how to cut, peel and core apples

IMG_4874Apples are soooo good – especially now.  And I know when you see that the ingredients read – 8 apples roughly chopped, your heart might sink a bit with the prep work.  So, here is the plan of attack.  First, put on some really good music.

Cut the top and bottoms off of the apples.  All of them.  Then peel each apple with a sharp paring knife (I do this) but try not to take too much of the flesh off.  If you are lousy at this – use a peeler.  Peel them all.

Slice the apples in half.  All of them.

IMG_4877Taker your apple corer (you should get one) and scoop out the center core by gently pushing the scooper in and twisting.  Then use the scooper to take the little extra rough bits around the core.

Core them all.

Take each apple half and slice.  Now you have slices.

Turn apple, slice again – now you have roughly chopped apples.

 

IMG_4880 IMG_4888IMG_4886

cinnamon apple cake

“This is the best thing you’ve made in a long time mom” Sylvie said last night as she indulged in her second nibble of the evening.  She said she needed more, but we both agreed that the cake would be here today (and it is) and to just stop (which is hard).   Everyone agreed btw, Rob, Jason, Melissa, and Andy and well, Greg isn’t here! 🙁 but I know he would have loved this.   Cinnamon and apples are so welcome at the moment – leaves are turning, the air is cooler, and a good moist flavorful cake is necessary.

I used firm apples from the orchard – but if you don’t have good apples where you are (and I’m sorry for you!) then use Granny Smith since they hold up so well in baked desserts and their tartness is diminished when baking (and sugaring!)

Oh, and I doubled the recipe since I had a good feeling about it.  Glad I did!  It makes one 9×5 loaf or 2 if you double it!

cinnamon apple cake (verrry slightly modified and  from Allrecipes):

1/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

2/3 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour (remember to look at baking tips to perfect your flour measurement)
1 3/4  teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup whole milk
1 1/2 apples peeled and chopped fairly small
1/3 teaspoon kosher salt

Remember to pull the butter, eggs, and milk to come to room temp.  Peel and chop apples.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour 9×5 loaf pan – and/or place parchment on the bottom for easiest release.

In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, cinnamon and salt.

With the paddle attachment of your electric mixer, beat butter and white sugar until lighter and fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time.  Mix thoroughly after each addition.  Add and mix in vanilla extract.

Mix together the flour, baking powder and salt and add to the creamed butter and stir.  Add the milk and fold together until nicely combined.

Scoop half of the batter into the prepped pan.  Add about 1/2 of the brown sugar/cinnamon mixture, then about half of the apples, pushing them slightly into the batter.  Follow with remaining batter, apples and finally brown sugar/cinnamon and spread with a pallet knife or back of a spoon.

Place in oven and bake until cake springs back slightly when touched.  When a toothpick comes out JUST clean.  And well, when you think it is done.  Try not to over bake.  If you do, simply serve with ice cream and whipped cream (you should anyway!)

Allrecipes said 30-40 m – but mine took 40-50.  So check yourself.  This is an important skill to figure out.

Let cool in pan, then invert onto rack.  Serve warm, cool, the next day and enjoy –

 

 

 

 

peach streusel coffee cake

Deeeelicious!   So good, so summery, so delightful to much on when the sun is out and you know summer is coming!  I’m lucky to have found such good peaches this early – and although Greg really wanted cobbler, I took the easy way out and made an easy cake.  And wow, good decision.  Although cobbler is good too…and now I’m second guessing it all since that would be good with ice cream tonight.  Oh well – back to this cake – it is full of peachy scrumptiousness and a little streusel throughout – you really can’t go wrong.  Moist and wonderful and again, easy.  This is great as an afternoon snack or brunch item.  Place in pretty dessert cups and dress it up for a dinner dessert with whipped cream, and ice cream and maybe creme anglaise or fresh peaches.

Wait to find good peaches because your cake will only be as good as your peaches.

The streusel in this cake might be a mistake on Emily Luchetti’s part in that it is very very wet – and there isn’t a whole lot of it.  But I have to say that I liked it.  A lot of cinnamon and laced throughout – it added another texture and dimension to the cake.

peach cake (from Emily Luchetti):

streusel-

3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
6 tablespoons flour
2 pinches kosher salt

cake-

1 stick unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup milk
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon plus one teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt 2 cups peaches (peeled then sliced 1/2 inch thick — about 4 peaches)

Preheat oven to 350 and butter a 9×13 glass cake pan.  Pull your eggs and milk.  Prep your peaches.

Streusel – mix together all ingredients and set aside.  Remember my note from above – this seems very wet and dense.

