Feeling Ashamed and Apple Fritter Bread

I'm a little ashamed of myself.
I have been a little sick, I got the flu and then a cold and that escalated into a sinus infection and a significant asthma event.  I'm on two antibiotics and a steroid, I've done several nebulizer treatments at the clinic,  and I'm sucking on my inhaler like it was the only oxygen in the world.  I'm tired and can't catch a full breath and I was feeling sorry for myself and I posted a "poor me" post on Facebook.
I try not to do that.  I was sick, big deal, we all get sick, but in my weakened state I did it. The first person to post a "feel better" is a woman going through the last couple rounds of her 37 radiation sessions after she finished her chemo for breast cancer.  Here she is fighting for her life, and never complaining on Facebook, and she tells me to feel better.

I am ashamed of myself.

So, I know she loves apple fritters. I decided to do something for her and make her this apple fritter bread. I hope it makes her day a little brighter.

Apple Fritter Bread
from Tip Hero

1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tsp. ground cinnamon, divided
2 Granny Smith apples peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch dice
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 2/3 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp. milk, divided
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350˚F.  Spray 9 x 5 loaf pan with cooking spray.

In a small bowl combine brown sugar and 1 tsp. cinnamon.

In another small bowl combine apples with remaining 1 tsp. cinnamon.

In a medium bowl combine butter and granulated sugar.  Add eggs, one at a time until completely mixed add vanilla and 1/2 cup milk.

In a medium bowl mix flour and baking soda. Add this mixture to the butter and sugar mixture and stir until well blended.

Pour 1/2 the batter into the prepared pan. Layer half the apple mixture on the batter followed by 1/2 the brown sugar-cinnamon mixture.  Gently press the apples into the batter.  Add the remaining batter, topping with apples. Gently press apples into batter.  Swirl brown sugar mixture between apples into batter.

Bake for 50-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Allow to sit on a wire rack for 15 minutes before removing from pan.

While bread cools, prepare glaze by mixing 1/2 cup powdered sugar with remaining 1 Tbsp milk.  Drizzle glaze over cooled bread.

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5 years ago:  Chocolate Dipped Coconut Macaroons

December 28, 2016   Sunrise 10:58 am  Sunset 2:47 pm  Temp H -2/ L -22˚F

One Tough Week

Getting to see this guy, made it all worth it!

Last week was a tough week for us.  I flew to Seattle to spend the weekend with the baby.  I tried to talk Dave into going with me, but just two weeks out from his surgery, he wasn't feeling it.  I had a great Saturday and Sunday, but Monday morning brought the flu.  The DIL woke up about 2:00 am and the Curly Haired boy woke up at 5:00 with it.  I took care of the baby and hoped he would stay healthy...about 11:00 he threw up all over me.  I was scheduled to fly home that day so I was wishing to just make it home before it hit me.  That didn't happen.

My brother in law was flying home from a trip and we met at the airport.  I wasn't feeling really great, but not too bad.  We boarded, I ate about 1/2 my dinner (I didn't even eat my brownie so you know I didn't feel well) and tried to sleep.  My BIL got up for the restroom, so I thought I'd get up too, when I stood up it just hit me.  I grabbed the airsick bag from the pocket in the back of the seat and made it to the lavatory.  I sat down to rest, feeling really hot, and the next thing I knew the flight attendant was knocking on the door asking if I was o.k.  "I'm fine." I yelled through the door.  Well, I never got sick, just felt terrible and sat in the lavatory for the final 45 minutes of the flight.  My BIL helped me off the plane, the Baby Boy picked us up from the airport and basically carried me to bed.  I was sick for the entire week.

Meanwhile, my husband, had gone to the airport the Sunday I was in Seattle to pick up a friend. He was helping him grab his luggage and picked up a 36 lb. cooler. The bone the dr. had taken the bone spurs off, made a pop, and he now has a hairline fracture.  So he is walking around in some major pain and is put back about 6 weeks from where he was before the surgery.  I keep telling him he should have come to Seattle with me and he wouldn't have broken his shoulder, he would have had the flu so I guess you just have to pick your poison. We feel like the walking wounded.  I'm glad the holidays are close and we have some time to rest.

In the meantime, we haven't done much but lay around the house and whine.  The Baby Boy finished his undergraduate degree and we ordered take out to celebrate...I haven't cooked anything for over a week.  I'm thinking next week we will feel better and go out to celebrate.

I hope you had an easier week than we did.

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December 19, 2016  Sunrise 10:57 am   Sunset 2:39 pm   Temp H -3/ L -7°F

Oreo Cheesecake

The other day, my son told me about one of his professors who was asking the class for recipes. My son helped her out and gave her my blog. (That was really sweet, and thinking that this blog could help anyone with recipes just shows you  how much he doesn't cook.) A few weeks later, she thanked him for the suggestion, told him she liked the recipes and also the stories, especially the ones about the Baby Boy and the Chick.
"I forgot you wrote about me." He said. "I was a little embarrassed."

