Christmas 2018

Christmas was lovely and sad simultaneously. I tried to keep it together as I had no idea what we would deal with this year and just tried my best to manage through the holiday moment by moment. It remains to be seen what will happen this coming year and I have to be patient and strong.

Bovina Postcard

Bovina looks like a Norman Rockwell postcard this time of year.

Holiday Walk NYC

 The city at Christmas is always so beautiful.

Honey Garlic Vinaigrette

Honey Garlic Vinaigrette

        Ingredients

• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

• 3 tablespoons honey
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 
  
• Directions

• In a container, combine oil, vinegar, honey, and garlic. Cover, and shake until blended. Set aside for 45 minutes, to allow flavors to combine. Shake again before serving.

We needed a new salad dressing for our dinner party and we tried this and it was very good. 

Apple Cider Donut Cake

We decided to throw a dinner party between Xmas and New Years and Tim made this great cake for desert.  The trick to the recipe is to use a light extra virgin olive oil.

Ingredients:

        2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for 

        pan 

       

        2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for pan 

1 cup whole-wheat flour

• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  
• 1 3/4 cups natural cane sugar
  
• 1 cup apple cider
  
• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  

3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
  

Directions:

• 
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 12-cup Bundt pan. In a large bowl, whisk together both flours, baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups sugar, cider, oil, applesauce, vanilla, and eggs. Add egg mixture to flour mixture; whisk until combined. Transfer batter to prepared pan.
  
• 
  2. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until a tester inserted in center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet; let cool 15 minutes. Meanwhile, mix together remaining 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.
  
• 
  3. Invert warm cake onto rack. Brush with melted butter, then sprinkle liberally with cinnamon sugar. Let cool completely before serving. Cake can be stored, covered, at room temperature up to 2 days.
  

Bundt pans need to be generously buttered and floured so cakes don't stick; use a pastry brush to be sure to get into all the crevices.