Showing posts with label Fall. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fall. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 26, 2018

Grandma's Apple Butter / #appleweek

I have enjoyed Apple Butter several times, but this is the first time that I have made it myself. I love it! It is so much better than the jars I have picked up at the grocery, and it is even better than the time I bought some at an apple festival! It is a sweet, flavorful mix of apples, cider, sugar and spices. No butter is involved, but you can spread it like butter on anything and everything!
This is not a quick recipe, and if you make it like I did, pressing the apples with a sieve, you need a little muscle. A food mill would work much better. But, either way, it is worth your time and energy! I only made enough for one canning jar, and it was gone within the week!
Grandma's Apple Butter
(printable recipe at end of page)
(makes 1 jar)

3 pounds of Apples
1 quart Water
1/2 quart Sweet Cider
1 1/2 cups Sugar
1 teaspoon Spice House Apple Pie Spice


Wash the apples and cut them off the core.
Chop the apples into small pieces. Place in a large saucepan, cover with water, and boil until soft. It takes about 30 minutes.
Once the apples are soft, place a small amount at a time into a sieve and press down on the soft apples, pushing them through the holes and into the bowl underneath. This helps the apples breakdown. You could also use a food mill.
Pour the quart of sweet cider into a medium pot, and boil down the cider to half.
Here is a quick tip for making sure you boil the cider to half volume and not more. Pour the cider into the pot, and mark where it is in the pot on the outside with a pen and a piece of paper. Then mark where you want it to end up, which is halfway down. When the cider gets to that point, you are done. This helps you remember to keep an eye on the cider, because it boils down fast, and it is easier to gauge.
Add the apple pulp, sugar and Spice House Apple Pie Spice to the pot. Mix in.
Cook until the apple butter becomes a spreadable consistency, stirring often. The amount on this spoon is at the beginning of the process. Stir often to prevent burning.
The continued cooking and stirring will make the apple butter thicker, like it looks on this spoon.
After cooking, the apple butter wll look like this. Pour into jars and let cool. This Apple Butter is perfect for canning, and would make a great hostess or teacher gift!  

Tip-I should have peeled the apples, but forgot until after I had cut them. So I went ahead and left them on. Some of the peels came off as the apples cooked, and some of the peels came off as the apples went through the sieve. The peels would not go through. 


Thank you for joining me today for another fun #appleweek recipe. I hope you will enjoy making and eating Grandma's Apple Butter!


Don't miss our #appleweek drawing. There are some amazing giveaways, and I hope you win one of the great prizes! Click here!


Don't forget about my blogging friends and all their tasty recipes they are posting today! You don't want to miss them!


Thursday Recipes:


apples, appleweek, apple butter, spreads, treats
treats, breakfast, snack, after school treat,
Pin it

Grandma's Apple Butter

ingredients:

3 pounds of Apples
1 quart Water
1/2 quart Sweet Cider
1 1/2 cups Sugar
1 teaspoon Spice House Apple Pie Spice

instructions:


  1. Wash the apples and cut them off the core.
  2. Chop the apples into small pieces. Place in a large saucepan, cover with water, and boil until soft. It takes about 30 minutes.
  3. Once the apples are soft, place a small amount at a time into a sieve and press down on the soft apples, pushing them through the holes and into the bowl underneath. This helps the apples breakdown. You could also use a food mill.
  4. Pour the quart of sweet cider into a medium pot, and boil down the cider to half.
  5. Here is a quick tip for making sure you boil the cider to half volume and not more. Pour the cider into the pot, and mark where it is in the pot on the outside with a pen and a piece of paper. Then mark where you want it to end up, which is halfway down. When the cider gets to that point, you are done. This helps you remember to keep an eye on the cider, because it boils down fast, and it is easier to gauge.
  6. Add the apple pulp, sugar and Spice House Apple Pie Spice to the pot. Mix in.
  7. Cook until the apple butter becomes a spreadable consistency, stirring often. The amount on this spoon is at the beginning of the process. Stir often to prevent burning.
  8. The continued cooking and stirring will make the apple butter thicker, like it looks on this spoon.
  9. After cooking, the apple butter wll look like this. Pour into jars and let cool. This Apple Butter is perfect for canning, and would make a great hostess or teacher gift! 
Created using The Recipes Generator

Tuesday, September 25, 2018

Cinnamon Apple Fritters / #appleweek


This post is sponsored in conjunction with AppleWeek .
I received product samples from sponsor companies to aid in the
creation of the AppleWeek recipes. All opinions are mine alone.

