Spiked Mini Apple Tarts with Cinnamon Whipped Cream

Everyone has their favorite desserts and Thanksgiving is when we seem to make all of them...yes, at the same time. Pumpkin Pie. Apple Pie. Cheesecake. Chocolate Cream Pie. We always have a TON of desserts left over and half of the time we wind up throwing some of them away. This year, I experimented with a smaller version of one of my favorites with these Spiked Mini Apple Tarts with Cinnamon Whipped Cream. 

Homemade Apple Pie

I think I've mentioned it before, but I haven't been able to make a decent pie crust. I tried years ago, but when Pillsbury came out with their refrigerated pie crusts, I just gave up because they were so good I just didn't bother anymore. One of these days I'll try it again...I promise. :) This recipe is so easy to make and is delicious every time. I prefer to use the McIntosh or Cortland variety of apples as they have a softer texture and soften nicely when baking. 

Homemade Apple Pie
8-10 McIntosh or Cortland Apples, cored and peeled and sliced
1 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
2 tbsp. Brown Sugar
2 tbsp. All-Purpose Flour
1 tbsp. Butter
1 Egg, whisked
2 Pie Crusts (I used Pillsbury Refrigerated Pie Crusts)


Directions:
1. Line the bottom of a pie plate with one crust. 
2. In a separate bowl, add the sliced apples, cinnamon, sugar and flour and mix well. 
3. Add the apple mixture to the pie crust, then add the butter pieces throughout the apples. 
4. Add the remaining pie crust to the top of the apples, seal the edges either by pinching them together or using the back tines of a fork and pushing down to seal the edges. 
5. Brush the egg on top of the pie crust then place in a 350 degree oven for 50-60 minutes or until the apples have softened and the crust is lightly browned. Serves 8. 

Enjoy! 

Whole Wheat Apple Walnut Muffin Tops

My kids hate to eat breakfast so I'm always trying to find new ways for them to take something with them. These muffins were delicious, filling and healthier than other muffins you would buy prepackaged and they loved them. You could also make this as a loaf bread or regular muffin, but I prefer the tops myself. 

Whole Wheat Apple Walnut Muffin Tops
2 c. Whole Wheat Flour
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
1/2 c. Brown Sugar (I used Organic)
2 Apples (I used Cortland), cored, peeled and thinly chopped
2 tbsp. 2% Milk
1/2 c. Applesauce
1 Egg
3/4 c. Apple Cider
1/4 c. Walnuts, chopped

Directions:
1. In a bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and sugar. 
2. In a separate bowl, combine the apples, milk, applesauce, egg and cider; mix well. 
3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well. Then stir in the walnuts. 
4. Pour batter into muffin top pans and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Makes 12 muffin tops. 

*Nutritional Information: Calories 175, Carbs 34.5g, Fat 2.9g, Protein 4.5g, Fiber 3.8g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into CalorieCount and may not be 100% accurate.

Enjoy!

Shared on Weekend Potluck at The Country Cook 10/12/12

Granny Smith Apple & Blueberry Crisp with White Chocolate Chips

Did you ever just want something sweet but you're trying to be "good" so you don't buy anything to keep in the house? Well, last week I had one of those nights. I found some apples in the refrigerator that I hadn't eaten yet and a pint of blueberries and decided to make this quick and easy crisp. I made this the night I had the grilled chicken so my total WW Point intake for dinner was only 10pts. leaving me with quite a few extra points to spare for the day (so I didn't feel so bad once I realized this was 9pts per serving) but man oh man was it good! I probably could have left out the chocolate chips but it did add that extra sweetness I was craving. And since it is National Frozen Food Day today, you could also use frozen blueberries if you'd like too. 

Granny Smith Apple & Blueberry Crisp with White Chocolate Chips
3 Granny Smith Apples, cored, peeled and sliced
1 pt. Fresh Blueberries (though you could also use frozen)
1/4 c. Honey
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1/2 tsp. Ground Cinnamon


Add all ingredients into a bowl and mix well, then add to a 9x9 oven safe baking dish. 


