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Slices of A Rural Life With a Side of Chocolate Cake

5/17/2015

 

Hidey Ho, Guys!!

So it was a beautiful morning the other day. 
The farmer across the road had just started in his field that morning....

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He always parks his old school truck by the gate.

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This exact same morning, our neighbor Galen, 
who farms organically, was out and about too.
His truck was parked in his field as well.
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While out there, I turned around and snapped a quick pic of the buildings and house at mi homestead.

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I see Galen getting ready to leave his property on his cool old tractor.

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Galen raises grass fed, beyond organic beef and 
pasture raised chickens. 
Galen trained with the best, Joel Salatin of Polyface Farms out of 
Swoope, Virginia.

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The snapshots-of-life one sees in this area of the country 
is downright nostalgic.
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A
quick bio of Galen and his beyond organic farming practices is here...Galen Bontrager Farm.




Okay now, 
let's move on to an easy homemade cake!!!!

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This cute little 13x9 chocolate cake is delicious!

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This Chocolate Cake with 
Mocha Frosting 
is from 
Ina Garten's new cookbook 
Make It Ahead.




Now 
I'm not a baker, as you all know, 
but I've made this cake about six or seven times in the last few months. It's delicious, made from scratch, 
not too sweet. It's actually perfect.




Fess-up time!!! 
Girls and Boys, this is the time in the blog post where Angie fesses up.















Now this is the picture in Ina's book that shows the 
Mocha Frosting on that Chocolate Cake and how the frosting should look... 
rich...creamy...chocolatey, smooth...mmmmm, yum.

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This. 

was. 
mine.








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Ina's...










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Angie's.









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Ina's...









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Lucy Ricardo's.





Sigh.





Anyhoo, I AM NOT A BAKER!! 
Clearly I did one or twelve things wrong with that frosting recipe so I don't make that frosting anymore. 
It's not the recipe, it's me. It's always me with baking.


But the cake is foolproof! 
Even for a fool like me! 
And it freezes super well too!
Chocolate Cake with Mocha Frosting
Straight outta Ina Garten's new cookbook, Make It Ahead
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2/3 cup hottest tap water
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, such as Pernigotti
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
2/3 cup half-and-half
Mocha Frosting (recipe follows)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13×9x2-inch baking pan. Line with parchment paper, then grease and flour the pan.

Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for 4 to 5 minutes, until light and fluffy, scraping down the bowl. 

On medium speed, add the vanilla, then beat in the eggs, one at a time, until incorporated and the batter is smooth. 

Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl.

In another bowl or a liquid measuring cup, whisk together the hot water, cocoa powder, and espresso powder until smooth. Add the half-and-half and whisk until smooth. 

With the mixer on low, add the flour and chocolate mixtures alternately in thirds, starting and ending with the flour. With a rubber spatula, scrape down the bowl to be sure the batter is well mixed. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top.

Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan. 

Turn out onto a flat platter or board and frost the top with the mocha frosting. Cut in squares and serve.

TO MAKE IT AHEAD:
Prepare the cake with frosting and leave at room temperature for up to 6 hours. The cake alone can be frozen for up to 2 months. Frost before serving.


So let's get started making this cake!  
Here's the fixins...
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The recipe calls for instant espresso powder. 


I could not locate that, 
so I googled, 

and used 1.5 times of 
regular instant coffee granules.





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Now the directions 
say to put parchment paper in the pan but did not describe exactly how, so I did this. 


And it looked stupid.









So I cut the paper down 
to size.
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And then I forgot to grease and flour the pan before the parchment paper was put down,


 so I pulled up the parchment paper and greased and floured 
the pan.





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And laid the parchment paper down...



AGAIN!!!

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By about this time, 
only two minutes into the process, 
I knew I better find some patience and get organized or I will have yet another baking attempt go bad.



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So I set everything out on the counter like this...


kind of organized.





And I went to town creaming the butter and sugar and vanilla and eggs up.



Then I mixed the cocoa up with warm water and the instant coffee and the half-n-half.



I alternated the flour and chocolate mixture verrrrrrry slowly into the batter.





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One time I added all that chocolate liquid in, 
all at the same time with no flour, 
and then turned the beater on.


Yeah, not pretty. 

My kitchen walls and 
blouse took the brunt 
of the chocolate 

rain storm. 


See all that chocolate and crap on the recipe page? 
T'aint supposed to be there. 


Have I ever mentioned I hate baking?





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Anyway, 
when everything's all mixed up, 
the batter looks like silk.







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Pour the batter in your pan.

Now I halved the recipe the first time I made this. 


That's why the batter is in an 8x8 dish instead of 9x13.






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Now I dug and dug and dug 
and finally remembered I had bought this cute platter at Dillards a while back off the clearance table.







