Applesauce Oatmeal Cake with Orange Glaze

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This is an old-fashioned cake that is just right for a chilly autumn evening or weekend dessert. It goes together pretty quickly, all in one saucepan, and the fragrance it will bring to your house--amazing!

As I've noted before, I like to keep orange juice concentrate in the freezer for recipes like this. The contrast of the orange glaze and the apple-y, cranberry filled cake gives a great depth to this really pretty simple dessert.

Applesauce Oatmeal Cake with Orange Glaze 

1 1/4 c unsweetened applesauce
3/4 c old fashioned or quick oatmeal
1/2 c dried cranberries
1/2 c butter
3/4 c brown sugar 

1 t vanilla

1 egg
1 1/2 c flour
1 t baking soda
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg

Glaze

2 T melted butter

2 T orange juice concentrate, thawed slightly

enough powdered sugar to make a very thin glaze--about 1 1/2 c at most

walnuts--about 3/4 to 1 cup, coarsely chopped or broken

1.  Pour the applesauce into a pan large enough to hold 5 to 6 cups of batter- quart and a half saucepan will be a good size. Heat the applesauce to just below boiling on medium high heat, stirring to be sure it does not stick on.  

2.  Stir in the oatmeal and dried cranberries and let the mixture cool, about 10 to 15 minutes. 

3.  Stir the butter, brown sugar, vanilla, and egg into the applesauce mixture. Sift the dry ingredients together and gently stir into the batter. Stir just until thoroughly mixed. 

4.  Pour into a 7 X 11  pan  that has been well-oiled or sprayed with cooking spray. Immediately put into oven and bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.

5.  While the cake is baking, mix the butter, orange juice concentrate, and powdered sugar. (Note that I just lightly rinsed the saucepan used for the cake batter; this is truly an easy clean up cake, with one pan for each step!)

   

As soon as the cake is done, remove it from the oven and spread the glaze evenly over the top, poking it in lightly with a cake. 

Sprinkle the walnuts evenly over the top. Serve warm or cold.

Microwave version:

Put the applesauce in a 2 quart mixing bowl in the microwave. Cover loosely (to avoid spatters) and heat until just below boiling, about 2 to 3 1/2 minutes. Proceed with the recipe as above.

A Larger Cake:

This recipe is easily doubled (just be sure to use a large enough pan!), using a 10 1/2 X 14 1/2 pan--or a 9 X 13 pan and about 6 to 8 cupcakes too. 

Addendum:

  I've been going through some of the oldest posts on this blog (has it really been ten years!), and I found an entry from 2011 that I had never published. It was for this same cake but had a different set of comments. Since it includes a favorite photo along with a little more background to the recipe, here is part of that earlier draft, from January 2011. The boys are just a bit bigger these days!

A few weeks ago, two of my grandchildren were here on a Saturday, so we made applesauce together. There is nothing like an old-fashioned food mill to get kids interested in working in the kitchen! The results were wonderful as usual, as homemade applesauce beats the purchased kind any time. Even so, there was still a good bit of applesauce to be used up when it came my turn to make some desserts for a morning coffee and Bible study. I went looking on-line for recipe ideas, but everything seemed to use only half a cup or so, and I really wanted to use up quite a bit more. So I went to a source that I use less and less, my three drawer recipe card file.

After I went away to college, I never lived near my parents again, so we spent a lot of vacations at their home, and they in turn visited often, no matter how far across the country we were. My Mom and I seemed to spend at least some part of each of these visits rummaging through both of our recipe files and cookbooks, copying especially good sounding recipes for later use. I guess it was natural then that I would be the one who inherited my Mom's own overflowing recipe files. While I continue to whittle down my cookbook collection, these painstakingly hand-written and typed cards continue to hold their place of honor in my kitchen.

On that snowy afternoon last week, I pulled out the Cake section of Mom's cards and rifled through the stack, remembering our conversations and her comments about some of the cards that she had inherited from her mother and grandmother. There were the cards in Grandma K's backward slanting penmanship and a card or two with ingredients listed as a lump of butter and a teacup of milk, from my other Grandma and even Great-Grandma Mereness.

But it was the card for an Applesauce Oatmeal Cake that seemed to be just what I was looking for. Mom had typed it as she did with so many recipes, a feat I never could match. (For those of you too young to remember typewriters, getting a 3 X 5 card fed into the platen without being crooked and then typing it all the way down without going off any of the edges--that was truly a skill!)

