2018 goals check-in May

You can read more details about my goals HERE and how I did in Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr

1. 2018 in 2018 Decluttering Challenge...
I have decluttered 1357/2018 items from my home

2. 40 bags in 40 days...this challenge ran from Feb 14 -  March 31, I did 32/40 bags. I am going to continue this challenge throughout the rest of the year.

*total to date: 39/40

3. Create 365 cards...
none this month, I thought March was a hard month, but May has been worse. Some major issues with my health and a double funeral with my dearest friend passing away a week later has been almost too much.
*total to date: 68/365

4. Try 2 new recipes/month...
13. Rhubarb Streusel Cake with Vanilla Sauce (I retyped the recipe and have it posted below as the link has spelling and other errors)
14. Garlic Roasted Asparagus with Bacon and Feta Cheese (so good! we've had twice already)
15. Creamy Italian Asparagus good, but I would use 1/2 the Italian seasoning. I didn't like it overpowering the asparagus, but otherwise, very good
16. Shaved Asparagus Pizza this is sooo good!
17. Asparagus Gratin it was so-so

*total to date: 17/24

5. Read 25 books...
20. "The Road Home" by Beverly Lewis
21. "The Sister Circle" by Nancy Moser & Vonette Bright (this is book 1 in the series, definitely looking for the others. loved this story line)
22. "The Seekers" by Wanda Brunstetter

total to date: 22/25

6. Put items on Buy/Sell/Trade...still haven't done this

7. Completely decluttering and organizing my creative space. 
slowly working on this as I work on the rest of the house as well

8. Create/Design/Etc 2 pinned items/month that are not food related...
made these using this and this tutorial

total to date: 9/24

9. Twelve RAK's for the year...if you are unfamiliar with RAK, it stands for Random Acts of Kindness.

10. shared rhubarb cake with vanilla sauce with someone
11. gave someone rhubarb
12. made cinnamon rolls and delivered

**total to date: 12/12

Rhubarb Streusel Cake with Vanilla Sauce

Cake:

• 2 tablespoons butter, softened

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 egg

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• ½ teaspoon baking soda

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 1 cup buttermilk

• 2 cups chopped fresh or frozen rhubarb

• Streusel Topping:

• ½ cup all-purpose flour

• ½ cup sugar

• 4 tablespoons butter, softened

Vanilla Sauce:

• ½ cup butter

• ¾ cup sugar

• ½ cup evaporated milk

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350°. Lightly grease a 9-inch square baking dish and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar for the cake. Beat in the egg. 

In a smaller bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed butter/sugar mixture alternately with the buttermilk, beating just until moistened. Fold in the chopped rhubarb. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the batter to the edges.

In a medium bowl, combine the streusel topping ingredients, mixing them together until the mixture is coarse and combined. Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the batter. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean and the top of the cake is lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.

For the sauce, melt butter in a medium saucepan. Add the sugar and milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2-3 minutes or until slightly thickened (it will thicken more as it cools slightly). Remove from the heat; stir in the vanilla. Serve warm with the cake.