I have loved Cinnamon Apple Fritters since I was a little girl. But, I haven't had them since .....well, I can't even remember the last time! So when when it was time to decide on apple recipes for #appleweek, Cinnamon Apple Fritters were a definite YES! The fritters are full of all the yummy fall flavors, and made me wonder why I waited so long to have them again. I know you will love this recipe too! It is full of flavor, and the fritters, served either hot or cold, are amazing and known to be addicting!
Cinnamon Apple Fritters
(printable recipe at end of page)
(makes enough for 4 -5 people)

2 large Apples-peeled

2 tablespoons Sugar
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Allspice
Pinch of Salt
1 1/4 cup Flour
1 cup Beer
Vegetable Oil
1/2 cup Caramel Bits
1-2 teaspoons Heavy Duty Whipping Cream
Chocolate Shavings



Start by chopping your peeled apples. You'll need small pieces as shown. For how to cut a small, fairly consistent size, read here.


Place the apple pieces in a large bowl. Add the sugars, cinnamon, allspice, and salt. Mix together until all the apple pieces are coated.
Whisk together the flour and the beer. Let it set up for 15 minutes.

Add the apples to the batter.
I used my Swiss Diamond frying pan to fry the fritters and heated the oil to 350 degrees. Using a cookie scoop, place the fritter batter into the fryer. Turn them over as needed to fry evenly. When done, remove from oil and let rest on a paper towel. 
While the fritters were frying, melt the caramel bits on low heat. Make it sauce by heating the heavy duty whipping cream and then adding it, a little at a time, until the caramel is smooth and you are happy with it's consistency.
Serve with the caramel sauce and enjoy!


Thanks so much for stopping by today! We are smack in the middle of #appleweek, so don't forget to check out these apple recipes from some of my blogging friends! They look amazing!

Wednesday Recipes:


If you haven't done so already, don't forget about our #appleweek giveaway! So many great prizes!
You can check them out and enter here! You don't want to miss this!


cinnamon, apples, fritters
Yield: 4-5Pin it

Cinnamon Apple Fritters

ingredients:

2 large Apples-peeled
2 tablespoons Sugar
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Allspice
Pinch of Salt
1 1/4 cup Flour
1 cup Beer
Vegetable Oil
1/2 cup Caramel Bits
1-2 teaspoons Heavy Duty Whipping Cream
Chocolate Shavings

instructions:


  1. Start by chopping your peeled apples. You'll need small pieces as shown. For how to cut a small, fairly consistent size, read here.
  2. Place the apple pieces in a large bowl. Add the sugars, cinnamon, allspice, and salt. Mix together until all the apple pieces are coated.
  3. Whisk together the flour and the beer. Let it set up for 15 minutes.
  4. Add the apples to the batter.
  5. I used my Swiss Diamond frying pan to fry the fritters and heated the oil to 350 degrees. Using a cookie scoop, place the fritter batter into the fryer. Turn them over as needed to fry evenly. When done, remove from oil and let rest on a paper towel. 
  6. While the fritters were frying, melt the caramel bits on low heat. Make it sauce by heating the heavy duty whipping cream and then adding it, a little at a time, until the caramel is smooth and you are happy with it's consistency.
  7. Serve with the caramel sauce and enjoy!
Created using The Recipes Generator



Friday, November 11, 2016

3 Simple Ways to Decorate an Acorn Sugar Cookie

I mentioned in my post from last week, Apple Pie Bites For The Dessert Bar, that I was putting together a Dessert Bar for my Thanksgiving dinner guests. I thought it would be fun to add some simple sugar cookies to the Dessert Bar, and these Acorn Sugar Cookies couldn't get much easier. Even if you have never made decorated sugar cookies, these will be no problem for you! The only thing to remember when making these cookies is to allow enough time. It takes time for the dough to chill, time to decorate them and time for the icing to dry after they are decorated. So, if you are serving these cookies on Thursday, you might want to make them the weekend before. 

Acorn Sugar Cookies 
(Makes 5 dozen cookies)
(printable recipe at end of post)

Cookie Dough
5 cups Flour 
3 teaspoon Baking Powder
Pinch of Salt
2 cups Butter
2 cups Sugar
2 Eggs
2 teaspoons Almond Extract

Icing 
6 ounces of Warm Water 
5 tablespoons Meringue Powder
1 teaspoon Cream of Tartar
2.25 pounds of Confectioner's Sugar
Brown Decorating Color
1 cup Chopped Cashews
1 cup Chocolate Sprinkles
1 cup Chocolate Heath Pieces 


Mix together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar.....
until light and fluffy. Mix in the eggs and almond extract. 
Mix dry ingredients a little at a time to butter mixture. Mix until flour is incorporated and the dough comes together.
The dough needs to be chilled. On the Kitchen Gifts web site they recommend this great idea to help you start cutting out your cookies sooner than later. Take a spatula full of dough, and put it in the middle of a piece of parchment paper. Cover the dough with the same size parchment paper. Roll out the dough to 1/4" thickness.