Perhaps the most interesting thing on the card was the source. Mom always was careful to indicate where she had gotten a recipe, and this one listed me as the person from whom the recipe came, along with a 1976 date. Hmmm. I really did not remember the cake at all, so I went back to my own file of cake recipes. There, deep in the pack of little used cards, I found a clipping from The Sheboygan Press with no date and no comments about when I might have made it. (That was something else Mom did that I have learned to do--make a note next to any recipe I use, with the date of preparation and a comment as to how well it worked, how well it was received, etc.) The recipe was an exact match for the one in Mom's recipes, so it had to be the source.

Now I was intrigued and definitely had to try it. I'm glad I did; this is a cake that is quick to make, not too sweet, and moist enough to last for a few days if it doesn't get eaten right away. I made it twice (the second time doubling the recipe) and served it to several different groups of people, all of whom were quick to have seconds.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Bread

Much of what I do in the kitchen depends on seasonal produce or what has been on sale lately. Recently, there were some really good sales on store brand peanut butter and bananas, so of course, I stocked up on both.  While the peanut butter has a nice long shelf life, the bananas have been doing what bananas always seem to do: ripening faster than I had planned.  I am one of those people who likes to eat bananas out of hand only when they are just barely beginning to get a few brown freckles. Once they get past that stage, well, in my mind, they are really only suited for baking. It was pretty evident this week that my most recent purchases needed to be used--and soon. Now that I also had lots of peanut butter, I thought it might be fun to try to mix the peanut butter and chocolate flavors together with the bananas for a "new and improved" banana bread. Someplace in my recipe files, I have cards for both a peanut butter bread and a chocolate bread.  I remember serving them for neighborhood Bible studies decades ago. Served with a little whipped cream cheese or butter, guests would often sandwich them together, one slice of each. Time to go back to a basic banana bread recipe (from Mrs. Bert Feltham) in my old brown (1936) Brick Church Cookbook. I grew up cooking recipes from this, and the copy I have once belonged to my Great Grandma Mereness. It is still fun to go back and flip through its pages, some carrying the spots and stains that indicate frequent use.   Starting with that classic, it didn't take much to update the old version by adding in both peanut butter and cocoa. The result was a great melding together of all these favorite flavors for a wonderfully delicious alternative to ordinary banana bread.  I think even Great Grandma Mereness would probably have approved. Kids Cooking Note This recipe combines a whole bunch of kid friendly foods and isn't too unhealthy. It also is very easy to make and uses ingredients most families are likely to have available—including those bananas that always seem to go from barely ripe to past their prime overnight. This could be a good cook together recipe. Chocolate-Peanut Butter-Banana Bread 1/2 c peanut butter—may be creamy or chunky 1 T soft butter OR oil 1 c sugar 1 c mashed bananas 2 eggs 1 t vanilla 1/2 c baking cocoa 2 c flour 1 t baking soda Cream peanut butter, butter, sugar and eggs together until smooth. Stir in bananas, vanilla, and cocoa powder and beat until well blended. Sift flour and baking soda together and add to remaining ingredients. Stir only enough to blend—don't overbeat.  Pour into two greased 4 X 8 loaf pans ("medium" loaves) and bake at 325 degrees for about 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from pans and cool on a cooling rack before wrapping tightly.  If desired, you may sprinkle the loaves with about 1/4 cup coarsely chopped salted peanuts  before baking. This is especially good the second day, sliced and served with or without butter or softened cream cheese.

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Curried Lentils and Vegetables

In my continuing quest to find uses for lentils, I couldn't miss out on a curried main dish. This one is especially fast if you have the lentils pre-cooked. Just chop some vegetables and saute long enough to get them cooked through while you are getting the table set and putting a little fruit together for a light side. It doesn't even heat up the kitchen very much on a warm summer evening.

Look to at the flexibility seen in the Variations. This means it's perfect for using up some of those produce odds and ends in the refrigerator or for just pulling out whatever vegetables you have in the freezer.

