Cards, Cake and Family

Aunt Joann and Hunter

What a great weekend! It started on Friday afternoon with the arrival of Rob's Uncle Ken and Aunt Joann.  They live in Florida and also have a house in Cashiers, NC.  We don't get to see them that often so it was a great treat to have them come for the weekend.  I was excited about their visit so of course, on Thursday I went into "fluff and cook" mode.  That means I had to get the house ready.....bossing everyone around and sometimes pulling out my nose flair or stink eye when the work crew thought about slacking off.  I made my final grocery list and late Thursday evening decided it would be nice to make an Angel Food Cake.  I've made this cake about 2 dozen times and it always turns out great, this time was no exception. Yum!  Uncle Ken and Aunt Joann will LOVE IT!   I was almost ready for the weekend.

Well, guess what I woke up to on Friday?

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?  REALLY?

Learning the game

I gave the 2 thieves (Big Sweetie and Creed) my best dead pan stare because that's more telling than all my other facial expression reprimands. Unfortunately, I don't think they cared.  I'll deal with them later. So, our visitors arrive, we have a great evening, with no cake but did learn a great new card game.  It's called Hand and Foot.  I know, what kind of name is that?  Anyway, it's crazy fun and we got sucked in immediately.  We do that around here with games, especially cards.  Saturday morning Ken and Joanne arrived with a HUGE box of playing cards!  Hand and Foot requires 1 deck per player plus an extra - they'd gone shopping so that everyone could get in the game.  Yippee!  At the house, they were greeted with the sweet smell of baking Angel Food Cake and this time I had a plan for "cake protection!"  After some shopping, lunch downtown, a brief tour of Gboro, we headed back to the house for cake and cards. It was a great day!  Sharing stories of family, laughing, eating cake, and the best thing of all.....making memories.  My boys are still smiling.  Thanks Uncle Ken and Aunt Joann....

Counting my blessings,

~Donya

Angel Food Cake

12 egg whites (about 1 1/2 cups)

1 1/4 cups confectioners sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1.2 teaspoon almond extract
1.4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar

Measure out egg whites and place in a mixing bowl. Let stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

Cooling Cake on Wine Bottle

Sift confectioners sugar and flour together three times and set aside.  Add cream of tarter, extracts and salt to the egg whites.  Beat on high speed in stand or hand held mixer.  Gradually add sugar, beating until all is dissolved and stiff peaks form.  Stop beating process.  Fold in flour mixture about 1/2 cup at a time.  Gently spoon into an ungreased 10 inch tube pan.  Using a kitchen knife, cut through the batter to remove air pockets.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched.  As soon as you take out of oven, invert onto standing bottle or rack.  Cool completely before removing cake from pan.