Return of the Apples

Continuing on with the apples vs. pumpkins war, a previous post for Crock pot Applesauce is coming back and being made into something else yummy, Applesauce Cookies with Caramel Frosting.


First, my lovely assistant (aka DD) and I assembled our ingredients.

The gelato container is not gelato; it's my homemade applesauce!

When I made the applesauce I left it chunky but I didn't want chunks in my cookies so I pureed it in the food processor.  And in the process, wondered why I never made baby food for my kids.  It's not that hard to puree something!

Anyway,  they bake at 375 for 8 mins.

I didn't get any pictures of making the frosting but you bring butter and heavy cream to a boil.  Then turn off the heat and add vanilla.  After it cools, add powdered sugar.  I think I added the powdered sugar too soon because I had lumps but these cookies are seriously amazing!!  My whole family agrees and hubby even ate them for lunch today because he ran out of time to get something else.  There's definitely worse things, right?!  And my parents will vouch for them, too!

So here's the picture you've been waiting for; the finished product!  With the original link below.

http://www.chef-in-training.com/2011/12/applesauce-cookies-with-caramel-frosting/

Score:

Apples - 3, Pumpkin - 2

 

Slow Cooker Creamed Corn

I recently tried a recipe for slow cooker creamed corn.

It was pretty easy and yummy.

Start by placing 3 cans of corn in your crockpot.

Once you have taken the corn out of the cans, add milk, sugar & pepper and mix.

Then put butter and cream cheese over the top and cook on high for 2-3 hrs.  I started it on low for 3 hrs then bumped it to high for last 1 1/2 hr.  Then mix it all up and cook on high for 15 more mins.

Yummy!

Pardon the name of the original blog - I don't usually use language like that!

http://damndelicious.net/2013/11/24/slow-cooker-creamed-corn/

It's definitely worth a try and may make the holidays easier.

If you ever try any of the things I blog about, please leave a comment and let me know!

Ingredients

• 3 (15.25-ounces) cans whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 8 ounces cream cheese, cubed
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into thin slices

Instructions

• Place corn into a slow cooker. Stir in milk, sugar and pepper until well combined. Without stirring, top with butter and cream cheese. Cover and cook on high heat for 2-3 hours.
• Uncover and stir until butter and cream cheese are well combined. Cover and cook on high heat for an additional 15 minutes.
• Serve immediately.

Notes

Adapted from Family Fresh Meals

Apple Vs. Pumpkin - The Pumpkin's Side

Every fall there's kind of a friendly competition between apples and pumpkins.  Some people swear by the fresh baked apple goodies and others are all about the pumpkin spice.  My last two blogs were about apples.  Now I have some pumpkin recipes I would like to share with you.

I have made a few things before that took pumpkin.  Mostly pumpkin pie mix but some plain pumpkin.  I always just bought canned pumpkin but this year we had several pumpkins from the CSA and I wanted to try to actually cook them and not just decorate with them like I have in times past.  So once again, Pinterest came to my rescue!

Look at these beauties!!

There are multiple different methods for cooking pumpkins but the one I found that looked easy was the following:  Simply wash the pumpkins, cut them in half, scoop out the insides and put them in the crockpot on high for 2-3 hrs until a fork will pierce through the rind.

Now what to do with this yummy pumpkin ...

I had two recipes I wanted to try.  One for pumpkin bread and one for pumpkin butter.

First up, the butter!
Pumpkin, honey, apple juice, vanilla, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, allspice and salt

Cook in the crockpot on low for 6 hrs.

Yes, that is a different crockpot than in the other picture!  My hubby found a brand new crockpot at the thrift store for $10 so now I have two!!

The original blog suggested almond butter, pumpkin butter sandwiches so I decided to try it.  We have several jars of almond butter than need used up because we accidentally bought way far ahead on almond butter!  It's really good!

Next up, bread!
Pumpkin, eggs, oil, water and sugar

 Blend the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger) and add to the above mixture

Yummy!!

Here are the original links for all the above recipes:

http://www.blessthismessplease.com/2014/10/best-easiest-way-cook-pumpkin.html

http://tasty-yummies.com/2014/10/28/how-to-make-crock-pot-pumpkin-butter/

http://www.peanutblossom.com/blog/2010/10/fall-baking-best-ever-pumpkin-bread.html/

 

Slow Cooker Applesauce

Continuing on with my love of fall, I had to share a leaf picture and look at those yummy apples!  

I used them to make slow cooker applesauce and I am in LOVE!

Mix apples, lemon peel, cinnamon sticks and brown sugar.

Cook on low for 6 hours and Wa-La!!

The most amazing applesauce!!

Don't let the name of the original blog fool you, this does not taste like some kind of healthy food.  Try it!  Just do it!

http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/10/crock-pot-applesauce.html

Apple Cinnamon Bread

Fall is here!!  Well, kind of, it's supposed to be 80 tomorrow but it's generally much more fall-like around here!

I love fall!  I always feel the best emotionally in the fall.  And apparently, motivated to pick up a poorly neglected blog that hasn't been updated in almost 4 months.  Yikes!!

Every truly, genuine fall recipe calls for cinnamon and brown sugar, right?!

For this recipe, I also pulled out a dairy-free trick.  I didn't want to use butter in this recipe because if I did, I really wouldn't have much better left-over (like maybe a few Tbsp) and I was not running to the store, just for butter.  So anyway, I used applesauce instead of the butter.  Shown below, being added to some sugar.

 

Once you have your batter mixed up, pour half of it in a greased, floured bread pan.

Then you start layering the batter, half an apple, and the brown sugar/cinnamon mixture.

Look at that yummy goodness!!

 

If you, too, would like to make this yummy bread, check out the recipe from 

The Happier Homemaker:

http://www.thehappierhomemaker.com/2014/09/apple-cinnamon-bread/ 

Enjoy!!