1 to 2 T canola oil
1 medium to large onion, chopped
14 oz butternut squash, cut in app 1" cubes (may substitute 3 medium carrots, sliced)
1 stalk celery, diced
1 diced jalapeno (seeded and white membranes cut out if you want this less spicy)
1 to 2 c shredded cabbage (about 2-3 oz)
ginger root, about an inch square after peeling--cut in two or three pieces--OR 1 t ground ginger, to taste
4 to 5 garlic cloves, coarsely cut
1 1/2 t curry powder
3/4 t turmeric
1/2 t cumin
2 1/2 c cooked brown lentils, including liquid (about 1 c before cooking)
1 to 2 c water
1/2 c applesauce (optional)
2 to 4 c fresh spinach or other greens, chopped coarsely
cayenne pepper and salt to taste

 
1.  Saute the onion, squash, celery, cabbage, and jalapeno pepper in the oil over medium high heat, stirring occasionally. 

 
2.  Grate the ginger root and mince the garlic cloves. One quick way to do this is to use a small processor/chopper if you have one, with a few teaspoons of water. 

 

 
3.  When the onions begin to turn golden and the squash is just tender, stir in the garlic, ginger, curry powder, turmeric, and cumin. Allow to cook for just a few minutes, enough to bring out the fragrance of the spices, and then add the lentils, water, and applesauce. 

 
4.  When the mixture has returned to a boil, add the spinach, cover the pan, and continue to cook for just a few minutes, until the spinach is just wilted. Taste for seasonings and adjust accordingly. Makes 4 main dish servings.

 

Suggested serving:


 
Top with yogurt (or cottage cheese, as pictured), chopped cilantro, and hot sauce. This is a wonderful meal with naan or any flat bread, but it also pairs well with rice. 


Variations:

Fast, fast, fast:  Use about half of a 12 oz package of frozen bell pepper and onion strips, skip the celery, and use either frozen diced squash or frozen sliced carrots. 

Other vegetables that can be added/subbed in:  frozen peas, fresh pea pods, broccoli or cauliflower, zucchini, even corn. 

The applesauce can be omitted and 3 to 4 tablespoons of chopped sundried tomatoes or a cup or so of diced fresh grape tomatoes can be added.

Applesauce Brownies--A "Starter Recipe" for Pre-schoolers!

As much as possible, I try to post only "original" recipes here, those dishes that I have created from scratch or have changed significantly enough to call them my own.

Today, I am bringing you a recipe so simple you can find hundreds of copies in any basic web search. I think I have even seen it on the back of a brownie mix label. Why add just one more blog entry for these simple treats? After all, these chocolate bar cookies...

• are only slightly less unhealthy than brownies made with the original mix directions.
• do include a mix, with all the preservatives, etc., that implies.

On the other hand, this "recipe" may be a way for even the busiest of households to introduce pre-schoolers to prepare a dish entirely on their own, from assembling the ingredients all the way to handing over the filled pan over to whoever will handle the heat of the oven steps. While you are doing this, you can even talk about why we might want to try to substitute healthier ingredients whenever possible in all our cooking and baking.

A simple "recipe" like this is also good to have handy for the time when you have a last minute need for a quick dessert. While I know that most of us live lives where few friends or family just casually "drop in" with little or no advance notice, wouldn't it be nice to know that you could call someone on a whim and ask them over for coffee, tea, etc. and freshly baked brownies?

To be sure, we must admit that brownies, whether made from scratch or from a mix, are inherently not "healthy." They are treats that should be for special occasions, not seen as daily fare. Understanding that we will be consuming mostly "empty calories" with every bite might allow us to accept the presence of additives here that we would forego in any other part of a well-balanced meal. As for flavor, many of today's mixes are at least as good as the majority of from scratch recipes--and the applesauce in this recipe gives added depth and moisture too.

Finally, there is a cost factor to consider. Brownie mixes are often loss leaders at many chains, especially around "baking holidays" like Valentine's Day and Christmas. If you were to do a cost comparison with a favorite brownie recipe, it is very unlikely that you could match the price of the mix. In most cases, substituting applesauce for the oil in the mix instructions will reduce the cost a bit further.

So I now present a "kitchen-tested by 5 year old" recipe for applesauce brownies. Next time you see brownie mix on sale, pick up a box, make sure you have applesauce in the house, and then think of who you could call to share them with you; you'll be glad you did.

