Caramel Apple Turnovers

 Good Day Friends!

WHOA!  Long time, eh?  I can't believe it is summer and the heat has already set in big time!  Summer fun has begun and we are already complaining about the humidity!  Dang midwesterners!

By they way, below you will find a link to the YouTube video that goes with this recipe.  Please consider subscribing and clicking the bell icon so you are notified each time I upload!  Thanks SO  much!

Of all things that I could make for you, I picked something not very "summery".  These may remind you more of fall but in our house, they are served with ice cream and I just can't do ice cream except for summer.  Is that weird?  I mean, I think it might be, but it is seriously the truth.  To be completely honest, ice cream isn't really my "thing".  I like it, but could definitely live without it too!

Here is what you will need for this recipe.  It will make 4 "turnovers that aren't turned over at all!

• 1 roll big flaky crescent rolls (refrigerated)
• 2 apples
• 2-3 caramels per turnover
• Cinnamon

Preheat oven to temperature recommended on the roll of crescents.  You will also use the recommended time to back these.

Chop apples into small pieces like I did.  If you prefer just slices of apple you can do that as well, it may make sealing them easier for you.  When you are done roll out 4 of your crescent rolls and run a rolling pin over them a couple of times for maximum surface!!!  Add your apples, sprinkle cinnamon, and if you aren't using a sweet apple, sprinkle in a little brown sugar as well.  Nestle in 2 or 3 caramels, take another crescent roll and lay it on top and seal the edges with a fork.  Place onto a parchment lines cookie sheet or sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.  Just before popping them in the oven, spray with nonstick cooking spray on top, or brush with an egg wash (egg whisked with water) or melted butter.  

Place into oven for 15 minutes and smeeeellllllll-ellllll-ellllll what you been cookin'!!!  If you know, you know.........

I hope you give this a try and that you love it as much as we do!  Don't limit what you eat according to seasons, make what you like, when you like!  Need to go check my simmering bone broth.  It is only like 95 degrees, what is the big deal?

Your Chefwannabe, 

Apple Cake

How are my easties?  Still under tons of snow?  We might as well have had 3 feet, it has been so blah, cloudy, flurrying, might as well be snow on the ground since it is going to be so gloomy anyway kind of weather.  But ALAS...........  I have brought you CAKE!  Cake makes everything better!

As many of you know, I am not a huge fan of the fruit, all fruit.  Apples are one fruit, I can take.  This recipe came from simply, apples being on sale.   Sometimes that is how recipes happen, I find a good deal, and then I WORK it out!  I don't like fake flavors, and I don't like eating an apple cake that appears to have NO apples at all, whatsoever, in the cake.  This cake should rectify that for anyone who is like me.  I used a cake mix, but if you have a fantastic yellow cake recipe you want to whip up and work into this, get on with your bad self, I was in a cake mix state of mind.

It doesn't matter what kind of apples you use, just use apples.  I know I am supposed to have some technical jargon on why you use this apple for this and that apple for that, but the truth is, I don't care enough to figure that out.  Remember my feelings for the fruit?  The frosting is SAAAAWEET, and the cake is pure bliss.  I doubt the kind of apples you use is going to make the kind of difference some people are looking for in their life.  Sometimes you just have to accept the WHOLE apple.........no matter its background and just be one, with the apple.

Yellow Cake Mix
Apple Juice
1 T. Cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 med applies, peeled and cut into whatever size you prefer

Frosting:
4 oz. of cream cheese
2 T. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup brown sugar
Milk (if needed, my ingredients were VERY soft and I didn't need it)
1 cup chopped nuts of your choice to sprinkle on top (Optional)

Preheat your oven to the temperature recommended on your cake mix, likely 350 degrees F.  Follow directions to mix up the cake mix, EXCEPT use apple juice in place of the water.  Add in cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla, and mix until combined.

 

Dump in your chopped apples, any apples will do, and mix with a spoon.