Cake – With the paddle attachment of your mixer, cream the butter and sugar until lighter and fluffy, scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat again to combine.  Add the eggs, one at a time and then the milk.

Fold in the dry ingredients.

Spread half the batter into the prepped pan.  Top with half the streusel (dot it all over – it won’t seem like enough but there is).  Then cover the batter with your sliced peaches.  Top with remaining batter – again, there won’t be a lot so do your best to cover the peaches.  Then sprinkle remaining streusel.

Bake for about 30 minutes (mine took longer) until a toothpick comes out clean.  Let cool for 10 to 15 m and serve.  This lasted several days on my counter…but don’t cover or it will get very soft and too wet.

Enjoy-

 

 

lemon “brownies”

First – sorry this photo is so funky.  I was rushing and just took a quick one from my iPhone – and boy it is scary.  They look less electric than this and better in general.  Anyway…

Wet and juicy, dense and lemony, these simple treats are worth your time.  (And they don’t take much of it!)   Nothing fancy –  just a small square of lemon delight.  This was a hit with Rob, the kids and their friends.  Oh, and me too.  Make these if you don’t have time to make the lemon pound cake which can be a bit more time consuming.

 

Enjoy-

lemon brownies  (from Just a Pinch Recipes):

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup (two sticks) butter, softened
4 large eggs
4 tablespoons lemon zest
4 tablespoons lemon juice

glaze–
1 cup powdered sugar
4 tablespoons lemon juice (I ran out of lemons and added some fresh orange btw)
pinch kosher salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Zest and juice your lemons.  Remember to wash your lemons first.

Butter or spray a 9×13 inch pan and line with foil or parchment.

Mix together the flour and salt.

With the paddle attachment of the mixer – beat the butter and sugar together until lighter.

Add the eggs, one at a time and beat and scrape and beat again.  Add the zest and juice and beat and scrape and beat again.

On the lowest speed (or fold by hand) mix in the flour until just combined.

Spread batter into prepared pan and bake until it is done.  I’m sorry but I forgot to time this.  Start at 25 minutes and see how it looks.  Bake until the edges start to turn golden brown and a toothpick comes out just clean.

Let cool for 10 m.  Then pour and spread half of the glaze on top.  Let sit until completely cool, then add the rest of the glaze.  You may have enough with just the first half – taste a corner and see what you think.  If enough, save it in the fridge it will last a while.

Cool, cut and enjoy-

banana pancakes (healthier)

Andy has been eating these for the past month or so and just LOVING them.  True love.  But what used to be a cute and adorable desire for pancakes and waffles in the early AM (and my desire to find awesome healthy recipes) has slowly turned into a demand (on his part) and fatigue and irritation (on my part).  Somehow Andy and his cute face had me cooking them fresh every morning.  Why I did this for a few weeks I don’t know – maybe because his school commute is harder than Greg and Sylvie, or because he has dyslexia, or because I make Greg and Sylvie lunch every day.  But enough was enough.  Put my foot down and now make them and freeze or refrigerate like the old days.  And Sylvie is now in on the action – the two of them fighting for them in the morning.  Sylvie ate these up the other day saying “I can’t say that these are my favorite pancakes because I’ve had so many but they are definitely way up there on the very top!”  So, make and enjoy –

Oh, I use my Guittard Super chips in these and the kids love them.  I do too.  And I recently found them at Chocosphere in bulk.  If you go to Chocosphere – look at the white chocolate too while you are browsing.  Guittard, Valrhona, Callibaut and many more.  (I get nothing when you buy there – just giving you the info!)

I found these at Sally’s Baking Addiction (a blog) and I think Sally explains the directions very well – and with alternative ingredients.  I used white whole wheat flour, and a whole egg (not just the white).  In fact I added an extra egg to a batch just to boost the protein and they were just as good.  And of course we added the chocolate chips I mention above, but fresh blueberries would be great.

For the recipe and directions click on link and enjoy!

Sally’s Baking Addiction –>click

 

pumpkin cupcakes

It was an impromptu gathering and I happen to have some chocolate chip cookie dough in the freezer but as usual wanted a non-chocolate option.  It was 5:30 and friends were coming at 6:30 – so it had to be fast and easy.  Ina Garten to the rescue.  These were so easy, so yummy, and perfect for a chilly November night.  When asked for a little bite Chrissi said “No Karen you cannot have even one bite!  These are unbelievably good!”  They then argued which was better – the one with maple icing and heath bar crunchies or just plain with chocolate chips.  I happen to like them both – but the iced ones were so pretty and the heath bar added pizazz and fun.  Of course if you are concerned with nut allergies, skip it.  These would also be great with the addition of fresh cranberries.  Yowza – the sour pop of them combined with the sweet icing and crisp crunchies – well, my mouth is watering right now!

pumpkin spice cupcakes (from Ina Garten’s Foolproof Recipes):

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 extra large eggs (room temp)
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar (lightly packed)
chocolate chips if desired

frosting –

1/2 cup coarsely chopped heath bars
6 ounces cream cheese, room temp
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temp
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
pinch kosher salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray or brush top of a muffin pan (this will prevent tops from sticking) and then line with paper liners.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt.

