Preserving on Wednesday too

Okay, so August is always a busy time at our house since we have lots of August birthdays, school registration and school starting, family reunions; you get the picture. Add to that this year that Gene went to SLC for union meetings Monday and won't get back until tonight, Chelsea goes to Martin's Cove and won't get back until Saturday night, and I have a roaring summer cold, and I haven't been able to or wanted to post. So here is a catchup:

Jeremy turned 30 on Sunday and he and his family shared it with us. I made enchiladas, which are his favorite and they got a gigantic chocolate cake! Here Maddie and Jesson help him blow out all 30 candles! I can't believe he's 30! He isn't even my oldest! Do you know what that makes me? Don't answer!

Next, are the last minute preparations for Martin's Cove for Chelsea. For those of you that don't know what Martin's Cove is, it is a historic site belonging to the LDS church. Thousands of people go through there each year and hear about the pioneers and get to pull handcarts. Some groups sign up to go on a 3 day trek. That is what Chelsea is doing with our Stake. They have to dress in pioneer clothing and they can only take up to 17 lbs of supplies. No phones, no ipods, no electronic anything! Pretty tough for teenagers! :) Anyways, she made her two long skirts herself, but got stuck on the bonnet, which is required. So I finished it for her tuesday morning. She is packed and ready to go tonight! I will miss her!

Now, for preserving Tuesday, which is a day late due to the afore-mentioned cold. Do any of you have one of these, a recipe tin? I was wondering if they are totally obsolete, or if we all still have one? This is mine. I bought it when I was 16 and worked at a Hallmark store. I started collecting recipes right away! When I got married, my grandma, mom and aunts all gave me cards with their favorite recipes. Later, other young mom's in our ward and I exchanged recipes we got from our families, or magazines in the doctor's office, or through some recipe club in the mail. No internet to go search on a moment's notice. Mine is stuffed pretty full. Truth is I have put most of these recipes in ward cookbooks over the years and really don't need the cards anymore. But they are like an old blanket, they bring me comfort. Some of them are in my mom's handwriting. She passed away 4 years ago. So they are like a little piece of her. Some are from my grandma, and my mother-in-law, and they are gone too. So they are nostalgic to me. So I hang onto my card file.

So in honor of Preserving Tuesday, a day late, here is a recipe from the card file. It is for Oatmeal Cake, and I originally got the recipe from Colleen Scott. I just dug it out on Monday to make one for a funeral. I was reminded how good it is. And when I went down to the funeral to help, it was one of the first gone! Enjoy!

Oatmeal Cake

1 1/4 C boiling water

1 C quick oats

1 stick butter

Mix well and let set and cool a little.

1 C sugar

1 C brown sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 C flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp salt

Mix well, combine with first mixture; blend well. Put in 9X13 pan, bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Put topping on it immediately, so it will melt over cake. Let cool, serve.

Topping

2 tsp butter

1/4 C canned milk

1/2 C brown sugar

1/2 C coconut

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 C chopped nuts

Mix together. Follow instructions above.

I hope you enjoy this yummy, moist cake as much as we do!

Chris