Apple Crisp

Hmmm... autumn arrives delivering its gorgeous selections of apples. Once trip to the orchard, so many varieties. My favorite is Honey Crisp. It's the perfect apple for me to cook, bake, munch on...

Here's a simple favorite that's a winner every time...

Apple Crisp
Apples:

• 4-5 apples, skinned, cored, sliced
• 1 lemon
• dash of nutmeg
• 2-3 TBSp sugar

Crisp:

• 1/2 c rolled oats
• 1/2 c packed, brown sugar
• 1/4 c ap flour
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 c butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Mix the first 4 items together (apples) & pour into a 2qt baking dish; set aside.

 

For the crisp, using a pastry blender (see picture) or a fork/knife, blend together the 5 crisp ingredients; Sprinkle them over the apple slices in the baking dish. 

Bake for 30-35 minutes. Serve warm or room temperature alone or over vanilla ice cream.

Enjoy!
<3 Lishie

Apple Cinnamon Iced Water

My hubby saw this on Facebook & suggested we try it. It's refreshing & we love cinnamon. I don't prescribe to use it as a detox or "Metabolism Boosting Drink" but a lovely alternative to plain water.

Longer the apples & cinnamon seep, the deeper the flavor.

<3 Lishie

The Original Day Spa Apple Cinnamon Water Recipe:

• 1 Apple thinly sliced, I like Fuji but pick your favorite 

• 1 Cinnamon Stick

Drop apple slices in the bottom of the pitcher (save a few to drop in your glass later) & then the cinnamon stick, cover with ice water. Place in the fridge for 1 hour before serving.
LASTS FOR 24 HOURS IN THE FRIDGE.

Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta & Apple Chicken Sausage

Need a delicious side for Thanksgiving? This is packed with fresh flavors, colorful & pretty good for you!

My mom-in-law came home with a farm-fresh branch/bushel(?) of Brussels Sprouts & shared them with me. I was so excited- they were gorgeous! Those bright green little leaves! If you are not a fan of the little cabbage family veg, this may make you one.

Happy Thanksgiving
<3 Lishie

Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta & Apple Chicken Sausage

• 2 TBSp olive oil
• 2 medium shallots, diced
• 4 oz pancetta, diced
• 1 lb. Brussels Sprouts, cleaned & quartered
• 2 apple chicken sausage, cut into 2" pieces
• S & P, to taste

Heat the oil on medium-high & add the shallots. Allow to cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring. Add the pancetta & cook for another 2 minutes, stirring. Add in the Brussels sprouts & allow to brown for 2 minutes (without stirring). Stir, all to brown for another couple of minutes. Add the Sausage & allow it to brown. In total, cook all about 15 minutes. Add S&P, to taste & serve.

Recipe Swap ~ Glazed Apple Cream Pie

This is our recent swap, hosted, as usual, by Sarah from A Taste of Home Cooking (THANK YOU, Sarah!!) The subject? Fruit. Any recipe with fruit... I gave my Strawberry Muffins & received this amazing Glazed Apple Cream Pie from Annie at 
Cooking for Fun. I was surprised at first since I do not associate apples with spring, Easter, etc. But since you can get apples year round, any worries quickly vanished. This was scrumptious. I mean so good. I tried a spoonful of the cream on its own... Heavenly enough for Easter dessert. YUM, YUM, YUM. Thank you so much, Annie, for a new, delicious apple pie! 


But of course, as with most of the swaps, I have a story...
Monday I come home from work & I begin to cook (ribs & mac n cheese for dinner)... Throw the ribs in the oven (had pre-cooked them on Sunday) on 400 to warm up with the plan the apple pie would go in after... Start the stovetop mac n cheese... Create the stovetop cream for my pie... Open the oven, turn the ribs over with tongs... Finish the apple pie & the mac n cheese... Get on my mitts, open oven... REALIZE IT IS COLD!!!! My oven broke. MY.OVEN.BROKE. Oh goodness... me, w/o an oven = insanity!!!

So I throw the ribs in the micro to warm (They were still delish) & wrapped up the pie, refrigerate. On Wednesday, knowing I NEEDED to bake the pie or it would go bad (heavens, no!!!) I asked my mom-in-law to "borrow" her oven. She happily gave over her kitchen especially since they receive the spoils of my labor for dessert, always!


