Rustic Apple Blueberry Pie

Pie, did someone say pie?  Pie is my favorite dessert.  I could eat it every day.  Unfortunately, my waistline won't go along with that plan.

Many people fear making pie crust, it really isn't hard, and this pie doesn't require precision or crimping the edges. Shoot, you don't even need a pie plate to make this lovely rustic pie.

I did make my crust the "old fashioned" way, using lard.  You can't beat it for a perfect crust.  

I used fruit that I had on hand, blueberries and apples which yielded a pretty tasty combination.

Apple Strudel

Apple Strudel

Ingredients:

2 medium to large apples, cored and sliced  into 1/4 wedges
1 tsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 Tbs. flour
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 package puff pastry, thawed

 

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment.
On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a rectangle roughly 22 inches long and 18 inches wide (making sure the length will fit on your baking sheet.

Once dough is rolled, transfer it to the baking sheet.  Make angled cuts approximately 1" in width from the edger, cutting about a third of the way to the center on both sides of the dough.

Wash, core and slice the apples.

Toss the apples with the lemon juice.  Add the sugar, cinnamon and flour and toss to coat the apple slices.
Arrange the apples down the center of the dough. Top with the chopped walnuts.
Starting on one side, bring one of the cut strips to the center, repeat with the following side and continue,
covering the apples to the end.  Sprinkle the top with sugar.

Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until the crust is brown and the apples are tender.

....and that's What's Cooking at Cathy's ~ Enjoy!

No Crust Apple Pie

How about a dessert that you can easily whip up with ingredients you have on hand?
You know, for those times when you need something in a hurry for a drop in guest or when you are just in the mood for something sweet.  Sound good?  Yes?  You will find this recipe quick and easy.  I acquired it from a cooking class during last year's trip to Italy.

Recently, a good friend and I have had some fun debating whether this recipe is a pie or a cake.  You see, the name in the recipe is pie and it is made in a pie plate, implying that it is a pie.  However, it doesn't have a crust, which for me is essential for pie and the texture is more cake like, so I say it is a cake.

The result of our  cake vs. pie debate?  We  agreed on one key point....  It is Delicious!!
I'll leave it to you to decide for yourself!

Baked Apple Snacks

Making Baked Apple Snacks is an ideal project for a chilly winter day!  I'm anxious to put these snacks into a pretty bowl for after dinner munchies that will satisfy my sweet tooth and be light on calories!

As part of my healthier eating efforts, I eat apples a lot to satisfy my cravings for sugar.  I love this time of year when the apples are beautiful and crisp.  My favorites are Pink Lady, which I used for this recipe, a new variety that I discovered this year which is Jazz, and a couple of other favorites are Honeycrisp and Fuji.  I'll be experimenting with this recipe with the different varieties to find the one that I like best.

Yesterday I bought a new "toy".  Close friends tell me I'm the queen of kitchen gadgets.  And, uhm...well, maybe this confirms it.  I purchased a Mandoline.  I believe that having the right tool for the job is very important and in this case it was indispensible in saving me time and achieving the very extremely thin apple slices called for in this recipe.   The apple slices need to be very thin so they crisp up easily.  
An apple corer is also a tool that you'll need to have handy to make these.

Baked Apple Snacks

Servings:  2

Ingredients:

2 Apples, sliced to an 1/8th inch thickness

Stevia

Cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 235 degrees F.

Wash and dry the apples.

Slice each apple into slices 1/8th inch thick.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Place the apple slices on the parchment.  Sprinkle the apple slices with Stevia and Cinnamon to your taste.

Place the cookie sheets into the oven for 60 minutes.
After 60 minutes, remove the sheets from the oven and flip the apple slices.

Sprinkle them with Stevia and Cinnamon.

Return the cookie sheets to the oven and bake an additional 60 minutes.

Remove from the oven, cool on the cookie sheets and store them in an airtight container.

...an apple a day...in a whole new way!

 ....and that's What's Cooking At Cathy's ~ Enjoy!

Apple Crisp

What started out as a lovely day has turned into one that is dreary, cloudy, cold and damp. 

Since I'm stuck inside, I decided I should use the time to clean out the fridge.  I found an abundance of apples taking up a lot of space in the veggie drawer.  What to do with all these apples? Pie, applesauce, apple cake, or wait, I know, Apple Crisp! 

If you are like me, you detest peeling apples.  In my younger years, I remember peeling apples and trying to peel the entire apple in one long strip of peel.  I came so close so many times, but usually managed to cut the peel too narrow and it would break.  Even today when I use a paring knife for peeling, I still find myself trying to win at this game!

About a year or so ago, I found this Apple Peeling Machine at the local Tuesday Morning's for a discounted $4.99.  I'm here to tell you, it was the best $5 I have spent on a kitchen gadget in a long time and I have a lot of kitchen gadgets!  It makes peeling apples easy fun!  I will never peel apples with a paring knife again.

My recipe card for Apple Crisp has yellowed over the years, the printing has faded and it is smudged from frequent use.  It is a basic recipe, nothing fancy.  I decided to jazz mine up a bit using some dried cranberries and walnuts that I had in my pantry.  I have included the quantities I used and noted the ingredients as optional.   

Heat up the kitchen  and create some comforting warmth and make your whole house smell amazing!

Apple Crisp

Ingredients:

8 cups of sliced baking apples
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2/3 cup of granulated sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup dried cranberries (optional)
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Topping:

3/4 cup oats
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon salt


Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Spray 7 1/2 x 9 1/2 (or similar size) baking dish with non-stick coating.
3. Mix all items listed in the ingredients list until well coated and fill the baking pan.
4. Combine the topping ingredients and mix until crumbly.
5. Spread evenly over the top of the apple mixture.
6. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes or until apples are tender when pierced with a fork.

Golden from the Oven