Pour into greased 9x13 pan (preferably an old horrible looking one from your childhood that brings you joy) and bake for the recommended amount of time.  If you are not sure if  it is done, stick a toothpick or piece of uncooked spaghetti in the middle, if it comes out clean with no wet batter on it, you are in business.  With the addition of the apples/moisture it may take a couple of minutes longer, so don't be surprised if that happens.

Let cool...........

In your stand mixer or in a mixing bowl, add in all frosting ingredients.  Using the whisk attachment let beat for 3 minutes.  If you are using a stand mixer, mix the same amount of time.  When the cake is cooled, frost it up and dig in!  Enjoy the chunks of apples, the spicy cinnamon and the sweet brown sugar!

Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Let's talk muffins.  I love them.  Do you?  But you know one thing I Dis-like about them?  I don't like when they have fake flavoring in them.  Fake blueberry, or strawberry or apple, fake anything for that matter.  That being said, I think you will find these muffins to be the most fresh tasting muffins you have had in a long time.  A combination of fresh apples, added two ways, and some cinnamon, make these simple, a little sweet, and a lot delicious!

I had been over at my sisters house to pick up a few things she had left for me and along with it was a bag of apples.  Not sure if they were from her yard or someone elses but, SCORE, fresh apples are always a good thing!  I kind of love to play with muffin flavors and since I it had been awhile since I had done so, I knew the first apple recipe on the list was going to be muffins.  Now, I will admit, when you get to mixing fruit flavor, to a girl who isn't wild about fruit, it gets a little creepy for me.  So I decided to go with just a simple flavor, of ONE fruit, and complimentary flavors that were NOT fruit.  I am actually sitting here chuckling at myself.  Is it obvious I am not a fruit lover.  Just a few I will eat, odd, I know.

I think these would be perfect for any morning, they will freeze like a dream, and I think you should make a double batch because of the obvious reasons.  Obviously I think Thanksgiving morning would be the perfect time to try them out since they can be made ahead and just yanked from the freezer the night before.  Nobody will know you weren't up all night slaving away for their holiday enjoyment.

Make sure to follow the apple directions, it makes the flavor more intense, makes the muffins SO moist and face it, it makes the dang muffin what it is! HA!

You will need:

3 medium apples (directions below)
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup veg oil
1/2 cup white granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup instant oats

A little more brown sugar to sprinkle on top before baking!  

Preheat your oven to 375.  In a bowl combine your flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Whisk to combine and set aside.  In another bowl or your mixer bowl, combine your oil, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla and cinnamon.  Whisk to completely combine.  Add in flour mixture, and quick oats and mix until JUST combined.

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Now for the APPLES.  Peel your apples, and use 2 of them to dice into about 1/2 inch pieces.  Use your third peeled apple to GRATE into the batter.  This will create a flavor and level of moistness you won't want to miss out on!

Scoop into muffin liners.  I also spray the top of my muffin tins with nonstick spray the muffin tops dono't stick!   Fill them a bit fuller than cupcakes so you get that classic "muffin top".  Trust me it is better on muffins than me!  Sprinkle tops with brown sugar (or white). I got about 15 muffins.  Bake for 20-23 minutes.  Just do the toothpick test and make sure they are done.  They will carryover cook a bit out of the oven as well.

Now get ready to NOM NOM NOM on these babies!

ENJOY!

PS.  I realize these muffins look like "nothing special" but the fresh apple flavor just can't be beat, and I hope you give them a go for yourself!

Caramel Apple Dump Cake

Good evening my favorite people!  I hope this finds you all enjoying some nice fall weather and pretty colored trees!  It is definitely getting chilly here in the Midwest and I could NOT be happier if I am honest.  I am not a heat girl.  I like hot weather for a week or so, and then I am ready to not sweat and get dirty.  I prefer getting my dirty on in the.........KITCHEN.

