apples

Apple Pie Waffles

~ lk529 ~ 2 Comments

It seems there’s been an influx of apple recipes on the blog lately. But what can I say, that happens when you go apple picking! Do you know how many apples fit in a half bushel!? (And I only kept half of them!)

On the first day of Fall my mom and I took the little man to a local orchard to do some apple picking. We picked some Fuji, Winesap, and Johnathan apples and had a great time doing so. My little guy who only likes apple in sauce form even took some bites of a freshly plucked apple. I guess it’s true what they say, “Allowing kids to be involved in the food encourages them to eat it.” (The same rang true for raspberries we picked at the end of summer.)

Two of those apples, 1 Winesap and 1 Fuji, were shredded and added to waffle batter for some Apple Pie Waffles. With my son being in an “I only eat bread” phase, waffles have become a great way to sneak in some extra nutrition. (Half of a baked sweet potato that he wouldn’t even touch was turned into sweet potato waffles.) These apple pie waffles are packed with apple and Greek yogurt for that extra bit of protein and dairy.

Apple Pie Waffles (1) for #MadewithChobani from Sew You Think You Can Cook

There’s a good chance this is my new favorite waffle recipe! It probably doesn’t hurt that I ate them with vanilla ice cream… only the two I photographed, I promise. Actually, the rest of them were enjoyed solo – no butter, no syrup needed. I tried a little bit with honey and cinnamon sugar and that was quite delightful, but not necessary. My husband still ate them with maple syrup.

Apple Pie Waffles (3) for #MadewithChobani from Sew You Think You Can Cook

Apple Pie Waffles

Ingredients:

  • 2 C flour
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 3/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground allspice
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/4 C milk
  • 1/4 C vegetable oil
  • 1/2 C vanilla Greek yogurt (I used Chobani)
  • 1 C shredded peeled apple (1 large or 2 small)

Steps:

  1. In a large bowl whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt.
  2. In another bowl beat eggs with milk, oil, and yogurt.
  3. Combine wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Fold in the shredded apple.
  4. Into a hot greased waffle iron, drop 1/3 C of batter and cook until golden.

*This recipe is adapted from David at http://spicedblog.com/apple-pie-waffles.html*

Apple Pie Waffles (2) for #MadewithChobani from Sew You Think You Can Cook

Disclaimer: I was reached out to by Chobani to create a post for their #MadewithChobani series. Check out Chobani’s recipe page and search the hashtag (#MadewithChobani) on social media for other great fall recipes made healthier with Greek yogurt. 

#FoodieExtravaganza: Pork

~ lk529 ~ 23 Comments

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It’s the first Wednesday of the month (OCTOBER – what?!?!) and that means it’s time to celebrate some foodie fun! Specifically, National Pork Month. (Ironically, it’s also Vegetarian Awareness Month…) Thank you Lauren, host of From Gate to Plate, for hosting our piggy party today!

The Foodie Extravaganza is a monthly party hosted by bloggers who love food! Each month we incorporate one main ingredient or theme into recipes to share. If you are a blogger and you’re interested in joining in the fun, visit us at our Facebook Foodie Extravaganza page. You can also visit our past party submissions on our Pinterest Foodie Extravaganza board.

I am sharing a recipe that actually fits two of national food month themes – pork and apples! Quite a classic combination, it only makes sense they share a month, too.

A few years ago – four maybe? – my brother gave me Tyler Florence’s Real Kitchen for my birthday. I’ve already shared his Poppy Seed Muffin recipe from this cookbook. This recipe is the very first recipe I made from Tyler’s cookbook, I actually used chicken breasts instead of pork and pumpkin pie spice instead of the mixture of cinnamon, cardamom, and clove because I didn’t have two of those ingredients at the time. According to my notes (it’s surprising I took notes years before this blog was even an inkling) I also had to roast the chicken at 400 degrees F for 30 minutes. But, today, I’m sharing the version I made more recently – with pork.

