Becky’s Baked Potato Soup

I am looking out the window at the beautiful Pine trees laden with snow—our first for this year in Delaware. This is, of course, the perfect weather for soup.

Last year when my daughter Becky came to visit in the winter she made a scrumptious soup called Baked Potato Soup. I have made potato soup many times, but never as good as hers.

Trying to think of something different for dinner I remembered that soup. I looked online and found a similar soup but it wasn’t quite the same. Then I found it in one of my favorite recipe files on a card under ‘soups’—just where it should be. Now copy this down and don’t loose it!

    Ingredients:

    6 medium potatoes baked or boiled

    8-10 slices fried crumbled bacon

    5 cups milk

    1 stick butter

    3 sticks chopped celery with leaves

     1 medium onion peeled and chopped

     1 cup chicken broth

     ½ cup flour

     1 cup sour cream

     1½ cups grated cheddar cheese

      salt and pepper to taste

    Directions:

1.      Bake potatoes or boil in water, drain, peel, and cool. Then cut into cubes and set aside.

2.      Fry bacon, drain on paper towel and crumble. Set aside.

3.      Saute' chopped onion and celery in melted butter until tender.

4.      Add flour to butter and veggies. Stir until light brown.

5.      Add broth and milk and stir until thickened.

6.      Add chopped potatoes and combine with sauce.

7.      Add sour cream and season to taste with salt and pepper.

8.      Add cheese and stir until the perfect thickness. Check seasoning.

9.      Serve topped with more shredded cheddar, chopped green onions, bacon bits, and chopped parsley if desired.

Check this out! Hope you will like this as much as we do. Thanks Becky. You are a fabulous cook.  

Snicker Doodles

Have you ever heard of Snicker Doodles? They are an old fashioned cookie that I first baked when I was in my teens. They are buttery, flavorful, covered with cinnamon, and very chewy.

I found this particular recipe on the back of a sack of King Arthur’s flour. Wondering if they were as good as the ones I remembered from my childhood, I made a batch. They taste just as good now as they did years ago. The preparation for these cookies doesn’t take long and they bake in about eight minutes. Try them out on your munchkins. They'll love them and want to help you bake them too.

                                                  

Ingredients:

½ cup soft butter

¾ cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

1 1/3 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Process:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and lightly grease two cookie sheets.

Mix butter, sugar and vanilla in large mixing bowl. Blend in egg.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl, and then add to butter mixture.

Mix two tablespoons of sugar and cinnamon on a small plate.

Drop dough by small teaspoons on to cinnamon sugar and gently coat. Lay one dozen coated balls on each pan. Use a flat bottom glass to flatten each cookie slightly.

Bake in preheated oven for about eight minutes until slightly browned. Remove from oven and cool on rack for a few minutes. Remove to wax paper and cool. This recipe makes about 2 ½ dozen. Enjoy.

 

Chicken Enchilada Caserole

This recipe has to be credited to my friends and teachers from North lake Elementary School. I spent most of my teaching career there in Garland, Texas.

The North lake staff had a lovely tradition of celebrating birthdays monthly in the teachers’ lounge. During lunch time, we brought in homemade treasures from salads and casseroles to cakes covered with candles. Many of the cooks shared their recipes many of them are among our family favorites.

Try this sumptuous Chicken Enchilada Casserole with your family and friends. If you are lucky enough to have a group like the teachers at North lake, you might share your recipes with them too.

Ingredients:

12 corn tortillas

½ cup cooking oil

2 cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese

¾ cup chopped onion

¼ cup butter

3 tablespoon flour

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup sour cream

2 cups diced chicken

1 cup (4 oz.) chopped green chilies

Directions:

Cook tortillas in oil—5 seconds per side to soften.

Place 2 tablespoons of cheese and 1 tablespoon of onion on each tortilla and role up. Place seam side down in 9x13 baking dish.

