Very Old Fashioned Spice Cake

Most fabulous cake recipe circa the 1920's
Cream 1/2 butter (or even shortening) with1-1/2c brown sugar; add 2 well-beaten eggs.  Separately, mix 2-1/4c flour, 1t baking soda, 1t cinnamon, 1/2t nutmeg, 1/2t cloves, 1/4t salt.  Measure 1c sour milk (or even sour cream).  Alternately add about one-third of the mixed dry ingredients and about 1/3 of the milk to the creamed mix (1/3 flour, mix; 1/3 milk, mix; etc till all ingredients are blended).  Add 1c raison and 1/2c nuts (optional).  Bake in 9" x 13" pan at 350 about 30 minutes.
Frosting:  in a pan, melt 1/c butter or margarine; add 1c brown sugar.  Bring to a boil  and stir one minute or until slightly thick.  Cool.  Beat in 1/4c milk and 3-1/4c (or till spreading consistancy) confectioner's sugar.  Spread on cake.
The frosting is really wonderful -- don't skip making it as it makes the cake.
You can use hard raisins in this -- just soak first in boiling water to soften.

latest most favorite soap of all time: Lemongrass with Basil and Dill

Oooh, this is so pretty.  And smells like someone's cooking something really interesting.  Lemongrass with ground calendula.  Dill with powdered wheat sprouts.  Basil with spiralina.  Not your typical scented soap.  But awfully fun for a serious cook.  Or person with a serious appetite.

No Mixer Necessary Cake from Scratch

Just because you don't happen to have an electric mixer handy, doesn't mean you can't make a cake from scratch.  This is a dense, moist cake that is great fruit-topped with a brown sugar crumb topping (and no frosting).  Or, frosted with chocolate icing or even a fruit flavored frosting. Easy, one-pan cake.

Mix 2 C. flour and 1 ½ C. sugar.  Cut ½ C. butter into small pieces; add to flour/sugar and mix with hands till crumbly.  Add1 t. baking powder, 2 eggs, 1 C. milk, and 2 t. vanilla.  Stir till well combined; pour into greased 13 x 9 baking pan. Cover with the 2 C. diced fresh figs, blueberries, or apples (or canned pineapple slices -- anything that's not too wet; nix the strawberries or raspberries). Sprinkle crumb topping over the fruit:  1/3 C. dark brown sugar, 1/3 C. sugar, 1/2 C. butter, cut into small pieces, and 1 3/4 C. flour; mix well with hands to combine and create crumbs. Bake at 350 for 35 to 40 minutes.

Pickles Anybody Can Make

Summer gardens mean some people have way too many cucumbers.  This is a great no-fail old fashioned bread and butter pickle that requires no canning.  But does require some odd herbs you may not have (this is when it's nice to live near a bulk store or near a spice store that sells small amounts).  Slice thinly (no thicker than 1/4 inch but half that is better) one large-ish cucumber (about 10") or enough small cucumbers to fill a 16oz jar.  To be fancy, you can alternate layers of cucumbers with layers of thinly sliced sweet onions (vidalia, walla walla, etc).  When your jar is full, you're ready to move onto the pickling liquid.  On stovetop, mix 3/4cup apple cider vinegar (regular white vinegar is okay) with 1/2cup sugar; stir till the sugar is dissolved.  Take off heat and add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds and 1/2 teaspoon celery seeds.  You can also add 1/2 teaspoon turmeric -- gives the liquid a gold tone.  Pour this very hot mixture over your cucumbers.  Cover with lid and cool somewhat; refrigerate.  Let sit in fridge 24 hours then enjoy!  These aren't really preserved so should be eaten within one month.  Easy to double recipe and it's fine to adjust the flavorings.

Tamanu oil comes from the dried nuts of a tree (Calophyllum inophyllum) in the South Pacific. The oil smells sort of like musty hay. But, if you can put aside that vision of rubbing musty hay on your skin, it creates a wonderful soothing effect.  It's used on sun burn, inflammation, insect bites and general rashes. Tamanu oil is also said to help regenerate skin cells, act as a anti-inflammatory, and have a hydrating effect on the skin.  In traditional medicine, the oil is used for its ability to help heal cuts and wounds while acting as a germicide to prevent infection. It's also known as tamanu, kamanu and Alexandrian laurel.

