Birthday Dinner

My older siblings are twins, Robert and Roberta, and are 6 1/2 years older than me.  It is their birthday time so my younger sister invited us all over for a celebratory dinner.  She made a fabulous homemade chili from the Pioneer Woman blog.  Click HERE for the recipe.  My sister used a 15 oz. can of tomato sauce instead of 8 oz.  She also added a can of Rotel tomatoes.  She added a chopped onion into the browning beef and used black and garbanzo beans instead.  It was delish!!  She served it with bowls of grated cheddar cheese and sour cream.. yum!

She also made a delicious cornbread - here is the recipe - click HERE.

Here are the twins.. when they were babies in Oklahoma they were called "Butch and Sis".  I call my sister "Bird" sometimes.  Here she is helping to sing happy birthday.  We sing well together, she is good at harmonizing and we have people compliment us on our singing of the National Anthem during meetings of the Daughters of the American Revolution.  It's my job to lead the group in the song.  :-o

I was going to make a 3 layer cake and take my jadeite cake stand to serve it on, then good sense took over and I baked it in my enameled steel Dansk baking pan for ease of transporting it across town to my sister's house.  This is an easy cake to bake, and so is the frosting, and it's delicious each time.

TERESA'S CARROT CAKE

CAKE INGREDIENTS

3 Cup finely grated carrots

2 Cup flour

2 Cup sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1 Cup oil

4 eggs

FROSTING 

1 Cube butter (room temp)

1 8 oz block cream cheese (room temp)

1 Box powdered sugar

2 tsp real vanilla

Put dry ingredients in mixing bowl and stir together, stir together in separate bowl - oil, eggs and grated carrots - beat well.  Pour into 2 round cake pans or oblong cake pan.  Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 40 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean and top is lightly browned.  Cool.

Make frosting when cake is totally cooled.  Cream butter and cream cheese together, then slowly add powdered sugar.  Beat well for fluffy frosting.

Spread with cream cheese frosting.  This cake keeps well for several days.

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My sister's cat is so funny, he loves to get up on top of their Grandfather clock and watch everyone at the table.  Isn't he a hoot with those yellow eyes?

My sister found a nice rock on the Oregon beach not long ago and I told her I would crochet a cozy for it.. I'm working on it as of last night.  Isn't this a pretty rock?

We just had sourdough pancakes/flapjacks for brunch and now we're relaxing.  It's another sunny day and we're supposed to have near 90 degree temps today and tomorrow - but then it's supposed to cool down to the 70s.  Hottest year EVER!

What are you doing this weekend?  Working on things.. or recuperating?  I vote for taking it easy!  ((hugs)), Teresa :-)