I Miss It

I spent a lot of time writing these days.  Earlier this week, I counted 8 different writing projects I actively had in progress for school, in only 3 classes!  And so I put fingers to key everyday to write, either personal reflections, short answer essays, or longer research projects.  I send emails to my school and to the kids' schools as I get life as organized as possible.  And that doesn't begin to include short FB posts or texts.  

But I don't write for myself much anymore, and haven't really for a few years, truth be told.  I need only look at my blog archives to see the changes.  I was looking through this blog today, researching what I had said on prayer over the years since I'm writing a paper on prayer for class (yes, one of the eight in progress.)  There were prayers after mass shootings, Mother's Day prayers, St. Patrick's day prayers, discussions of a class on prayer I took with the UU Church of the Larger Fellowship, and then just random references scattered about.  Fascinating.  Except little of it was recent--and I know I've been giving some thought to prayer--the UU version of it--in the last couple of years as I have taken on a more active volunteer chaplaincy role at hospice.  And of course there was CPE.  I don't think I really wrote about CPE and how I felt about it.  Or about my first semester of class. 

Or the kids going into high school.

So much.

And I can't find any recipes that I've made in the last year!  At the very least, this blog has been a great repository for recipes I've tried.  

So, here's a pledge to remember how much I like writing for myself and to try to do more of it.

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Some cakes I've made for my Monday-night Quantum Spirituality 4-hour seminar with agape meal:


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Chocolate Dump Cake a la NYTimes

2 cups sugar

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate

1 stick unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the pan

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon cider vinegar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 ½ cups Nestle's semisweet-chocolate chips

1 ½ cups sour cream, at room temperature

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and place a baking sheet on the lowest rack to catch any drips as the cake bakes on the middle rack. In a 2- to 3-quart pot, mix together the sugar, unsweetened chocolate, butter and 1 cup of water. Place over medium heat and stir occasionally until all of the ingredients are melted and blended. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.

Meanwhile, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a small bowl, stir together the milk and vinegar. Grease and flour a 9-inch tube pan (Tip: Be meticulous, and really work the butter and flour into the crevices of the pan. This is a moist cake, so it really needs a well-prepared pan to keep it from sticking).

When the chocolate in the pot has cooled a bit, whisk in the milk mixture and eggs. In several additions, and without overmixing, whisk in the dry ingredients. When the mixture is smooth, add the vanilla and whisk once or twice to blend. Pour the batter into the tube pan and bake on the middle rack until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 to 35 minutes. Let the cake cool for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan and cool on a rack. (This can be tricky -- if someone is around to help, enlist him.) Let cool completely.

Meanwhile, melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler, then let cool to room temperature. Stir in the sour cream, 1/4 cup at a time, until the mixture is smooth.

When the cake is cool, you may frost it as is or cut it in half so that you have 2 layers. There will be extra icing whether you have 1 or 2 layers. My mother always uses it to make flowers on top. She makes a small rosette, or button, then uses toasted slices of almond as the petals, pushing them in around the base of the rosette.

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Kentucky Butter Cake

1 cup/225 grams unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened, plus more for greasing the pan

3 cups/385 grams all-purpose unbleached flour, plus more for dusting the pan

 Nonstick cooking spray (optional)

2 cups/400 grams granulated sugar

1 cup/240 milliliters buttermilk (see Tip)

4 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

FOR THE BUTTER SAUCE:

¾ cup/150 grams granulated sugar

⅓ cup/75 grams unsalted butter

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

 Confectioners’ sugar, for sprinkling (optional)

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Generously butter and flour (or spray with nonstick cooking spray) a 10-inch tube pan or a 12-cup bundt pan.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or using a handheld mixer, combine the remaining cake ingredients and beat for 3 minutes at medium speed. Pour into prepared pan, level with a spatula and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 60 to 70 minutes.

