3 Spoonfuls of Sugar

I stumbled upon this paperback in the 1980s,
and it is a treasure.

We had some apples that were going bad, and don't like to waste anything in this time of fewer trips to the grocery store. This recipe for Apple Cake is from a charming old cookbook I love called Sweets for Saints & Sinners, by Janice Feuer, illustrated by Veronica di Rosa. It was published in San Francisco in 1980, and I found it on the "giveaway table" at my first magazine job. Woman's Day editors often put things out for the taking on the hallway tables--cross-stitched tablecloths, crafty curtains and other projects from photo shoots, cookbooks, even treats.

The recipe is so easy, you can slide it in the oven in under 30 minutes. It is really delicious. I cut back the total sugar from 1 cup to 3 tablespoons. This cake would be delicious made with hazelnut or walnut oil, but they're pricey and I didn't have any. Fig loved the cake. This small loaf is mostly fruit, and it vanishes fast.

APPLE SNACK CAKE, adapted from Sweets for Saints & Sinners

2 cups unpeeled apples [about 2 to 3 apples], rinsed and diced
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 egg [I used egg replacer powder]
1/4 cup canola oil
2/3 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Grated nutmeg, about 1/2 "nut" or use ground nutmeg but freshly grated is best
Pinch of sea salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup white or whole-wheat flour
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Shelled walnut or pecan halves, optional

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line the bottom of an 8 by 4 inch loaf pan or an 8-inch cake pan with parchment paper, or butter and flour the pan.
3. Combine the diced apples with the sugars in a bowl and let stand. 
4. In medium-size bowl, whip the egg lightly with a whisk. Whisk in the oil, then cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
5. With a wooden spoon, stir in the apple mixture, flour and vanilla. I added a handful of pecan halves.
6. Spoon the thick batter into pan; smooth out best you can.
7. Bake for about 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

TCOY

1. Clipped overgrown forsythia shrubs again [we have several in the backyard] and filled a lawn and leaf bag to bring to the curb.
2. Picked up my hair color bag at salon. [It was outside on salon porch with other customers' secret formulas.]
3. Ate some baby spinach.

FOOD

• Dan and I are trying hard to get Punch on board for remote school. She had 11 am Zoom session with math teacher. P lost a tooth last night [still has 3 baby teeth to go]. Was up at 2 am. Dan made a BIG brainy breakfast with scrambled eggs, Hungry Jack pancakes, bacon and sausage, with a little glass of milk. I had 2 fluffy, small, fat HJ pancakes w butter and a little pure maple syrup, 3 pc bacon, 1 sausage, 1 whole-wheat toast with butter, 1 coffee w milk.
• I made the apple cake. I had 2.5 pieces. It was so toasty and good.
• About 6 walnuts.
• Tall ice waters.
• Lunch during home school day; baby spinach w avocado, tomato, croutons, feta and a little dressing; six Bagel Bites, worst ever. 
• Second coffee with whole milk.
• 8 Ritz crackers w a couple slices Cheddar.
• Spoonful crunchy Skippy PB.
• Breaded, pan-browned flounder, tartar sauce, broccoli, Basmati rice.

$ MONEY SPENT OUT OF POCKET

• Nordstrom credit card, pretty Wacoal bra on sale, free shipping, $29.98. [Using the Nordstrom phone app is fun and fast. Great filters for sales, size, brand, etc.]
• Paper Plane Coffee in Montclair, curbside pickup, three iced drinks for tomorrow at 9:30 am, can't wait, including Iced Matcha for Punch, $3.50 tip to help support staff, $22.16.
• Charity donation, Giving Tuesday Now, $25.

Total daily spend: $77.14.

Ongoing monthly spend as of May 5: $220.14.

Avg daily spend: $44.03.

Cobbling Together a Sweet Peach Treat 🍑🍑🍑

Dan's peach tree yielded plenty of golden globes this year! A lot fell to the ground, too--that low-hanging fruit, plump, ripe and sweet. The squirrels have taken many a bite, and even the two cats next door seem curious.

Dan plans to make preserves this weekend, but meanwhile, I used up aprons full of slightly marred or spotted fruit in this simple Peach Cobbler recipe from Erin McDowell, a high priestess of pie, cake and everything baking. I saw her roll piecrust in person at a Food52 event in NYC. Many cobblers have heavy country biscuit tops but this one has a golden crown of streusel-like crumbs.

Don't let the length of the recipe scare you. It's really easy. I think the secret is ripe peaches.

