enlarge)

I have been steadfastly sewing. I absolutely love playing with color. There are several finished blocks I have not shown yet, so without further ado...

I'm 2/3s of the way through making blocks. Another 6 to 8 weeks should see all the blocks completed. I'm looking forward to seeing them sewn together.

As mentioned previously, we're having a good rose year. They started opening late last week and we've had torrential rains since, but they're still looking good. Today is a beautiful day and I got several pictures of the blossoms. So, so beautiful. I want to increase the number of roses in the garden by maybe 4 new ones this fall, or perhaps next spring. I'd love a deep orange one and a deep pink one as well.

I made this super delicious tea cake this afternoon. It's too good if you know what I mean... hard to resist seconds and thirds! The recipe comes from The Elmwood Inn, the book is called "The Tea Table" (2003). I found an autographed copy of the book at a yard sale this spring.

The recipe makes two loaves so I halved all the ingredients to make one loaf and it came out fine. I always have to adjust baking times. I think my oven is a little slow, my cake needed an hour and ten minutes.

Strawberry Tea Cake

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 Tbsp cinnamon

2 c sugar

4 eggs, beaten

2 cups of thawed, frozen strawberries (mine were whole so I chopped them up)

1.5 c canola oil (I used Wesson--NB, next time I will use straight canola)

1.25 c finely chopped almonds

Preheat to 325F; grease and flour two 9" loaf pans.

Sift dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl.

Combine eggs, strawberries, and oil and then add to the dry ingredients.

Add almonds.

Bake for an hour or until toothpick comes out clean.

Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans. Cool another 20 minutes outside of pans.

The recipe comes with a glaze which I did not make. (The cake is perfect without it if you ask me.)

The glaze

1 c confectioners' sugar

4 Tbsp pureed strawberries

.5 tsp almond extract

Mix all together and drizzle over the loaves.

MmmMmmmMmmm, with Earl Grey tea!