Back in April, a couple of days after we had moved into our new place, a mysterious box came in the mail for me one day. It had my new address, which even my own parents did not have yet, and two copies of a retro-red covered cookbook inside. No note. No card.
Since my birthday is in April, I figured, “Oh, somebody forgot a card.” But, then why two of them? Well, after asking around and not getting any response from any cookbook present giver, I just sat down with the book, opened it up, and started reading through it.
It is The Good Home Cookbook, edited by Richard J. Perry. Inside, there were really great takes on classic American recipes. For instance, we have never had a pancake recipe so impressive that it had to be made again, so we tried out the recipe in this cookbook. It was spot on. Light and fluffy and tasty, too. It’s now the recipe we turn to every time.
A few months after receiving those cookbooks in the mail, one of the publishers emailed, thanking me for agreeing to review the cookbook. Um? I did?
Well, anybody who is kind enough to send me two whole cookbooks deserves a little attention. When my class was making applesauce cake, we did a take on their recipe.
The mini-chefs-no big surprise-loved making, baking, and eating this simple little cake. While the class pictured here is full of big four year olds, you could absolutely make this with your tiny chefs. No raw eggs! Plus, my version of the cookbook’s is vegan, could be nut-free if you so desire, and I gave it an extra dose of healthy by switching part of the white flour for spelt flour. When it’s your Yummy’s turn at school, try bringing this in for snack.
In order to spread the love, I am giving away my extra copy of The Good Home Cookbook. All you have to do is leave a comment here through October. Winner will be picked at random through that electronic thingie (technical term) and announced November 1st.
P.S. Check out the pictures of the mini-chefs attire. Do you spy one Yummy with some very special, unique cooking attire? Ahh, I love my job.
Applesauce Cake
adapted from The Good Home Cookbook
*1 c. all-purpose flour
*1 c. spelt flour
*2 t. baking soda
*1 t. salt
*1 t. cinnamon
*1t. ground ginger
*1/2 t. ground (or freshly grated) nutmeg
*1/3 c. canola oil
*2 c. applesauce
*1 c. chopped walnuts
*2 mini-chef handfuls of golden raisins, brown raisins, and dried cranberries
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease a square baking pan with butter or oil. Have your mini-chef paint the entire bottom and sides of the pan with the oil so that your cake will not even stick a little bit.
Measure all of the dry ingredients into a big bowl. Have your Yummy give them a good whisk, encouraging them to go slowly so that the ingredients stay in the bowl.
Now pour in the oil and the applesauce. Stir well.
Add the golden raisins, brown raisins, and the dried cranberries. Stir them in more gently, if possible.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Give the pan a gentle shake to even out the top of the cake.
Big Person: Place the pan in the oven and bake for about 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick stuck in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
12/10/2009 at 2:28 pm Permalink
Oooh! This looks delicious! I made a few batches of apple sauce yesterday…trying to be healthy so I made sauce instead of a pie. But this looks to good to resist!
12/10/2009 at 2:50 pm Permalink
Oh, fun! We are always on the hunt for a good pancake recipe. We love Jamie Oliver's version of an American pancake… go figure! Dallas will be so jealous when he reads this post, reviewing a cookbook would be his dream as he reads them like novels. Crazy boy!
Happy Monday!
12/10/2009 at 3:16 pm Permalink
ok, I'm psyched to see this includes spelt flour! I just finished a whole-grain cooking class here in Germany and there was a huge focus on spelt flour. Dinkel, as it's called in Germany, is a very common ingredient in many whole-grain recipes, but I just haven't seen it used in American-style recipes! very cool! If I don't win, I've already added it to my Amazon wishlist for Christmas =)
12/10/2009 at 3:48 pm Permalink
couldn't you just use my previous comment on the whole erecting you a statue issue to try and influence the technical random counting thingy thing (and, consequently score brownie points)? please?
hooray for a mystery-solved-book-giveaway.
