What to do with figs and a new baby quilt

Last night I managed to can eight pints of fig preserves. Here they are in all their glory. I canned six pints on Tuesday night and sent four of those to Mississippi with our son to restock my Mother's supply.

Not everyone likes figs. I don't understand this at all, as I think they are wonderful! I like to eat them fresh off the trees and the fig preserves are mighty good on a hot buttered biscuit. Yum!

Here's a recipe for a cake made with fig preserves for those of you fortunate enough to have access to fig preserves. They are hard to come by, which is why I started growing my own figs and making my own preserves :). This is from my friend Irene and is very sweet, rich cake.

Fig Preserves Cake
2 cups flour
1/2 tablespoon nutmeg
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup pecans (optional)
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 cup fig preserves, chopped
Sift together the dry ingredients; add oil and mix well. Add eggs; mix well. Add buttermilk; mix well. Add figs and pecans. Bake 40-45 minutes at 325 in 9 x 13 greased pan.
Topping:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 stick butter
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 tablespoon corn syrup
1/2 tablespoon baking soda
Mix all ingredients together; boil 3 minutes. Remove from burner. While hot, pour over cake. Punch small holes in cake with fork as topping is poured on.

A friend at church has a new "preemie" grandson, and I wanted to make something for him. This is the result.

I love those happy airplanes with the cat and dog pilots.

The cloudy sky on the back is pretty, too.

Have a great evening!

~Elaine~