Topping
1/2 c. Old Fashioned Oats
1/2 c. All-Purpose Flour (I'm sure Gluten Free or Whole Wheat Flour would work as well)
1/2 c. Light Brown Sugar
1/2 c. White Chocolate Chips
2 tbsp. Butter, melted


Mix together in a small bowl until it is crumbly. Top the apple and blueberry mixture then bake at 425 degrees for approximately 20-25 minutes or until the top is lightly browned. Serves 6. 


Points+=9pts


Enjoy!

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Fennel & Apple Stuffed Pork Chops

I decided for dinner one night that I was going to make some pork chops but wasn't quite  sure what I was going to do with them. I had some leftover homemade whole wheat pita chips from NYE and decided that I'd make a stuffing. I sauteed the fennel with some apples, garlic and thyme then threw in some Asiago cheese last minute too. I decided that since I was using bread as a stuffing, I didn't want to bread these so I just used some of our leftover champagne to help baste the pork while it was cooking. These were fantastic and there was even enough stuffing after filling the pork chops so that I could use it as a side dish also. 

Fennel & Apple Stuffed Pork Chops

4- 6oz. Center Cut Boneless Pork Chops

1 c. Fennel & Apple Whole Wheat Stuffing
1 c. Champagne (You can also use wine, chicken broth or water)
Garlic Powder
Kosher Salt, to taste
Fresh Ground Pepper, to taste

Trim any fat from your chop then make a pocket by slicing the meat horizontally, but not all of the way through. Stuff each chop with 1/4c. stuffing and place in an oven safe baking dish. Add the champagne (or other liquid) to the bottom of the pan to avoid sticking and to help baste the pork chops while cooking. Sprinkle with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Bake at 425 degrees for approximately 20-30 minutes or until desired temperature is reached (depends on the thickness or your pork chops). Serves 4. 

Points+=10 pts

Fennel & Apple Whole Wheat Stuffing

4 Small Whole Wheat Pitas

1/2 Fennel, white part only, chopped

2 Cloves Garlic

2 Apples, peeled, cored and small dice (I used Paula Red)

1 tsp. Fresh Thyme

1 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 c. Low-Sodium Chicken Broth

1/2 c. Shredded Asiago Cheese

Kosher Salt, to taste

Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Add the pita to your food processor or chop in fine pieces and add them to a bowl. In a large frying pan, heat oil and add your fennel, apples and thyme. Saute until the fennel and apples start to turn translucent, then add to your pita crumbs. Add in the chicken broth and the cheese and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Add any remaining stuffing to an oven safe dish and bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Makes approx. 3 cups. 

Points+=3pts per 1/2 cup serving

Enjoy!

Just linked this recipe to Baking Bad Foodie Friday

Rosemary Cornbread Chicken Cutlets and Sausage, Apple & Rosemary Cornbread Stuffing

Ok, you're getting a 2 for 1 today! 

I still had some cornbread stuffing mix left from Thanksgiving and my kids wanted chicken cutlets this past Friday night. Sure, no problem. That is until I actually looked in my pantry and realized I didn't have enough breadcrumbs. So I crushed the cornbread stuffing mix, added some fresh rosemary and garlic powder and Voila, instant breadcrumbs. I actually preferred the cutlets this way, it was very tasty! Then, of course, I had to make some Bruschetta to put on top of them (that's how we love to eat them!). So if you're ever in a pinch for breadcrumbs, just use a mini food chopper (like the one in my Giveaway..hint, hint ;) and make your own. 