Applesauce Brownies

1 standard size brownie mix, enough for a 9 X 13 pan
2 eggs
2/3 c unsweetened applesauce (if you don't have unsweetened, the other will do--just be aware your dessert will be REALLY sweet)
1/4 c water
broken or chopped walnuts (optional)

Preparation:  Turn the oven to 350 degrees as you begin to make the brownies. These go together so quickly, you don't want to have to wait until the oven is hot to put the pan in. If you are using a glass pan, you may want to heat only to 325.

Whether you use a cooking spray or oil for preparing the pan, be sure the sides as well as the bottom of the pan are well-coated.

1.  Pour mix into bowl and then add all the other ingredients, except walnuts.

2.  Combine all the ingredients and then beat with a wood spoon or cooking fork about 50 times, or just until the mixture is well blended and there are no lumps of dry mix.

3.  Pour the batter into a well-oiled 9 X 13 pan. Sprinkle walnuts evenly over the top and bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes, until just done.

To test, press the center lightly; if it springs back, it is done. You also should watch the edges of the brownies. If they start to pull away from the sides of the pan, they are also getting done. You don't want to overbake brownies.

4.  Allow the brownies to cool about 15 to 20 minutes before cutting. Makes 24 to 32, depending on the size you want to cut them into.

Variations and notes:

Why nuts only on top? While you can mix the walnuts into the batter, spreading them on top allows for several things:

• If you have anyone in the household who doesn't like nuts (as is the case with many young children), you can spread nuts over only part of the batter, leaving one end "plain" for non-nut-eaters. 
• This will usually reduce the amount of nuts used, a way to economize if cost is a serious consideration. 
• While brownies are often served without frosting, placing the nuts on top gives a little bit more "finished" appearance to the un-iced bars.

Chocolate chips and/or mini-marshmallows could also be sprinkled over the top instead of or with the walnuts. If using marshmallows, press them lightly into the batter.

For a less rich bar with even a little more positive nutritive value, stir in a half cup or so of quick (NOT instant) oats with the other ingredients.

Chocolate Peanut Butter "Icebox" Cookies--AND Quick Ice Cream Sandwiches

Cookbooks from a century or so ago usually included "icebox cookies" in their desserts section. These were generally quite rich cookies that could be stirred up in the evening, formed into a roll, and chilled until the next day--probably when the woodstove was being heated up to bake the day's bread as well.

Today of course we have the refrigerated cookie doughs chilling at the grocery store, waiting for you to bring them home, slice, and bake. But why not go back to the "good old days" and make some "from scratch." The following recipe is really very simple. While one member of the family is clearing away the dishes after dinner, another could be stirring up a batch of these, all the while you are both carrying on a conversation about the events of the day. Family dinners are a wonderful time to be together, but the clean up time in the kitchen can be just as much fun--really!

I found a really good buy on some dark chocolate peanut butter a few weeks ago and thought this might be a good way to use it. For me, this is a product too sweet to substitute for plain peanut butter on a sandwich, but then, I'm not a big fan of Nutella either. (And, on a side note, most of the name brand peanut butters have begun to be sweetened far more than necessary.)

As noted at the end of the recipe, you can substitute "ordinary" peanut butter if you can't find this chocolate version. My guess is that you could also sub in Nutella for the chocolate peanut butter, but I haven't tried that.

Whichever version you try, I think you'll enjoy the convenience of having this dough stirred up and ready to go for your family or stashed in the freezer for unexpected guests.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Icebox Cookies

1/3 c butter, softened
1/3 c chocolate peanut butter
3/4 c sugar
2 T baking cocoa
1 egg
3/4 t vanilla
2 T water
scant 2 c flour (this means that you will probably have about 1 7/8 c flour--err on the side of too little rather than too much!)
2 t baking powder

1.   Combine the butter and peanut butter and beat until smooth with a wood spoon. Stir in the sugar, cocoa, and egg and mix thoroughly. Add the vanilla and water and combine all into a smooth mixture.

2.   Sift or stir together the flour and baking powder and add to the peanut butter mixture. This works best if you stir in about half the flour mixture and mix until it is well blended before adding the rest of the flour and baking powder. The dough will be very stiff; don't worry!

NOTE: As in the picture, this dough is a little crumbly at first. That is okay. What you need to do is work with it like play dough, until it holds together.You do need to press firmly. If you don't, it may be more difficult to slice after chilling.