In a large skillet, melt butter and blend with flour. Add broth and cook until thick. Stir in sour cream, chicken, and green chilies.  Cook until heated—(do not boil!). Pour sauce over tortillas and sprinkle with remaining cup of cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until bubbly and light brown. This makes 6 servings with two enchiladas each. You’re going to love this! 

Dutch Baby Pancake

Have you ever heard of a baked pancake called a Dutch Baby? I first found this recipe in a ladies magazine during the 1990’s. Our family liked it so much that we kept the magazine on the shelf with our favorite cookbooks.

Last weekend, I thought of a Dutch Baby, recalling its puffy crust topped with blueberries and powdered sugar then drizzled with sweetened condensed milk. On Sunday morning I prepared the light pastry, placed it on my favorite platter, and then topped it with whipped cream.

As soon as I took it out of the oven, everyone came to the table eager to try the Dutch Baby. There are several different toppings you can enjoy with this pancake other than berries. Try cooked apples with brown sugar and butter topped with cinnamon—especially good in the fall when apples are ripe or sliced peaches during the summer.

Ingredients:

3 tbsp. butter (melted in large ovenproof skillet)

3 eggs

¾ cup flour

¾ cup milk (warmed for 20 seconds in microwave)

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

1 pinch of salt

1 pint blueberries (or other berries washed and drained. Combine with 1 tablespoon of sugar and set aside.)

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place butter in large oven proof skillet and put in oven to melt.
2. Place all ingredients, eggs through salt in blender and combine.
3. Pour blender contents into hot buttered skillet and return to middle of oven.
4. Bake for 20 minutes or until puffy and brown around edges. Remove to rack and let cool for about 5-10 minutes.
5. Carefully remove pancake to large round platter.

Spread with sweetened fruit, sift with powdered sugar, and drizzle with sweetened condensed milk—last decorate with whipped cream. However you choose to adorn your Dutch Baby, I promise one thing—you’ll love it.

Kale Casserole

In Connecticut, I belonged to a farm co-op. We picked up fresh vegetables harvested daily from the farm. Our share was plentiful and sometimes more than we could use.

The farm produced a weekly paper with information about local farms, activities for children, and seasonal vegetables and fruits. Usually there was at least a recipe or two many shared by the other co-op members.

I remember once we had a big crop of kale and I was trying to find more recipes using this healthy green. I hid a few leaves in our smoothies and then went on to make a meatless casserole with eggs, cheese and kale. Everybody in the family liked the dish and I prepared it for my writers’ group as well. The recipe was printed in the co-op paper and also in Baking with Barb in CAPA’s Monthly magazine. Recently I found a good buy on kale and again made Kale Casserole. Try this recipe, feed it to the kids, and feel good about hiding healthy vegetables in your casserole.

 Ingredients:

1 bunch kale

4 cups cubed stale bread

2 cups sliced mushrooms

1 cup chopped onion

¼ cup olive oil or butter

3 cups shredded cheddar cheese

2 eggs

2 cans cream of mushroom soup

¾ cup of milk

Directions:

1.    Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.    Spray a large baking dish with cooking spray and spread bread cubes into the dish.

3.    Wash the kale and drain in a strainer. Cut stems from leaves and chop to bite sized pieces.

4.    Place 2-3 tablespoons from the olive oil or butter portion in a large skillet.

5.    Wilt half of greens in skillet and remove to large mixing bowl, wilt remaining greens in butter and add to mixing bowl.

6.     Saute mushrooms and onions in butter until light brown. Mix in bowl with greens.

7.     Add milk, eggs, and mushroom soup to vegetables and toss in two cups of cheese.

8.     Pour kale mixture over bread pieces in casserole dish. Sprinkle casserole with remaining cup of cheese. Bake in preheated oven for about 40 minutes or until bubbly and light brown.

This casserole will serve about 8 to 10 people or make two smaller dishes and freeze one for another time. Refrigerate leftovers. Enjoy!