Shortly before the cake is done baking, make the butter sauce: Combine the granulated sugar, butter and vanilla with 3 tablespoons water in a saucepan over low heat until the butter just melts. (Do not let the mixture boil, as you do not want the sugar to completely dissolve.)

As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, leave the cake in its pan and gently poke it all the way through 15 to 20 times with a long wooden skewer or a long-tined fork. Slowly pour warm butter sauce over the cake. Let cool for at least 3 hours before unmolding from pan. Just before serving, sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar, if desired.

If you don’t have buttermilk, measure out 1 cup of whole milk and remove 1 tablespoon. Add 1 tablespoon white vinegar to the remaining milk and stir to combine. Let sit for 10 minutes, then stir gently before using in the recipe as you would buttermilk.

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NYTimes Spiced Olive Oil Cake with Orange Glaze

 Nonstick cooking spray

1 ¾ cups/225 grams all-purpose flour

1 cup/200 grams granulated sugar

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda

¾ teaspoon ground fennel, cardamom or coriander (see Tip)

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (see Tip)

¾ cup/180 milliliters extra-virgin olive oil

⅔ cup/160 milliliters whole milk

2 large eggs

2 tablespoons dark rum

 Freshly grated zest of 1 orange plus 2 tablespoons orange juice

FOR THE GLAZE:

½ cup/60 grams confectioners’ sugar

2 tablespoons orange juice, plus more as needed

Make the cake: Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Coat a loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk together the dry cake ingredients, including ground spices. In another bowl, whisk the oil, milk, eggs, rum, orange zest and juice until smooth.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry. To prevent clumps, stir together starting from the center of the bowl, gradually drawing in the dry ingredients. Mix just until smooth. The batter will be thick. Pour into the prepared loaf pan.

Bake in the center of the oven for 1 hour, rotating after 30 minutes. When done, the cake will be just firm and dry on top and a tester inserted into the center will come out clean.

Meanwhile, make the glaze: In a measuring cup with a pouring spout, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar and 2 tablespoons orange juice until smooth. The texture should be runny; add more orange juice if needed.

Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then turn out. While it is still warm, drizzle the glaze over the top, making messy, Jackson Pollock-style zigzags by moving the cup back and forth over the cake. Let cool completely to set.

Tip

To start with whole spices instead of ground, combine 1 1/2 teaspoons whole fennel, cardamom or coriander seeds and 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns in a heavy skillet. Toast over medium heat until fragrant. Let cool, then grind in a spice grinder or mortar. Stir in ground ginger and proceed.

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Smitten Kitchen Olive Oil Chocolate Cake

CAKE

1 1/2 cups (195 grams) all-purpose flour

3/4 cup (60 grams) unsweetened cocoa, any variety, sifted if lumpy

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar

3/4 cup (145 grams) dark brown sugar

1/2 cup (120 ml) olive oil

1 1/2 cups (355 ml) water or coffee

1 tablespoon (15 ml) cider vinegar or white vinegar

GLAZE

3/4 cup (135 grams) semisweet chocolate chips

2 tablespoons (10 grams) cocoa powder

3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil

1 tablespoon (20 grams) light corn syrup (for shine)

A pinch or two of flaky sea salt

Make cake: Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of 9-inch round cake pan with a fitted round of parchment paper and coat the bottoms and sides with nonstick cooking spray.

Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt and granulated sugar in the bottom of a large mixing bowl. Add brown sugar and olive oil, and whisk to combine. Add water and vinegar and whisk until smooth.

Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the top is springy and a tester inserted in the center comes out with just a few sticky crumbs (but not wet or loose batter). Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then cut around it with a knife to ensure it is loosened and flip it out onto a cooling rack to cool the rest of the way.

Make glaze: Combine chocolate, cocoa powder, olive oil, corn syrup, and salt in a medium bowl and microwave to melt, in 15 to 30 second increments, stirring between each until just melted. Whisk until smooth. Pour over completely cooled cake and use spatula to gently nudge it down the sides.