Pork Chops with Spiced Apples

Ingredients for pork chops:

  • 1 gal water
  • 1 C brown sugar
  • 1 C sea salt
  • 1 C frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed
  • 1 1/2 tsp whole peppercorns
  • 4 1″ thick, bone-in pork chops

Ingredients for Apples:

  • 1 1/2 tbsp butter
  • 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and cut into wedges
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/4 C dried cherries (or raisins, cranberries, or currants)
  • 3/4 C frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • pinch of cardamom
  • pinch of ground mustard

Steps:

  1. Combine all the ingredients for the pork chops, except the pork, in a large pot. Stir until sugar and salt is dissolved. Add the chops, cover, and refrigerate for 2 hours. Note: Do not brine longer than that.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  3. Remove pork from the brine and pat dry. Season with S+P. Sear pork chops 4 minutes on each side in a large skillet over medium-high heat. (Do this in batches if needed.) Place pork in a casserole dish and roast in the oven for 30 minutes, or until an internal temperature of 145 degrees F is reached.
  4. Melt the butter in a clean skillet over medium-low heat. Add the apples and thyme. Cook for 8 minutes. Add the dried cherries, apple juice concentrate, sugar, and spices. Season with S+P. Simmer for 10 minutes, or until the apples are soft. Stir often, scraping the bottom of the pan.
  5. Serve apples over the pork chops.

*This recipe is adapted from Tyler Florence’s Real Kitchen*

Pork Chops with Spiced Apples for #FoodieExtravaganza from Sew You Think You Can Cook

Be sure to check out the rest of these pork recipes:

BBQ Pulled Pork with Mac and Cheese Flatbread by From Gate to Plate
Chili Verde Pork Posole by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Freezer-friendly Spicy Pork Burrito by Brunch with Joy
Healthy Sausage and Rice by Fearlessly Creative Mammas
Italian Sausage No Crust Quiche by Cookin’ and Craftin’
Jamie Olivier’s Pork Roast with Crackling by G’Gina’s Kitchenette
Mojo Shredded Pork with Black Beans and Rice by Our Good Life
Parmesan Spinach Stuffed Pork Loin by Cooking with Carlee
Pork and Apple Pie by A Day in the Life on the Farm
Pork Meatball Mini Subs by The Freshman Cook
Pork Schnitzel by Making Miracles
Spicy Sticky Pork Ribs by Food Lust People Love
Sweet and Sour Pork by Tara’s Multicultural Table
Thai Basil Meatballs with Peanut-Basil Sauce Two Ways by Caroline’s Cooking

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. 

Blogger CLUE: Greek Yogurt Apple Loaf

~ lk529 ~ 20 Comments

blogger CLUE

Before you get all wrapped up in the pumpkin craze, let’s not forget about the other great fall fruits, like apples and pears! Yes, pumpkin is technically a fruit, and I have no doubt that some of the CLUE players will be sharing pumpkin recipe. Be sure to stop by their pages, too!

This month I was assigned the blog That Skinny Chick Can Bake written by Liz. Liz helps keep our group organized and is a member of a few other blogging groups I’m also a part of. I’m not sure how she keeps up with everything! Her blog is a beautiful array of sweets (with some great savory options, too).

I was tempted by a couple of her fall salads (Spinach Salad with Pears and Cranberries or Apple Cherry Walnut Salad) but hey, “That Skinny Chick Can Bake” so I settled on a baked item. I altered her Sour Cream Pear Bread to utilize what I had in my fridge – Greek Yogurt and Apples.

Greek Yogurt Apple Loaf

Ingredients:

  • 6 tbsp butter, softened
  • 2/3 C sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 C plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 3/4 C cake flour
  • 3/4 tsp baking powder
  • 3/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 C peeled and diced apples
  • cinnamon sugar, for sprinkling

Steps:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a loaf pan and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar until combined. Add the eggs one at a time. Mix in the vanilla extract and yogurt (or sour cream).
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and a pinch of salt. Add to the stand mixer in 2-3 installments.
  4. Fold in diced apples (or pears). Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
  5. Bake 40-45 minutes or until a knife inserted comes out cleanly. Allow loaf to cool 15 minutes before removing from pan onto a cooling rack.
  6. This loaf is best served warm/toasted with a little butter.

Greek Yogurt Apple Loaf for #BloggerCLUE from Sew You Think You Can Cook

Here’s a list of the other players of Blogger CLUE this month:

Blogger CLUE: Apple Chips

~ lk529 ~ 31 Comments

blogger CLUE

This month my Blogger CLUE friends and I are going on a picnic! We were tasked with searching our assigned blogs for picnic food. With the beautiful weather, the season is just begging us to bring a blanket and sit outside for hours.

