Lilacs and a Spring Wreath

I love spring!  The weather warms up, the flowers come out, and everything is reborn!  My asparagus and herbs look lovely, the lettuce in the garden is growing like crazy, and my lilac tree smells wonderful!  I just brought lilacs into the house and there is nothing like having your favorite flower around.  It just makes me happy! 

Yes, that is a cello mirror in the background!  What else would be in the home of two music teachers?

I also made a really fun Springy wreath!  I had leftover felt lying around and so I made a bunch of felt flowers.  I also had recently cut a letter "J" out of cardboard that had no purpose in life and I was ready to throw it out.  I decided to give it one last chance and I wrapped it in yarn and then attached a flower.  When I brought it all together, it ended up being pretty cute.  I wish I had made the J a little smaller, but it's sweet and it brightens up our front door! 

Blueberry Breakfast Cake

Mr. Pie Plate loves my Blueberry Breakfast Cake because it is delicious.  He has nicknamed it "Crack Bread."  I love it because it's really quick to throw together, almost healthy and the day after it is baked, it tastes like a doughnut!  Does life get any better than that?  I usually serve it with a frittata that is loaded with veggies and a fruit salad, making it the perfect brunch sweet!  The recipe is loosely adapted from a "Cinnamon Banana Wake-up Cake" from the cookbook "Keeping Good Company," one of my favorite cookbooks. 

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons of butter, softened
3 Tablespoons of applesauce
1 and 1/3 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup water
1 and 1/4 cups blueberries (I use frozen berries)
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Baking Powder
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves

Topping:
1/4 cup chopped pecans
2 tsp. sugar and 1 tsp. cinnamon mixed together

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees.  Blend butter and applesauce together.  Then add sugar, eggs and water until it isl well-blended.  Add in all dry ingredients and mix until combined.  Then add in the blueberries and stir until combined.  Pour into a greased Bundt pan or a Demarle Silicone mold like this Sunflower Mold.  I received this from my aunt Lisa and it is my most used "pan" and the cake is so pretty when it comes out of the mold!  Bake for 40-50 minutes depending on your oven.  Mine takes around 50 minutes.  Make sure you let the cake cool in the pan.  Enjoy delicious Blueberry Breakfast Cake!