Oatmeal and Apples

I wanted to bake today, obviously, so I set out to my favorite quality, convenient, and moderately-priced market named, Russo's. I recently baked with some apples and I wasn't in the mood for citrus or bananas, so pears it was. I also went to the store right from school without any kind of game-plan besides "letting the food inspire me," haha. Well, it worked.

Here's just one little side-length of the fruit they have there. I picked 5 of the pears to the left called Bosc Pears, which have a brown and grainy skin, but their flesh is soft, sweet, and juicy.

Around the corner was the WALL of various nuts. I went with the plain and simple sliced almonds.

I also took some cool shots of the dried home-made pasta the nice lady was delicately displaying.
Well, I don't know if she was that nice... she wouldn't stop moving while I took pictures. Here's the best one...

Here is what I left with.
All brown items! The bulgur wheat isn't for my recipe, neither the kiwis...I just couldn't pass them up.
Top right is a package of Sultanas or "golden raisins."

I had to eat a kiwi before getting to my baking.
I leave the skin on now...it adds a sort of crunchy texture to the fruit and it doesn't taste bad at all!

Okay, time to bake.
Since I had the following three key ingredients (pears, almonds, golden raisins), I thought I'd make a simple butter cake to go underneath. I'll call it... "Pear Cake!!"

Pear Cake Recipe

1 lb of pears, removed seeds and sliced
1 cup (2 sticks) softened butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup golden raisins
1 Tbsp granulated sugar (for sprinkling)
1/3 cup sliced almonds

Glaze:
2 Tbsp melted butter
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp dark rum

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease an 8-inch round spring form pan.
2. Measure 1/3 cup golden raisins in your measuring cup, leave them in while pouring dark rum up to the top. Let them soak.
3. Mix the flour and baking powder with a whisk and set aside.
4. Beat sugar and butter together.
5. Add eggs one at a time and beat until smooth.
6. Fold flour mixture into butter and sugar mixture with a spatula until combined.
7. Pour batter into spring form pan and spread evenly.
8. Spread the sliced pears on top of the batter and sprinkle with 1 Tbsp of granulated sugar.
9. Add golden raisins and sliced almonds.
10. Mix remaining butter, brown sugar, and rum into a glaze and pour over the top.
11. Bake in 350 degree oven for 35-40 minutes or until center comes out dry on your cake tester.

Here's what you need.
Actually, there's 2 missing ingredients. Can you spot 'em?

Rum and brown sugar! Oops.

First, drown the golden raisins!

I think I've said this before, but instead of using the awkward "flour sifter" just whisk your dry ingredients to get out the lumps. So much easier.

Beat the butter and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time.

Fold in the flour.

Spread in the greased-pan.

Onto the pears.

Take out the seeds.

Done!

Arrange them nicely.

Add everything else.

Out of the oven!

Enjoy!

I've been so healthy lately with my posts that I thought...it's time for something devilish. Actually, it's because I've been suffering with a stuffy head and body aches for three days. I guess it's just my body telling me to treat myself to something unhealthy and delicious.

I made an almond-flavored cupcake with dark chocolate frosting sprinkled with toasted almonds.

Not a difficult recipe at all! Just takes a little more time and a few more dishes to wash to do it from scratch than one of the boxes.

LOOK at these cupcake liners I fell in love with at Target.

Almond Cupcake Recipe

I wrote it down on an envelope, I couldn't find any paper.

It says...

3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
3 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/4 cups milk

1. cream the butter and sugar until smooth. add the eggs, almond and vanilla extract and milk. in a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt, then mix into the wet ingredients.

2. fill cupcake liners 2/3 full with batter and bake for about 20 minutes at 375F. remove from the cupcake tray and let cool on a rack completely before frosting.

The ingredients