Apple Cranberry Bars

It's fall!  I'm so excited... I love the crisp fall air, a reason to wear boots and sweaters and apples!  Apples are everywhere these days, and we went and picked tons of them so I've been making lots of apple things lately.  I found this recipe one night while skimming through an old cookbook called Great Food Great Beer - it's actually a beer pairing book from Anheuser-Busch but it has some good recipes.  Of course, this started out as an apple pecan date bar but I didn't have any dates or pecans and decided to double the apples and increased the citrus, etc... you know some minor modifications to basically just make a completely different dessert.  The point however, is that these are absolutely delicious and take about 10 minutes to put together so go do it, you can thank me later.

Apple Cranberry Bars
Adapted from Great Food Great Beer

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
2 cups sugar
7 T unsalted butter, room temperature
1 egg
2 egg whites
1/4 cup applesauce
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup dried cranberries (Craisins)
3 large apples, chopped into small pieces
1 T lime juice (you can use lemon if you prefer), plus 1 tsp zest
1/2 - 3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 T milk

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and butter a 13x9" baking dish.  Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a mixing bowl and set aside.

In another large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.  Add egg and egg whites, one at a time, beating after each addition.  Add applesauce and vanilla.  Gradually add the flour mixture, stirring just until combined.  Chop apples, you don't need to peel them but you can if you prefer.  Toss with lime juice and zest and add to batter along with the cranberries.  Stir gently to incorporate and transfer batter to prepared baking dish.

Bake about one hour until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  The bars will puff up in the oven but settle a bit as they cool, becoming more dense.  Cool completely.

Whisk together powdered sugar and milk to make a glaze.  Drizzle over the pan and cut into pieces.  If you can't wait until they are cool, don't worry they are perfect warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Classic Apple Pie

Apple pie intimidates a lot of people.  Despite looking relatively simple and ordinary, it can be tricky to get the filling to have the right consistency.  You want the filling to be thick but not dry, if its too liquidy the crust will be soggy.  You want to be able to see the apple slices; tender but not mushy.  You want the crust to be flaky and tender, not dense and dry.  I'm by no means an expert on apple pie, but here are a few tips that have worked for me. 

Apples: Get a mix of apples, that way you are likely to have some of the best characteristics of each variety.  I like granny smith, pink lady, and honeycrisp.  Try to cut them all into slices of uniform thickness so they cook at the same rate.  Sprinkle the lemon juice on the sliced apples right away, if its going to take you a while to slice them, sprinkle some on the cut slices as you go.

Thickening agent: I use cornstarch rather than flour, you can use either but I prefer cornstarch as I think it works better. 

Filling: Mix your filling together and let it sit for a bit while you prepare the crust.  The sugars will draw some of the juices out of the apples and allow the cornstarch to work it's magic.  It's going to look like you have too much filling but you really want to pile it up high because the apples are going to shrink when you bake your pie and you don't want to have a hollow crust.  I always like to use a deep dish pie plate for apple pie.  Also make sure you put a cookie sheet under your pie pan when you put it in the oven.  There will almost always be a spot where the filling leaks out and bubbles over, it's much easier to clean up a cookie sheet than a sugary burned apple syrup off the bottom of your oven.

Crust: Use cold butter, really, really cold butter.  You can freeze it and grate it with a cheese grater or your food processor.  If you don't want to do that, cut it into small pieces and then return it to the refrigerator/freezer.  You want the pieces of butter to remain when you roll out the dough, its those streaks of butter that lead to an extra flaky crust.

I'm not sure of the source of this recipe for the filling, the crust is from Martha Stewart Baking.  If you don't have a food processor, you can mix the pie crust by hand or in a stand mixer as well, I just think the food processor is the easiest.  And if the crust intimidates you, pick up a package of the refrigerated pie dough, all you have to do is unroll it and it's pretty good.