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Just wanted to bore you to tears with another cheap platter picture.


I think I was successful.


WAKE UP!!!!






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Now gently remove the cake from the pan...







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And plop it right down on that pretty scalloped platter.
Dear Readers,
I know you're telling me to shut the heck up about the platter.
Okay, OKAY!
Love,
Angie








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This is a seriously cute,
 not overly sweet cake.




 

Remember my frosting disaster from earlier?
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Well 
now I just use powdered sugar as a topping.


:)



Hungry for a snack? Go ahead, grab a piece!
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Well, that's all I have for today's exciting blog post! 
I know y'all are disappointed I didn't drone on even more about that pretty pretty scallopy cake platter.
Scallopy is a word. Look it up. In the Pretend Word dictionary.









In closing, though, Ima show you a few pictures of my other neighbor David's farming. David also farms organic and is Old Order Amish. He raises organic produce for the Organic Cooperative out of Kalona.
This is his back forty, you can see the start of his growing season a bit from the road.
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I see David and his oldest son out there working all the time during the growing season.
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You look closer and there is row after row of seed plantings covered with.....it looks like compost with a plastic covering, 
maybe for the frost or warmth???
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I zoomed in a little bit here. 
I made sure to take these pictures on a Sunday when the family would not be in the fields. Amish don't want their picture taken.
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This Sunday was particularly overcast in the morning here. Every building has a function and every space is used. 
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I noticed an acre or two had large rows like this, larger and taller, completely 100% covered on all sides. 
Wonder what specific produce these coverings are for??
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So anyway, that's all I have to show you today. Just a little slice of Amish organic agricultural life 
right across the road from me.

Hope everyone's enjoying their weekend! 
Take care and we'll talk at ya soon!!








Oh, Wait!!


 


ONE MORE THING!!

















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Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee...oh I just cracked my own self up. 















Station Wagons and Breakfast Hash

5/4/2015

 
Raise your hand if you grew up riding in the back of a station wagon!
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1970 Pontiac Executive




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Angie's hand.




Yup! Our car in the 70s looked similar to this one, 
if I can remember correctly...
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Not sure of make or model.



Station wagons rode a huge popularity wave from the 50s to the mid 70s.


They were the ultimate vacation vehicle.



Remember the back seat, 
the way way back seat, I mean???







Raise your hand if you ever threw up  in the back seat!

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Angie's hand AGAIN. I am raising my hand in solidarity with millions of other 60s and 70s kids who upchucked their Hamburger Helper in those backward facing seats.





And remember the tailgate could either be 
swing-out or fold-down style....








The interiors were as big as 
some living rooms. 
Heck, no wonder so many toddlers fell out of cars back then and had a lifetime scar on their lip....*cough, cough, choke, cough* 
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Now this is my Ma and my baby sister and brother in front of our Pontiac Executive. 
Not sure what year but they only made them '67-'70. This maybe was a '70?
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My mom, brother and sister hanging out by our Pontiac Executive. Not sure of vehicle year.







And this is Ma a couple years earlier, scurrying out of a Pontiac on 
Iowa Avenue in Muscatine, but I can't tell what model. 

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If Mom was smart, she would be scurrying out of that car with a big ol' bottle of wine. She was 24 here and had 4 kids already.







Now Tim's family had four station wagons over the years, including a 1968 Ford Country Squire with wood trim like 
this advertisement.

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1968 Ford Country Squire.



In fact, here they are 
with their 1968 Ford Country Squire while visiting Tim's grandparents in Albuquerque.
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1968 Ford Country Squire.




A couple years earlier, they had traveled to Albuquerque in this 1966 Ford Galaxy station wagon. 
There was no air conditioning. 
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Tim and his sister.
On their return home, they traveled through Wichita, KS. 
With no air conditioning. 
It was the hottest spot in the country that day....114 degrees. 
With no air conditioning. 
Did I mention Tim still needs therapy for this?





Tim's family's last station wagon was a metallic green 1973 Ford Country Squire.  IT had air conditioning.

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1973 Ford Country Squire.

Unfortunately I haven't been able to find their family picture with this station wagon...yet.  :)





I don't have a picture....yet....of Tim's parent's very first station wagon either....yet. It was a 1961 Chevy Impala Nomad, similar to this this, only white with a red stripe.
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1961 Chevy Impala Nomad. Source: stationwagonfinder.com





So the popularity of station wagons were 1950s through the early 70s.

The decline in sales started in the the mid 70s, mainly due to the 1973 oil crisis. 
Remember, most of these station wagons had V8 engines.
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1985 Caprice Classic.
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Current picture of a 1-Owner 1971 Dodge Coronet that is still being driven today. Source: Hemmings.com Matthew Litwin, writer.



