Apple Season Already?

It seems crazy for me to think its that time of year already when the leaves start turning, the fruit is ripening and the nights get cooler. But its not officially fall yet, I just need to make that clear!
Change is always happening, you think we would be used to it now. What about change that your not sure should happen. Like a move, change of jobs, and the times when prayers are said like "Lord please only if its your will" because you just don't know what the right decision is. Does the Lord so often (in my opinion) bring us to these forks in the road just to see how we respond? And even when we do make the wrong decision, the Lord is still there, scoops us up and makes something beautiful out of our own mistake even if its just to help us see where we went wrong so we can learn and not make that mistake again. Like a bruised or crow bitten apple, cut the bad off and turn it into...oh decisions...apple sauce or apple cake? hmm...
How about Appley Cake

 This is a very tasty recipe, the cardamom gives it a great flavour. And very apple-y...so moist.

4 cups granny smith apples (or the like) peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 tb. sugar
3/4 cup margarine, melted
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. cardamom
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tb. sugar

Butter a 10" pie plate. In a large bowl combine the apple slices with the lemon juice and 1 tb. sugar, and distribute evenly in the pie plate. Then wisk the melted butter and 1 cup sugar, add the eggs, 1 at a time wisking well after each. Add the flour, spices and salt and mix until smooth. Pour evenly over the apples and then sprinkle the last tablespoon of sugar over top. Bake in a 350 oven for 45 min. or until the apples are tender and crust is golden brown and when pricked with a fork it comes out clean.
 

The little old apple tree that gets lots of apples and gets lots of crow visitors to peck away at my apples :( oh well turn them into baked goods :) 

Thinking about praying for Gods will... Ive been stressing myself out over a certain decision and praying for God to open or close the door in this, according to His will, got me thinking... what if it just happens any old way and I fear if the door is open but it isn't God's will. But then I found these truths in God's word:
Luke 11:9 "And so I tell you, keep asking and you will receive what you ask for."
1 John 5:14,15 And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.
And so with these truths I know that when I ask that His will be done, and please close the door to the possibility of anything that is not His will, I can trust God that He will do as He said in His Word. Thank you Father for that assurance.

Gevulde Boterkoek

 

Gevulde Boterkoek (Butter cake with Almond Paste)

I remember the first time I made a version of this recipe, I was a teen and hanging out with a friend who also happened to be half dutch and she showed me how to make it. I was surprised at how easy it was, yet so yummy. This is a great traditional Dutch treat. Eaten in moderation, of course ;) This version is filled with almond paste so you don't even use almond extract. This was adapted from a recipe book, "The Netherlands Cookbook"

 

For the dough, knead the 2 cups of flour, 1 cup of butter, 1 cup sugar, 1 egg, and pinch of salt. Divide the dough into two and press one half into a buttered 8 " pie pan. 

(you may notice how my pan looks nice, clean and clear...forgot to butter the pan :( and so my cake stuck real good. No worries though, it was still easily eaten up!) 

 

Make the filling with 1 cup of ground almonds, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 egg, grated peel of half a lemon. After the ingredients are blended, place the almond paste on top of the dough layer and smoosh flat to cover most of the dough. Press the other half of the dough on top of the almond paste to cover completely. It helps to press the dough out a bit flat on the counter before you put in the pan.

Bake in oven at 350 degrees until golden brown, about 1 hour. Cool and then cut into wedges.

This cake always gives me home-y feelings.

The Lord has done great things for us; we are glad. Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like streams in the Negev! Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy! He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him. Psalm 126:3-6

 

I was thinking about feeling home-y and came across this verse and it feels so good for me to hear this right now. I have recently been told by my doctor, that I can no longer drive due to having epilepsy. I was diagnosed with epilepsy about a year ago. I find this so hard to accept. To be honest, I have cried a lot over it. I've told myself there are so many other things that are much worse. Yet I feel I need to mourn the loss of this freedom and convenience. I am grateful to the Lord for so many things, first I'm grateful that the Lord has been leading me to a place of being confident to face things that are scary and difficult. He has been teaching me to have a better attitude and be optimistic, looking on the bright side of things. I realise again and again, that He does things at perfect timing.

I'm grateful that I can and have been all along, able to walk my kids to school. No inconvenience there. I am grateful that I don't work out side of the home, no extra inconvenience there either. I am grateful that I am not too far from a few stores.

I was told by a friend: "I wonder how the Lord is going to use this. Its gunna be something big". Awesome! Thank you Lord for what hope I have in you! And Lord willing this isn't a forever thing. Lord willing I can find the right medication to stop the seizures. I Do Know for Sure, I am Not alone in this season of my life, or any time.

I have this truth to take with me in my times of shedding tears, if I allow God to use me, He will turn them into shouts of Joy as I come home.

 

Gods word gives me home-y feelings.... more.

