McDonald’s Copycat Fried Apple Pies

Visions of McDonald's Fresh Apple Pies have been dancing in my head. Crisp flaky pie crust oozing with thick apple pie filling and tender chunks of spiced apple.

I had to create a copycat recipe to cure my hankering for my favorite apple pies from my childhood. Now you can enjoy one (or 6) too!

Continue Reading »

Visions of McDonald's Fresh Apple Pies have been dancing in my head. Crisp flaky pie crust oozing with thick apple pie filling and tender chunks of spiced apple.

I had to create a copycat recipe to cure my hankering for my favorite apple pies from my childhood. Now you can enjoy one (or 6) too!

Continue Reading »

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Apple Sangria

    Last Saturday I did something I never do.  I stayed in my pajamas all day long!  I seriously did not change out of them until 7pm when I changed into another pair of pajamas.  It was a fabulous day.  The best part was that I didn't just sit around.  I made two orders to ship out, I cleaned the entire house, I worked on some of my posts, and I did a lot of cooking.  It was great.

     Now doing all that work around the house made me thirsty.  It was a cool, crisp day and I was feeling like a fall drink.  There was a bowl of apples on the counter and I had the best idea.  Apple Sangria. You heard me right; I wanted to make apple sangria.

     I'll be the first to say I'm not a big fan of red wine but this beverage looked way too good to pass up.  First I made a simple syrup with sugar, water, and spices.  Then I soaked apple pieces in the simple syrup.  The drink is finished off with lemon slices, lime slices, apple slices, and red wine.  It may be the best sangria I've ever had!  Slightly sweet, spiced, and it smelled like fall.  Even my husband, who isn't big on mixing fruit with anything else, enjoyed his large glass of sangria.  This is going to be the perfect fall party beverage!

Apple Sangria (adapted from We Are Not Martha)
1 1/2 c. sugar
3 c. water
3 cinnamon sticks
5 cloves
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg
1 in. piece of ginger, peeled and cut into thin slices
3 apples, cored
1 bottle dry red wine
1/2 c. cherry juice (or orange juice)
1 lemon, sliced
1 lime, sliced

1.  In a medium saucepan combine the sugar, water, cinnamon sticks, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

2.  Pour the spiced simple syrup into a medium bowl.  Slice one of the apples thinly and place into the simple syrup.  Refrigerate for at least an hour.

3.  Fill a pitcher half full with ice.  Pour in the red wine and cherry juice.  Put in lemon and lime slices.  Slice another apple and place in the pitcher.  Dice the remaining apple and place in the pitcher.

4.  Add in half the simple syrup mixture, mix well to combine, and taste.  Add additional simple syrup if desired.  Pour into glasses filled with ice and garnish with a lemon or lime slice.

*Refrigerate any remaining sangria for up to 2 days.  The longer it sits in the refrigerator the more flavor it will have.

     

    Last Saturday I did something I never do.  I stayed in my pajamas all day long!  I seriously did not change out of them until 7pm when I changed into another pair of pajamas.  It was a fabulous day.  The best part was that I didn't just sit around.  I made two orders to ship out, I cleaned the entire house, I worked on some of my posts, and I did a lot of cooking.  It was great.

     Now doing all that work around the house made me thirsty.  It was a cool, crisp day and I was feeling like a fall drink.  There was a bowl of apples on the counter and I had the best idea.  Apple Sangria. You heard me right; I wanted to make apple sangria.

     I'll be the first to say I'm not a big fan of red wine but this beverage looked way too good to pass up.  First I made a simple syrup with sugar, water, and spices.  Then I soaked apple pieces in the simple syrup.  The drink is finished off with lemon slices, lime slices, apple slices, and red wine.  It may be the best sangria I've ever had!  Slightly sweet, spiced, and it smelled like fall.  Even my husband, who isn't big on mixing fruit with anything else, enjoyed his large glass of sangria.  This is going to be the perfect fall party beverage!

Apple Sangria (adapted from We Are Not Martha)
1 1/2 c. sugar
3 c. water
3 cinnamon sticks
5 cloves
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg
1 in. piece of ginger, peeled and cut into thin slices
3 apples, cored
1 bottle dry red wine
1/2 c. cherry juice (or orange juice)
1 lemon, sliced
1 lime, sliced

1.  In a medium saucepan combine the sugar, water, cinnamon sticks, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

2.  Pour the spiced simple syrup into a medium bowl.  Slice one of the apples thinly and place into the simple syrup.  Refrigerate for at least an hour.

3.  Fill a pitcher half full with ice.  Pour in the red wine and cherry juice.  Put in lemon and lime slices.  Slice another apple and place in the pitcher.  Dice the remaining apple and place in the pitcher.

4.  Add in half the simple syrup mixture, mix well to combine, and taste.  Add additional simple syrup if desired.  Pour into glasses filled with ice and garnish with a lemon or lime slice.

*Refrigerate any remaining sangria for up to 2 days.  The longer it sits in the refrigerator the more flavor it will have.

     

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Vegan Apple Pie + a Review of Pies and Tarts with Heart by Dynise Balcavage

     Here is your complete guide to homemade vegan pie! First, you’ll master your crust, be it flaky, nutty, cookie-based, vegetable-based, or gluten-free. You’ll learn to make and roll the dough. Then, you’ll craft your filling, finish your pie, decorate it, and make a homemade topping. (Vegan whipped cream, anyone?) Whether you’re looking for a filling meal—such as Mushroom-Polenta Pie or Cornish Pasties—or a dessert pie beyond compare—such as Pumpkin Pie or Butterscotch Pudding Pie—Pies and Tarts With Heart has a lovingly crafted pie for you. And with gluten-free and raw options, you’ll be sure to find the perfect pie for your family’s needs.  (-synopsis)

      I really enjoyed this cookbook.  I've been getting more and more requests for vegan desserts and pies have been one of the hardest things for me to make vegan.  This book starts out by talking about ingredients and tools used in pie making.  Then it moves on to basic crust recipes.  All of the recipes are vegan and most have notations on how to make them gluten free which is an extra bonus in my book.  Next it moves on to traditional pies such as Apple Pie, Gingered-Pear Pie, and Pumpkin Pie.