Ruth's Danish Apple Cake

In my lifetime I have met many people from all over the world who have shared their food and recipes with me. One of those people was a friend named Ruth who was born and raised in Denmark. Through the years we became good friends, and she shared many great meals with our family. I in turn shared many recipes and meals with her and her family.

I attended the World’s Fair in New York City in the early 1960’s. What an unforgettable experience! At the Danish pavilion we ate a fabulous meal which included Danish apple cake.

Later I told Ruth about the cake. She then shared with me a different apple “cake”. She said it was very popular during apple harvest. Since this is apple harvest time I will share it with you. You won’t need an oven. So the next time the electricity goes off you can still have dessert and use up those apples you picked at the orchard.

Ingredients:

Apple layers

4 to 5 large apples peeled and sliced (Granny Smith, Golden Delicious or your favorites)

½ cup water

½ cup sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons butter

Combine apples and water in a medium sized stew pot and cook until tender and most water has evaporated. Add sugar, cinnamon, and butter and stir until ingredients are combined. Set aside.

Crumb layers

4 slices of stale bread—grated

5-6 tablespoons melted butter

½ cup brown sugar, packed

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Combine all ingredients for crumb layers in medium mixing bowl. Set aside.

Spread 1/3 of crumb mixture in large clear serving bowl. Cover with half of the apple filling then half of remaining crumbs. Finally spread remaining apple filling on top of crumbs, then sprinkle remaining crumbs. Chill in refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours or overnight. Serve chilled apple cake garnished with whipping cream.

This is a simple and delicious family friendly dessert. Enjoy!

 

Chocolate Berry Crumb Bars

This busy grandma finally made these cookies along with my daughter-in-law, Yulia, who shared them with her office staff at a pitch-in luncheon. She won first place with kudos for the cookies. Try this recipe yourself. There are lots of parties and holidays in your future.

Scroll through the blog and you will find several of our favorite family recipes. Try the pumpkin cookies with cream cheese icing.  Check back later for more October recipes.

                                          Chocolate Berry Crumb Bars

Ingredients:

1 cup butter softened

2 cups all-purpose flour

½ cups packed brown sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (divided)

1 ¼ cups sweetened condensed milk

½ cup of your favorite berry jam- I prefer seedless raspberry.

½ cup chopped pecans

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 360 degrees. Spray 13x9 inch glass baking pan with baking spray.
2. In large mixing bowl beat softened butter until creamy. Add flour, sugar and salt and mix until crumbly. Spread all but about ¾ cup of crumbs into pan, sprinkle with flour, and press lightly with finger tips. Set rest of crumbs aside.
3. Bake about 10 minutes or until crumbs start to brown around edges. Remove from oven, but leave oven on.
4. In a small saucepan put the condensed milk and 1 cup chocolate chips. Warm at low temperature and stir until creamy. Spread it over the baked crust.
5. Chop the nuts and add to the remaining crumbs. Sprinkle over chocolate sauce.
6. Drop dollops of jam on top of crumbs until ½ cup of jam is used. Sprinkle remaining chocolate chips on top and return to oven. Bake 25-30 minutes until center is set and crumbs are slightly brown. Remove pan to wire rack to cool. Cut into squares. Serve and delight your guests.

Cream Puffs

                                                               

Have you ever eaten homemade cream puffs? I was about 11 years old when I first tasted these delectable tender treats. My older brother and I were taking a walk past the farm where Rachel lived. She was in my brother’s class at school and he was sweet on her. She was cavorting on the lawn and invited us to join her. We wasted no time taking her up on the proposition.  

It was a hot summer day and we soon rested in the shade on the porch to drink a glass of cold lemonade. A wonderful aroma was escaping from the screen door and I could no longer contain my curiosity.

“Rachel, is your mom baking cookies?” I asked.

“No, that’s cream puffs.”

“What’s a cream puff?”

My brother looked at me and frowned. I could read his mind—Mom said it was impolite to ask people for food, but I wasn’t asking.

