4th of July Rum Cake!

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 pinch salt

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 1/2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup spiced rum

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 stick butter

1/4 cup cold water

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup spiced rum

Preheat oven to 300ºF. Butter and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan. Mix whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar.

In another bowl, mix together eggs, oil, rum and water. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until thoroughly combined.

Sprinkle chopped walnuts in the Bundt pan, then pour the batter on top of the walnuts. Bake for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove cake from pan to make sure it is not stuck then return it to the pan. Pierce the cake 20-30 times with a wooden skewer to prepare for glazing.

Prepare the rum glaze. Melt the butter in a saucepan with the water, then bring to a slow boil. Stir in 1 cup sugar and continue to boil, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and SLOWLY add the rum. Let cool 5 minutes and slowly pour over and around the cake, allowing it to sit in the pan and absorb all the glaze. Remove from pan and serve.

It is That Time of Year Again.... Fresh Tomato Time!

I picked up these gorgeous little red grape and yellow cherry tomatoes at the supermarket the other day. I had more more than I could each fresh, so I roasted some in the oven with olive oil, sea salt, fresh cracked black pepper and thyme. Slow roasting tomatoes at 300º for an hour or so really concentrates the flavor. They will keep for a couple of weeks in the fridge. Roasted tomatoes are great on sandwiches, with goat cheese on crackers or bread as an appetizer and so much more!