NEWSFLASH: SELF-CARE IS NOT SELFISH
It needs to be said. Summer arrived, lingered a bit and in the blink of an eye, vamoosed. Or, so it seems. I’ve spent the last week dealing with that. And, you?
For me it’s September Spa & Self-care month, something I invented ten or so years ago. Honestly I’ve never observed SS&S for the full thirty days. It’s like a diet. Good intentions but bad follow-through. But to my mind, a week or two devoted to self-care is better than none at all.
First, let’s say this. Self-care is NOT selfish. Believe me or believe psychologist Dr. Maria Baratta who calls self care ‘an armor to protect the energy needed to survive and thrive.’
Self-care is also not limited to those in the work force. Moms and Dads need self-care. Caregivers need self-care. Students need self-care. And, yes, even aging retirees need self-care. As I’ve written before, as an older person living alone, the most important thing I do is to take care of myself so others don’t have to.
SS&S month is not just taking a break and stepping away from that glass of wine each night or losing 2-3 pounds or finding time for your 10,000 brisk steps a day. Here’s the Self-care List* that I try to follow…..at least for 30 days:
- Self care means knowing who you are and your limits;
- Self care means getting 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night;
(According to a 2018 American Psychological Association survey 45% of the women in this country report laying awake at night due to stress.) - Self care means making sure you’re well fed.
- Self care means finding ways to decompress throughout your day. (Besides your brain needing rest at night, it also needs to pause during the day.).
- Self-care means if something isn’t working, rethink how to do it differently.
- Self care means identifying what you enjoy doing, what’s fun for you and finding time to do it.
- Self care means taking time to like and be proud of who you are.
WELL FED, LET’S DO IT
Taking the well fed-suggestion to heart, using apricots from a neighbor’s tree and inspired by Dorie Greenspan’s Dimply Plum Cake in BAKING, From My Home to Yours, I whipped up this phenomenal apricot cake.
Although Dorie’s award-winning cookbook was published in 2006, I came to it late – in 2010. It’s made me a better, more confident baker. Each recipe has a “Playing Around” section which provided me the confidence to improvise with a large sack of plump apricots. This is billed as a brown sugar-based coffee cake for breakfast, brunch or a snack. That’s silly. This is also dessert, served plain or dolled up with home-made vanilla ice cream, whipped cream or crème fraîche.
You can change up this recipe by swapping the apricots for other soft, juicy fruits and using a different spice or citrus zest in the cake. Dorie’s favorite combos are: plums with orange zest and a pinch of cardamon; peaches with lemon zest and a little finely chopped fresh basil; nectarines with orange zest; cherries with lime zest or blackberries (combined with raspberries if you wish) with lemon, lime or orange zest.
AMAZING APRICOT CAKE adapted from Dorie Greenspan, BAKING, from My Home to Yours
8 Wedges
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (Living at 8000’, I always use King Arthur or Hungarian high-altitude flour for baking)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup (packed) light brown sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/3 cup flavorless oil, such as canola or sunflower
Grated zest of 1 orange
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
5 plump apricots, halved and pitted
DIRECTIONS:
- Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan or 8-inch round springform pan. Dust the inside with flour, tap out the excess and put the pan on a baking sheet. (You can, of course, use Joy, a butter and flour spray but spray the pan just before adding your mixed batter so the spray doesn’t “glob” at the bottom.)
- Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a small bowl.
- Working with a mixer, beat the butter at medium speed until it’s soft and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the sugar and beat for another 2-3 minutes. Then add the eggs, ONE at a time, and beat for a minute after each egg goes in.
- Still working on medium speed, beat in the oil, zest and vanilla. The batter will look smooth and creamy, almost satiny. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they are incorporated.
- Run a rubber spatula around the bowl and under the batter, just to make sure there are no dry spots. Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top. Arrange the apricots cut side up in the batter. Jiggle the apricots so they are comfortably settled in the batter and tap (do not whack) the pan on the counter twice.
- Bake for about 40 minutes or until the top is honey brown and puffed around the apricots and a thin knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Transfer the cake to a rack to cool for 15 minutes before unmolding the cake. Invert and cool right side up.
You can wrap the cake and keep it at room temperature for up to 2 days during which time it will get softer and more moist.