Well, I hope she read about the Baby Boy eating his soap ball so I can hold that over his head, because I'm kind like that.  He teases me so much that I have to get him back once in a while.

I made this cheesecake for a birthday at work. I heard this person liked cheesecake and Oreos, so it was natural to make an Oreo cheesecake for him. The best part about it is we all got to enjoy. 

Oreo Cheesecake
from SnackWorks.com

36 Oreos, divided
1/3 cup butter, melted
3 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened to room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs, room temperature

whipped cream
mini Oreo cookies for garnish

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Spray sides of spring form pan with cooking spray.

In a food processor, crush 26 Oreo cookies until fine crumbs form, add melted butter and process until mixed.  Pour crumbs into an 8" springform pan.  Press to the bottom and up the sides about 2 inches.  Set aside.

Mix cream cheese, sugar, sour cream and vanilla until smooth.  Add eggs, one at a time, until incorporated.  Chop the rest of the Oreo cookies and fold into cheese mixture.  Pour into springform pan and smooth top.

Bake for 55-60 minutes, until cheesecake is light golden brown and slightly set.  The middle will still jiggle a bit.  Let cool 10 minutes, run a knife around the edge to release the sides of the cake from the pan.  Let cool completely.  Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

Release cake from pan.  Decorate with whipped cream and mini Oreo cookies.  Enjoy.

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December 7, 2016  Sunrise 10:37am  Sunset 2:48pm  Temp H -15/ L -20˚F

Orangesicle Champagne

I love champagne.  I love the cheap stuff that is about $12 a bottle (is that really champagne?), I love the expensive stuff that is $120 a bottle (but it is hard to enjoy drinking that much money) and everything in between.  I usually stick to the cheap stuff.

We went out to Sunday brunch at one of our favorite places.  I love their home made corned beef hash, they don't used the canned stuff, and I was offered a mimosa.
"Yes please, but leave out the orange juice."

The waitress just looked at me, so I repeated,
"Yes, I'd like a Mimosa, but leave out the orange juice.  Orange juice is just a waste of space in a champagne glass."

She said, "Then it is only champagne."
"Exactly." I replied.

She laughed a little funny and went and got me my orange juice free mimosa.  See, it is socially acceptable to drink a mimosa on Sunday morning, but not o.k. to drink a glass of champagne, so I get my mimosa, but I leave out the orange juice.

This drink is the one exception to my rule.  Adding the heavy cream makes it taste like a Creamsicle.  I really love those.  When I was a kid, the Swanson  truck (do they even have those anymore?  This big freezer truck would go from house to house and sell frozen foods door to door) would come to our farm and my mom would get a box of Fudgesicles and a box of Creamsicles. This was the one time I would choose fruit over chocolate.

This drink brings back memories of my childhood, sitting under the shade of the walnut tree and trying to eat my Creamsicle fast so it wouldn't melt down my hand in the 110 Kansas heat of August.
Next time we go to brunch, I won't ask for the orange juice to be left out of my Mimosa, I'll ask for some cream to go along with it.

Orangesicle Champagne

1/4 cup orange juice
1 T. heavy cream
champagne, well chilled

In a champagne glass, add orange juice and heavy cream.  Top with Champagne.  Enjoy.

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December 5, 2016  Sunrise 10:32am Sunset 2:51pm  Temp H -16/ L -21˚F

Oat, Seed, and Nut Crackers

I love nuts and seeds.  My family, not so much.  I made this delicious bread and I was the only one who liked it.  I found this recipe for crackers and thought I would try them.  I love them, they are crunchy, nutty and delicious; but my family wasn't so keen.  Maybe it's just me, I thought.

Well, I was headed out for work for about 3 weeks and I didn't want these crackers to go to waste, so I took them to work hoping someone would like them...they were gone in one afternoon.  Everyone loved them and I had several requests for the recipe.  So, it isn't me who likes unusual things, it is the rest of my family who doesn't know what is good.  I felt vindicated.

I'm making them often so I have a supply through the holidays.  I hope you try them and enjoy them as much as I do.

Oat, Seed and Nut Crackers
Bon Appétit, November 2016

1 cup old fashioned oats,
3/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1/3 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/3 cup sesame seeds
3 Tbsp. chia seeds
3 Tbsp. poppy seeds
1 tsp. kosher salt
4 tsp. vegetable oil
1 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
3/4 cup room temperature water

Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl and stir until soaked.  Let sit 10 minutes to allow mixture to thicken.  Form into a ball.  Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, press another sheet of parchment on top, and roll our to 1/8" thickness (the shape doesn't matter).  Remove top layer of parchment.  Bake cracker until golden brown around the edges, 15-20 minutes.  Remove from oven and carefully turn over cracker; remove parchment.  Bake cracker on same sheet until firm and the other side is golden brown around the edges, 15-20 minutes.  Let cool on baking sheet, then break into pieces.  8 servings.

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December 2, 2016  Sunrise 10:24  Sunset 2:57  Temp. H -4/ L -12˚F