I loved listening to Simon & Garfunkel on Spotify as I sliced pounds of peaches with a sharp knife, trimming off dents, bruises and skin that was too spotted.

Here is the link to Erin's recipe on finecooking.com, also my top site for all-butter piecrust.

https://www.finecooking.com/recipe/peach-vanilla-cobbler

I tweaked some things here and there--see below--and had enough filling for three shallow dishes. Please see my notes in blue. BTW, to be truthful, I sure do miss baking gooey, rich chocolate-chip cookies, dense cocoa brownies and moist layer and loaf cakes. I do, I do. But I am avoiding that because most contain a lot of sugar and calories and more importantly, I cannot meter out consumption of the sweets. I generally do not overdo it on fruit in any form [unless it's buttery apple cake or glazed lemon tea loaf]. 

I won't lie, we thought it was delicious.

Peach-Vanilla Cobbler
By Erin McDowell June/July 2017 Issue of Fine Cooking Magazine
Servings: 8 to 10

The unusual, crumbly topping for this cobbler completely covers the peach-vanilla filling. Though it looks like streusel, it still has a tender biscuit texture.

Ingredients 
For the topping 
11 oz. (2-1/3 cups) all-purpose flour [I used 2 cups white flour and 1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour; I wanted more topping, to cover three pans, though one was a mini pie dish.]
1/2 cup granulated sugar
I threw in about 3 Tbs. light brown sugar, too
1 Tbs. baking powder
3/4 tsp. table salt
4 oz. (8 Tbs.) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2/3 cup heavy cream

For the filling
1/2 cup granulated sugar; more to taste [cut down to 3 Tbs.]
1 Tbs. cornstarch; more as needed
4 lb. ripe peaches, pitted and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices [best part: no peeling, yay!]
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract [I carefully toted my bottle of extract, like the pricey elixir it is, to the Cape and back. But I had turned the cap so tight, I couldn't open it. So I subbed in pure almond extract.]

For assembly and baking 
1 Tbs. unsalted butter, at room temperature

Make the topping In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt to combine, 15 to 30 seconds. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal with pieces no larger than the size of a pea, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer to a medium bowl. Make a well in the center of the bowl, pour in the cream, and toss well to combine. Gently combine the mixture into a dough, being careful not to overmix (the mixture will form large streusel-like crumbs). Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate while you make the filling. (The biscuit crumb topping can be made up to 1 day ahead; keep covered in the refrigerator.)  I don't have a food processor at the moment. I just used a silicone whisk. It was fine. 

Make the filling
In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cornstarch (if your fruit is especially juicy, add an additional 1 or 2 tsp. of cornstarch). In a large bowl, toss the peaches with the sugar mixture. Add the vanilla, and toss well to combine.

Assemble and bake the cobbler
Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 400°F. Butter a shallow 3-quart baking dish (or individual dishes; see tip). Pour the fruit into the prepared dish. Crumble the dough over the fruit in an even layer. Transfer the cobbler to the oven, and bake until the topping is evenly golden and the fruit filling is bubbly in the center of the dish, 30 to 35 minutes. Rotate the cobbler halfway through baking time for even browning. If browning too quickly, reduce the oven temperature to 375°F and tent the baking dish with foil. Let the cobbler cool for at least 45 minutes before serving warm.

© 2019 The Taunton Press, Inc. All rights reserved. Fine Cooking may receive a percentage of sales for items purchased through links.

TCOY

1. Morning support group.
2. Long walk with Sug, down by the creek and over by the Hobbit houses.
3. Tuna on rye with kale leaves, made by Dan.
4. Ordered a side of vegs with dinner.

$ MONEY SPENT OUT OF POCKET

• Parking meter, 35 cents.
• Joyist, the TYNE sourdough toast with goat cheese, sliced apple, walnuts and a drizzle of honey, $8. [Used my free reward-card punch on a nice big bowl for Figgy, with a fresh mango and coconut base, tahini granola, blueberries and more. Looked yum. Might get one tomorrow.]
• La Couronne, old-school/new-school Italian restaurant, picked up food to go and Dan and I watched a movie. Figgy was out. Two entrees, two sides of vegs, bread, plus $3 tip, $66.

TOTAL DAILY SPEND: $74.35.
TOTAL MONTHLY SPEND AS OF AUGUST 17: $2,069.67.

AVERAGE DAILY SPEND FOR MONTH SO FAR: $121.75.