Cake keeps: At room temperature for 2 to 3 days and up to a week in the fridge. On day 4 in the fridge, ours was as moist as day one, basically a miracle.

 A few other recipes from recently:

Simple Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

1  pork shoulder or pork butt (6 to 7 pounds with bone, 5 to 6 pounds if boneless)

2 tablespoons kosher salt

2 tablespoons packed light or dark brown sugar

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup water

4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

2 small onions, peeled and cut into 1-inch wedges

Option 1: Tacos

1 (1-ounce) packet 

low-sodium taco seasoning

Tortillas

Pickled jalapeños

Diced tomato

Diced onion

Option 2: Barbecue Sandwiches

1/2 cup 

barbecue sauce, plus more for serving

Hamburger buns

Pickle chips

Coleslaw

INSTRUCTIONS

Trim off any large pieces of fat from the surface of the pork. Sprinkle the salt, sugar, and pepper evenly over all sides of the pork, then pat the seasonings into the meat. If not cooking immediately, place in a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.

When ready to cook, place the pork shoulder (and any accumulated juices if seasoned overnight) in a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Pour the water, around, but not on top of, the pork. Scatter the garlic and onion around the pork.

Cover and cook on the LOW setting until the meat is tender and can be easily shredded, 10 to 12 hours. Transfer the pork to a clean cutting board or rimmed baking sheet. When it is cool enough to handle, use 2 forks or your fingers to shred the meat into bite-sized pieces. Discard the bone (if present) and any large pieces of fat.

Pour the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh strainer into a measuring cup or bowl and discard the solids. Skim the fat from the surface of the cooking liquid. Reserve the cooking liquid to keep leftovers moist. Transfer to a serving bowl if serving as-is. If serving as tacos or barbecue sandwiches, transfer back to the slow cooker for seasoning.

Option 1: Tacos
Sprinkle the pulled pork with the low-sodium taco seasoning mix and toss to coat. Serve on warm tortillas with jalapenos, tomato, and onion, or your favorite taco toppings.

Option 2: Barbecue Sandwiches
Add barbecue sauce to the pulled pork and toss to coat. Serve on hamburger buns with pickles, more barbecue sauce, and coleslaw, if desired.

RECIPE NOTES

Storage: Refrigerate leftovers, moistened with some of the reserved cooking liquid, in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Or, freeze for up to 2 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator.

Make ahead: The pork can be seasoned and refrigerated in a bowl covered with plastic wrap up to 1 day in advance before cooking.

NYTimes Lemon Sheet Cake with Buttercream

1 cup/227 grams unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened, plus more for preparing the pan

3 cups/385 grams all-purpose flour, plus more for preparing the pan

1 ⅓ cups whole milk

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder

¾ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 cups/403 grams granulated sugar

4 teaspoons packed finely grated lemon zest

4 large eggs, at room temperature

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM:

¾ cup/170 grams unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened

2 cups/246 grams confectioners’ sugar

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

 Pinch kosher salt

4 to 5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Make the cake: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, butter and flour the paper.

In a measuring cup with a spout, combine the milk and lemon juice. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a medium bowl.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter, sugar and lemon zest until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing for about 30 seconds after each. Scrape down bottom and sides of the mixer to ensure the mixture is well combined.

With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and milk mixture to the bowl in three additions. Mix until just combined, then use a rubber spatula to finish mixing the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top and tap the pan on the counter a few times to release any large air pockets. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until puffed and golden and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the cake completely on a rack before frosting.

Meanwhile, prepare the frosting: Combine the butter, confectioners' sugar, lemon zest and a pinch of salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low until combined, then turn the mixer up to medium-high and stream in 3 tablespoons of lemon juice. Whip the frosting until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, adding additional lemon juice as necessary until frosting is smooth and spreadable.

Spread the frosting over the cooled cake and serve. Store leftover cake at room temperature, covered for up to 2 days.

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