FRESH APPLE CAKE WITH MINT 3 cups flour 2 tbsp. vanilla 2 cups sugar 2 well-beaten eggs 1 tsp. soda 1 cup vegetable oil ½ tsp salt 3 cups chopped apples 1 ½ tsp cinnamon 1 cup chopped nuts 1 tbsp. chopped apple mint (optional) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour bundt pan, set aside. In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients. DO NOT USE MIXER! Add vanilla, eggs, oil, apples, nuts and apple mint to dry ingredients. Stir until barely mixed. Scrape into prepared pan. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool completely before removing from pan.
FRESH STRAWBERRY ROSEMARY CAKE 1 ½ cups fresh strawberries, rinsed and hulled ¾ tsp. baking soda 2/3 cup oil ½ tsp. salt 1 cup sugar 1 tbsp. fresh rosemary, minced 2 eggs ¼ cup pecans Zest of ½ orange 1 1/3 cups flour Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease loaf pan. Whirl strawberries in food processor until coarsely chopped. Set aside. In mixing bowl, beat oil and sugar. Beat in eggs. Add orange zest, strawberries, rosemary, pecans, flour, soda and salt. Blend and pour into baking pan. Bake about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on rack 20 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on rack. Wrap in plastic and keep in refrigerator.
LEMON-THYME CUPCAKES 1 ½ cups unbleached flour 5 tsp. finely minced lemon thyme or 2 ½ tsp. dried ½ tsp. baking powder ½ cup unsalted butter, softened ¼ tsp. salt 1 cup sugar ¾ cup milk 2 large eggs 1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest ½ tsp. vanilla extract Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Use cupcake papers or lightly butter and flour a cupcake pan. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, mix lemon zest, milk and thyme. Cream the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer on medium speed for about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides. Add sugar and beat for 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, blending well. Beat the batter until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and beat for a minute longer. On low speed, blend in half the dry mixture. Scrape down the sides and be sure that the batter is well blended. Spoon the batter evenly into the cups for the pan. Bake for 25 minutes or until the tops are just starting to turn golden brown and the tester comes out clean. Glaze with topping
TOPPING 3 tbsp. lemon juice 1 tsp. fresh thyme or ½ tsp. dried 3 tbsp. sugar Combine the sugar, lemon juice and thyme. Stir well to dissolve the sugar. When the cakes are done, remove the pan from the oven and brush them with the glaze. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes, and then remove them to a cooling rack.
CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES (GLUTEN FREE) 3/4 cup shortening 2 ¼ cup Pillsbury Best Gluten Free Flour Blend ¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar 1 tsp. baking soda ½ cup sugar ¾ tsp salt ¼ cup butter, softened 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips 2 tsp. vanilla 1 cup chopped pecans (optional) 2 eggs Heat oven to 350 degrees. Beat shortening, brown sugar, sugar butter and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir flour blend, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Beat into shortening mixture just until blended. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts, if desired. Drop by rounded tablespoonful 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes or until edges are light brown Cool on baking sheet 3 minutes. Remove to wire rack to cool completely.
LEMON AND LAVENDER TEA CAKE (COFFEE CAKE) (from the Macrina Bakery Cookbook and Fresh from the Oven)
The Cake: 1 T. dried lavender 4 c. all-purpose flour 1 T. baking powder ½ tsp. baking soda ½ tsp. salt 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature 2 ¼ c. granulated sugar 3 T. freshly grated lemon zest (about 3 lemons) 5 eggs ¼ c. freshly squeezed lemon juice 1c. plain yogurt
The Glaze: 1 c. powdered sugar 2 tsp. freshly grated lemon zest 2 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 tsp. dried lavender a splash of milk or cream (optional)
Preheat the oven to 325*. Butter or oil a large tube pan (angel food cake pan). Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Add in the dried lavender. Give it a quick whisk and set aside. Combine butter, sugar, and lemon zest in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, mix on medium speed for 5-8 minutes. This will make it extra fluffy and light. It will become a soft yellow color. Add eggs, one at a time, making sure each egg is fully mixed into the batter before adding another one. Then slowly add the lemon juice and mix for 1 more minute. (It may look a little curdled, but it will be fine). On a low speed, add 1/3 of the flour mixture; incorporate. Add ½ of the yogurt; incorporate. Repeat again, ending with the flour mixture. Spoon batter into the tube pan, just over half-full. Tap on the counter to get the bubbles out. Bake on center rack of oven for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Check the center of the cake with a toothpick for doneness. It should come out clean. Let cool, then take a sharp, thin knife around the outside edge to loosen. You should be able to tip it over onto your hands and transfer to a plate while still on the tube/bottom part of the pan. Let cake cool completely and liberate from the tube. You may need the knife again. Next add the glaze: Sift powdered sugar into a medium bowl. Then add lemon zest and lemon juice; incorporate. You may want to add a splash or two of milk to make it a little less acidic and a little more creamy. Whisk again until smooth. Drizzle glaze over the cooled cake. Note: This recipe also makes nice mini-loaves or cupcakes. Just fill the muffin tin not quite to the top. Start checking for doneness after approximately 30 minutes. These freeze well without the glaze.
