Om Nom Nom: Smitten Squeeze
Copracat linked to a recipe for an apple-cheddar quick bread. I thought that sounded good, and I had two dubious apples and some antiquated cheddar in the fridge. A lot of the Smitten Kitchen recipes are hacks of existing recipes, and it's hard to imagine any non-toxic combination of ingredients that *somebody* hasn't tried. And, the old saying goes, "apple pie without the cheese is like a kiss without the squeeze."
I've baked enough that sometimes in lieu of following a recipe I just kind of pour stuff into the mixing bowl, and then if it looks or feels impossible I pour in some more of something, so this is an approximation:
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Chuck a scant two cups of flour into a large bowl. I used all-purpose, although whole wheat would probably have been good too.
3. About half a cup of oatmeal--the uncooked flakes.
4. Grate two apples, peel and all, on the coarsest setting of a hand grater; stop when you get close to the core.
5. Grate some cheddar--I think I used about 2-3 ounces, more wouldn't have hurt
6. Grate lots of fresh ginger--I think I used a piece about the size of my thumb. You don't have to peel the ginger, the peel stays on the grater.
7. Maybe half a cup of sugar? I didn't have any brown sugar, but it probably would have been good too.
8. A few good solid spoonfuls of plain yogurt.
9. Three medium organic brown eggs.
10. A heaped spoonful of baking powder, my baking powder is probably geriatric so I put in lots.
A little more than an hour in a glass loaf pan. Note that it doesn't have any butter or oil or shortening--the yogurt takes care of that, and yogurt cakes stay moist for a really long time, especially if they have fruit in them for additional moisture.
I cut a slice (followed by a teensy supplementary slice) when it was still probably too hot to cut, and I couldn't be bothered to brew up but it was very good with a glass of milk.
I've baked enough that sometimes in lieu of following a recipe I just kind of pour stuff into the mixing bowl, and then if it looks or feels impossible I pour in some more of something, so this is an approximation:
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Chuck a scant two cups of flour into a large bowl. I used all-purpose, although whole wheat would probably have been good too.
3. About half a cup of oatmeal--the uncooked flakes.
4. Grate two apples, peel and all, on the coarsest setting of a hand grater; stop when you get close to the core.
5. Grate some cheddar--I think I used about 2-3 ounces, more wouldn't have hurt
6. Grate lots of fresh ginger--I think I used a piece about the size of my thumb. You don't have to peel the ginger, the peel stays on the grater.
7. Maybe half a cup of sugar? I didn't have any brown sugar, but it probably would have been good too.
8. A few good solid spoonfuls of plain yogurt.
9. Three medium organic brown eggs.
10. A heaped spoonful of baking powder, my baking powder is probably geriatric so I put in lots.
A little more than an hour in a glass loaf pan. Note that it doesn't have any butter or oil or shortening--the yogurt takes care of that, and yogurt cakes stay moist for a really long time, especially if they have fruit in them for additional moisture.
I cut a slice (followed by a teensy supplementary slice) when it was still probably too hot to cut, and I couldn't be bothered to brew up but it was very good with a glass of milk.