I mean, it is south of the Mason-Dixon Line, but a lot of people insist that I do not live in the South, so I'm wondering. It's definitely the furthest south that I've ever lived, and the lateness of autumn and winter has been confusing as all get out. Halloween, for instance, totally sneaked up on me, because there hadn't been even a hint of frost on the ground yet.
Call me crazy (really, do; everyone else does), but I love winter, and I love the cold. Going home to Wisconsin -- to a real, invigorating winter with brisk air and piles of snow -- for winter break was simply lovely.
Sure, my fingers and toes were cold, and my nose rivaled that of Rudolph when I came back inside from shoveling snow, but "truly to enjoy bodily warmth, some small part of you must be cold." * Besides, after you've been outside, a bowl of hot, spicy, Korean ramen tastes... unbelievable. :)
* A box of cookies for the first person who can identify the source of the quote without an Internet search!
At the same time, I love that on most days in Madison (and in New England, where I also spent a good number of years) I can get away with not wearing gloves or a hat, since it's not, say, the Arctic.
While I was home, I made like a champion and relaxed with all my might, feasting on my mom's cooking and catching up on sleep. Of course I baked and cooked a lot, too, mostly to enable my little brother in his foraging habits (he's twenty, he needs the calories), but I also spent a lot of my time reading.
Ten books in eight days. Oh yes, it was bliss.
I also had a chance to meet up with a few friends, some of whom I hadn't seen in years. ♥
Well, break is nearly over now, and I'm back in DC, with Internet access again. I am recharged and bracing myself to face another semester!
Borrowing from the brilliance of Christoph Niemann, I wish you all the best:
Happy 2011, everyone!
Whole Wheat Coffee Cake
Adapted from Crisco®'s whole wheat walnut crumb cake recipe.
The the streusel layer and the glaze topping add just enough sweetness to complement the cake, which is not very sweet by itself. I didn't have any powdered sugar on hand, so I used brown sugar for the glaze, hence the coloring.
Streusel.
1 c. chopped walnuts or pecans
1/3 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
In a small bowl, thoroughly mix all ingredients. Set aside.
Cake.
2 c. whole wheat flour
1 c. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 c. milk
1/3 c. unsalted butter
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease two 8" or 9" loaf pans.
In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar, then beat in the milk, egg, and vanilla.
In a medium bowl, mix the flour and baking powder. Stir into wet mixture, mixing until just combined.
Spoon in approximately a quarter of the batter into each of the prepared pans. Evenly sprinkle half the streusel into each pan, then spoon the remaining batter over the streusel. Bake until done, 30-35 min.
Glaze.
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
1/2 tsp. vanilla
5 tsp. milk
In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients. Drizzle generously over each loaf while still warm.
It was great seeing you!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous pictures, and the coffee cake looks delicious!