A hazy shade of deep depression and restlesness...I hate Winter!

If you hate this time of year say "Aiy"
"AIY!"
I loathe the end of winter months. It's downright dreary, ugly, brown, muddy, mucky, still cold even with a blue sky baring down on me, MISERY.
Trapped in the house can be excruciating at times.

The Hubs and I start chatting about the what-if's of moving to sunny California and daydream about that possibility for about 2 solid months. Painful.

(Keep reading...it gets better I promise....)

This is the time of year where those winter blues really set in around here.
And I am not immune to the blahs. Or as I like to call them a depression, steeped in negativity, with a dash of irritability, and a bit of sadness for good measure.
Oh and of course I can't leave out my friend restlessness.
I have always been a restless soul and the end of winter really brings it out.
A dreamer to the core, a gypsy in my heart, a nomad of sorts who dreams of moving, being, seeing, doing and I'm stuck in what feels like an endless winter.
How bout' that for depressing?
(Here's where it perks up...read on...)

So how do I get rid of the Winter Blues you ask? What special thing makes me feel better in the face of crap weather? One word people...

Cake.
And lots of it. And not just any cake. A cake that is cheery at it's very core.

So for you my dear friends...a cake recipe. (didn't see that coming did ya?)
I love to wallow in a big cake. Baked goods are my Xanax. It really does make me feel better. So when the blues set in I start to bake.

I could give you a fabulous, scratch made, fancy pants recipe from one of  my many cookbooks but here's the deal people, when you're feeling in the "depths of despair", (name the quote, win a virtual cake) rifling through your cupboards for a zillion ingredients... even more freakin depressing.
In this desperately depressing state your best friend is Betty Crocker. She's always been there for me in a pinch and, god love her, even though I don't know what half of those ingredients are in that mix...dang it's good.

Without further blithering....
Pineapple Upside Down Depression Relieving Cake
(they would sell more if they put that on the box dontchya think?)
Here's the deal first and foremost. Do not add maraschino cherries..ick, gross, formaldehyde, don't do it. You are about to ingest a cake loaded with god knows what...do yourself a favor and leave off the cherries.
And we begin..again...

INGREDIENTS1/4 cup butter or margarine

1 cup packed brown sugar
1 can (20 oz) pineapple slices in juice, drained, juice reserved
1 jar (6 oz) maraschino cherries without stems, drained (DON'T DO IT!)
1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® yellow cake mix
Vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box
Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). In 13x9-inch pan, melt butter in oven. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over butter. Arrange pineapple slices on brown sugar. Place cherry in center of each pineapple slice, and arrange remaining cherries around slices; press gently into brown sugar.

Add enough water to reserved pineapple juice to measure 1 1/4 cups. Make cake batter as directed on box, substituting pineapple juice mixture for the water. Pour batter over pineapple and cherries.

Bake 40 to 45 minutes (42 to 48 minutes for dark or nonstick pan) or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Immediately run knife around side of pan to loosen cake. Place heatproof serving plate upside down onto pan; turn plate and pan over. Leave pan over cake 5 minutes so brown sugar topping can drizzle over cake; remove pan. Cool 30 minutes. Serve warm or cool. Store covered in refrigerator.

Feel  better? Me too.
 

I'm seeing cherry blossoms and rainbows, and butterflies and I'm back in my happy place.
Have a great day ya'll.