Sour Cream Cinnamon Coffeecake and Vanilla Chai Lattes last Thursday (oh, and Jesus too)

Don't you wish you were in our Women's Bible Study? It truly is a unique group of women, all from different backgrounds and interests. Over the past four years each of the eleven have become a dear and integral part of the group, I cannot imagine doing life without them.

Here's a treat I made last week that seemed to go over well. Also known as "Grandpa's Favorite," which is saying something because let me tell you, Grandma is quite the baker.

Sour Cream Cinnamon Coffeecake

1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp. baking soda

2 sticks cool (not too hard) butter
2 cups flour
1 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp. table salt

1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 cup golden raisins
(And yes, you read that right. No eggs!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8x8 square pan. Combine the sour cream and baking soda in a small bowl, set aside. Combine flour, sugar, salt and butter in your mixing bowl, give it a few turns with the mixer until it resembles the beginnings of a pie crust, nice and crumbly. Reserve half the flour mixture for the crumble topping. Add the spices and sour cream mix into the mixing bowl. Combine well, stir in raisins. Place in prepared pan, sprinkle the reserved crumble topping evenly over coffeecake. Bake 30-40 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

As an added touch, which I only just now realized I completely forgot, you can drizzle an easy frosting over it while it's still warm. (About 1 cup powdered sugar and a few TB. milk mixed evenly together.) It was still great without it.


Vanilla Chai Lattes for 4 people

2 & 1/4 cups TAZO chai tea concentrate (they use it at Starbucks, you can get three boxes for $7 at Costco)
2 cups your favorite milk, I used skim, 2% would be better
2 TB. Monin Vanilla Syrup (can be found at specialty food shops, like Fox and Obel and Amazon)

Heat chai tea mix, milk and syrup together in a sauce pan or microwave in a pyrex bowl. If you have a steamer, steam cups of the chai to order for your lucky friends, and top the foam with a light spray of good cinnamon.

Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake

Ok, I realize it's been almost FOUR months since I've last posted. Is anyone still reading? Probably not. But, I made this coffeecake this morning for Bible Study and there were requests for the recipe. It's just too good not to share. The only downside is I don't think it's the type of thing you could make a day in advance. No idea where it came from, found it in my box and took a chance.

Apple Spice Coffee Cake

1 & 3/4 cup flour

1 & 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

3 tart apples, peeled and chopped (I used Braeburn)

2 TBs. lemon juice

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 stick of butter, softened

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 & 1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

Glaze: 3/4 cup powdered sugar

2 TB. skim milk

1/2 tsp. vanilla

pinch of salt, to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, if using a glass pan 325. Grease either a 9 inch springform pan or square pan. If you double the recipe it'll fill a 10X15 inch pan. Combine the dry ingredients in a small bowl. Toss the apples in another bowl with lemon juice, cinnamon and brown sugar. In a mixer, beat butter, sugar, and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs. Gently mix in dry ingredients. Fold in apples. Bake 60-70 minutes, until top is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Whisk the glaze ingredients together and drizzle over top.