     Not looking for traditional?  No problem. They move on to Creamy Pies such as Frozen Chocolate Mudslide Pie and Butterscotch Pudding Pie.    There's also citrus pies, nutty pies, and even pies in the raw.  I cannot wait to try the Raw Baklava Crusted Apple Pie-YUM!  Then there is an entire section on artistic tarts.  These tarts are almost too pretty to eat.  The book ends with savory pies and tarts.

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.

     Looking through the book I just couldn't decide what to make.  I had 4 different pies marked but when I looked on my kitchen counter and saw the fruit bowl overflowing with apples my mind was made up for me.  Apple pie it was!  At first I was just going to use a pre-made pie crust and go with the apple filling recipe but I realized that would defeat the purpose since the pie crust wouldn't be homemade.

     Instead I made the double crust recipe and I'm so glad I did!  While it was harder to roll out than regular pie crust, it tasted even better once it was baked.  The crust was perfectly brown and stayed crisp, even the next day.  Then I made the apple pie filling and was concerned that it was going to be too runny because of the soy milk but when I cut into the pie I didn't have any filling run out.  The next day the filling had firmed up even more and my pie slices were picture perfect.

      My husband had no idea this pie was vegan and he enjoyed it every bit as much as I did.  In fact, we enjoyed it so much we didn't share it with anyone!  That's right, the two of us finished off the entire pie ourselves...oops! 

Vegan Apple Pie (recipe from Pies and Tarts with Heart by Dynise Balcavage, 2013)
For the crust:
2 1/2 c. flour
1/2 t. salt
1/2 c. margarine
1/2 c. vegetable shortening
6-10 T. ice cold water

For the pie:
5 large apples, peeled and sliced
3 T. flour
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar

1/4 t. nutmeg
1/2 t. ground ginger
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. salt
1 T. vanilla
2/3 c. vanilla soymilk
1 T. sugar, for sprinkling    

1.  In a large bowl, mix the flour and salt.

2.  Dice the margarine and shortening and add to the flour, tossing very well so each piece is covered with flour.

3.  Using a pastry blender, blend the flour and fats, with the aim of handling the dough as little as possible.  When the bits are about pea size, start adding water, 1 tablespoon at a time, sprinkling evenly onto the dough.

4.  Wrap tightly in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.  

5.  Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.Divide the dough in half and roll out the top and bottom crusts.  Place the bottom crust in the pan and lay the top gently over it to store temporarily.  Refrigerate until ready to fill.   

6.  Just before baking the pie, in a large bowl, stir together the apples, flour, sugar, brown sugar, spices, salt, vanilla, and soymilk.    Spoon into the prepared crust.  Top with the second crust and crimp the edges as desired.  Sprinkle with the coarse sugar.

7.  Place the pie on a foil-lined cookie sheet (to catch any fruit spillover) and bake for 15 minutes.  Lower the heat to 350 degrees and bake for 45 more minutes, until the top is golden.  If the crust seems to brown too quickly, cover the pie with aluminum foil.  Allow to cool completely before slicing.  

 

     Here is your complete guide to homemade vegan pie! First, you’ll master your crust, be it flaky, nutty, cookie-based, vegetable-based, or gluten-free. You’ll learn to make and roll the dough. Then, you’ll craft your filling, finish your pie, decorate it, and make a homemade topping. (Vegan whipped cream, anyone?) Whether you’re looking for a filling meal—such as Mushroom-Polenta Pie or Cornish Pasties—or a dessert pie beyond compare—such as Pumpkin Pie or Butterscotch Pudding Pie—Pies and Tarts With Heart has a lovingly crafted pie for you. And with gluten-free and raw options, you’ll be sure to find the perfect pie for your family’s needs.  (-synopsis)

      I really enjoyed this cookbook.  I've been getting more and more requests for vegan desserts and pies have been one of the hardest things for me to make vegan.  This book starts out by talking about ingredients and tools used in pie making.  Then it moves on to basic crust recipes.  All of the recipes are vegan and most have notations on how to make them gluten free which is an extra bonus in my book.  Next it moves on to traditional pies such as Apple Pie, Gingered-Pear Pie, and Pumpkin Pie.

     Not looking for traditional?  No problem. They move on to Creamy Pies such as Frozen Chocolate Mudslide Pie and Butterscotch Pudding Pie.    There's also citrus pies, nutty pies, and even pies in the raw.  I cannot wait to try the Raw Baklava Crusted Apple Pie-YUM!  Then there is an entire section on artistic tarts.  These tarts are almost too pretty to eat.  The book ends with savory pies and tarts.

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.

     Looking through the book I just couldn't decide what to make.  I had 4 different pies marked but when I looked on my kitchen counter and saw the fruit bowl overflowing with apples my mind was made up for me.  Apple pie it was!  At first I was just going to use a pre-made pie crust and go with the apple filling recipe but I realized that would defeat the purpose since the pie crust wouldn't be homemade.

     Instead I made the double crust recipe and I'm so glad I did!  While it was harder to roll out than regular pie crust, it tasted even better once it was baked.  The crust was perfectly brown and stayed crisp, even the next day.  Then I made the apple pie filling and was concerned that it was going to be too runny because of the soy milk but when I cut into the pie I didn't have any filling run out.  The next day the filling had firmed up even more and my pie slices were picture perfect.