BTW, my in-laws LOVED the pie too!!! 
Good Friday!
<3 Lishie
 

Glazed Apple Cream Pie

from Cooking for Fun

• 1/2 c white sugar
• 1/2 c milk
• 1/2 c heavy cream
• 1/4 c butter
• 2 TBSp cornstarch
• 2 TBSp milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tart apples - peeled, cored & sliced
• 1 TBSp all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 (15 oz) package pastry for double-crust pie
• 1/2 c confectioners' sugar
• 1 TBSp milk
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 TBSp butter, softened

   1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine 1/2 c sugar, 1/2 c milk, 1/2 c cream, & 1/4 c butter. Heat until butter is melted, stirring occasionally. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, 2 TBSp milk, & vanilla; stir into saucepan. Cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, & set aside to cool slightly.

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). In a medium bowl, combine the apples, flour, & cinnamon. Mix well.
   3. Line a 9 " pie pan with pie dough. Pour thickened filling mixture into pastry-lined pie pan. Arrange apple mixture evenly over filling. Top with second crust, seal & flute the edges. Cut slits in top crust.
   4. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until crust is golden brown & apples are tender. Cool for at least 30 minutes.

   5. In small bowl, combine confectioners' sugar, 1 TBSp milk, 1/4 tsp vanilla, & 1 TBSp softened butter. Blend until smooth; pour evenly over warm pie.

The recipe said to refrigerate for at least 1 1/2 hours before serving. I didn't. I even served it immediately after my wait!!! And that is why it is so sloppy but so yummy!

How cute is my pie cutter?! Hubby proposed to me in Hershey, PA & for our wedding? I used this as the cake cutter for that first slice!!! 

Apple Crisp Bars

My wonderful sister~in~law Laura sweetly shares her birthday with... Halloween! Ha ha... so we dress up & trick or treat with family in her neighborhood then settle in for a wonderful dinner prepared by my mom~in~law. Win win, candy, family & food! Since there's chocolate & candy galore, Laura asked for apple crisp & I was happy to oblige with these bars... Now I have no recipe for these, I just throw them together so bear with the measurements. More of anything, cannot hurt!!! :)


Sorry, no actual cut up bar pics :) All went!
<3 Lishie

Apple Crisp Bars

• 1 pie crust (homemade or store bought)
• 5 large baking apples, sliced then pieces cut in half (I used my fave~ Honeycrisp)
• zest & juice of 1 lemon
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup AP flour
• 1/4 cup oats
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp fresh nutmeg
• 1 & 1/2 stick butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease/spray a rectangular baking dish with sides. 


Prepare the pie crust dough (if making homemade). Fit it into the bottom of the baking dish, set aside.


Prepare all of the apple slices. Place in a bowl & mix with the lemon zest & juice, set aside..


Mix the brown sugar, flour, oats, cinnamon & nutmeg together. With a pastry cutter or fork, cut in the butter until everything is lumpy & combined.


Pour the apple slices over the pie crust. Sprinkle the sugar/flour mixture over the apple.


Bake for 30 minutes or until the topping is browned. Allow to cool, then cut into squares. Enjoy!

An Apple a Day...

Because of the weird September rainy weather up here in the Northeast, apple picking season has continued into October. Normally, by the end of September, the orchards are picked bare (in a good way!) I thought I'd compile a lot of the apple-y-goodness of my blog into one post so if you are searching for something to make with those bounty of apples you've picked, my recipes are easy to find. Next up, I'll be getting into my pumpkin kick :)
<3 Lishie

Apples everywhere!

Rustic Apple Turnovers...

 Caramelized Apple Tarte Tatin

Apple Streussal Coffee Cake

Apple Pie

Mini Apple Pies

Apple Oatmeal Cookies

Apple Sauce

Apple-Cheddar Appy

Warm Brussels Sprouts & Apple Slaw

APPLES!!!

For Halloween ideas, visit : Ghoul~Lishly~Fun

Rustic Apple Turnovers

Autumn means an abundance of apples & I cannot be happier. I sure hope you all are not thinking, "when will Lishie's apple recipes end?" Because, sorry to disappoint, but they won't :) This is another timeless recipe, that I have been making since I can remember. I have to add the "rustic" to the title because, while mine aren't perfect but they are surely mouth-wateringly scrumptious. This recipe is so simple, the biggest bother is trying not to snack on all of the filling before it gets placed on the puff pastry to bake! 


