be a hero

2013 marks the last year you have the incredibly historic opportunity to joint the fight against cancer by enrolling in the American Cancer Society's CPS-3 (Cancer Prevention Study-3). 

By joining CPS-3, you can help researchers better understand the genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors that cause or prevent cancer, which will ultimately save lives.

Please check out this website for more information. If you are unable to enroll, please share this with those who might be able to.

If you know someone who has cancer or have lost someone to cancer - THIS is your opportunity to do something in their honor.

www.cancer.org/cps3

easter 2013

A laid back Easter brunch with friends was the perfect way to spend the afternoon, followed by a long walk on the Kewash trail with the dog.

Low key, delicious, perfect.

Let me at the food!

Potica bread (turned into rolls). How have I lived my life with out this Slovenian sweet bread?

Hot cross buns served with honey butter

The spread; yogurt puff pastry quiche with greens and mushrooms, hot cross buns, fennel apple citrus salad, fruit, potica, and coffee, plenty of coffee.

Potica bread - how it should be.

What is Easter without Reese Eggs? Not Easter. But these homemade versions were much better and didn't leave a sickenly sweet feeling on your teeth.

Making potica late the night before Easter

think garnish

A new favorite find that came in handy while during the holidays and after, Garnish offered up some great packaging ideas for treat boxes for a friend as well as for my random deliveries of baked goods.

Christmas boxes full of vegan treats for our friend to deliver to his family, friends and clients. These boxes where a great option and tied with twine and a small cookie cutter were super cute.

 

I included a small photo of all of the goodies included in each box; macaroons, triple ginger ginger snaps, jam kolaches, eggnog biscotti, granola nut clusters, coconut milk truffles and "peanutella". I used these containers for the peanutella, a perfect portion to slather on two slices of toast.

I cannot wait to order a few more items from Garnish as I start planning for the 2013 farmers market season. My twisted english muffin bread would look so cute baked in these, and my vegan chocolate chip cookies could easily be wrapped and ready to go in these. 

So many ideas...

{For the record - these are my opinions and I simply blogged this information so I can remember what I used and what I would like to use in the future.}

One of my goals to accomplish during the 30 weeks before I turn 30 is to give away bread and baked goods each week to unsuspecting friends, acquaintances, co-workers and the like. Because whose day is not brightened by a sweet treat or a warm loaf of bread?



Vegan carrot cake, peanut butter chocolate pie were wrapped up and delivered to the directors of the Washington Chamber, Economic Development and Main Street.



A loaf of cinnamon raisin walnut bread went the the library.





And a boule of sourdough and a bit of sun dried tomato olive oil for dipping was dropped off for the employees at Backyard Candle to enjoy.



A handful of other breads and desserts have wound up on the doorstep of our close friends and I am sure they just waiting for the day for these deliveries to stop...

honeyed apple torte

This torte comes from one of my favorite cookbooks that has been collecting dust far too long on my bookshelf.

Reintroducing butter and eggs back into my baking has been quite fun and my nose has been buried in a few old cookbooks for the past few weeks, pouring over pages and pages of cakes, pastries, enriched breads, and on and on.

I happened to stop on this honeyed apple torte today when searching for an excuse to use some apples that I picked up yesterday that were less than crisp. If I am going to eat an apple, it needs to be super crisp, tart and juicy, not even one bit soft.

Although this torte calls for a firm apple, the ones I had on hand baked up nicely and this torte made for the perfect accompaniment to an afternoon cup of coffee and an after dinner dessert. 

Honeyed Apple Torte

Slightly adapted from Baking in America

Ingredients::

1/3 cup apple honee/honey

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2.5 crisp apples, cored and sliced in 8 wedges

1.25 cups whole wheat pastry flour, sifted

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons Earth Balance/butter

3/4 cup organic cane sugar

Zest of one lemon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed

2 eggs

Topping::

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

To prepare::

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and butter a 9-inch springform pan.

In a skillet, heat the honey and lemon juice to a simmer. Add the sliced apples and cook, stirring frequently, for 10-15 minutes, or until just beginning to soften. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Sift together flour, salt and baking powder. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the butter until soft. Add 1/4 cup of the cane sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla and beat for one minute. Add remaining cane sugar and brown sugar 1/4 cup at a time, and then beat for 4 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing 60 seconds between additions. Gently fold in flour until smooth.

Spread the batter evenly in to the prepared pan and arrange the apple wedges in concentric circles on top.

Mix together the tablespoon sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and sprinkle evenly over the top. Bake for one hour, until nicely browned and spring backs when gently pressed. Let cool on a wire rack before serving.