      My husband had no idea this pie was vegan and he enjoyed it every bit as much as I did.  In fact, we enjoyed it so much we didn't share it with anyone!  That's right, the two of us finished off the entire pie ourselves...oops! 

Vegan Apple Pie (recipe from Pies and Tarts with Heart by Dynise Balcavage, 2013)
For the crust:
2 1/2 c. flour
1/2 t. salt
1/2 c. margarine
1/2 c. vegetable shortening
6-10 T. ice cold water

For the pie:
5 large apples, peeled and sliced
3 T. flour
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar

1/4 t. nutmeg
1/2 t. ground ginger
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. salt
1 T. vanilla
2/3 c. vanilla soymilk
1 T. sugar, for sprinkling    

1.  In a large bowl, mix the flour and salt.

2.  Dice the margarine and shortening and add to the flour, tossing very well so each piece is covered with flour.

3.  Using a pastry blender, blend the flour and fats, with the aim of handling the dough as little as possible.  When the bits are about pea size, start adding water, 1 tablespoon at a time, sprinkling evenly onto the dough.

4.  Wrap tightly in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.  

5.  Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.Divide the dough in half and roll out the top and bottom crusts.  Place the bottom crust in the pan and lay the top gently over it to store temporarily.  Refrigerate until ready to fill.   

6.  Just before baking the pie, in a large bowl, stir together the apples, flour, sugar, brown sugar, spices, salt, vanilla, and soymilk.    Spoon into the prepared crust.  Top with the second crust and crimp the edges as desired.  Sprinkle with the coarse sugar.

7.  Place the pie on a foil-lined cookie sheet (to catch any fruit spillover) and bake for 15 minutes.  Lower the heat to 350 degrees and bake for 45 more minutes, until the top is golden.  If the crust seems to brown too quickly, cover the pie with aluminum foil.  Allow to cool completely before slicing.  

 

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Caramel Apple Milky Way Bundt Cake #BundtAMonth

    It's October and that means Halloween!  I love Halloween.  I don't know when it started but I have always loved Halloween.  I love watching scary movies, getting dressed up in a costume, eating tons of candy, and just basically having a "sweet" month.

     To kick it off #BundtAMonth is having Candilicious October with all of our Bundts being baked with candy!  I originally went to the store looking for Milky Ways but instead I found Caramel Apple Milky Ways.  There is the same wonderful caramel with apple nougat all covered in chocolate.  

    I made a delicious Bundt cake filled with these Caramel Apple Milky Ways.  I originally thought I'd make a caramel drizzle to go on top of the cake but there was no need.  It was sweet and tasted of caramel, apples, and faintly of chocolate.  It was so good and perfect for a cake to celebrate both fall and Halloween.  I took it into work and it was gone within the hour.  Not even a crumb was left on the plate!

Caramel Apple Milk Way Bundt Cake (adapted from Telling Dad)
2 c. mini Caramel Apple Milky Ways
1 c. butter (2 sticks)
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
4 eggs
1 t. vanilla
1 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 t. baking soda
1 1/4 c. milk
1 1/2 c. all purpose flour

1.  Preheat the oven 350 degrees.  Grease and flour a Bundt pan.

2.  Combine the Milky Ways and 1 stick of butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Stir constantly until everything has melted together and is well combined.  Remove from heat.

3.  In a large bowl combine the remaining stick of butter and the sugars until it is light and fluffy.

4.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.  Stir in the vanilla.

5.  Add in the whole wheat flour along with the baking soda and mix well.  Stir in half the milk and milk until combined.  Add half the all purpose flour and mix until smooth.  Then add the remaining milk and mix until combined.  Finish by adding the remaining all purpose flour and stir until everything is mixed together.

6.  Pour the melted Milky Way mixture into the batter and mix until just combined.

7.  Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan.  Bake for 1 hour or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

8.  Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack.  Using a butter knife, go around the edges of the pan to loosen the cake.  Place a piece of waxed paper over top of the Bundt pan and flip it over.  Allow to cool for an additional hour before cutting.

Who's in the mood for some candy and cake?

Banana Butterfinger Bundt Cake by Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious

Candy Corn Bundt Cake by Holly at A Baker’s House

Caramel Apple Milky Way Bundt Cake by Heather at Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks

Chocolate Coconut Cake by Kate at Food Babbles

Chocolate Hazelnut Candy Bundt with Nutella Glaze by Anita at Hungry Couple

Chocolate Mini Bundts with Candy Coated Chocolates by Alice at Hip Foodie Mom

Coconut Almond Bundt with Chocolate Drizzle by Kathya at Basic N Delicious

Honeycomb Crunch Honey Bundt Cake by Stacy at Food Lust People Love

Kit Kat Cream Cheese Bundt Cake by Anuradha at Baker Street

M& M Nutella Cake by Kim at NinjaBaking

M&M Cream Cheese Pound Cake by Laura at The Spiced Life

Pumpkin Bundt with Salted Caramel Chocolate Sauce by Lora at Cake Duchess

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Bundt Cake by Felice at All That’s Left Are The Crumbs

Snickers Bundt with Chocolate Caramel Peanut Sauce by Tara at Noshing With The Nolands

Twix and Tween by Sandra at Sweet Sensations

Here’s how you can be a part of Bundt-a-Month:

• Simple rule: Bake us a Bundt using your favorite candy
• Post it before October 31, 2013
• Use the #BundtaMonth hashtag in your title. (For ex: title could read – #BundtaMonth: Candy Bundt)
• Add your entry to the Linky tool below
• Link back to our announcement posts

Even more bundt fun! Follow Bundt-a-Month on Facebook where we feature all our gorgeous bundt cakes. Or head over to our Pinterest board for inspiration and choose from hundreds of Bundt cake recipes.

    It's October and that means Halloween!  I love Halloween.  I don't know when it started but I have always loved Halloween.  I love watching scary movies, getting dressed up in a costume, eating tons of candy, and just basically having a "sweet" month.

