On soup

It is August, but alas, I have done the unthinkable, yes I have made soup.  I usually reserve my soup days for fall and winter, but it has been feeling more like November of late than the steamy, hot last days of summer so soup was called for.  My problem with soup is that I never make the same soup twice, I have never actually followed a recipe; I simply throw together the little odds and ends I have lying around and need to use up and the results are usually good.  There's nothing better than a good, hearty soup on a cold, miserable day, but it is a little depressing when such a day happens at the tail end of summer!

Pudding 'Poke' Cake

This is a great recipe for summer parties and gatherings (or you can eat it all yourself, yay!) and is really easy.  Remember that white cake with the jello in it that was a staple of grade school lunch?  This is the same concept, except you use pudding instead of jello.  You can vary the pudding/cake flavors to suit your own tastes, my favorite follows and is something like Boston Cream Pie, but way easier!

1 9x13 yellow cake, cooled and unfrosted (a box mix works great)
1 box vanilla pudding (instant or cooked, 4 or 6 serving)
1 box chocolate pudding (same as above)

Using a wooden spoon handle, pencil, dowel, etc. poke holes in the cake about 1/2 inch apart, covering the entire cake.  Prepare first box of pudding as directed on box (can do either pie filling or regular prep) and pour over cake before it sets, filling holes.  Prepare second box of pudding as desired and pour over cake before it sets, fill any remaining holes and spread evenly 'to frost.'  Cover and refrigerate at least 2-3 hours.  Serve cold and store in the fridge.  Adjust flavors, preparation, etc to suit your own tastes, I like lots of pudding so use the 6 serving size box.  The possibilities are endless, enjoy!

Amish Biker Chick?

Yes, those are Harley Davidson biker boots displayed alongside a bicycle, pink sweet peas, and white socks.  I was in the market for a new pair of work boots and found these at the local thrift store for an agreeable price and thought they would be perfect, despite their rather incongruous brand!  Some poor biker is probably turning over in his grave at this very moment.  Before they become encrusted permanently with manure and grime, we had a family photo shoot that also included a trike and a pink shirt, among other very biker-esque paraphernalia.  This might be as close as we ever get to Sturgis!