Apple Pie

Crust:
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter, cold
4 T ice water plus more if needed
1 egg white

Filling:
Approximately 3 pounds apples, peeled, cored and sliced into uniform thickness
1 1/2 T lemon juice
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1-2 T cornstarch
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
2 T unsalted butter

Grate or cut cold butter into small pieces and freeze for about 15 minutes.  In bowl of a food processor, combine flour and salt.  Pulse a couple of times to combine.  Add the butter pieces and pulse about 10-12 times until the mixture becomes coarse crumbs.  Sprinkle the ice water over the mixture and process about 20 seconds, the dough will clump up and begin to hold together.  If the dough appears too dry, add more water, one teaspoon at a time and pulse briefly until the dough sticks together when you pinch it between your fingers.  Lay out 2 large sheets of plastic wrap and dump 1/2 of dough out onto each sheet.  Press into a disk, wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least an hour.  (You can do this a day or two in advance if you prefer.)

To make the filling, toss sliced apples with lemon juice and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl.  Sprinkle about half of the cornstarch over apples.  Add spices and stir gently to combine.  After the mixture sits for a while, if it looks like there is too much liquid, add remaining cornstarch to thicken. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Generously flour rolling surface and rolling pin.  Roll pie crust to about 1/4" thick.  Remember that it needs to be about an inch wider than the diameter of your pie plate plus twice the depth.  Spray pie pan with baking spray.  Carefully move rolled out crust to pie plate.  Fill pie with prepared filling, mounding high above the pie plate.  Dot with remaining butter.  Carefully roll out top crust and center over top of filling.  Press and crimp edges to seal as desired.  Carefully slice 3-4 slits in the top of the pie to allow steam to escape.  Mix egg white with one tablespoon of water and brush pie crust.   

Bake pie for about 50-60 minutes until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling.  If the edges begin to look too brown before the pie is ready, cover with foil and continue baking.  Let stand about two hours to set before serving.  Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream both make excellent toppings.

Apple Cinnamon Monkey Bread

I've posted a monkey bread recipe before and its my favorite "special" day breakfast treat.  But when I saw this recipe on the blog What's Cooking Chicago, I knew I had to try it.  She adapted the recipe from Paula Deen's Gorilla Bread Recipe - which I've actually tried before but wasn't really impressed with.  The cubes of cream cheese in the middle of the rolls didn't really work for me.  But this version with the cinnamon apple mixture in the middle of the rolls sounded great.  It only takes a few extra minutes during the assembly process (which you can do the night before if you want) and adds an unexpected twist to the classic monkey bread recipe.

This would be great for a big breakfast while so many people have family over during the holidays.  Add an egg casserole or strata for something savory and some fresh fruit and hot coffee and you have a great, easy breakfast that you can do all the prep work the night before and just bake in the morning. 

Apple Cinnamon Monkey Bread

Recipe adapted from Whats Cookin' Chicago, originally adapted from Paula Deen

1/4 cup sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

3 cans refrigerated biscuits (I use the Pillsbury Buttermilk biscuits that come in a 4 pack)

2 large apples, diced (I used Gala)

1/2 cup unsalted butter, plus more for buttering pan

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Heavily butter a bundt pan.  Sprinkle chopped pecans evenly around the bottom of the pan.

Combine the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl and set aside.  Open biscuits and flatten each individual biscuit into discs about 1/4" thick.  Dredge both sides in cinnamon and sugar mixture.  Continue until all biscuits are coated.

Combine apples with remaining cinnamon and sugar mixture.  Spoon about one teaspoon of apple mixture into the center of each biscuit and fold up biscuit into a pouch and seal.  Drop stuffed biscuits into the pan, trying to keep the layers even all the way around.  Don't worry about packing them in too tightly, they'll fill in the gaps as it bakes.

In a small saucepan, melt butter and brown sugar over medium high heat.  Heat just until the edges of the sauce start to rapidly bubble and boil.  Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and pour mixture over the top of the rolls. 

Bake about 30-35 minutes until top is golden brown.  Cool about five minutes in the pan, cover with a large plate and invert.  Uncover and serve warm.

Sweet Potato Bake -- A Healthier Way

Maybe you are used to the marshmallow covered sweet potato "pie" served so often served at Thanksgiving, maybe you like your sweet potatoes baked and topped with sweet cinnamon butter.  These sweet potatoes are usually whipped with cream or butter and then topped with sugar or marshmallows and baked.  The result, a dish that could pass for dessert disguised as a side dish. 