[I added in all Cape and travel days now.]
Punch was on Cape for 10 days with us, but then followed by 10 days with Mimi in North Carolina,
Atlantic City etc. So I should try to bring our bill down until she returns Thursday. It is spiking high with Cape Cod spends.

Hot, big-money spends in August, or how I spent our bread:

🥖 La Couronne, Montclair, dinner to go for Dan and me while watching Saturday night movie, $66.
🥖 Cafe Giotto, Montclair, dinner w Elaine, $53.

🥖Fill gas tank twice on Cape Cod, $46 x 2= $92.
🥖Idle Times bike shop rental for Punch from noon Saturday until 5 p.m. Sunday, $31.
🥖T.J. Maxx, four designer dresses, Adidas sneakers, knock-off lightweight Burberry scarf, Olga bra, Lauren pillow, shorts, etc. etc., $338.

🥖Pizza+/fancyish restaurant dinner with Punch after swimming in pond in Brewster until after 7 p.m., $77.

🥖Mac's Market & Kitchen, lobster, clams, kale salad, mango salsa and other Sunday dinner ingredients, $53.

🥖Brewster bakery, including cookbook I somehow lost, maybe a message from God because it was packed with recipes for sweets, $25.
🥖2 Massachusetts mugs, one for Cape and one for home, $28.
🥖Commando.com, black half-slip, $65.
🥖Arnold's Lobster & Clam Bar, fried clam belly basket plus tip, $30.
🥖Pure Vita, the new CBD [not for me] and natural home care store with essential-oil bar and pretty pineapple throw pillow case for Cape house, votive candles, seaweed/lavender bath sachets, $52.
🥖Stop & Shop, Cape groceries, $29 + $40 + $52=$121.
🥖Lobster roll supper with P. at Adams Lodge in Wellfleet, $32.
🥖Eastham info booth, pink sweatshirt, $30.
🥖Mass Audubon annual family membership, $65.
🥖Sunbird breakfast sandwich w citrus mayonnaise on grilled ciabatta plus expensive coffee beans from, of all places, Portland, Maine, plus tip, $27.

🥖Audubon gift shop, small turtle rug for home; bird gift for Figgy; goat milk body wash; Bee Boss Body Balm, which I love for lips, too; small owl wall calendar for family, with member discount, $88. 
🥖Vineyard Vines, candy-pink gingham skort, orig $98, now on sale for $68.99, plus shipping, $79.
🥖Mac’s Market & Kitchen, lobster, scallops, salmon, lemon, cornbread square, crackers, $49.

COMPARISON SHOPPING. That long Cape Cod vacay in August really drove the numbers up so far.

TOTAL SPEND FOR MONTH OF JULY [STARTING JULY 5; I LOST A FEW DAYS THERE]: $1,610.81. 👛 🎯 ⬇️
JULY AVERAGE DAILY SPEND: $59.66!  👛 🎯 ⬇️

TOTAL SPEND FOR MONTH OF MAY: $2,348.24.

MAY AVERAGE DAILY SPEND: $75.75. 

TOTAL SPEND FOR MONTH OF APRIL: $3,634.28.

APRIL AVERAGE DAILY SPEND: $121.14.

Last Monday in July--Already!

I spend a fair amount of money at Starbucks because I load $25 on the app
periodically and then I'm not using cash, so I feel it less than peeling bills from my purse--
plus I rack up reward stars.

TCOY

1. Walked Sug around block.
2. Ice water.
3. Did lots of weeding in garden.
4. Emailed possible job contact/sent resume and article links [met last week at mixer in NYC].
5. Made a quick peach tart with whole-wheat pastry crust, because white peaches are pricey and they were rounding the ripeness bend fast. Not much added sugar; Dan & I liked it.
6. I have 5? wasp stings the size of golf balls. Got them yesterday in front yard--the beasts flew up under my dress and stung my belly, thigh and rear. Just took cool bubble bath and 2 Aleve.

$ MONEY SPENT OUT OF POCKET

• Copy shop, 5 copies, 50 cents.
• Sandwich Theory, an Avocado Dream sandwich and a smoked turkey special for Georgia and Rich, my good young neighbors whose newborn, Hank, arrived 2 months early--they have been running around with little time to eat. Plus $5 breakfast sandwich for me and jar tip, $23. 
• Starbucks, bottle of iced green tea and one small Horizon chocolate milk for the new parents, plus small bag of dark chocolate espresso beans. Plus, for my bag, 2 almond biscotti and 1 Justin's dark chocolate PB cups, $14.71.
• Gas for car plus $1 tip for man who pumped it, because it was hot as hell out, $5.
• ShopRite, rotisserie turkey breast; salted whipped butter; pint vanilla ice cream; and Cheddar Sun Chips for Punch to take to camp tomorrow, $15.99.

