I know, I know after eating buckets of Halloween Candy last night, no one wants something with the word “chunky” in the title. But trust me, it’s worth the risk. We had some friends join us for trick or treating and I whipped up this easy recipe to enjoy when we got home. More friends came to the door and the evening turned into an impromptu party – my favorite kind! While all the kids spent their time playing with their piles of candy (sorting, trading, counting and eating), the adults enjoyed cups of hot herbal tea and this wonderful apple cake. (Of course, most of the kids had their candy and ate cake too. There were only a couple that declined: one won’t eat nuts, the other doesn’t like “lumpy cake”. Oh well, more for me…)
I've been making this cake every fall for the last three or four years and it always gets rave reviews. Sweet, but not too rich, with delicious chunks of apple and walnut. Pour on some unsweetented raw cream for something really special. The original recipe is from Southern Living Magazine, though I have modified it slightly.
Ingredients
½ cup melted butter
1½ cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoons ground cinnamon
4 medium apples, peeled and sliced (I use Jonagolds, though Granny Smith would be nice as well)
1 cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°.
Stir together butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla.
In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
Add dry ingredients to wet. Stir until combined.
Stir in apples and walnuts. Batter will be thick, more like a cookie dough than a cake batter.
Spoon into a greased 13 x 9 inch pan.
Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Tastes best when topped with cream: sweetened or unsweetened, whipped or not.
Notes
The original recipe includes intructions for making a cream-cheese frosting. I never have; I think it would be too sweet and heavy. However, you are welcome to give it a shot.
See the original recipe here: Southern Living's Chunky Apple Cake.
I’m not crazy about refined sugar, but you probably already knew that didn’t you? High fructose corn syrup is even worse. And GMO soy? shudder No wonder Halloween is so scary. The candy could kill you. {Look mom! I spy an overly dramatic statement.} However… I love trick or treating. I went every year until I got married, wearing a ghostly sheet over my head to disguise my far-too-old face. So how do I reconcile my desire to feed my family well with my love of going door to door begging for free-candy? I don’t even try. Here’s what we do: We eat good food, real food the rest of the day. Then we spend the evening feasting on candy. After graphing it on a bar chart, of course. We are homeschoolers, you know. The next morning, the leftover candy is gone, taken by the Candy Monster. In it’s place will be a new book, art supplies or some other such treat. You know, the kind of treat that won’t kill you… Mwha-ha-ha-ha-ha! Happy Halloween!
A treat for you: I’ve added a few new items to my etsy shop over the weekend. Would you do me a favor and drop in? And maybe share your opinions? Since I love my readers so much, I’ve got a little treat for you. Use the code SIMPLE at checkout for 20% off your order. Speaking of my shop, I’m working some more nativities, but I keep selling them before I can get them listed. If you are interested in one, let me know and I’ll put you on my list. I charge $40, plus $3 shipping in the US.
No time to plan dinner? Why not try my Emergency Minestrone? You probably have just about everything you need in your pantry. Add some sandwiches or a simple salad and call it a meal.
Speaking of salad, instead of bottled dressing, consider making your own vinaigrette. Making your own salad dressing is easier than you might think – and so delicious. Here’s one that we have been enjoying lately. Toss it with salad greens, feta cheese, sliced red grapes and toasted pecans for a real treat.
Remember all those apples I got (for free!) last week? Guess what I made with them yesterday. If you read the title of this post, you have a pretty good chance of getting it right. Yup, I made some apple cider. You’re so smart! Why yes, I did take a picture of my apple cider in a homemade light box. What? Is that weird? My friend invited me over yesterday to use her antique cider press. It works just as well today as it did when it was new, sometime in the 1800s. The process is pretty much the same now too. First, wash and quarter your apples, then dump them in the hopper. Then you need to spit on your hands and get to work. We did not actually spit on our hands. Turn the crank to grind up the apples. Apple patterned apron, optional. Turning that crank is a real work-out! Make sure you have lots of help so you can take breaks give others a chance at the fun.