This dish is still sweet, but due to the sweet potatoes natural sweetness and apple cider, rather than a lot of extra sugar.  I love them combined with apples and cranberries.  I also prefer them in chunks rather than whipped.  These are really easy and can be made for ten people just as easily as for one person.  You can bake up each person's serving in individual ramekins or bake it all in one big dish, whichever is easier.  The below recipe serves two.  I like to use an apple like Gala or Honeycrisp for this dish.

Come back tomorrow for a savory sweet potato dish!

Sweet Potato Bake

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 large apple, peeled, cored, and cubed
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup apple cider
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Chop sweet potatoes and apples into approximately 1/2" cubes.  Divide potatoes and apples evenly among to two ramekins, divide cranberries among baking dishes.  Add half of the cider to each ramekin.  Combine spices in a small dish and sprinkle over potato mixture.  Toss to combine. 

Bake approximately one hour, stirring every twenty minutes until cider has cooked down to a glaze and potatoes are easily pierced with a fork. 

Crock Pot Apple Butter

***Updated October 2010:  I added cider to the recipe per a co-worker's suggestion and added a picture of my own -- you learn a little with a little more blogging experience, like remembering to take pictures when you want to blog something.  I also increased the cinnamon and added a little nutmeg this time around.***

Such an easy treat... and a great way to use up apples - especially ones that are a little bruised or starting to get mushy.

Part 1:
About 15 apples (depends on the size of your crock pot and your apples - I used a 5 qt crock pot and had medium sized apples)
1 cup apple cider

Peel, core, and thinly slice all the apples until your crock pot is full. Turn it on high, add cider and cook for about an hour, then turn heat to low and cook about 8-10 hours.

(Picture via Google Images - I forgot to take one)

Part 2:
2 - 2 1/2 cups sugar
4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

When you take off the lid, the apples should be reduced to about half their volume and most of the chunks should be gone.  Add sugar and spices, stir until well mixed and cook on low for approximately 8 more hours. If its still not smooth, blend with an immersion blender or in a food processor or blender.  Spoon into jars and enjoy. Keep refrigerated for about 2 weeks or can by processing in a water bath.

Apple and Brie Melts

Last week I received this All-Clad griddle that I won over A Cozy Kitchen so naturally I had to try it out.  I knew I wanted to make a grilled cheese sandwich but I didnt want to just make a regular grilled cheese.  Then I saw a caramelized apple grilled cheese on Beantown Baker which looked awesome and I knew what I would do.  Unfortunately I had just used up the rest of the apples we had on hand to make a batch of crockpot apple butter, so I had to wait until I went to the grocery store to try these out.  So my pretty new pan stayed in the box all weekend long. 

But I picked up some crisp Fuji apples on Monday along with some brie that I found at the store to use for the cheese. 

I decided to use my homemade apple butter as a sauce for the sandwich - the recipe can be found here.  While it takes a little while to cook, it requires almost no effort for all of that time since its done in the crockpot.  The most time consuming part of the recipe is simply peeling, coring, and slicing the apples (which you can avoid if you have a food mill).

These sandwiches aren't a typical savory grilled cheese sandwich - you may want to switch out the brie for some sharp cheddar if that's more your style and even throw on some bacon per Jen's suggestion.  Use whatever type of bread you want, I used Italian bread because I had it on hand but I think this would be great with a crusty multigrain or wheat bread too.  Make it even sweeter by using a cinnamon-raisin bread.  These would be great appetizers made on a thin baguette of French bread for bite-sized sandwiches.

Apple and Brie Melts

4 slices of Italian bread, about 1/2" thick

1 large apple, thinly sliced

4 oz brie, thinly sliced

2 T apple butter

1 T butter

Spread apple butter on one side of bread slices.  Layer brie and apple slices on one side and top with remaining slice of bread.  Heat griddle over medium heat and melt half of the butter on the pan.  Add sandwiches and spread remaining butter on tops of bread.  Let cook about three minutes and then flip.  Cook an additional two to three minutes until cheese is melted and bread is toasted as desired.  Cut and serve.