     To kick it off #BundtAMonth is having Candilicious October with all of our Bundts being baked with candy!  I originally went to the store looking for Milky Ways but instead I found Caramel Apple Milky Ways.  There is the same wonderful caramel with apple nougat all covered in chocolate.  

    I made a delicious Bundt cake filled with these Caramel Apple Milky Ways.  I originally thought I'd make a caramel drizzle to go on top of the cake but there was no need.  It was sweet and tasted of caramel, apples, and faintly of chocolate.  It was so good and perfect for a cake to celebrate both fall and Halloween.  I took it into work and it was gone within the hour.  Not even a crumb was left on the plate!

Caramel Apple Milk Way Bundt Cake (adapted from Telling Dad)
2 c. mini Caramel Apple Milky Ways
1 c. butter (2 sticks)
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
4 eggs
1 t. vanilla
1 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 t. baking soda
1 1/4 c. milk
1 1/2 c. all purpose flour

1.  Preheat the oven 350 degrees.  Grease and flour a Bundt pan.

2.  Combine the Milky Ways and 1 stick of butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Stir constantly until everything has melted together and is well combined.  Remove from heat.

3.  In a large bowl combine the remaining stick of butter and the sugars until it is light and fluffy.

4.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.  Stir in the vanilla.

5.  Add in the whole wheat flour along with the baking soda and mix well.  Stir in half the milk and milk until combined.  Add half the all purpose flour and mix until smooth.  Then add the remaining milk and mix until combined.  Finish by adding the remaining all purpose flour and stir until everything is mixed together.

6.  Pour the melted Milky Way mixture into the batter and mix until just combined.

7.  Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan.  Bake for 1 hour or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

8.  Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack.  Using a butter knife, go around the edges of the pan to loosen the cake.  Place a piece of waxed paper over top of the Bundt pan and flip it over.  Allow to cool for an additional hour before cutting.

Who's in the mood for some candy and cake?

Banana Butterfinger Bundt Cake by Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious

Candy Corn Bundt Cake by Holly at A Baker’s House

Caramel Apple Milky Way Bundt Cake by Heather at Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks

Chocolate Coconut Cake by Kate at Food Babbles

Chocolate Hazelnut Candy Bundt with Nutella Glaze by Anita at Hungry Couple

Chocolate Mini Bundts with Candy Coated Chocolates by Alice at Hip Foodie Mom

Coconut Almond Bundt with Chocolate Drizzle by Kathya at Basic N Delicious

Honeycomb Crunch Honey Bundt Cake by Stacy at Food Lust People Love

Kit Kat Cream Cheese Bundt Cake by Anuradha at Baker Street

M& M Nutella Cake by Kim at NinjaBaking

M&M Cream Cheese Pound Cake by Laura at The Spiced Life

Pumpkin Bundt with Salted Caramel Chocolate Sauce by Lora at Cake Duchess

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Bundt Cake by Felice at All That’s Left Are The Crumbs

Snickers Bundt with Chocolate Caramel Peanut Sauce by Tara at Noshing With The Nolands

Twix and Tween by Sandra at Sweet Sensations

Here’s how you can be a part of Bundt-a-Month:

• Simple rule: Bake us a Bundt using your favorite candy
• Post it before October 31, 2013
• Use the #BundtaMonth hashtag in your title. (For ex: title could read – #BundtaMonth: Candy Bundt)
• Add your entry to the Linky tool below
• Link back to our announcement posts

Even more bundt fun! Follow Bundt-a-Month on Facebook where we feature all our gorgeous bundt cakes. Or head over to our Pinterest board for inspiration and choose from hundreds of Bundt cake recipes.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Pumpkin Roll with Apple Butter Cream Cheese Filling #applebutterspin #pumpkinweek

     Whenever I think of fall I think of three main foods; pumpkin, apples, and cinnamon.  I guess cinnamon isn't really a food but a spice, but when I'm cooking in fall I like to use these ingredients.  Since my dad visited us yesterday, I wanted to make him something special for dessert.  Dinner was easy, he loves fish so I made him beer battered fish with potatoes and salad.  Dessert was a little more difficult.

       Then I opened my cupboard and found a jar of Musselman's Apple Butter.  Have I told you how much I love apple butter?  Musselman's is sharing their new Apple Butter e-recipe book that you can download with tons of fun recipes!  They also wanted food bloggers to take a classic recipe and share a new spin on it with apple butter!

       I had so many ideas but the one that finally won out was pumpkin roll.  I love pumpkin roll in the fall.  Spiced pumpkin cake with a lush and creamy filling has always been one of my favorites.  This time I put a spin on the classic pumpkin roll and made an apple butter cream cheese filling!  I wasn't quite sure how the pumpkin and apple butter would taste together but it was a perfect match!  Sweet and spicy and filled with the taste of fall.  I think I might even like this recipe better then the original.

       You don't have to take my word for it!  Musselman's is giving one of my readers a gift pack including a jar of their Apple Butter, a recipe card, and four decorative mini loaf pans to create their own spin on a fall recipe.  Create your own or try my Pumpkin Roll with Apple Butter Filling.

Pumpkin Roll with Apple Butter Cream Cheese Filling (Pumpkin Roll recipe adapted from Sweet Pea's Kitchen)
3/4 c. flour
1 t. baking powder
1 T. pumpkin pie spice
1 t. salt
3 eggs
1 c. sugar
3/4 c. fresh pumpkin puree (or canned pumpkin)
1 t. lemon juice
powdered sugar

For the filling:
6 oz. cream cheese
4 T. butter, softened
1/2 c. Musselman's Apple Butter
2 c. powdered sugar

1.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Line a 15 x 10 x 2  inch jellyroll pan with waxed paper.

