Apple Pudding Cake

This apple cake is a yummy way to change up the pumpkin season.
I LOVE pumpkin desserts, but this apple cake is up there on my list as well.
The caramel sauce makes this cake So So good, you just can not skip the sauce on this one.
I had never made this before for my two little boys, so I was wasn't sure how they would like it. They LOVED it, and begged for the leftovers the next day.
The cake is very moist, and the warm caramel sauce makes it even moister. Don't forget to top it off with whipped cream.

Apple Pudding Cake

For Cake-

What You Need:

4 cups peeled, grated apples (you need to use granny smith apples )

2 eggs

1 1/2 C sugar

1/2 C oil

Mix together eggs, sugar and oil.

2 C flour

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp nutmeg

2 tsp cinnamon

How To Make:

Add in dry ingredients and stir until well mixed. Pour into greased 9 x 13.

Bake at 350 for 40 minutes.

For Caramel Sauce-

What You Need:

1 Cup butter

1 Cup evaporated milk or cream

1 Cup brown sugar

1 Cup white sugar

3 tsp. vanilla.

How To Make:

Cook in saucepan over medium heat until melted and thickened.

Serve over cake and top with whipped cream.

Cherry Turnovers

We just celebrated my husbands 32nd Birthday!
His all time favorite dessert is Cherry pie.
So with a little creativity I made these yummy Turnovers instead of the traditional Cherry Pie.
The result was VERY Yummy!
You can also substitute the cherry pie filling for apple or blueberry filling.
The cream cheese crust really gives these turnovers a sweater taste.
We topped ours off with a scoop of vanilla Ice cream, yum.


Cherry Turnovers
Makes about 8 turnovers

FILLING:
-2 to 3 cans of cherry pie filling (Store bought or Homemade)

CREAM CHEESE CRUST:

-1½ cups (7½ ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
-3 tsp granulated white sugar
-pinch of salt
-1 stick (4 ounces) cold, unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces
-8 ounce package of cold cream cheese, roughly cut into tablespoons

EGG WASH:
-1 large egg yolk
-2 Tbs milk

(whisk together)

TOPPING:
-Cinnamon Sugar mix

TO MAKE:

1. Prepare crust: Place the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor and process for 10 seconds to blend. Add the cold butter pieces and process for just a few seconds, until the mixture looks like crumbs. Add the cream cheese and pulse quickly about 25 times (or until a clump of dough has formed). If you do not have a food processor you can use a pastry cutter or large fork. Turn the clump of dough onto waxed paper and knead gently 2 to 3 times to bring dough together. Flatten into a 7-inch square. Wrap with plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes (or up to 2 days).

2. Place the dough on wax paper. Roll into a square that is roughly 15×15. At this point, you can decide if you’d like to make round or square-shaped turnovers. If you make round (half-moon shape) turnovers, you can simply use the top of a 6-inch diameter bowl as your cutter. If you’d rather make square (triangle-shape) turnovers, use a chef’s knife to trim a 15-inch square. Mark 5-inch increments along all sides of the dough & with the ruler as a guide, cut the dough into nine 5-inch squares. Re-roll scraps as necessary.

3. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

4. Assemble Turnovers: Place cut-out dough onto prepared baking sheets. Spoon about 1/2 cup of the cherry pie filling onto each half- keeping it on one side and leaving about a ¼-inch border along the edge. Brush edges on the fruit side of the turnover with egg wash (egg & milk whisked together). Carefully fold the other side over the fruit and use a fork to press the edges together and seal them. Move baking sheets to refrigerator and chill for about 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 375°F.

6. Bake Turnovers: Brush the tops of the turnovers with egg wash and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture. Use the tip of a knife to carefully cut three slits in the top of each turnover to allow steam to escape during baking. Bake Turnovers for 25-30 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Serve warm or at room temperature, with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

ENJOY!

