Gypsy Stew and Pioneer Prunes

I have a thing for soup in winter. I could eat soup every day in the winter. I could make soup every day in the winter. I could make bean soup every day in the winter. Have you noticed? I think my family has...but what can they do? Eat bean soup. I just had to try this recipe from Zonya.com as soon as I saw its name--Gypsy Stew. Oohhh, I love gypsies (in the literary-fantasy sort of way), and I love stew. This was basically a veggie stew with a little Indian or Spanish flare. The girls' initial reaction was,"I don't like it because it tastes different." I used my voodoo-ninja-mind-tricks and by the end had them convinced that different is good. Just look at all those colors? How can that not be good?
Gypsy Stew
2 cans (15 oz) garbanzo or navy beans, rinsed and drained
1 pkg (10 oz) frozen spinach (I used a bag of fresh spinach, chopped)
1 lb pork tenderloin or skinless, boneless, chicken breast (opt)
2 cans (14½ oz each) chicken broth, 1/3 less sodium
1 cup water
1 can (14½ oz) diced tomatoes
1 lg (18 oz) sweet potato (peeled and cubed)
1 lg onion, chopped
1 red or yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp salt (opt)
8 grinds fresh ground pepper
8 dashes cayenne (opt)

Add all ingredients to slow cooker (except fresh spinach). Cover and cook on LOW 7 to 8 hours or HIGH 4 to 5 hours. (I added chopped fresh spinach about 10 minutes before serving.)
Serve with whole-wheat French bread (or whole-wheat French bread paninis if you're panini-freaks like us :)).

And for dessert...
I've been die-ing to try this cake ever since The Pioneer Woman shared her recipe with the world. I'm a sucker for old-fashioned desserts and this one was perfect. I would call it more of a sticky-toffee-pudding rather than a prune cake, for obvious reasons. The girls love prunes so they were all for it, but I didn't tell Nate what the raisin-like substance was until after he ate and praised it. And I just sat back and enjoyed every sticky, sweet bite. (update: I made this a second time with a couple adjustments--less fat, less sugar. Didn't change the taste a bit--still soooo good!)
Grandma Iny’s Prune Cake

Cake
1 cup prunes
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 cup canola oil (I used 1/2 cup oil, 1/2 cup applesauce)
1 ½ cups flour, sifted (I used 3/4 cup whole wheat flour, 3/4 cup white flour)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Cover prunes with water. Bring to a boil and cook until soft and mashable, about eight minutes.
Remove from heat, drain water, and mash on a plate. Set aside.
Sift together dry ingredients.
Mix together oil, sugar, and eggs.
Combine wet and dry ingredients, add buttermilk, and stir gently until just combined.
Throw in the mashed pruned and stir gently to combine.
DO NOT OVERMIX.

Pour batter into buttered baking dish (9 x 13 or so) and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. (I needed 40 minutes so it wasn't too gooey in the middle)

While cake has five minutes remaining, make the icing:

Icing (the second time I made this, I only made half the icing and it was plenty)
1 cup sugar
½ cup buttermilk
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon white corn syrup
¼ cup butter
½ teaspoon vanilla

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat and bring to a slow boil. Boil without stirring for 5 to 7 minutes, or until icing starts to turn dark. Do NOT allow icing to reach soft ball stage; icing should be caramel in color, but not sticky like caramel. Icing should be easily pourable.

Remove cake from oven and pour on icing immediately.

Allow to rest on the counter. Serve warm.