So this cake, which may be familiar to some of you, was not, to me.  My friend "Coop", who btw, is an amazing singer.  If you are in Ohio, and you haven't driven to hear her sing at any number of Opry Houses or the like, you should.  Ask her to sing you some Patsy Cline.  You can check her out on Facebook!

You won't find a harder working, honest, mother, wife, grandmom or woman around.  She has been a friend for years, though we have never met in person we "met" on a step-parenting website probably 12 or 13 years ago!  Anyway, she had posted that her and her son, Chad were making this cake one evening.  She had me at "caramel apple".  I mean seriously, nothing can be bad if it contains those 2 ingredients.  I made her send me the recipe, and have made it twice...BUT, so have my kids, so, I don't feel so bad.

This is definitely a shortcut cake.  It uses apple pie filling and a box cake mix.  No judgement, just listen to me this time and do it.  I need to make it again, (haha, right) and dump a spoonful on top of some ice cream.  Oh yeah!  Now I was directed to dot the butter on top, but I found melting it and drizzling it on worked better for me AND, I used more than I was supposed to.  You are going to FREAK when you see the amount of butter I used but I only did it, after my son said he did it and I felt like I had to try it because, well, I mean, he can't make it better than me.  NOT going to happen.  Read me?  So freak out, if you want, you can even leave me freak out comment on my social media, I won't care because I know the joy this baby brings to her family and how good a spoonful is when you wake up in the middle of the night hungry.  I mean, IF that happens to you.  Again no judging.  HA!

Heeeere we go!

2 cans of apple pie filling
1 jar of caramel ice cream topping (I used more of this as well so about 1 cup)
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 yellow cake mix
2 sticks or 1/2 cup butter, melted

Preheat your oven to 350.  I sprayed my 9x13 pan with some nonstick cooking spray.  Dump in both cans of apple pie filling and if you are like me the entire jar of caramel sauce and cinnamon.  Mix it right in the cake pan.  Now sprinkle the yellow cake mix over the top and then carefully drizzle the butter on top of that, covering every bit of it you can.  The original called for 1 and 1/2 sticks of butter and to dot it on top.  I found melting it, just made it better for me.  Now bake for 55-60 minutes, I went a full 60 because The Real Housewives was on and I wasn't missing the last 5 minutes to grab the cake.  Priorities people.  The caramel will bubble up through the top in some places and it will be hotter than the sun, so please let it sit a good 15 minutes before you even consider how good it might be warm. 

I am not responsible for the burning off of tongue or mouth skin if you don't follow my directions.

ENJOY!

Cran Apple Compote

I hate to do this to you.  You know, give you a recipe for something that doesn't look like placenta in a can.  (Canned cranberry jelly).  Wait.  Was that inappropriate?  Sorry, but, you know me.  That stuff wiggles and jiggles and weirds me out in general.  I love when is sucks out and stays in the exact same shape as the can with the imprints on it.  GUH-ROSS!  Oh if you do use that stuff in a can, do you put it on a nice little platter and slice it?  My mom used to do that!! (sorry Ma)

So with all that being said, I am admittedly not a cranberry fan in general.  There are exceptions to most rules, but, just in general, yeah, no thanks.  I wanted to come up with an alternative to cranberry jelly or gelatinous stuff.  This has a thick little syrup, it is easier than ever to make, and people will think you are a genius.  I can definitely see this on my Thanksgiving table, and I hope you put it on yours as well!

The apples are your choice, I used, OMG, I can't remember what kind I used.  You guys, I am dead serious. (laughing so hard).  But use what you want.  Don't fret over it, we will be adding a bit of sugar, and all will be well. 

