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Mmmmm ... Smell That?

Now that the hot summer temperatures are finally starting to disappear I can turn the oven on again.  And I have.  Baking is once again a kitchen activity around here.  Homemade biscuits.  Muffins. Bread.  Cakes.  Not EVERYday, mind you - have to watch the old waist line.  But often enough to send good smells wafting throughout the house. 

Husband and grandson certainly appreciate opening the door and smelling delicious odors from the kitchen.  Always hoping I am planning to give them a taste.  I often remember coming home from school and walking into a kitchen with something baking.  Mmmmmm - smelled so nice.  As a mom to four hungry schoolkids myself, all grown up now, I often tried to have something baking and/or cooking when the kids got home from school.  They may not remember much of it now - but I sure do.  I hope our after-school-kitchen-odors have contributed to their  "remember when ..." stories they now tell to THEIR children.  :)

Lots of kids nowadays, though, don't have the chance to experience those "coming-in-from-school-and-smelling-something-great" moments.  Life is busy for everyone.  Many kids come home to an empty house and  must make their own "cooking smells", in a microwave.  Many young parents just don't cook or bake - they eat out, microwave, order in.  That not only gets expensive, it's depriving the family of something -  the memories of great homemade cooking and baking smells in their home.  I once wrote an article about how every kid deserves to come home sometimes to the smell of bread baking in an oven. ... what a way to welcome your kids home and say, "I love you!"  (And, believe me, the husbands love it, too. There are also some husbands who enjoy cooking - in that case, the wife will love it!)

Yeah, it's all about love.  Cooking and baking for your family is one way to show how much you love them.  One way to provide happy "home" memories for them to talk about in their future.  One way to show them that, as busy as you are, you still put them first and love them more than anyone else. 

P.S.  ( Though I usually bake and cook from "scratch" - I'm not above using a brownie mix, a chocolate-chip cookie mix, etc. from time to time.  For those of you who just are really stretched for the time to stick something in the oven ... give these a try.  I won't say they taste better than "from scratch" , but there are some pretty good-tasting mixes out there.  And, if it's a question of time, those mixes can still produce some pretty nice kitchen odors for the family to walk into.  :)  )

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 Here is a quick-to-make chocolate cake you might want to try.  I found it recently on a recipe online site.

"Throw-Together Chocolate Cake"
(greased 9 X 13 baking pan .... preheat oven:  360 degrees)

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups flour ...............NOTE: I used self-rising flour (don't add the baking powder if you do), and it
1/2 cup soft butter                         turned out fine
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon instant coffee powder ............NOTE:  I didn't have any instant coffee, so just added about
                                                                             1/2 cup of left-over black coffee
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Put all ingredients in a bowl, in order given more or less, and beat well until creamy and smooth.
Pour into prepared pan.
BAKE: preheated pan ... 45 minutes to 1 hour
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Put any kind of frosting on that you like; or just sprinkle powdered sugar over it.  I used a brown sugar/cream praline frosting.  Yum!
********************************   ENJOY!  ****************************************

Mmmmmmmm!   Smell that?