feeling good about being frugal

I'm rather pleased with myself today in the food department, with regard to two things.

trouble

First: I had defrosted some leftover chicken on Saturday and decided to make chicken salad sandwiches for supper. Well, there was a lot of it and we didn't finished it up. What to do? It isn't my brother's favorite, so I really couldn't serve it again. I think it was the mayonnaise which reminded me of this recipe, because it's got mayo in it already, but first I had to make this. That was fine - as long as I plan ahead I can do it easily. For the vegetables I used up a combo of broccoli, carrots and leftover green beans; it really is delicious.

Second: On Fridays I usually make an omelet for my brother's dinner. I had whisked up the eggs when I remembered that he'd eaten egg salad for lunch! So I poured the eggs into a jar and made him something else. But I wanted to use those four eggs. I recalled that Newmarket Cake - sounds very English, doesn't it? - uses four eggs, so I made that and it's snug in the freezer now.

There was a time (not so long ago) when I would intend to make use of these things, but would forget. I guess I've reached a higher plane now. Except in the photography department; I have no record of these triumphs.

Newmarket Cake

3 oz. chocolate chips

2 T. coffee granules

3/4 c. water

2 tsp. vanilla*

8 T. (1 stick) butter

1 1/4 c. sugar

4 large eggs

1 T. baking powder

3 c. flour

2/3 c. chopped pecans or other nuts

Cream butter and sugar till fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time. Beat in b. powder. Mix together the water and coffee, and add it alternately with the flour. Stir in the nuts and chips. Bake in greased and floured tube pan (that's what I like to bake it in) at 325 degrees F. 55 to 65 minutes. 

I believe this is taken from a book called "Tea Breads and Coffeecakes" by Elizabeth Alston, but I'm not sure. It was in a magazine many years ago and I made it frequently. One day I realized I'd lost the recipe. I honestly don't know how I tracked it down, but I did - and this was before the internet. That is how much I value this recipe! I think of it as a nice alternative to coffee cake, which I'm not crazy about. 

*And I just realized I left out the vanilla. Do you think anyone will notice?