You will need:
5 ounces dried cranberries
1/2 cup water (divided)
1 tbsp. sugar
pinch of salt
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
2 med apples, peeled and chopped into pieces of your preference
1/4 cup chopped pecans

In a saucepan combine cranberries, water, sugar and salt.  Bring it to a boil, stirring often, and turn off the heat, but leave the pot on the burner.  Let sit for 10 minutes.  Stir in cinnamon, nutmeg, apples and 1/4 cup more water, bring back to a boil, stirring occasionally for about 15 minutes.  When the apples have softened a bit, and the syrup has thickened, it is done!  Make sure to sprinkle some extra pecan on top when you serve!

I hope you "not so into cranberry sauce" people like me will enjoy this.  I am not so into fruit period, but like a good foodie, I tried my own dish and it was amazing but, can I be honest and tell you what I did with the leftovers? Baby food........I processed it and froze it so my littles can enjoy it too!  I can't keep it till Thanksgiving!!!

ENJOY!  (sorry about the placenta comment, but not sorry enough to remove it and then mention it again here)

Heavenly Caramel Apple Cake

Good evening my friends!  I have missed this place!  I have been so busy, as you all know.  I am back and wanting to share a recipe that was quite a happy accident!

My daughter in law had stopped over and sweetly announced she was "hungry for something sweet".  "Let's bake something"!    I told her I wasn't up for anything major, but I agreed.  She said, "you have apples, and angel food cake mix".  I gave her the deer in headlights look, mostly to say, "OK. go for it,  make something amazing".   So this was her idea, I just brought it to life and it turned out really good.  You don't get the texture of angel food cake, but you get the flavor.  The apples will settle at the bottom and then you have the caramel on top, oh YES!  I was clearly unsure how this would turn out.  I figured the worst case scenario is we could sit on the sofa, digging it out of the pan while watching Little House On The Prairie.  Good times....

If you want to use a homemade angel food cake recipe, go for it.  I, however, wasn't going to all that work when I was changing the texture anyway.  If I were serving a true angel food cake, I would have.  OK, let me be honest, I PROBABLY would have!

Enjoy my daughter in law's cake, and make it for someone you love!

You will need:
1- Angel Food Cake Mix
50 Kraft Caramels
1 cup milk
3 apples, peeled and diced FINE

In a small saucepan, place unwrapped caramels and milk.  Heat on low, stirring constantly until caramels have melted and mixture has become smooth.  Remove from heat and let stand until cooled. 

In a large bowl follow angel food cake instructions.  When it is a fluffy and combined, fold in finely diced apples and  HALF of the COOLED caramel sauce.  Pour mixture into an angel food cake pan, sprayed with nonstick cooking spray (well).  Place into a preheated 325 oven for 35-45 minutes.  Use the toothpick test to check when it is done!  Let stand 5 minutes and carefully run a knife around the edges, inside and out.  Turn out onto a plate for serving.  Let cool 20 minutes.  Pour over the rest of the caramel sauce and serve!  If the caramel cools to much and won't drizzle, just heat it back up for a minute until it is pourable again.  (I doubt this will happen but just in case)

ENJOY!

Salted Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls Smackdown!

So, one of my readers, Jenn, challenged me to some kinda of smack down.  Here is how it started...

Jenn made my Not Your Mom's Cinnamon Rolls, and loved them but was looking for a substitute for the milk for her child's health issues.  I suggested apple juice.   Hmm, now THAT put an idea in my head and I told her about it.  She said she was considering playing around with that idea as well and we both decided to make our own version!  I am going to share her recipe at the bottom and I already see something I am going to incorporate into MY recipe!  Thanks Jenn, it was fun!!

I have to make hers and she is going to make mine, we will get to that at some point!  As it turns out, we both did nearly the same thing without knowing it!  My husband thought of my twist, so let me thank him for that, because I know he is reading and after all, it was HIS idea! 

These are to die for.  No, I know I say that a lot, I mean DUH, what I am a supposed to say?  My food blows?!  HA!

You will be following my recipe for the above mentioned cinnamon rolls, and we are going to add a twist.  Are you ready?  I am!

