Autumnal Apple Cake

Notes
I am so glad that you guys are also interested in reviving our blog! I still think of the four of you whenever I am looking for recipes and refer back to our blog from time-to-time. Let the recipe sharing begin!
This recipe is from Smit.ten Kit.chen and was recommended to me by a friend at Penn State. I have already made this cake three times this fall and it's only the middle of September! It's a great way to use apples (Marcus' parents have a tree full of apples that they've been sharing with us) and it's a cake that works for many different events. It's essentially a coffee cake, but the longer it sits, the more moist and delicious it gets. Ideally, you'd make it a day or two ahead of when you need and let it sit. I made a couple of very minor changes below, but basically it's the same recipe from SK. Enjoy!

Ingredients

6 apples (I used 12-13 small somewhat tart apples)
1 tablespoon cinnamon
6 tablespoons sugar (all granulated or half granulated/half brown sugar)
***
2 3/4 c. flour, sifted
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 c. vegetable oil
2 c. sugar
1/4 c. orange juice (freshly squeezed, about 1 orange)

zest of 1/2 orange
2 1/2 tsp vanilla
4 eggs
1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

Procedure
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a tube pan. Peel, core and chop apples into chunks. Toss with cinnamon and sugar and set aside.

Stir together flour, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together oil, orange juice, orange zest, sugar and vanilla. Mix wet ingredients into the dry ones, then add eggs, one at a time. Scrape down the bowl to ensure all ingredients are incorporated.

Pour half of batter into prepared pan. Spread half of apples over it. Pour the remaining batter over the apples and arrange the remaining apples on top. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours, or until a tester comes out clean. Cool completely before running knife between cake and pan, and unmolding onto a platter.

Mommy's Energy Bars

Hi!  A friend made these and emailed the recipe to me (I modified slightly).  They were great and easy to grab when I needed a quick snack between feedings/diaper changes/etc.  I wanted to be able to put it on my pinterest board so I thought I'd add it here. These are simple and yummy!  You'll have to ask M for her "Crack Cookies" which are also blog worthy... but I don't want to steal her thunder.

Ingredients
1/4 c brown rice syrup
1/4 c pure maple syrup
1/2 c peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 c old-fashioned oatmeal
3/4 c ground flaxseed

Directions
1 - Heat the peanut butter, brown rice syrup, and maple syrup over low heat and stir until combined.  The purpose of this step is to combine the ingredients, not cook them/bring to a boil.
2 - Remove from heat and let cool until warm (not hot).
3 - Add vanilla and stir.
4 - Add oats, flaxseed, salt, and cinnamon; stir.
5 - Put into a 8x8 pan lined with parchment paper.  Wet hands or back of spoon and press firmly into pan.
6 - Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes (until edges are slightly browned)
7 - Remove from oven, cool slightly, cut into squares or whatever shape suits your mood.
8 - YUM!

NOTE: I tripled this and it worked great in a jelly-roll pan (see pic).

Honey Spelt Bread

Spelt is a delicious wheat that I learned to love while living overseas. I have trouble finding much made with spelt in the US, so when I came across spelt flour I bought a bag...then completely forgot about until we moved! I found this recipe from Fo.od & Wi.ne magazine. I was suspicious at first, because the recipe didn't allow for time to proof the yeast. However I followed this exactly and it turned out really well - moist and substantial. And it was easy to make! The top of my loaf did start to burn, so I recommend covering it with foil about halfway through the baking time to prevent this.

4 1/2 c. spelt flour

2 tsp fine sea salt

2 tsp. active dry yeast

1 1/3 c. cool water

2 Tbsp honey

In a standing mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the flour, salt and yeast. Turn the machine to medium low, add the water and honey gradually and mix until the flour is moistened, about 2 minutes, scraping down the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Increase the speed to medium and knead until a stiff dough forms, about 2 minutes longer.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and shape into a ball. Set the dough in am oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours (**mine took longer to rise, but rise it eventually did!).

Preheat the oven to 450° and spray a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with vegetable cooking spray. Invert the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and gently punch it down. Fold the dough into a loaf, tucking in the sides and pinching the seams. Transfer the dough to the loaf pan, seam side down. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Remove the plastic wrap and lightly dust the dough with flour. Bake for about 35 minutes, until the loaf is risen, golden on top and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the loaf reads 180°. Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then tip it out onto a rack to cool completely before serving.

Seven Layer Cookies

1 stick butter
1 1/2 cups graham crackers
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup butterscotch chips (this is optional but why would you ever opt not to add?)
1 can Eagle brand sweetened condensed milk

Melt butter in a cake pan. Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs over butter. Top with remaining ingredients in the order above and press down firmly.

Bake 25 minutes or until lightly brown at 350 degrees.

**Unfortunately when I made these for the group, I added the milk after the graham crackers... my mom tells me that our family recipe has the milk as the final ingredient.... so that is why some of the butterscotch chips lost their footing! I have fixed this recipe for next time!

Nestle Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.)
• 1 cup chopped nuts (pecans, in this case)
  

Directions
PREHEAT oven to 375° F.

COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

BAKE for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.