2.  In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.  Mix and set aside.

3.  In a large bowl combine the eggs and sugar and beat with a hand mixer on medium speed.  Beat for 2 minutes or until fluffy and pale yellow.  Stir in the pumpkin and lemon juice.

4.  Add the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture and beat on low speed for 30 seconds.

5.  Pour the pumpkin mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.

6.  Sprinkle powdered sugar on a clean dish towel.  Turn the pumpkin roll onto the clean towel.  Peel off the wax paper and sprinkle the top with more powdered sugar.

7.  Roll the pumpkin roll in the clean towel lengthwise.  Allow to cool completely.

8.  Meanwhile, combine the cream cheese, butter, and apple butter in a large bowl.  Mix at high speed until smooth.  Add in the powdered sugar a half cup at a time, mixing after each addition, until smooth.

9.  Carefully unroll the pumpkin roll.  Spread the filling all over the pumpkin roll.  Re-roll without the towel.  Cover with plastic wrap and chill at least one hour in the refrigerator or until ready to serve.

     Are you ready for the giveaway?  One of my readers will win the Musselman's prize package.  Simply fill out the Rafflecoptor for your chance to win.  Giveaway is open to residents of the US only.
  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Musselman's provided me with the Apple Butter, recipe cards, and decorative mini loaf pans but all opinions, photos, and text are 100% my own. 

     Whenever I think of fall I think of three main foods; pumpkin, apples, and cinnamon.  I guess cinnamon isn't really a food but a spice, but when I'm cooking in fall I like to use these ingredients.  Since my dad visited us yesterday, I wanted to make him something special for dessert.  Dinner was easy, he loves fish so I made him beer battered fish with potatoes and salad.  Dessert was a little more difficult.

       Then I opened my cupboard and found a jar of Musselman's Apple Butter.  Have I told you how much I love apple butter?  Musselman's is sharing their new Apple Butter e-recipe book that you can download with tons of fun recipes!  They also wanted food bloggers to take a classic recipe and share a new spin on it with apple butter!

       I had so many ideas but the one that finally won out was pumpkin roll.  I love pumpkin roll in the fall.  Spiced pumpkin cake with a lush and creamy filling has always been one of my favorites.  This time I put a spin on the classic pumpkin roll and made an apple butter cream cheese filling!  I wasn't quite sure how the pumpkin and apple butter would taste together but it was a perfect match!  Sweet and spicy and filled with the taste of fall.  I think I might even like this recipe better then the original.

       You don't have to take my word for it!  Musselman's is giving one of my readers a gift pack including a jar of their Apple Butter, a recipe card, and four decorative mini loaf pans to create their own spin on a fall recipe.  Create your own or try my Pumpkin Roll with Apple Butter Filling.

Pumpkin Roll with Apple Butter Cream Cheese Filling (Pumpkin Roll recipe adapted from Sweet Pea's Kitchen)
3/4 c. flour
1 t. baking powder
1 T. pumpkin pie spice
1 t. salt
3 eggs
1 c. sugar
3/4 c. fresh pumpkin puree (or canned pumpkin)
1 t. lemon juice
powdered sugar

For the filling:
6 oz. cream cheese
4 T. butter, softened
1/2 c. Musselman's Apple Butter
2 c. powdered sugar

1.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Line a 15 x 10 x 2  inch jellyroll pan with waxed paper.

2.  In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.  Mix and set aside.

3.  In a large bowl combine the eggs and sugar and beat with a hand mixer on medium speed.  Beat for 2 minutes or until fluffy and pale yellow.  Stir in the pumpkin and lemon juice.

4.  Add the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture and beat on low speed for 30 seconds.

5.  Pour the pumpkin mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.

6.  Sprinkle powdered sugar on a clean dish towel.  Turn the pumpkin roll onto the clean towel.  Peel off the wax paper and sprinkle the top with more powdered sugar.

7.  Roll the pumpkin roll in the clean towel lengthwise.  Allow to cool completely.

8.  Meanwhile, combine the cream cheese, butter, and apple butter in a large bowl.  Mix at high speed until smooth.  Add in the powdered sugar a half cup at a time, mixing after each addition, until smooth.

9.  Carefully unroll the pumpkin roll.  Spread the filling all over the pumpkin roll.  Re-roll without the towel.  Cover with plastic wrap and chill at least one hour in the refrigerator or until ready to serve.

     Are you ready for the giveaway?  One of my readers will win the Musselman's prize package.  Simply fill out the Rafflecoptor for your chance to win.  Giveaway is open to residents of the US only.
  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Musselman's provided me with the Apple Butter, recipe cards, and decorative mini loaf pans but all opinions, photos, and text are 100% my own. 

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Crazy Caramel Apple Pie Bombs

Crazy Caramel Apple Pie Bombs are the pull apart bread of your dreams. They are packed with caramel and apples and baked to perfection. Pull one open and a river of sweet caramel runs over the apple pie bombs.

They are the perfect fall treat or holiday dessert. We love these and are going to be sharing them with our family this year.

Continue Reading »

Crazy Caramel Apple Pie Bombs are the pull apart bread of your dreams. They are packed with caramel and apples and baked to perfection. Pull one open and a river of sweet caramel runs over the apple pie bombs.

They are the perfect fall treat or holiday dessert. We love these and are going to be sharing them with our family this year.

Continue Reading »

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Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Sugar Chips #SundaySupper

      It's summer and that means this week #SundaySupper is preparing by making our favorite dishes using summer berries.  I wish I could get fresh berries year round because they are definitely my favorite fruits.  I didn't even have to think twice about what I was making this week because I've really been wanting to make fruit salsa and this is the perfect time to make it!

      Fruit salsa can really be made with any fruits mixed with fruit jam and a little sugar.  It's very easy to make and is great when you have a lot of fruit that's going to go bad soon.  No one can resist the sweet and tart combination of fruit served with homemade cinnamon sugar chips!

