Yes, I'm quirky, but I know a good cake when I eat one...

I think I've probably mentioned before that I love routines, cycles and predictability. That's one of the reasons that I love weekends so much! They come along once a week, and my weekend routines give me a special measure of comfort.

I like to plan special menus for our weekend breakfasts and dinners. If J's home, that affords me a little more time on my own to cook something new that I've been wanting to try. I love new recipes! Although to be honest, a lot of the time we end up eating out most of the weekend, so those plans go out the window. But it's fun to dream!

I like to do our weekend grocery shopping on Thursday or Friday before the weekend so we don't have to mess with going to the busy stores. The same goes for Costco. If we have a Costco list, I really try to get it done before the weekend because that store is crazy on Saturday and Sunday!

My goal is to have our laundry done before the weekend. If I can knock out a load or two a day during the week, it's totally feasible!

I always try to have all of our towels and sheets replaced on Fridays. It's fun to treat ourselves to clean linens while we relax and recoup on those two blessed days!

The hardest part, but what feels the best, is getting the whole house cleaned before the weekend, too. What a relief to not have to worry about it on Saturday or Sunday, and what a pleasant atmosphere to enjoy! Between this and the linens, it's like creating our own free B&B. :0) If I don't end up getting the house clean, I at least make it a point to have everything tidy on Thursday so cleaning is easier.

I'm feeling especially warm and fuzzy today, on the threshold of this particular weekend. A cold front's moving in as I type at this very moment, which makes me giddy. We don't have anything on our calendar this weekend. (Well, at least nothing that we're committed to!) And the best part is that J just called, he's on his way home early, and he's NOT going in to his office at all this weekend!

Something else I love to do in preparation for the weekend? Bake. Whether it's a new recipe or an old favorite, there's nothing better than having something freshly baked onhand to munch on all weekend.

And you can bet with this cold weather afoot and my whole little family home for two lovely days, I'll surely be doing that! Yeah, it may be a batch of ready-to-bake Nestle Tollhouse cookies, but so what!

One of our family's favorite breakfast breads is my Aunt Sandra's Cinnamon Breakfast Cake. (Don't let the name fool you...we eat it any time of the day! It's fabulous with coffee or hot chocolate, too.) And it starts with a boxed cake mix! That's my favorite kind of baking!

Cinnamon Breakfast Cake

Ingredients:

1 pkg. Duncan Hines plain yellow cake mix
1 small pkg. vanilla instant pudding
3/4 c. oil
3/4 c. water
4 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3 c. brown sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 c. chopped pecans

Directions:

Mix cinnamon & sugar together. Set aside in bowl. Mix cake mix, pudding mix, oil, water, eggs & vanilla in large mixing bowl. Blend with mixer. Mix until thick & smooth.

Pour 1/3 batter into Bundt pan. Sprinkle part of cinnamon sugar over batter. Sprinkle nuts next. Pour another 1/3 of batter & sprinkle on cinnamon/sugar & pecans again. Pour remaining filling. Sprinkle remaining cinnamon & sugar on top. Swirl batter once with a knife. Bake at 350 for 50-60 min.

This is so yummy! I've made this cake for Sunday School and other functions numerous times, and it always gets rave reviews.

I made it a few weeks ago for Sunday School, and in the process I made an amusing personal discovery. I have distinct preferences in my baking ingredients! Who would've thought. It makes me feel so grown-up and experienced, yet just plain "old" at the same time...

For instance, my brown sugar. I realized that I'll forever buy C&H now, and I always used to be an Imperial girl. For some reason, C&H is so much finer and less clumpy! (And for our day-to-day, it melts much quicker in oatmeal.)

And in the cinnamon department, I've recently become a loyal Costco brand buyer.


This is a huge container of cinnamon I bought there, and it was right around $5! You would pay $5 for a fraction of this size at the grocery store.

I bought this specifically to make the breakfast cake the other week, and it was the first time I'd used it. Oh my word...as soon as you peel off the plastic safety wrap on the outside, you'll smell the difference. You don't even have to open it to know! It smells like a cinnamon candy or a quality highly scented cinnamon candle. And the flavor is amazing, too. I've made this cake several times in the past, and this was by far the best one ever. And I attribute it completely to the cinnamon.

So yes, call me a geezer. I love predictability, cleaning the house and baking.

But from our family to yours, here's to a cozy weekend!