another mug rug swapped

This month over on the HGTV message boards there was another mug rug swap.  The theme for this one was country fairs.

I had several things in mind when I embroidered the 1^st place ribbon, and started off with the idea of a crazy quilt pattern to get in chickens, cows, horses, fruit/vegetables, sewing, and cooking…whew!  As you can imagine, that was just too busy looking for me to be able to pull off on a little mug rug.  Instead, I just looked at my western gal, and pictured her big win in the rodeo. 

I have to say that fairs are near and dear to my heart.  My dad was one of four year-round employees at the Antelope Valley Fair and Alfalfa Festival in Lancaster, California.  Yes, I was raised in southern California.  In fact, his job as the maintenance man provided us with a house on the fairgrounds, so I grew up playing among the barns, grandstand arena, and even learned to drive a car on the streets of the fair.  Later on, I worked in the office 3 or 4 summers while going to school.  Can you picture all the little entrant cards for every pie, cake, jar of jelly, and who knows what else…all typed by hand because we didn’t have computers back in the late 60’s.  That was part of my job. 

As a youngster, I followed in my sisters’ footsteps, and entered a Chocolate Vinegar Cake in the junior division.  I was so proud of that first place ribbon.   From what I understand, it’s also known as a depression cake.  Whether because the original instructions call for making three depressions in the dry ingredients to add the wet ingredients, or because it didn’t use eggs and is inexpensive to make, your guess is as good as mine.   This recipe actually makes a small cake, maybe one layer or an 8x8x2” square pan.  It’s moist too.  (Now I just mix in a bowl and put in cake pan, but this was the original version)

Chocolate Vinegar Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Sift dry ingredients into ungreased 8x8x2” pan

1 ½ cup flour

1 cup sugar

3 Tbsp cocoa

½ tsp salt

Make 3 depressions with spoon in dry ingredients, and add these:

1 tsp vanilla                1 Tbsp white vinegar              6 Tbsp melted butter

Pour 1 cup water over all, stir together until well mixed.

Bake 30-35 minutes

Note:  batter will be thin

 In other news, Robert had a birthday this past week.  I think he was about 2 or 3 in this picture.  Time just keeps flying by!  I went over and stayed with the kids while he and Angela went to dinner.  I took my camera, but we got busy with "projects" and I didn't get any pictures taken...darn.

 Elise was over the other night and we made some cookies.  She's turning into quite the little helper.  :)

That's it for now.  Have a good week!