Manicotti and Blitz Cake

Another bright, crisp, sunny morning but a little bit colder than yesterday.  The thermometer showed that it was 24 degrees when i left at 6:35.  Like i always say though, with all the layers i wear i stay nice and warm.  No wind either, which makes it nice.  Walked around the lake again today but i stayed on the lower path.  Then passed up my usual path to home and continued to walk a quarter of the way around the lake and took the other path up to the road and home.
All the footbridges were slippery with frost and or ice so i walked slowly over those.  Also over by the tennis courts the path was pretty icy.  But i was careful and all was well.
I stopped to take this picture of the contrails reflected in the water.  I walked down to the edge and it gave me the feeling that i was looking down a deep canyon.  I found myself walking to the edge very carefully so i wouldn't fall down the cliff.  I know you can't get that from the picture but it was really neat. 

Not many people out but i did see some of the regulars.  There are some of us who just have to get out for that morning walk. : )
Another great walk.
I walked 6.9 miles.

Sunrise 7:15

Sunset 4:44

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The cheese manicotti of yesterday came out very good.  Being able to fill the noodles when they are hard was ever so much easier and faster.  I'll be making these more often now knowing how easy it is.

I don't have a written down recipe but the filling is just mozzarella, ricotta, and Parmesan cheese, an egg and some parsley.
I mix that all together and then stuff the noodles.
You can use sauce from a jar or make your own.  I usually just use it out of the jar.
A little sauce goes on the bottom of the dish and just lay the stuffed noodles on the bottom in a single layer.
I added a cup of water to the sauce and heated it up till it was VERY HOT in the microwave.
Then poured the sauce over the noodles.
Covered it all with foil.
Baked at 400 degrees for 40 minutes.
Then took the foil off and sprinkled some mozzarella on it.
Baked it for another 10 minutes until the cheese melted and browned a bit.
I ate two of the noodles and it was just enough.

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Today i baked a Blitz Cake to bring to Cheryl's annual Christmas party tomorrow evening.  I got the recipe from my DIL's mother, Pat.  It is very easy to make and tastes delicious.  Reminds me of a pound cake.  I've just added the recipe to my on line cookbook and if you would like the recipe click HERE.  The picture always takes a few days to get posted so i've taken a few here to show you.
I've got it all mixed up here and ready to pour into the jelly roll pan.  The batter is sticky and very smooth and i love licking the beaters and bowl.

 All ready to go into the oven.

 Out of the oven, cooling, smelling delicious

waiting to be cut into squares.

And here it is cooled, cut into squares and ready to be eaten.

Don't know why it's called Blitz cake!  It should be called Blitz squares.

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I didn't get very many weave-it squares sewed together yesterday and still have quite a lot of squares to sew yet so i think i'll go and get a few more of them sewn together.  I'd really like to be done with it by next week. I also have a book to finish reading.

Since it's Friday i think it's a good night to go out for pizza.  I'm positive Ken will agree. : )

Have a happy day.

Happyone : )

It is good be children sometimes,

and never better than at Christmas

when it's might Founder was a child Himself.

~ Charles Dickens