Monday, November 23, 2015

Happy Thanksgiving!

Saturday night I attended a very festive and friendly Thanksgiving social with the T2 masters swimmers. I am looking forward to attending the party and seeing friendly faces. 

I owe my friend, John, a 6-pack because he took my splits when I swam the E-Postal 10K. 

I am suppose to bring a desert to the party and I was not sure if I wanted to cook one or purchase. I decided to see what I could make with Pineapples and cream cheese, and I found a recipe for pineapple sheet cake and cream cheese topping.  More on that later..

Saturday practice was GREAT and we had a nice turnout at FGCU!


Frank, Ginger, Shannon, Jill


500 loose
Preset
10 x 75 (drill/kick/swim) w/ fins @ 1:15 (2 free/1non free choice)

Main

4 x 200 pull (2 @ 3:00, 2 @ 2:45)
4 x 100 IM @ 1:45

******

Main
4 x 200 snorkel
4 x 100 free (2 @ 1:40, 2 @ 1:30)

400 cool

mixed stroke

Monday at San Carlos - Coach Sam's set:

Warm - 500 loose
Preset
8 x 50 (drill/swim) @ 1'


Main
2x
150/200 swim @ 2:50
50 kick @ 1'
1x
150/200 swim @ 2:50
100 kick

Main - Pull
8 x 50 @ :55
6 x 75 @ 1:15
4 x 100 @ 1:30
Cool
500 choice


Rustic Tropical Pineapple Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting 

Be prepared - the diet is out the window with this one!

I love the cooking app called - Big Oven.  I simply enter the two ingredients I had on hand, and a number of recipe options were available to choose from, so I chose the one that I knew I would not have to go to the store.  Based on what I learned from the reviews for this particular recipe I made my own variations and adjustments to the cake. 

As written:
2 C flour
2 C sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 eggs 
20 oz can (about 2 cups crushed pineapple in juice, don't drain
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 C nuts (I grounded them in coffee grinder - almonds)
Icing:
8 oz cream cheese
4 T. butter
3 cups confectioners sugar (oops I used granulated, so I did not use all 3 cups, still delish)
1 tsp. vanilla
(nuts optional - did not use in the icing. 

Cake:
Mix all together until smooth. (I fluffed the eggs first, added the flour and sugar, and alternated with the pineapple). Pour into greased glass baking sheet dish. Bake on 325 degree for 25-40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. 
Icing:
Beat butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add vanilla, slowing add sugar and blend well. 



Notes:  I did not have vanilla on hand, so I used a tad of lemon and coconut flavoring to the cake. To the icing I added a tad of almond flavor.   I also used frozen pineapple, which I thawed in microwave, so I could crush them with potato crusher.  I greased the bottom and sides of the pan with coconut oil.   The reviews said that this cake was very dense, and I wanted to fluff it up a bit, so I added about a 1/3 cup of seltzer water.  The glass pan is the way to go for even cooking. Texture is moist and sticky, even with the seltzer. It was amazing and I highly recommend trying it.  YUM!!!!


The landscaping around the pool screen is finally complete and looks lovely. Those are pitch apple bushes. Thank you Mark the Landscaper, originally from New Castle, PA., who planted 18 of them by himself!



The kitchen nook chandelier is now complimented with the matching breakfast bar pendants.   - very cool set of modern lights from Golden lighting. They're different....The finish on them is called champagne. 



I have been having a ton of fun teaching swimming lessons to triathletes this past week. One particular lesson I taught was held at the Cape Coral Wellness Center pool.  After the lesson I had the opportunity to speak with the wellness coordinator about teaching Yoga and swimming at the center.  They happen to be hiring instructors, so hopefully my schedule will allow me to teach a few classes in Cape Coral and Ft. Myers. She wants me to do a mini audition for her so she can sample my class, which will take place this week. Yeah!

For Tuesday swim practice we will have a special opportunity to swim a 500 for time!

Warm
400 swim
100 kick
100 (non free/scull by 25)

Fins:
1 x 200 swim
1 x 100 catch up with fist drill
1 x 200 swim
1 x 100 single arm (L/R, L/R)

Main:
6 x 50 kick descent 1>3
5 x 100 pull

Test set:
500 for time

cool 200 OR

4 x 300 odds stroke/free by 50, evens free
cool 100 

Happy Laps!!


Wednesday swimming might take place at FGCU in the AM. Workout TBD. 

Thanksgiving day swim will most likely be an ocean swim the the SWFL open water swimming group. 







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