------------------------------- ------------------------------------ On and Off The Needles

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

The last of the garden - and Cake!

I'm still getting back into the knitting groove, but I did manage to cast on something new. The Sherbrooke Cowl pattern written by my good friend Lauren. My sister got some yarn at Webs the last time we went - super soft and cuddly Valley Yarns Colrain. She got white, but dyed it a really pretty green. Two skeins are just enough for a cozy cowl for the ever dropping temperatures! Naomi looked through all the cowl patterns we could find in Ravelry, but she wanted something solid (lacy holes = cold!)but not too ornate or fiddly. Sherbrooke was the perfect pattern. I'm about 2" into it and it goes pretty quick as it's an easy two row repeat to remember. Hopefully I'll have it off the needles soon!

The chilly temps also brought to a close the gardening season for me. I was waiting for a few good cold nights to harvest my Brussel Sprouts. They sweeten up a bit after a few light frosts. I got a good amount, and they were pretty easy to grow. I did have an issue with some cabbage beetles, but it wasn't so severe. They mainly concentrated on eating the leaves and not the Sprouts.

Brussel Sprouts
They will make a wonderful side dish to dinner browned in some butter in a frypan. Yum!

I've also been baking. This weather and the fall apple harvest lends itself perfectly to all things baked! I have a wonderful apple pie recipe that I'm holding off on making until hubby returns home from chilly Buffalo, NY but I did make a delicious apple cake the other night. The cake was really moist and not too sweet. Great for breakfast or dessert!
Apple Cake

Apple Cake

4-6 apples, peeled and cut into chunks
1 tablespoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons sugar
2 3/4 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
1/3 cup orange juice
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
4 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a tube pan with removable bottom liberally with non-stick spray. Toss the apple chunks with cinnamon and sugar and set aside.

Mix together the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Whisk together oil, orange juice, sugar and vanilla in a separate bowl. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ones. Add eggs, one at a time and mix until combined.

Pour half of batter into the tube pan. Spread it out evenly. Put half of the apples on next. Pour the remaining batter over the apples and spread until they are covered. Sprinkle the remaining apples on top. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours, or until a tester comes out clean and it pulls away from the sides of the pan. Let it cool for about 15 minutes, then remove the cake with the bottom of the pan. Slice and enjoy!