Old Fashioned Apple Cake with Caramel Frosting

 

Hello dear Friends! 

Happy Thursday to you. I'm getting to this late - so it's really almost happy TGIF. :) 

We've got a busy weekend ahead but I thought I'd try to pop in and share this recipe quickly. We recently had a family gathering and I made this cake for dessert. I thought it seemed perfect for late summer as we start to think whispers of Fall thoughts. It turned out SO good, and I highly recommend doing what I did. I didn't make the caramel frosting that goes with this recipe (although I have no doubt that is delish too). But instead I used canned salted caramel frosting. Oh my word is that stuff divine! And it was the perfect partner to go with this old fashioned apple cake, that I actually spiced up a bit. I added a little more cinnamon than it called for.  And I added some nutmeg too. Because that's how I roll. I like it more "spicy" Lol 😉 

This cake is old fashioned to me because you boil the butter & shortening on the stove before adding to the dry ingredients. And a lot of old time recipes do things like this. I would recommend adding the extra spices like I did. And if you don't want to make frosting - go grab that salted caramel one. And then I recommend keeping this cake in the fridge because the apples make the cake so moist. I added pecans on top on half of the cake because I knew that would play so nice with the apple and caramel flavors. And we warmed our pieces before serving with butter pecan ice cream. Absolutely stellar dessert! Everyone gave it 5 stars. 😁

How the batter looked after stirring in the boiled ingredients

Then mixing in the apples and pouring into the greased sheet pan

All baked up

baked and frosted and chopped pecans on 1/2

Look at the gooey caramel deliciousness! 🍎😍 I forgot to get a pic of the inside but there was all those chunks of apples and it was cinnamony and sweet and so yummy. 

I will definitely be making this one again! Maybe next time I'll try it with her caramel frosting recipe. Here's a picture of the recipe. But if you'd like a direct link to the site where I found it (chef-in-training.com) you can click here.

Enjoy! xo

Wednesday Wonder: Late Summer Moments

 

A recent walk around the neighborhood yielded these lovely floral moments. Some bright colored berries. A neighbor's fence with their sweet late summer flowers and adorable decorations. And when I got home I thought my little fairy looked so sweet in her pot brimming with big succulents now and showing off her "harvest" from her garden. Soaking up these lovely summer days as the "ber" begin in mere days now. 😉🌼💛

Happy Homemaker Monday

Hello and happy new week to you! 💗

What's going on in your area of the world? Did you have a nice weekend?

We ran errands and went to church and out for brunch. 

We were also busy over the weekend doing extra chores and tidying outside because we hosted a little gathering for my Dad's birthday, and also to celebrate my Uncle (my Dad's brother). He's a recently retired priest who had served his calling for 50 years (his 50th jubilee). They had a big gathering of relatives for him in Green Bay that Matt & I weren't able to attend. So I told my Uncle I wanted to have him over later in the summer to celebrate him.  My brother and SIL came too. It was so nice. Matt grilled. I made lots of dishes. I also made an old fashioned apple cake with salted caramel frosting & pecans (half without nuts). It was delish! 

We sat outside on the deck, played some ladder ball, and visited the afternoon away. In the evening we lit the fire and sat around that and visited some more. Solving all the world's problems and all of that, of course. Lol 

I'm so grateful for  - and LOVE - my people so much! 

Now on to the week ahead....

 

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS:

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE THIS MORNING:

sugar free iced coffee with a little protein creamer (fasted until lunch) 

ON MY TO DO LIST THIS WEEK:

fittings/hemming for the guy's wedding clothes, some other wedding details/projects, errands/groceries for upcoming holiday weekend, helping my Mom & step Dad with a project at their apartment, hospice work

THINKING ABOUT:  

how fast August is flying - and that I can't believe we're in the final week of it 🙈

AS I LOOK AROUND THE HOUSE

It's been cloudy and muggy today, sun only kind of coming out now. I have music going softly. Occasionally I hear Matt talking downstairs in his office for work, as I'm not down in my office but instead at the dining room table today. I still see balloons and the happy birthday sign up from yesterday. 😊

CURRENTLY READING

I've been sidetracked by fun Fall magazines right now! 

ON THE TV TODAY:

 Bachelorette, HGTV shows, Big Brother, AGT, Catching up on some taped stuff and then Matt & I will start the Walking Dead (update: we did watch the first 2 episodes over the weekend and I'm hooked! 🙈)

ON THE MENU THIS WEEK:

    MONDAY -  leftovers from the party yesterday: brats, homemade apple dijon coleslaw recipe I tried (really good!), a deli pasta salad from the store, corn on the cob, baked beans, watermelon, and apple cake & ice cream 

TUESDAY - tacos

WEDNESDAY - might make stir fry?

THURSDAY - clean out the fridge

FRIDAY -  out for dinner?

