Cinnamon Apple sauce

Ridiculously easy....terrifically yummy! I have been sooo busy baking for my hubs corporate events for the last 3 weeks.  They had meetings in Dallas and I was asked to bake for them! Soooo..during that time my regular cooking took a back seat but I have tried a few new recipes.  The first being this easy crock pot apple sauce.  It literally makes itself. I made 2 batches last weekend and now today I will make my apple sauce cookies with some of it! The next time I will make it with out any cinnamon.  The 2nd time I made it, I cut the cinnamon in half, we felt it was too much...I still feel it s too much with only the 1/2.  Let me know how you like it! IT is so dark because of the cinnamon, when I put it on the table the kids said it looked like tomato soup.....

~Recipe~

About 15 medium sized apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1 cup apple juice

Put the apples in the slow cooker and add the juice.  Turn on high for 1 hour then turn on low for 8-10 hours.  I started this late in the evening and it cooked all night.

After the 8-10 hours add:
2 1/2 cups sugar*I added 2 cups*
4 tsp cinnamon...I will not add this again. The photo above it with 2 tsp...
1/2 tsp cloves*yuck* I did not use this
1 tsp nutmeg! YUM!
Stir all of this into the apples and the apples will break apart and be in chunks. Keep in the crock pot on low for 6-8 more hours.  If it is not as smooth as you like you can blend it.  It keeps in the fridge for about 2 weeks.
Enjoy~

Applesauce Cookies with Caramel Frosting

Big.  Soft.  Yum! I resisted making anything pumpkin so I made apple instead.  I have a rule...NO PUMPKIN baking until September 15.  Why? No clue, just the way I have always been. So...apples are the 2nd best Fall baking ingredient, right?  The hubby ate several and I am sure these will be gone right after the kids arrive from school.

~Recipe~
2 c sugar
1 c shortening
2 eggs
2 c applesauce
4 c flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cardamom

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Whisk together the flour, soda, powder, cinnamon and cardamom.  Cream shortening and sugar, add eggs and applesauce...mix! Add in the whisked ingredients until incorporated. I used an ice cream scoop to make them big....scoop onto pans lined with parchment paper and bake for 10-12 minutes.

Frosting
6 Tbsp butter
1/2 c heavy cream
1 c packed brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 c powdered sugar

Combine the butter, heavy cream and brown sugar in a saucepan and cook*Stir occasionally* until almost to a boil.  Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.  Let that cool.  When it is cooled mix in the powdered sugar. Ta da! Yummy frosting! Frost the cookies! Eat and enjoy~

Caramel Apple Squares

What is Halloween without caramel apples? I made these Sunday and the neighbors got some, too.  They were gone in a flash (but Brooke kept one out for breakfast) and it smelled grrrr-eat in the morning! I put whipped cram and caramel drizzle over it for dessert. G.O.N.E!

~Recipe~
2 1/4 cup flour
1 1/3 cups quick cooking oats
2/3 firmly packed brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt*I did not use this much*
1/4 tsp nutmeg*the best spice for fall in the woo-oorld*
1 cup cold butter, cut up
5 medium apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 jar of caramel topping
1 c chopped walnuts*I did not use this*
vanilla ice cream, whipping cream or whatever you choose!

Oven to 350 degrees
Dump the flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, baking soda and nutmeg in a large bowl and stir together.  Cut in the butter(I used pulse on my food processor, easier in my opinion) into coarse crumbles.  Save 1 3/4 cups of this for a crumbly, yummy, topping. Press the rest into the bottom of an ungreased 9x13 pan and bake for 15 minutes.  Place the apples evenly over the semi baked crust. Stir together the condensed milk and 1 cup of the caramel topping*taste this...yummilicious* Pour over the apples . If you are using the walnuts add them to the reserved crumble.  Crumble the crumble over the apples and bake for 45-50 minutes until apples are tender.  Cool and then reheat when you are ready to serve. I think it is best served warm.  Add the topping of choice and devour! Enjoy~

Caramel Apple Bake

This is a versatile dish.  I made it for a dessert and Brooke told me it would be better as breakfast and she ate it for breakfast the next morning.  I would have to agree....it is lighter than a regular dessert and definitely not heavy. I would serve it with cream and heated in the morning.  For dessert we had vanilla ice cream. You can certainly play with it! It is kind of a crumble, as you are to turn it upside down for the caramel to be on top...ugly to look at but yummy for your tummy!

~Recipe~
1 1/2 Bisquick
2/3 c sugar
1/2 c milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 medium apples, peeled, cored and sliced thin
1 Tbsp lemon juice
3/4 c brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 c boiling water

Heat your oven to 350 degrees.

Whisk together the baking mix and sugar. Stir in milk and vanilla until just incorporated.  Spread into an UN greased square pan.  In another bowl toss the apples with the lemon juice and put the apples on top of the batter. In bowl #3 *yes, lotsa bowls used* mix the brown sugar and cinnamon then sprinkle evenly over the apples. Pour the boiling water over the apples.  Bake for 50-60 minutes until golden, bubbly and a tester comes out clean. When serving turn out the pieces so the carmel is on the top*This is where it gets messy*  Eat and Enjoy~

Apple Pie Cupcakes

Holy Yumminess, Cooking friends! I would say these are a better breakfast  cupcake than a dessert.  Warmed up with coffee or hot chocolate is our preference.  That was my neighbors idea since she prefers warm apples.  I concur! These are ooey gooey and messy but worth the mess!