Very Quick, Very Good, Very Hot Fudge Sauce

Mix 1/3 cup cocoa and 1/4 cup sugar.  Add 1/4 cup skim milk and 2 tablespoons butter [note:  if you substitute whole milk or cream, you can cut down (or cut out) the butter].  Microwave 30 seconds.  Stir well.  Microwave another 1-1/2 minutes.  Taste.  Add sugar ( 1 teaspoon at a time) if not sweet enough for you and/or add cocoa (1-2 teaspoons at a time) if not chocolate-ly or bitter enough for you. If you like a denser, richer texture add a teaspoon or so more butter.  Once flavor is good, zap another 30 seconds, stir well.  If you want it very thick, cook out more of the liquid by microwaving one minute at a time (be careful for burning and also note it can easily volcano out of the bowl).  Once the sweetness, chocolate-ness, and thickness are good, add 1 teaspoon vanilla or brandy; stir well and enjoy!

Relatively Quick, Sort of Easy, Handmade English Toffee

Apropos to this sweet time of year, a do-able microwave recipe for decadent, butter-rich English Toffee.  Simply butter, corn syrup and sugar with liberal amounts of milk chocolate and almonds.  Plus a bit of real vanilla and a teaspoon of baking soda and that’s it.  You do need a microwave, at least a 2-quart microwave-safe bowl, and large baking sheet.  But you don’t need a thermometer or other rarely-used kitchen gadgets. 

Start by greasing the cookie sheet with butter; then put the sheet in the oven at about 350.  The sheet needs to be hot when you pour the liquid toffee onto it; the hot sheet will help the liquid toffee spread out as wide as possible – making a thinner, easier to eat hard candy.

Now, melt 1cup (2 sticks) real butter in your microwave-safe 2-3 qt bowl.  When melted, add 2 cups sugar and 1/4 cup corn syrup; mix well.  You're going to microwave this mixture till it's the color of a brown paper bag.  Since everyone's microwave is so different, you've got to cook in increments so you don't burn the candy.  Put back in the microwave and zap 3-5 minutes.  Open door and look at mix – it should be looking like molten lava:  all bubbly and rising up the side of the pan (it is VERY hot).  If it doesn't seem like molten lava yet, microwave another 1-3 minutes.  Stir every so often.  You will need a second spoon to get the lava off of your stirring spoon.  Again, it is VERY hot -- don't try to use your finger.  Keep cooking and looking at 1-3 minute intervals – you are looking at the color of the mix.  At first it is a light yellow.  When it starts turning beige, reduce your cooking intervals.  Keep cooking the butter/sugar until it is the color of a brown paper bag, or the color of a Kraft caramel candy.  When it’s getting darker then yellow and darker than beige, you're getting close. Take the cookie sheet out of the oven and sprinkle with 1/4 - 1/2 cup sliced almonds.  Place on a heat-proof surface.  Check on the lava color.  When it's finally dark enough, quickly add in 1 teaspoon pure vanilla and stir in.  Then quickly add 1 teaspoon baking soda.  The soda will make the mixture bubble up; you won't be able to stir it in completely but incorporate it as well as you can.  Remember:  it is VERY hot and will burn your skin if you touch it!  Quickly pour the molten lava onto the cookie sheet.  You want the finished product thinner rather than thicker so lean the sheet up to help it glide all over the pan.  It will start to harden immediately so you don't have much time.  It will be delicious no matter how thick so don't worry too much.  Finally, sprinkle 1-1/2 cups milk chocolate chips over the still very warm candy.  Let sit a minute or two then spread the now melted chocolate evenly over the top of the brittle.  You can sprinkle the wet chocolate chips with more almonds, if you like.  Put in a safe place to cool (not on the counter if you have pets who like chocolate).  Once completely cooled (at least a couple of hours), use a pick to crack the candy into bite size (or bigger) pieces.  This makes about two pounds of finished candy.  If you halve the recipe, keep in mind that the cooking will go faster so be very careful to watch for burning.

Galbanum

Galbanum is one of those fragrances where a teeny tiny bit really goes a long way.  And by itself it's really not especially great.  But add that teeny tiny bit to the right blend and you can get greater depth and character. Benzoin smells sweeter, oak moss has more of a forest depth.  Lavender doesn't seem so goody-two-shoes.  Sort of tweeks the scent to a slightly different dimension. 

More Gift Ideas You Can Be Sure They Don't Already Have...

Probably everyone needs a rabbit finger puppet:  http://www.etsy.com/listing/84187124/bunny-rabbit-finger-puppet-bruno 
Or possibly an antelope: http://www.etsy.com/listing/84089598/antelope-finger-puppet-annie

Unique Gifts...

It's time to think of unusual, memorable gifts.  For everyone on your list.  Within a budget.  And within the month.  Here's something I'll bet no one already has.  And if they have one, certainly two could only be better.  Cause everyone needs a faux fox scarf.   http://www.etsy.com/listing/82946874/faux-fox-scarf-spooky-with-scull

It's Fall so It's Cranberry Bread

Mix 1-1/2c flour, 1/2c whole wheat flour, 1-1/2t baking powder, 1/2t baking soda, 3/4c sugar and rind of one orange.  Separately, mix 2T oil, juice of one orange plus extra oj or water to fill 3/4c.  Mix liquid and add one beaten egg.  Add wet to dry.  Fold in 1c chopped cranberries.  Dump into greased loaf pan and bake at 325 about one hour.  Now it's really fall.