“It is a pastry made with lots of eggs, butter, and sugar, with pudding inside,” she said.

“Would you like to try one?”

I looked at Buddy then back at Rachel. “Oh, we don’t want to bother y’all.”

“Oh it’s no bother. Mom is a great cook. When she makes cream puffs she makes a lot.”

Buddy interrupted, “We’d love to.”

Before you know it we were in the kitchen, our mouths watering, looking at all the cream puffs sprinkled in powdered sugar—vanilla, chocolate, and butterscotch. I chose the butterscotch and wanted seconds, but my mother taught us manners. I knew that someday I would make cream puffs and I did.

At the age of 19 my first cookbook, by Meta Given, had a recipe for cream puffs.  No time was wasted in gathering the ingredients needed, and, all my guests raved at the production. Try this recipe yourself and see if you get the same reception.

                                           

Pastry ingredients:

1 cup water

1 stick butter

1 cup flour

4 large eggs

Directions:

In a medium sized pot bring water and butter to a boil. Add flour all at once and stir vigorously until smooth and clumped together. Remove from heat and allow dough to cool for 10 minutes. Add eggs one at a time and beat with a wooden spoon until well blended.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease two large cookie sheets. Drop dough by heaping tablespoons full—12 on each pan and bake for 15 minutes. Switch shelves and lower temperature to 300 degrees. Continue baking until 30 to 40 total minutes are reached or until light brown. Cool on wire rack. Slice top from each puff and remove any dough inside that is not baked. Fill with whipping cream, or thick pudding and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Pudding filling for Vanilla Cream Puffs:

1 cup white sugar

½ cup flour

1 teaspoon salt

3 cups scalded milk

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

Substitutes for white sugar

Use 1 cup brown sugar and 2 tablespoons butter for butterscotch pudding, or ¼ cup cocoa powder to basic vanilla pudding recipe for chocolate.

Combine all ingredients sugar through milk. Cook and stir at a simmer.

Whip eggs in small bowl and beat until smooth, add to pudding and return to a simmer until thickened. Add vanilla. Cool completely and use to fill each puff. Don’t forget to sprinkle with powdered sugar. The kids will love making these.

Molasses Sugar Cookies

Recently we went to visit two of our grandchildren, ages four and six. Even before we left for our seven hour trip I got a text message from my granddaughter:

Grandma, how about baking cookies?

Cutie Pie

To which I replied:

How about making Molasses Sugar Cookies?

Grandma

Her answer was a happy face!

I smiled as I put my suitcase in the car. While Grandpa drove, I looked at pictures of our grandchildren on my old cell phone— trips we had taken, playing in the park, visiting their favorite museum, playing with friends at birthday parties, and my favorite pictures—food and cooking with my grand kids.

I could hardly wait to get to their house. When we arrived we got hugs and kisses, then Mom had dinner ready and I got to read books and tell stories until bedtime.

At last it was time to make the Molasses cookies. We searched for ingredients and found most of them, but the main ingredient, molasses, was no where to be found. I did however find a box of gingerbread mix and everybody knows it contains molasses. On the side of the box was a cookie recipe that we made into sugar coated molasses cookies.

In no time at all the kids and I had the cookies in the oven. Before we left that afternoon most of the cookies were devoured. We did manage to sneak a few to bring back home.

Our son and his wife ate the cookies and kept asking for more. So a few days ago I found my original Molasses Sugar Cookie recipe that I found on a bottle of molasses, when I was a teenager. I made a big batch—chewy and delicious and already gone. I did make a few changes. The original recipe called for ¾ cup of shortening. I haven’t used that stuff in years. I substituted ½ cup butter and ¼ cup organic coconut oil—much healthier but just as tasty. Try this updated recipe and tell me what you think.