Pork Tenderloin With Gingered Apples

Sauteed apples with a hint of sweetness and ginger, complement the natural juicy pork tenderloin.
A perfect meal for a cozy fall evening.
This meal is a favorite of ours and always graces our table in the cold fall months.
The ingredients are simple, the meal is easy to prepare, and the taste is phenomenal!
In hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Pork Tenderloin with Gingered Apples

Ingredients:

-4 tart apples such as Granny Smith
-4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
-3 Tablespoons of light brown sugar
-1 teaspoon of peeled and grated fresh ginger OR 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger
-2 -4 Tablespoons of water
-4 slices of pork tenderloin, about 2 inches thick

-salt and pepper
-1 Tablespoon of Extra-virgin olive oil

How To Make:
1. Peel, core, and slice the apples thinly lengthwise. In a saucepan over medium heat 3 Tablespoons of the butter. When melted and hot add the sliced apples and saute', stirring and tossing, for 5 minutes. Add the brown sugar and ginger and continue to saute' for another 5 minutes. Add 2 Tablespoons of the water, cook until the apples are almost tender, 6-8 minutes; watch carefully so they do not burn. Transfer apples and drippings into a bowl or plate, set aside.

2. Trim all excess fat from the pork slices. Place each pork slice, cut side up, between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and, using a rolling pin, flatten to about 1 inch or so thickness. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.

3. In the same saucepan you cooked the apples in, melt the remaining 1 Tablespoon butter with the 1 Tablespoon of olive oil. When hot, add the pork slices and saute'. Cook on each side about 5-6 minutes on each side or until browned and no longer pink inside.

4. Add the apples and their juices from the bowl back into the pan with the cooked pork. Add 1-2 Tablespoons of water(more if you want more sauce). Heat and mix the apples in with the pork.

5. Serve right away, and Enjoy!

(I made this with a side of mashed potatoes, and snap peas)

Apple Streusel Bars

This is the Second dessert that I Made for the Teachers dinner.
They are very similar to my recipe for Pie Bars found here.
The apple filling is so good and the Almond extract in the icing makes it even better.
I received such nice complements from all the teachers. They really enjoyed these bars and the other food that I prepared and brought to the school.
You can easily double this recipe, and make it in a cookie sheet pan.


Apple Streusel Bars
adapted from Our Best Bites

STEP 1
SWEET PASTRY:
2 c. flour
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. real butter, softened (no substitutions!)
1 egg, beaten

To prepare crust, mix flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or two forks until you have pea-sized crumbles.
Gently mix in beaten egg.

Spray a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Gently pat about 2/3 of the crumb mixture onto the bottom of the dish. Preheat oven to 350 and set aside.

STEP 2
APPLE FILLING:
1/2 c. white sugar
1/4 c. flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
4 c. (about 3 medium) sliced, peeled baking apples ( Granny Smith or Gala)
To prepare apple filling, combine flour, sugar, and cinnamon and toss with apples.

Spread apples out on prepared crust. Sprinkle reserved crust mixture over apples evenly and bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes.

When finished, allow to cool completely.

STEP 3
GLAZE:
2 c. powdered sugar
About 3 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. almond extract

To prepare glaze, whisk together powdered sugar, almond extract, and enough milk to achieve desired consistency.

Place glaze in a Ziploc bag and cut off a very small portion of one of the corners. (Or just use a fork(Drizzle glaze over cooled pastry and allow to harden (you can place it in the refrigerator to hurry things along). Cut into bars and serve.

Enjoy!

Caramel Apple Crisp

Please excuse my lack of posting this last week,
our family took a little Fall Vacation to the Windy City of Chicago.
You can check out what we did on our family blog.

Now on to this delicious apple dessert.
This is a great twist on the traditional Apple Crisp.
Adding the caramel topping gives this dessert an extra Yummy flavor!
I do not remember where I found this recipe, but I have used it many times since.
This is a must make dessert for fall!



Caramel Apple Crisp

-1/2 cup caramel topping (the kind you would put on top of ice cream)
-1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
-6 baking apples (I like to use Golden Delicious), peeled, and cup into 1/2 inch slices about 6 cups
-2/3 cup all-purpose flour
-1/2 cup packed brown sugar
-1/2 cup cold butter, cut into small pieces
-2/3 cups quick-cooking oats

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.

2. In a large bowl, stir together caramel topping and the cinnamon until well mixed. Add peeled and sliced apples; toss until evening coated. Spread in ungreased 8-inch square (2 quart) glass baking dish.

3. In same bowl, mix 2/3 cup flour and the brown sugar. Cut in butter using a pastry blender or fork, until the mixture looks coarse crumbs. Stir in oats. Crumble mixture over apples in baking dish.

4. Bake 45-50 minutes or until apples are tender and topping is golden brown.

5. Top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped topping, then drizzle extra caramel topping over all.

ENJOY!