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.”