Honey Cake!

At the farmer's market this weekend I picked up some great local honey from wildflowers. I am a sucker for baking and now I had a reason to try something new.


And so was born my HONEY CAKE!!
Thought I would share so y'all can enjoy the yummy goodness too!!

This cake is moist and spiced and has deep flavors. It isn't overly sweet but then neither is the wild honey I used. We drizzled a little honey over our individual slices and I think I may have slightly over filled my loaf pan. Or at least that's what I am blaming the little burnt edges on! :)

I am not sure how much this recipe will make in other pans but I made mine in two regular loaf pans and two small loaf pans. (I am sure 3 regular loaf pans would work too)

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup honey
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup warm coffee or strong tea
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup whiskey

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Generously grease pans with non-stick cooking spray.

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves and allspice.

Make a well in the center, and add oil, honey, white sugar, brown sugars, eggs, vanilla, coffee or tea, orange juice and whiskey

Using an electric mixer on slow speed, mix together well to make a thick, well-blended batter, making sure that no ingredients are stuck to the bottom.

Pour batter into prepared pans.

Place cake pans on two baking sheets, stacked together
(this will ensure the cakes bake properly with the bottom baking faster than the cake interior and top).

Bake until cake tests done, that is, it springs back when you gently touch the cake center or until toothpick comes out clean.

My mini loaf pans took 45 minutes
My large about 60 minutes

Let cake stand fifteen minutes before removing from pan.

Pecan Pie!

Our annual family Easter egg hunt is tomorrow at my GREAT grandmother's! Yes, my great grandmother is still alive and kicking! It's always a great time with great food of course!  We do it pot luck style so everyone brings a dish. I decided to try my hand at a pecan pie. Now I am not the biggest fan of this dessert because it is too sticky sweet for my tastes and can get runny and I have always found a way around actually making one. I probably would not have made one today except my grandmother asked me to. (Respect your elders - check)

So I searched through recipe after recipe until I found one I liked then added and subtracted as I saw fit. :)
I will share my final draft with y'all because this one is just too good not to share. Let me warn you up front though, there is NO KARO SYRUP!

I know, I know!! It isn't traditional pecan pie without it! It can't be good without it! You're out of your mind!
Just trust me. Try it and you will love it!

Ingredients

• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup butter (melted NOT scalding though)
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cup pecan halves
• dash of cinnamon (optional)
• deep dish pie crust (I used frozen)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F . 

 

In a large bowl, beat eggs until foamy then stir in melted butter.

They will double or triple in size. I was amazed! haha

 

Stir in the brown sugar, white sugar and the flour; mix well.
TIP: I put my dry ingredients in a separate bowl or measuring cup and mix them before adding them to my wet ingredients.

 

Last add the milk, vanilla, cinnamon and chopped pecans. Here's what it should look like before the pecans.

 

TIP: instead of chopping pecans I just threw them n the food processor for a bit and it worked beautifully.

 

Pour into an unbaked 9-in pie shell. 

 

Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes at 350 degrees

After 10 minutes reduce temp to 300 and pull pie out to add decorative pecan halves. My fave design was two rings of pecan halves then chopped pecans in the center.

 

Put pie back in 300 degree over and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until done. 

 

There is my finished product!! The longer you let this pie cool, the easier it will be to cut slices.

Enjoy!

Mail An Egg

I am a festive person. Be it Christmas or National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day I like something to celebrate.
Since we have extended friends and family that live all over the county they get left out in the smaller, less commercial holidays. Usually that's alright but Easter is a big deal in my house. This is the day we celebrate our Lord and Savior and the sacrifice of himself to save us.

We always hide eggs and give sweet treats but what do you do for those that aren't local?
YOU MAIL EGGS OF COURSE!!

  

 When I heard of it I couldn't believe it. So I went to the post office and asked if plastic eggs could be mailed. Sure enough you can. There are a couple of things you need to do but they are simple enough.

1. Fill with whatever you like. I used jumbo eggs and put hard candy and little notes.

2. Tape closed with packing tape. NOT scotch tape! Scotch tape will not keep your egg closed

3. Put label on egg that has the delivery name and address and return name and address.

I recommend 3M labels 3100-D or Avery 5161 because they are thin and long.

4. You must leave room for postage.

That's all. Easy Peasy!! 

I hope you all have a very Happy Easter and may God Bless You!!

Easter Cupcakes!

My little boy, D's school Easter party is tomorrow and as usual I was asked to make cupcakes. That is just fine by me b/c I love to bake. These turned out super cute so I decided to share with y'all!!

With the right tools and tips these are really easy to make.

1. Bake cupcakes.
     I did 12 vanilla and 12 chocolate

2. make a batch of buttercream icing and dye green
     I used wilton food dye color "leaf green"

3. pipe icing on using tip #233 (grass or hair tip)
dab, squeeze, then lift up. Repeat until top of cupcake is covered.

****reserve left over icing for touch ups****

4. Separate peep bunnies and cut the bottom of them off exposing a section of sticky marshmallow

5. stick into top of cupcakes.

6. add robin eggs

7. use remaining icing to stabilize bunnies and repair any imperfections

8. ENJOY!!

Tea Cakes!

It was a warm spring day, my son and I were in the car backing out of the driveway then !!! HONK !!!.
My foot slammed on the brake just in time to avoid crashing into my neighbor's car which was also backing out!