      I made my salsa using strawberries, blackberries, apples, pears, and kiwi.  I already had the apples and pears but I had to go to the store for the other fruits.  I originally was going to use cherry jam but when I went in the basement to my canning pantry I saw homemade raspberry jam and decided I needed to use that since the theme is berries.

      The chips were so good I had to stop myself from eating each one as they came out of the oven.  Simple spray a flour tortilla with cooking spray, toss with cinnamon and sugar, cut with a pizza cutter, and bake.  Viola!  Homemade cinnamon sugar chips.  The combination of crispy, spiced chips with the sweet and tart fruit salsa is the perfect pairing for summer picnics and BBQ's.

Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Sugar Chips (adapted from Elly Says Opa)
1 pear, diced
2 kiwi, peeled and diced
1 c. strawberries, hulled and diced
1 c. blackberries, cut in half
1 apple, cored and diced
2 T. sugar
2 T. brown sugar
3 T. homemade raspberry jam
8 flour tortillas
1/2 c. sugar
1 T. cinnamon

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  

2.  Combine the fruits, sugar, brown sugar, and jam in a large bowl.  Mix well and refrigerate until ready to serve.

3.  Combine the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl.  The take the tortillas one at a time, spray each one with cooking spray and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar mixture.  Cut into 8-10 pieces using a pizza cutter.

4.  Lay the chips on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.  Remove from the oven and cool completely.

5.  Serve the fruit salsa with the cinnamon sugar chips.    

Check out all the other summer berry recipes:

Breakfast & Brunch

• Angel Food French Toast with Blueberry Lemon Sauce by Neighborfood
• Blueberry Lemon Baked Doughnuts by Small Wallet, Big Appetite
• Blueberry Rhubarb Baked Oatmeal by Pies and Plots
• Overnight Strawberry Stuffed French Toast by In The Kitchen With KP
• The Best Blueberry Muffin by Supper For a Steal

Sweet & Savory Berry Recipes

• Herbed Pork Tenderloin with Wild Blueberry Sauce by Noshing With The Nolands
• Red, White, and Blue Chicken Salad by MarocMama
• BBQ Strawberry Pizza by Jane’s Adventures in Dinner

Jams, Jelly, Sauces & More

• Blackberry Ketchup by Healthy. Delicious
• Four-Berry Jelly by Blueberries and Blessings
• Mixberry Jam with Merlot by The Urban Mrs
• Roasted Strawberry Tarragon Butter by Gourmet Drizzles
• Strawberry Freezer Jam by Growing Up Gabel

Desserts

• Strawberry Crumb Bars by The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
• No-Bake Frozen Berrylicious Cracker Cake by Shockingly Delicious
• Strawberry Cream Cheese Dessert by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Sugar Chips by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Lattice-Top Blueberry Pie by Hip Foodie Mom
• Caramelized White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake by Vintage Kitchen
• Strawberry Shortcakes by Juanita’s Cocina
• Berrylicious Ice Cream by NinjaBaking.com
• Stove Top Berry Crumble by Peanut Butter and Peppers
• Strawberry Yogurt Popsicle by Mama’s Blissful Bites
• Peggy’s Cove Blueberry Grunt by Kudos Kitchen By Renee
• Chocolate-Raspberry Yoghurt Cookies by What Smells So Good?
• Strawberry Ice Cream by Basic N Delicious
• Financiers with a Summer Berry Salad by The Lovely Pantry
• Strawberry Pretzel Salad by Curious Cuisiniere
• Strawberry-Chocolate Frozen Yogurt Parfaits by The Weekend Gourmet
• Summer Berry Salad with a Honey Citrus Dressing by Runner’s Tales
• Strawberry Pop-Tart Ice Cream by Foxes Love Lemons
• Strawberries with Cannoli Cream  by Comfy Cuisine
• Almond Cake with Blackberry Mascarpone Filling by Ruffles & Truffles
• Oregon Strawberry Sundae {Dairyfree} by The Not So Cheesy Kitchen
• Blackberry Pie w/Brandied Whipped Cream by Webicurean
• Vo-Vo’s Famous Strawberry Cheesecake by Family Foodie
• Raspberry Mousse by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Mini Strawberry Cheesecake with Walnut Crust by Soni’s Food
• Salted Caramel Strawberries With a Crunchy Nut Coating by Sue”s Nutrition Buzz
• Strawberry Blueberry Stuffed Monkey Bread by Daily Dish Recipes

Cocktails, Drinks & Smoothies

• Berry Berry Smoothie by Momma’s Meals
• Blueberry Infused Vodka by Big Bear’s Wife
• Blueberry Moscow Mule with Homemade Ginger Beer by I Run For Wine
• Goji Berry Martini by Magnolia Days
• Irish Cobbler by girlichef

Party Planning

• Recipes + Tips to Create A Summer Berry Cocktail Bar by An Appealing Plan

 

We’d love if you joined our #SundaySupper chat on   Twitter too: we’ll tweet throughout the day and share all of our recipes. Then at 7:00pm EST we’ll start our weekly chat. Please jump in anytime and join us!  To join in, just follow the #SundaySupper hashtag, and remember to include it in your tweets. You can also check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more delicious recipes and photos.

      It's summer and that means this week #SundaySupper is preparing by making our favorite dishes using summer berries.  I wish I could get fresh berries year round because they are definitely my favorite fruits.  I didn't even have to think twice about what I was making this week because I've really been wanting to make fruit salsa and this is the perfect time to make it!

      Fruit salsa can really be made with any fruits mixed with fruit jam and a little sugar.  It's very easy to make and is great when you have a lot of fruit that's going to go bad soon.  No one can resist the sweet and tart combination of fruit served with homemade cinnamon sugar chips!