~Recipe~
3 cups sifted cake flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted (room temp) butter
2 c sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 c milk
**I will add 1 tsp cinnamon next time for added flavor** The cake itself is pretty plain and needs a little kick!

Filling~
2 Tbsp butter
2 tsp cinnamon
2-3 Tbsp sugar
3  large apples, you know the drill....peeled, cored, diced, .

Icing~
Vanilla butter cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 2 cupcake pans with liners.Before you start you need to know that these bake over and up....fill the cups only 2/3 full or you will have a mess and they cakes will not be pretty!

Sift cake flour, baking powder and salt**I do NOT sift! I throw it in a bowl and use a wire whisk and it works the same in less time and mess** Cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy(2 minutes). Beat eggs in 1 at a time and scrape bowl after each addition.Add vanilla and mix well. Add the dry ingredients alternately with milk ending with the dry. Stir only until combined.  Divide batter evenly into the pans. Bake until done, 18-22 minutes. Cool in pan for 5 min. then transfer to a wire rack to cool all the way. When cooled use a cone method and remove the center of the cupcakes.  Make sure not to go too deep but deep enough to get a good amount of ooey gooey apples in every bite. eave a rim around the top of the cupcake so they look pretty and you can ice them properly.

Filling~
Heat butter in a medium skillet over med-high heat and add cinnamon and sugar.  Cook this mixture until it gets bubbly, careful not to burn the sugar and cinnamon! Lower the heat to medium and stir in the apples.  Mix well and cook until they are tender(10 min). Remove from heat and cool all the way.  Once cool fill the center of the cupcakes with the filling and ice with vanilla butter cream! This looks complicated to make and assemble but it goes very fast and it is really quite easy! Try it! Enjoy~

A New (to me) Apple Crisp

We love apples in the Fall! I ran across this recipe on It's a Keeper and thoughts I had to try it.  We were not disappointed! It was yummy!!

The Best Apple Crisp
10 Cups apples, peeled, cored and sliced
1 cup sugar
1 Tbsp flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 c water

Topping
1 cup quick oats
1 cup flour
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup butter, melted
Spread apples in an even layer in a 9x13 pan.  In a medium bowl combine the sugar, flour and cinnamon. Pour this over the apples, evenly.  Pour water on top of that.

Combine all the topping ingredients in a medium bowl.  Mix until it is crumbly and sprinkle over the apples. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. YUM! Easy and delish! Enjoy~

Apples with Caramel Dessert

This is a perfect Fall dessert. I put it over pound cake, angel cake would be great, as well as use it as a ice cream topping.  So  versatile and easy.  It cooks in the slow cooker all day!

~Recipe~
1/2 cup apple juice
7 ounce caramels*I used caramel chips...best invention!!*
1 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp cardamom
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup  creamy peanut butter
2-3 medium apples peeled, cored and sliced

Combine the apple juice, caramel candy, spices, vanilla in the slow cooker.  Drop the peanut butter by spoonful stirring after each addition to make sure the peanut butter is mixed in well. Gently stir in the apples.  Cover and cook on low for 5 hours, stir then cover again and cook 1 more hour on low. YUM!! Enjoy~

Apple Pie Bars

I stumbled across this recipe while browsing  my favorite cooking sites.  I cannot for the life of me remember where I found it.  I printed it right away and did not save...I apologize to the person that posted this YUMMI-LICIOUS recipe! I make this for a dessert at a neighbors cook out.  It was a home run! I served it with caramel ice cream....Tony said that witht he glaze there was really no need for the ice cream.  My suggestion would be to either glaze it(then it can be a breakfast or dessert) or to not glaze and serve with caramel or vanilla bean ice cream.  Just a suggestion...I do not have a photo, but I will post it today when I make another pan for my family.

~Recipe~

1 cup Panko bread crumbs 

8 cups peeled, cored and sliced Granny Smith apples*I used 7 large* tossed with two TB fresh lemon juice

1 cup sugar mixed with 1 to 2 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp freshly ground nutmeg
2 TB butter
Egg wash
1 package refrigerated pie crust doughs (2 crusts) - can use homemade too *I used my favorite King Arthur pie crust*

Glaze:
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
2 to 3 TB milk

Preheat oven to 350°.
Divide pie crust dough into 2 pieces on a ratio of 6 to 4. Roll out the larger of the two pieces into a rectangle about 11" x 15". Place in a 9" x 13" cake pan. Push the pastry up the sides of the pan a bit to make a shallow container for the apples.Spread the bread crumbs over the pastry.
Spread the apples over the bread crumbs and sprinkle the cinnamon sugar and the nutmeg over the top. Cut the butter into small pieces and dot over the top.
Rol the remaining piece of pie dough into a 9" x 13" rectangle and cover the apples. Brush with egg wash.
Slash the crust 6 or 8 times to allow steam to escape. Bake for 60 to 65 minutes until crust is golden brown. * I only baked mine for 55 minutes*
Remove from oven and allow to cool completely while you prepare the glaze.
Combine the glaze ingredients and stir until smooth. It should be thick but pourable. Adjust the ingredients to achieve the consistency you need. Pour over pastry. Allow the icing to set before serving. Enjoy!