TOTAL DAILY SPEND: $59.20.

RUNNING TOTAL FOR MONTH AS OF JULY 29 [AND STARTING JULY 5]: $1,573.28.

AVERAGE DAILY SPEND SO FAR: $62.93.

This monthly spend is pretty low so far, thanks to Punchy being Mimi-based for 2 full weeks--and me being at Sis's for four nights.

Big-ticket firecracker items in July: *Marcel bkfast w Punch and loaf of bread, $29; *Tory Burch sandals, $111; Starbucks Camp day, $94 [I subtracted the Bear Mountain pickles and peaches]; Punch bday gifts for friend + tiramisu w Elaine, $37; Joyist to write, + Punch drop-in, $30; one day of Joyist Reset Meal Plan, $35; Elixir of Love body creme, $30; Kings, groceries to make Bobbi Brown website chocolate-chip cookie dough, plus candle holder and votive, $32; and Nest Fragrances candles/lip balm website order, $82; took Sis to Thai restaurant for lunch, $36; The Paper Store, cross-body bag, notebook, etc., $66; Whole Foods, quiche and chocolate espresso custard ingreds plus groceries, $80.63; pre-theatre Junior's dinner for me and P,  $64; King Kong Bway ticket, $99; and that expensive Montclair burger w shaved truffle, about $28 with tip.

Ali's Applesaucers, Vegan or with Butter

#bakeuntilgolden

ALI'S APPLESAUCERS

The comforting scent of cinnamon-flecked apples wafts through your home as these plump cookies bake. But they won't cloud your thinking with added sugar in any form, or lead to a rise and fall/crash, and the whole grains help carry you through the day. Superfast to assemble. Add chopped, toasted pecans or walnuts if you have some.

Makes about 2 dozen large cookies.

4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
2/3 cup apple juice or apple juice concentrate
1/2 cup [1 stick] butter [today I used vegan cultured butter; you could also use coconut oil instead]
1 egg [today I used The Neat Egg, egg replacer powder to make vegan]
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/3 cup raisins or chopped dried apricots
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Grease two cookie sheets, or line with parchment paper.
3. Whir 1 cup oats in food processor until finely ground to make oat flour.
4. With mixer, beat apple juice and butter until blended. 
5. Beat in egg and applesauce.
6. Stir in oat flour, remaining 3 cups oats, and raisins, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon until blended.
7. Drop by spoonfuls onto greased or lined cookie sheets.
8. Bake about 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

This is the vegan, no-flour version of what Dan named "Ali's Applesaucers" 26 years ago, when we were newlyweds. I had started making them in my Ocean Grove, NJ kitchen when we were dating. It is adapted from the Applesauce Cookies recipe from the canary-yellow pages of The Low Blood Sugar Cookbook by Patricia and Edward Krimmel, copyright 1986.

Here is what Dan penned on the page in blue ink when we were younger and [more newly] in love, the second year of our marriage. I baked these in our Montclair apartment, where Dan had stayed up into Easter morning to surprise me with a fresh coat of white paint on our big dish cupboard/cookbook shelf and blue hearts around the border.

Here's the ultimate perfect name:
ALI'S APPLESAUCERS

SUNDAY, OCT 18, 1992

Tonight, after watching 60 Minutes + the old
Ed Sullivan show, Alice found the perfect
all-time great version of these cookies, 
worthy of the name, "ALI BABAS."

"EL PERFECTO"

Did you know that Dan has been a type 1, insulin-dependent diabetic since age 18, his freshman year in college? He has taken such good care of himself. All my life's a circle, as the song goes, and we are coming back to this recipe.

xoxoxo

TCOY

1. Biked in and out of town for 2., below.
2. Solo appt w Punchy’s therapist; helpful insights.
3. Bought green tulip-sleeve [aka bell-sleeve] green cardigan by 525 America at Barbara Eclectic on Valley Road. That label makes cute sweaters. Visualized wearing it over my shoulders on cool Cape Cod night.
4. Went to Gus & Co. Seafood for 1/2 lb delicious day-boat scallops, which I pan-seared for dinner for Punch and me. [Dan and Figgy were out.]
5. Had healthy, fresh vegs and rice bowl, late lunch, at Marcel; Sis treated.
6. Walked Sugar and Buttercup to grassy island.
7. Sweet potato. Plain grass-fed yogurt. Banana. Iced coffee. Plump dried apricots. Rosemary almonds.
8. Nap.

