Tag: apples

Apple & Zucchini Frittata

Apple & Zucchini Frittata

Another Weekend – Another Delicious Breakfast!If you don’t ever take the time on weekends to make a delicious breakfast, I am sorry (and sorry for your family)! Now I am not saying that every day on every weekend we whip up some delicious breakfast, but 

Cheddar Apple Sausage Bisquick Breakfast Bake

Cheddar Apple Sausage Bisquick Breakfast Bake

There is just something about a delicious & hearty breakfast on a Crisp Fall Morning that just makes you ready for the day. Pair that up with a delicious cup of (Pumpkin Spice) Coffee and maybe even some Apple Butter on top for good measure 

Apple Upside Down Breakfast Cake

Apple Upside Down Breakfast Cake

I have wonderful parents. They are so willing to watch our dogs whenever we need them to. I try to do what I can to show them how much I appreciate it. Recently they kept our dogs overnight and I promised to bring breakfast in the morning when we picked up the mutts.

In my effort to try to eat healthier I knew that I did not want to bring over some breakfast-bake devoid of nutrients but covered in fat & calories. We also only had 1 egg so my normal Breakfast Egg Casserole type dish was out of the question. Then I stumbled across this healthy apple breakfast cake. This cake seemed like it had the potential to be really good. BUT – I didn’t bake it long enough plus it would have benefited from a bit more sugar and I think it tasted a bit too ‘healthy’ for us (sugar might have helped or use a less strong tasting whole wheat flour). So when you make this, be sure to bake it long enough and maybe add some more sugar.

Thanks Mom & Dad for still loving me even if I make a flop every once in a while.

Maple Apple Upside Down Breakfast Cake

  • 2 1/2 cups diced Apples, skin on
  • 2 teaspoons vegetable or coconut oil
  • pinch of fine Sea Salt
  • pinch of ground Cinnamon (and nutmeg)
  • 2 tablespoons Water
  • 1/4 cup pure Maple Syrup
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 cup Flax Meal/Seed Powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon of fine Sea Salt
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons Baking Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Stevia Powder (or more to sweeten to taste)
  • 1 teaspoon pure Vanilla Extract
  • 1 large Egg, whisked
  • 1 cup Milk
  • Cooking Spray

Apples: Heat oil in a medium non stick skillet over medium high heat. Add apples, water and a pinch of salt and cinnamon (and nutmeg). Stir occasionally and cook for about 8 minutes until apples are soft and fragrant. Remove from heat, stir in maple syrup and let apples cool.

Cake: Pre-heat oven to 350˚F with the rack in the middle. Prepare a 8×2 inch round pan with parchment paper. In a medium bowl whisk together all the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl whisk together the wet ingredients. Gently combine the wet and dry together to form a thick cake batter.

Put apples in the pan first in a single layer. Make sure they coat the bottom of the pan well. Carefully smooth the cake batter over the maple apple mixture. Try to keep the apples from moving around too much. Bake for at least 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean (mine appeared to be clean but was still very doughy on the inside, so I would suggest baking longer and err on the side of over-cooked if unsure). Let cake cool for a few minutes.

To remove from pan: put a large dinner plate over the cake pan. Hold it tight and flip the cake over. It should slide out easily. If it sticks carefully use a spatula to loosen up the sides.

And I leave you with this, Today’s Question of the Day… what was the last thing that you made which you thought would be wonderful but ended up being a flop?

Apple Maple Pulled Pork

Apple Maple Pulled Pork

I love using my crock pot! It usually gets pulled out an average of once a week during the fall/winter months. There is just something so wonderful about spending some time in the morning to put together a meal and then coming home at the end of the day to the house smelling amazing and your dinner practically done!!

Butternut Squash Apple Soup

Butternut Squash Apple Soup

Fall is in the air. We did our apple picking a few weeks ago and then last weekend we headed to the corn maze. After Fun Fall Frolicking we needed some tasty fall dishes.

Crock Pot Apple Butter

Crock Pot Apple Butter

As a Society, we LOVE our house to smells good – we light candles, we buy air fresheners, and we use room sprays. But I am telling you, the absolute best way to get the house smelling yummy is to just cook something yummy!

