Highly recommended grapefruit goodness

A couple of Sundays ago I brought The Greyston Bakery’s Pink Grapefruit Yogurt Cake to Sunday School (via Joy the Baker) and it was a hit.  I love anything citrus and baked with my coffee and this moist, tart, not-too-sweet cake was just perfect.  I followed the recipe exactly except I used lowfat yogurt – because that’s what I had – and I sprinkled the top with confectioner’s sugar after glazing.

Pink Grapefruit Yogurt Cake

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 Tablespoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 cup plain whole milk yogurt

1/3 cup vegetable oil

Juice and zest of 1 pink grapefruit.  This ends up being about 1/2 cup of juice and 1 Tablespoon of zest.

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 Tablespoons powdered sugar

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a 10-inch round springform pan and line the pan bottom with a parchment paper round and set aside.  I used a Bundt type springform pan, greased and floured well and skipped the parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt to blend.

On a clean surface, or in a large bowl, combine the granulated sugar and zest.  With the back of a spoon or a flexible bench knife, rub the grapefruit zest into the sugar.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs and grapefruit sugar until the eggs are thick and pale yellow.  Add the yogurt, oil, 1 Tablespoon of grapefruit juice and vanilla extract.  Stir well to combine.  Add the flour mixture and stir to combine.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with a rubber spatula.  Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a wooden skewer comes out clean when inserted near the center.  Place the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes to cool.  Run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the cake. Release and remove the pan sides.  Cool completely on the wire rack.

In a small saucepan, combine the powdered sugar and the remaining grapefruit juice and bring to a boil  Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes, or until the glaze is slightly thickened.  Remove from heat.

To finish the cake, invert the cooled cake and remove the pan bottom.  Carefully peel away the parchment paper if you used it.  Reinvert the cake onto a serving plate.  Pierce the cake all over the top with a skewer and pour the warm grapefruit slowly over the cake.

Store at room temperature, wrapped well for 2 days.

Somebody say, “Amen!”

Amen! And, thank you, Simplemom, for this post.  It was actually written by one of her columnists, Corey Allan.

Don’t let the title fool you… read on. It’s a breath of fresh air and a good reminder for me during my attachment-parenting-style days.  It reminds me of advice from my mom – “You have to fill yourself up sometimes, or you will have nothing to give to pour out on your kids.” My midwife reminded me shortly after my daughter’s birth that each child is given their unique parents for a reason. They need to learn from you, like, the REAL you!

And, let’s remember that our job as parents is not to raise children. We are raising adults. This article encourages that with wonderfully specific advice.

Spring Steak Marinade

At the park last Sunday we chatted with a gentleman who informed us of his plans to have steak and baked potatoes later on that evening.  The inspiration was unavoidable – we went straight to Publix to get the goods.  Baby S went to bed early, so D and I got to enjoy dinner together at. the. kitchen. table.  I know!!

Spring Steak Marinade :: yields enough for 2 steaks

1/4 C Worchestire sauce

2 T spicy brown mustard

3 T liquid smoke

1 1/2 t garlic powder

1/4 t red pepper flakes

Whisk all ingredients together.  Put steaks in zip-loc bag and add marinade to bag.  Seal and shake, lightly pounding steaks with your fist to tenderize a bit.  Marinate on counter for no longer that 20 minutes or in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.

A breath of fresh air

God is good!  Spring has sprung here in Charleston and we’ve been taking full advantage of that.  Last weekend, we spent Saturday and Sunday afternoon at the park.  There was snacking and smooching, walking and talking, and a good bit of knitting and napping.  Really, though, the sun-drenched pictures say it all.

Fanatical for fennel

Fennel. Fennel with a kiss of  lemon and honey and a splash of pinot grigio for good measure.  That’s how I plan to flavor every meal until D begs for a change.  It all started with an impulsive (aka “not on the list”) fennel purchase at the grocery store and consequently this recipe from Allrecipes. Aren’t these fennel bulbs gorgeous? All tender and pearly and exuding their licorice perfume with a drizzling of the bronzed honey-wine syrup they were braised in… my new go-to side dish for sure.

I used these fennel bulbs to inspire the rest of the dinner – tilapia fillets marinated in lemon juice, fennel stalks and leaves served along side orzo pasta dressed with lemon zest, olive oil, and chopped fennel leaves.

Light, flavorful, and refreshing, fennel just became a staple for the Wolfepack.