Pumpkin Dip

Since pumpkin has returned to store shelves finally, I'm taking full advantage.  I stocked up on half a dozen cans and have plans for lots of good stuff.  I didn't have time to bake anything (or the need to) this weekend, but I decided to make a pumpkin dip for tailgating instead.  Now this might not be your typical tailgate food as it doesnt contain any buffalo sauce, cheese, or alcohol, but it was definitely addictive.  Served with apple slices, grapes, and vanilla wafers, it was a perfect gameday (or anytime) appetizer and it's really easy to put together.  If you want to make the dip ahead of time, it will keep just fine in the refrigerator.  If you prep your apple slices ahead of time, make sure you toss them with a little lemon juice to keep from browning.

Feel free to sub fat free or reduced fat cream cheese in this recipe - I can't tell the difference and neither could anyone I served it too.  You could also sub a low fat/fat free whipped topping for the whipped cream (just leave out the powdered sugar) but I used the good stuff because I dont generally have whipped topping on hand.  The whipped cream gives this dip a really light, mousse-like texture that's perfect with the fruit and cookies.

Pumpkin Dip

Inspired by She Wears Many Hats

1 8 oz package cream cheese, at room temperature

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 cup pumpkin puree

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp cinnamon

1 cup heavy whipping cream

3 T powdered sugar

Beat cream cheese and brown sugar on medium speed until smooth and fluffy.  Add pumpkin and spices and mix until well blended.  Mixture will be fairly thin.

In a separate, cold bowl beat whipping cream with a whisk attachment on high speed until peaks form.  Slowly add powdered sugar, one tablespoon at a time until incorporated.  Fold whipped cream into pumpkin mixture and serve.  If not serving right away, cover and refrigerate. 

Apple Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes

How can it possibly be the last day of September already??  I feel like fall just started and its already going to be October?  I just turned off the air conditioner this past weekend. 

I've been meaning to get this recipe posted all week and time has just not cooperated.  We laid new flooring in our house this past weekend and instead of helping all too much, I decided to bake for the help.  These cinnamon roll cupcakes are ridiculously good... think cinnamon roll without the need for a fork.  They are still a little messy - even with the wrappers, but in a good way.  While these are perfect as a dessert, they also would make an indulgent treat for a fall brunch - I mean they do contain fruit so that means you can eat it for breakfast right?

Apple Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes
Adapted from Stephani Pollack from Cupcake Project via Paula Deen

Dough:
2 cups milk
1 packet active dry yeast
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
2 eggs
1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

Filling:
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
2 cups finely chopped apples (I used Golden Delicious apples)

In a small saucepan, heat milk to about 110 degrees.  Add yeast and sugar to bowl of a stand mixer and pour in the milk, stir to dissolve.  Add salt and two cups of flour and beat for two minutes.  Beat in eggs and butter.  Stir in the remaining flour half a cup at a time, beating well after each addition.  Switch to dough hook and knead about five minutes, until smooth and elastic.  Spray a large deep bowl with cooking spray, shape dough into a ball, put it in the bowl, turn once to coat and cover it with a clean towel.  Set in a warm place and allow to rise for about 40 minutes or until doubled in volume.

Meanwhile make the filling by combining the sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and apples in a small bowl.  Melt remaining butter in a small dish. 

Dust counter top with flour and roll out dough into a long rectangle about 1/4 inch thick.  Brush with about half of the melted butter.  Top with the apple mixture, sprinkle evenly over the dough, leaving about an inch empty on all sides.
Line cupcake pans with 24 liners.  Roll dough into a log beginning on the long side of the rectangle.  Trim off both ends to remove the uneven part that doesn't have any filling.  Slice the log into approximately 24 even pieces.  Place each piece in a cupcake liner, folding the ends together to make a “C” shape. The pieces should come to about the top of the liners.  Cover the cupcake tins with a clean towel and set in a warm place to rise for another 40 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Brush the tops of the cupcakes with remaining melted butter.  Bake for about 20 minutes or until the tops are golden.

Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
About 2 tablespoons milk

In a small bowl, mix powdered sugar and milk until combined.  Start with one tablespoon of milk and add more as necessary until you have a glaze that is thick but runs easily off the spoon.  Drizzle over warm cupcakes and serve.  Store in an airtight container and reheat leftover cupcakes in the microwave for about 20 seconds before serving.