Rustic Apple Turnovers

• 2 medium baking apples (again, I used my favorite~ Honeycrisp)
• Juice of 1/2 Lemon
• 1/2 cup Brown Sugar (light or dark~ I used dark)
• 1 TBsp AP Flour
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla
• 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
• Pinch of Nutmeg
• Pinch of Salt
• 1 Package of Puff Pastry Sheets
• 1 Egg
• 1 TBSp Sugar

Filling: Peel, core & slice then chop the apples. In a medium bowl, toss the apples, lemon juice, brown sugar, flour, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg & salt together very well. 


Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.


Sprinkle some flour on a pastry board or clean countertop. Place one sheet of puff pastry into the refrigerator while working with the other. The trick is to keep the pastry chilled. Carefully roll out the first sheet of puff pastry. Using a ravioli or pizza cutter, create four squares.  Spoon about 1/4 cup of the filling into each square. 


In a small bowl, beat the egg with a fork. Using a pastry brush, brush the egg along 2 sides of a square. Take the other two sides of the square & "glue" them to the egg-washed sides to form a triangle. Crimp the sides shut by pressing the fork down along the two edges to seal. Place the triangle on the baking sheet. Poke a hole in the triangle with the fork (to release air while cooking). Brush the top of the triangle with egg, then sprinkle with a little sugar. Repeat with the other three remaining squares of pastry. Repeat all again with second sheet of puff pastry from the refrigerator.


Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the pastries are golden brown.


Enjoy!
<3 Lishie

Warm Brussels Sprouts & Apple Slaw

Yes, I love brussels sprouts. Maybe too much since I can eat the entire batch myself. Normally, my favorite way to cook them is sauteed & caramelized with pancetta or bacon but on the way home the other night I kept thinking about the beautiful honeycrisp apples sitting in the fruit bowl, then my mind wandered to the brussels sprouts I had to make that night. Hmmm, could I combine them? My mind said yes, but how? Then I thought about cole slaw. It's just shredded cabbage... & sprouts are from the cabble family. Cabbage & apple marry well. Hmmm... & this came about. The perfect side for an autumn dinner. This would go perfect with pork chops or ham or hot dogs made inside... Really, the choices are endless:

Warm Brussels Sprouts & Apple Slaw

• 2 TBSp Canola Oil
• 1 lb. Brussels Sprouts, cleaned & shredded
• 1/4 cup diced Apple
• Zest & Juice of 1 Lemon
• S & P

On medium-high heat, warm the oil. Add in the shredded sprouts. Meanwhile chop the apple & mix with the lemon zest & 1/2 lemon juice. When sprouts are wilted in the pan, add the apple. Cook for another minute. Squeeze the second half of the lemon juice on cooked mixture, add salt & Pepper to taste. Serve & enjoy!

<3 Lishie

Caramelized Apple Tarte Tatin

I always hear that food shouldn't just taste delicious but should also be a treat for the eye. I agree. But, isn't beauty in the eye of the beholder? The food I make isn't the most gorgeous around but I will tell you~ it is delicious. And when I think of beautiful food, I think of nature's bounty, amazing fresh color, with the asymmetry of nature... I've been known to say aloud in the produce section- "Wow, how beautiful is this pepper?!"

And please, ignore me at the farmer's market or the actual farm!!! It's delightful to me to find natural delicacy. So when I think of exquisite dishes, I think of rustic fare. It makes my tummy rumble! And the same goes for dessert... (now don't get me wrong, I love & appreciate the sculpted handy work of a true pastry chef, but I alas, am not one.)

My apple tarte tatin is all rustic goodness.  This is another culinary recipe that was created by accident. I love those, don't you? If you love cookies, you do! 

The history goes... at the Hotel Tatin in Lamotte-Beuvron, France in 1898 run by the two Tatin sisters, Stéphanie Tatin, who did most of the cooking, was overworked one day. She started to make a traditional apple pie but left the apples cooking in butter & sugar for too long. Smelling the burning, she tried to rescue the dish by putting the pastry base on top of the pan of apples, quickly finishing the cooking by putting the whole pan in the oven. She served it after turning out the upside down tart.

Here's my version, so, let's get ready to rumble!:

Caramelized Apple Tarte Tatin

• 2 TBSp unsalted Butter
• 2 cups Sugar
• 2 Large baking Apples (I used my favorite~Honeycrisp!)
• 1 sheet of Homemade Crust or Store Bought Pastry Dough

Prep (grease) a round 9" regular cake pan (not a springform pan). Set aside.