There is something about food cooked in a Crock Pot/Slow Cooker that makes us happy. Not only does it make the house smell amazing for hours, but you get some amazing food to eat when it is all done (with almost no effort), how could that NOT be something wonderful!.

This Crock Pot (Slow Cooker?) Apple Butter does just the trick!! After growing up at Quiet Valley Living Historical Farm and “knowing” how hard it was to make Apple Butter (at Harvest Festival every year… open fire, lots of stirring, etc) I never thought that I could really make this delicious treat. I love Quiet Valley and hate to take some profit away from them by making my own Apple Butter – but thanks to Full Measure of Happiness, I found that it could be so easy! After picking about 30 pounds of apples at Heckman’s Orchard with my family I couldn’t wait to make my house smell amazing with this Apple Butter.

Now, about a year ago I would have dreaded peeling/cutting the approximately 20 (+) apples that went into this Apple Butter. But that was before my dear friend Teresa & her husband got me this Apple Peeler/Core-er/Slicer last year for the holidays. I’m telling you – go get one, I did all the apples in about 15 minutes without any work and just a little bit of counter wiping when I was done. This contraption is awesome for any apple slicing needs (with or without the peel) and can also supposedly be used to make those really cool spiral/tornado potatoes – I’ll have to try that and get back to you!

So get out your Crock Pot and make your house smell delicious (other tasty smelling options are: chili or chicken or soup or pork or whatever). Trust me – your nose will enjoy it as will your stomach when you finally indulge in the fruits of your non-labor!

after about 36 hours

ALSO – if you love this Apple Butter and you love Pumpkin, then you will love another recipe I have. Please go ahead and enjoy this Apple Butter, and when you run out of this version… go ahead and make some awesome Pumpkin Apple Butter!

 apple butter on appleFor this post, I used these items, which you can purchase at Amazon:

Crock Pot with Sealing Lid

Apple Slicer/Peeler (highly recommended)

Mason Jars

Crock Pot Apple Butter
Author: Rachel (teacher-chef)
Serves: 2 quarts
Ingredients
  • Apples – whatever fits in your crock pot, about 10 lbs of apples (I had about 20 apples, all different varieties – added in two batches) -peeled and rough chopped
  • 2-3 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 t freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1 t ground cloves
  • 1 – 2 cups apple cider
  • sugar to taste (optional)
Instructions
  1. Dump all ingredients into the crock pot & turn on low for about 8 hours. Add more apples at that point if you want (this will add about 8 hours). Cook on low for another 8 -10 hours or so.
  2. Remove your cinnamon sticks – if you used a more tart apple, add sugar (1/4 cup at a time) to taste. Mine ended up cooking for about 36 hours because I wanted it nice and cooked down, this is kind of up to you though. It needs at least 16 hours but can go up to 48 probably!
  3. For the last 2 hours or so: prop the lid of the crock pot and let the extra moisture continues to evaporate until you get the desired texture.
  4. Place into jars. You CAN can it (hehe) but I’ve never canned. I’m sharing some with my parents but this should last a few months (think Jelly?) in the fridge. Don’t let it sit around too long once its made – plan to use within a month or two, AND go ahead and make a [url href=”https://www.teacher-chef.com/2013/09/25/crock-pot-apple-pumpkin-butter/”][url href=”http://https://www.teacher-chef.com/2013/09/25/crock-pot-apple-pumpkin-butter/”]Pumpkin Apple Butter[/url][/url] too!

 

 

One Year Ago – Scott’s Pizza Tour – seriously, you should take one, we love Scott!!

And I leave you with this, Today’s Question of the Day… What treat do you splurge on in the store or local fair/etc that you’ve figured out how to make (OR that I should try to figure out how to make for you)? – I know that Rich loves fancy BBQ Sauces, I should try to make them after we get inspired by others (OR we can just continue to support local businesses and buy their delicious sauces, who knows)

PUMPKIN Apple Butter
PUMPKIN Apple Butter