"IT'S NOT FAIR!"
"Life's not fair," I replied.
"4th grade just has TOO MUCH HOMEWORK!"
"I had just as much when I was in 4th grade."
"Well, IT'S NOT FAIR!" And so we continued griping not doing. But my 10-year-old has a point, a point that is never lost on a parent. It's not fair that everyone but you sits on the furniture because you're too busy cooking, cleaning, and working. But when they tell you to sit down, if you've any brains at all, you resist. You know what will happen if you do. The entire world will wobble then whirl into chaos. You'll be hurled into precarious piles of dirty dishes, stinking laundry, filthy floors, un-paid bills, and un-met work deadlines. And how do you know this? - because you've tried it. Take a minute to relax and you'll spend two playing catch-up. You'd be crazy to pause to relax. But sometimes, crazy's just what's needed. Keep reading for the rest and a recipe for buttermilk apple cake.
It's a good thing we don't always do what we should. Exactly because life's not fair, it's okay to call "time-out". Life's not playing by the rules, so you needn't either. If you cry "Uncle" and flee to friends' houses to relax and sit on their furniture, the life police won't track you down. At friends' you won't see your piles of chores. And should you notice theirs, you'll be reassured that life's not fair for everyone. Sure, when you get home, you'll have to work twice as hard, but I'm convinced that a few hours regularly spent away from home having fun with family and friends saves sanity and money. Friends are cheap psychotherapists; outdoor play is rejuvenating physical therapy.
So last Sunday I took a mental health day. My family and I relaxed over a Sunday brunch at friends', then the two families went sledding. The only rushing we did was to return home in time for the super-bowl. Well, that wasn't exactly the only rushing. When we got home, I rushed to get food on the table, take care of the dogs, and finish the laundry, so I could mend torn clothes in front of the TV. But at least I got to sit on my couch to do the mending. (I noticed it's lumpier than it was last month; I suspect some somebodies are jumping on it when I'm not looking.)
And in the morning, I had rushed to bake my contribution to the brunch, a buttermilk apple cake. I'm glad I did; the apple cake was a perfect complement to the espresso coffees our hosts served for dessert. I found the recipe in the cookbook, Apples Everything, by Jean Hill and Jody Littler. The cake is light, moist, and has a delicious flavor of apples spiced with cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. The buttermilk gives it a special flavor unavailable with ordinary milk. Enjoy.
- 1/2 cup shortening (butter)
- 1 cup sugar (I used 1/2 cup)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 eggs beaten
- 2 1/4 cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (My cinnamon teaspoons are always heaping.)
- 1/4 teaspoon cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups chopped apples - 2 to 3 medium-sized
Topping:
- 1/2 cup chopped nuts (I used 1 cup chopped pecans 'cuz I had them.)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup sugar
- dash of cinnamon
(I'd already put the white sugar away when I made the topping, so I used 1/2 cup of brown. We like the hearty flavor of brown sugar. My dash of cinnamon was more like a torrent.)
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 9 x 13-inch pan. Cream shortening and sugars. Dissolve soda in milk; stir into shortening mixture. Add eggs, flour, spices and salt; beat until thoroughly mixed. Fold in apples; pour into pan. Sprinkle with topping. Bake 30 minutes.
Comments