Special quilt and Watergate cake

Now that I know Pat has received her quilt, I can post a picture of it here. I had my doubts that it was ever going to get to her since it had been on a three week odyssey.

Our friend Pat is a Louisiana girl (sorry Vicky and Judy L not sure of just where but I believe around Baton Rouge) who has lived various places in the Southeast and Southwest in her married life. She moved in right across the street from our friend Betsy--a weaver AND a quilter. We welcomed her into the group but she told us that she could never be a "Bama" anything---it was okay as it was just a silly, alliterative name to distinguish us from the other groups who make quilts for Wrap Them In Love.

They had decided to relocate back to New Mexico and had been out there since December 05. In the intervening months the Belles and I made the blocks, I assembled it, a longarmer quilted it, Ada finished the hand binding. Then I had to wait for some Bubble Jet set to prep the label and round up a box to mail it. Finally got my ducks in a row and mailed it out. Wouldn't you know that the day after I sent the box on its merry way to Santa Fe, she surprised us at the meeting 3 weeks ago? The mail was all being forwarded to her daughter's about an hour from here so it had to make the return trip. Had I known she was coming, we could have just handed it to her--but we enjoyed that surprise as much as we hope she did hers. I told you about Sarah dropping everthing she was carrying just to go give Pat a hug when she realized who had just said "hello" to her--it was priceless.

Watergate Cake---sorry that I didn't explain that better. The recipe is from back in the 70's (when the Washington scandal and subsequent hearings took place here in the States) so I guess I thought everybody knew what it was. More or less a pistachio flavored white cake with a whipped topping rather than frosting. Pretty and soft green in color and light for summer.

Watergate Cake with Cover Up Frosting

1- 18 1/4 oz.box plain white cake mix (NOT pudding in the mix)

1- 3.4 oz. box instant pistachio pudding mix

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1 cup ginger ale, or club soda or 7-up or Mountain Dew

3 large eggs


COVER UP FROSTING

1-3.4 oz. box instant pistachio pudding mix

1 1/2 cups milk (I use slightly less and a bit more pudding mix so it is a little
stiffer before the cool whip is added)

1-8 oz. container frozen whipped topping, thawed

Directions:
Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly mist a 13 x 9-inch pan with vegetable oil, then dust with flour. Shake out the excess flour. Set the pan aside.

Place cake mix, pudding mix, oil, ginger ale (or other liquid of your choice) and eggs into a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping down the sides again if needed. The batter should look well blended. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with the rubber spatula. Place the pan in the oven. Bake the cake until it springs back when lightly pressed with your finger, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool completely, 30 minutes or more.

Meanwhile, prepare COVER UP FROSTING by using the ingredients above and the following directions: Whisk pudding mix and milk together in a large mixing bowl. I t should thicken up but not set, from 2 to 3 minutes. Gently fold in whipped topping. Spread the top with frosting. You can sprinkle toasted nuts over the top, if desired. Store, covered, in the refrigerator.

I have to tell a story on my husband. When he was a small boy and was asked what kind of cake he wanted for his birthday, he just said "green" thinking that green should taste like something--lime, mint, pistachio, any green type flavor that might invoke. He was disappointed when it was just tinted buttercream frosting. I guess he gets "green cake" every once in a while as an adult.

Finally got the miles of binding prepped yesterday between playing on the computer and home errands. Today my goals are to get it applied to Fleeta's little panel top and quilt my SIL hot air balloon wallhanging. The only other pinned WTIL top I will have is Betsy's revamped top which is going to the boy's home anyway--it can wait. I believe that my machine needs to go into the shop for some cleaning/servicing after this last one is quilted. Historically, they will have it for about 3 weeks time so I can get back in piecing mode while it is gone. There are many things that I would like to piece and most can be done on the Jem with time to spare for the round robin due in September. I was reading Sharyn Craig's Great Sets last night and getting a few ideas towards some of these piecing challenges involving butterflies, toads, cats and 16 patches. Since I was having a hard time sleeping last night for a variety of reasons, I almost wished that I could spend those 2 plus wakeful hours pulling fabric, LOL. (I made up for it and slept in till 9 because DJ was off to the golf course)

Off to see what you all are up to------