                                             Molasses Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

½ cup butter (1 stick)

¼ cup coconut oil

¼ cup molasses

1 cup sugar, ½ cup extra sugar for coating cookies

1 egg

2 cups flour 

2 teaspoon baking powder

½ tsp. ground cloves

½ tsp. ginger

1 tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. salt

Directions:

1. Melt butter and coconut oil in medium sized saucepan. Remove from heat and add molasses.

2. In medium size mixing bowl put flour, baking powder, cloves, ginger, cinnamon, and salt then combine.

3. To contents of pot add 1 cup sugar and egg, stir.

4. Then add flour mixture to pot one cup at a time. When thoroughly combined, set in the refrigerator to cool until the consistency of clay (about 20 minutes). Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

5. Role walnut sized balls of dough in sugar and coat evenly. Place about twelve cookies on an  ungreased cookie sheet and bake about 8-9 minutes. When done remove and cool on dish towel covered with wax paper. Repeat process until all cookies are baked. This recipe makes about 2 ½ dozen.

These cookies smell fabulous while they bake. If you want to sell your home, have an open house while you are baking these. Home, sweet home! Sold!

Bananas Foster

 October is still a good month to have a cookout in Virginia. Recently we had a nephew from out of town come to visit. He is single and eats out all the time, so he jumped at the chance to have a homemade meal.

When he arrived, at our home, the steaks were marinating in the refrigerator. The pasta salad—one of our favorites—was soaking in a succulent sauce of homegrown herbs, homemade purple basil vinegar, and olive oil. The green bean casserole was sizzling in the oven sending off the aroma of mushroom onion gravy.

All day long I had procrastinated the making of an apple crisp. That new bag of crisp apples would just have to wait for another date. Too late to bake anything and so I opted for a quick but delicious dessert I hadn’t made in years—“Bananas Foster”. While the guys tossed the steaks on the grill I set up the ingredients for my opulent dessert. This easy surprise is prepared start to finish in 10 minutes!

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons of butter

½ cup brown sugar

¼ cup of your favorite rum

3-4 golden ripe bananas

Good quality vanilla ice cream

Whipping cream

In a medium size saucepan melt butter and add brown sugar. Stir until bubbly and pour in the rum.  Slice bananas the long way and add to the saucepan. Saute the bananas until soft and slightly browned then remove from heat. Place two scoops of ice cream in each of 4-5 stemmed dessert cups and top with your decadent Bananas Foster sauce. Add some whipped cream if you wish, and serve.

This mouth-watering dessert will hit the spot and everyone will want seconds or the recipe, so they can try it at home. You know, I bet it would be good made with peaches instead of bananas. What do you think? If you try it with peaches let me know how it turns out.

Cracker Caramel Cookies

A couple of weeks ago we went to my family reunion. As always, I kept an eye out for new tasty recipes to post on my blog. Since most of my family lives hours away, we spent a lot of time on the road. We stayed two enjoyable nights at my sister Lucy’s place. The first night we sat around the kitchen table, talking about old times and snacking on a bag of “Cracker Caramel Cookies”. Dylan, one of my grandsons, brought them along with chocolate chip cookies for the reunion. My daughter, Becky, (Dylan’s mom) made them. The “Cracker Caramel Cookies” didn’t stand a chance. They never made it through the night. When we arrived at the reunion, we arranged the other bag of cookies on a plate and placed them along with the other desserts and no one even knew about the cookies we devoured the night before. Thanks Becky!

Now I must say there were many tasty dishes: Johnnie’s barbecue beef and pulled pork, Lucy’s deviled eggs (I sprinkled them with dill weed), Wilma’s cowboy beans, Elaine’s giant chocolate chip cookies, and Lois’ famous Chinese salad. All the guests just out-did themselves.

There were great stand bys: potato salad, macaroni salad, coleslaw, and desserts aplenty. Who made that fabulous dessert? I think it was called “Better than Robert Redford” back in the day. It had whipping cream, butterscotch pudding and a crust on the bottom. But this one had fruit and nuts—I think. What was it and who made it? Let me know and I will post it. Meanwhile I will give you “Becky’s Cracker Caramel Cookies” recipe.