Apple - Apple Honey Granola

Spring is on its way... my first flowers have started blooming. I love when the crocus start to bloom because they are the first thing that comes up and it seems like they bloom almost overnight. One day there is nothing and then all the sudden there are all these little purple flowers. They are so cute, like baby tulips.

But anyway... you most likely aren't reading my blog to learn about flowers. So here's a delicious granola recipe for you to lighten things up a little from all the desserts I've been posting lately. (Don't worry, I have more cupcakes too...)

The base of this granola is unsweetened applesauce and it uses honey to sweeten things up. I added dried apples, chopped dates, almonds and ground flax seed along with the oats. Making your own granola is extremely easy, just toss everything together and bake and it keeps well in an airtight container.

Apple - Apple Honey Granola

2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
3 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup honey
1 cup dried apples, chopped
1/2 cup dried dates, chopped
1/2 cup chopped unsalted almonds
1/4 cup ground flax seed
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp salt
1 T olive oil (Use canola for a milder flavor - I used my citrus infused olive oil)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees and line a large rimmed baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix with a wooden spoon until wet ingredients are thoroughly incorporated. Transfer to prepared baking sheet and bake approximately 1 hour, stir/turn after 30 minutes. Let cool completely and then transfer to an airtight container.

Roasted Butternut Squash and Apples

Butternut squash has become my new favorite vegetable. It is so sweet and delicious. With its tough skin, it can be somewhat intimidating but get yourself a good strong vegetable peeler and a sharp knife and you'll be set. It's a also a versatile vegetable, you can play up the sweetness or mix it with Parmesan cheese and savory spices (especially cumin or smoky chili powder) and it works great. I like it better with sweet spices like cinnamon and nutmeg and it pairs perfectly with apples.

Roasted Butternut Squash and Apples

1 butternut squash
1 large or 2 small apples
1/4 cup golden raisins
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 T olive oil (I used a citrus infused olive oil but you could also use regular olive oil and add a little orange zest if desired)
1 T brown sugar

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Peel and chop squash. Start by cutting off the bulb part of the squash and slice off the end so it stands up easily. Peel both sections and then cut in half. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds (save them to be roasted later) and cut into large bite-size chunks. Peel and core apple and chop into large bite-size chunks.

Toss apple and squash chunks with olive oil on a large rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle on cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Toss and spread in a single layer on baking sheet. Bake for about 30 minutes, use a spatula to turn after about 15 minutes. After 30 minutes, squash should be fork tender. Sprinkle with brown sugar and add raisins. Stir again and bake an additional 5 minutes until raisins are soft.

I served this with Parmesan Panko Crusted Chicken... you can find the recipe here.

Sweet Apple Cinnamon Chex Mix

This is one of those sweet and salty snacks... and it takes about 10 minutes of work to prepare it. Perfect for snacking on during the Superbowl or other party.

Sweet Apple Cinnamon Chex Mix
Recipe adapted from General Mills

3 cups wheat chex
2 cups corn chex
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 T light corn syrup
1 cup whole almonds
1 cup yogurt-covered raisins or cranberries
1 cup dried apples, coarsely chopped

In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine chex and almonds and set aside. Add butter, sugar, vanilla and corn syrup to a 2 cup measuring glass and microwave for 2 minutes, stirring after 1 minute. Pour mixture over chex mixture and toss until well distributed. Microwave for 3 minutes, uncovered, stirring every 45 seconds. Add apples to the mix and continue microwaving for another 2 minutes, stirring every 45 seconds.


Spread mixture onto a large sheet of waxed paper and allow to cool for about 15 minutes. Transfer to an airtight container or serving bowl and stir in yogurt-covered raisins or cranberries.

Applesauce Spice Bars

My brother got me Dorie Greenspan's Baking: From My Home to Yours for Christmas. It is such a beautiful cookbook -- full of gorgeous desserts that I couldn't wait to try out. I wanted a simple dessert that I could put together quickly last night with what I had in my pantry. Applesauce spice bars were just the thing.