3.  Cut a piece of waxed paper or parchment paper about 18 to 20 inches long and lay on the counter. Pour the dough onto the paper and begin to shape it into a long log, keeping the circumference as even as possible from one end of the log to the other. Use the waxed paper to help in this whole process.

Lift the sides of the paper and use it to keep rolling the dough so that it becomes as circular as possible. Then wrap the dough completely with the waxed paper. It will be best to slip the roll into a plastic bag to keep the ends from drying out.








4.  Place the roll in the refrigerator at least several hours or overnight.

5.  Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and slice evenly into about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick slices. The thinner they are, the crisper they will be, but you do want to make them as evenly thick as possible.





6.  Lay the slices on an ungreased baking sheet. As you can see in this "before and after" baking picture, the cookies do not spread a great deal, so they can be placed relatively close together.

7.  Bake for about 8 to 10 minutes until a cookie springs back when pressed lightly in the center.  Remove to a cooling rack. They will be quite tender while hot, so handle carefully.

VARIATION:

Substitute regular peanut butter for the chocolate peanut butter and increase the amount of cocoa to 1/4 cup. Creamy peanut butter is best for this, as crunchy peanut butter will be harder to slice neatly.

If desired, you can tightly wrap the rolled up dough in a freezer bag and store in the freezer for up to a month or so. You do not have to thaw the dough to slice it--in fact, sometimes the frozen dough is easier to cut into very thin slices. Allow the sliced cookies to sit on the baking sheet for a few minutes to thaw before baking.

Quick Ice Cream Sandwich Cookies

These are also perfect for "mini" Ice Cream Sandwiches. You could make the cookie rolls larger in diameter, but keeping the cookies small makes these a nice size for the kids or for bite-sized desserts after a heavy meal.

 The recipe is more just a method:

Soften a pint or so of ice cream just enough to press into shape. Put a cookie, upside down, on a plate and spread a teaspoon to a tablespoon of ice cream, any flavor, evenly on the cookie. Immediately press a second cookie on top. Repeat for as many sandwiches as you want.

Immediately return the ice cream sandwiches to the freezer for an hour or so, until the ice cream is again firm. For an extra rich sandwich, you can dip the cookies in your favorite fudge sauce and roll in crushed peanuts.

Applesauce Jam Bars

When cleaning out my refrigerator recently, I discovered four partially finished jars of homemade jam. There were two jars of cherry jam, one of my own, just barely started, and another with just a little of my daughter-in-law's incredible spicy recipe--just enough for a breakfast of homemade toast with a peanut butter and jam topping. The other two jars were both my raspberry apple specialty (how do I do this, starting one before finishing the other?!?), so I poured those both into a single jar and reminded myself to use them soon.

I really needed to pare down the jam supply even further so started to look for jam bar cookie recipes, something I hadn't made for years. I was hoping to find something that didn't require lots and lots of jam yet would be the kind of cookie that would emphasize the fruity flavor.

That kind of recipe was hard to find, so I took ideas from a few that looked promising and made my own adaptions. The biggest change was to blend the jam with applesauce, toning down the sweetness while still allowing the fruit flavor to stay strong. I used my cherry jam, but any good jam would work just as well.

The result is a cookie that is less sweet than most and is something like a soft granola bar. It is important to press that first layer firmly, to be sure the cut bars don't crumble apart.

One bonus here: If you use oil or vegan margarine, these are completely vegan, something not always easy to find in cookies. Even if you use butter, you will have an egg-free, dairy-free recipe for anyone needing these special recipes.

Now I have gone from four jam jars to just one in my refrigerator, for the time being...but there is another jar of Amy's cherry jam just waiting to be opened...

Applesauce Jam Bars

Base
2 c quick rolled oats (NOT instant)
1 c whole wheat or all purpose flour
1/2 c brown sugar
1/4 c melted butter OR canola oil
1/2 t salt--omit if using salted butter
1/2 c applesauce, preferably unsweetened

Filling
3/4 c jam of your choice, preferably homemade
1/3 c applesauce, preferably unsweetened

1.  Combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, and salt and stir with a fork until well blended.

2.  Pour in the 1/2 cup applesauce and butter or oil and stir until evenly combined.

3.  Press about half the mixture into a well-oiled 7 X 11 or 9 inch square pan. Be sure to press firmly.

4.  Combine the jam with the 1/3 cup applesauce and spread evenly over the crumb crust.

5.  Cover with the remaining oatmeal mixture and press lightly with your fingers.

6.  Bake at 325 degrees for about 25 to 30 minutes, until just beginning to turn light brown.

7.  If desired, when completely cool, sprinkle with a little powdered sugar.

Makes 24 to 36, depending on how you want to cut them.

