Stand Firm, Peacocks, Nellie...other stuff


For those of you who might be interested in what is going on with my church, St. Luke's Parish in Mineral Wells, Texas, and with the Anglican Communion, you can click the Stand Firm logo. There will be daily videos telling us what is happening. You can also click on the St. Luke's Parish News site, as well. Also, you can check out Virtue Online. All these sites will tell it like it is, but, mind you, they are conservative. So if you're looking for a liberal bend...please look elsewhere. Our prayer is that the Primates, as they meet February 12-19 in Africa, feel the Holy Spirit and allow God to direct them in His will.

Hey, check out Terry's blog to see me and Turtle!! Turtle has gone to Canada to visit Terry and Bernie!

Now, for less serious stuff. Cousin Cindy Lee of South Carolina sent this lovely photo. Wish I could see it in real life.

I've seen this photo before...wish I could give someone photo credit. It's really beautiful.

Another interesting bit of info...here is how "Not on your Nellie" came to be:

It's Cockney slang: Exclam. No way! Not on your life! A shortening of the rhyming slang not on your nellie duff, where nellie duff rhymes on puff which refers to life, hence not on your life. [1940s]. Interesting, huh?

Now St. Valentine's Day recipe for the day:

A traditional recipe for Valentine’s Day is Red Velvet Cake.
This red velvet cake recipe is made with butter, eggs, vanilla, red gel food coloring, cocoa, buttermilk, and other ingredients:

Cake

* 12 tablespoons butter, 1 1/2 sticks
* 2 large eggs
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 1/2 cups sugar
* 2 tablespoons red gel food coloring plus 2 tablespoons water
* 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
* 1 cup buttermilk
* 1 tablespoon vinegar
* 1 teaspoon baking soda

* Cooked Frosting
* 1 cup milk
* 1/3 all-purpose flour
* 1 cup butter
* 1 cup granulated sugar
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* milk or cream

PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 350°. Generously grease and flour 3 8-inch round layer cake pans or 2 9-inch cake pans.

Cake: Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat 1 minute longer. Beat in vanilla until blended. Combine cocoa, food coloring, and 2 tablespoons water; beat into the egg creamed mixture. Combine flour and salt. Alternate adding flour and buttermilk mixtures to the batter, beating on low to medium speed. Combine soda and vinegar in cup and add to cake batter. Spoon batter evenly into the 3 cake pans; bake at 350° for 22 to 28 minutes. Cool on cake racks. Remove from pans and frost tops and sides.

Frosting: In a saucepan, whisk together the 1/3 cup flour and milk and cook, stirring, until thickened; cool in the refrigerator. Beat butter, sugar and vanilla with mixer. Add flour and milk mixture a little at a time (make ahead of cake so that it has plenty of time to cool). Beat well, adding milk or cream as needed. Frost layers, sides, and top of cake.

Comments

Sheila said…
The white peacock is stunning... how beautiful he is. I've heard of red velvet cake but never tried it. I think it is a Southern specialty is it not..?
Susie said…
I've never seen a white peacock before! Beautiful...
The recipe for red velvet cake looks good. I think I saw Paula Deen make one once. I've never eaten one though...
xoxo
Sue Seibert said…
In answer to Sheila, yes, Red Velvet is a Southern speciality...it's really good and RED!!
gma said…
I had a Red Velvet wedding cake...(My mom made me...she had a bakery called the Sweet Shoppe)so good!
Beautiful white Peacock.
God is like the Grand Canyon...can be seen from many viewpoints.... everyone of them Awesome!
Carole Burant said…
I've also seen that picture of the albino peacock before and like you said, I wish I would also see it in person, it must be just beautiful!

I'm glad to see that Turtle made it to Canada safely! lol Is there a story behind having named him "Turtle"? I'm curious! lol

That Red Velvet Cake recipe is one that I have in a cookbook but I've never made it...now you make me want to make it!! It certainly would be perfect for Valentine's Day!!

Take good care of yourself dear Sioux and may your day be as wonderful as you are:-) Hugs xoxo
smilnsigh said…
"A traditional recipe for Valentine’s Day is Red Velvet Cake."

Ohmyohmyohmy! What a recipe! I'm going into 'yummy recipes for Valentine's Day' overload. :-)))))

'MN'
Mrs. Goodneedle said…
I adore Red Velvet Cake, yummy!! The photo of the albino peacock is absolutely amazing.
altermyworld said…
OMGoodness that peacock is pretty fabulous.
I so love your recipes.
DOn't ya wish we all could get
together and have a potluck.
someone else said…
What an absolutely gorgeous peacock!! I've seen the usual kind, but never a white one. Wow!
Anonymous said…
That is a beautiful white peacock! I've never seen one before. It's just gorgeous!

I love Red Velvet Cake. It's one of my daughter's specialties. I'm going to share your recipe with her.

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