After a couple of stressful weeks, it’s time to look forward to August. Grand Marais has the Fisherman’s Picnic the first full weekend of the month. If you’ve ever tossed a fish or rolled on a log, this is the place for you. When I was a kid living in the West End, it was finally a chance to see all the town classmates that I hadn’t seen since June. Sidewalk sales, artists, musicians, and street dances fill the days. Every class to have graduated from Cook County High School hosts their class reunion on Fisherman’s Picnic Weekend. It all ends with a parade of floats. I might add that the infamous herring burger is served from dawn to dusk. I go for the Sven and Ole’s pizza. That’s my favorite, and I have the beat-up bumper sticker to prove it. (Sid, I need a new one.)
I missed my class reunion last August. The morning we were on our way, I got the call that my dad had a serious brain bleed and he was left-side paralyzed. I went as far as Duluth and stayed there for several days. My dad is a fighter. He had never stopped working as a carpenter, even at the age of 83. He and Peter Borson had been building a house on Lake -Superior.
From the get-go, he was moving and talking and playing cards, and doing everything he could to get better. I say my dad is a fighter, but I believe my mom to be a warrior. She was beside him though every therapy, treatment program, making foods he could eat, and caring for him night and day for months on end. It was a team effort to recovery.
They drove to a wedding in Wisconsin this weekend. They continue to amaze me.
While my parents are Up North, I am in Annandale working hard on the upcoming Feast of Friends held at The Boathouse of Tween Lakes. This community dinner is a huge fundraiser for ACT (Annandale Community Team), and last year we served 500 guests over two nights.
This year’s dinners will be Aug. 26 and 27. Seat sales begin Aug. 1 by calling me at (320) 310-9729. You will love it. Good food, music, photos, silent auction, and more. It is amazing. After six years, it just gets better and better. I’ll save you a seat at the table, just call me.
Hugs and Peace, Sandy
“I could never in a hundred summers get tired of this.”
“In the summertime, when the weather is hot, you can stretch right up and touch the sky.”
“Sweet, sweet burn of sun and summer wind, and you, my friend, my new fun thing, my summer fling.” ~ Unknown
I was recently introduced to blender cakes. Just when I thought I’d made everything.
5-ingredient blender chocolate cake
4 cups crispy chocolate cookies (10-oz. bag)
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 1/2 cup whole milk
Preheat the oven to 350° F and spray a Bundt or donut pan with non-stick spray then set aside.
In a blender or food processor, add the cookies and baking powder, and pulse until fine (should resemble flour). Add in the milk and blend until combined.
Pour the batter into your pan. (If using a silicone pan, place the pan onto a baking sheet first so it is easy to move in and out of the oven.)
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely before icing or adding glaze.
For glaze
2 cups powdered sugar
3 Tbsp. milk
In a medium bowl, combine the powdered sugar and milk until desired consistency.
Spread over the cake once cooled. Top with sprinkles if desired.
Pro tip: Freeze the cake for 30 minutes before icing to prevent excess crumbs.
Apple blender cake
2 medium apples (see note 1),
approx. 2 1/2 cups when peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Blend the ingredients in the exact order stated in the recipe below. Always start with the wet ingredients.
Wet ingredients
1/2 cup butter melted (see note 2)
2 large eggs, at room temperature (see note 3)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry ingredients
1/2 cup white granulated sugar
1 cup all-purpose or cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder (see note 4)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon powder
Grease an 8-inch regular cake pan or spring-form pan with butter, then line with parchment/baking paper. Preheat the oven to 350° F.
Core, peel and chop the apples into 1/2-inch cubes. Distribute the chopped apples evenly in the cake pan.
Always start by first adding the wet ingredients into the blender: Add the melted butter, eggs, and vanilla into the blender. Place the lid securely onto the blender and blend the wet ingredients for only 10 seconds.
Unplug the blender and add in the dry ingredients: sugar, flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Plug the blender back in and blend for another 5-10 seconds. (See note 5.)
Switch off and unplug the blender, then use a rubber spatula to scrape the bottom and sides of the blender jug. Using your spatula, gently mix in any remaining speckles of dry ingredients you may see at the bottom of the blender. (See note 6.)
Pour the batter over the apples. Gently stir ensuring that you coat all the apples pieces well with the batter. Sprinkle granulated sugar evenly over the top.
Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes or until the cake is golden, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then run a blunt knife around the edges to loosen.
Remove the sides if you are using a spring-form cake pan. If using a regular cake pan, then gently invert the cake onto a cooling rack. Remove the parchment paper and carefully flip the cake over onto a plate or serving platter.
Lightly sift powdered sugar over the cake, if preferred.
Notes:
1) I like to use Royal Gala apples, but you can use any variety you like.
2) Instead of softened butter, I use melted butter in this recipe. It blends easily with the rest of the ingredients, producing a smooth batter.
3) Use eggs that are at room temperature. They whip up to a much greater volume when at room temperature, and you’ll achieve a lighter, fluffier texture in a baked cake. Get the eggs out of the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before baking. If you forget to take the eggs out early, here’s a quick tip to get them to room temperature within 10 minutes: place the whole eggs in a bowl and cover them with warm (not hot) water. Allow them to warm in the water for 10 minutes or until no longer chilled.
4) This helps the cake to rise and give it that fluffy texture. Ensure that the baking powder is fresh and not past the expiration date.
5) Blenders produce a smooth batter within seconds, not minutes, so avoid over-blending. Blend just until the wet and dry ingredients are incorporated, then stop.
6) As a safety precaution, if you have to scrape the batter down the sides of the blender, only do this once you have switched off and unplugged the blender.