      I made my salsa using strawberries, blackberries, apples, pears, and kiwi.  I already had the apples and pears but I had to go to the store for the other fruits.  I originally was going to use cherry jam but when I went in the basement to my canning pantry I saw homemade raspberry jam and decided I needed to use that since the theme is berries.

      The chips were so good I had to stop myself from eating each one as they came out of the oven.  Simple spray a flour tortilla with cooking spray, toss with cinnamon and sugar, cut with a pizza cutter, and bake.  Viola!  Homemade cinnamon sugar chips.  The combination of crispy, spiced chips with the sweet and tart fruit salsa is the perfect pairing for summer picnics and BBQ's.

Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Sugar Chips (adapted from Elly Says Opa)
1 pear, diced
2 kiwi, peeled and diced
1 c. strawberries, hulled and diced
1 c. blackberries, cut in half
1 apple, cored and diced
2 T. sugar
2 T. brown sugar
3 T. homemade raspberry jam
8 flour tortillas
1/2 c. sugar
1 T. cinnamon

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  

2.  Combine the fruits, sugar, brown sugar, and jam in a large bowl.  Mix well and refrigerate until ready to serve.

3.  Combine the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl.  The take the tortillas one at a time, spray each one with cooking spray and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar mixture.  Cut into 8-10 pieces using a pizza cutter.

4.  Lay the chips on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.  Remove from the oven and cool completely.

5.  Serve the fruit salsa with the cinnamon sugar chips.    

Check out all the other summer berry recipes:

Breakfast & Brunch

• Angel Food French Toast with Blueberry Lemon Sauce by Neighborfood
• Blueberry Lemon Baked Doughnuts by Small Wallet, Big Appetite
• Blueberry Rhubarb Baked Oatmeal by Pies and Plots
• Overnight Strawberry Stuffed French Toast by In The Kitchen With KP
• The Best Blueberry Muffin by Supper For a Steal

Sweet & Savory Berry Recipes

• Herbed Pork Tenderloin with Wild Blueberry Sauce by Noshing With The Nolands
• Red, White, and Blue Chicken Salad by MarocMama
• BBQ Strawberry Pizza by Jane’s Adventures in Dinner

Jams, Jelly, Sauces & More

• Blackberry Ketchup by Healthy. Delicious
• Four-Berry Jelly by Blueberries and Blessings
• Mixberry Jam with Merlot by The Urban Mrs
• Roasted Strawberry Tarragon Butter by Gourmet Drizzles
• Strawberry Freezer Jam by Growing Up Gabel

Desserts

• Strawberry Crumb Bars by The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
• No-Bake Frozen Berrylicious Cracker Cake by Shockingly Delicious
• Strawberry Cream Cheese Dessert by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Sugar Chips by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Lattice-Top Blueberry Pie by Hip Foodie Mom
• Caramelized White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake by Vintage Kitchen
• Strawberry Shortcakes by Juanita’s Cocina
• Berrylicious Ice Cream by NinjaBaking.com
• Stove Top Berry Crumble by Peanut Butter and Peppers
• Strawberry Yogurt Popsicle by Mama’s Blissful Bites
• Peggy’s Cove Blueberry Grunt by Kudos Kitchen By Renee
• Chocolate-Raspberry Yoghurt Cookies by What Smells So Good?
• Strawberry Ice Cream by Basic N Delicious
• Financiers with a Summer Berry Salad by The Lovely Pantry
• Strawberry Pretzel Salad by Curious Cuisiniere
• Strawberry-Chocolate Frozen Yogurt Parfaits by The Weekend Gourmet
• Summer Berry Salad with a Honey Citrus Dressing by Runner’s Tales
• Strawberry Pop-Tart Ice Cream by Foxes Love Lemons
• Strawberries with Cannoli Cream  by Comfy Cuisine
• Almond Cake with Blackberry Mascarpone Filling by Ruffles & Truffles
• Oregon Strawberry Sundae {Dairyfree} by The Not So Cheesy Kitchen
• Blackberry Pie w/Brandied Whipped Cream by Webicurean
• Vo-Vo’s Famous Strawberry Cheesecake by Family Foodie
• Raspberry Mousse by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Mini Strawberry Cheesecake with Walnut Crust by Soni’s Food
• Salted Caramel Strawberries With a Crunchy Nut Coating by Sue”s Nutrition Buzz
• Strawberry Blueberry Stuffed Monkey Bread by Daily Dish Recipes

Cocktails, Drinks & Smoothies

• Berry Berry Smoothie by Momma’s Meals
• Blueberry Infused Vodka by Big Bear’s Wife
• Blueberry Moscow Mule with Homemade Ginger Beer by I Run For Wine
• Goji Berry Martini by Magnolia Days
• Irish Cobbler by girlichef

Party Planning

• Recipes + Tips to Create A Summer Berry Cocktail Bar by An Appealing Plan

 

We’d love if you joined our #SundaySupper chat on   Twitter too: we’ll tweet throughout the day and share all of our recipes. Then at 7:00pm EST we’ll start our weekly chat. Please jump in anytime and join us!  To join in, just follow the #SundaySupper hashtag, and remember to include it in your tweets. You can also check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more delicious recipes and photos.

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Apple Rings

     When I was a kid we used to go to places with salad bars and buffets.  Man did I love those places.  We didn't go often but it was always a treat to be able to pick what I wanted to eat.  One thing I can remember always picking off the salad bar were these deep red apple rings that tasted like cinnamon.  I had never had anything like them before and I choose them every time we went.

      Fast forward 20 years and when I was looking through my Ball Blue Book I came across a recipe for apple rings.  It used red food coloring and sounded like to rings I had loved as a kid.  I knew I had to make them!

