Ash Wednesday Partially Explained!

Two days in the Church year have collided. Now, we only have to figure out if ashes cancel out Valentine’s Day chocolates or not!

Making the Best of Mother’s Day!

We need to really mark our calendars, mothers of the world! Why settle for just one day when every time zone seems to celebrate on another day. I say we draw on our ancestry and lay claim to a few more Mother’s Days for ourselves!

Given my antecedents, it looks like I should demand not only a US Mother’s Day but the one in the UK as my father’s ancestors immigrated from there which would give me a celebration on the Fourth Sunday in Lent. I’m claiming Canada as my husband’s ancestors come from there as he should go along with the traditions they hold, right. Sure it falls on the same day as the US Mother’s Day but I think I would accept double the flowers and candy. My background is German so that fills in the first Sunday in May for special treatment. And, red hair usually indicates some Scottish and/or Irish heritage so double the celebrations on the fourth Sunday of Lent.

Cranberry Upside Down Cake

I’m always thinking ahead so no one that knows me can be surprised to see me offering ideas for Thanksgiving already! Everyone thinks they have all the time in the world and the Sunday before  Thanksgiving, you suddenly realize why the grocery store is so crowded, there seem to be an abundance of pumpkins around, and what’s with all the sales on turkeys, anyway. After you avoid a graceful faint right there in the canned foods aisle, you grab a basket and join the crowd stocking up for Thanksgiving.

Here is a recipe to save you time and yet, make you look the part of the thoughtful cook sharing your culinary ideas with your holiday company.

Cranberry Upside Down Cake
1 package yellow cake mix
2 cups fresh cranberries
1 cup brown sugar
1 stick butter
Freshly grated orange zest

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Vegetable oil spray two round, 8-inche cake pans. Slice the butter into thin slices and divide between the two baking pans in one layer around the bottom of the pans. Spread out 1/2 cup of brown sugar in each pan on top of the butter. Layer 1 cup of cranberries in each pan over the sugar. Sprinkle the fresh orange zest on top of each pan.

Prepare the cake mix according to directions. Divide between the two pans. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until the top is golden and springs back when lightly touched. Let the cakes cool for ten minutes and then carefully invert them onto serving plates. If a few berries stick, just press them back into any missing places on the cake.

NOTE: You can do the same recipe only using canned pineapple rings, drained. Don’t use canned cranberries, however! You need to use either fresh ones or fresh frozen ones.