These bars may be simple, but they are absolutely delicious. The cake is moist and light, the chunks of apples and raisins add interest and the caramel-ly glaze is excellent. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream and you have the perfect treat.


Applesauce Spice Bars
Adapted from Dorie Greenspan

Cake:
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 T dark rum
1 apple, peeled, cored, and diced (I used Gala)
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Glaze:
2 1/2 T heavy cream
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 1/2 T unsalted butter
1 tsp light corn syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and butter and flour a 9x13 baking pan.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices in a small bowl and set aside.

In a large sauce pan, melt butter over low heat. Add sugar and whisk until the sugar melts and becomes smooth, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and add eggs, one at a time, whisking constantly until well blended. Whisk in applesauce, vanilla and rum. Using a rubber spatula, gently stir in the dry ingredients, mixing only until combined. Add diced apple, raisins, and nuts and stir briefly. Pour mixture into prepared pan and smooth out the top with the spatula. Bake approximately 25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

When bars are cool, mix glaze. Heat a small saucepan over medium-high heat, melt butter and add sugar, corn syrup, and cream. Whisk frequently until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for about 5 minutes, continue to whisk frequently. Remove pan from heat and add vanilla. The mixture will foam slightly when you stir in the vanilla.

Top pan with wire rack and invert to transfer to rack. Top bars with a sheet of parchment paper and a cake plate or 2nd rack and invert again to turn bars right-side up.

Pour hot glaze over the bars and spread into a thin, even layer. Let glaze cool before cutting.

(Note: I also substituted 1/4 cup granulated sugar in the cake batter for brown sugar and 1/3 cup granulated sugar plus 1 tsp molasses in the glaze, because I only had 3/4 cup brown sugar in the house - if you have the brown sugar there is no need to do this, so I did not include this substitution in the above recipe.)

Cheddar and Apple Stuffed Chicken

Making stuffed chicken breasts is a good way to "fancy" up an ordinary dinner staple. Its not as boring as baking chicken, can be extravagant or simple, and doesn't add a lot of work or complex prep to your meal.

Cheddar and Apple Stuffed Chicken
Serves 4-6

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup honey mustard dressing
1 T lemon juice
1 tsp rosemary

3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 apple, cored and diced (I used Fuji)
1/2 onion diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups bread cubes
1 cup chicken stock
3 T butter
1 tsp sage
1 tsp rosemary
1/2 tsp ground mustard
Salt and pepper

Trim chicken breasts of any fat, separate breasts and tenders and butterfly each piece. Place each piece between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound to 1/4" - 1/2" thick with a meat tenderizer/mallet or rolling pin. In a gallon size plastic bag, combine dressing, lemon juice, and rosemary. Add chicken to bag and refrigerate about 2 hours to marinate.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat, add onions and garlic and saute about 5 minutes until softened. Mix with bread cubes, apple, 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, and spices. Add chicken stock and mix until well combined.

Season both sides of chicken breasts with salt and pepper and add about 2 T of stuffing mixture to each piece. Roll up and place seam side down in prepared baking dish. When all the chicken is added, sprinkle the top with remaining 1/4 cup cheddar cheese and bake for about 30 -40 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Internal temperature should be 170 degrees. Bake extra stuffing in a separate dish for approximately 30 minutes.

Thanksgiving Recipes, Part 2

These sweet potatos are, without question, the best sweet potatos I've ever had. The pecans, the apples, the cranberries, all combine with the sweet potatos to make a perfect Thanksgiving (or really any fall day) side dish.

Growing up I hated sweet potatos. The only time of year we ever had them was Thanksgiving. We had the canned yam topped with marshmallow variety and it was awful. I wouldnt even think about trying them.

Then one day I had sweet potato fries at a restaurant with a honey lime dipping sauce... and they were delicious.

So I got a little braver... and tried a baked sweet potato at another restaurant, sprinkled with brown sugar and butter. Also excellent. So then I tried making them at home and I discovered, that I really liked sweet potatos...

And now I think they are my new favorite side dish. So long as they aren't mashed. I still dont like mashed potatos, sweet or not.