To make the caramel: In a medium sauce pan, melt the butter on medium heat. Do not burn! Add the sugar, constantly stirring until it is incorporated, melted into the butter & browned. Pour it into readied cake pan. Set aside carefully to cool.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Prep the apples~ peel, core & evenly slice them. When caramel is cooled, arrange the slices Do a second layer & place slices in the middle of the pan. Place the pan in the oven & bake for 50 minutes. nicely, in one layer, overlapping a little, going around the cake pan on the caramel.

Meanwhile create the pie dough then roll it out. Create a 9" round crust. *Lishie tip~ To help do this, before even baking, trace the round baking pan on a larger piece of parchment paper & trace! I free form this crust by hand as if I am working with pizza dough for a handmade, rustic quality. Poke the crust, using a fork a few times (this allows air to escape while cooking so the crust doesn't puff up.)

When step 1 of the apple & caramel cooking is complete, remove the pan from the oven carefully. Place the round crust on top of the apples. Return the pan to the oven for 17-20 minutes, until the crust is browned & the apples are bubbling.

Allow to cool but not completely cool (it's best served warm!). When ready, place a larger serving plate inverted onto the top of the baking pan. Deftly, with both hands on either side of the plate/pan, turn the pan over quickly so that the tartin contents empty into the plate in one swoop! Make sure all caramel shifts to the plate!!!

Slice, serve & enjoy!

<3 Lishie

Apple Cheddar Appy

I had extra store bought pie crust leftover from making these mini apple pies, as well as some honeycrisp apples so I decided to try an appetizer recipe that had popped into my head. 

Apple & cheddar go together very well- the tart/sweet combination of the fruit & that sharpness of the cheese... Plus the sweet hint of nutmeg. This may become a favorite appetizer for me for friends & family! 

It is too easy, fast, looks great, is utensil-free & tastes yummy... what else could one want in an appetizer?!?!?

Apple Cheddar Appy

• 1 sheet (1/2 box) store bought Pie Dough
• 1 large or 2 medium Honey Crisp Apples *Or your favorite baking apple
• 1 cup shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• pinch of freshly grated Nutmeg *to top

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.

Roll out the pie crust & cut into 2" cookie cutter shapes. I chose a nice Autumnal-themed Leaf. As you cut each shape, place it 2" apart on the prepped baking sheet. Peel & core the apple, then thinly slice. Place two slices of apple on each pastry cutout (having the 2 apple slices form an oval). Place a teaspoon of the grated cheddar on top of the slices, then a slight pinch of nutmeg. Repeat with all of the cutouts.

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the pastry is slightly browned & the cheese topping is bubbling & brown. 

Serve & Enjoy!

<3 Lishie

 

And do NOT forget~ THIS IS TODAY!!!!!:

Come to the NYU Bookstore, 726 Broadway, NYC, NY 10003 on 10/6/11 @11a.m. for a free reading of Llama Llama Red Pajama to help break Jumpstart's Read for the Record

Apple Streussal Coffee Cake

Good Monday morning everyone! I hope you all had a great weekend. I did! See Gabriel's Sesame Street Live adventure :) Here's a delish cake to help use all of those glorious apples that are flooding our kitchens (I hope!) This is my mom-in-law's favorite. Hope you love it too!

Apple Streussal Coffee Cake
Adapted from the Bread Experience

• 2 large baking apples (I used Honeycrisp), peeled, coarsely chopped
• 2-1/2 cups AP flour, divided
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) cold butter
• 1 cup Pecans, chopped
• 1 tsp. Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup Sour Cream, slightly colder than room temperature

Preheat oven to 350°F. 

Place apples in microwaveable bowl. Microwave on HIGH 1 min. or until crisp-tender. Drain apples; set aside to cool. Meanwhile, combine 1/2 cup of the flour, the brown sugar and cinnamon in medium bowl. Cut in 1/4 cup cold butter with pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in pecans; set aside. 

Mix remaining 2 cups flour, the baking powder & baking soda; set aside. Beat 1/2 cup softened butter and the granulated sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light&  fluffy. Blend in eggs & vanilla. Add flour mixture alternately with the sour cream, beating until well blended after each addition. Stir in apples. Pour into greased & floured 10-inch tube pan. Sprinkle with the pecan mixture. 

Bake 1 hour or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.

<3 Lishie

PS~Come to the NYU Bookstore, 726 Broadway, NYC, NY 10003 on 10/6/11 @11a.m. for a free reading of Llama Llama Red Pajama to help break Jumpstart's Read for the Record!

