Ingredients

Special equipment: 10 cup bundt pan
Juice of 1 orange (about 1/3 cup)
Finely grated zest from 1 orange

Cake:
4 large golden delicious apples, peeled, cored, and roughly chopped (about 5 cups)
3/4 cup pecans, toasted and roughly chopped
3 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon fine salt
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Caramel Glaze:
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 1/3 cups sugar, plus 1/4 cup for the apples
1 1/2 teaspoons ground apple or pumpkin pie spice blend

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter and flour the bundt pan.

Whisk the flour, 1 1/3 cup of the sugar, 1 teaspoon of the pie spice, the baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl.

Toss the apples with the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon pie spice and set aside.

Whisk the eggs and oil together in another bowl. Whisk in the sour cream, orange zest and juice, and vanilla. Pour the egg mixture into the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon just until combined but still a bit lumpy.

Using a slotted spoon, scatter about 1/2 cup of the apples in the bottom of the bundt pan. Put about 1/3 of the batter on top. Repeat, alternating with the remaining apples and batter, ending with the batter.

Bake the cake until it pulls away for the sides of the pan and a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cool 10 minutes and invert onto a rack placed over a baking sheet. Cool. (The cake can be prepared to this point a day ahead.)

To make the caramel: Stir the sugar, corn syrup, and 2 tablespoons water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook, swirling the pan but not stirring, until the sugar is dark amber-colored caramel, about 15 minutes. Pull pan from the heat and carefully pour in the cream (take care it will splatter). Stir in the pecans, vanilla, and salt. Cool until caramel becomes thick and syrupy, then evenly pour over the cake and cool until set.

Cook's Note: We like to bake this cake the day before we serve it so the flavors and texture ripen. If you bake it a day ahead glaze with the caramel the day you plan to make cake.


Awsome Chicken Noodle Soup

SUBMITTED BY: ALANK PHOTO BY: Sally

"Home style chicken noodle soup that really makes a wonderful side or meal, it cures what ails you. If you like lots of noodles use a whole pound of them. Serve hot with your favorite salad and bread. This freezes or doubles well."

RECIPE RATING:

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PREP TIME	20 Min
COOK TIME	2 Hrs
READY IN	2 Hrs 20 Min

INGREDIENTS

    1 gallon water

• 1 (4 pound) whole chicken, cut into pieces
• 1 large onion, peeled and halved
• 3 bay leaves
• 10 whole black peppercorns
• 2/3 bunch celery, leaves reserved
• 1 pound whole carrots
• 3 tablespoons chopped lemon grass (optional)
•  
• 1/4 cup chicken bouillon powder
• 1 pound carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1/3 bunch celery, chopped and leaves reserved
• 1 (8 ounce) package dry egg noodles

DIRECTIONS

1. Place chicken and water in a large pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer, skimming fat as needed, 30 minutes.
2. Place the halved onion, bay leaves, peppercorns, whole celery, whole carrots and lemon grass in the pot and simmer, covered 1 hour.
3. Strain broth and reserve chicken. When chicken is cool enough to handle, remove skin and cut meat into bite-size pieces.
4. Return strained stock to pot over high heat, and stir in chicken base, chopped celery and chopped carrots. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer 20 minutes, or until carrots are tender.
5. Chop celery leaves and stir into pot with the noodles. Simmer until noodles are cooked, about 10 minutes more. Stir in chicken and heat through.