ROSE GERANIUM POUND CAKE – Madeline Hill & Gwen Barclay 6-8 rose geranium leaves, stems removed 1 tsp. vanilla 1 cup sugar 5 eggs, room temperature 1 ½ cups butter 3 cups sifted flour 6 oz. lemon lime soda 1 tbsp. lemon juice
Preheat oven to 325. Grease and flour a tube or bundt pan, or two bread loaf pans. Finely chop rose geranium leaves into smaller pieces; measure out 2 tbsp. of finely chopped fresh rose geranium leaves. Process these with 1 cup of sugar then add to the rest of the sugar. Cream butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition. Add flour alternately with soda, beating well with each addition. Stir in lemon juice. Pour batter into prepared cake pan, smoothing top. Bake for 1 ¼ hours, covering with foil for the last 20 minutes to prevent over browning. Test cake doneness with a toothpick and continue cooking until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes, then invert carefully onto plant. Sift powdered sugar over pound cake. Garnish with rose geranium leaves. Cake freezes well. If baking in loaf pans, top with foil at 60 minutes and you may have to extend the baking time to 1 ½ hours.
Gloria’s Award Winning Salsa ½ onion (chopped in half) 2-3 cloves garlic 1-2 jalapeno peppers (more if you want it hotter) cut up if large Tight handful of cilantro 1 large can of whole, peeled tomatoes ½ tsp. salt ½ tsp. pepper 1 tsp. cumin powder Mix all ingredients in a food processor. Taste and adjust, add more peppers if needed.
Hummus with Green Goo Hummus: 1 pound / 453 g dried chickpeas, soaked in water for at least 4 hours, drained 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup water scant 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 1/2 teaspoons fine grain sea salt 1/3 cup / 80ml tahini Green Goo 1/4 cup Italian parsley 1 jalapeño, destemmed 1 large clove garlic scant 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt 2/3 cup / 160 ml extra virgin olive oil In a large pot cover the chickpeas with 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Add the baking soda, and reduce the heat. Simmer, skimming any foam from the surface, until the chickpeas are soft but still structured, roughly an hour. Drain. Place 4 cups / 1.5 pounds / 650 g of the cooked chickpeas in a food processor. You can set aside any remaining chickpeas and have them as a snack or use them in a stew or soup. To the food processor add the water, lemon juice, and salt. Process for three minutes or until completely smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice along the way. If you like your hummus thinner add more water a small splash at a time. Add the tahini, process one more time. Taste and adjust the seasoning, add more salt or lemon juice if needed. Transfer the hummus to a serving bowl. To make the "green goo" rinse out the food processor bowl, and use it again, and if you don't have a food processor, you can certainly do a hand-chopped version. Pulse the parsley, jalapeño, garlic, and salt in the food processor. Slowly drizzle the olive oil into the mixture while the processor is running, until an green emulsion is created. Transfer to a jar, taste, and adjust the seasoning. Drizzle the hummus generously with the green goo. Serve with pita chips, crackers, flatbread, or toasted lavash. Makes 4 cups of hummus. Adapted from Insalata's Mediterranean Table written by Heidi Insalata Krahling of Insalata's Restaurant in San Anselmo, California. Prep time: 240 min - Cook time: 60 min