  

TO RELAX THIS WEEK I WILL:

read, pontoon time, play pickleball :) 

TIPS OR SOMETHING TO SHARE:

we have an easy propane fire pit - but for a "real" campfire I thought this was a fun tip

Loving some of the recipes I'm finding on social media for lesser calorie fun pumpkin drinks to order 🎃

FROM THE CAMERA:

Of course my Girl has been on brain a bunch and she sent me pics of her adorable dorm room as she's all settled now. She started school today! Matt & I go visit her in the near future and I can't wait to see it all in person. 💗

Some of late summer around the northwoods. Yes, I may have a few new Fall decorations that I just left on display after I got them. Don't judge. Lol 

Some of the yummy eats at the gathering yesterday included this old fashioned apple cake I baked up and frosted with easy salted caramel frosting. Only pecans on half for the sake of the "no nuts" peeps.

Also, this delish pitcher of sangria I made. Perfect late summer strawberry yumminess.

And I also made this coleslaw recipe as a side dish and it turned out so yummy! The coleslaw had apples, dried cranberry, sliced almonds, & celery all in a dijon kind of dressing. Very Fall-like. I'll share all of these recipes soon!

And had to share a pic of sweet Ruby after her haircut last week. 💛

PRAYER LIST:

 For an end to the conflicts all over the world and anyone living in war & fear. For peace and unity in this country, especially from hate and shootings or violence.  For anyone sick, suffering, in pain, fear, loneliness etc ... that God bring them comfort and peace. For His Light and Love to cast out the darkness everywhere and help the world find its way. For my sweet Annie and her new path in college. For my Aaron moving to his new home a few hours away in a few weeks. I pray that both of my kiddos new beginnings are all they dream them to be. For a friend going through a difficult time right now 🙏🏻💕

PRAYER, INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE OR DEVOTIONAL:

Soaking up every bit of this late summer goodness. I hope you are too! I'm sharing this with Sandra of Diary of a SAHM for Happy Homemaker Monday.

Asian Spicy Cucumber Salad

 

Hello and happy Friday to you Friends ~

I hope you have a wonderful weekend planned ahead. :) We will be having some relatives gathering here to celebrate some family events. Matt & I will also get in some chill time, hopefully some walks, church time, and maybe out with friends one evening. 💗

Annie is down getting all settled in her dorm to begin college next week. It's still not really sinking in for me and I keep expecting her to drive up the driveway any minute. Eventually it will become real but right now, honestly, denial hasn't been a bad thing. Lol 😁

Matt & I are getting into our new normal with meal planning for only 2, and working on it together. The other night I had dinner in the oven cooking and we had several cucumbers to use up - so he whipped up this yummy salad while dinner was cooking, as a kind of appetizer for us. He didn't really measure and looked at several different recipes as references. Then he threw together what he thought sounded good. It turned out so yummy! We stood in the kitchen chatting and eating it right out of the bowl he made it in - using chopsticks of course - as that's just more fun. 🥢 🥣 We both love Asian food and flavors and always have chopsticks on hand. 😊 

So after grilling him about what he thought he threw in there - this is what we're guessing the approximate amounts he did:

SPICY CUCUMBER SALAD:

He used 2 really big cukes cut very thin, but I think you could use more as we had leftover sauce

2 Tbsp soy sauce

2 Tbsp peanut butter

1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar

garlic (we used powder because out of cloves) otherwise use 1-2 cloves

1/2 tsp chili oil (or use a full tsp if you like it spicier - I requested less)

1-2 tsp sesame oil

sesame seeds (we used toasted ones we had) - sprinkle how much you like

*addendum to this is Matt reminded me that he added about a tsp or so of chili crunch to the dish too. If you like a little spicy this really makes it! I recommend trying it that way. 

Mix the dressing ingredients in a big bowl. Cut up the cukes very thin and toss into the bowl with dressing. Mix all to coat everything. We suggest you eat it with chopsticks for best flavor. 😉 Lol

*I have seen other recipes like this that do it more Thai style and add cilantro and chopped peanuts. Some use chopped scallion too. And some even add honey or sugar for sweetness. 

Feel free to add and adjust ingredients to your flavor preferences or what you have on hand. It's a very versatile and yummy salad if you use the basic flavor profile of cucumbers, soy sauce, pb, rice wine vinegar, garlic and sesame oil - and then you can build from there. 

If you try it I hope you enjoy! 

xoxo

Wednesday Wonder: The Many Sides of Bubba

 

lounging lovie Bubs

Sleepy Bubs

Bug catching (& eating🙈) Bubs

Baby brother Bubs💕

Brush loving Bubs

playful Bubs

Treat loving Bubs (don't we all?) 

Sweet Bubba has been such a fun addition to our home and family 🖤