Sweet & Savory ~~ "Honey Almond Cake"

Fresh honey, almond flavoring, applesauce and pecans make for a scrumptious combination in this moist, melt-in-your-mouth cake!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature
• 3/4 cup honey (I used light colored clover honey)
• 1/2 cup applesauce, slightly heated in microwave
• 1 teaspoon almond flavoring
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 Tbsp. hot water

DIRECTIONS:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease and flour a 9 x 9 inch square baking pan.
• Cream butter and honey until well blended in mixing bowl.
• Add heated applesauce along with almond flavoring and mix well.
• Fold the dry ingredients into the honey and applesauce mixture.
• Dissolve the baking soda in the hot water and mix thoroughly and quickly.
• Add to mixture inside bowl.
• Blend well.
• Pour batter into baking pan.
• Bake for 38 - 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Yields 10-12 servings.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS:

• Serve warm or cold.
• Delicious with ice cream or whipping cream.
• Iced tea or warm tea enhances the honey flavor of the cake.
• Iced or cold coffee is a nice beverage to serve with cake

Happy Baking & Enjoy!

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Sweet & Savory ~~ Spearmint Tea

There's nothing quite like a cup of hot tea on a snowy winter day!  It warms your body, soul, mind and spirit.

I grew the spearmint plant during the summer and fall months in one of my wooden backyard planters, trimming it before the first frost.

Secondly, I tied the bundle of leaves with a piece of string and suspended it from an old shower curtain until the leaves were completely dried.

I was in for a real surprise when I prepared my first cup of tea by placing a few of the dried leaves inside a tea strainer and poured hot water over the top. This yielded a far more intense flavor than making tea from the dried leaves inside a tea bag which I had purchased several months prior thereto. 

This whole exercise has given me some great planting ideas for the spring of 2017.  What variety of tea should I try next?

Stay warm, and enjoy!

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