I was assigned the blog A Mama, Baby, & Shar-pei in the Kitchen written by Alice. Alice is a mother to two active girls and one funnily named puppy. She gives a story about her dog’s name (Patella Starscream) and it made me think very much of my husband, too, who would also have loved to name our child after a Transformer.

In searching through Alice’s blog I discovered that we share a love for Harry Potter. She created her own Felix Felicis! (For those of you non-HP nerds, Felix Felicis is a potion that provides the drinker luck for a day. Alice’s version is a cold remedy and I’ll definitely have to try it when cold season comes back around.) I also stumbled up a post about creating Ciabatta in which she likened herself to Hermione Granger. Seriously, Alice and I need to meet but as she lives in England I don’t see that happening.

On my hunt of picnic foods I narrowed it down to Buttermilk Fried Chicken, Pasta Salad, and Apple Chips. As you can tell, I settled on Apple Chips. Apple chips are incredibly easy to make and yet I’ve kept crossing them off my to-do list. For Christmas TWO years ago I’d asked for a mandolin with the intention of making apple chips. Finally the moment has come, thank you Alice and Blogger CLUE for the push! Alice used Granny Smith apples for her chips and while I do prefer that variety I wanted to try and recreate those bagged apple chips I enjoyed as a kid so I grabbed Red Delicious. (I NEVER buy Red Delicious apples, the texture of them is not my favorite and I don’t feel they have that apple crunch and quality that apples should have. But, for apple chips – perfect.)

When I started typing up this post I realized I forgot a step in making the apple chips. How sad is that?! There are only three steps! (Four if you count preheating the oven.) I forgot to spray the chips with cooking spray before seasoning and putting them in the oven so they didn’t hold their crisp. I have another apple though and I’m going to give this snack another try.

Apple Chips

Ingredients:

  • 1 apple (I used Red Delicious)
  • pumpkin pie spice (or other spice/spice blend)
  • cooking spray

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees F and arrange racks in top third and bottom third of the oven. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Using a mandolin (or very sharp knife) carefully cut apples to 1/8″ thickness. Remove any seeds.
  3. Place apples in a single layer on the prepared cookie sheets. Spray gently with cooking spray. Sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice.
  4. Bake 2 hours, or until crisp. Gently peel the apples up from the parchment paper and allow to cool on the cookie sheets. Store in an air tight container.

*This recipe is adapted from Alice at http://www.acookingmizer.com/2011/10/20/make-your-own-apple-chips/*

apple chips | sew you think you can cook

Here’s a list of the other players of Blogger CLUE this month:

#BrunchWeek: Pear Coffee Cake and Fruit & Cheese Salad

~ lk529 ~ 12 Comments

Welcome back to the third annual #BrunchWeek hosted by Terri of Love and Confections and Shaina of Take a Bite out of Boca.

woot frootI couldn’t celebrate a week of brunch without another variation of my very popular coffee cake and when Woot Froot was announced as a #BrunchWeek sponsor I knew I’d utilize the fruit they sent. Because peaches and nectarines (what they’re most famous for) aren’t in season until next month, we received sliced pears and destemmed grapes. I decided to use the pears in my coffee cake! After many bundt baking attempts at putting foods in cakes I tossed the chopped pears in flour (and cinnamon for good measure).

I have made this coffee cake so many times and have done so using either sour cream or yogurt – we’ve even used lemon Greek yogurt once in a pinch! I saw another opportunity to use a sponsored product – Stonyfield Organic yogurt! (I buy their YoBaby yogurts for the little man, and it’s definitely his favorite food.) I used whole milk vanilla yogurt in this coffee cake and it’s absolutely delicious, a great accompaniment to the pears!

I like to top my coffee cakes with a crumble that includes oats. Conveniently enough Bob’s Red Mill provided participating bloggers with a bag of old fashioned rolled oats!

cabotNot only am I sharing my coffee cake recipe today – I’m using Cabot Cheese White Oak Cheddar in a fruit salad! The way I figured it, people often eat fruit with their cheese plate so why not combine it in a sweet and savory dressing.

