Foggy Day

Today, the view from my kitchen window shows my favorite oak tree shrouded in fog.

It's definitely a day to stay inside by the fireplace (I do LOVE my gas fireplace!) So, I spent a lazy hour reading The Recipe Club, a novel about food and friendship. Which, of course, made me hungry. I rumbled through all my old recipe cards and discovered my old Girl Scout recipe for Streusel Filled Coffee Cake and, within an hour, I was eating this yummy coffee cake, sipping a huge cup of Dunkin' Donut's coffee and back to reading my book!

So many of my recipes were given to me by my mother. They've gotten brown and faded over time but I treasure them nonetheless! My mother passed away 22 years ago but just looking at these recipes, written in her hand, makes me smile!

Streusel Filled Coffee Cake

Mix together thoroughly:
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs
1 cup milk

Sift Together and add into above:
3 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Streusel Topping Ingredients
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
4 tablespoons flour
4 teaspoons cinnamon
4 tablespoons butter (melted)
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease and flour a 9 by 13-inch pan. Mix sugar, shortening/butter, and egg thoroughly. Stir in milk. Combine and sift flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl Add to sugar, shortening/butter, egg, and milk. Stir together.

Spread half of the batter in pan. Sprinkle with half of the streusel mixture. Add the remaining batter and sprinkle the top with the rest of the streusel.

Bake 25 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.