Bowling for Beauty

Already posted on insta; putting here, too. I love the new spot called Juice Culture on Valley Road in Montclair. The organic juices, blends and bowls are pricey but loaded with fruits or veggies, acai, homemade raw granola, antioxidants--with local farm honey and other treats. Very generously sized. I love my rewards card. Punchy loved sharing this bowl w me and I bet Figgy would have, too, but she wasn't home from work yet and it vanished fast. Does our skin look healthier, our eyes more sparkly yet?  Pictured: The Dina bowl.

TCOY

1. Went for long overdue ob/gyn appt, Pap smear, etc. Glad I did, though it's uncomfortable.
2. My delicious bowl, above.

Derailed but Back on Track Again

I couldn't bring myself to report my going off the rails last night. I went to something that was part class/part support group yesterday evening. I was upset about some observations, and some truths or probable truths. And I was angry at Dan. I had driven into the city in the pouring rain in the afternoon for a work task and it took forever to find a free parking space [on West 67th Street, finally]. The traffic was terrible and I got back late and delivered Punchy to gymnastics one half-hour late [her weekly Monday class goes from 4:45 to 6:15]. But now that I hopped back on the horse of healthy eating, and went to the doctor for a checkup, and my weight was down, I will write what I ate when I returned home close to 9 p.m. It showed me very clearly, once again, that I cannot control myself if left to my own devices with sweets/treats/sugar. And that one bite can lead to many gobbles.

1. Two bouchees [smallish French cookies/pastry treats] I had brought back from the city for Punchy and Figgy. They had not eaten them in the four hours since I put them on the table. I did. They were from La Maison du Chocolat.
2. 1 Pop-Tart [last one in box, or I would have eaten more]. I'm telling you, sugar craving took over.
3. 1 smallish bowl of Honeycomb cereal with 2 percent milk.
4. 1 Nutri Grain crumb cake square. 
5. Worst of all, an entire  "share me" size bag of Life Savers Gummi Savers, which was 3 servings.
6. 1 of Punchy's Hershey's pudding cups.

If there was any other treat not nailed down, I would have eaten that, too. But it ended there. I went to bed, grouchy, without washing my face or brushing my teeth. Today I was back to turkey, salad, veggies, fruit, cottage cheese. I feel good. I drove over to Sis's for an overnight visit and she took me to the Water Club! I savored gazpacho with lobster; a Cobb salad with crab and shrimp; fresh, sweet strawberries; and an excellent cup of cappuccino. I did have a couple spoonfuls of Sis's tiramisu and had a little excellent whipped cream on my berries. Good night.

8 Steps, Baby & Giant

Today was day 4 of the Whole Life Challenge, which goes til March 11. I've happily made some discoveries while attempting to crowd out chocolate, candy, white sugar, white flour, bread, pasta and cheese:

1. I have more energy.
2. I like steel-cut oatmeal. Of course, it's frigid out, and oatmeal is a comfort. This morning, after 8 a.m. yoga and meditation class, I had to drive past the Whole Foods in West Orange. I got the hot oatmeal with raisins and I added dried cherries, fresh blueberries, sliced almonds [all from the food bar] and a splash of cream from the coffee bar. It was delicious. I took home the part of the cup I hadn't finished and had it as a snack later. Yum.
3. Stonyfield Organic 100% Grassfed Yogurt is a rich find. Tangy and good. A six-ounce container of the plain white cream is 120 calories and very satisfying. Having one now for bedtime snack. Here's the label image: 
   
4. Baked sweet potatoes are my friend. And I can have with a pat of butter and a sprinkle of sea salt.
5. Journaling helps. My friend Sue told me to try first-person, positive affirmations. Did for the first time today. 
6. Weird shakes require bravery but are filling. That chocolate avocado kale smoothie I made on day 1 was--interesting. Here is the LINK. If I had the peppermint oil, I think it would have been much better. I might make tomorrow with orange extract from my cupboard. Good way to get your veggies. But much too filling before exercise class.
7. I can let it pour. I love milk, and on the Kick-Start level [easiest of the three], I can have my milk. Yum. A nice cold glass of organic low-fat milk is dreamy.
8. 77 oz. of water is a boatload. You calculate how much to drink based on your weight. It's hard to hit this mark. But today at yoga, I overheard one woman say to another that she drinks a gallon of water a day, especially in winter, to hydrate.