For the Cinnamon Roll Dough you will need:
1 pkg dry active yeast
1 tsp sugar
1/4 cup water at 110-115 degrees
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
1/2 tsp salt
5 tbsp melted butter
1 tsp ground cinnamon
4-4 1/2 cups flour

In a measuring cup place hot water and 1 tsp sugar.  Put a thermometer in it and if it is to hot, wait for it to cool to 110-115 degrees.  I know some people say they always kill the yeast so better to have it to hot and have to wait for it to cool a bit.  I do it like this and just wait for it to get to the temp I want!  When it gets to the correct temperature add in your packet of yeast, give it a tiny stir and remove thermometer.  Let sit 3-4 minutes.  It should get foamy on the top!

 

Now in a bowl or stand mixer  (using your dough hook) add in the egg, milk, melted butter, sugar and salt.  Mix until combined.  Now add in the yeast mixture, flour, cinnamon, and vanilla.  I might have slipped and added extra vanilla too!  I always do, you know that! HA!

 

Now once you get it all combined, by hand or machine, either knead it for 3-4 minutes until smooth, or let it go in the stand mixer the same amount of time, or until smooth. 

 

Turn the dough out into a buttered, or sprayed with non stick cooking spray, or oiled bowl.  Cover tightly with plastic wrap and sit in a warm, draft free place.  Sometimes I turn the oven on to preheat for baking and set the bowl on the stove top.  This could take an hour, or it could take 3 hours.  The warmer the area, the faster it will happen.  It should about double in size!

 

When it is doubled in size, take it out of the bowl unto a floured surface.  Roll the dough out into a rectangle shape.  It should be about...hmmm.....14-16 by about 10-12.  Never thought about it, just always did it!  What comes next is the filling and here is what you will need for that....

 

For the Caramel Apple Filling you will need:

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup VERY soft butter (can melt and use a pastry brush as well)

2 tbsp ground cinnamon

1 can apple pie filling (drain a little bit of the loose liquid off and leave chunks of apple in tact, you want this to have been refrigerated and cold)

 

Spread the butter over the dough, make sure to get it covered everywhere!  Sprinkle brown sugar evenly, then spread the apple pie filling on top, and then the cinnamon. 

 

Get your oven preheated to 350 degrees.

 

Starting at the bottom start rolling the dough, go from the bottom and work your way across so it is eventually all rolled up.  When you get to the end, pinch the seam together.  Now you could get up to about 14-16 out of this, but I get 12.  I like tall, substantial rolls.  So using a serrated knife, gently cut it in half and then go from there.  However many you want out of the roll, make it happen!  If you cut them thinner and get 14-16, make sure to take 5 minutes or so off of your bake time!

 

When they are cut, put them into a generously buttered 9x13 pan.  I fit 12 perfectly.  Get them situated and then cover them with a clean dish towel and let raise again, for approximately  1 hr.  If you have your oven on, and use my trick, it won't take that long. 

 

Bake for 30 minutes.  Remove them from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes.

For the Topping you will need:
1 cup caramel topping
1 recipe of cream cheese icing (can be found in above mentioned cinnamon roll recipe)
Course salt

After rolls have cooled, ice with cream cheese frosting.  Drizzle liberally with caramel topping and give each roll a tiny sprinking of salt on top!  Serve and lose yourself in the decadence!!

Your "my cinnamon roll life will never be the same" Chefwannabe

 

 

Here is Jenn's version!  I love the idea of cooking your own apples, WHICH I considered, but I was concerned they might not soften enough, I don't know, obviously they will when you cook them and then bake them and they are in small chunks.  So maybe I was lazy.  So what?!? ;)

 

These looks DIVINE and I am so glad you were able to change this up to meet dietary needs of you and your son!!  Thanks for inviting me to come up with this recipe with you!!

