It's kinda freakin' me out...

All the publicity surrounding the shooting at the Dark Night Rises in Aurora last weekend is starting to take it's toll on me.  I guess it's mostly about the sailor that died and how the bubble I imagine my family living in was burst.  So I'm not an idiot, and I never actually believed that there was something that exempted my family from bad things; I've just been able to ignore the fact.  I can't anymore.


Since Sunday night, I'm kept awake by thoughts of a government sedan pulling up in front of my house and uniformed officers getting out.  They walk up my steps and knock on the door...  I don't want to open it because I know why they are there.  I verge on panic and then it subsides because I tell myself it's ridiculous.  Or is it?


I haven't told anyone I know about this, not the navy mom's, not my husband or son, no one.  I'm afraid they will think I've gone off the deep end.  I think I just need some time and space from Colorado's most recent tragedy.  I will not read another article about it, I will avoid postings on Facebook regarding the deaths, I will continue to stick with the Hallmark channel that, thankfully, has no news coverage.

I'm Baking Disabled But I Still Try

I read this great book called Murder on the Rocks by Karen Maclnerney.  In it, the innkeeper bakes a coffee cake and I could almost taste it.  I baked, from scratch*, my own version of a blueberry coffee cake this last weekend, and while it was good, it wasn't great and I was a little disappointed with my version. I finished the book last night and was rewarded with not only a fantastic murder mystery, but recipes were included at the end!  I MUST try this version.

Wicked Blueberry Coffee Cake
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups flour
1 cup sour cream or vanilla yogurt
2 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)

1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour

Cream the butter and sugar.  Add next six ingredients.  Add the 2 cups flour and sour cream (or yogurt) alternately to egg mixture, mixing with a spoon.  Fold in blueberries.  Pour mixture into greased 9"x13" baking pan.  In a separate bowl, cream brown sugar and remaining utter.  Add flour to get a semi-dry mixture.  Spread on top of batter.  Bake in 350-degree oven for 30 minutes.

I think I'll add cinnamon to the topping, and maybe some sliced almonds?  I'm still working on figuring out how to get the blueberries to "float" in the batter rather than sink.  In my first attempt, I tossed fresh blueberries with a little sugar and flour.  It didn't help.

The attached pic is someone else's attempt (looks successful to me!) at Wicked Blueberry Coffee Cake.  Thanks Bobbi at Blogging Along!

* Once again, blogging about something so I can pin it.  Kind of pathetic?  Yes and no.  I think it's important for me to remind myself of things like baking something edible from scratch! 


And seriously?  I didn't have a label called Food?  Oh, have mercy!