Hot Apple and Rhubarb Cake

One of my favourite things about backyard homesteading is the warm homey smell of freshly baked goodies. It's like love in the air.
Today for dessert I whipped up a vanilla cake and decided to use some of my home grown rhubarb and canned apples to spice it up.

Here's what I did:

Stew about 2 cups of apple and 1 cup of diced rhubarb with a little water until soft and translucent.
Mix up a vanilla cake using either a packet or from scratch like I do.
While licking the beaters pour half the cake mixture into a 20" cake tin that has high sides.
Carefully spoon the apple/rhubarb evenly over the mixture so it's about 1/2" thick.
Pour the rest of the cake mixture on top and level out.
Lick the spoon.
Sprinkle slivered almonds on top making sure to nibble on a few as you go.
Cook following cake recipe directions.
Once the almonds turn pale brown cover cake loosly with a piece of foil to stop further browning.

When the cake is cooked dust top with icing sugar and serve hot with a dash of cream or custard.
Accept all compliments graciously.

PS  You could substitute the apple/rhubarb with any other stewed fruit such as apricot, plum, peach, or pear. You could also use just about any variety of nuts you have on hand.

This blog post also appears in Homestead Barn Hop #73

                                                                Homestead Barn Hop

FRITTATA

I wandered down to the garden, basket dangling from my arm, in search of something for dinner.
Eggs from the chooks (chickens) were first on my list followed by, silver beet, potato, red chard, spring onion and a little bunch of parsley.

Hmm so what to cook?

I decided on frittata. It's similar to quiche but doesn't have a pastry base, and that can only be a blessing to my derriere.

In theory Frittatas are supposed to be cooked in a frypan then finished off under a grill but I just pop all the ingredients in a dish and cook it in the oven.

 You can use just about any vegetables. Just make sure heavier vegies such as potato, carrot or pumpkin are sliced thinly or steamed first to ensure they cook all the way through.
I find that brown onions are too strong for egg dishes and use the long thin stalks of spring onion instead.

 For 4 serves I used:


4 eggs
Half cup of cream
Half a cup of milk
1 cup grated cheese
About 2-3 cups diced or thinly sliced vegies
    (I used silver beet, corn kernels, sliced potato, sliced pumpkin, chard, spring onion, parsley)
Salt and pepper to taste


Mix all ingredients together and poor into a baking dish.

Cook for about 20-30 mins until there is only a slightly uncooked patch in the centre of the top. Take out of oven and let sit for 5 minutes. The little uncooked patch will cook in the heat of the dish.

Head on over toThe Praire Homestead for lots of interesting reading.

Grand Opening Celebration

Today is the launch of this new blog so we're celebrating with my favourite healthy slice. Well I tell myself it's healthy as it has no obvious added artificial preservatives, flavours or colours. And I always use organic ingredients where possible.
It only takes 10 mins to throw together with just about anything you have on hand so put on your pretty 50's style apron and turn on the oven.


Here's the recipe.

CELEBRATION SLICE


1 cup toasted muesli or any cereal you happen to have in the cupboard. A mixture of more than one is also good as long as it adds up to 1 cup.


1 cup rolled oats


1 cup coconut


1/3 cup self-raising flour


1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar


2 tablespoons cocoa


1/4 cup of any dried fruit you have (Today I used cranberries)


1/4 cup of any nuts you have. (Today I used slivered toasted almonds) Seseme or poppy seeds would be nice too.


1/3 cup honey (or apple concentrate)


150g butter melted

Preheat oven to 180C


Combine all dry ingredients


Add honey and melted butter and mix well.


Press into a lined 28 x 18cm tray.


Bake for 20 minutes. Then allow to cool in the pan.




*ICING aka frosting


 2 cups icing sugar


2 tablespoons cocoa


a little hot water.


 To make the icing mix cocoa and icing sugar together and add drops of hot water until you get a spreadable consistency and spread over slice. Sprinkle with coconut, nuts or both and cut into squares.


 Now it's time to sit down with some slice and a cuppa and celebrate whatever's good about your day.


For more homesteading advice see  Homestead Barn Hop
.