Brittany's PantryCurrently…
Brittany wrote this on 3 November 2014
Enjoying…FALL! This is my favorite time of year and I wish it would never end! The colors, the food, the sweaters, and the snuggles under warm blankets is something I look forward to all year. Here in SC it was a long time coming (the picture above was taken when it was 85 degrees outside) but it is cooler now and OH so welcome!
Traveling…to Atlanta and Virginia. I was at a blogging conference a few weeks ago in Georgia and am now headed to the mountains north of here in Virgina for a food bloggers workshop! To say I am excited is a vast understatement.
Loving…this chai concentrate. Bless the Target corporation for stocking the shelves with this. Chocolate Chai is my hands down favorite, but the classic and Vanilla Caramel Latte are close seconds! Mix it with skim milk and pour it over ice, or lately, heat it up, and I am a happy woman! Sorry, Starbucks. With this in my fridge, I am saving big bucks and I enjoy it whenever I want. So. Lovely.
Wishing…I had my stuff. With most of our belongings still in storage while we build the house, I am starting to miss the rest of my clothes. And my favorite quilt. And my dishes…
Excited…to finally be hitting a time in the building process where we get to SEE progression. In addition, we are tearing down trees and clearing land all by ourselves to create some kind of front yard out of a thick forest. Doing it ourselves is exhausting, but awesome. Makes for good family fun!
Eating…any kind of meat. In particular, roast beef and roast pork. I could eat it every night for dinner. Few things make a home smell as good as a roast in the oven! Throwing in some mashed potatoes is essential. Please tell me I am not alone in this…
Researching…this mattress company. Looks cool, right?
Hooked On…PiYo. I am in love with this workout program. Kind of a yoga and Pilates fusion. Check it out here.
Praying…for the state of the world. Lots of sadness and violence going on. Maybe no more than usual, but while I am grateful for a healthy, happy, and safe family, my heart has been especially heavy as of late when I see something new in the news. Lifting up others for safety and peace.
Baking…with apples! We visited an orchard in the mountains of North Carolina last week and I am still using up the bounty! The view was spectacular and my official new favorite fall activity is picking apples on a mountain top. Gorgeous. I tried a new variety called Gold Rush and really really loved it!!
Discovering…all kinds of awesome stuff in my area. South Carolina is a lot like MN, in that it just seems to get better and better. Every time I turn around there is something new to discover and try with my kids. So blessed that I get to live in such an incredible state!
Thankful…for new friends. It is tough to move across the country to someplace new, but we have settled in so well! I have connected with a group of spectacular women and they have been chasing away the stress and loneliness of a new place with laughter, support, and lots of caffeine.
Reading…quite a bit, actually! Our newly formed book club just finished The Glass Castle, by Jeannette Walls and I cannot recommend this enough. Outstanding book. I need to start on Good Things, by Mia King, but am just now on the last few pages of My Name Is Mary Sutter, by Robin Oliveira. This book is a period piece about the Civil War and is absolutely spectacular. Anything else I should be reading now?
A very special thank you to everyone who participated in the Giveaway! The winners have been contacted via email and I hope that you will all continue to read and cook from here! And maybe participate in the next giveaway as well! This post was not sponsored and no links or companies mentioned above have any connection to me. As always, all opinions are my own.
Cinnamon Apple Cake
Brittany wrote this on 30 October 2014 apples
Last year, I had the fabulous privilege of sampling this cake at a meeting of our local Mom’s Group. I am not ashamed to admit that it has filled my dreams ever since. Apple cake. Gooooood.
I have always loved apple cake and really really loved this version. And not all apple cakes are created equal, mind you! Sometimes apple cake is light and fluffy and then the chunks of apple weigh it down in a weird way. Other times the apples are in big chunks that never seem to bake well. Getting the crumb right with pieces of fruit mixed in is a balancing act. Who knew it was such a delicate process with such a complicated formula?
This recipe gets around that by baking up a lot like bars. Chewy and more dense that a traditional cake, it supports the chunks of apple perfectly, but it is still light enough to warrant a plate and fork. Good gracious. It is just awesome. When I acquired the recipe from my friend, I learned that it is of course a family recipe. I am thrilled she shared it with me and while I adjusted it to my taste just a smidge, it stays true to the original. I dare you to bake this up and bring it to a gathering this holiday season. Just be prepared to deal with the aftermath of praise, high fives, recipe inquires, and offers of marriage. It is that good.
I have no doubt that many other versions of apple cake will grace this little corner of the internet. I am, after all, an equal opportunity eater. But for now, I am having a hard time making it past this cake. I have kind of hit the pause button on apple cake experimentation. Maybe next year. For now, this is my ultimate.