An interesting read

We don’t normally think of “Born Agains” as non-conformists, but in the sweep of American religious history, they are.

“Evangelical Protestantism is anything but traditional in its outlook on the world,” the sociologist Alan Wolfe wrote. “If I had to invent a term that meant the exact opposite of ‘traditional,’ I would use the phrase that evangelicals apply to themselves: ‘born again.’ To be traditional is to be born into a world shaped by one’s parents and grandparents and to feel an obligation to pass that world on unchanged to one’s children and grandchildren.”

Taken from “Does the God Gap Matter?” by Dick Meyer, via NPR.

Preserving memories

When D gets home from work, he almost always arrives with a smile.  It’s such a blessing to see how happy he is to come home.  Baby S and I look forward to 5:00 every day.  The dogs bark excitedly when they hear the garage door open and we all peer out the window intently as he walks up the driveway and into the garage.  He opens the door, the pups jump at him adoringly and Baby S opens her eyes wide in anticipation.  He greets us all with his smile and an “I missed you” and whisks his baby girl away for some Daddy time.

Usually I start to unwind a bit and get dinner going, which relaxes me after my day of work.  It’s during these moments that I get to really step back and see my daughter, to take the time to watch my husband be a father.  Most times I try to just enjoy and observe and put these moments into my heart.  But others, I can’t help myself – I have to preserve the memory with my point-and-shoot.

Even though I get teased for the incessant camera clicking, I think they’ll appreciate these one day, don’t you?

Zuppa, zuppa!

We are crazy about – completemente loco por – this soup.  I rarely repeat recipes and I’ve made this twice in two weeks.  Thank you Kristin at the Kitchen Sink!

This time, I had to change it up a bit as I didn’t have sweet potatoes – just substituted carrots and it was delicious.  I also used a cup or two of beef broth because I accidentally (Thank you, Lactation Brain.) grabbed it instead of my normal vegetable stock – which I prefer to chicken stock – and for the remainder of the total liquid just used water.

Kale is my new favorite vegetable. I’ve been putting it in everything. Next on my list – Chickpea and Kale Stir Fry from Live to Eat. I spied it on TasteSpotting looking at my fellow Daring Bakers‘ cakes last week.  I’ll let you know how I fare with it!

Raising Readers :: Walk the walk

I remember a conversation I was having with my dad a few years ago in which I said at some point – “Well, I guess if I’m going to ask it of someone, I better be willing to do it myself.”  The principle is simple and unprofound, really.  If we want our children to do something we had better be ready to do it ourselves; that goes for everything from table manners to taking out the trash.   When raising readers, we need to be reading – and this is different than reading to your children.  Let your kids see you read – don’t always save it for the moments after they’ve gone to bed and you and your honey are enjoying the quiet.

And as always, it’s never too early to start a good habit.  Even if all they can do is suck on the pages, you’re still doing a great thing.

Sort-of-Mom’s Oatmeal Cookies

Tweaked a bit by yours truly, here is a great recipe for the comfort cookie craving that ails you.  D and I have polished off 2 dozen of these babies in 48 hours.  Some day – when I have my pantry fully stocked – I’ll  post my mama’s original recipe.

Sort-of-Mom’s Oatmeal Cookies :: yields 2 dozen cookies that vanish rapidly

1/2 C butter

1/3 C  sugar

1/3 C brown sugar

1 egg

1/2 t vanilla

1/2 C dried cranberries

1/2 C sultanas (golden raisins)

1 generous C quality chocolate chips*

1 C rolled oats

3/4 C AP flour

1/2 t salt

1/2 t baking soda

2 t hot water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (Fahrenheit).

Cream butter and sugar together.  Then add egg and combine. (If doubling, tripling recipe, add eggs one at a time.)  Add vanilla and combine.

Sift flour, salt, and soda together.  Add flour mixture to sugar mixture gradually until combined well.  You want a nice sandy color and a smooth batter.

Stir in hot water, oats, fruit, and chocolate chips.

Drop in chunky clumps onto a greased, non-stick, or sil-pat lined baking sheet.  I set the timer for 8 minutes, but take them out when the edges have just turned light brown and the tops still look a smidge wet.  Let cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Grab three or four cookies, a glass of milk, and your favorite person – it’s time to put a dent in that batch of cookies!

*I almost always use Ghirardelli (Frisco represent, wootwoot!) bittersweet – 60% cacao – for everything.