Rosemary Cornbread Chicken Cutlets

4 Boneless Chicken Breasts

4 c. Cornbread Stuffing Mix (I used Arnolds®), chopped into fine breadcrumbs

2 tbsp. Fresh Rosemary, chopped

2 tsp. Garlic Powder

2 tsp. Kosher Salt

1 tsp. Fresh Ground Pepper

Egg wash (2 eggs + 1/4 c. 2% Milk)

1 c. All-Purpose Flour

Canola Oil, for frying

For a standard sized chicken breast, you should be able to get approximately 3 cutlets out of each. They don't all have to be uniform in size. If one part is thicker than the other, gently pound the thicker part with a meat mallet to make the piece even for cooking. On a clean cutting board, lay the chicken and place one hand flat on top of the chicken. Holding your knife parallel to the cutting board, slice the chicken horizontally from the thickest end to the thin end into 1/4 inch thick cutlets. You will need three separate bowls. One for flour. One for the egg wash. And another for breadcrumbs, rosemary, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Dip each cutlet first in the flour, then in the egg mixture, then in the breadcrumb mixture. Add approximately 2"-3" of oil in a large frying pan and heat over medium-high heat. Fry chicken cutlets until they are cooked through and lightly browned.  Drain on paper towels or brown paper bags to remove excess oil. Makes 12-16 cutlets(depending on the thickness of your chicken breasts).  

Points+=6 approx. per cutlet. It's hard to determine because most of the oil that is used gets drained off. It is 3 Points+ before frying. 


On another note,  if you don't follow me on Facebook or are a new friend, you are probably not aware that 2 days before Thanksgiving my MIL fell while out shopping and broke her hip. She had to have surgery the day before Thanksgiving where they had to put a rod in her hip that goes down to right above the knee. The surgery went well and she's since been released from the hospital and is now recovering at a rehabilitation facility where they say she should be able to come home by Christmas but it will take about 4 months for her to get full mobility back. So what does this have to do with stuffing? Well, she was supposed to bring the Portuguese stuffing to Thanksgiving dinner and even as sedated as she was (and drugged up on Morphine), she was still worried about that stuffing! I told her not to worry and came up with this version. It was really good and in fact, my sister in law (the one who usually only eats Stove Top) loved it as well!  

Sausage, Apple & Rosemary Cornbread Stuffing

4 c. Cornbread Stuffing Mix (I used Arnolds®)

3 links Italian Fennel Sausage, skin removed

1 Honey Crisp Apple, cored, peeled and diced

1 tbsp. Fresh Rosemary, chopped

1 tbsp. Canola Oil

2 tbsp. Red Onion, minced

1 Stalk Celery, small dice

1 3/4 c. Low-Sodium Chicken Broth

1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt 

1/4 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper

In a small saucepan, bring the chicken broth to a boil then remove from heat. In a separate frying pan, add the oil and cook the sausage, breaking it apart into small pieces. Add in the onion, celery, apples and rosemary and saute for 3-4 minutes until all ingredients are mixed together.  In a large bowl, add the stuffing mix, sausage and apple mixture, heated chicken broth, salt and pepper and mix well. Transfer to an oven safe baking dish and bake at 350°F for approximately 25 minutes or until a light brown crust is formed. Serves 6. 

Points+=8

Enjoy!

Bunco Apple Theme Party: Sausage, Apple & Sage Stuffed Bread, Brie en Croute with Apples, Cinnamon & Pecans and a Red Apple Sangria

First, let me start off by saying I thought I would never in a MILLION years ever belong to a Bunco group, let alone love it. I knew people over the years that played and they would occasionally ask me to fill in but I never managed to actually attend one of these games. Earlier this year, a bunch of my friends decided to start our own group. I originally only committed to being a substitute player for when someone couldn't make it but was moved to a regular player a couple of months ago after someone dropped out. I figured what the hay since it was only once per month and we all take turns hosting the game at our house. What is Bunco you ask? Officially speaking and the way we interpret the game is #2 below:

bun·co also bun·ko (bung' ko)

n. pl. bun·cos, also bun·kos
1. A swindle in which an unsuspecting person is cheated; a confidence game.
2. A parlor game played in teams with three dice.
3. A winning throw in the above game; three of a kind of a specified number.