Recipe Swap ~ Mini Apple Pies

Before you say, "wait, didn't Lish make apple pie recently?" (Yes, yes, I did)... this is from my most recent recipe swap from my national cooking board. This is Maryanna's (Crafty Baker) recipe for Mini Apple Pies. I had planned on making apple turnovers or tarts anyway so this was a welcome trade! 

I did tweak it a tiny bit, only because I think nutmeg definitely adds a little punch to apple & as for lemon, I ALWAYS use lemon. It brightens the flavor of everything! This recipe is an adorable, fast & easy way to get apple pie on the table on a week night. Because I had just made the whole "she-bang", I stayed with the original recipe's requirement of a pre-made pie crust. It made things very, very easy for this tired working mom! I also used my muffin top tin because I thought they'd be cute little pies that way & wouldn't need the water addition. I also had a rather large honeycrisp apple ~ my favorite baking variety! 

Mini Apple Pies
adapted from "Taste & See"

• 1 large honeycrisp apple, 
• peeled, cored & thinly sliced
• juice & zest of 1 lemon
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tsp all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
• 1 sheet refrigerated pie crust (1/2 box)

Preheat oven to 425. 
In a medium bowl, combine apples, lemon juice & zest, sugar, flour, cinnamon & nutmeg. Toss gently then set aside.

Open and unroll pie crust flat onto work surface. Using a 3"-wide biscuit cutter, cut our six circles, reserving scraps. Press each circle inside 6 spaces of the muffin top tin.

Evenly divide apple mixture into each prepared muffin cup. Cut reserved dough scraps into strips 1/4-inch wide ~or~ into little cookie cutter shapes (I made leaves & acorns). Top each pie with strips in a basket weave pattern or with the cut shapes. 

Bake until the crust is browned, about 18-20 minutes. Let pies cool in muffin tin, then remove.

Thank you, Maryanna for a very simple & delicious dessert! I shared it with my in-laws too!

<3 Lishie

PS~ I will announce the winner of the Giveaway come tomorrow's post! Good Luck! :)


PSS~Come to the NYU Bookstore, 726 Broadway, NYC, NY 10003 on 10/6/11 @11a.m. for a free reading of Llama Llama Red Pajama to help break Jumpstart's Read for the Record

Apple Pie

Ooey~gooey~ness!

I really have to say there's no comparison between orchard grown & store bought apples. The variety along says so much but the lack of waxy layer on the skin says it all to me. I chose gorgeous, plump Honeycrisp apples last week at the farm to bake with & I chose well. "Apple" scientists at the University of Minnesota discovered Honeycrisp by cross-pollinating two exceptional apple varieties, Macoun & Honeygold. These apples are perfect for baking & are at their prime now. The fruit was so ig, I only needed 3 LARGE honeycrisp apples to create this pie! And they are very crisp, tart & sweet, not to mention juicy. The texture holds its shape, crunch & firmness well.

I shared this pie with my inlaws & my pop-in-law had seconds (he never does on sweets!) That says a lot :)  Now what to do with the rest of my picking spoils??? Hmmm...

The following is the pie recipe I have been using since I was a little girl. I love that red & white checked cookbook :)!

Apple Pie
~Adapted from Better Homes & Gardens

• 6 cups thinly sliced peeled tart apples
• 1-2 TBSp lemon juice & lemon zest
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 TBSp all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
• 1 recipe Pastry for Double-Crust Pie (see below)
• 1 TBSp butter

1. In a large mixing bowl toss apple slices with lemon juice & zest. Combine granulated sugar, flour, cinnamon, & nutmeg. Add to apples and toss until apples are coated. Set apple mixture aside.

2. Prepare Pastry for Double-Crust Pie. Divide dough in half. Form each half into a ball. On a lightly floured surface, roll out 1 ball of dough into a 12-inch circle. Ease pastry into a 9-inch pie plate.

3. Transfer apple mixture to pastry-lined pie plate. Dot with butter. Trim pastry even with pie plate. 

For top crust, roll out remaining dough. Here is where I have fun with it!!! You can so it the regular way:

Cut slits in top crust. Place top crust on the filling. Seal and flute the edge. 

Oven ready!!!