Now I can't really say who's at fault but it scared the daylights out of me. I do NOT want to be responsible for crashing in my 74 year old neighbor!

When we got home that evening I couldn't help thinking about her. It must have scared her as much as it did me and I didn't know if she was angry or not. I would hate for there to be bad blood between us because she is such a sweetheart. So there's the question: How do I smooth this over? 

Well.... being from the south the answer was of course FOOD!

Not just any food mind you. Oh no, it was time to turn on the charm and bake up some tea cakes. :)

Off to Kroger I went. Then the dollar store. Then Roses. Finally I had everything ready: ingredients, cute basket, striped dishcloths.

I baked a few dozen with love, made a glaze to drizzle across, did a little demo to my $1 basket until it looked like a bread basket, then wrapped them up, added a note, and off I went.

My neighbor appreciated my tea cakes and invited me for coffee.

Of course now I am plagued with keeping my son, D from eating all the extras at one sitting!

TEA CAKES:

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter
• 1 3/4 cups white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (can use almond instead)

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt and nutmeg; stir into the creamed mixture. Knead dough for a few turns on a floured board until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until firm.
2. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch in thickness. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. (I just use a cup from the Place cookies 1 1/2 inches apart onto cookie sheets.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. 

OPTIONAL: drizzle with glaze and allow glaze to set overnight for best results

 

GLAZE:

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons milk
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon butter
  

  Directions

  1. Melt the butter and add to rest of ingredients. Mix until creamy. 
  2. Store in squeeze bottle.

just thinking....

The ability to see a different perspective in retrospect is both a blessing and a curse at times. To live your life in the moment is something that I have never been able to grasp. I more relate to those that plan, do, and review. Occasionally my opinion of a situation changes with every step I get to. I plan for it to go one way, while doing it my opinion changes, then I wish I had done it differently once it is over. But Why? Why should I feel the need to change something? Why shouldn't I allow myself to live in the moment, to experience raw emotion and let it flow naturally.

Are the tides boxed away from the sands? NO. Is the air steered away from mountain side? NO. These are forces of nature and the relationships they have with their surroundings is why we have beautiful beaches, canyons, smooth rock walls, etc... BECAUSE these forces and their immovable counterparts have both remained true to themselves without compromise our world has splendors we now can not imagine being without.

This is not saying that values, etiquette, and good upbringing aren't a reason to hold your tongue because they absolutely are but when pressed between a rock and hard place do not wish to turn to dust and slip out of in between. Instead push back harder. Be that force. But be the force that maintains what's true and good. Then Do Not Waiver.

***Balance***

As some of you may know I have started myself a small business. I have been sewing and selling bags, purses, crayon rolls, aprons, etc. Now like every good business it needed a name. I went back and forth from things short and sweet to strange and attention grabbing. I wanted my business to be an extension of me and the name should capture that and also tip you off as to what types of products you may expect. After MUCH deliberation I decided on "Domestic Endeavors".

I am still in love with the name because it is appropriate for most everything that I would like to eventually include in my shop as well as the things I haven't thought up yet. Now, however, I realize it is appropriate for other aspects of my life as well. Being a stay at home mom allows me a lot of time to tend to quite a lot domestic endeavors whether it be rearranging furniture, trying to make homemade cleaners, or making one of my many lists that help to organize an otherwise chaotic world.

Today is one of those days where I woke up with a mission and will not rest until I have won it! My domestic duties seem to be multiplying but the time I have to do them certainly is not. I am sure I can't be the only person who feels this way. I say we need a plan! We need order! We need to take control of our day instead of letting our day take control of us! I say let's put our aprons on and command with authority!

First things first:

* get a pen and paper to outline your plan of action

HOUSEHOLD TAKE OVER (or whatever title you choose )

1. what would you like to get accomplished in a day or even a week?

     a. one (1) load of laundry a day to completion

          (I tend to fold and leave in a stack instead of putting them up - my guilty confession

     b. check emails, respond accordingly

     c. set something out for dinner and do necessary prep work

     d. sew for 4 hours

     e. balance checkbook

     f. read 2 chapters of my recent book purchase (currently The Help - Kathryn Stockett)

     g. Play with my son

I will build onto this list in the days to come but let's focus a moment, shall we?

This is just an example of things I would like to accomplish and I am sure some of you think it silly to include reading my book and playing with my son but why? Aren't they just as important? Yes, I know that these things may come naturally whether you put them on a list or not BUT how many times have you had a million things to do and in your efforts to accomplish everything you go without spending as much quality time with your children or spouse or even friends? Don't cover your eyes, It happens to the best of us!

Putting these types of items on your to do list give them importance, it reminds you that you need to take care of your soul as much as you do your chores.

This is my battle today! To do everything I need to do for my house as well as my home. To do the chores and to take the down time. I encourage you all to try and find that balance. To schedule time to shut down the computer, cell phone and whatever causes you constant distraction. TO FIND BALANCE.

When (not if) you decide the best way to balance your priorities please share your strategies. I am sure we would all love to celebrate your accomplishment with you and perhaps take a few notes from it ;)

For now I will go switch over the laundry and get some sandwich wraps sewn together!!

Lots of Love,

~Zang!