                                             Cracker Caramel Cookies

Line a large cookie sheet with foil. Set the oven to 425 degrees.

Ingredients:

1 1/3-1 ½ packets of saltine crackers

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup butter

1-12 ounce bag dark chocolate chunks or chips (or your favorite chips)

1. Place crackers evenly on foil covered cookie sheet.
2. Measure and combine sugar and butter in small pot and place on medium heat and cook until bubbly. Drizzle over crackers.
3. Place in hot oven (425 degrees) for about 2 minutes until sugar mixture is bubbly. Remove from oven.
4. Pour chocolate chips over hot caramel and place back in oven for a few seconds.
5. Remove from oven and spread chips evenly.
6. Place in freezer until cool. Remove from freezer, break into chunks, and store in zip lock bags.

I know you’re going to love these, but control yourself or they will never make it to your reunion, or picnic, or party….

Layered Lemon Bars

When I first moved to Connecticut I joined CAPA (Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association), a writers group that gave me the opportunity to prepare homemade food for about 50 people once a month at the meetings. I loved preparing our family's favorite recipes. They were a hit. Within a few months I had my own column, Baking with Barb in their monthly magazine, The Authority. This recipe was published there and can be found in their archived copies along with many other of the groups favorite recipes. You can find many helpful articles for writers, publishers, and foodies if you go to their website at www.aboutcapa.com.

Recently I baked this sweet-tart lemony cookie for my family and they were so impressed that I baked it again two days later -- but I doubled the recipe. If you like lemon you’ve got to try it.

Layered Lemon Bars

First layer:

1/2 cup butter

¼ cup sugar

1 cup flour

Second layer:

2 eggs

1 cup sugar

Sprinkle of salt

Juice from 1 large lemon (about ¼ cup)

Peel from the lemon (about 2 tablespoons)

½ teaspoon baking powder

2 tablespoons flour

Powdered sugar

Directions:
Mix the butter, sugar, and flour with a fork until crumbly. Press onto the bottom of an 8” square pan. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Meanwhile, prepare the second layer in a small bowl. Whip the eggs and add sugar and salt. Wash and dry the lemon. Use a rasp to shred the lemon peel, making sure to use only the yellow skin. Next, juice the lemon and remove the seeds. Add the juice and peel to the egg mixture. Then add the flour and baking powder. Pour the mixture over the first layer while still hot and return it to the oven. Bake for 30 minutes or until slightly brown around the edges and the center is set. Remove and allow it to cool. Sprinkle with confectioners sugar and cut into squares.

Hint: If you don’t have a rasp, use a fine grater, but be sure to only use the yellow part of the peel. You may use a combination of lemon and lime peel and juice for a lively zest.

Peanut Butter Fudge

While shopping at the grocery store the other day, my sister, Wilma, met an elderly woman who was so excited about a recipe she had discovered that she couldn't wait to tell everyone.

That's one thing about being a senior citizen--it's okay to talk to total strangers in the middle of the baking isle at the grocery store. So I would like to thank the creative chemist who thought up this recipe with only two ingredients! Yes, you read that right--just two.

Ingredients:

2 cups peanut butter
1 can vanilla or white icing (or chocolate if you prefer)

But wait, there is a caveat. Make sure you buy the cheap peanut butter, not the all natural with just peanuts and peanut oil ( The fudge will turn out too soft.) If you prefer to use natural, try peanut butter with coconut oil or something that makes it homogenized--in other words, it should have a spreading consistency without having to stir it.

1. Pour the can of frosting into a medium-sized microwave safe bowl.

2. Heat in the microwave for about 1 1/2 minutes.

3. Add peanut butter and mix until smooth.

4. Pour into a buttered 8x8 baking dish.

5. Place in refrigerator until set.

6. Cut into cubes and serve only when you are having guests. Otherwise you're likely to eat the entire dish yourself--not good for you, unless you are a senior who is of a mind that you should have dessert first because life is short.