Place the dough on a baking sheet, cover with plastic, and let it chill in the refrigerator. Repeat the process until all the dough is used, and all the sheets of parchment are in the fridge. By the time you are done, the first sheet you put in should be done. If not, wait about 1/2 hour. They should be done by then. Take out the first batch, cut out, and start baking at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. The best thing is that you are not adding any additional flour to your cookies. If covered properly with plastic, these can stay in the fridge overnight. Many times I have made the recipe before I go to bed. and then I cut them out and bake them in the morning.
Frosting:
I have been using this recipe for a little over a year,and I really like it. It makes up quick, and I have had lots of comments of how good it tastes. I found this recipe on the Cake Central website. I love this site. I can truly spend hours browsing the cookies that bakers have
posted. It's a great site!
In the mixing bowl from the mixer, pour in the warm water and the meringue powder. Mix it with a whisk until it is frothy and has thickened a bit, about 30 seconds.
Add the cream of tartar and whisk for another 30 seconds.
Pour all of the confectioners sugar in the bowl, and place the bowl on the mixer.
Use your paddle attachment on low speed, and mix for 10 minutes. I usually stop the mixer at least one time during the 10 minutes to push down the icing that gathers on the wall of the bowl. Your icing will get smooth, thick and creamy.
Place in a sealed container until you are ready to use.

Mix some of the icing with brown color until it is your desired color. Add water to the icing, a little bit at a time, until it is the consistency that will allow you to outline the cookie and fill in the acorn. A good way to gauge this is to pull a spoon through the icing and count to ten. During the ten seconds the icing should go back together where it was pulled apart.
Place the icing in a decorating bag using a Wilton #2 tip. Outline the acorn. Fill in the bottom half of the acorn. Fill in the top part of the acorn.
 
Decorate the tops of the acorn with brown sprinkles, chopped cashews, and chocolate Heath pieces. Let dry and enjoy!

I think these cookies are the perfect addition to my Thanksgiving Dessert Bar! I hope you agree! 


print recipe

Acorn Sugar Cookie

INGREDIENTS:

Cookie Batter
  • 5 cups Flour
  • 3 teaspoons Baking Powder
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2 cups Butter
  • 2 cups Sugar
  • 2 Eggs
  • 2 teaspoons Almond Extract
Icing
  • 6 ounces Warm Water
  • 5 tablespoon Meringue Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Cream of Tartar
  • 2.25 pounds Confectioner's Sugar
  • Brown Decorating Color
  • 1 cup chopped Cashews
  • 1 cup Chocolate Sprinkles
  • 1 cup Chocolate Heath Sprinkles

INSTRUCTIONS:

Cookies
  1. Mix together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the eggs and almond extract.
  2. Mix dry ingredients a little at a time to butter mixture. Mix until flour is incorporated and the dough comes together.
  3. The dough needs to be chilled. On the Kitchen Gifts web site they recommend this great idea to help you start cutting out your cookies sooner than later. Take a spatula full of dough, and put it in the middle of a piece of parchment paper. Cover the dough with the same size parchment paper. Roll out the dough to 1/4" thickness.
  4. Place the dough on a baking sheet, cover with plastic, and let it chill in the refrigerator. Repeat the process until all the dough is used, and all the sheets of parchment are in the fridge. By the time you are done, the first sheet you put in should be done. If not, wait about 1/2 hour. They should be done by then. Take out the first batch, cut out, and start baking at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. The best thing is that you are not adding any additional flour to your cookies. If covered properly with plastic, these can stay in the fridge overnight. Many times I have made the recipe before I go to bed. and then I cut them out and bake them in the morning.
Icing
  1. In the mixing bowl from the mixer, pour in the warm water and the meringue powder. Mix it with a whisk until it is frothy and has thickened a bit, about 30 seconds.
  2. Add the cream of tartar and whisk for another 30 seconds.
  3. Pour all of the confectioners sugar in the bowl, and place the bowl on the mixer.
  4. Use your paddle attachment on low speed, and mix for 10 minutes. I usually stop the mixer at least one time during the 10 minutes to push down the icing that gathers on the wall of the bowl. Your icing will get smooth, thick and creamy.
  5. Place in a sealed container until you are ready to use.
  6. Mix some of the icing with brown color until it is your desired color. Add water to the icing, a little bit at a time, until it is the consistency that will allow you to outline the cookie and fill in the acorn. A good way to gauge this is to pull a spoon through the icing and count to ten. During the ten seconds the icing should go back together where it was pulled apart.
  7. Place the icing in a decorating bag using a Wilton #2 tip. Outline the acorn. Fill in the bottom half of the acorn. Fill in the top part of the acorn.
  8. Decorate the tops of the acorn with brown sprinkles, chopped cashews, and chocolate Heath pieces. Let dry and enjoy!
Created using The Recipes Generator