Pear Coffee Cake

Ingredients for topping:

  • 3/8 C flour
  • 1/3 C Dixie Crystals Brown Sugar
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 1/2 tbsp butter, at room temperature
  • 1/4 C rolled oats

Ingredients for cake:

  • 2 C + 1 tbsp flour, divided use
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 stick butter, at room temperature
  • 1 C Dixie Crystals Granulated Sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 C whole milk vanilla yogurt
  • 1 C peeled and diced pears
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Steps:

  1. Make the topping: whisk together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Using your fingers, break the butter into small pieces and combine with the topping. After combined add the oats. Set aside.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8×8″ square cake pan with foil and grease.
  3. Make the cake: In a large bowl whisk together 2 C flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  4. In a the bowl of a stand mixer beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Add in the vanilla.
  5. Incorporate a third of the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Once combined add 1/2 C of yogurt. Add another third of the dry ingredients. Once combined add the last 1/2 C of yogurt. Add in the final third of the dry ingredients.
  6. Toss pears in remaining flour and cinnamon.
  7. Assemble the cake: Place half of the cake batter in the prepared cake pan. Evenly distribute the pears and top with remaining batter. Top the cake with the topping from step 1.
  8. Bake for 65 minutes, or until a knife comes out cleanly.
  9. Allow cake to cool for 5 minutes and remove the cake from the pan by the foil. Serve your cake with fruit & cheese salad (recipe below)!

Fruit & Cheese Salad

Ingredients:

  • 3 C chopped pears
  • 2 C sliced red grapes
  • 1 Fuji apple, diced
  • 6 oz White Oak Cheddar Cheese, cubed
  • 1/4 C apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 C extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 C agave nectar
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp fresh basil, chiffonade

Steps:

  1. In a large bowl, toss together fruit and cheese.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, olive oil, agave, and vanilla. Season to taste with salt.
  3. Dress fruit salad with the dressing and add in the basil. Keep cold.

*The dressing recipe is modified from Michael at http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/fruit-salad-with-savoury-dressings/12917/*

Pear Coffee Cake and Fruit & Cheddar Salad for #BrunchWeek from Sew You Think You Can Cook

Don’t forget to enter our giveaway and be sure to check out the other bloggers who posted more brunch recipes today:

BrunchWeek 2015 Logo
BrunchWeek Beverages:
Grape Mojito from The Spiffy Cookie.

BrunchWeek Egg Dishes:
Caramelized Onion, Kale, Bacon and Cheddar Strata from Love and Confections.
Kale and Toasted Quinoa Egg White Scramble from Take A Bite Out Of Boca.
Breakfast Enchiladas from Cooking in Stilettos
Croque Madame Breakfast Casserole from Bread Booze Bacon.
Rainbow Chard and Cheddar Cheese Frittata from My Catholic Kitchen.

BrunchWeek Breads, Grains and Pastries:
Perfect French Toast from Quarter Life (Crisis) Cuisine.
Oat Breakfast Cookies from Pink Cake Plate.
Cinnamon Oatmeal Pancakes with Spiced Pear Syrup from The Redhead Baker.
Cinnamon Crumb Coffee Cake Muffins from Making Miracles.
Classic Buttermilk Pancakes from That Skinny Chick Can Bake.
Bacci Bread and Pear Pudding from A Day in the Life on the Farm.
Pear Coffee Cake and Fruit & Cheese Salad from Sew You Think You Can Cook.

BrunchWeek Main Dishes:
Waldorf Quinoa Chicken Salad from Cupcake & Kale Chips.

BrunchWeek Fruits, Vegetables and Sides:
Chilled Strawberry Soup from The Suburban Soapbox

BrunchWeek Desserts:
Orange Blossom Olive Oil Cake with Mango Citrus Glaze from Taste Cook Sip.
Walnut Meringue Banana Mess from Jane’s Adventures in Dinner.

Disclaimer: Thank you to #BrunchWeek Sponsors: Bob’s Red Mill, Cabot Creamery Cooperative, California Walnuts, Dixie Crystals, Grimmway Farms/Cal-Organic/True Juice, KitchenAid, Le Creuset, Nielsen-Massey Vanillas, Pacari Chocolate, Stonyfield Organic, Vidalia Onions, and Woot Froot for providing the prizes free of charge. These companies also provided the bloggers with samples and product to use for #BrunchWeek. All opinions are my own.