I used Chocolate icing for this batch:
 

This is great to make with children, but be sure only adults handle the icing while it is hot. Making goodies with your kids is great fun. Make enough to give some to their favorite people, like Grandma, Grandpa, and their teachers.
Wrap it in a gift bag and see if they can keep a secret until the holidays!

Pumpkin Pie Cake

Here is another Thanksgiving recipe for all you people who have probably already shopped or already have these items in your cupboard. You won't find it boring or just like every other pumpkin pie and it will certainly wake up your taste buds. My daughter Becky makes this dessert every year when she goes to the fall family get-together. Try it out and let me know if you like it better than plain pumpkin pie.

Ingredients:
3 cups solid packed pumpkin
4 eggs
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ginger
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1 cup evaporated milk (add water to make two cup)


1 box yellow cake mix
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 1/2 cup melted butter

In large mixing bowl combine eight  top ingredients and pour in rectangular cake pan.Then sprinkle top of pumpkin mixture with entire box of yellow cake mix. Next sprinkle with 1/2 cup chopped pecans. Finally melt 1 1/2 sticks of butter and pour over cake mix. Bake in 350 degree preheated oven for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Serve with Redi Wip or ice cream. Are you going to change your favorite pumpkin dish to Pumpkin Pie Cake?

Jewish Apple Cake

One day in September I was chatting on Facebook when I saw a message from someone looking for an apple cake recipe. I went looking through my files and recipe books and found the one I used years ago. After discovering the perfect recipe it was time to shop for apples. The bright yellow and red Gala apples, my favorites, were displayed in green paper bags, covered with recipes, pretending to be fresh.  I got all tingly just thinking about it. When I got and home I tried one. What a disappointment-- leathery with tough skin, no juice running down my chin, apparently not this year's crop. The recipe for Jewish Apple Cake, with a picture of bright red apples at the top, laid on the counter and waited for the perfect apples.

This weekend we went to West Virginia and found the perfect Gala apples--crisp, juicy, sweet, tender,West Virginia grown, and this years crop. Now it's time to make Jewish Apple Cake, good anytime you have fresh juicy apples.You don't have to be Jewish to enjoy this cake, but it's certainly best in the fall when you have access to the best Mother Nature has to offer.

Jewish Apple Cake

Liberally grease a bunt pan with butter and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

1. In a large mixing bowl combine:

   1 stick of butter
   1 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
   1 teaspoon vanilla

   add 2 large eggs one at a time and whip after each addition.

2. In a medium mixing bowl combine with wire whip:

   2 cups of flour
   1 teaspoon soda
   1 teaspoon cinnamon
   1/2 teaspoon salt

   Add to egg mixture

3. In a small bowl combine:

   2 large peeled chopped apples
   1 cup sour cream
   1 teaspoon vanilla

4.Begin with 1/3 of cake batter in bottom of pan, cover with half of apples mixture, then 1/3 cake batter, remaining of apple mixture then top with cake mixture.You will have 5 layers.

5. Crumble Topping:

   1/2 cup brown sugar
   1/2 cup flour
   1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
   4 tablespoons butter
Combine with a fork and sprinkle on top of cake batter and bake cake for about 45 minutes until golden brown and set until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10-20 minutes.

6. Glaze:
   In a small bowl combine 1/2 cup brown sugar
   1/2 teaspoon vanilla
   2 tablespoons water

Drizzle glaze over cake after removing from pan. Allow to harden until ready to serve.

Last year one of my daughters, 2 grandchildren, and I picked apples in the fall and made a cake. Children love helping harvest as much as they do the cooking and baking. Check out the orchards in your area and see if you can find one where you can pick your own apples. The experience of walking through the orchard and finding your favorite apples and knowing they are this year's crop is a wonderful experience.