[Probably alteration of Spanish banca, card game, from Italian banca, bank, of Germanic origin.].

In simple terms, it's a night where 12 women get together, leaving their significant others, children and troubles behind, and have a fun night out with food, drink and TONS of laughter and oh yeah, roll some dice. (What happens at Bunco, stays at Bunco is our favorite motto!). Click here if you would like the complete rules of the game..though there are variations depending on your specific group. So what does all of this have to do with a food blog you ask? It was my turn to host this past Friday night. Yes, I get September. What the heck do you do in September as a theme? I couldn't get April like my friend Jenn where we all wore bunny ears or Donna where we had a Mardi Gras theme. I started thinking and all I came up with was Football and Back to School themes. Though I do love football, I'm not an avid watcher (except for the teams my daughters cheer for that is) nor did I feel like hosting a tailgating party with chili and beer. So, I opted for an Apple theme (get it, back to school, apples for the teacher, apple picking..whatever, it worked for me...lol). Anyway, I started thinking of different food and drinks that I could make using apples and came up with Sausage, Apple and Sage Stuffed Bread, Brie en Croute with Apples, Cinnamon and Pecans and a Red Apple Sangria. Luckily for me, they were a hit and we all had a great night!

This bread was so easy to put together, in fact, I par cooked it the morning of, then just wrapped it in foil to finish it off right before my guests arrived. The sweetness of the apples mixed with the sausage was a unique and tasty twist on an old favorite. 

Sausage, Apple and Sage Stuffed Bread

1 lb. Pizza Dough

4 Links Cheese and Parsley Sausage, casings removed

2 Paula Red or Macintosh Apples, peeled and cored

6 Fresh Sage Leaves, finely chopped

1 Cup Shredded Part Skim Mozzarella Cheese

1 Tbsp. Canola Oil

In a large frying pan, add the sausage. Break it down to small pieces while browning until it is completely cooked; approximately 8-10  minutes. While the sausage is browning, slice the apples into 8 wedges, then slice into 1/4" small pieces. Add the apples and sage to the sausage and simmer 2-3 minutes until the apples start to get soft. Roll out the dough into a rectangle about ¼” thick. Add the sausage mixture to cover entire dough area leaving ¼” border around all sides. Top with shredded cheese. Gently roll from left to right, sealing the ends by pinching the dough together. Place seam side down on lightly greased baking sheet. Brush top of loaf with the oil and bake at 425°F for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Slice and serve hot. Serves 12. 

For the next appetizer, I used the same theory as my Baked Brie with Dried Cherries but this time I topped the cheese with apples, cinnamon and pecans. I even threw in some Agave syrup to help bind it together to make a paste. This was incredible if I don't say so myself but how can you go wrong with apples and cinnamon?! Unfortunately, I don't have a picture of this one. I wasn't paying attention(my guests started to arrive and I was busy greeting them at the front door) and the cheese cooked a little longer than I had wanted and it started oozing out of the side. One minute fine, the next a slight mess. Didn't matter though and no one seemed to care. My husband was just glad there was some left for him to try after he got home (did I mention when hosting you also kick your family out of the house to fend for themselves for the night? =) ).

Brie en Croute with Apples, Cinnamon & Pecans

1- 19oz. Brie

1 Macintosh Apple, cored, peeled and sliced into 1/4" thick slices

1/3 Cup Pecans

1 tsp. Butter

2 Tbsp. Agave Syrup

1/4 tsp. Ground Cinnamon

1 Pkg. Refrigerated Crescent Roll Dough

Preheat oven to 425°F. Place whole pecans on a baking sheet and bake approximately 5 minutes until lightly toasted. Remove from the oven, cool and finely chop. While pecans are in the oven, heat a small sauté pan over low heat and melt the butter. Add apples and cinnamon and cook approximately 3-5 minutes until apples start to soften. Add the pecans and Agave syrup and mix well; forming a paste. Using a small knife, scrape off the white coating on all sides of the Brie. Add the apple mixture to the top of the Brie. Open the crescent roll dough and using a rolling pin, roll it out so that it will cover the entire Brie. (It's ok if you have to piece it together). Cover Brie with the dough and place on a baking sheet Cover Brie with the dough and place on a baking sheet with the seam side down. Bake for approximately 15-20 minutes or until crust is lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let cool 5-10 minutes before serving. Serve with crackers. Serves 10-12. 