 

Caramel Praline Apple Sweet Rolls

 

 

Dough:

1 Tbsp yeast

1 cup warmed apple juice (I used Martinellie’s unfiltered apple juice)

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 egg plus 2 egg yolks

½ tsp salt

½ cup butter, melted

4 – 4 ½ cups flour

In a microwave safe bowl, warm apple juice to 110⁰. Mix sugar into warmed juice, then add yeast and mix gently. Set juice/ yeast mix aside.

In a large mixing bowl, mix 3 ½ cups flour, salt, eggs, vanilla and melted butter. Once the juice/yeast mix starts to get all foamy on top, add to flour mixture. Stir around until well incorporated. Add more flour, ½ cup at a time until a nice dough forms and starts to clean the sides. Turn out on to a smooth floured surface. Add in flour as need to make the dough not sticky, but don’t add more than needed. Knead dough until it becomes smooth and springy. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and let rise for 1 ½ to 2 hours or until doubled in size.

While dough is rising, make the apple filling.

Filling:

5 medium granny smith apples, peeled and rough chopped

6 Tablespoons butter

1 cup granulated sugar

1 ½ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg

Good squeeze fresh lemon juice

2-4 Tbs softened butter

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

Place first 6 filling ingredients into a medium saucepan. Cook on medium high, stirring occasionally. Bring to a boil for 2 minutes, and then reduce heat to medium low. Cook for 20 minutes, or until apples are tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Drain apples, reserving the liquid. Let apples come to room temperature.

Once dough has doubled, dump on to lightly floured smooth surface and roll to approximately 12” X 16” rectangle. The dough should be about 1/2” thick. Gently spread with softened butter. Sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon, then evenly spread the cooked apples. Carefully and tightly roll the long part of the dough and pinch the edges closed. Here I kind of smash and smush the dough log around to even it out and make sure it is the same length and thickness all along the roll, you want a nice even log. Then divide the log into the number of rolls you want. I cut 12 rolls, but I made them nice and thick. You could probably get 16+ with smaller rolls. Place all the cut rolls into the pan so the cinnamon/apple mixture is facing upwards. Cover and set aside while preparing the praline sauce.

Praline Sauce:

1 cup reserved apple liquid

1 cup brown sugar

¾ cup butter

1/3 cup heavy cream (I used all natural vanilla coffee creamer)

2 tsp vanilla

Bring first 4 ingredients to a boil, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Remove from heat and add vanilla. (It may splatter) Pour over resting rolls in pan. Recover pan and let rise for 1 hour. Place in preheated 350⁰ oven and cook for 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned.

When rolls are removed from oven to cool, start making the frosting.

Frosting:

4 oz. cream cheese, room temp

2 Tbs butter, room temp

1 tsp vanilla

1 ½ cup powdered sugar

½ cup VERY good vanilla ice cream

Beat cream cheese and butter on medium until smooth and creamy. Add in remaining ingredients and mix until smooth. Once cinnamon rolls have cooled to warm, spread or pipe frosting evenly over them and serve.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cheese & Apple Cups

Happy Monday friends!  This blog post is SO special to me and especially to my husband.

I had told all of you on my Facebook page about my late mother-in-law's recipes.  She used to love to cook and bake for her family and she wrote down all of her recipes.  Those recipes have gone, somewhere, somehow and we have never had any, not a single recipe of hers, especially nothing written down.  I have spent so much time trying to perfect recipes she used to make for my husband, just to see if I could and make him smile.  I got the coleslaw down and the Blueberry Duff, so far, that is it!   We were going through some boxes over Easter.  My husband was looking for something in particular and the first box he opened,  resulted in "OMGOSH CHRIS COME HERE"!!  He opened the box and sitting as crisp and unwrinkled, looking like they were purposely placed there, were 3 pieces of paper.  Three handwritten recipes of his moms!  One of them has a little budget written on one side, a shopping list on another.  It was SO fun to see what she was shopping for back in the day, and I could learn some of her fashion taste, and how she loved her home to be decorated and what she was buying my husband for school clothes.  How do you measure the preciousness of finding something like this?!?!  To learn more about the woman who sadly passed away a year before Geo and I met!  Priceless, absolutely priceless.

