April Showers bring May Stretch Pants?!! Something Is Just Not Right!

Many of us have the tradition of selecting a word or phrase at the beginning of every new year. My word for 2020 was “HOME”. I have to admit that has been kind of unhinging as we have navigated the past few months.

A new word that we have all learned this year is “Pandemic”. Right?! Have you EVER said that word before?

Our family is very fortunate not to have any virus come near our dwelling. We have leaned on faith and filled up on God’s truth both through reading and hearing. I have Psalm 91 pasted above every sink in our home and we wear masks in public places out of respect for others.

Many of the events that were on my calendar this year have canceled or rescheduled. One that has chosen to “pivot” is my friend Carol Kent’s, Speak Up Conference. I am excited to tell you that this years event will VIRTUAL and I get to speak! I’ll be sharing my “secret sauce” for remaining UNSTUCK for those of us called to speaking and writing.

If you are someone who feels called to a ministry or business of speaking and writing, I would love to have you join us. To add to the fun, I will be giving away a wonderful gift box from Carol that includes her latest book, Staying Power. Let me know if you register for the confrence and I will enter your name in a drawing for the gift.

One thing that I have “filled up with during this season of HOME is cooking! In fact, I have been cooking my “little” self to a summer full of Yoga pants! In spite of the fact there is not FLOUR ANYWHERE around us I have somehow managed!!

I thought it would be fun to share the recipe that has gotten most raves from my family so far.

I saw it on the cooking channel (a little more TV than usual anyone?!!) from my favorite Barefoot Contessa and had to try it–trust me, if you can find flour, it will not disappoint!!

SOUR CREAM COFFEE CAKE (Coffee is OPTIONAL!)
For the cake:
12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1½ cups granulated sugar
3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1¼ cups sour cream, at room temperature
2½ cups cake flour (see note)
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
For the streusel:
¼ cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, diced
¾ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
For the glaze:
½ cup confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan.</strong>

Your first step is to cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for 4 to 5 minutes, until light. Add the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla and sour cream. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture to the batter until combined. Finish stirring with a spatula to be sure the batter is well mixed.

For the streusel, place the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and butter in a bowl and pinch together with your fingers until it forms a crumble. Mix in the walnuts.

Spoon half the batter into the pan and spread it out with a knife. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup streusel. Spoon the rest of the batter in the pan, spread it out, and scatter the remaining streusel on top. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.

Allow to cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Carefully transfer the cake, streusel-side up, onto a serving plate. Whisk the confectioners’ sugar and maple syrup together, adding a few drops of water, if necessary, to make the glaze thick but runny. Drizzle the glaze over the cake with a small spoon. Serve at room temperature.

Notes: If you don’t have cake flour, you can substitute 2¼ cups all-purpose flour plus ¼ cup cornstarch.

If the eggs are cold, place the whole eggs in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes before cracking them.

Along with some great cooking adventures, I have been working on some new online courses with you on my mind.

You may have heard me share my life mapping tool called a FREEDOM FLOWER. It is an easy process that helps the reader look at their life and see all God has done and get an idea of what HE might do next!

I have created an online course that will help you apply this activity to your own life story. I will join you every step of the journey.

Before I go, what do you think of my BRAND NEW WEBSITE (another pandemic project!)?

I would love to know what all you have looked into. I still have some forms to update but at least it’s a start!

Please leave me a comment below to give me an idea of what works and what doesn’t.

Hugs and Blessings!

Pat