 ~Or~

You can do it the Lishie way! I roll our the 2nd crust & use a cookie cutter. For Fall apple pie I use leaves (for a summer pie, butterflies, etc., etc.) Then I place the cookie shapes along the entire top of the pie, on the apple filling in a lattice-like way. It makes for a beautiful presentation!

Brush the top with water & lightly sprinkle with sugar. 

4. To prevent overbrowning, cover the edge of the pie with foil. Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil; bake for 20 to 25 minutes more or until the top is golden brown and apples are tender. 

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Pastry for Double-Crust Pie: Stir together 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in 2/3 cup shortening until pieces are pea size. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon cold water over part of the mixture; gently toss with a fork. Push moistened dough to the side of the bowl. Repeat, using 1 tablespoon cold water at a time, until all the dough is moistened (6 to 8 tablespoons water total).

Enjoy! Happy almost~autumn!

<3 Lishie

A star pie :)

Fiddlestix! ~ Carrot & Apple ~ A Copycat Recipe

This is a copycat recipe I've made for my son Gabriel. He loves an organic snack item called "Fiddlesticks" from Plum Organics/Plum Tots Line, in particular the Apple~Carrot flavor & it's not so easy to get for us. We actually have to go one city over to purchase them so we'll get a few boxes at a time. I thought it would be really convenient if I could make them, right? Well, peeking at the ingredients, I could never really fully duplicate the snack crackers but I gave it a whirl & I think I did pret-ty well! I used freshly, grated fine carrots, apple sauce & a special flour to do the trick, along with the cracker baking method. The end product is very similar, tasty & very healthy, especially for little tots. Here's what I did:

Fiddlestix ~ Carrot & Apple flavor

• 1 stick Butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup Chick Pea Flour*
• 3/4 cup AP Flour (I used unbleached but bleached is fine)
• 1 TBSp Sugar
• 1/4 tsp Kosher Salt
• 1/4 cup carrot, finely grated 
• 2 TBSp Apple Sauce, unsweetened

Mix butter until creamy. Add the two flours, sugar, salt, carrot & apple sauce until combined. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface & roll into a log. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap & refrigerate for at least an hour.

When you are ready to take the chilled dough out of the refrigerator, pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Roll pieces of dough between your hands to create 3 inch x 1/2 inch long "sticks". Place the sticks on a parchment-lined baking sheet & bake for 20-25 minutes, until the crackers are lightly browned.


Yields 2 Dozen+ Cracker Sticks! (Mine made 27)

*Lishie tip~ If you cannot find Chick Pea Flour, do as I did... Get a small bag of dried chick peas. Place them in the food processor & grind them until they are a fine powder... like the consistency of flour.

Think about making one of these Smoothies to go with the crackers.

Nutritious,

portable 

&

FUN!!!

Apple Oatmeal Cookies

It's another friend's birthday at work & she loves cookies. I mean she eats them almost every day. But, she does not eat chocolate, dark, milk, or white, nor does she eat raisins. That pretty much left me with plain, bo-ring oatmeal cookies. But I wanted something a little more special. These are more cake texture than cookie & have fresh fruit in them. I always recommend these around apple picking season (early Fall) because these are another alternative to the pies, tarts & cakes. And they are also very kid-friendly, mom approved. Well, at least, by this mom!

I really hope Kimberly enjoys these! Happy birthday, Kim!!!

Mrs Fields Apple Oatmeal Cookies Recipe

Slightly adapted from Mrs. Field's Cookie Book (I omitted the raisins).

• 2 1/2 cups AP Flour
• 1 cup Quick oats (not instant)
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Soda
• 1 tsp Cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp Cloves
• 2 tsp Grated lemon zest
• 1 cup Dark brown sugar, packed
• 3/4 cup Butter
• 1 large Egg
• 1/2 cup Unsweetened Applesauce
• 1/2 cup Honey
• 1 cup Fresh Apple, peeled and Finely chopped (1 med apple) *I used a Royal Gala
• *Extra Quick oats (For Topping) *Optional

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

In a medium bowl combine the flour, oats, salt, soda, cinnamon, cloves and lemon zest. Mix well and set aside.

Cream the sugar and butter together in a large bowl using an electric mixer. Add the egg, applesauce and honey and beat at medium speed until smooth. Add the flour mixture, fresh apple and raisins, and blend at low speed until just combined. The dough will be quite soft.

Drop by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased baking sheets, 1 1/2 inches apart. If you wish, sprinkle the cookies with oats.

Bake the cookies for 23-25 minutes or until the bottoms are golden.