An Easy Lemon Cake to Welcome Spring

According to T.S. Eliot, "April is the cruelest month," and this year that seemed to ring true, weather-wise. But now in May, the grass is bright green, the birds are singing, and it is time to lighten up our menus at least a little.

For me, spring is the time to bring out some lemon desserts, and this cake is super easy to put together. In fact, it is really at its best while still warm, so you could stir it up and have it baking while you eat. For some, adding a dollop of whipped cream is the best way to eat this, but it certainly is just as good without.

My guess is that this may best be eaten the first day or two because its fat content is lower than many cakes. However, I can't tell you if this is true, because it has never lasted more than a day here at my house.

First, the ReaLemon "controversy."


For some, the use of ReaLemon (or other brands of reconstituted lemon juice) is very close to heresy, and an unacceptable "processed food." However, there are several reasons why you shouldn't be afraid to use these lemon juices. I find two most compelling.

First, I have mentioned before that ReaLemon is really to be preferred when making jams and jellies, because this has a consistent acidity level. Fresh lemons can vary in acidity enough to cause problems in getting just the right "jell."

The second reason is really the primary reason why I always have a bottle of ReaLemon in my refrigerator: it's always in the refrigerator! Fresh lemons are too often too expensive for me to treat as a staple, so I have to remember to buy them if I want to make a special lemon dessert. Over the years, I have used ReaLemon to make lemon meringue pies, lemon square cookies, and this lemon cake and have always had people praise the lemony flavor.

So don't be afraid to use ReaLemon for this or many other recipes calling for lemon juice. Obviously, if you have access to fresh lemons at a reasonable price, go ahead and cook/bake with those too. Just don't forego the opportunity to have a great lemon dessert just because you don't have a "real lemon" on hand!

Oh, and what about lemon zest?

Fresh lemons have one thing ReaLemon doesn't have, peels. That distinctive lemon zest flavor could be missing here, but...did you know that lemon extract is made from the peeling, or zest, of lemons? As a result, you can get that deeper zest flavor by adding lemon extract in its place. How much? In general, it is recommended that you use half as much lemon extract as zest.

So go ahead and make this wonderful lemon cake and celebrate spring--whatever the source of your lemon juice.

Lemon Cake

Cake:
1 c sugar
1/2 c butter, melted
2 eggs
1 T lemon juice
1/2 c milk
1/2 t lemon extract OR 1 t grated lemon rind
2 c flour
1 1/2 t baking powder

Topping: 
1/3 c lemon juice
1/3 c sugar

1.  Beat the first six ingredients together until smooth and completely blended.

2.  Sift or stir together the flour and baking powder and add to the liquid ingredients. Stir just until all the flour is incorporated into the liquid.

3.  Pour the batter into a well-oiled 9 X 13 pan or 11 inch square casserole dish. (Go ahead and use one of your nicest casserole dishes, as this is a cake best served right from the pan.)

4.  Bake at 350 for about 25 to 30 minutes. It will be done when the center springs back when lightly touched or when a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with no batter sticking to it.

5.  While the cake is baking, stir the lemon juice and sugar together for the Topping. Be sure it is completely mixed. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, poke holes over the top with a toothpick or fork. Spread the lemon juice and sugar mixture over, covering the surface as evenly as possible.

Dark Rye Bread

Some time ago, I saw "whole grain" rye flour at a local grocery store and thought it might be fun to try my hand at rye bread. I have used rye flour in some multi-grain batches, but the flavor never really came through. Maybe this heartier version would be more like the rye bread I have bought in the past.
As I started to look for possible recipes to try, I discovered that what I was looking for was usually called "German Rye Bread." I wanted something deep brown and solid.

