Fresh Apple Cake

This is a wonderful apple cake recipe that my grandmother use to make that she got from her friend, Georgie in the 1960's. I ate the things for years not knowing what was exactly in it - it was just grandma's good eats. Then about ten years ago I asked for the recipe -WOW! I'm not much of an oil and sugar user in recipes and this one floored me. It isn't low anything but it is the best fresh apple cake I have ever eaten. It has a nice semi-crispy outer crust. Perfect with a cup of coffee or tea  for breakfast, Thanksgiving or Christmas. Remember the batter will be thick and you will be tempted to add some type of liquid, but don't , just put it in the pan and bake it. You definitely will not be disappointed with this one.

Fresh Apple Cake

1 1/2 cups canola oil
2 cups sugar
3 cups peeled, cored, diced apples
3 cups flour
2 eggs, well beaten
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped walnuts
Grease and flour an angel food pan, don't use cooking spray stuff - it will not work with this recipe. Beat eggs, add sugar, vanilla, and oil in a small bowl and set aside.  In  a large bowl sift the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together. Combine the dry and wet ingredients by hand . Add the apples and walnuts, mix well.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours. Let it cool completely before removing from the pan or it will crumble apart. This keeps well simply wrap it in aluminium foil.

Apple Carmel Cookies

This cookie recipe was my favorite when I was a child. I'm not a bit fan of chocolate so chocolate chip cookies didn't score points with me. So when great grandmother dishes out these and I was in heaven! They are simple comfort food and a simple to make recipe. I entered the cookies and recipe in the 1991 Oklahoma State Fair and they won 4th place.  Not to shabby for a recipe that my granny has been making since my mom was 5 or 6.

Apple Carmel Cookies

1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup grated apples
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup butterscotch morsels (granny called these carmel chips, in the day she use to by carmel chips that they quit selling years ago and she changed to the butterscotch morsels.)

Cream together the shortening and sugar, add egg and blend well. Stir in grated apples and set aside. In a large bowl sift together the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix well. Stir in the butterscotch chips. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet by the tablespoonfuls and bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes.

Menu Plan Monday

Hope everyone had a great week. Ours went pretty nice. The boys seemed to get along all week not fights -YEA! If you got all boys you know how rare this is. The oldest two attended a hunting & gun safety class over the weekend with their Rangers group and the youngest stayed over with my oldest son and his kids.  I did some reading, The Poison Diaries. It's a twisted tale about poisonous plants and hubby put a new sink in mom's kitchen. We also did our once a month grocery shopping. Tonight its Jurassic Park and Eragon DVDs and popcorn! This last week has really been laid back - very pleasant. Here's what we are munching on this week~

Breakfast~
oatmeal with walnuts & chopped figs, peppermint tea (x2)
potato cakes, sausages, orange slices
cinnamon chocolate chip pancakes, hot tea
apple pie bars, milk
toad in the hole, pumpkin juice (x2)

Lunch~
feta pea and egg cups, banana, bread & jam
spaghetti with spicy peanut sauce, pineapple chunks
veggie pastries, baked apple
curly fries with chili
peanut butter & jelly, apple slices (x2)
fish cakes with tartar sauce, Bavarian sauerkraut, roll


Dinner~
beef roast, potatoes, carrots, onions, sweet potatoes (use extra veggies in pastries)
Italian bean soup, rye bread & jam
baked pumpkin pasta, mixed greens salad, rolls
baked potato bar- sour cream , chili, green onions, cheddar and small green salad
lemon & herb roasted chicken, roasted new potatoes, steamed broccoli
Italian gravy on biscuits, roasted parsnips & carrots
winter pear, apple & butternut soup garden salad, rolls

Have a brilliantly blessed week and don't forget to pop on over to Organized Junkie for more meal ideas.

Autumn Song

Now's the time when children's noses
All become as red as roses
And the colour of their faces
Makes me think of orchard places
Where the juicy apples grow,
And tomatoes in a row.

And to-day the hardened sinner
Never could be late for dinner,
But will jump up to the table
Just as soon as he is able,
Ask for three times hot roast mutton--
Oh! the shocking little glutton.

Come then, find your ball and racket,
Pop into your winter jacket,
With the lovely bear-skin lining.
While the sun is brightly shining,
Let us run and play together
And just love the autumn weather.

 ~ Katherine Mansfield ~

Menu Plan Monday

This past week wasn't any less busy then the week before. I had hopped it would slow down once we had
our Halloween Party, however, as usual it seem like once things get rolling with the first holiday celebration the hurried work and fun continue until after Christmas. You know the pan this, do that, make this, some more do that, and how about we try this this year. My mom called the night after the Halloween Party and wanted to know what was happening for Thanksgiving! I told her let me get over the Halloween and breath and I'd let her know.

The weather is changing fast and hovering between chill and cold. Have to turn on the stoves to get the chill out of the house in the morning and tonight I have them on to keep warm. It's been nice to sit and watch the fire's flames flicker in the fire place stove at night. It's hard to believe we are already into the last half of autumn already. It seems like it was just September and I was so excited it arrived. What is it about getting older that makes time pass more quickly? It doesn't seem fair when you are ole enough to appreciate  and enjoy it you have less of it to enjoy. This week I'm excited to try my hand at my first English meat pie. After a Halloween Eve Night viewing of Sweeney Todd I just couldn't resist.

Breakfast~
pumpkin breakfast cookies, hot cocoa
rice pudding, hot tea
toad in the hole, peppermint tea
oatmeal with raisins & walnuts (x2)
cinnamon toast, pumpkin smoothie
biscuits & gravy, orange slices

Lunch~
veggie fried rice
grilled cheese sandwiches, tomato basil soup
waffles, banana
peanut butter & jelly, pears (x2)
winner wraps, carrot sticks, apple slices

Dinner~
veggie burgers, curly fries
talipia, sugared carrots, long grain &wild rice with mushrooms & red onions
cheese pizza, garden salad
hearty English meat pie, mixed greens salad, rolls
vegetarian Hungarian chili on polenta, seasoned greens
spinach-cheese enchiladas, Spanish rice, pinto beans
stuffed pork chops, herb roasted carrots & parsnips, green beans

Have a brilliantly blessed week!

Autumn Fires

 In the other gardens
And all up the vale,
From the autumn bonfires
See the smoke trail!

Pleasant summer over
And all the summer flowers,
The red fire blazes,
The grey smoke towers.

Sing a song of seasons!
Something bright in all!
Flowers in the summer,
Fires in the fall!

~ Robert Louis Stevenson~

Pumpkin Beverages

Pumpkin Smoothie

1/2 cup organic pumpkin puree
1 frozen medium-sized organic banana, chopped

3/4 cup Greek yogurt

1 tbsp. wildflower honey

1/2 tsp organic pumpkin pie spice

1/4 tsp organic vanilla extract

1 cup crushed ice

Place all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth, making sure the ice is completely crushed. Makes two servings

Pumpkin Cider
1 gallon organic apple cider
1 can organic pumpkin puree
2 teaspoon organic pumpkin pie spice
Combine all the ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil for 2 minutes. Then simmer for 5 more minutes. Remove from the fire and let cool for 5 minutes. Serve warm. Makes 1 gallon.

Pumpkin Milkshake
1 frozen, peeled organic banana, chopped
3 Tablespoons orange juice concentrate
3 Tablespoons organic pumpkin puree
1 scoop vanilla ice cream or non dairy ice cream
1/3 cup filtered water
Put all ingredients in a blender and blend on high until smooth. Pour into two tall glasses and top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of Cinnamon or nutmeg.