My Little Chickadee

I see these little guys on the bird feeder outside my kitchen window everyday now!

Happy Fall.

Apple Cake ... and Avalon

This time of year there are always apples in my kitchen, and the cooler weather makes me want to bake... here's an easy recipe for an apple cake!  Not sure where I got this recipe, but it's always quick and yummy.



1.5 cups sugar
.5 cup vegetable oil
.5 applesauce (natural unsweetened)
3 eggs
2 cups flour (white or whole wheat or a mix)
2 teaspoons cinnamon
.5 teaspoon ground cloves
.25 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
.5 teaspoon salt
3 cups chopped apples -- 3-5 medium apples
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts or other nuts, toasted

Notes on ingredients:

• The nuts are optional but delish!  Toasting them is also optional but really does make them more flavorful in any recipe:  Spread them on a baking sheet in a single layer and toast in 350 degree oven 8-10 minutes or until wonderfully fragrant.  
• I like lots of spice -- I am heavy-handed with the cinnamon and cloves and probably put even more than listed here -- adjust to your own preferences.
• You can use all applesauce (1 cup) and no oil -- it will work and reduces the calories.
• You can also substitute a "Splenda"type baking blend for part of the sugar to reduce calories and sugar, but if you use only Splenda your cake will be dry.
• What type of apples?  I use Fuji or Gala for most things, but any that would be good in a pie would be good for a cake, in my experience!  (Red Delicious, not so much).

OK, recipe is easy:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease and flour a 13x9x2 baking pan/dish.

Mix the sugar, oil/applesauce, and eggs, and beat until very smooth, about one minute.  Stir in all the other ingredients except the apples and nuts.  Stir until well blended.  Then fold in the apples and nuts.  Pour into pan and bake about 40 minutes (more or less depending on your oven).

You know to poke a cake with a toothpick to see if it's done, right?  If the toothpick comes out clean, your cake is done.  Start checking a few minutes before the time is up, b/c you don't want to overbake and dry it out!

This cake is delicious and moist without frosting, but if you want you can frost it with cream cheese or caramel frosting, or just dust it with powdered sugar.  Ummm, the little chunks of apple in it are wonderful!

This cake freezes well, but the way, to warm up for another day for snacks or even put in lunch boxes.  Happy baking!

AVALON AND APPLE LORE
While we're thinking of apples... did you know that Avalon means Apple Isle?  The magical land where ExCalibur was forged was the blessed island of souls in the far western sea, Innis Afallon, bathed in the golden light of the setting sun.  The west was the realm of magic to the ancient British -- the direction where the sun descended into darkness and there was nothing but miles of sea.

The apple is a talisman.  Why is the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden an apple in our minds?  Europeans imagined their magical apple, the fruit of the blessed Avalon, although peaches and oranges were more likely in the Fertile Crescent!  (In the Middle East they do have quince, a relative of our apple that is sometimes called a "golden apple.")  In old Europe, chopping down an apple tree was a crime punishable by death.

In Greek mythology, The Garden of the Hesperides was the goddess Hera's orchard in the far western corner of the world, where trees bearing immortality-giving golden apples grew.  A guardian serpent twined around the tree... hold that thought...

In Norse mythology, the goddess Idunna (Iðunn) guards a grove of golden apples that are the source of the eternal youthfulness and immortality of the Norse deities.  Many other mythologies reflect this image of a guardian goddess, a giver of life or immortality, beside her fruit tree in a garden.  She is the distant version of Eve, beside the Tree of Knowledge, offering the apple that grants knowledge/consciousness... Apples are a symbol not only of fertility, but also of knowledge... and the serpent was to most cultures a symbol of wisdom and eternity, not deceit...

Long ago, when I was taking my first mythology class at Millsaps College, I was walking with my teacher in late afternoon, as an autumn sunset approached.  As we crossed a high place, she looked out over the campus bathed in golden slanted light, and remarked that this light always made her think of Avalon, the golden isle far to the west -- that this slanting autumnal sunshine is why Avalon's apples are golden.  Thank you, Catherine Freis, for that image I carry with me and for so many other gifts!

I went out to the hazel wood,  

Because a fire was in my head, 

And cut and peeled a hazel wand,  

And hooked a berry to a thread;  

And when white moths were on the wing,  

And moth-like stars were flickering out, 

I dropped the berry in a stream  

And caught a little silver trout.

When I had laid it on the floor 

I went to blow the fire a-flame,  

But something rustled on the floor,  

And someone called me by my name:

It had become a glimmering girl  

With apple blossom in her hair 

Who called me by my name and ran  

And faded through the brightening air.

Though I am old with wandering  
Through hollow lands and hilly lands, 
I will find out where she has gone, 
And kiss her lips and take her hands;  
And walk among long dappled grass, 
And pluck till time and times are done, 
The silver apples of the moon,  
The golden apples of the sun.
-- W. B. Yeats

What to Do on November 1: Roasting Pumpkin Seeds

So, it's the day after Halloween and what are we doing today? (besides eating candy)... roasting pumpkin seeds!

Maybe you've had those snack pumpkin seeds they sell in the grocery store... they're kind of pricey, and it's easy to roast your own... since you have a pumpkin around anyway!

1 - Scoop and separate:  After we scooped out all the pumpkin guts last night and carved our jack-o-lantern to protect our house from evil spirits :-) I saved all the seeds and guts in a big bowl.  Then when I got a chance I separated all the seeds from the gooey stuff.  That's not as hard as it sounds.  Even though it's all slippery, it's pretty easy to separate out the seeds just by scooping up the stuff and sort of rubbing and straining it through your fingers.

2 - Soak:  I put the seeds in a smaller bowl and covered them with a couple inches of water to sit overnight.  The seeds float to the top, so in the morning you can clean them further by gently stirring and straining with your fingers.

3 - Dry: Then I drained the seeds in a colander and rinsed them one more time, then spread them out on a tray to dry a bit.  They don't have to get completely dry, but it helps to let them dry out mostly.

4 - Roast: Finally just roast them!  Which means coat them lightly in oil -- you need only a spoonful or so -- rubbing the seeds to coat them all.  Then sprinkle with salt or whatever seasonings you want.  Spread them in a thin layer (single layer if possible) on a baking sheet and roast at 325 for 10-20 minutes, stirring about halfway through.

The time can be tricky, because it depends on your oven... the outsides don't need to totally brown but they will get crispy!  The trick is not to burn the inside seed -- test one to see if they're done.  The outside should be just starting to brown, crispy and easy to crunch.  The insides stay green, not brown.

5 - Snack!:  Sprinkle with a little more salt or seasoning, and munch! Instead of salt, you can try other spices: cardamom, garlic salt, chili powder, cumin, even sugar and cinnamon, are all good to try.

Pumpkin seeds are VERY good for you, BTW.  They have protein and healthy fats and lots of minerals including zinc and potassium.  I've heard they are especially good for men's sexual health because of the zinc  :-)

Ever tried roasting the pumpkin seeds? or cooking a fresh pumpkin?