Now, last but certainly not least, was the Red Apple Sangria. Since most of my friends are red wine drinkers, this was a no brainer. Sangria has become our favorite summertime drink and now with the cooler weather approaching, it will be back to regular wine (no other reason for me other than Sangria makes the perfect cool drink on a hot summer day). The regular Sangria I make is citrus based so this time, I altered the juices, added a little fizz at the end and it was also a hit. Now remember, I was making this for 12 people so feel free to cut this recipe in half. 

Red Apple Sangria

2 Bottles Dry Red Wine (I used Ocasa Malbec)

2 Cups Red Apple Schnapps

2 Cups Apple Juice

2 Cups Pineapple Juice

1 Cup Cranberry Juice

7 Up or Sprite

1 Apple

1 Peach

1 Pear

In a large pitcher, add the first 5 ingredients and mix well. Peel, core and slice the fruit into 1/4" thick slices and add to the wine mixture. Refrigerate overnight or for at least 2 hours for better flavor. Pour Sangria into a glass filled with ice about 3/4 of the way full. Add a splash of soda right before drinking to each glass. Serves 10-12. 

Enjoy!

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream Cupcakes with Apple Cinnamon Whipped Cream

Ok, I normally DO NOT BAKE! There I said it big and loud. BUT, when I saw these ice cream cupcakes on the Desserts in My Kitchen blog by Cheryl Davis, I had to try them! One. They only contained 3 ingredients...seriously! Two. I was looking for a dessert idea for our next Bunco gathering which I happen to be hosting next month. My theme is going to be Apples. I know. A little bit odd for a theme, but what else is there really in September besides Back to School  or football (um...no thanks).  For those of you who do not know what Bunco is, it is a dice game, played generally by 12 women(in my experience anyway..I've never actually have seen a man play the game unless you want to count "Brad" our Kung Fu Panda Shi Fu character stuffed animal that had to fill in as a substitute a few months ago because we were lacking players...don't ask!). Anyway, with the theme, we try to incorporate specialty drinks, food and desserts into the evening to change it up each month. I thought these cupcakes would be simple enough to make but wanted to add a little twist to Cheryl's recipe to incorporate my theme. I also wanted to do a trial run, just in case they weren't what I had anticipated. These cupcakes were simple to make and tasted incredible! You can use any type of ice cream you wish but I chose Vanilla Bean. For the icing, you can even go an easier route than whipping up your own cream by using Redi Whip or Cool Whip for a quick snack children and adults will love. The only disappointing part is having to wait another month to try these again!

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream Cupcakes with Apple Cinnamon Whipped Cream
2 Cups Edy's® Vanilla Bean Ice Cream, slightly melted
1 1/2 Cups Sifted Self Rising Flour
1/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
Apple Cinnamon Whipped Cream(see below)
Cinnamon, garnish


Mix the ice cream until it is creamy. Add the flour and sugar and mix well. Do not over mix. Pour into cupcake pan and bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes or until tops spring back when you touch them. Let cool and add whipped cream. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Refrigerate or serve immediately. Makes 8 cupcakes.


Apple Cinnamon Whipped Cream
1 Cup Heavy Cream
2 tsp. DeKuyper Sour Apple Pucker(or any other type of apple liquor)
1/4 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
2 Tbsp. Confectioners Sugar
1/4 tsp. Vanilla Extract


Add all ingredients into a medium sized bowl. Using an electric mixer, mix all ingredients on high speed until the cream forms stiff peaks. 


Enjoy!