Sweet Potato Bake with Cinnamon Crunch Topping

Recipe inspired by Cooking On The Side, originally from McCormick

4 large sweet potatos

2 apples

1 cup dried cranberries

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup orange juice

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp ginger

1/2 cup all purpose flour

4 T butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and butter or spray a 9x13 baking dish. Peel and chop the sweet potatos and apples into large chunks. Add cranberries and toss with brown sugar and 1/2 of cinnamon and 1/2 tsp ginger, vanilla extract and orange juice. Cover with foil and bake for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile mix together flour, remaining brown sugar, spices, and cut in butter using a pastry blender or forks until it forms a crumble. Add pecans and sprinkle over the top of potato mix. Continue baking uncovered for another 30 - 45 minutes until potatos are fork tender. Recover with foil if top begins to brown too much.

Thanksgiving Recipes - Part 1

Spinach Salad with Apples and Feta with Cranberry-Orange Vinaigrette

Salad:
8 cups fresh baby spinach
1 large apple (I used Gala), thinly sliced
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup feta cheese
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 T sugar

Dressing:
1 cup cranberry juice (I used OceanSpray Cranberry-Pomegranite Lite)
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 T dijon mustard
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
S&P

Wash spinach and spin dry. In a small sauce pan, combine cranberry and orange juice and heat to boiling. Stir occasionally, cooking until reduced to about half the volume and cool slightly. Heat a small skillet over medium heat, add pecans to dry skillet with 2 T sugar. Cook until sugar melts and nuts are fragrant, stirring frequently (about 5-7 minutes). Add juice mixture to a small bowl, blender, or food processor. Add mustard, vinegar, and salt and pepper. Blend or whisk until well mixed. Slowly stream in olive oil and continue blending or whisk until combined. Add cranberries, nuts, cheese, and apple slices to salad and toss with as much dressing as desired.

Sage and Onion Stuffing with Mushrooms

6 cups cubed dried bread or stuffing mix (use plain or adjust seasoning as needed)
1-2 cups chicken stock
1 cup celery, finely chopped
1 cup white onion, finely chopped
4 T butter, divided
1 cup mushrooms, roughly chopped
1 egg
2 cloves garlic, minced
10-12 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
2 sprigs of thyme
1 sprig of rosemary, finely chopped

Cook celery, onions, and garlic in 2 T butter over medium heat until softened and onions are translucent. (Can be done in advance if desired). Add bread cubes to a buttered baking dish. Mix in celery and onion mixture, mushrooms, herbs, and egg. Add chicken stock until moistened. Dot with remaining 2 T butter. Bake uncovered at 375 degrees until golden brown on top, about 40 minutes, add more stock as necessary.


Sweet Stuffing with Cranberries, Apples, and Pecans

6 cups cubed dried bread or stuffing mix (I used a mix of honey wheat and white bread)
2 apples, peeled and chopped
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup chopped pecans
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1-2 cups apple cider
4 T butter, divided

Melt 2 T butter and mix with 1 cup apple cider. Mix together bread, apples, cranberries, pecans, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix in butter/cider mixture until well moistened. Dot top with remaining 2 T butter. Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for about 40 minutes until golden brown. Add more cider as necessary.

Cranberry Apple Chutney

A delicious, simple alternative to canned cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving. This also makes an excellent appetizer as a topping for baked brie.

Cranberry Apple Chutney

Adapted from a 2004 issue of Gourmet magazine

1 12 oz. bag of fresh cranberries

2-3 Granny Smith apples

2/3 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed

1/2 cup orange juice

3 T butter

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp ground cloves

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel, core, and dice apples into about 1/2 inch chunks. Toss gently with orange juice, brown sugar, ginger and cloves in a 9x13 pan. Cut the butter into small pieces and dot over the top. Bake for approximately 1 hour, stirring 2-3 times. Add cranberries and continue baking for an additional 20-30 minutes, stir 2-3 times and cook until cranberries have broken down to large chunks. Transfer chutney to a bowl and serve or to heat proof storage container (a large Mason jar works perfectly) and let cool, then refrigerate until ready to use. When you want to serve, reheat in the microwave or serve cold if desired. This can be kept sealed in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Apple Crumb Bars