 

Lunberjack Cake

Here is a good, 'ole fashioned cake, that'll stick to your ribs. Good with a cup of coffee. I know...I tried it.
Preheat oven to350. Grease 9" spring form pan.
Get out a small pot and bring 1 CUP of WATER with your dates to a boil. Once that happens, remove from the heat and stir in 1 TSP of BAKING SODA. Leave to cool.
In the mean time in a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
In a large bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, egg and vanilla. Slowly beat in the date mixture. Incorporate the flour mixture. Then fold in the apple and coconut.
Spread the batter in the pan, evenly.
Bake 45-50 min. The cake may dip, don't worry though. It will be moist and dense.

Do You Like rHuBaRb?

 RhUbArB seems like one of those plants that every other person has but doesn't care to do anything with most of the time these days. I say "these days" because I believe it was used more back in the day when people had less and used more of what was easily and cheaply available.
 This is the rhubarb recipe of spring '13 for me. I've made it 3 times already. Well I should be honest about why though. Its so yummy but...First time I made it and forgot to add baking powder, so I ended up with rhubarb slop. Immediately after that failure I attempted a second go and 15 minutes after I put it in the oven...the power goes out! About a couple hours later it comes back on and I finished baking it. It was good but I knew it could be better. It didn't rise completely. So like I said I made it a third time. Third times a charm, they say!

Rhubarb & Strawberry Crumble Cake
for the crumble:
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup fine sugar (icing sugar)
for the cake:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup + 5 TB. fine sugar
3 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 cup yogurt
2 1/2 cups chopped rhubarb
1/2 cup chopped strawberries

Heat the oven to 350, and call the hydro company to make sure that the power wont be going out, due to "equipment failures" any time in the near future. Grease an 8" round spring form pan. Prepare the crumble by blending the flour and sugar with the butter. Use your fingers to bring the ingredients together to form crumbs. In a bowl mix the 5 TB. of sugar with the rhubarb and strawberries. For the cake, start with the first ingredient listed and beat in each one following, one at a time, until you get to the flour. Then use a spoon to stir the flour in, DON'T FORGET THE BAKING SODA, and salt. Add the yogurt and it should be a thick batter. Scrape the batter into the pan, evenly spread fruit on top of the batter, and top with the crumble. Bake for about 50 min.

Dundee Cake

In honor of my Scottish heritage, I thought I would give a go at baking a traditional Scottish cake, called the

Dundee Cake

I recently learned about it, from a British magazine. It made me think of the all traditional Fruit cake, but I love the look of the decorative almonds on top. I did some collecting of different takes on the recipe, and came up with my own version. And so I think it will make a nice addition to the Christmas baking being eaten and given as  gifts. Oh ya, one more thing, I did cut costs on different ingredients.

¾ cup margarine

¾ cup brown sugar

3 tb. Marmalade

3 eggs

1 cup flour

1 ½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

¼ cup ground almonds

1 heaping tsp. mixed spice ~~To make your own~~1 Tb. cinnamon, 1 tsp. coriander, 1 tsp. nutmeg, ½ tsp. ginger, ¼ tsp. allspice, ¼ tsp. cloves. Bottle up to use.

½ cup each of: currants, sultanas, chopped dates, glace cherries-halved

1 tb. molasses

1 tsp. rum extract

2 tsp. cream

½ cup blanched almonds

~~A Note about Blanched Almonds~~ I’ve been able to find whole natural almonds for a really good price compared to the blanched almonds that are sold in the baking isle. So I figured out an easy method to blanching my own almonds to get them pretty and pale looking for the top of this cake. Just bring about 2 inches of water to boil in a small pot. Place the almonds in, to boil for about 1-2 min. Remove with a slotted spoon into a bowl of cold water. The almond skin can now be easily pinched off.

 

Method à Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Grease an 8 inch round spring form pan. Beat the margarine and brown sugar, until light and fluffy. Add the marmalade. Add the eggs one at a time, beating in well after each one. Sift in the dry ingredients, and add the almonds. Stir to combine. Next, stir in the dried fruit. And then the molasses, extract, and cream. Once this is all well mixed, spoon into the pan, smooth the surface to place the blanched almonds in circles, all pretty like.

 

Bake for 1 ½ to 2 hours, until the cake is well risen and a toothpick comes our clean, when inserted into the cake middle. Cool for 10 min. before removing from pan.

 

Old Fashioned Rhubarb Pudding Cake

Yay, finally I have my own rhubarb to use. I planted it last spring and it has grown a lot since then. Now its ready to be used for baking.

 I pulled out quite a few stalks for my cake recipe. About six.

 This is the recipe I tried, that my mom gave me a few years ago

Wash up and chop the rhubarb.

Cook it in a pot with the sugar over medium heat for 15 minutes. 

 Mix all the rest of the ingredients, including the 1/2 cup of left over sugar.

Spread the batter into a 9" greased baking dish. 

Pour the rhubarb over top.

 Bake in preheated oven of 350 degrees, for 30-35 min.

It was so easy and the ingredients are so basic. My favourite kind of recipe!