Cenizo Journal Spring 2015 | Page 15

Big Bend Eats A RTISANAL B AKED G OODS by Carolyn Brown Zniewski A ny occasion feels more like a celebration when there is a cake. Most cakes call for eggs, so sometimes folks who eat a vegan diet can get left out when it comes to cake time. There are a few recipes for cakes without either egg or dairy ingredients. Most of them were developed during the depression of the 1930s as an economical solution to tight budgets. Unless you lived on a farm, eggs and milk were expensive. During the Dust Bowl of the 1930s plenty of farmers lost their farms, but they still wanted to celebrate special dates with a nice cake. So here are two of the best recipes for anytime you need a vegan cake or when you are camping or in the middle of nowhere and don’t have eggs and milk available. The choco- late cake is perfect for the day you get home after 5:30 and need the cake by 7:00. It’s faster and easier than going to the store! And for good measure, here is a gluten-free cookie recipe that I spotted recently. They are all so good that you can make them anytime and be glad you did. Apple Nut Cake – Vegan 1 cup sugar 3 Tablespoons shortening 1 ¼ cups applesauce 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 ¾ cups flour ½ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon ginger 1 cup chopped nuts Preheat oven to 350°. Cream sugar and shortening. Stir in applesauce and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and nuts. Mix until just com- bined. Bake in a well-greased bundt, 8" square or 9" round pan at 350’ for about 30 - 45 min- utes depending on pan size. Cool. Frost with powdered sugar icing made with a little orange juice. Crazy Cake - Vegan 1 ½ cups flour 3 Tablespoons cocoa powder ½ teaspoon salt 1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon baking soda 2 teaspoons vanilla 1 teaspoon white vinegar 6 Tablespoons vegetable oil 1 cup cold water Preheat your oven to 350’. Put the dry ingre- dients in an 8" square or 9" round pan and mix them a bit with a fork. Make three wells in the dry ingredients. Pour vinegar in one, oil in one and vanilla in one. Pour the cold water over all and stir with the fork until the batter is mixed. Pop it right in the 350’ oven and bake for 30 – 35 minutes. Be sure your oven is preheated. I first made this cake when I was in high school well over 50 years ago. It has stood the test of time. As simple as it is, it is very good. Nut Butter Cookies - Gluten Free 1 cup nut butter, i.e.: peanut butter, almond, sunflower seed or cashew butter 1 cup sugar or brown sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla, orange or other extract 1 egg ST. JONAH ORTHODOX CHURCH Come, See & Hear the Services of Early Christianity ◊ Fr. Nicholas Roth Sunday 10 am • Wednesday 6:30 pm 405 E. Gallego Avenue • Alpine, TX 79830 432-360-3209 • bigbendorthodox.org by 7 Cool Sisters Betty McGehee 432-426-2009 www.facebook.com/ bettys7coolsisters W HITE C RANE A CUPUNCTURE C LINIC Stir it up. Put walnut-sized balls on the cook- ie sheet and crosshatch with a fork dipped in sugar. Bake at 350° for about 8 - 10 minutes. These make a great snack anytime. Throw a few in your bag the next time you are running errands or heading out for the day. These cook- ies are very, very good and so quick to make. Take a few minutes and make a treat for the baseball game or movie night. Acupuncture • Herbs • Bodywork Shanna Cowell, L.Ac. Marfa’s Swiss Café N EW L OCATION : 303 E. Sul Ross • Alpine 432.837.3225 Mon. - Fri. by appointment D AVIS M OUNTAINS N UT C OMPANY Roasted and Dipped Pecans You can taste the difference care makes! Please stop in for FREE SAMPLES Hwy 17 in Fort Davis • Open: Mon. - Sat. 9 to 5 Great handmade gourmet gifts! We ship anywhere year-round Visit us on the web: www.allpecans.com 800-895-2101 • 432-426-2101 [email protected] Cenizo Second Quarter 2015 15