It took me a few times to get the texture I wanted, so here are a few hints to try:

• The dough generally seems more time to rise at each step than what you might be accustomed to with wheat and even other multi-grain breads, so allow plenty of time. I also find I like the texture best if I do punch down the dough an extra time in step 4.
• While some of the sides I found on line talk about "folding" the dough rather than kneading, but I have had good success with kneading well. Try not to knead in too much flour. You can avoid this by adding just a little flour at a time. Stop kneading if the dough starts to have little "tears" in the side.
• Recognize that the texture of the dough is going to be much more like play dough than the usual springy wheat bread, and that is okay. Note the hand prints on this dough ball:

• Be sure to oil the dough when rising, as the dough can dry out quickly.
• Slashing the dough here helps avoid "tears" on the sides of the loaves--plus it looks nicer.
• While the caraway is optional, I happen to think that is part of the "real" rye bread experience.

Don't be put off by all these "hints. This really isn't all that hard to make , and it's a wonderful foil for all kinds of sandwiches. Well worth trying if you like making breads. It's a great way to vary your menus.

A couple more advantages:

This version is vegan too, so you can use this as the basis for your favorite no meat/dairy productions as well. Good for anyone with dairy or egg allergies too.

Dark Rye Bread

2 pkgs dry yeast

2 c warm water

¼ c brown sugar

2 T molasses

2 T vital wheat gluten

3 T cocoa powder

¼ c canola or other vegetable oil

2 t salt
1 T caraway seeds (optional)

3 ½ c whole grain rye flour

2 ½ to 3 ½ bread flour

1.         Combine all but the bread flour, beat well, and allow to sit until bubbly—about 20 minutes or so.

2.         Gradually add the bread flour until a soft dough is formed. Knead 8 to 10 minutes until smooth (it will feel like play dough). Place in oiled bowl, oil the top of the dough, and cover.

4.         Allow to raise at least an hour until doubled. If desired, punch down and let rise again. (It will probably look like this:)

5.         Divide in two pieces and shape into loaves. Slash tops and let raise another hour or so—probably won’t quite double.

6.         Bake at 376 about 25 minutes or until the crust is rich brown. You may want to lift one of the loaves off the pan to be sure the bottom is well browned.

Variation: 
Make into four smaller loaves--same length, just smaller diameter--for canapé style sandwiches. 

Cranberry Applesauce Muffins

If you have ever read any of my posts here, you know that I am a) definitely not a professional food photographer and b) I am not "monetizing" the blog with any kind of promotion, either of ingredients or equipment.

What I do like to do with my little essays is present some recipes I've found pleasing to others that I hope readers will want to try. Along with the recipes I like to include some narrative that includes some "history" on when I started making the dish, a family story or other background comments I hope might be interesting. Sometimes I may also include some hints on how to make cooking and baking a little easier and/or less expensive.

All that said, today I would like to recommend and feature two "tools" that are pretty indispensable for me in my everyday cooking and baking. The muffin recipe that follows uses both pieces of equipment, with only measuring spoons and a mixing spoon to prepare the entire recipe.

First, a clear glass 1 quart measuring cup that doubles as a mixing bowl as well.

Those who know me know that I like to minimize the number of dishes that are going to be needing to be washed when I finish making something, and having to use many different measuring cups for a single recipe is especially not my favorite thing.  The nice thing about this large measuring cup/bowl is that many recipes can be adapted to just keep adding ingredients to the bowl rather than measuring each separately.

Today's mini-muffin recipe is especially easy to adapt to using only the measuring bowl. As you'll see in the recipe, I first layer in the cranberry sauce and applesauce and then pour the canola oil over:

 
3/4 cup cranberries + 1/4 cup applesauce + 1/4 cup canola oil = 1 1/4 cup total. (Though I realize now that the angle of the photo makes this look like 1 1/2 cups, it really is the right amount. As I said before, I am definitely not a pro at food photography!)

Then I add the eggs, brown sugar, and spices:

 

At this point, I beat everything together until well mixed. The clear glass helps me to see if I have any spots where some of the ingredients didn't get stirred in.



Now to the dry ingredients and the other "basic tool" that I have had for decades, literally! This, my friends who may be a little new to baking, is a flour sifter!