So what shift took place in 
the 80s that replaced most station wagons, you ask? 















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Uhhhhhhh. 
Yeah.
 
The. 

mini.

 
van.







Groovy. 


Huh.



Sighhhhhhhhhhhhh.









Well, it certainly seems like there is always an end to an era of all good and cool things...
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Tim always did take the road less traveled, even as a kid.









Okay, anyhoo, enough reminiscing! We have a deeeeeelicious Country Sausage Hash to talk about!!

Tasty and Easy Breakfast Hash!

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This is straight outta Reluctant Entertainer's website. 
Her recipes are AWESOME! Check her website out!






Hello you lovely Yukon potatoes and savory breakfast sausage!
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The Breakfast Sausage is quite exceptional, 
I must say.



Look again! Perfectly cooked egg on top!



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This Breakfast Hash is so easy and yet a bit addictive.


 All the ingredients are perfect!






Here's the fixins!!
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COUNTRY SAUSAGE HASH WITH STEAMED EGGS
Straight outta www.reluctantentertainer.com

YIELD: 6
 PREP TIME: 10 minutes
 COOK TIME: 15 minutes
 TOTAL TIME: 25 minutes
Hearty, crisp potato hash with country sausage, peppers, and onions, served with a steamed egg on top!
INGREDIENTS:
  • Olive oil, for pans
  • 2 shallots
  • 2-3 garlic cloves
  • 1 lb. ground country sausage
  • 4 medium golden Yukon potatoes, chopped into 1/4 inch cubes
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. pepper
  • 1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
  • 6 eggs
  • Green onion

DIRECTIONS:
  1. Heat oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the sausage and cook until browned, 4-5 minutes. Remove the sausage mixture onto paper towels to soak up the grease; set aside.
  2. In the same pan, add more oil and cook the potatoes. Add 2 Tbsp. of water and cover with a lid and simmer for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the red pepper and cook an additional 2-3 minutes, until the potatoes and peppers begin to brown.
  3. Add the meat mixture to the potatoes, and salt and pepper to taste.
  4. In a smaller pan, steam the eggs and serve on top of the plate of hash. Garnish with green onions.
  5. Serve with ketchup and/or hot sauce on the side.


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So chop up the Yukon potatoes, peppers, shallots and garlic.


OH WAIT, very important!!!! I did what Sandy at 
Reluctant Entertainer suggested and microwaved the Yukon potatoes a few minutes first. I microwaved them FOUR minutes and it was perfect.
 I did not just chop the potatoes raw. By microwaving (or you could put them in a 350 oven for 20 minutes), they have softened a bit which makes for easier cooking and they get this perfect crunch on the outside. But don't pre-cook more than a few minutes or you will have Breakfast MUSH instead of Breakfast HASH.

Moving along...saute the shallots and garlic.





PictureSource: De-Groot-inc.com
OH AGAIN!!!! FYI: 
When a recipe calls for a shallot, they mean the WHOLE bulb, not just the 
one half.









Now add the sausage. I used pork breakfast sausage...
and cook until browned.
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Throw that sausage in...

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and set out to drain.





Now throw those potatoes in the skillet...
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Bring on that yummy red pepper and cook a couple more minutes...
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and cook until they are done, but not too done because you will add water, cover  and simmer a few minutes.
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until everything is all nice and slightly crispy and brown.
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Delicious! It smells fantastic!
I started eating it right out of the pan.
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Wait!

You still have an egg you have to throw on top!







Bingo.
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You can do scrambled or poached or steamed or over hard or over easy, the possibilities are endless.


Actually the possibilities probably end there, don't they?

Huh.





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Here's the deal. 
Don't forget those chopped green onions. 


They are NOT just for garnish, they add another depth of flavor too.





Now if you'll excuse me, Ima go chow this tasty, savory breakfast hash down!!!
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Okay, that's all I have for today. 
I hope you make this wonderful hash. 


OH crap, almost forgot!! 
To print Sandy's recipe, here's the link to the Reluctant Entertainer website and scroll down and print off her page!
Just click here.
While you're there, check out her other recipes. They're clean eating, fresh and always tasty.










Gotta go, gotta get back to doing exciting things like watering the back lawn. I think we'll have grass someday. I think we will, I think we will, I think we will, I think we will, there's no place like home, click click, Toto!
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While I was out there, 
I see the lilacs are in full bloom. 
My goodness, they smell amazing!!
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And if you look close enough in this picture, you'll see my organic farmer neighbor's guard llama.
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Okay, really gotta go now...have a great week, try to stay out of trouble and 
we'll talk at ya soon!
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    Author

    Angie Madsen
    One half of a team that blends their work and personal life together
    in fun ways.





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