In a larger bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin, sugar, brown sugar, and the vegetable oil.

Add the dry to the wet and mix until just combined.

Add chocolate chips if you like at this point.  And then you can skip the icing.

Scoop the batter into the prepared tins and bake for 20-25 min – until a toothpick comes out just clean.

Cool completely.  Then spread with the icing (below) and top with the chopped heath bars.  Enjoy!

maple frosting –

With the paddle attachment of your mixer (or hand held beaters) – cream the chream cheese, butter, syrup, vanilla and salt on medium speed until very smooth.  Turn the mixer to low – and slowly add the confectioners’ sugar and mix until smooth.

pumpkin-banana bread (healthier)

This is good – a great seasonal bread and another alternative when you have some browning bananas hanging out on your counter.  When I read this recipe I thought I finally found something Greg would happily eat in the morning before school.  I made several different loaves – some with semisweet chocolate, some with milk, and some with white and pecans.  I thought white would be right up Greg’s alley and well, it was – except that he said, “the bread is too sweet and you know I don’t like nuts and oh, that ginger is strong.”  Rob, Sylvie, Andy and I also thought too sweet – esp the ones with milk and white chocolate but we really liked everything else.  And we all mangaged to eat it.  So back to the recipe I went – again, primarily to feed my lean son and added only half of the brown sugar and none of the white sugar and I skipped some of the spices that seemed to offend his ridiculously delicate senses.  I took out the pecans and well, he liked it!   A lot.  But just “not for breakfast!”  Oye.  Oh well… I liked it too – it is a great snacking cake and I would def add nuts if your family likes them.  I like the sweetness of milk and white (high quality!!) chips – but I do have that serious sweet tooth.  Rob of course like the semi sweet and would have preferred bittersweet. Play around with it – I’m thinking cranberries or dried cherries too.

Enjoy –

pumpkin-banana bread (original recipe from Sara-Jane bedwell  and here is the link.

2 mashed ripe bananas
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup canola oil
2 eggs
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or 1 cup all purpose, one cup whole wheat flour)
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt plus a pinch (kosher if you have)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon (feel free to add some ginger and a little bit of nutmeg)
chocolate chips to your taste
pecans too if desired
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Spray or butter an 8 1/2 X 4 1/2-inch loaf pan (or 4 mini loaf pans, or mini/reg muffin tins).
Mix together the mashed banana, pumpkin puree, oil, and eggs in a large bowl.  Or beat with an electric mixer with the paddle attachment (beat up the bananas first).
Whisk together flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl.
Add flour mixture to banana and pumpkin mixture and beat until just moist. Pour batter into loaf pan and bake until done (toothpick comes out just clean)
My mini muffins took 18 minutes and my mini loaves took 33.  If using just one loaf pan I imagine you should check after 45 m – but will likely take close to an hour.  Just keep checking.
Hope you like!

apple cake with cinnamon apple chunks

With cinnamon coated apple chunks in the middle and on the bottom this cake is just perfect for this time of year.  Super moist, super tasty and very apple-y.  So easy too.  I’ve been searching for cakes to make with the use of fresh apples (not applesauce) and I finally found a good one after many failed attempts.  The apples are amazing right now and I’m just collecting them and I can’t keep up with my collection (a girl can eat only so many apples a day)!  Kim (my awesome dog helper) said “Best lunch ever!”  Sylvie, Rob, and Andy agreed delicious.  I planned on bringing it to a My Sisters’ Place meeting – but the kids begged me not too.  Next time I’ll make two!

Enjoy-

This recipe comes from one of my favorite blogs SmittenKitchen.  Love it.  She calls it Mom’s Apple Cake.  I only changed it a tiny speck.

6 apples – good firm apples (I used a variety from the farmers market)  Mealy or mushy is not a good choice.
1 tablespoon cinnamon
5 tablespoons sugar
pinch kosher salt
2 3/4 cups flour (please look at baking tips under “flour” to make sure you are measuring correctly.  Too much flour isn’t a good thing   and most people make the mistake of packing it in.)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
4 eggs
2 additional teaspoons sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease, butter, or spray a tube pan or a bundt pan.  If a bundt be sure to grease well (and feel free to flour).  I used a bundt but Deb recs a tube – I just didn’t read that but It came out great.