Sunday, October 2, 2016

Pumpkin Bread / #PUMPKINWEEK


It is #PUMPKINWEEK, and everyday this week I will have a different, yummy recipe featuring pumpkin! I am starting off  with a recipe for homemade Pumpkin Bread! I look forward to baking this bread every fall, and giving some away to friends. I wish I could send everyone a loaf of this pumpkin bread, but because I can't, I am sharing it with you today. This recipe has been in my family for a good many years, and I must say, I never get tired of it. I hope you like it!

Homemade Pumpkin Bread
(printable recipe at end of post)

3 1/2 cups Flour
2 teaspoons Baking Soda
Pinch of Salt
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 teaspoon Nutmeg
2 cups Sugar
1/2 cup Dark Brown Sugar
1 cup Corn Syrup
4 Eggs
2/3 cup Water
2 cups Pumpkin

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Stir the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar and brown sugar in a bowl. Make a hole in the center. Add the corn syrup, eggs, water and pumpkin to the bowl. Mix together. 
Pour into loaf pan of your choice, about 1/2 way up the pan. If using a metal loaf pan, you will need to lightly grease the pan. It is not necessary with most disposable pans.I like these disposable ones when I am giving the bread to friends. I like that they don't have to worry about returning the pan to me.  Place in oven. Cook for 30-40 minutes or more, depending on the size of your pan.
Once baked, remove from oven and cool completely. Enjoy as is, or spread a slice with whipped cream cheese.
Decorate, give to a friend and enjoy one yourself.  


Thank you for joining me on the first day of #PumpkinWeek! Stop by tomorrow for a sweet recipe of Pumpkin Doughnut Holes!

A special shout out to our host of this fun and tasty event, Terri from Love and Confections. Thank you for all the fun, Terri!

Check out the recipes below to see many more tasty pumpkin recipes:

Adorable Turkey Crust Pumpkin Pie from Kudos Kitchen by Renee
Amish Pumpkin Roll from Palatable Pastime
Double Pumpkin Gnocchi from Caroline's Cooking
Gigi's spiced Pumpkin Pecan Bread from Family Around The Table
Lisa's Pumpkin Soup from Cooking With Carlee
Mini Pumpkin Pecan Cheesecakes from The Crumby Cupcake
Pecan Pumpkin Cobbler from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
Pumpkin Bread from The Freshman Cook
Pumpkin Bread with Maple Glaze from Making Miracles
Pumpkin Brulee Tart from The Redhead Baker
Pumpkin Cookies with Butter Rum Icing from Grumpy's Honeybunch
Pumpkin Creme Brulee from Love and Confections
Pumpkin Glazed Bacon from Rants From My Crazy Kitchen
Pumpkin Laksa from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Pumpkin Milkshake from A Day in the Life on the Farm
Pumpkin Muffins from Cindy's Recipes and Writings
Pumpkin Pretzel Bites from A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
Pumpkin Spice Affogato from The Bitter Side of Sweet
Pumpkin Spice Granola from The Chef Next Door
Spiced Pumpkin Cider from Gluten Free Crumbley


yield: 3-4 loavesprint recipe

Pumpkin Bread

prep time: 20 MINScook time: 1 hourtotal time: 1 hours and 20 mins

INGREDIENTS:


  • 3 1/2 cups Flour
  • 2 teaspoons Baking Soda
  • Pinch of Salt
  • 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon Nutmeg
  • 2 cups Sugar
  • 1/2 cup Dark Brown Sugar
  • 1 cup Corn Syrup
  • 4 Eggs
  • 2/3 cup Water
  • 2 cups Pumpkin

INSTRUCTIONS:


  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Stir the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar and brown sugar in a bowl. Make a hole in the center. Add the corn syrup, eggs, water and pumpkin to the bowl. Mix together.
  3. Pour into loaf pan of your choice, about 1/2 way up the pan. If using a metal loaf pan, you will need to lightly grease the pan. It is not necessary with most disposable pans.I like these disposable ones when I am giving the bread to friends. I like that they don't have to worry about returning the pan to me. Place in oven. Cook for 30-40 minutes or more, depending on the size of your pan.
  4. Once baked, remove from oven and cool completely. Enjoy as is, or spread a slice with whipped cream cheese.
  5. Decorate, give to a friend and enjoy one yourself.