A Little of This and A Little of That

I was going through my photo files and found some pics that I thought I'd share. It has been a long time since I've last posted. I miss the blogosphere, but then I'm really enjoying living down town and enjoying the world at large.

Lemon Meringue Tarts and Tartlets

Made for a friends birthday.

Fluffer-Nutter Cookies

Made for a 7th grade school dance.


Whoopie Pies
Made during one of the snowstorms this past winter.

Oatmeal Pumpkin Spiced Cookies with Brown Butter Icing

Made all the time for snacks!

Yule Log

Christmas 2009

Pinapple Upside-Down Bundt and Sunflowers

A quick comment and then a discussion of sunflowers and cake:

I'm a total slug and I know it. I am just having a hard time sitting at the computer because I'd rather be out and about town. I've also realized that I've been avoiding the computer because I've been getting major headaches while writing. I've finally made an appointment with the eye doctor. Frankly, I'm getting old and will probably need the dreaded reading glasses.

OK, so now onto the more important topic: pineapple upside-down cake. Pineapples, to me, are the sun. We can reach out and touch the sun, enjoy it's sweetness. I make my cake in a bundt pan because I love that it looks like the sun and therefore reminds me of sunflowers. (I also use the small diced pineapple and leave off the horrible unnatural marciano cherries for it is all about the pineapple and the cherries only serve to distract.)

I love sunflowers. They have surrounded me my whole life. The wallpaper in my childhood bedroom was floor to ceiling length sunflowers, which were very 1960's in style.

Ever since I could plant a seed I've grown sunflowers.

And, of course, Vincent Van Gogh's Sunflowers (Fritillaries) are possibly my favorite paintings ever, blue or yellow background, doesn't matter which, I love them all. I even had my boys paint them as part of their "art" lessons when I home schooled. My boys were ages 7 and 9. I framed their paintings and hung them up, still the first thing I see when I leave my bedroom. And, despite their lack of complexity, because they are my children's art and they are sunflowers, the two paintings bring me great joy.

I think about Van Gogh's mental health from time to time and I have to pause at the miracle of his art. I marvel at his ability to walk out of that dark place in which he often found himself and create such bright and joyous works of art. As we all know, his mental illness ultimately claimed his life, but what he left was nothing short of a brilliance that brings, to others, the very happiness that was missing from his life.

If you have the opportunity, go out, plant some sunflowers and enjoy the spectacular blooms. Then, when the seeds are ripe, enjoy watching all the birds that will visit the garden to enjoy the bounty.
And, when it is raining, bake a pineapple upside-down cake and bring a little sunshine into your home.


Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Topping:
1 cup of firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 8oz cans crushed pineapple

Cake:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
6 Tbsp cake flour
6 Tbsp of almond flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups of sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
4 large eggs
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup sour cream


Combine and melt brown sugar and butter in a saucepan on medium heat until sugar dissolves and the mixture is bubbly. Pour mixture into a buttered bundt pan. Drain the pineapples and spread evenly over the sugar mixture.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Whisk the flours, almonds, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the sugar and butter together until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. Add dry ingredients alternately with sour cream beating well after each addition. Pour batter in pan.

Bake cake until tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool cake completely before turning cake onto dish.

Multiple Banana Syndrome

I made one regular sized loaf.

Here is the mini loaf and one large beer. Unfortunately, we had a lot of beer left over so we had to drink it. Well, some one has to do it. (I'm not a big beer drinker, but I love all these unique flavored beers. Maybe I should try this recipe with a beer infused with clove and cinnamon.)

My freezer has MBS. Multiple Banana Syndrome. I realized an intervention was needed when I opened my freezer the other day and a frozen banana landed on my toe. Unfortunately, I was the one needing the intervention. Some how, over the past 6 months, I've mananged to squirrel away every uneaten banana that had gotten brown spots. (I had no idea how many bananas we didn't eat.) Low and behold I found enough bananas to make, oh, 15 smoothies.

For a few days I've been making vanilla rice milk and banana smoothies. But, alas, I cannot drink that many smoothies. I was in the store purchasing a specialty beer when I saw a "Banana" Bread Beer. I bought it, managed to keep my husband from trying it and used it to make the most delish banana bread I've ever eaten. I made enough to share with neighbors and friends. For now, there is a lot of extra space in the freezer. YES! We have no bananas......

Beer Banana Bread

1 3/4 cup flour

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

2 medium bananas, mashed

1/3 cup melted butter

1/4 cup beer

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease and flour a bread pan.
2. In a large bowl sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, walnuts, and salt.
3. In a medium bowl beat the eggs until foamy. Then, add the bananas, butter and beer.
4. Combine the two mixtures, blending until dry ingredients are moist. Do not overmix.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes. Do the toothpick test and if the toothpick comes out clean and the top is golden, the bread is done. Remove from oven and cool on wire rack before removing from pan.
6. Enjoy!