I will remind you, we both, to our core, KNOW we never have had these in our possession.  My husband and his mother were VERY close, we would have known if we had these.  You can come to your own conclusion, I have certainly come to mine. 

The recipes written were difficult to put together.  There were actually 4 recipes but we figured out that 2 of them went together and that is what you are getting today.  This is a dessert/snack/appetizer unlike anything I have ever made, tasted or seen.  It is so unique in its flavor and texture.  I think if you are looking for something unusual and delicious, you better get on this one right away!  It isn't overly sweet, or overly savory.  It is a bit of an equal partnership of both!  A very old school recipe as my husband put it.  I was nervous about the combination of flavors, but indeed it works pretty darn well. 

You WILL have leftover filling.  I thought about cutting it down, but decided I was honoring Donna by posting it exactly as she had written it.  Trust me when I tell you the leftovers will make a great little apple crisp OR ice cream topping!

Let me get to what she simply had labeled as "Cheese & Apple Cups".

Thank you Donna........*wink wink*

Let's get started! (all ingredients will be in RED)

5-6 apples, peeled and chopped
1 1/2 cups pineapple juice or use a can of chunks, tidbits, or slices and food process
3 tbps cornstarch
3/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp butter
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla

In a medium pot, add pineapple juice, cornstarch and sugar.  Whisk until completely combined.  It must not be heated, has to be cold, or the cornstarch will lump.  Next stir in apples and butter, and turn on the heat.  Stirring this OFTEN let it come to a boil and boil it for 2 minutes.  It will begin to thicken.  When 2 minutes has passed, turn off the heat and add in vanilla and salt, stir and set aside. 

1 med/lg bag of Cheese Puffs (any brand or shape will do)

Prepare Cheese Puff crumbs.  In a food processor or in a large ziploc, make cheese puffs into dust.  You will need about 2 1/4 cups of cheesy puffy dust!  Put into a bowl and set aside.

1/2 cup of butter

Melt in a bowl and set aside as well.

Refrigerator Biscuits.  (12)

In my store these come 10 to a package, just the cheapest, plain old biscuits is what you need here!!  I obviously had to use 2 cans, and just baked the rest off for dinner or you could make these ALL since you will have leftover filling.

1/3 sugar
1 tsp Cinnamon

Combine in a small bowl for topping

Preheat your oven to 375 F.  Get out your muffin pan, place your cheesy crumbs and melted butter bowls near you.  Take out your biscuits...  Now take 1 biscuit,  and flatten it, now, dip it in the melted butter, then dip it in the crumbs, flip it and dip the other side in crumbs and then place it in the muffin pan, press bottom down and press the sides until they come up to the top.  Repeat this with as many biscuits you want to use but at least 12.  ( I would guess you could get another 8-12 out of the filling you have left)  Now fill each cup up with your apple filling!  When you are done, sprinkle some cheesy dust on top, then sprinkle on some cinnamon sugar.  Do this to each cup and then bake for 20 minutes.

Let cool 15 minutes, you may need to run a knife around the edges before lifting them out.  Best we can tell they are delicious warm OR cold!! 

Enjoy this special treat, that was such a surprise blessing!!

Your "love from Heaven" Chefwannabe

Sour Cream Apple Pie Deluxe!

This blog is special to me, because the woman who I got this recipe from, is special to me.   You know, you always hear skeptical people who aren't familiar with the Internet say things like, "You can't trust anyone you meet", or other equally as ridiculous statements.  I understand the fear of something you don't know, but I have time and time again learned, this could not be more untrue. 

