Grandma's Old-Fashioned Stack Cake
3/4 cups shortening
1 cup sugar
1 cup molasses
3 eggs
6 cups all-purpose flour
2 t baking powder
1/2 t soda
1 t salt
2 t ginger (ground)
1 t cloves
1 t nutmeg/all spices
1/2 c. buttermilk
1 t. vanilla
apple filling (see below)
Cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy, add molasses mixing well. Add eggs one at a time, beating will after each. Combine dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and blend well. Place dough on a floured surface, work in enough flour to make dough easy to handle. Divide into 9 balls, then press each ball of dough evenly over bottom of a lightly greased 9" pan. Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool slightly, remove from pan.
Spoon a small amount of apple filling over a cake layer, top with another layer. Repeat procedure until all layers are used. Wrap or store in an airtight container, let stand overnight. Yield one 9" cake.
Dried Apple Filling:
1 1/2 lbs. Dried apples, cooked, drained
1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
3/4 cups sugar
1 T. cinnamon
Combine all ingredients, mash well. If not thick enough, simmer until thick.
May use applebutter or cook apple sauce (4-6 cups) with sugar and cinnamon to taste until thick.
Interesting - I'm gonna have to try that!
Chicken Normandy By Karin Calloway
Apples are abundant year round but are at their peak in the autumn. Instead of baking them up into a pie for my Autumn Orchard Supper menu, I'm using them in a delicious entrée – Chicken Normandy.
Normandy , France , is known for its apples, so this traditional French dish bears the name of the town. The dish is usually prepared with thin veal cutlets, which can be expensive and hard to find in many supermarkets. I've replaced the veal with chicken, but the resulting dish is just as sublime.
Cutting thick chicken breast halves horizontally into two pieces eliminates the step of pounding the chicken into thin cutlets. And, with today's extra-large chicken breasts, you end up with a healthier serving size.
The sauté can be prepared just before serving or can be made earlier in the day. When preparing the dish ahead, just brown the chicken cutlets on both sides and place them in a baking dish. Complete the sauce and pour it over the chicken. Cover and refrigerate until 30 minutes before dinner. Let the dish sit at room temperature for 20 minutes, then bake the chicken, covered, at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is bubbly.
Chicken Normandy
3 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, sliced in half horizontally into cutlets 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon salt Freshly ground black pepper, to taste 1/2 cup sliced onion 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and thinly sliced 1 cup apple cider 1/2 cup whipping cream Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Place flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste on a dinner plate and stir to combine. Dredge both sides of each chicken cutlet in the seasoned flour.
Spray a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set aside. Heat the skillet at medium-high and add 3 of the chicken cutlets. Brown 2 to 3 minutes, then turn to brown on other side. Remove to a plate and set aside. Continue until all chicken cutlets are browned.
Add the onions to the skillet and sauté until wilted and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the apple slices and sauté 2 to 3 minutes more, until they begin to soften. Pour in the apple cider and whipping cream and bring to a boil. Return the chicken cutlets to the skillet, reduce heat and simmer until sauce is reduced slightly and chicken is done, about 5 minutes more. Taste the sauce for seasonings, and add salt and pepper, if needed, to taste.
Makes 6 servings.
I dont make cutlets I use split boneless skinless chicken breasts. I also add some shallot to the onion And finish with chopped flat parsely just before serving. ENJOY