Category Archives: Breakfast

The Hangover

Posted on by

3

Jeff had been back in school for a week.  Sunday through Wednesday night he stayed near school for early morning clinicals.  With no one home to tell me it’s time for bed, and without my back-up to help hear middle-of-the-night cries, I sleep lightly at best.  Then on my own to get the girls up and going, morning came even earlier than usual.  He was home Wednesday and Thursday night, but back up to class the next morning.  To top it off, he was in a wedding that kept him away most of Friday evening and Saturday as well.  I haven’t consumed alcohol in more than 4 years, but by last Sunday morning I had one of the worst hangovers of my life.  An overdose of coffee and an underdose of sleep is a terrible combination.

Here’s hoping some coffee cake will take the edge off this weekend.  Lord knows I won’t be cutting back on the coffee anytime soon.

* Fair warning, my mom had a bumper crop of apples this year… so there may be more apple recipes on the way.

Carmel Apple Cake
By Goldie Marquart
From the “Methodist Morsels & Memories” church cookbook
my mom gave me when I bought my first home 

  • 1 c. vegetable oil
  • 2 c. granulated sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tbsp. vanilla
  • 3 c. flour
  • 3 c. apples, thinly sliced
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. nutmeg
  • 1 tsp. cloves
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 c. chopped pecans (though the Andersons always leave nuts out of recipes)

In a large bowl, combine the oil and sugar.  Beat in eggs and stir in vanilla.  In a small bowl, combine flour, soda, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, and salt.  Stir into egg mixture, add apples and pecans.  Pour mixture in a greased bunt pan and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 10 minutes.

Carmel Glaze

  • 1/2 c. butter
  • 1/2 c. packed brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp. milk
  • 1 tsp. vanilla

Bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute.  For a thicker carmel glaze, let stand for 1/2 hour before spreading on warm cake.

*****

Below this recipe in the church cookbook it says, “We need some clouds in our life to make a beautiful sunset.”

Time to bust out the sledgehammer!

Posted on by

2

Jeff has been out of town for nearly a full day.  Three girls.  One dog.  Alone.  It hasn’t happened for about 7 months.  And at that time, Maura didn’t sleep more than a couple of hours at a time, so I never had “hours” on my hands (not to mention I was somewhat comatose).  Before he left, I told him it was dangerous to leave me alone.  I hate clutter and have been in a purging mood.  We also joked about his mom’s track record for tearing into a big project she didn’t have the skills to finish while his dad (a carpenter) was out of town (think tearing up carpet, or trying to scrape texture off a ceiling).  But I’ve behaved myself.  And we’re surviving.

The girls and I played outside and went for walks, we ate healthy meals (used up left-overs), and picked up toys.  After bedtime I paid bills, did dishes (almost always something I neglect), took out recycling (another Jeff thing), and baked from scratch corn muffins for breakfast (Sunday is usually “doughnuts day” that Jeff picks up while he is getting the paper).  I even picked two buckets of landscaping rock we’re moving from one location to another (two buckets at a time).

I better start knocking out the wall between the kitchen and living room or he might get the idea he should be gone more often.

DIY Corn Muffin Mix (makes 5 dozen)

  • 6 cups flour
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 4 cups cornmeal
  • 1/4 cup baking powder
  • 1 tbsp. salt
  • 2 tsp. cinnamon

I put it all in a big jar and shook it up!  But you can also just whisk the ingredients together.  Store in an air tight container.

When you’re ready to bake, pre-heat your oven to 400F and grease your muffin pan(s).  For each dozen, whisk 1 cup of milk, 2 eggs, 4 tbsp. melted butter, and 1 tsp. of vanilla.  Mix 2 1/4 cups muffin mix just until blended.  Transfer to pan and bake for 15 minutes.

(August 2011 “Every Day with Rachel Ray”)