Dear Diary and Happy Birthday Brittany

If this blog is my journal, and it is, and so much more fun than the one I used to write in, however infrequently, then here is what I did today.  I slept until almost 8 am which is crazy!  I stayed up too late  the night before reading an intense book, "The Kitchen House", and then finished it this morning.  I had a dentist appointment and then Dan and I headed over to Brittany's house to present her with this cake, and a couple little gifts.

She's 39!

Brittany is my step daughter and I have known her and loved her for about 13 years and have been her step mother for a little less than three.  They say you can't pick your relatives but my kids sure did.  She's (and her hubby and kids too) the reason that they all told me I must date her dad because they knew that sometimes dates lead to marriage (and they could be related to her!).  When my middle son was in 9th grade, one day he told me that he wanted to marry someone like Brittany and when I asked what someone like her meant, he replied, "mellow, peaceful, kind", qualities like that, and sure enough he did marry a girl (Emma) who is mellow, peaceful and kind among many other wonderful traits.  So Brittany, know that we all love you to pieces and feel pretty blessed to be in your eternal association.  

I made her a cake that I have never baked before and I think it turned out pretty delicious from the little tastings I had.  This is a gluten free cake but let's not label it that way and just say that instead of flour, it's an almond cake base and the French make many cakes that are exclusively almond floured and they aren't labeled gluten free so this won't be either (but it is).  You can find the cake recipe here ahealthylifeforme.com/gluten-free-almond-coconut-cake and the filling and frosting recipes here theblenderist.com/coconut-lemon-layer-cake-gluten-free-sugar-free.  The cake is really moist and so flavorful, coconutty too.  And a bit fragile so be careful when transferring it to your cake plate for icing.  I filled it with fresh lemon curd and then frosted it with a whipped cream-cream cheese-coconut milk frosting.  

The crumb coat - barely iced and then chilled before the final frosting to prevent crumbs coming up as you frost

Topped with unsweetened coconut and some fresh blackberries

After we dropped off the cake, I headed to the Yellow House for the final yard clean up - leaf blowing, leaf raking, mowing leaves into the grass to cut down on raking, cutting down perennials, etc.  And I got to see my Scotty!

When I got home, it was dark and I was starved!  My hubby fixed an incredible and healthy dinner that was so delicious!  Roast Pork on Pears and Leeks, oven roasted vegetables, and sprouted wild rice.  

Pears and Leeks in the bottom of the pan!

Dear Journal, that is what I did today.  Oh, and it was sunny and cold and beautiful.  And I wore lavender cologne that I bought in Avignon, France.  And I wore a Yosemite hoodie and dark blue jeans and old sneakers for yard work.  (I used to write what I wore and the weather report as well when I was younger - my daughter Gabe did that too - probably still does).  Love, Therese