Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Mmmmm....cake!

I made a Mexican Fruitcake yesterday. It turned out really well and is one of those recipes that you can't screw up. I love those:) Super easy, made to be frozen, keeps well and without fancy ingredients. In the spirit of risk-taking (as per my previous post) it was a new recipe and I even served it to guests (gasp!;). Anyway, since I do so much cooking and baking I have decided to make this blog partly about recipes. So, here is the recipe for Mexican fruitcake, which is so easy even Claudia could make it;) If you happen to know Claudia, that's saying something;);) Also, even though it's called fruitcake, don't be alarmed, it's not like those Christmas fruitcakes which keep forever, but are inedible from the day they are baked;)

2 cups flour
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 beaten eggs
2 tsp baking soda
1 cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)
1- 19 ounce can of crushed pineapple and juice (unsweetened)

Mix all ingredients together with spoon or wooden spatula.
Pour into 9 x 13 pan.
Bake for approx. 35 mins at 325.

For frosting, mix together following and pour over cake as soon as it's out of the oven.

8 oz. cream cheese (almost a whole 250g package of Philly)
1 stick margarine (1/4 lb)
2 cups icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Cool cake. Put in fridge and serve the next day.

Monday, August 9, 2010

Risk

ONLY A PERSON WHO RISKS IS FREE
by Author Unknown

To laugh is to risk appearing the fool.
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.
To reach for another is to risk involvement.
To expose your ideas, your dreams,
before a crowd is to risk their loss.
To love is to risk not being loved in return.
To live is to risk dying.
To believe is to risk despair.
To try is to risk failure.
But risks must be taken, because the
greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.
The people who risk nothing, do nothing,
have nothing, are nothing.
They may avoid suffering and sorrow,
but they cannot learn, feel, change,
grow, love, live.
Chained by their attitudes they are slaves;
they have forfeited their freedom.
Only a person who risks is free.

I have to laugh at myself. I was looking through archives of my blog and found a piece I had written a few years ago about how change is evil. Fast forward to present-day and I am advocating taking risks.
But. This is a good thing. I have (hopefully) changed and grown as a person and so my opinions have evolved. In the last year or so, I have consciously decided to get out of my comfort zone. I have signed up for things which have scared me or made me feel uncomfortable. Some of the risks have been successful and some have not. But every single one has been a learning experience. Even a risk that has resulted in failure has still produced new understanding and knowledge. But, if you risk nothing, you gain nothing.