food for thought

What a gorgeous few days we’re having here in the Catskills! I’m sitting outside with the chickens writing to you about all the updates. Well. Most of the updates. In order to keep this short-ish, I wanted to update you on my Fall To-Do list and then share a recipe with you. But first. I am straining the apple cider vinegar today so it can finish doing its thing. I did lose one to neglect. I didn’t check on it and the apple peels and cores were above the water line. So it went moldy. I used a glass to weigh it down but then I guess it was ‘out of sight, out of mind’. Note to future self: check the ACV every so often!

My small group virtual classes are really going well. I also have a few new venues starting next week. Or, well, I guess I should say, some of my old venues plus a couple of new ones. My marketing class that I’ve been taking through the local extension office ends next week. I’ve made some really good changes to my business because of that class. I had a meeting with the extension office this week and it really, really helped. I know exactly where my business is going and how to get there. Now it’s totally up to me to implement it. That feels good. And finally get the business/marketing plan DONE!

You know what else feels good? Using things from my homestead that I’ve grown or that I’ve ‘put up’. I got a hankering for a spice cake that I used to make way back when. But the recipe calls for applesauce and I only eat homemade applesauce (for no reason in particular other than it is super easy to make so I decided to only eat applesauce that I make. Plus it’s one more way to save money. You also make it using two or three ingredients–water, apples, and sugar. Four if you count cinnamon. But sometimes it’s just apples and water). Anyway, I haven’t made applesauce for a couple of years therefore I haven’t made the cake. Until now. The cake is from the Moosewood Restaurant’s Low Fat cookbook and it calls for egg whites, maple syrup, and applesauce which are produced right here on the homestead. But because it is low fat it doesn’t have any sort of icing or topping. The recipe says you can sprinkle powdered sugar on top, but I was really craving a glaze. So I made one up loosely based on a recipe I found online. I’ll post the recipe below.

I know I’ve mentioned it here before but we did stock up on all local meat, including our homestead raised chicken. But boy the taste difference! We split a half-pig with some friends from my favorite local farmers, Shea Farms. They don’t even advertise. It’s all word of mouth. The farm store is open only on Saturdays and this year they’ve had a hard time keeping meat in stock due to a high demand. I’m so glad that we have resources like this available to us. The pork chops in the picture above? They are so thick! I just pan fried them with a little olive oil and some spices. Then I made oven roasted cheesy veg (zucchini, yellow squash, green peppers, eggplant)! Yum! And then we ended the meal with a thick slice of the spice cake. We’ve been cooking a LOT of our meals here at home, as I’m sure most people have been. I don’t really miss going out. There’s just something about the process of creating a meal, especially from things that we already have on hand. It’s soothing to my soul.

And I’ve been meaning to update you on my winter prep progress. I’ve totally changed my mind about where the garden is going too! So (hopefully) this weekend I’ll get all that done-move the raised beds, compost all the chicken shavings along with the dirt and current compost, and then I will have some good, yummy dirt for the spring. And the only cost for the spring garden, other than seeds because I didn’t save my own seeds, will be a good, tight fence and gate! I’ll update you once I have everything moved.

Anyway, here’s the list. Things that I’ve accomplished have been crossed out. Some things have notes after them if they’ve changed….

The List:

1. clean the gutters (I’m pretty sure I can do most of them!)
2. edge the front flower bed
3. transplant some bulbs and forsythia
4. take the meat birds to butcher
5. clean up the meat bird tractor, run–put shavings, etc. into garden beds
6. pull all the veg plants from the garden beds, mulch with chicken shavings
7. clean out egg layer coop, run (use the shavings in the garden beds)
8. finish chalkboard wall (just need the trim)
9. paint upstairs (not sure I am going to do this now)
10. clean the windows
11. clean shower heads (taking inspiration from that article above!)
12. rearrange, inventory freezers and pantry
13. make and can applesauce
14. restock spices
15. inventory and restock emergency supplies (candles, batteries, etc)
16. test smoke detectors
17. wax wood furniture (I make my own natural wax and it works wonders on the wood furniture!)
18. Clearance out products in shop (see the shop for current sale items!)
19. Clean and organize gardening tools, items, etc.
20. clean and organize sun porch (honestly, I do this a lot!)

Okay. I think that’s about it for now. I still need to figure out how much I spent on the meat birds and also figure out what we spent for October on groceries and supplies. I’m feeling good about the way things are progressing. Oh. I also need to update you on all the classes I’m offering over the next few weeks. So stay tuned for that. Tomorrow is felt flowers and then pumpkin garland for two separate venues! You can always check the events list to see what’s coming up and where and how to join in on the fun! But, let’s get to the recipe, shall we?

Recipe:

The Recipe: Applesauce Spice Cake
adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites

Ingredients:
For the cake:
2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/3 cup of vegetable oil
1 3/4 cups pure maple syrup
5 egg whites
1 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar, more if needed
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup pure maple syrup, more if needed

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a medium mix bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Stir in oats. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of mixer, cream the oil and maple syrup for at least 3 minutes or until well blended. Add the egg whites and beat on high speed for another 5 minutes or until light and fluffy.
4. Thoroughly mix in the applesauce.
5. Gradually add all the flour mixture, beating well after each addition.
6. Lightly coat a bundt pan with cooking spray (or lightly butter and flour the pan).
7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
8. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
9. Immediately invert the cake onto a serving plate and remove the pan.
10. Cool completely before frosting or glazing.

For the glaze:
1. In a small bowl whisk all ingredients together until smooth and creamy
2. Add more powdered sugar if too thin; or more maple syrup if too thick. You want the glaze to be thin enough to pour but not so thin that it doesn’t hold up.
3. Pour the glaze over the cooled cake.

That’s it! Once it’s all cooled and the glaze has been poured over it, cut a big slice and eat!

I’m leaving you with this. As you know, it was election week. I say week because it’s still going on. But this past Tuesday was ‘vote in person’ day. I did my duty. I hope you did too.

’til next time
-k
xoxo