***This is my final post in the series of comforting and cozy recipes that I am featuring during the GIVEAWAY! You only have a few more days to take advantage of my offer of free merchandise (yeah free!!) and enter for a chance to win loot from the top rated ETSY shop, Pine Tree Goods. If you haven’t entered yet-and there ways to put your name in up to 5 times-click here and git er done! Don’t forget to take advantage of the free shipping code just for BP readers! Good Luck!***
I couldn’t resist tucking in this last picture of Lane, my 2 1/2 year old photo-bomber.
Cinnamon Apple Cake
Adapted from MaryAnn Hillard, friend of Brittany’s Pantry
I am loyal to golden delicious as a baking apple, but a recent visit to an orchard in North Carolina had me taste testing an apple called Gold Rush. It was awesome. Great in a pie (or cake) and great to eat out of hand. I highly recommend them if you can get your hands on them.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream together in the bowl of a stand mixer:
1 c (2 sticks) of room temperature butter
2 c sugar
When combined and smooth, add:
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
When combined and smooth, add:
2 1/2 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
Lastly, gently fold in 3 c of diced apple (peeled and cored).
Spread batter (it will be thick) into a sprayed 9X13 pan and bake for 35-40 minutes or until evenly golden brown and set. Cool cake until almost room temp before cutting and serving. Cake is best the day it is made, but leftovers aren’t too shabby.
Mmm. Cheesy Bread. Just absorb that thought for a second.
It is spectacularly comforting which is why I am posting my favorite, easy version of this now. It is the perfect food for the cozy theme I am following during the duration of my Pine Tree Goods Giveaway! Melted cheese on chewy bread paired with a green salad or bowl of soup? Yeah baby!!
As you may have guessed from my previous postings of Garlic Toast and Herbed Garlic Bread, I like having a carbohydrate to dip in my food. I may or may not make noises like a crane on a construction site when I scoop with tools of bread. One of my favorite hot lunches when I was a kid was the dunkers; big slabs of bread with melted mozzarella on top served with a scoop of spaghetti sauce. Scrumptious. Essentially, that is what I make this bread for. The salad just makes me feel less guilty about eating a dinner centered around bread.
I was reading a recipe by Pioneer Woman recently and she mentioned that she freezes hers. This never once occurred to me, but you can bet I am going to be doing that from now on! Smear on the cheese mixture, wrap it up tightly, and pull out to thaw and toast whenever it is needed. Genius. And speaking of smart ideas, whoever paired bread and cheese together the first time (probably someone French…) and warmed it up and called it a meal, well they are my forever friend.
Here in South Carolina, I am learning about Southern Caviar (aka Pimento Cheese) and all its versions, uses, and adaptations. In some ways this recipe is a simpler version of that. I have been holding out on making my own pimento cheese but since it is everywhere down here, I am sure I won’t be able to resist for long. Then, of course, I may just have to smear it on bread and toast it up. That recipe and this recipe can be buddies. Hehe!
Oy vey…I really shouldn’t blog when I’m tired….
***Don’t forget to enter for a chance to win some one of a kind accessories from the top rated Etsy Shop, Pine Tree Goods! FREE STUFF FOR THE WIN!!! There are still a few days left to get your name in and it is just so darn easy, there is no excuse!! Want to get your Christmas shopping done early? Hannah, the artisan behind the goods, is offering a free shipping code just for Brittany’s Pantry readers! Simple enter BPGIVEAWAY14 to get your items shipped free! She does special orders too, so be sure to contact her if you want something specific! Click here to zip over to the post to enter and see official rules. Good luck!!***
Simple Cheesy Bread
1 large loaf french bread (not baguette-you want it softer than that)
8 oz grated colby-jack cheese
1/2 c good mayonnaise
1 stick (1/2 c) softened butter
Combine the cheese, mayo, and butter in a small bowl. Set aside. Cut the bread in half down the side lengthwise and open like a book. I cut it in half crosswise as well so that the pieces fit on my pan butter, but whatever works for you is fine! Divide the mixture evenly between the pieces of bread and smear evenly all the way out to the edges! Don’t forget the edges! **If you are freezing this for later, gently sandwich the bread together, wrap well in plastic wrap, and then again in foil, or place in a zip top freezer bag. Defrost in the fridge and proceed with recipe.** Preheat the oven to 375. Place the bread cheese side up on a parchment or foil lined sheet pan (because burnt cheese is a major bummer to clean off of metal) and toast for 10 minutes. Check the bread to see how it is melting and proceed at 5 minute intervals until it is toasted to your preference. Some like their cheese barely melted, other like it to be bubbling and turning brown. Your choice! Pull it out and let it set for a minute-if you can wait that long-before slicing and enjoying!
Love a Good Recipe?
Then you’ve come to the right place! I’m Brittany, and I share tested, trusted recipes you’ll love. I prepare & photograph food, obsess over the perfect recipe, and enjoy grins of delight when I serve up something awesome. Enjoy!