Probably the most important thing a flour sifter does is make sure that those "concentrated" ingredients like baking soda, baking powder, spices, and even cocoa are evenly distributed throughout the flour. I know that many, many people no longer have one of these, and you can get by without one. If the recipe says "sift together...," then you can just put all those ingredients in a large bowl and stir well with a fork to be sure that everything is evenly mixed. If you ever make the mistake of not thoroughly sifting or stirring in the baking soda, I can tell you from sad experience that you may get very uneven rising--and some bites will not taste good at all!

Wait, you may say. If it is so important to sift the spices along with the flour, why do I suggest adding them with the wet ingredients here?



When I am doing a lot of baking, I don't always wash my sifter between every recipe! If the only things going into the sifter are flour, baking soda, and/or baking powder, there is no problem with just reusing the sifter without washing. If I don't want to use the same spices in consecutive recipes, there could be a residue left in the sifter from one to the next. Thus, I long ago learned that spices can  be evenly mixed in with a very liquid set of ingredients, and my sifter would be left for only those more basic ingredients. So for this recipe, I have used my somewhat unorthodox method. If this sounds heretical to you, do feel free to sift those spices in with the flour.

Now, finally, on to the recipe.

If you are like most people I know, cranberry relish is a very seasonal dish, so you might well have a can of cranberry sauce left over from Thanksgiving or Christmas. Instead of having that linger on the shelf until next fall, this is a good way to use it up.

Cranberry Applesauce Mini Muffins

3/4 c cranberry sauce--the "whole berry" kind if you are using canned
1/4 c unsweetened applesauce, preferably homemade!
1/4 c canola oil
2 eggs
1/3 c brown sugar
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg
1/2 t ginger
1 1/2 c flour--either unbleached, whole wheat, or a mixture of the two
1 t baking soda
1/2 t baking powder

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and use non-stick cooking spray to prepare enough mini muffin pans for 36 muffins. Be sure to cover each litle cup completely to avoid any sticking!

2.  Put the first 8 ingredients in a clear glass quart measure or other large bowl, in the order listed. Beat until thoroughly mixed.

3.  Sift the flour, soda, and baking powder together (or mix with a fork in a second bowl). Pour over the liquid ingredients and stir gently with a fork just until blended. Try not to over-mix.

4.  Spoon the batter into the greased pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes, until the muffins are nicely browned and spring back if touched lightly.

5.  Remove from oven and loosen from pans as soon as possible. Cool.

Makes 36 mini muffins.

If you prefer to make regular size muffins, this recipe will make about 12. Bake at 350 for approximately 16 to 20 minutes.

Pumpkin Apple Bread

Perhaps we are far enough away from the pumpkin spice madness to try one more pumpkin recipe. This could be helpful if you still have a little pumpkin--canned or homemade--left from all that holiday baking. These also make good take alongs for any New Year's Eve party you may be invited to. Not quite so sweet as all those cookies and maybe even a little "healthy" with all the fruit.

This is in the category of "quick breads" and really does come together quickly, especially if you have a processor or immersion blender to quickly chop the apples.

Pumpkin Apple Bread

1 c pumpkin puree

1/3 c canola oil

1 c sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 c flour—may substitute whole wheat flour for up to half a cup of the flour

1 1/4 t baking soda

1 t cinnamon

1/2 t nutmeg

1/4 t cloves

1/4 t allspice

2 c (packed) cored, but not peeled apples, finely diced (about 2 large or 3 medium)

1/2 to 1 c chopped walnuts (optional)
1/2 to 1 c chopped dates (optional)

1.  Beat together the pumpkin, oil, sugar and eggs.
2.  When well-blended, gently add the sifted dry ingredients and mix until just blended.
3.  Fold in the apples and nuts and dates, if used.
4.  Pour into two well-oiled medium loaf pans, about 5 X 9. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  
5.  Allow to sit in the pans for about 3 or 4 minutes and then turn on to racks to cool.

Wrap tightly and refrigerate if kept for more than a day or two. As with most breads of this type, these loaves slice much better the next day.

Size changes:

For all sizes, bake at 325 degrees when using either glass pans or disposable aluminum pans, to avoid the crust getting too brown before the centers are done.
The recipe can be made in a single large bread loaf pan; allow about 35 to 40 minutes to bake.
"Mini" loaf pans can also be used with the recipe making about 6 or so. These should be baked for only about 20 to 22 minutes.
You can double this recipe and use three 5 X 9 pans for slightly higher loaves.