Summer vacation is officially over and my teaching cap is getting
more wear than my writer's beret. But, I still have time to post some
goodies.
Liebster means dear or favorite or apparently a bazillion other positive things in German (thank you Google), and the official rules are as follows:
- Thank the giver and link back to the blogger who gave it to you.
- Reveal your top 5 picks [blogs with fewer than 200 followers] and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.
- Copy and paste the award on your blog.
- Have faith that your followers will spread the love to other bloggers.
- And most of all - have bloggity-blog fun!
Here are my picks:
1. I love reading Stars Like Rain, a blog by a YA writer who is repped by Michelle Andelman of Regal Literary.
She. Is. Cool.
2. It Ain't Over Til the Fat Guy is Skinny is another fav blog written by my friend in New Jersey. He's had a long history as a director, a playwright, an actor, and now, a novelist. His blog has personal and professional reflections on life, and is a little breath of fresh air for me.
3. Jessica Love Writes, because she is a high school teacher (to whom the rest of civilization should bow and pay respect), and because she "kills her darlings," too.
4. Sarah Enni's blog, again, because her blog on YA writing rocks. Very entertaining.
and
5. Awkward Girl, who I met via YA Highway's Road Trip Wednesday, and whose writing is not awkward at all!
Congrats, bloggers! Share the love, and may your blog grow plentiful and ever more exciting this year.
1. I love reading Stars Like Rain, a blog by a YA writer who is repped by Michelle Andelman of Regal Literary.
She. Is. Cool.
2. It Ain't Over Til the Fat Guy is Skinny is another fav blog written by my friend in New Jersey. He's had a long history as a director, a playwright, an actor, and now, a novelist. His blog has personal and professional reflections on life, and is a little breath of fresh air for me.
3. Jessica Love Writes, because she is a high school teacher (to whom the rest of civilization should bow and pay respect), and because she "kills her darlings," too.
4. Sarah Enni's blog, again, because her blog on YA writing rocks. Very entertaining.
and
5. Awkward Girl, who I met via YA Highway's Road Trip Wednesday, and whose writing is not awkward at all!
Congrats, bloggers! Share the love, and may your blog grow plentiful and ever more exciting this year.
Second, the recipe for the mouthwatering, fantasmagoric orange cake that was baked especially in honor of the orange tree in Song of the Orange Moons and served at the reading club in my previous post. Thanks, Dixie!
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans
2 orange rinds, grated
SYRUP:
Juice of 2 oranges
1 cup sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream SUGAR and BUTTER, add EGGS. Combine FLOUR, BAKING POWDER, BAKING SODA, and SALT, and add alternately with SOUR CREAM. Add VANILLA, NUTS, and ORANGE RIND.
Bake in greased, floured tube pan for 1 hour, or until toothpick comes out clean.
Combine ingredients for the "SYRUP" and boil 5 minutes. Pour syrup over hot cake and let cool in the pan. When cake is cool, turn out of pan onto cake plate.
****For and impressive touch: Slice Fresh Orange Cake horizontally into 3 layers. Fill and top with 2 cups WHIPPING CREAM, whipped with 1/4 cup CONFECTIONER'S SUGAR and 3 Tablespoons of ORANGE LIQUEUR. Add 1 pint of sliced fresh STRAWBERRIES between the layers, saving some gorgeous ones for the top.
