Old-Fashioned Caramel Cake

I
ngredients

• 1 (8-oz.) container sour cream
• 1/4 cup milk (I used evaporated milk)
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 ¾ to 2 cups sugar – It depends on how sweet you like it!
• 4 large eggs
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract (Almond extract would be good too!)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Blend sour cream and milk.

2. Beat butter until creamy.

3. Gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, until blended after each addition.

4. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; add to the butter mixture, alternating with the sour cream mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat at medium-low speed after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Pour batter into 2 greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans.

5. Bake at 350° for 30 to 35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks and let cool 1 hour or until completely cool.

6. Spread Caramel Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake.

Caramel Icing

Ingredients

· 2 tbs butter

· 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

· 3 tbs milk, or as needed

· 1 cup confectioners' sugar, divided

· 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar and 3 tablespoons milk. Boil vigorously for 1 minute.

Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar.

Cool slightly, then beat in the vanilla and the remaining 1/2 cup of confectioners’ sugar. Add additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, if frosting is too thick.

Podcast Key Points

The Calamity Club, Katherine Stockett, Southern Life, Great Depression, Audiobook, Character Analysis, Women’s Roles, Historical Fiction, Family Dynamics, Orphanage women empowerment, historical fiction, adoption, societal norms, character development, brothel, family secrets, tragedy, LGBTQ issues, 1930s

Takeaways

The Calamity Club is a long but engaging read.
Katherine Stockett's portrayal of Southern life feels authentic.
The Great Depression's impact on social classes is highlighted.
Audiobook narration enhances the storytelling experience.
Characters like Bertie and Meg showcase resilience and strength.
The orphanage setting reveals harsh realities for children.
The Tarts' downfall illustrates the fragility of wealth.
Women's societal roles are critiqued throughout the narrative.
The Calamity Club serves as a metaphor for female solidarity.
Found family emerges as a central theme in the story. Women supporting each other is a recurring theme.
The challenges of opening a brothel highlight societal struggles.
Character evolution is significant, especially for Mrs. Tarte.
Adoption in the 1930s had harsh realities for older children.
Tragedy strikes when Tom's character faces loss.
Family secrets play a crucial role in character motivations.
Societal norms heavily influenced the treatment of women and LGBTQ individuals.
The quest for a happy ending is complex and often unresolved.
Historical context enriches the narrative and character development.
The emotional journey of the characters resonates with readers.

The Recipe

For the Apple Pizza:

• Ingredients: 1 pack of puff pastry, 1 pack of marzipan, 3 large apples, and 1 jar of apricot jam.
• Preparation: Roll out the puff pastry, then layer a circle of marzipan on top. Arrange the sliced apples overlapping on the marzipan.
• Baking: Bake at 200°C until the pastry is cooked and the apples are golden brown.
• The Glaze: While the pizza bakes, heat the apricot jam on the hob. Once out of the oven, pour the warm jam over the pizza and let it rest.

J.S. and Just Kim cultivate a lively discussion of the historical fiction novel 'The Frozen River' by Ariel Lawton, exploring its themes, historical accuracy, and character insights.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to The Frozen River

02:19 Martha Ballard: The Eighteenth Century Midwife

06:35 Themes of Gender and Justice

12:51 The Role of Small Town Dynamics

20:21 Historical Context and Its Relevance Today

26:06 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Blueberry Sorbet recipe:

Ingredients

1 small lemon or half of a large one

1 ⅔ cups (350 g) sugar
2 pounds (1 kg) blueberries, fresh or frozen

Directions:

• Trim the ends off the lemon and cut in half. Remove the seeds and chop the lemon into chunks.
• Puree the lemon and sugar in a food processor and puree until very smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl.
• Put the berries in the food processor bowl and puree, then stir into the lemon mixture until blended.
• If you want a smoother sorbet without bits of blueberry and lemon, push the mixture through a strainer. Otherwise, pour into your ice cream maker and freeze according to the directions of your machine.
• Transfer to a container and store in the freezer until ready to serve.

In this episode, J.S and Just Kim share insights into family dynamics, Italian American culture, and the journey of self-discovery through literature and personal stories. She reflects on a novel set in Lake Como and Jersey, exploring themes of family, tradition, and personal growth.

EASY Lemon Tart Recipe -
Ingredients:

1 16-ounce package sugar cookie dough (I used the Pillsbury break-apart kind, but you can also use the roll) OR 1 recipe of your favorite prepared sugar cookie dough

1 about 8-10-ounce jar lemon curd

Fresh fruit for topping, optional

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray mini muffin pans with cooking spray that contains flour. If using the break-apart sugar cookie dough, break each square apart, roll into a ball, and press into the bottom and up the sides of each cavity in the mini muffin pan. Using a roll of cookie dough or dough from scratch, use 1 tablespoon-sized balls and do the same. Bake cookie tarts for about 10 minutes, until they just start to turn golden around the edges. Cool, then remove from the pans carefully. They should pop out if you’ve sprayed the pan well, but using a butter knife to pop them out might help. Fill cooled cookies with lemon curd and top with a raspberry, blueberry, or strawberry. Store loosely covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Alexis and I discuss teaching literature and writing today as well as cover the following books: Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell, book and movie; A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, book, play, and movies (including Jim Carey, The Muppets, and Mickey's Christmas Carol adaptations); The Housemaid by Frieda McFadden - book and movie, Animal Farm by George Orwell, book and movies, and Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid.

In this episode, we tackle Kristin Hanna's The Women. We also discuss Dylan Thomas's " Do Not Go Gently Into That Good Night and my poem, Gentle Sets the Sun, as well as specialty pizza pies!

Summer Beach Reads: The Five Star Weekend by Elin Hilderbrand and Just For the Summer by Abby Jimenez. Foods, friends, and sights of Minneapolis.

Atlantic Beach Pie
Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups finely crushed saltine crackers (from 1 sleeve, about 37 crackers)
• 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
• 3 Tbsp. granulated sugar
• 1 large egg white, lightly beaten
• 1 (14-oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (from 2 large limes)
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 lemons)
• 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• Lemon and lime zests, for garnish

Directions

Crust:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Stir together crushed crackers, melted butter, sugar, and egg white in a medium bowl until combined. Transfer the mixture to a 9-inch glass pie plate; firmly press it into the bottom and sides. Freeze for 10 minutes. Bake in preheated oven until crust is lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool slightly for about 10 minutes.

Pie Filling:
Whisk together condensed milk and egg yolks until smooth. Whisk in lime juice and lemon juice until combined. Pour the lime mixture into the warm crust. Bake at 350°F until the center is just set, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; cool 1 hour. Refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours. Top with whipped cream.