I see in the news that we have another professional athlete has fallen victim to drugs. To have the talent and money that pro athletes have these days, and do something like that is hard for me to comprehend. Momma Said, “Apparently money can’t buy happiness.”
The drug problem in this country is reaching an astronomical level. And the sad thing is, here in our area we are out of mainstream America and still have an escalating amount of drug abuse. You hear everyday on the news of robberies and shooting all connected to the drug trade. With heroin on the upswing again, Momma Said, “Things are going from bad to worse.”
I feel bad enough getting up in the morning with aching back and feet, migraines and arthritis, just add a drug addiction to the list and you can just shove me in the hole and cover me up. NO THANK YOU!
I had a nice birthday surprise this past weekend, my niece stopped by and spent the afternoon with me. She is in college to be a vet and I am so proud of her. I wish mom could be here to see her she would be over the moon proud. Momma Said, “Shoot for the moon, and the stars are your limit.” I wish her well and I know she is the kind of kid that sets her mind to a task and does not stop until she achieves it. “You GO Girl, I love you!!”
This week I am going to leave you with a recipe swiped from the pages of the ole inter-web. I hope you like this one it seems to be a hit in the coffee houses.
Better Than Starbucks Lemon Loaf
Ingredients
· 1½ c. flour
· 1 (3.4 oz.) package, instant Lemon pudding mix
· ½ tsp. baking powder
· ½ tsp. baking soda
· ½ tsp. salt
· 3 eggs
· 1 c. sugar
· 2 Tbsp. butter, softened
· 1 tsp. vanilla
· 2 tsp. lemon extract
· ⅓ c. fresh lemon juice
· ½ c. oil
· ¾ c. plain Greek yogurt
· zest of one lemon
Frosting:
· 3 Tbsp. Butter, soft but not melted
· 1½ c. powdered sugar
· 3 Tbsp. lemon juice
· 1 tsp. lemon extract
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom of a 5 x 9″ loaf pan with a piece of waxed paper. (With a pencil, trace the bottom of the pan on a piece of waxed paper and cut out with scissors.) Spray the pan and waxed paper with non-stick baking spray. Set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, pudding mix, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With a stand or hand mixer, combine the eggs, sugar, butter, vanilla, lemon extract, lemon juice, oil and yogurt. Mix until evenly combined. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the lemon zest, and mix until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 55 minutes, or until center is fully set, and a toothpick inserted comes out crumb free.
3. After baking, let cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes. Run a knife around the sides of the pan, invert and remove from the pan, removing the waxed paper from the bottom. Cool completely on a cooling rack.
For the frosting: Combine the butter, lemon juice and lemon extract with hand or stand mixer. Gradually add the powdered sugar, and beat until smooth and creamy. Evenly spread the frosting over the top of the loaf. Refrigerate to let frosting set completely before slicing. Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container.