Shortly after I started "FoodThoughtsOfaChefWannabe", I met M.j.  She was kind, she was helpful, and immediately, I knew she was a great woman.  I have always had a good nose for good people.  (so to speak).  We had a few long email conversations, about life, about family and about food.   She always has golden words of wisdom, and she is the most positive person I have ever "met".  Yes, I don't care that we have never met each other face to face, we have "met" on a far more important level than being in the same room. I would guess we HAVE actually chatted over coffee a time or two, emailing back and forth with a hot cuppa joe beside our keyboards!  Although one day I know, we WILL get to meet face to face!  She has been adopted as my "foodie mom". 

M.j is the author of the blog, I Like To Bake and Cook.  In her "about" section you will be greeted with this  "Hello!  I am a modern Grammy who likes to bake and cook for everyone"  I love it!  She is so endearing with her stories of her family.  She says she never learned to cook from anyone in particular, and she didn't really teach her children to cook.  She does get regular phone calls on how to prepare certain dishes, and her son is working hard on mastering her braciole!  Both of her children spend time in the kitchen, one cooking and one who prefers baking!  I think it is so awesome how our children are influenced as adults by what they saw us prepare, or what we fed them as children!   M,j.'s family does have one dish they can't be without at Thanksgiving, it is Cappalletti's!  She has made 1200 at once, but is going to need to gather some strength and manpower to beat her own mothers record of 2000!  Speaking of which, M.j, is a devoted daughter who spends as much time as possible with her mother.  She has told me stories and shared her visits, and I love hearing of their lives and their relationship.  She also has 5 grandchildren she can't get enough of.  They have all helped her cook in her kitchen and enjoy her food.  Nothing compares to good food, made with experienced hands and a loving heart!  You will read about all of these important people including her beloved, Mr. Vitelli, who is the love of her life!

Recently, M.j,with the help of her grandchildren, realized her dream of writing a cookbook! She so generously sent the cookbook before I could purchase it and I immediately started deciding what to cook first! You won't believe how amazing these recipes all sound! It warmed me from the inside out to read recipes, I knew had been handed down, nourished families, and were eaten together at the dinner table over conversations about life, school, boys, girls, etc. When I got to the Sour Cream Apple Pie Deluxe recipe, I knew it was THE ONE I had to make!

If you are interested in purchasing one of M.j.'s cookbooks, you can click on here.  She is running a Christmas special!  Get yours now!  At the very least join her over at her blog and/or on Facebook.

This recipe is originally made on a cookie sheet, however I did it in a deep dish pie pan.  I used my own homemade dough recipe but feel free to purchase it already made.  This is almost like a cheesecake.  It is creamy, with sweet bites of apple, and a crumb topping you will keep picking at until there is none left on the pie.  Wait.  I said that almost as if it happened to me.  Ok, it COULD have happened to me, but I mustered some self control.  In fact, I think I spent all the self control I had been saving up! 

Sour Cream Apple Pie Deluxe

(minor adjustments made since I did it in a pie pan)

Pie Crust (homemade or bought, just one crust)

Filling:

3/4 cup sugar

2 T flour

1/8 tsp salt

1 pint (2 cups) sour cream

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups apples, peeled and finely chopped

1 well beaten egg

 

Crumb Topping (don't put it on the pie until it says so)

2/3 cup flour

2/3 cup sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup butter softened

Combine ingredients (can use a pastry cutter or fork and set aside)
 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray pie pan with cooking spray. I always do as a precaution. Lay pie crust into the plate as you would any other pie. Fold excess under at the top edge. Mix all other ingredients together. Pour into pie shell and bake for 15 minutes, then lower the temperature to 350 and bake 30 minutes longer. Remove from oven and top with crumb topping and bake at 350 another 15 minutes. Upon taking it out of the oven, put immediately into the refrigerator until cold!

This pie is an official Simmerman staple now.  I hope you try it, and I hope you love it as much as we did!  Make sure to get your cookbook for more where it came from!

Your "blessed with special friends" chefwannabe