Showing posts with label On my mind. Show all posts
Showing posts with label On my mind. Show all posts

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Cakes Are On My Mind.

Bad weather and a toddler can make for a very long day especially when you are a one car household and... today you don't have the car. On most of those days we bake. It's always fun and nobody is going to complain about the end result! I was going to post the recipes for 2 more cakes and tricks on how to replace some ingredients when baking today but time is running away from me so that will be for tomorrow.
Back to today's cake.
This is a very easy old French recipe. It's actually at least a century old and I bet a lot more than that. Since my entire family still makes it that should say something. It has been the first birthday cake for all my children, even for my third who was sensitive to dairy and soy. I modify the recipe depending on what I have at home.  You do not use measuring cups or spoons for it. Just use a regular glass ( mine holds 1 1/4 cup ). You can use a smaller or bigger glass, the only thing that will change is the cooking time. Be careful, if you go too big the edges and top of your cake will brown too quickly and the inside won't be cooked. Split it into 2 baking dishes instead.

Here is the original recipe:
                                                      
                                                   The Simple Cake

Preheat the oven to 375 F

Mix 2 and a half glasses of flour
1 and a half glasses of sugar
3 tsp of baking powder
a pinch of salt
   Make a well and pour in the center:
1/4 glass of oil (I use olive oil ) and 3/4 glass of milk
2 eggs
2 tbsps of vanilla sugar, 1 tsp of vanilla extract or 1 tbsp of orange flower water (my favorite)

Here are some of the variations I have done:

Replace 1 glass of flour with 1 glass of almond meal
Replace the milk with hazelnut or oat milk
Replace the orange flower water with anise or almond extract
Add berries or fruit to the dough
Add a large handful of sliced almonds
Add 2 large handfuls of chocolate chips


Bake in the oven for 40 mns or until a knife in the middle comes out clean.

                                                                                                               The Simple Cake.

Join Rhonda at Down to Earth and post what is on your mind too.

Friday, February 18, 2011

Lamb's Lettuce, Rain, Sun and Hail.

We had a whole week of sun and then 3 days of rain and to my surprise one day among the spinach, Mache (aka Lamb's Lettuce or Corn Salad) appeared. I had planted it last year when it had done moderatly well. I always let a few vegetables go to seeds. I like surprises! But I had forgotten the Mache completely.
That morning I thought it would make a great lunch for the next day with a few soft boiled eggs.
Alas, later that day we had hail several time and well, the mache was just not looking so perky anymore. Ah well. Such is the life of a gardener. Luckily some of them were protected by the spinach and we ate those. Others went to very happy chickens. And of course some will go to seed. To be reborn in late fall for another surprise meal or two.

                                                                                                           Lamb's Lettuce, February 2011.

Inspired by Down To Earth. 

Thursday, February 10, 2011

And a One, and a Two!

                                                                                                     

 
                                                                                                                     2 years old!         

Inspired  by  Down to Earth.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

On My Mind.

The sun has been out for two days... time to start seed planting! Hopefully our garden this year will be as successful as last year.

                                                                                The garden in July 2010.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

On My Mind.

Following Rhonda.

                                                                                                                                  By The River.

Taken at this wonderful Place.

Friday, January 21, 2011