Not Necessary But Ever So Cute

Even though this is a knic-knac with absolutely no practical use -- can't you see it sitting on a windowsill waiting for spring?  Very cute.  Another Etsy find...etsy listing

Rosehip Oil

Rosehip oil doesn't smell like roses. And it doesn't have a rose-colored tint.  But it is very sweet for your skin -- one of those great all-purpose skin oils. It doesn't have a thick, sticky oil-feel.  You can smooth it directly on and it'll slowly be absorbed into your skin. And that absorption allows the oil's high levels of Vitamin C and A to penetrate your skin.  Rosehip oil's fatty acids are said to help reduce scarring and promote skin repair; and those fatty acids also act as emollients to improve skin flexibility.  Pretty sweet.

Carrot Seed Oil

They can actually get an oil out of a carrot seed?  Why would they bother?  Turns out, carrot seed essential oil has all sorts of anti-oxidants so is great for skin care.  Everything from eczema to wrinkles to excess oil.  40% of the carrot seed is made up of carotol -- something that assists with cell growth and thus helps skin stay healthy.  Carrot seed essential oil:  who would have thought...but it works for me.

Meadowfoam Oil: Quadruple Winner

 

Meadowfoam -- named because the flower blooms so profusely that a meadow full of it looks like a sea (or meadow) of foam.  Must be a sight.  Regardless, it's one of those you-can't-do-much-better-than-this oils:  environmentally healthy, great for your skin, and stabilizes the other oils it's mixed with.  Win-win-win.  Plus it's got a beautiful name because it is a beautiful plant.  Make that a win-win-win-win.

Cajeput and Her Sister

If somebody says, "Cajeput" -- do you respond with "God Bless You"?  Or possibly, "I beg your pardon?"  It may be more appropriate to immediately say, "Don't open that bottle near me; I hate the smell of cajeput -- it smells like turpentine.  Although not as bad as tea tree...".  And then you might launch into a heated discussion of the pros and cons of both essential oils.  I tend to stay with tea tree if only because it's easier to pronounce.  It's also easier to find and less likely to be a skin irritant.  But they both have antibacterial properties and have been used for years in their native lands.  Sister trees.  Similar but each their own personality.

Homemade Vanilla Extract

this one is embarrassingly easy but no so great if you have no patience.  Stick a vanilla bean in a pint of vodka or cheap brandy.  If the liquor is in a clear bottle, put the bottle in a brown paper bag.  Shake it weekly. Start using it in three to six months.  Best vanilla ever.

Matted Hair becomes Art

Have you ever had a dog's hair get matted to the point where there's no way you can clean let alone comb it out...it literally becomes a mat and can only be cut.  So this happy family ( http://www.etsy.com/listing/69325144/needle-felted-mother-with-children ) was made using the same principle:  mat up wool to the point where it won't ever come un-done -- but do it all on purpose with clean, colorful wool (and it works best if you're an artist).  Needle felting:  one barbed needle prick by prick matting up wool into something sculpted.

Odd Goat Stories

talk about a very cool oil:  Argan Oil comes from a tree that's been around for over 1-1/2 million years.  The tree can live as long as 200 years but only grows in a few places -- namely Morocco.  Thus the reason that sometimes it's referred to as "Moroccan Oil".  It's rich in skin-loving fatty acids and Vitamin E; great for helping to heal scars, is said to increase skin elasticity.  But the really great news is the goat story:  supposedly goats love to eat the fruit but can't digest the kernals (where the oil resides).  So if you want argan kernels, you just pick through goat poop during ripe argan fruit season, grind those kernals up and there's your precious argan oil.  I'm told the argan oil I bought didn't go through a goat's intentines.  But I don't know that for sure.

Borage Porridge

I hear the word, "borage" and immediately think, "porridge".  Both seem vaguely old European, in a thatched-roof sort of way.  Apparently it's an herb originally from Syria but is now all over.  And can spread pretty easily.  Has a really pretty blue star-shaped flower; the plant's also known as (surprise), "Starflower".  It's eaten as a fresh vegetable and used as a dried herb but it's greatest commercial value is the oil from the seed.  That oil is the highest known plant-based source for gamma-linolenic acid, said to help with inflammation and very dry skin conditions.  Still lots of research going on but in the meantime we use it in our dry skin oils.  Cause how can you resist rubbing borage porridge all over?