#FoodieExtravaganza: Grilled Cheese

~ lk529 ~ 21 Comments

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Happy April everyone! Did you know April might just be the best food month EVER?! Coffee cake day, caramel popcorn day, and healthy kids day are among the fun food holidays this month, along with BLT month and soft pretzel month. But today, Foodie Extravaganza is celebrating grilled cheese month, hosted by Lauren of From Gate to Plate.

Grilled cheese is a go-to lunch or dinner in my house for days we just don’t feel like cooking. I’m looking forward to the great list from this event to add some twists to the classic sandwich.

I decided to go sweet. I was going to use cream cheese, but I had mascarpone in my fridge and decided to use that. To be honest, I would have preferred the extra tang from the cream cheese, but my husband loved it as is. Use whatever you enjoy best. I only used two slices of bacon but next time, I’m going to up that to 3. Those bacony bites were the best ones!

An Original Recipe

Bacon Apple Mascarpone Grilled Cheese

Ingredients:

  • 2-3 strips center cut bacon
  • 1 small Granny Smith apple, diced
  • 2 tsp brown sugar
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 4 slices whole wheat bread
  • 2 tbsp mascarpone cheese
  • butter, for spreading

Steps:

  1. In a small skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crispy. Remove and set on a paper towel lined plate.
  2. Cook apple in the bacon grease until tender. Stir in the brown sugar, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Crumble the bacon and stir into the apples. Remove from heat and set aside.
  3. Spread butter on one side of each slice of bread.
  4. Spread 1 tbsp mascarpone cheese on the non-buttered side of two pieces of bread. Top with half of the apple mixture.
  5. Spread a thin layer of more mascarpone cheese on the non-buttered side of the remaining bread. Place cheese side down on top of the apples.
  6. Cook grilled cheese until golden brown, flip and repeat until cheese is soft and gooey.

BAM grilled cheese | Sew You Think You Can Cook

Be sure to check out the rest of these ooey-gooey grilled cheese recipes:

Caramelized Onion Bacon Grilled Cheese by Rebekah at Making Miracles

Grilled Cheese in the Garden by Camilla at Culinary Adventures with Camilla

Spicy Pear Grilled Cheese by Kelly at Passion Kneaded

Griddle Baked Quesadillas with Poblano Rajas by Wendy at A Day in the Life on the Farm

Ham, Apple, and Sharp Cheddar Grilled Cheese by Carlee at Cooking with Carlee

French Toast Grilled Cheese with Balsamic Berry Compote by Rholinelle at The Joyful Foodie

Grilled Cheese with Caramelized Onions and Spinach by Tara at Tara’s Multicultural Table

Chicken Cordon Bleu Grilled Cheese by Marissa at Rae Gun Ramblings

Muffuletta Grilled Cheese by Stacy at Food Lust People Love

Open Faced Italian Grilled Cheese by Kathleen at Fearlessly Creative Mammas

Chicken, Bacon, and Avocado Grilled Cheese by Jacklyn at Mrs. Penguin

Southern Grilled Cheese by Teri at The Freshman Cook

Mac and Cheese Grilled Cheese by Lauren at From Gate to Plate

Pork Chops and Applesauce

~ lk529 ~ Leave a comment

I bring you a comfort food classic combination. I don’t recall ever having Pork Chops and Applesauce growing up and wanted to know why these two foods are traditionally paired together.

The answer? Because it works! The flavors complement each other nicely.

I made a quick spice rub for my pork – salt, pepper, paprika, ground mustard, thyme. Seared them over the stove top and served them aside homemade apple sauce and a baked potato. (Yes, I realize there should have been a green of some sort, probably broccoli served with this too. But apple is a fruit!)

Slow Cooker Applesauce

Ingredients:

  • 4 pink lady apples, peeled
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1-2 tbsp brown sugar, to taste

Steps:

  1. Cut peeled apples into chunks. Place in a slow cooker. Add the cinnamon stick.
  2. Cook on LOW 4-6 hours.
  3. Taste apple sauce and add brown sugar to sweeten if desired.

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