Recipe inspired by Smitten Kitchen

3 cups All-purpose Flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

2 sticks unsalted butter, cold, cut into pieces

1 large egg

4 apples (I used Granny Smith), peeled and diced into small pieces

1/4 cup brown sugar

Juice of 1 lemon

4 tsp cornstarch

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, divided

1/4 tsp ground cloves

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and spray a 9x13 pan with baking spray or butter and flour. In a large bowl, combine flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, 1/2 tsp cinnamon and salt. Combine finely chopped apples in a separate bowl with brown sugar, lemon juice, corn starch, 1 tsp cinnamon and cloves. Stir to combine. Add butter and egg to flour mixture and use a pastry cutter, fork or your hands to combine. Mix until crumbly. Add about half of the crumb mixture to the 9x13 pan and press down firmly to form the bottom crust. Add apple mixture and spread evenly. Top with remaining crumble topping and bake for about 45 minutes until bubbly and lightly browned. When cooled, cut into squares. I was able to get 28 squares.

Sweet Potato - Apple Bake

An easy, healthier alternative to a traditional mashed sweet potato casserole that's simple enough to do as a side dish for a weeknight dinner or you could dress it up for a holiday dinner.
Sweet Potato - Apple Bake
(Serves 4)


1-2 apples, diced in large chunks
2-3 sweet potatos, diced in large chunks
1/4 cup of orange juice
1 T lemon juice
2 T brown sugar
1/2 tsp nutmeg


Preheat oven to 375 degrees and lightly spray an 8x8 pan with cooking spray. Peel and core apples, dice into large bite size peices. Toss gently with lemon juice. Peel sweet potatos and cut in half. Cut each half in half again and slice into rounds approximately 1/2" thick. You want to keep the pieces consistently sized so they cook the same. Add to apples and add brown sugar, orange juice and nutmeg and toss to evenly coat. Bake for approximately 1 hour until potatos are tender. Stir about half way through cook time to keep the top from drying out.


To dress this up, any of the following make great additions: golden raisins, dried cranberries, butternut squash, walnuts or pecans.

Apple Mustard Pork Chops

Such a good fall meal and quick and easy for a weeknight dinner. Todd said these were the best pork chops I've ever made! The mustard and apple flavors go together so well.

Apple Mustard Pork Chops

1 pound boneless pork chops

1 apple, diced (I used Granny Smith)

1 T butter

2 T brown sugar

1 T plus 1 tsp dijon mustard

1 egg

1/4 cup plus 1 T olive oil

1 T apple cider vinegar

1 T honey

1/4 all purpose flour

1 tsp garlic powder

salt and pepper

Cut pork chops to about 1/4 inch thick slices. Heat a large skillet over med-high heat with 1 T olive oil. Mix together egg and 1 tsp dijon mustard in a shallow bowl. Combine flour and garlic powder on a plate. Season both sides of pork chops with salt and pepper. Dip each cutlet into egg mixture and then into flour mixture and place in pan. Cook approx. 3 minutes on each side until browned. Meanwhile mix together remaining mustard, vinegar and honey and slowly whisk in olive oil to form a vinegrette. Pour over pork chops and reduce heat to low. Melt butter in a small skillet and add apples and brown sugar. Cook approx. 7-10 minutes until apples are softened and carmelized. Pour apples over pork chops and serve.

I added a side of baked sweet potatos with a little butter and brown sugar for a nice fall meal.

Pumpkin Apple Quick Bread

Adapted from: BrannyBoilsOver

Topping:

5 T sugar

1 T all-purpose flour

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 Tbs unsalted butter, softened

Bread:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground cloves

15 oz can solid-pack pumpkin

3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

2 cups sugar

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 Granny smith apples, grated

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2 9" loaf pans. Coarsely grate 2 apples (think zucchini bread). Cream together applesauce, pumpkin, sugar and eggs. In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Add to wet ingredients and mix until just incorporated. Fold in grated apples. Pour batter evenly into prepared pans. Combine topping ingredients, working butter into mix with your fingers until crumbly. Sprinkle on top of loaves. Bake for approximately 1 hour, until a skewer or knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool for about 15 minutes and then remove from pans and finish cooling on a wire rack.

This bread is great plain or topped with a little apple butter.