Jewish Apple Cake

Apples are still in season here in North Carolina for a little while longer.  One of my favorite cakes to make when apples are in season is this one, Jewish Apple Cake or as it's called in Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Style Apple Cake.  It serves up a lot of large slices for a family get-together or a church supper or just anytime you're having friends over for a meal.  You could also make it ahead of time and freeze it until later for a special event or you could make it and freeze individual slices just for yourself.

Jewish Apple Cake

(or Philadelphia Style Apple Cake)

·         6 cups peeled and thinly sliced Granny Smith apples (about 3 large)

·         1 ½ cups plus 5 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided

·         4 teaspoons cinnamon

·         3 cups all-purpose flour

·         1 tablespoon baking powder

·         ½ teaspoon salt

·         4 eggs

·         ½ cup light brown sugar

·         1 cup vegetable oil

·         ½ cup orange juice

·         2 ½ teaspoons vanilla

Preheat oven to 350ºF.  Grease, sugar, and flour a 10-inch tube pan.

Combine apple slices with 5 tablespoons granulated sugar and cinnamon.  Stir well but gently.  Set aside.

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.  Set aside.

Beat eggs with remaining granulated sugar and brown sugar.  Add vegetable oil, orange juice, and vanilla.  Beat well.  Gradually blend the flour mixture into the egg/sugar mixture.  Mix until well blended, about one minute.

Pour one third of the batter into the prepared tube pan.  Top with half the apple slices, draining off any liquid.  Pour in another third of the batter and top with remaining apple slices.  Top with remaining batter, making sure the apples are covered.

Bake 55 to 60 minutes, until the top turns golden brown and a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.  Let cool 10 minutes in pan.  Turn out onto a wire rack and let cool completely.  Serves 16.  Remember, this cake freezes well.

A Spicy, Rainy Kind of Day

Another cold weekend minus the icy precipitation but with a cold rain nonetheless called for a spicy dish to heat things up a bit.  With plenty of chicken in the freezer, I decided to make chicken enchiladas.  I actually call them my quick chicken enchiladas because instead of making my own enchilada sauce and my own tortillas, I use a ready-made canned enchilada sauce and packaged tortillas.  These shortcuts make quick work of a wonderful Mexican dish.

This recipe does require a bit of planning ahead because I marinate my chicken in extra virgin olive oil and spices for a couple of hours before I cook it.  The enhanced flavors make a little planning ahead the better choice.    

Quick Chicken Enchiladas

·         3 boneless skinless chicken breasts

·         ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

·         ¼ teaspoon black pepper

·         ½ teaspoon ground mustard

·         ½ teaspoon garlic powder

·         ½ teaspoon onion powder

·         1 teaspoon chile powder

·         28 ounce jar enchilada sauce

·         8 flour tortillas

·         1 cup shredded cheese

Cut each chicken breast into 1/2 inch slices from the short end.  Cut each slice into two or three narrow strips.  Sprinkle bottom of a large container with olive oil.  Add chicken strips.  Top with spices.  Stir well.  Refrigerate marinating chicken for a couple of hours.  Mixture could be refrigerated overnight. 

Empty marinated chicken mixture into a large stir fry pan.  Stir fry chicken for about 10 to 15 minutes over medium high heat until fully cooked. 

Drain off excess oil.  Place chicken in a large glass bowl.  

Add half of the jar of enchilada sauce.  Stir well until chicken is well coated.  Spray a 9x13 inch glass baking dish with non-stick spray. 

Place about an eighth of the chicken mixture down the middle of the tortilla, wrapping it up in a tight roll. 

Add each wrapped tortilla to the glass baking dish butting the next one right up against the previous one. 

When all wrapped tortillas have been added to the baking dish, pour the remaining half of the enchilada sauce over them.

Sprinkle with shredded cheese.  

Bake in preheated 400 degree oven for about 20 - 25 minutes.    

Top enchiladas with a dollup of sour cream.  Serve with brown rice and refried beans for a delicious Mexican meal.

Snowy Day Lasagna

We've had several snowy days lately.  On Saturday I got to spend the entire snowy day at home.  I decided to do some baking.  I didn't want to spend all day in the kitchen though so I made what I call Quick Homemade Lasagna.  The noodles are from a box and my meat sauce recipe uses canned tomato sauce and paste.  It does take a little more time than making lasagna from an all included kit, but it is well worth it.  Please do not be intimidated by the length of the recipe.  I tried to provide detailed instructions.  Let me know what you think.

For this one I used ground beef, but I will often use ground turkey or ground chicken or some combination of the three.  When I use ground chicken I add a little thyme and sage to the other spices.  I think they help bring out the flavor of the chicken.

Now for the recipe...

Quick Homemade Lasagna

Ø  Quick Homemade Meat Sauce for Lasagna, Spaghetti, and other Italian Dishes:

·         1 pound 93/7 ground beef

·         ½ tsp. oregano

·         ½ tsp. basil

·         ¼ tsp. parsley

·         ¼ tsp. onion powder

·         ¼ tsp. garlic powder

·         Dash black pepper

·         2 - 15 ounce cans tomato sauce

·         2 - 6 ounce cans tomato paste

·         1 cup water

·         1 ½ tsp. oregano

·         ¾ tsp. basil

·         ½ tsp. parsley

·         ½ tsp. onion powder

·         ½ tsp. garlic powder

·         Dash black pepper

In large skillet over medium heat, scramble ground beef using a spatula.   Add first group of spices (oregano, basil, parsley, onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper) to beef.  Continue cooking over medium heat until the beef is evenly browned and fully cooked.  If desired drain and discard any remaining grease from pan. 

In large glass mixing bowl combine tomato sauce, tomato paste, second group of spices (oregano, basil, parsley, onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper) and water.  Stir together.

Add to cooked beef.  Stir.  Cover and continue cooking until mixture begins to bubble.  Remove from heat. Sauce is now ready to be used for lasagna, spaghetti, or other Italian dishes.    

Ø  9 lasagna noodles

Ø  2 tablespoons olive oil

Ø  16 ounce container low fat cottage cheese

Ø  ¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese

Ø  16 ounce package shredded mozzarella cheese

Ø  2 large carrots, peeled and shredded

In a large pot bring 6 quarts of water to a boil on high.  When water is boiling add oil.  Drop in lasagna noodles one at a time layering them in different directions.  Lower temperature to medium high, making adjustments so the pot won’t boil over but so that it keeps to a rapid boil.  Boil noodles for 14 minutes.

Drain noodles into colander.  Rinse thoroughly with cold water to stop cooking.

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Spray 9x13 inch glass dish with non-stick olive oil spray. 

Stir the shredded parmesan cheese into the cottage cheese. 

Spoon two large spoons of meat sauce into bottom of dish.  Layer three noodles lengthwise in dish.  Add half of the cottage cheese mixture.  Add a third of the shredded mozzarella.  Add half of the carrots.  Layer a third of the meat sauce. 

Layer another three noodles.  Add the remaining half of the cottage cheese mixture.  Add another third of the shredded mozzarella.  Add the remaining half of the carrots. Layer another third of the meat sauce. 

Layer the last three noodles.  Top with the remaining meat sauce and sprinkle with the last of the shredded mozzarella.

Bake for 25 minutes.  Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.