Throwback Apple Cake Recipe

It is definitely apple season around here.  I just love the fresh juicy crunch of an apple right off the tree.  And this year has been a great year for our Gravenstein tree.  The plums and other stone fruit have not had as stellar of a year, so I have yet to try one of the mouth watering plum cornbread recipes I've seen recently.  Which has given me plenty of time to play with the apples.  Surely you've seen the Bourbon Apple Crisp recipe I love.  But a crisp doesn't always hit the spot.

So I got out my trusty Good Housekeeping Illustrated Cookbook (circa 1980), which is filled with pictures and drawings and how to tips, and found this throwback Merryfield Apple Cake recipe.   I love this cookbook because a)  it was a yard sale score, 2) its not fancy, and iii) its got a basic recipe for pretty much everything.  Usually I read a recipe from it and substitute the hell out of it for my new-agey gluten free diet, and it comes out terrific.  Just like this apple cake.

The only substitution in this cake for me is the all purpose flour, which I substituted with freshly ground oat flour.  My awesome sister in law made her mom's legendary pumpkin muffins for us at Thanksgiving last year with this substitution and no one even noticed!  The oats have great texture for this cake.  Oat flour has a different, shall we say, heartier taste than wheat flour for sure, but in this cake with the moist-ness of the apples and the addition of the cinnamon it is amazing.

Merryfield Apple Cake:
3 c. all purpose flour
2 c. sugar
1 c. salad oil
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 eggs
3 c. peeled diced apples + dash of cinnamon to taste
1 c. nuts, like walnuts (i don't use these)
1/2 c. raisins (or these)
powdered sugar for dusting

325 degrees,  8x8, 1 hour

I just wanted apples and cinnamon in the cake so I skipped the nuts and raisins.   I added a touch of brown sugar and a drizzle of honey, for a sweet new year and some color.  I used gluten free oats and ground them in the coffee grinder to make oat flour.  I measured out the same amount of oat flour as I would have used all purpose flour and the results were delicious!  Like I said, the oat flour has great texture and flavor, and it fluffs right up like a normal cake.  Can you ask for anything more?

It was moist, yummy and it almost disappeared last night.  I managed to save one piece for a photo.

you're welcome.

Buttermilk Fried Chicken Breast

For a make at home fried chicken, this recipe is a score.  It uses boneless skinless breasts, and its really easy. Like my trusty favorite pulled chicken sandwich recipe, you have to start earlier in the day with the prep (here it is the essential buttermilk soak, there its the dry rub), but as long as you do that, it is easily assembled after a long work day.

Probably the best part, and what makes it so crunchy and good, is the use of the pan fry then bake method.  Ready the cast iron skillet!  I tossed some green beans and onions into the oven in a separate roasting dish, so we had meat and veggies in the oven and brown rice on the stovetop, which meant a much smaller mess than usual.  I love using the oven for a weeknight dinner because nothing makes dinner taste better than knowing clean up will be easy! (I can't be the only one who feels this way.) 

Try it out and let me know what you think!  I substituted my own gluten free ingredients (bread crumbs and flour) and the recipe came out great.  If you don't like spicy stuff, just omit the hot sauce and cayenne pepper.

Ingredients

• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup hot pepper sauce
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
• 1 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, mix the buttermilk and hot pepper sauce. Place chicken in the mixture to coat. Cover, and marinate in the refrigerator 8 hours or overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
3. In a separate medium bowl, mix dry bread crumbs, flour, onion powder, cornstarch, white sugar, garlic salt, salt, pepper, paprika, and cayenne pepper. Thoroughly coat the chicken in the bread crumb mixture.
4. Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat, and cook chicken 5 to 7 minutes on each side, until lightly browned.
5. Transfer chicken to a medium baking dish, and bake in the preheated oven 30 minutes, until no longer pink and juices run clear.

Courtesy of Allrecipes