The View From Mrs. Sundberg's Window

I see the woman winning

October 3, 2011

Listened to the show Saturday and it was not bad. Beautiful day, it was, and I've started up with the tasks assigned to closing down a season. Still have windows to wash, but I pulled up a bunch of dead things in the yard and mowed and trimmed and things are looking pretty good. I asked the kids to help, and they did, somewhat reluctantly. So much to do when you're young, and who wants to rake the yard, really. I mean, come ON.

We've been fortunate, Mr. Sundberg and I, to have had few glitches along the way as childrearing people. Our biggest challenge has been that tumultuous transition from childhood to adolescence for each of them. Adolescence itself putting on its boxing gloves. With the first it took awhile, and there were a number of harsh words and doors slamming. Mr. Sundberg took the brunt of that one. And the next was shorter, and more about stress and anxiety than anything, and we all got through. We're in the midst of number three about now, and I seem to be the one responsible for much of the crap in the world.

I'm not complaining, and I'm no victim for sure, but it's a rough thing to love so deeply a person to whom you want to give the world, and you're regarded similarly to how one might look at a wheelbarrow full of warm cow dung. She longs to hold on to the child she was, and I see in her the woman she will be, and the two are duking it out. I happen to be the one in the ring with the whistle, and I see the woman winning. Of course she is. As it should be. I'm rooting for her, even. The rough part comes from having cheered on that child for so many years. But what my daughter doesn't understand and I do, is that the child will survive inside the woman, and she'll find there one day. It's inevitable.

Until things smooth a bit, I'll put my energies into cleaning windows, and helping with homework, and cooking good food with lots of protein and starch and a good measure of fat for the fight. Comfort food, they call it. And it most certainly is. For every one at the table.

If you haven't been to the orchard yet, get there. And when you're home again with apples all over the kitchen, this recipe will take only 6 cups of them, sliced. Makes a good peace offering.

Apple Pudding Cake

1 cup chopped pecans
2/3 cup shortening
1-1/3 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
2 cups flour
6 cups peeled & chopped apples

Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease a 9 x 13 pan. In a frying pan over medium low heat, toast the pecans until they begin to color and become fragrant, 7 minutes or so. Pour into a dish and set aside. Cream together the shortening and sugar, and add eggs one at a time and beat well. Add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and beat into the sugar mixture. Fold in the apples and nuts. The mixture will be stiff. Spread into the prepared pan, and set aside.

Sauce Mixture
1-1/2 cups packed brown sugar
2 T flour
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup water
1 cup heavy whipping cream (optional)

In a medium saucepan, stir together the brown sugar and flour. Add butter, vanilla, and water. Bring to a boil while stirring occasionally, and boil gently for 3 minutes, stirring often. Pour this hot sauce evenly over the batter. Do not stir. Bake 1 hour. Serve warm, with whipped cream if desired.

Enjoy!