Orange and Almond Cake

Fridays, I have no classes-yay for me!! So Fridays have become my favorite day of the week to cook, bake and try new recipes. Given that it’s still a work day for everyone else; it doesn’t quite feel like the weekend, so I like to try to do something semi-constructive. I also need to keep myself occupied so I don’t torture my poor husband who works from home. And so for everyone’s sanity, I bake and cook on Fridays. They(who they is, I don’t know) say Friday is probably one of the worst days to update your blog-no one is at their computer to read it but hey, I need something to do and such is the story of my life.

I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned this before, but I love to try recipes with a cult following-one of the first recipes I did on my blog was the Zuni Chicken. I like to see what all the hoopla is about and see if it will become a staple recipe for me. I have a binder with about 20 recipes; I’ve been dying to try. Well today, I decided to make one of those recipes- Claudia Roden’s Orange and Almond cake. If you don’t know who Claudia Roden is, I’ll basically say she’s considered to be the foremost experts on Middle Eastern cuisine today. If you look below, you’ll see it’s quite the interesting recipe as the ingredients are scarce and not your typical cake ingredients. After having made it, I’ll say it is very different from what I’m use to. I know you will roll your eyes at this-but it is very orangey. I mean very very orangey…is that even a word? When you make this cake, you poach the oranges and then puree them in a food processor-skin and all. I think, I’d like to try this again but without the orange skin; it’s too much for me. I think it would be even nice with a different fruit. I do have to say though that I love almond flour. So the verdict on this recipe is: if the ingredients intrigue you then try it. If you love oranges then try it. If you hate oranges…stay away ;)

Orange and Almond Cake
Recipe
Adapted from Claudia Roden

2 large oranges
6 eggs
1/2 pound ground almonds
1/2 pound sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder

Directions
1. Wash oranges and place in hot water to simmer for 2 hours.
2. After 2 hours take them out, let them cook. If needed cut them open and remove sees.
3. Take oranges and puree in food processor.
4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
5. Beat the eggs and then slowly add all other ingredients. You do all this in the food if you'd like.
6. Pour into a prepared springform pan or a regular 8inch pan and bake for about an hour or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Enjoy!

Cornish Hens with Figs

I’ve been dying to use figs in a recipe ever since I saw them on display at my grocery store last week. Then coincidentally a couple days ago, my husband came home with two fig tree branches. They do not have roots so we’re going to try to root them in water and then plant them in the ground. Keep your fingers and toes crossed for me!!! We had a fig tree at our previous house and it was so lovely to wake up to fresh figs….except of course when the raccoons, squirrels or possums got to them before me. But that is beside the point, the point is that I adore fruit trees! There’s something so exciting and magical about them-especially for someone who grew up in the city. I now have four fruit trees growing on my property, so that should be enough to keep me occupied year long. Well lets hope so anyways because I don’t want to plant anymore trees, I mean don’t want to be known as the weird lady with the overrun property.

Well back to the figs and a recipe. When I got this months Gourmet, I was so excited to see a Cornish hen and fig recipe. I immediately knew I had to make it. The result as you can see is really pretty. It was a fun recipe to make and it was really really easy. Even the most novice of cooks could make this and have it be a success. If nothing else, I'll guarantee you'll love the name- Figgy Piggy Cornish Hens. I get such a kick out of it...yes I am a strange one but I tell you it's the little things in life. If you are interested in the recipe it can be found here!

Enjoy!

Banana Date Cake

Dates, I LOVE dates. No-I really really really love dates. I don’t know why but I think it has something to do with being Middle Eastern. It must be in my blood...that and eggplants. So I bought a big package of dates the other day and wanted to make something with them. I have this great recipe for banana date cake and I thought PERFECT! I love things like this because I am not a sweets person. I don‘t like anything overly sweet. But stuff like this is right up my alley. Having a slice of banana date bread and a cup tea, after supper, is perfection in book. The best part of this whole thing is that my husband loves it too and getting us two to agree on anything is nothing less than monumental.

Banana Date Cake or... Bread

Ingredients
5 very ripe bananas mashed
1 cup chopped dates, dusted with flour
1 stick butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup Greek yogurt

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease a Bundt pan
2. Sift all the dry ingredients. Set aside.
3. Place butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and blend until smooth. Add eggs one a time, vanilla extract, mashed bananas, yogurt, cinnamon. Mix in dry ingredients.
4. Add dates to mixture. Make sure you’ve tossed the dates in flour or they will all sink to the bottom of your cake.
5. Spoon mixture into bundt pan
6. Bake for about 1 hour 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean

Enjoy!