Peel, cut, core and chop apples into 1 inch (or so) chunks. Toss with cinnamon and sugar and a pinch of kosher salt and set aside.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl.  In another bowl, whisk together the oil, orange juice, sugar, vanilla and eggs.

Fold the wet ingredients into the dry.

Pour half of batter into prepped pan.  Spread half of apples over it.  It won’t seem like a lot of cake but don’t worry.  Pour the remaining batter over the apples.  Then finish with the last half of the prepped apples on top.  Sprinkle with 2 teaspoon of sugar.

Bake for about 80-90 minutes, or until a tester comes out just clean.  Please try not to over bake.

If using a bundt pan, let cool for about 30 m – then invert and unmold and continue to cool.

If using a tube pan, you can let cool more – run a knife around the edges and invert.  This cake tasted very good even after a few days.

Enjoy-

mixed berry pavlova

Lisi's Kitchen

This was so good that I completely forgot to take a photo!  But not to worry, photos on the Smitten Kitchen site for you to enjoy.  I made this a while ago – and kept thinking I would make again to photograph and share – but the summer is almost over and I don’t want you to miss out.  Use the last of the berry season to make this delicious treat.  I mean it – the meringue so tasty, soft and fluffy – the whipped cream and the fresh cold berries.  So so so good!  I followed the recipe (well, I doubled it and made two!)

Try to squeeze it in and enjoy

smitten kitchen pavlova

peach cake revisited

I have these delicious peaches – I mean the best peaches.  With that in mind, I searched and searched for a new and delicious recipe for My Sister’s Place.  I found one, I baked and baked and oh gosh – I fumbled.  Big time.  Not sure I screwed up or if it was the recipe but I was suddenly in need of a great peach dessert with very limited time.  (I suppose it didn’t need to be peach, but I had my mind set on it.)  Anyway, I decided to make what I knew to be good, and well, not to pat myself on the back, but it came from one of my old posts!  This time I added cinnamon to the batter and didn’t under cook it (I did last time).  I’m re-posting it because well, it is summer, the peaches are here and it was, and still is, scrumptious.  Truly.  The original post is below.  Peach crumble coming soon btw…

Friends know that I usually limit myself to one little mug of dessert usually mixed with vanilla ice cream.  However on this night, I needed a big over-sized mug!  Warm out of the oven, with freshly whipped cream and a little ice cream well, really  – this one spoke to me.  Loudly.  It is a true true peach lovers delight!  Each bite filled with succulent peaches and a lovely cake topping that is extremely moist and almost pie like.  I couldn’t stop munching on this one taking little slivers throughout the evening – and that was in addition to my over-sized mug!  I quickly asked around to see if I had any local tasters and luckily Suzanne rushed right over.  She and Jamie loved it – and Lauren loved the cake part (she’s not a peach lover) with the whipped cream (remember to please whip your own cream).  Suzanne shared with her neighbor Jen who said “what’s not to like?  Sweet, moist and delicious!”  David my computer wizard wrote that it is good to live by me 🙂  Jonathan too – my fruit fan was a verrry happy neighbor.   Enjoy this.  Really nice for a summer BBQ.

While this bakes, the peaches sink to the bottom making a soft moist peach-like base.

peach cake (from the Hyde Park bar and Grill in Austin from BonAppetit readers favorites):

1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk

I added cinnamon – a 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon depending on your taste.

4 cups peeled sliced peaches (from about 3 pounds)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly butter a 13x9x2 inch glass baking dish.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and cinnamon.

With the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until smooth – and a little lighter.  About 3-4 minutes.  Add the eggs one at a time on medium speed, and then the vanilla.

Scrape and mix again.

On the lowest speed, add 1/3 of the flour mixture, followed by 1/2 of the buttermilk, repeat and finish with the flour.  Scrape and mix again – until all comes together.

Pour the batter into the prepared dish.  Spread with a spoon or palette knife.

Arrange peaches over the batter – it is OK if some overlap.

Spray or lightly butter a piece of tin foil. and cover the cake with the foil (butter side down)  – and seal tightly.  Bake for 45 minutes covered.

Remove the foil carefully, then bake another 40 minutes or so until the top is a nice golden brown and the edges are crusty.  A toothpick should come out just barely clean.

Cool for about an hour – then serve warm with whipped cream.  Yum.

Enjoy-