Thursday, November 3, 2011

Pumpkin Cake with Caramel Cider Drizzle (and why I love Pinterest so much!)


** Special Thanks to Mommy's Kitchen for this recipe!  And Pinterest for having this yummy recipe on my search!**


Aapi in the Kitchen!
Pumpkin Cake W/Caramel Cider Sauce

1 1/2 - cups all purpose flour, sifted
1 - cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 - tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 - tsp. baking soda
1/2 - teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
dash of nutmeg
3/4 - cup oil
1 -15 oz can pumpkin
                                                                                    2 - eggs

Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add oil, pumpkin and eggs. Whisk or use and electric mixer until blended. Pour into a greased 9x13 baking pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. Cool cake completely and top with the cider sauce before serving.


Caramel Cider Sauce1/2 - cup brown sugar
1 - tablespoon cornstarch
2/3 - cup apple cider
2 - tablespoon heavy cream
1 - tablespoon butter (not margarine)
salt to taste
In a saucepan, whisk brown sugar and cornstarch. Add cider and stir in the cream, butter and salt. Cook over med-hi heat, whisking constantly, until large bubbles form around the edge of the saucepan, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low and allow to thicken, about 2 minutes. Top with vanilla ice cream if you want and drizzle sauce over it.



Measuring out the salt (outside of the bowl!)
And the oil (should have been outside of the bowl!)

Smoothing the cake into the pan.

Baking at 325 for half an hour



Working closely with Mama making the Caramel Cider Sauce-- REALLY YUMMY!

 This cake was wonderful!  We brought it with us to a potluck that night and although Baba's contribution went over better (Tendoori Chicken Wings on the Grill) the cake was well received.  We brought the rest home and I think I may have eaten all but 4 pieces over the rest of the weekend.

And finally a shout out to Pinterest-- my new favorite past time haha!  When the little boys are napping, Pinterest and a cup of coffee from McDonald's make my afternoon blissful!  I have bulletin boards for my dream house, home organization, favorite recipes, children play stuff, and all sorts of stuff.  You can see my boards by clicking here! And keeping all things in one place enables me to actually go through and learn more about what I've pinned.   LOVE LOVE LOVE it!















Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Being a Better Muslim--- November Calendar of Auspicious Days




                                            November, 2011    Dhu al Hajjah, 1432  


November/ Dhu al Hajjah
1/4
2/5-  Wafat: Hazrat Abu Zur Ghaffari (RA)
3/6-  Listen to Dua Khumail
4/7-  Martyrdom: Imam Mohammad Baqir (AS)
5/8-  Imam Hussain (AS) left Makkah towards Karbala
6/9-  Martyrdom: Hazrat Muslim Ibne Aqeel (AS) / Yaum-e-Arafat
7/10-  Eid-ul-Azha (click here for more information)
8/11
9/12
10/13Listen to Dua Khumail
11/14
12/15-  Wiladat: Imam Ali-an-Naqi (AS)
13/16
14/17
15/18-  Eid Al-Ghadir
16/19
17/20 Listen to Dua Khumail
18/21
19/22
20/23
21/24
22/25
23/26
24/27 Listen to Dua Khumail
25/28
26/29
27/1-  1 Muharram, 1433
28/2-  Imam Hussain (AS) reached Karbala
29/4
30/5


For listening pleasure, please listen to this speech by Moulana Syed Asad Jafri entitled "The Internal Battle of Islam"  Thanks to my cousin for this suggestion for speakers.  

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

NaBloPoMo...Here we Go!


Blogging at least one post each day in November.  Can I do it?  A challenge!...  I love a challenge!  And a chance to impart some information on the "lucky lady" who happens to read my posts. ;)  I am FILLED with information to impart!  And prizes!!  ahh...  who am I kidding, I never win the prizes.   That's okay!  I'm in!  You had me at nablopomo!  

Some of the topics I hope to include this month:

Islamic Calendar of Auspicious Dates and links to frequently used sites for easy access

Menu Plan Monday

Review of the book The Story of Edgar Sawtelle (I am on page 365 of 562 right now.)