TCOY

• Yoga + meditation class. Teacher Julie Harris just returned from trip to India and is even wiser. Today's message was about how not knowing is the path/willingness to knowing.
• Healthy foods: Oatmeal, fruit, sweet potato, roast turkey, peanuts, hot tea, green beans, brown rice, tofu, leftover meat loaf, Stonyfield yogurt. Small amounts of sweets, such as a small macaron, free sample at La Maison du Chocolat.
• Figgy started classes today at Montclair State, and is fully moving back home by February 1. I made vegan dinner and dessert for her and her friend. Surprising, but even H. liked the baked ziti. Did a nice sauce with San Marzano diced tomatoes, and used vegan mozzarella-style shreds and Kite Hill ricotta made from almond milk. I just had a couple tastes, because I'm not supposed to eat pasta. Had leftovers of other foods.
• I made this luxe chocolate cake [in 13 x 9 inch pan] vegan by using egg replacer powder for the 3 eggs and almond milk instead of regular milk. I made a quick, shiny dark chocolate glaze from the tried-and-true Cake Bible, with semisweet chocolate but coconut oil instead of butter, and a little each of water, vanilla extract and corn syrup. Love this brand, below. I'm a cake snob, so if I'm not baking from scratch, I want a high-end mix. I ate a couple forkfuls of the cake. The girls loved it. So did our sitter, Elaine. Today is her bday and I sent home half the rectangle with her.
  
• 
  

Razzleberry Crisp Twist

Running out to a meeting...more to come....got up early to do dishes by hand [dishwasher still broken].....had an excess of strawberries so decided to do a twist on the Razzleberry Crisp from beautiful Back in the Day Bakery Cookbook that I bought in Savannah with my new friend Kim.

Virtuous Apple Cake

Here's a humble farmhouse cake I've been making for H. ever since we were dating. It was the featured recipe for September in my 1990 calendar, and I pulled out the page and kept it. I don't have a specific source to attribute it to.

I doubled it tonight to make a 9 x 13 inch cake, but you can halve the ingredients and make an 8" square. You could probably also bake this larger batch in the 8" for a thicker cake, though I haven't tested that. H. and I love it, Punchy only liked it. I tweaked the recipe. It's low in sugar.

Virtuous Apple Cake

No sticks of butter or mountains of sugar, so you can feel good about eating this. The fragrant walnut oil and toasted walnuts elevate a simple cake to something special.

Butter to grease pan
Cooking oil
1 cup chopped walnuts
4 medium apples [2 red, 2 green or whatever you have], peeled and finely chopped
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons sugar [1/4 cup]
2 cups all-purpose flour [next time, I will use 1.5 cups white and .5 cup whole wheat]
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup walnut oil [original recipe calls for veg oil but walnut oil is a delicious indulgence, though pricey]
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon high-quality vanilla extract [Madagascar bourbon]

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease bottom of 13" x 9" pan with butter. Line bottom with a piece of parchment paper. Grease paper with butter. 
3. Toast walnuts over medium heat in skillet with a little cooking oil. Stir nuts often and watch closely until lightly browned and fragrant. Remove from heat.
4. In large bowl, mix apples with 1 tablespoon sugar and the cinnamon. 
5. In medium bowl, combine flour, remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, baking powder and salt.
6. Stir walnut oil, eggs and vanilla into apple mixture. Add flour mixture and stir just until ingredients are moistened. Batter will be stiff. Stir in walnuts.
7. Spread mixture in pan using back of spoon and bake 45 to 55 minutes until golden brown and apple pieces are tender when poked with a toothpick.

Nice with a glass of milk!

Note: The original recipe says to cut in squares and serve warm with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce, which I'm sure would be divine but that's not the point here. I cut it into squares and packed it up for car ride to Maine and for eating up there.

TCOY

1. Boot camp in the park. Hard.
2. Met friend Maria.
3. Salon blowout.
4. Made mushrooms, steamed asparagus and chicken cutlets for dinner.

An Older [Foster] Cupcake Mom in an Apple World

It's been 13 years since we've had a first grader [Figgy] in the house. My, how things have changed. Maybe it's bc Fig didn't want to play soccer. For Punch's first game today, I was asked to bring a healthy snack, like fruit or crackers. Hence, 14 Honeycrisp apples coming up. I made sure to wash them all. Resisted urge to dunk in caramel and swirl with chocolate.; Have you noticed this change too? What's next, celery on Halloween?