Monday, January 21, 2013

Loose In The Kitchen Again...


I have had a great weekend, surrounded by my kids and grand kids, sons-in-law and darling husband o' mine. The weather has been perfect, the laughs roll freely, the kids run and shout and play and fight and whisper and hug and have a wondrous cousin time together. I went on a cooking binge, which is good for all of us. I tried a bunch of new stuff but had one unmitigated total success. (Okay, more than one but I am not one to brag... seriously) My grand daughter told me she liked this dessert better than birthday cake. How could that absolutely not make a granny who bakes happier than a pig in....  stuff that is gross and slimy and might be unmentionable.



Anyway. With such rave reviews I thought I would share this one. This is really rich, almost brownie like so don't make it and have no one around to help lighten the calorie load.  I mixed up several recipes. This wasn't done on purpose, I had the recipe up on a computer in the other room and had to keep interrupting the kids and their games to check it. About halfway through I realized I had three recipes going. Sigh. The only thing I would do differently is maybe add a bit of baking powder to lighten it up. Oh, and maybe add a cup or so of chopped walnuts or pecans if the kids weren't here, too. What is it with kids and chunks? Other than that it is perfect.

1 cup (2 sticks)  butter or combination of margarine and butter
1 1/2 cup sugar (2 cups if you use tart apples)

Cream these two together

1 tsp vanilla extract
a good shake of cinnamon if desired (hay I am winging it here, I forget some things on occasion and I am terrible at measuring stuff too.)
3 eggs

Beat until blended. Don't over beat as this causes an emulsion between the eggs and butter.

2 heaping tablespoons Hershey's cocoa powder. I was cooking in a  perfect storm of kids, football, and walk by tasters so honestly I may have added a bit more. I am not sure so we will stick with two.
2 cups +-  of grated apples. 

I used red delicious. The original recipe had chunks of green apples and 2 cups of sugar but A). I had red delicious in abundance and B.) I was serving this to kids and chunks would have freaked them out and C). I like having the apple all through the cake and it was my kitchen so I could do what I wanted (insert stomping foot and protruding tongue here followed by nanny nanny boo boo).

1/2 cup water
1 tsp Baking soda
2 1/4 cup all purpose flour

Beat until well blended, making sure to scrape the sides and bottom of bowl 

roughly 3/4  cup chocolate chips. I used store brand semi sweet.

Mix well.

This goes in a well greased and floured Bundt pan at 325 for 60 to 70 minutes. I have a dark pan and a teeny electric oven, and it took 70.

It is super rich, freaking delicious and has fiber so you can sort of justify it. :) Enjoy!

Monday, January 7, 2013

Poetry of Public Transportation


My work week inspires me (insert maniacal laughter of civil servant after Holiday break) and I prove once again poesy in not my forte!

Seven tired people, riding on a van. Six of them are ladies, one of them a man. Ages vary widely as do race and creed. We are all brought together by our transportation need.

One has lost their license, one can’t see for shit. One has to share with wifey because his own car was hit. One’s afraid of traffic, one can’t drive at night, one is only interested in  the latest octagon ring fight

We doze, we nod, we snore and fart, we read, we chat all in our cart. There is anger, prattle, happy talk. Phone calls, messages, long necks like stalks.

Coffee, soda, water too, tea and red bull and orange juice splash, most are wearing breakfasts masks. Eggs and biscuits, beans and grits, butter, jelly, chicken bits, poptarts, croissants, strudel too, all the frozen stuff they make for you.

We sigh we heave we move our butts…. Work again work again -- oh shut up