The ground apples fall into a barrel with wide gaps between the slots. Once full, push the barrel forward so that it sits under the press. Cover with barrel lid. Turn the wheel so the screw-thingy (technical term) presses the lid down tight on the apples. Look at the way the pressure is squeezing out all of that lovely cider! Make sure you have lots of containers to catch it all. Interesting fact: when you first press out the cider, it is a light color, more like apple juice. Within minutes it begins to oxidize and darken. There is nothing like fresh pressed apple cider. It’s rich, sweet and tangy. What we don’t plan to drink right away, I’ll put in the freezer and jealously horde to save for another day. My friends and I still have more apples. We’re planning to get together to do cider again next week. That should just give the blisters enough time to heal…
Have you ever pressed your own cider? How did you do it?
I am still feeling oh. so. sad about losing our sweet Shasta. I just miss her, you know? Even so, I was able to spend a lovely day gathering apples with a friend. The fall sunshine, fresh air and, best of all, great company just lifted my heart. I’m sure I got at least 200 pounds of windfalls (those that had fallen to the ground). Want to know how much all those apples cost? Nothing at all. If you have you-pick apple orchards near you, check with the farmer about their windfall policy. Often there will be no charge. Keeping the orchard clean of fallen apples is helpful to them and great for you. (Though, it is nice if you also pick and purchase some as a way of saying thank you. I picked an additional 20 pounds for eating at only 35 cents a pound.) Fallen apples do tend to be bruised, so you probably wouldn’t want to just slice and eat them, but bruised apples are great for turning into applesauce and apple butter. Apple butter on whole-wheat toast is one of my favorite fall treats. And it couldn’t be easier, trust me.
Homemade apple butter is a hallmark of fall, and using the crockpot makes it come together oh-so easy. Try it spread on toast or spooned over oatmeal. This recipe can be preserved by canning or freezing. Makes about 8 pint jars.
Ingredients
6 pounds of apples (best if you use a couple of varieties)
3 cups of sugar
1 Tablespoon of cinnamon
¼ teaspoon of cloves (optional)
¼ teaspoon of salt
Instructions
Wash six pounds of apples. Cut off any bad spots, then peel, core, slice and place in large crockpot. (Mine holds 6.5 quarts.)
Mix sugar, spices and salt together. Pour over apples and toss.
Cook on high for 1 hour, then turn to low and cook an additional 10 - 12 hours. Remove lid for the last hour so some of the liquid can evaporate. Apples will be a dark brown color.
Allow to cool slightly, then blend small batches in blender or food processor. Be careful: hot liquids expand when blending!
Spoon into clean jars. If canning: leave ½ inch headroom. If freezing: leave 1 inch. Screw on clean/sterilized lids.
Process in a hot-water bath (gently boiling) for 20 minutes or allow to cool to room temperature and freeze.
Sorry to alarm you by using the word emergency, but if it’s 6:00pm and you don’t have any idea what’s for dinner… well, I think the word applies. Before you pick up the phone and call for pizza, check your pantry. Chances are you have just about everything for a quick and easy (and don’t forget yummy) Minestrone Soup. Note: As is, this is a vegetarian soup, but if you’re feeling carnivorous, feel free to substitute chicken stock/broth for the veggie stock and toss in whatever leftover meat you have in the fridge. Chicken, hamburger or ground sausage would all be great choices.
This soup is perfect for those nights when you just don't want to think about dinner. Most of the ingredients can be stored in the pantry or freezer and it comes together in a flash.
Ingredients
1 cup bow-tie pasta
4 cups veggie stock
1 15 oz. can crushed tomatoes – with Italian seasonings
1 15 oz. can kidney beans, drained
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 medium zucchini, chopped
1½ cup of frozen mixed vegetables
salt and pepper to taste
garnish: Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Precook pasta in boiling water until al dente. (If you'd rather skip this step and use dry pasta, just increase your liquid by 2 cups and throw the pasta in with everything else.)
While you are waiting for the pasta, do your other prep by chopping your zucchini and draining your kidney beans.
Drain pasta and put back in pot. Add all remaining ingredients.
Bring to a boil, then turn heat down to low. Simmer until zucchini is tender, about 10 minutes.
Divide into serving bowls. Top with generous amounts of grated Parmesan cheese. Don't skip this step; it's the wow factor.
Enjoy with a simple salad and bread or garlic toast.
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