Old Fashioned Sho Fly Cake, and well used cookie sheets

This morning I baked up the maple walnut oatmeal cookie dough that I made a couple of days ago. The cookies will go to camp. I also cut tri-tip up for the ka-bobs, added some red wine, balsamic vinegar, dash of sugar, lots of french thyme and of course minced garlic. Squished it all together and put it in a freezer bag.

During kitchen clean up, I realized how ugly my cookie sheets look. They of course are not going to be replaced, they still function very well. They have been used, very used many times over. Thousands of cookies have been baked on those sheets, because of that they are beautiful. That is my kitchen and my life, essentially. I have used equipment in my kitchen. Not that I am complaining, exactly the opposite really. Each time a piece of equipment, including my hands is used in the kitchen, life and happiness continues. For me life does not evolve around a family room with big TV.

Life is in the kitchen. From the start of the day over a bowl of cereal and the newspaper, with comments or "come look at this" thrown in, to the end of day with dinner completed and "let me help you with that" offered. Cookies cooling on a clean towel, coffee or cocoa being sipped with conversation, a card game after a meal, strategy talks of how things will be accomplished or better yet hopes and plans shared. Life is in the kitchen and the table is the meeting place.

I love the early morning, I get up at 5:00 am, 7 days a week. I open the door to listen to the birds singing, drop some peanuts on the deck for the squirrels, feed the visiting cat (Big Orange, he looks like Garfield on a bad day), feed my own cat, sip coffee, get an idea for a meal and just enjoy life. My day starts in the kitchen, my life is enriched by time in the kitchen, my day ends in the kitchen. I love life and my family from the kitchen. It is a workshop, meeting place, financial planning center and at the same time a calm zone.

I have about 3 stops to make after work, the white chili to cook up and the get ready part ( you know the finding and the packing and the last minute "did you see".or the "do you know where?" "I can't find..."stuff). We will pack it up on Saturday to head to camp. We will share time and it will be centered around an outdoor kitchen.

See nothing changes, no matter where you go, there you are!

Molasses is an old time taste, I love it. I hope you try this simple but tasty cake. You can serve with ice cream also, but it is good plain too.

Sunday Cafe Shoofly cake
350F

2 1/2 c flour
3/4 c sugar
1 t baking soda
1/2 c butter

Combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl, cut in butter until mixture resembles cornmeal. Remove 1/3 c of the mixture and set aside.

1 c hot water
1/2 c molasses

Combine well and stir into the large bowl of crumb mixture. Stir just to moisten, do not overmix.

Pour into a prepared 9 inch round pan.

2 T sugar
1/4 t cinnamon
reserved 1/3 c crumb mixture

Combine all ingredients and sprinkle evenly over batter in pan.

Bake 25 - 30 minutes

Serves 6 - 8

Enjoy!

M