Reactions to life as I know it

My first attempts at providing tutorials on making certain dishes I enjoy (including family recipes as well as internet finds)

A (more) regular update on my crafting life....  not much to that I'm afraid

A riotous anecdote here and there about me getting back into to groove since baby number 3 has come on the scene.

....  can you dig it?  My life-- in a nutshell.

Monday, October 31, 2011

Menu Plan Monday Oct. 31- Nov. 6, 2011


Here is what we are eating this week!

Breakfast:
Cereal and Milk
Cinnamon Toast
Peanut Butter Toast or English Muffins
Cream of Wheat
Apple Muffins

Lunch:
Burritos
PB and J Sandwiches
Leftovers
Hot Dogs
Split Pea Soup

Dinner:
Monday-  Pan fried fish and French Fries

Tuesday-  Lasagna and Garlic Bread

Wednesday-  Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes

Thursday-  Leftovers and Frozen Pizza if needed

Friday-  Eat on the Road to Chicago

Saturday-  Chicago

Sunday-  Chicago

Monday-  Eid al Adha (drive back from Chicago and eat on the way)

For more menus, check out Menu Plan Monday by Organizing Junkie

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

A Better Muslim...

                                 We are trying to be better Muslims....

Here are the proposed changes:

Daily- Pray and Daily Duas
Weekly-
     Thursday-  Dua Khumail
     Friday-  Jummat Khutbah
Monthly-  View calendar and bring historic topics up at dinner time (Martyrdom, Birthdays and Marriages of auspicious people)
                Monthly visit to Chicago masjids
Occasional-  Extended visits during important times of the year (Moharram and Ramadan)

This week's Calendar:  Dhu l Qa'dah 25- Dhu al Hajjah 3 (Oct 23-Oct 31 2011)

10/23 (Dhu l Qa'dah 25)-  Wiladat Hazrat Ibrahim and Hazrat Isa
10/27 (Dhu l Qa'dah 29)-  Martyrdom of Imam Mohammad Taqi
10/29 (Dhu al Hajjah 1)-  Wedding:  Imam Ali to Bibi Fatima Zehra
10/31 (Dhu al Hajjah 3)-  Allah accepted Hazrat Adam's dua (God Always Answers Prayers)

Monday, October 24, 2011

Menu Plan Monday Oct.24-30, 2011

Breakfasts:
Sausage and Egg Biscuits
Cereal and Milk
Cream of Wheat
Cinnamon Toast

Lunch:
Uncle Davey's Special (recipe coming) with Pumpkin Caramel Cake
Hot Dogs and Chips
Split Pea Soup and Crackers
Frozen Pizza

Dinners:
Monday-  Lamb Curry and Rice

Tuesday-  Baked Tortellini and Garlic Bread

Wednesday-  Green Bean Casserole and Stuffing (recipe coming) with Whipped Sweet Potatoes

Thursday-  Leftovers (Eat Down the House)

Friday-  Eat on the Road or once in Chicago

Saturday-  Chicago

Sunday-  Politos Pizza

For more great menu ideas head over to Menu Planning Monday at Organizing Junkie

Monday-  Taco Casserole

Monday, October 17, 2011

Menu Plan Monday: October 17, 2011

Menu Plan for Monday Oct. 17- Sunday Oct. 23, 2011

Breakfast:
Eggs served to order with toast
Cream of Wheat with Honey or Pure Maple Syrup
Honey Bunches of Oats with Milk
Peanut Butter Toast

Lunches:
Shaved Turkey and Cheese Sandwiches
Brown Bag Burritos (from Amy's Finer Things)
Summer Sausage and Mustard Sandwiches
Leftovers

Dinners:
Monday:  Roasted Chicken, roasted acorn squash and Steamed broccoli

Tuesday:  Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup

Wednesday:  Chicken Basil Ranch Pizza with Raw Veggies

Thursday:  Leftovers and Frozen Pizza

Friday:  Lamb Curry with Rice

Saturday:  Chicken Wings and KFC cole slaw (lunch:  Baked Tortellini and Garlic Bread)

Sunday:  Green Bean Casserole, Stuffing and Sweet Potatoes (large breakfast:  French Toast, Bacon and coffee/ choc. milk)

View more menu plans at Menu Plan Monday on Organizing Junkie