Simple Apple Cake #Recipe for #Foodies @DonnaFaz

I had some time on my hands, so I deep-cleaned my refrigerator. You know what I mean—I completely emptied it out, removed the shelves for hand-washing, wiped down the inside walls, and then put everything back. I threw away anything I couldn’t remember buying (pickle relish, cocktail sauce, creamed horseradish, etc.); the jars were nearly empty anyway. There were 3 apples in the crisper drawer that were on their last legs, so I decided to use them to bake a cake. I found a recipe in my Betty Crocker Cookbook and decided to fiddle with it. Instead of all white sugar, I used half white and half brown. I added some cinnamon and increased the apple content. All in all, I’m very happy with this Simple Apple Cake. I hope you like it, too.

Simple Apple Cake

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup brown sugar 

1/2 cups white sugar

2 eggs 

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 medium apples, peeled and grated (about 2 cups)

1/2 cup heavy cream, whipped (for serving, optional)

1   1. Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Spray 9-inch square cake pan with baking spray.

2   2. In large bowl, beat butter, brown sugar, and white sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Stir in vanilla, flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in apples and spoon into pan. Spread out evenly.

3

     3. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool 10 minutes longer and then cut into squares. Serve warm with whipped cream (optional).

Other options: Feel free to toss in a half cup of raisins or a half cup of toasted, chopped walnuts… or both! I didn’t have them on hand when I made the cake or I’d have added them.

Newsletter #Giveaway! You have 48 hours only! Ends Feb 13th.

Newsletter Giveaway! 

In 48 hours, I’ll be sending out my Feb newsletter. Newsletter subscribers (only) will be eligible to enter to win: 1 signed paperback, 1 leather fanny pack, 1 novelty pen, 1 cotton tea towel with LOVE quotes, 1 pumice stone, 1 Bodycology fragrance mist, and 1 Bodycology moisturizing cream. To enter the giveaway, you must be on my mailing list. Join here today:

Click here to sign up at MadMimi

There’s only 48 hours to join the mailing list. My Feb newsletter will go out late afternoon on Feb 13^th. To enter, all you’ll be asked to do is forward my newsletter to a romance-loving friend. Good luck to all those who enter! I will NEVER share your email address with anyone.

Here's a picture of what you could win:

#Recipe - Bacon Zucchini Fritters Plus 2 eBooks for You!

I've had one of those days today. You know the ones, where you’re feeling creative in the kitchen. I pulled some ingredients out of my refrigerator and pantry, and I wondered what I could make with them. I had bacon, a zucchini, Locatelli cheese, eggs, flour, you get the picture. I came up with a recipe that is so delicious I decided to write it down. When you write it down, you know it’s good.

Bacon Zucchini Fritters 

Ingredients:

5 strips of bacon, fried crisp, drained, chopped

3 cups zucchini, grated (leave the skin on)

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, grated

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup scallions, thinly sliced (slice a little extra for garnish)

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper, or to taste

2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil for frying

Directions:

1. Mix together all ingredients, except the oil, until well incorporated.

2. Heat a frying pan on high until it’s hot, add oil to the pan, and then
   turn the pan down to medium heat. You want the oil almost to the
   smoking point.

3. Use an ice cream scoop (a large spoon works too) to portion out the
   batter and fry in batches for about 5 minutes or until golden brown.
   Flip and fry on the other side until golden. Remove to a serving
   platter and keep warm.

4. I serve these fritters as a side dish, garnished with thinly sliced
   scallions and a dollop of sour cream.

Serves 3-4

*  *  *  *

Bacon Zucchini Fritters is just one of the recipes you'll find in my Cooking In All Directions cookbook, a collection of 75 recipes for soups, salads, appetizers, main dishes, and desserts. The cookbook is available in these ebook outlets:

Kindle ~ Nook ~ Kobo ~ iBooks

*  *  *  *

Also this month, I'm offering my Second Chance Valentine for just 99¢ – that's a $2 savings off the regular price. Here's more information about this sweet contemporary story:

As teens, Josie and Alex met under golden sunshine, frolicked in the surf and sand, and fell head over toes in love. But circumstances arose that ruined their one glorious summer, and Josie fled Ocean City with a broken heart.

Now Josie’s grandmother is ill and needs help with the family business, a thriving harbor-side diner called Joe’s Place. So after more than a dozen years, Josie returns to her hometown only to discover she has a 180 pound problem—Alex is the Kitchen Commander at Joe’s Place. 

Surely, Josie can work with Alex to keep the diner going and retain her dignity until her grandmother is back on her feet. However, when Alex’s little girl starts scheming, not a single heart will be safe against the twelve-year-old matchmaker.

This book contains bonus recipes from Joe’s Place!

This book is available for Kindle readers. 

As an Amazon, Nook, and Apple affiliate, I earn a couple of pennies 

on qualifying purchases when you use the links I have posted here.