12/10/2009 at 4:17 pm Permalink
this looks delicious! love the recipe, and wow your children and all the children in this post are beautiful, and so adorable, makes me so excited to have children when i am older, and live in Manhattan
your blog is so inspiring to me.
have a wonderful Monday!
xx
Eliza
12/10/2009 at 5:05 pm Permalink
Love how you get children involved with the fun of food, especially with so many healthy recipes. Love it!
12/10/2009 at 7:01 pm Permalink
That's so so cool! I love the pics of the yummies – adorable. Reading your blog makes me wish I lived in Manhattan! If I am lucky enough to have kids I wish they could attend your classes!
12/10/2009 at 7:42 pm Permalink
That cake looks delicious! I'm usually lurking around your site but this is too good to pass up so here I am.
Thanks for the give-away!
12/10/2009 at 8:03 pm Permalink
I love that you swapped the white flour for spelt. Great idea!
13/10/2009 at 7:31 am Permalink
Hello
This seems easy recipe of Applesauce cake.I will definitely try for this recipe in my weekend.Thank you very much for sharing such sweet recipe to us.
ginko
13/10/2009 at 1:58 pm Permalink
My Husbad loves applesauce cake so I'm sure he will love this!
13/10/2009 at 2:09 pm Permalink
Your cake looks delicious. I posted a recipe for applesauce a few weeks back and froze some. Perfect recipe for me to try.
Think the little girl in the bridal (?) veil is a hoot.
My daughter lives in TriBeCa….
Found your blog via A Day That Is Dessert.
13/10/2009 at 7:11 pm Permalink
This looks gorgeous! Thanks for the seasonal recipe; I am always on the lookout for new and innovative apple recipes to get me through the winter!
13/10/2009 at 10:00 pm Permalink
What a wonderful surprise! Your applesauce cake sounds perfect for my chilly fall afternoon……….
14/10/2009 at 9:18 am Permalink
thank you for the recipe! and yes throw my name into the hat! so you are now a cookbook reviewer- how cool is that?
14/10/2009 at 9:56 am Permalink
Looks yummy! I think I will try that. I would love to be entered. The cookbook is a classic and I would love to have it in my kitchen as my staple cookbook.
14/10/2009 at 12:14 pm Permalink
Yummy! Another good idea for all those apples we picked last week.
14/10/2009 at 4:32 pm Permalink
I love cookbooks (they have a room just for them) and this one sounds wonderful. Thanks for the recipe too! xoxo
14/10/2009 at 5:42 pm Permalink
Mmmmjammie Yummy Mummy!
Thi autumn weather asks for Big Cooking!
14/10/2009 at 9:48 pm Permalink
Okay..true…I´m not a kid. But I would so love to attend one your classes. Does it count that I´m a big kid at heart?
O yes…I would be willing to move to NY.
15/10/2009 at 12:05 am Permalink
I'd love a chance at a new cookbook! And the applesauce cake looks delicious. I made an apple tart to day that was divine, and we're going apple picking this Saturday, if all goes well!
15/10/2009 at 4:49 am Permalink
ooh ooh ohh! count me in!
nicola
http://whichname.blogspot.com
17/10/2009 at 2:46 pm Permalink
Love the recipe–it's always good to see someone use spelt flour so cleverly.
18/10/2009 at 7:35 am Permalink
i've to learn more about american cuisine. the good home cookbook sounds great. dear cate, strange, but always when i'm on your blog i feel homesick for new york…and the strange thing is, that i was there just once, for a few days..but it was so special….
19/10/2009 at 8:21 pm Permalink
I will definitely make this cake – and would love to make the pancakes from this cookbook!
20/10/2009 at 5:14 am Permalink
i am so excited to have found your blog! i am looking forward to trying all of these fun recipes with my little munchkins!
23/10/2009 at 10:00 pm Permalink
The Applesauce Cake looks like a perfect fall recipe–all the lovely flavors of the season!