Apple Butterscotch Cake

Being dubbed "the best dessert you've ever made" by Paperman, I decided I must get my paper copy of this recipe recorded in another area too. This is the second time around, and for some reason, it made quite an impression this time. If Paperman enjoyed it this much, next time it just won't taste the same. The apples were from his Mom's tree and the applesauce was homemade from those apples too. Maybe I can duplicate it next fall if there is a good apple crop!


Apple Butterscotch Cake

1 cup all purpose flour
3/4 c whole wheat flour
3/4 c sugar
1/4 ground flaxseed
1 t baking powder
1 t pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
3 large eggs, beaten (I used egg beaters)
1/2 c unsweetened applesauce
1/2 c canola oil
2 large apples, grated
1/3 c butterscotch chips (and a few extra to sprinkle on top-optional)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9x13 pan with nonstick spray. Whisk together the two kinds of flour, sugar, flaxseed, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.

Whisk together eggs, applesauce, and oil in a separate bowl. Stir in apples.

Pour liquid ingredients over the dry. Stir until moistened. Stir in chips.

Pour into pan. Smooth top.

Bake 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a rack before cutting.

Meal Planning Monday

Last weeks plan went pretty well as we ate 4 of the 6 meals that were planned. I had to make some quick substitutons as doctor appointments and little ones needing held seemed to creep into my potato peeling time! I'll try to get them in this week. The things I list are general guidlines for me, we sometimes have bread,cottage cheese,and other add ons as I remember or they get asked for. If possible I try to make enough for 2 meals then we have leftovers for another night or lunches.

Monday-Baked pasta with veggies, fruit salad
Tuesday- Scalloped potatoes, carrots
Wednesday- Crock pot roast/cabbage/apples
Thursday- Leftovers
Friday- Lasagna, bread, salad
Saturday -Ham, mashed potatoes, broccoli
Sunday- Leftovers

Meal Planning Monday, on Tuesday...

Oops. I thought about my weekly meal plan yesterday, but I also went to bed at a decent hour, and as you may tell, most of my blog posts don't happen at a decent hour!
Last week went pretty well with the meal plan, except Thursday my sweetest bestest neighbor friend watched my kids, fed them supper AND sent home lasagna for the next night! What did I do to deserve that?? Anyway, it was greatly appreciated for a busy week and I'll try to get her back soon. I made the chili and chicken soup on Saturday which worked out great as my my brother in law and sister in law were here for supper. I took those leftovers to my parents today as there may have been a mutiny if I tried to serve them the 3rd day in a row. Enough...now on to this week- I'll be trying to do some freezer potato recipes as I got 15 lbs for $4.59 today.

Monday- Chicken soup and chili (for the last time!)
Tuesday- Mushroom pizza and oranges
Wednesday- BBQ pork sandwiches, oven fries and fresh veggies
Thursday-Baked pasta with veggies, fruit salad
Friday- Scalloped potatoes, carrots
Saturday- Grilled turkey tenderloin, green bean casserole, apples

Fresh from the farm

Wednesday was chicken day. We had ordered 8 farm fresh, no antibiotic, free range chickens for our freezer. Paperman and I were both raised on this kind of chicken and whenever he eats (the other) chicken it's just not the same. Of course, I'm sure if his Mom made (the other) chicken it may be better! I stewed a 6 lb chicken today with salt/pepper/carrots/onion and celery. I covered it in water and let it simmer about an hour then sit in the broth for a while (it was still quite warm). I removed the bones and skin and came up with 2 gallons (!) broth with a lot of flavor and 6 cups of chicken. I packaged everything into quart ziploc bags and now have the fixens for chicken soup, chicken and dumplings or chicken and noodles anytime we want. yum.
At $2.25 a lb the chickens are a bit pricey compared to (the other) chicken but we should get at least 4 meals out of this one chicken by adding a few staples and veggies. Now I'll have to ration the remainder of the chickens as we won't be able to get more until July.

It's apple picking day!

It's apple picking day, it's apple picking day. We'll pick an apple from the tree and eat it right away! (from the Dinofours book- Apple picking day. Check out the series. They are really cute books.) Today dd3, ds, Susan and I went to pick apples at a farm up the road. There were 6 or 7 trees with the branches touching the ground from all the weight on them. I guess the trees are trying to make up for leaving us "sans applesauce" last year! It was such a beautiful day weather wise with temps around 75, sunshine and a nice breeze. Ahhhhhhh, nearly perfect in my book. DS was in need of a nap but hung out in his stroller munching away on a freshly "jean shined" apple. Seriously, he chewed on that baby for 1/2 an hour!! DD3 was in heaven. She reminded us to "twist the apples until they come off, don't just pull or you can hurt the trees" (once again, from the book). DD3 really got the hang of the apple picker and loved getting the high apples with no holes! We did a lot of pulling and filled bags and laundry baskets. Susan is my inspiration for food preservation as she's making pies and sauce to add to her bounty of other canned and frozen goods from her garden. I hope to make sauce and if there is enough, some sliced apples too (for crisp in the middle of the winter). (No pictures from this adventure. I did take some on my phone, but can't quite figure out how to get them to the computer.)