My favorite recipes from the cookbook, BAKING from my home to yours are:
Parisian Apple Tartlet, p. 319
All-in-One Holiday Bundt Cake, p.187
Classic Banana Bundt Cake, p. 190
Double-Crusted Blueberry Pie, p. 361
French Pear Tart, p. 368
Honey Peach Ice Cream, p. 437
*Thanks to Dr. Maria Baratta for helping with my Self-care List.
Next week for COOK THE BOOK FRIDAYS we’re making Tomato and Peach Panzanella.
Love Waffles and Hemingway disguised as a goat and a sheep! They sure had me fooled..Haaa
I like your idea of SS&S. Since this is my birthday month its as good a time as any to start! We’ve moved from Michigan/Sedona and consolidated in Indianapolis to be closer to our “boys” and their families. After a very busy spring and summer with all the moving craziness, SS&S sounds Perfect!! Not sure I’ll give up the nightly glass of wine though.
Love getting your blog. The Mango Pork is still one of our faves and now a favorite of Patrick and his kids as well.
Hugs
Well, I was about to write my comment, and then read Mary’s….wait, just moved from Sedona? Such a small world!
Your cake looks wonderful, and so helpful to include Dorie’s options. This may get the nod when I bake something for the staff at mom’s place (in my new oven!).
And I’m always excited to see sheep and goats so cute. Maybe that trip to pick up eggs hits one of you SC steps. Great list and great reminder. As always, my friend.
I hope your Mom continues to get happily settled in. She seems like a gal just like her daughter who rolls with the punches. Aging is hard, Candy. And, a new oven? Tell me more. And, yes, every trip to Rock Bottom Ranch, which really is a farm, is a SC-moment. I hope your own Life is also settling into a happy place. Am impressed with the Artist in your family. Thanks for posting.
I’m not a baker, but I’ll eat it!!!
I would say you definitely know your way around a kitchen. I’ll sit down to your table anytime.
Love the pictures and self care!! We need to get in a walk.
Roger to that!
Great self care list …
I do feel like I played a small part in the apricot score so I was very engaged in this blog.
You definitely played a large role in the apricot score!
I loved reading your blog about self care and to that end, Barry and I have rented a house for the month of September in Tuscany and are enjoying cooking, going to markets, reading, knitting, discovering small towns and oh, did I mention gelato?
I know you are in Italy. Have such a good time. I don’t worry about you, Amy. You can scout out the best of every place you visit. Just keep climbing those Tuscany hilly streets and by-ways and eat as much pasta and gelato as you wish. I’m here until mid-December (I know you’ll be leaving for Mexico long before that) but we’ll see each other upon your return, for sure.
Lucky you having access to those gorgeous fresh apricots. As you may remember, IF you can find them in the Midwest, they’re usually mealy 🙁 I remember eating a fresh peach (well….make that peaches) from Maddy’s peach tree. HEAVEN. I have always loved how you balance your life with friends, family, nature and culture. You once again inspired me. xo
You’ve got that right about Colorado peaches. And this year they have been especially delicious. (I say that every summer.) I miss Iowa’s rhubarb, however, and I am not sure that Colorado’s Olathe corn can measure up to Iowa’s. Not so sure that I always keep my balls in the air in perfect balance, Life is coming at me faster these days, but I do try.
I’m supposed to bring dessert to a dinner for eight tomorrow night and will make this one — the fresh local peach variety, instead of the apricot. Thanks! Hope all is well. Thought of you in San Miguel and sent a photo of the place we met for lunch —
Kay, Let me know how the peach dessert turned out. Peaches are juicier than apricots so I hope you drained the “juicy-ness” off a bit. Otherwise it should have been delicious. For the past two summers since I returned from San Miguel, every time I see a hummingbird, every single time, I think of you. I hope you (and, the book) are going well. I would love to see you again.
Best Wishes for a successful self-care month Mary. The Apricot Cake looks lovely- as do the beautiful fresh apricots and eggs! Be Well.
Thanks, Peggy. Didn’t know you moved to Las Vegas. As you know I liked everything about the Las Vegas/Henderson area for the eight years Michael and I lived there. Those cities and the people in them were very good to us.