Cinnamon Chip Applesauce Coffee Cake

We made this tonight. Hannah wanted to help me cook so she had fun smelling everything and helping me pick which eggs to crack. When the timer went off, she raced over to the oven saying "timer....timer." Too bad she had to go to bed before it had cooled. But it will be a delicious cinnamon breakfast! We like it best a little undercooked.

1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup applesauce

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 2/3 cups (10-ounce package) HERSHEY'S Cinnamon Chips

1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Easy Glaze (recipe follows) or powdered sugar

Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl on medium speed of mixer until well blended. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Mix in applesauce. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in cinnamon chips and pecans, if desired. Spread into prepared pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Drizzle with glaze or sprinkle with powdered sugar. Makes 12 to 15 servings.
Easy Glaze: Stir together 3/4 cup powdered sugar and 1 to 2 tablespoons warm water.

Point Dume

Yesterday we drove to Malibu to enjoy the beach near Point Dume. We went on a hiking trail along the cliffs which was lined with yellow poppies and daisies. Hannah had fun walking along by herself and also riding in the backpack. There were a couple of viewpoints to stop at and we enjoyed seeing the Malibu coast and we could even see out to the Channel Islands. We also climbed down to the beach and saw the tidepools- Hannah touched a starfish and we saw a big crab. It was overcast weather, which was nice because we didn't have to worry about getting sunburned. The beach reminded us of our trip to the Oregon Coast last summer- and we even saw a migrating California gray whale while we were having a picnic in the sand.