Gardening and Food

I said last week that I was going private this week, but I have had a crazy week, and just haven't felt up to spending an hour on my computer typing out email addresses. Maybe this weekend?

I had a brunch/jewelry show at the house yesterday. My friend has started selling jewelry and I agreed to host a show. It was a blast! I love making fun food, and enjoyed hanging out with my friends at the house.

I had so many sweet people email me to be put on my blog list, and many said they liked reading about food and gardening. I am dedicating this post to you, sweet blog readers!

On Gardening:
I went out to my back yard today and took a few pictures. Every year, I am just amazed at how quickly everything goes from bleak to blooming. My Japanese maple (the last picture) was completely bare two weeks ago. The whole process is such a miracle to me. I have always considered myself a rose fanatic. I have them all over. Over the past two growing seasons, though, I have come to adore my irises. I watched that beauty in the first picture open up yesterday. I only wish they bloomed longer than a few weeks!

On Food:
I love reading cookbooks. I just recently purchased a new one and was reading through it. One recipe happened to catch my eye because of its unusual ingredients. East Texas breakfast cake is basically a cake batter mixed with sausage, blueberries, and pecans. I had to try it! My whole family gobbled it up and it was a big hit at my brunch yesterday. It is great to make for breakfast for kids going to school, and it lasts for several days. Enjoy!

East Texas Breakfast Cake
1 lb pork sausage
2 C flour
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1 stick butter, softened
3/4 C sugar
1/4 C brown sugar
2 eggs
1 C sour cream
1 C blueberries
1/2 C pecans (optional) I used more. How can one only use 1/2 pecans?

Blueberry Sauce
1/2 C sugar
1/2 C water
2 T cornstarch
2 C blueberries
1/2 t. lemon juice

Cook sausage until brown and crumbly. Drain and set aside.

Mix flour b.p., and b.s. together, and set aside. Cream the butter in a mixing bowl until light. Add the sugar and brown sugar, and beat until fluffy. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Add the flour mixture alternately with the sour cream, beating just until moistened after each addition.

Fold the sausage, blueberries and pecans into the batter. Spoon into an ungreased 9x13 baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until the cake tests done.

To prepare the sauce, combine the sugar, water, and cornstarch in a saucepan and mix well Stir in the blueberries. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly, stirring constantly. Cook for 2 minutes longer. Stir in the lemon juice.

Cue the cake into squares and serve with the sauce. Store in refrigerator.