Cinnamon Chip Applesauce Coffeecake

1 C (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 C sugar
2 eggs
1/2 t vanilla
3/4 C applesauce
2 1/2 C flour
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 pkg (10oz) Hershey’s Cinnamon Chips
1 C chopped pecans (opt)
Sugar glaze or powdered sugar

Heat oven to 350. Lightly grease 9×13″ pan. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl on med speed until well blended. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Mix in applesauce. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in cinnamon chips and pecans, if desired. Spread into prepared pan. Bake 30-35 minutes, or until done. Cool. Sprinkle with powdered sugar or drizzle with sugar glaze. (Sugar glaze: Stir together 3/4 C powdered sugar and 1-2 T of warm water to desired consistency.)

**Recipe from back of the cinnamon chip bag, courtesy of Hershey’s Kitchens. This is a fabulous recipe, found by way of one Mrs. Karen Choi and dutifully passed on to many other Zion women. I’m posting it here for easy reference (and just in case Hershey’s no longer prints this recipe on the chip bag).

Me: [calling downstairs] Livia, what are you doing?

Liv: I’m in the box.

Me: You’re still in the box?

Liv: Yeah.

Me: Are you doing alright?

Liv: Yeah.

Me: [shrugging] Okay.

I might post an explanation of my birthday pics later in the day. But for now I’m off to enjoy December 6 to its fullest!

Today I stopped by the Wittmanns’ to help snap a shot or two for their Christmas letter and first wandered in to their new home for a brief tour. Before I knew what was going on, Elsie’s mama was gasping and cooing at her little girl, so I turned and watched the cherubic child walk for the first time. How very cool is that?! So, congrats to Miss Elsie (to the left of Livia in the photo) on this amazing milestone. And another shout out goes to Peter (right) who turns 3 on December 7. I think Livia would enjoy visiting the Wittmann household again soon; she told Pete that she loved him very much. [grin]

This is Mary’s Christmas Kitchen and, boy, was it productive yesterday! From left to right, the magical cooking elves and their magical leader: Alison, Brook, Mary, Renae and Trish. Missing are the creators of the Twisted Tiger, Yawning Kitten and Barking Spider, Mr. Talsma and yours truly. This was my first year in Brook’s mom’s kitchen and I am duly impressed with Mrs. Talsma’s organization and candy-making skills. I am also very grateful that at the moment all created sweets are still at Brook’s house… There would be no hope for anything chocolate-covered or pepperminty if such an array found itself in my home.

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The list of DPP participants grows larger. This is fun! The more, the merrier.

Repeat to self: My tree is beautiful. My tree is worthy. My tree is… plastic.

I’m a real tree kind of girl. I like tromping in the tree lot (and once in an Oregon forest) to pick out the perfect tree. During our first year of marriage however we were tight on cash, we weren’t going to be in our seminary apartment for the holidays, and we didn’t have much space for a large tree.

Voila, the Walmart tree!

As you can see, it’s quite a bargain. Not to mention flame retardant.

And it’s up, in the Prairie Box, as I type. Let the season begin!

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Welcome, December Photo Project participants! If anyone else feels inclined to join our fun, please comment or email me and I’ll include a link to your blog.

The DPP is back! Beginning December 1st, I’ll post one picture each day through Christmas. I’d love to have other bloggers join me in exploring the Christmas season through photography. If you are willing to step up to the challenge, leave a comment here and I’ll link to you during the month of December.

And folks, this is indeed a challenge for me this year. The Prairie Box has been woefully neglected recently. Let’s see if it can get a little lovin’ for 25 days straight.

**A post about a photo project should be accompanied by a photo. So here it is… three generations of Tredway, all with happy-silly grins before Thanksgiving dinner. LOVE it.

My intent for today (my final day of the December Photo Project, I might add) was to shoot some sort of picture that could signify Jesus’ birth, the entry of the Almighty God into this earth in human form. And yet, how in the world could I take a photograph that could carry that much weight? I even re-lit the advent wreath at church in order to take a serene candle shot. It made a nice enough picture, but was trumped big time by the one I got this evening, the one you see above. Considering the difficulty of photographing a symbol of the birth of Christ, I’m thrilled that I caught this hilarious moment during gift-opening with the Lawtons.

It’s been a long day and I’m beat. So let me end this by saying, Merry Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight.