Caramel Apple Pie

                                                                               

Scrumptious Apple Pie with homemade Caramel Sauce, easier than you think & better than you could hope for. 

Caramel Sauce:

1 Cup Granulated Sugar

1/3 Cup Water

3/4 Heavy Cream

2 TBS Butter

In a heavy saucepan place the sugar evenly in the bottom. Now pour the water over the sugar evenly so it covers all the sugar. You can just give the pan a gentle swish to do that. Have the heavy cream & butter close at hand. Now cook the water & sugar over medium high heat & DO NOT STIR just let it happily cook on a high bubble. Let it bubble until you have a honey colored mixture, like amber. Now turn off the heat & pour in the heavy cream, let it bubble up & the settle add the butter & now stir like crazy until smooth. You will get hard glass like sugar at first but this will all stir into smooth delicious caramel sauce. Let cool while you go to the next step of the pie which is the crust.

CRUST:

2 Cups Flour

1 TBS Sugar

1 TSP Salt

1 TSP Sugar

1/3 Cup Butter

1/3 Cup Crisco Shortening

4 to 5 TBS Cold Water

1 TSP Vanilla

Stir all the dry ingredients together. Cut in butter & shortening until you have fine crumbs. Now add the water & vanilla & stir just until dough pulls together. Divide dough in half & roll out on a well floured surface to make a round large enough for a 9 inch deep pie pan. Line the bottom with one round & save the other for the top. Preheat oven to 350 degrees & now make the apple filling.

APPLE FILLING

4 Large Honey Crisp Apples peeled & pared, if using regular sized apples of your choosing you will need 8 apples, Places apple slices in a large deep bowl & toss with 1 TBS Lemon Juice to keep the apples from browning.

2 Heaping TBS Flour

2/3 Cup Sugar

2 TSP Cinnamon

Dash of Salt

1 Tsp Vanilla

Dump all the ingredients into your apples & stir well. Now dump the mixture into your lined pie dish. Now take that caramel sauce & pour it over the apples. Cut some slits in the top crust so pie has vents & cover the pie with your top crust, crimp the edges & sprinkle the top crust with about 2 TBS of sugar just for fun! Bake in the preheated 350 degree oven 45 up to an hour or so, crust should be nicely brown & you should see some bubbling of caramel coming up through the slits. Remove from oven & let cool. Slice & dig into all that caramel apple goodness!

Crumb Topped Apple Muffins

                                                                                 

Now this is a muffin! Sweet crunchy crumb topping, tender chunks of apple tucked inside a moist, huge & delicious muffin! You get 12 of these big bad boys, but they won't last long!

MUFFIN BATTER:

1 Cup Sugar

2&1/2 Cups Flour

1 Tablespoon Baking Powder, YES, tablespoon

1 TSP Salt

1 Tsp Cinnamon

2 Eggs Beaten

1/4 Oil

1 Cup Vanilla Yogurt, or Heavy Cream, or Half & Half all 3 work well but yogurt is the best.

1 Tsp Vanilla

Spray your cupcake or muffin pan well down into each well the sides & the top of the pan. Preheat oven to 400 Degrees

In a deep bowl add the following

The sugar, flour, baking powder, salt & cinnamon. Stir well, Make a well  in the middle & add the 2 beaten eggs, the oil, vanilla, & yogurt or whichever wet ingredient you chose. Stir with a heavy spoon until combined. Batter will be thick. Set aside & make the apple filling.

APPLE FILLING:

2 Large Apples peeled, cored, & chopped

3 TBS Butter

2 Heaping TBS Flour

1/3 Cup Sugar

1 Tsp Cinnamon

Dash or 2 of Salt. In a heavy saucepan melt butter, add the apples & stir. Add the rest & cook & stir over medium heat until apples are tender.  Let this cool for 10 minutes. Now stir this into your muffin batter. Divide the apple batter between 12 wells of your prepared pan . Wells will be almost full. Now make that crumb topping!

CRUMB TOPPING:

1 Cup Flour

2/3 Cup Sugar

2 TBS Brown Sugar

Dash of Salt

1/2 Tsp Cinnamon

1 TBS Butter

Mix all the dry together, I use the pan I used to mix up the muffins, the wet batter left behind will not hurt the crumbs at all. Rub the butter in to make fine crumbs. Now place about 1 TBS or so of crumbs onto the top of each muffin. Press crumbs down lightly. Now bake for 20 to 23 minutes until the muffins test done with a toothpick inserted, it should come out with no wet batter! Remove muffins from oven & let cool in the pan for 6 minutes.  Then invert pan on to a clean surface, if muffin sticks into the pan just gently run a sharp knife along the edges to loose. Set each muffin upright to finish cooling! Great warm or at room temperature! ENJOY!

Lady Godiva Chocolate Chiffon Cake

                                                                               

Godiva Chocolate in a Chiffon Cake, divine!

5 Egg Whites

1/2 TSP Cream Of Tartar

Beat egg whites with the cream of tartar until stiff, set aside

In a large bowl combine

2 &1/4 Cups Flour

1&1/2 Cups Sugar

1 TBS Baking Powder

1 TSP Salt

1, 3.6 Ounce Box of Godiva Dark Chocolate Pudding

Mix with a spoon until combined

In a well you make into the flour mixture add

2 Whole Eggs

1/2 Cup Oil

1 TSP Vanilla

3/4 Half & Half

Beat until all is mixed well. Batter will be thick. Now fold batter gently into the beaten egg white mixture. Gently spoon into an ungreased angel food cake pan. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 50 minutes to an hour. When cake tester comes out dry cake is done. Remove from oven & cool inverted on a glass bottle. Let cool completely. Once cool run a sharp knife around all the edges to remove cake. Frost or glaze or just powder sugar the cake! I made the following glaze  it is delicious.

CHOCOLATE GLAZE:

4 Ounces of Godiva Dark Chocolate

3 TBS Corn Syrup

3 TBS Heavy Cream

Heat the cor syrup & heavy cream until hot. Break up the chocolate & add to the mixture whisking until smooth. Let cool at least 10 minutes then spoon over the cooled cake!

Boston Cream Filled Cupcakes as per Rachael Ray

                                                                           

12 big fat Boston Cream filled cupcakes! What more could you want! This is mostly Rachael Ray's recipe but I tweaked her method just a tad. SCRUMPTIOUS! 

CUPCAKE BATTER:

1&1/2 Cup Flour

1TSP. Baking Powder

1/2 TSP Salt

1 Stick Butter soft

1 Cup Sugar

1 Large Eggs

3.4 Cup 1/2 & 1/2

4 TSP Vanilla

Mix all dry together. In large mixing bowl cram the butter. Add sugar & beat again. Add vanilla & eggs & beat again . Now alternate using 1/3 of the flour mixture first, beat into butter mixture. Now add 1/3 of the 1/2 & 1/2. Back to flour then 1/2 & 1/2 ending with flour. Divide batter between 12 cupcake wells lined with foil lined cupcake papers. Bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for 22 to 25 minutes. Be sure to not over bake. Cupcakes are done with toothpick inserted into cupcake comes out with no wet batter. Once done remove cupcakes from oven but let cool completely in the pan.

BOSTON CREAM FILLING:

1&1/2 Cups Whole Milk

1 Cup Heavy Cream

1/2 Cup Sugar

3 TBS Cornstarch

3 Large Egg Yolks

Dash of Salt

1/2 TBS Butter

2 TSP Vanilla

In a heavy sauce pan stir together all the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl beat the egg yolks then beat in 1 Cup of the milk. Back to saucepan whisk in the remaining milk & the cream. Cook over medium heat whisking the entire time until mixture starts to thicken. Now ladle a 1/2 cup or so of the hot mixture slowly into the beaten egg mixture, whisking it as you add it. Now whisk this into the saucepan on medium heat. Continue to cook & whisk until you have creamy thick pudding. Remove from heat & whisk in the butter & vanilla. CHILL WELL. I made mine the day before & refrigerated until I was ready to fill the cupcakes.

CHOCOLATE TOPPING:

4 Ounces of 60% Cacao Chocolate broken into small pieces

4 TSP Corn Syrup

8 TBS Heavy Cream

In a heavy saucepan whisk together the cream & corn syrup, cook over medium heat until hot. Now whisk in the broken chocolate & whisk & cook until you have smooth velvety chocolate gloss. Let cool about 10  minutes. Now you may assemble the cupcake.

ASSEMBLING THE CUPCAKES:

Cut a cylinder of about 1 inch across & 2/3 way down into the cupcake out of the cupcake center, set aside, do all 12. Now go back & spoon 1 TBS of the pudding mixture into each cupcake. Go back to your cutouts & cut off the bottom so you have a cupcake lid. Place lid on top   of each cupcake sealing in the pudding. Do all 12. Now spoon about 1 TBS of chocolate gloss onto each cupcake smooth out slightly. Do all 12. Chill for ten minutes. Now bring out the cupcakes from the frig & coat again with the chocolate gloss. I then sprinkled mine with Gold Sanding Sugar. Chill cupcakes until ready to serve! 12 Boston Cream Cupcakes YUM YUM YUM!

New Recipe coming tomorrow

                                                                             

I made these beauties for my friend's birthday at work tomorrow. The recipe is not mine but Rachel Ray's. I tweaked it a little but will blog it as her recipe! These must pass the taste test tomorrow before I blog. These are Boston Cream Filled Cupcakes!

Sour Cream Chicken Casserole

                                                                         

A very different & delicious casserole that came into being because I had sour cream in my frig & thought hmmm, what I can I make with you? This was the yummy answer! Make 1 big casserole feeds 6 or less with leftovers that won't last long! 

As you can see it has a crunchy topping & underneath is all that cheesy, sour cream & chicken goodness!

2 Pound of Boneless Skinless Chicken, I used Chicken Breast, cut up into bite sized pieces, on the large end of bite sized

16 Ounces of Sour Cream

6 TBS Melted Butter

2 HEAPING TBS of Flour

2 TSP Parsley Flakes or Fresh or Dried

1 Chicken Bullion Cube 

2 Cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese

2 TSP Crushed Garlic Or Garlic Powder 

2 TSP Onion Powder

2 TSP Ground Sage

Pepper to taste

4 Large Baking Potatoes peeled & cut into Large Bite Sized Pieces

1 Onion Chopped

2 Cups Crushed Cornflakes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Stir together 4 TBS of the melted butter with a Chicken Bullion Cube until bullion has dissolved, whisk in the flour, & then the sour cream, stir until mixed well. Now stir in one cup of the cheddar cheese, & the seasoning. In a large baking dish put the potatoes, onion & chicken , the add the sour cream mixture & stir very well. Bake covered for 1 & 1/2 hours. Remove from oven & spread the remaining cup of cheddar cheese over the top. Take your crushed cornflakes & stir in the remaining  2 TBS of melted butter, add a dash or 2 of the seasonings & stir well. Place the crumbs evenly over the cheddar cheese & return casserole back into the oven for 30 minutes UNCOVERED, after 30 minutes remove from oven & plate up one yummy chicken dish! 

Sugar Cookie Cinnamon Roll Cookies as per Judys' Foodies!

                                                                         

SWEET! A sugar cookie that thinks it is a cinnamon roll! Delicious & these store nicely for your holiday or special occasions! The idea is not mine I saw it from Pillsbury but why buy dough when you have a great sugar cookie recipe. You will love this cookie if you love cinnamon rolls! ENJOY!

Dough:

6 Cups Flour

1 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Salt

1 Cup Butter Softened

2 Cups Sugar

3 Large Eggs

2 tsp Vanilla

1 & 1/2 Cup Plain Yogurt or Sour Cream

Stir all the dry ingredients together & set aside. Beat Butter, add sugar & beat again. Now add the eggs & vanilla & beat again. Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients & beat. Now add 1/3 of the yogurt or sour cream. Add another 1/3 of the flour, beat then repeat with yogurt, until all is combined nicely. You will have to finish stirring this dough by hand with a heavy spoon. Now chill well, at least 2 hours, overnight would be even better. Now to bake:

Have parchment paper, 12 TBS of melted butter, granulated sugar or light brown sugar, I used granulated, & lots of cinnamon I think I went through 1/3 cup of cinnamon, & have flour to dust the parchment & the dough handy. On your flat surface place 1 large piece of parchment & dust liberally with flour. Get a nice blob of dough about 2 cups of dough & roll out with your rolling pin to a rectangle of approximately 7 inched by 16 inches. Cover with melted butter using a pastry brush or pour on by tablespoonfuls & smear out to cover the dough. Now sprinkle about 4 heaping tablespoons of sugar across the buttered dough & then be generous with the sprinkle of cinnamon. Cover the entire surface. Now roll up the dough from the 16 inch side so you get a log of about 16 inches. Cut like you would for cinnamon rolls. Place each one cut side down on a parchment covered cookie sheet. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for about 13 minutes. Check the bottoms for a light brown bottom. Let cookies cool & the drizzle with a generous drizzle of vanilla frosting. I used this cream cheese frosting!

FROSTING: 

8 OZ softened Cream Cheese

8 OZ Softened Butter

Dash of Salt

2 tsp Vanilla 

Confectioners Sugar about 4 heaping cups

1/2 & 1/2 Cream enough to get the desired frosting you want for the drizzle, I like mine thick so I used about 1/4 cup,

Beat the cream cheese & butter together, I just used a whisk my butter was all but melted & the cream cheese was very soft, I used the microwave to soften it.  Whisk or beat in the vanilla & salt. Now whisk or beat in the sugar. Add enough of the cream to where you are happy! Drizzle or dollop over cooled cookies. Let cookies sit until frosting hardens. The store in an air tight container with layer of wax paper between the layers. This makes 6 dozen incredible sugar cookies that really do believe they are cinnamon rolls!