      The entire house smelled with cinnamon and spices while the rings were cooking.  The recipe is so simple and the apples don't require peeling so it was much simpler then many of my other apple recipes.  As I was placing the apples into the jar I left a few out for me to try.  They were so good!  The apples are soft, sweet, and filled with spices.  I'm going to let them sit in the sweet syrup for  few weeks before I open them but I can't wait to try them!

Apple Rings (from Ball's Blue Book Guide to Preserving)
10 pounds apples
3 T. lemon juice
4 c. sugar
4 c. water
red food coloring
4 cinnamon sticks
1 T. whole cloves

1.  Wash and core the apples, do not peel then.  Slice the apples crosswise into 1/4 inch rings.  Place them in a bowl with the lemon juice and cover with water to prevent browning.

2.  Meanwhile, combine the sugar and water in a large saucepot.  Place the cloves and cinnamon sticks in a spice bag and drop it in the syrup mixture.  Add in a few drops of red food coloring.  Bring the syrup to a boil and boil for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat.

3.  Drain the apple rings from the lemon juice mixture and place in the syrup.  Let stand for 10 minutes.

4.  Begin preparing a boiling water canner along with 6 pint sized jars.

5.  Put the apple rings and syrup back on the heat and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.  Remove the apple rings from the syrup and allow to cool.

6.  Return the syrup to a boil.

7.  Pack the cooled apple rings loosely into the pint jars.  Pour the hot syrup over top of the, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace.  Remove any air bubbles and adjust the two piece cap.

8.  Place the jars in the boiling water canner, cover, and boil for 15 minutes.  Remove the canner from the heat, remove lid, and allow to sit for 5 minutes.

9.  Remove the jars from the water and allow them to cool for 12 hours.  Check the seal and store for up to 1 year.

     When I was a kid we used to go to places with salad bars and buffets.  Man did I love those places.  We didn't go often but it was always a treat to be able to pick what I wanted to eat.  One thing I can remember always picking off the salad bar were these deep red apple rings that tasted like cinnamon.  I had never had anything like them before and I choose them every time we went.

      Fast forward 20 years and when I was looking through my Ball Blue Book I came across a recipe for apple rings.  It used red food coloring and sounded like to rings I had loved as a kid.  I knew I had to make them!

      The entire house smelled with cinnamon and spices while the rings were cooking.  The recipe is so simple and the apples don't require peeling so it was much simpler then many of my other apple recipes.  As I was placing the apples into the jar I left a few out for me to try.  They were so good!  The apples are soft, sweet, and filled with spices.  I'm going to let them sit in the sweet syrup for  few weeks before I open them but I can't wait to try them!

Apple Rings (from Ball's Blue Book Guide to Preserving)
10 pounds apples
3 T. lemon juice
4 c. sugar
4 c. water
red food coloring
4 cinnamon sticks
1 T. whole cloves

1.  Wash and core the apples, do not peel then.  Slice the apples crosswise into 1/4 inch rings.  Place them in a bowl with the lemon juice and cover with water to prevent browning.

2.  Meanwhile, combine the sugar and water in a large saucepot.  Place the cloves and cinnamon sticks in a spice bag and drop it in the syrup mixture.  Add in a few drops of red food coloring.  Bring the syrup to a boil and boil for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat.

3.  Drain the apple rings from the lemon juice mixture and place in the syrup.  Let stand for 10 minutes.

4.  Begin preparing a boiling water canner along with 6 pint sized jars.

5.  Put the apple rings and syrup back on the heat and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.  Remove the apple rings from the syrup and allow to cool.

6.  Return the syrup to a boil.

7.  Pack the cooled apple rings loosely into the pint jars.  Pour the hot syrup over top of the, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace.  Remove any air bubbles and adjust the two piece cap.

8.  Place the jars in the boiling water canner, cover, and boil for 15 minutes.  Remove the canner from the heat, remove lid, and allow to sit for 5 minutes.

9.  Remove the jars from the water and allow them to cool for 12 hours.  Check the seal and store for up to 1 year.

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Cranberry Apple Butter

 
      Last week apples were on sale for a dollar a pound.  I've been dying to make apple butter so I bought 10 pounds of apples.  I bought a combination of Gala apples and McIntosh apples.  When I got home and read my recipe I realized I only needed 4 pounds of apples for the apple butter.  I started looking through my canning book and found that the cranberry apple butter needed 6 pounds which was exactly how many pounds I had left.

     I was skeptical about how thick the cranberry apple butter would get because of the large amount of juice in it.  The color of the apple butter was a beautiful, rich pink.  The cranberry apple butter was both tart and sweet and had district flavors of both apples and cranberries.  It was a bit on the thin side but was still thick enough to spread on toast or crackers.

Cranberry Apple Butter (recipe from Ball's Blue Book Guide to Preserving)
6 lbs. apples
4 c. sugar
2 qts. cranberry juice cocktail
2 t. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg

1.  Wash the apples.  Core, peel, and slice the apples.  

2.  Combine the apples and cranberry juice cocktail in a large saucepan over medium high heat.  Simmer until the apples are soft.

3.  Pour into a food processor and puree until smooth but not liquified. 


4.  Prepare a boiling water canner and 3 pint jars.

5.  Combine the apple pulp, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Cook slowly until thick enough to round up on a spoon.  Stir frequently to prevent sticking.  

6.  Ladle the hot butter into hot jars leaving 1/4 inch of headspace.  Remove air bubbles and readjust headspace.

7.  Put on the 2 piece lid and screw to finger tip tight.  Heat in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes with the lid on. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Remove from the water and let cool for 12 hours then check to make sure the lids have sealed. Store for up to 1 year.

**Makes 3 pints**

 
      Last week apples were on sale for a dollar a pound.  I've been dying to make apple butter so I bought 10 pounds of apples.  I bought a combination of Gala apples and McIntosh apples.  When I got home and read my recipe I realized I only needed 4 pounds of apples for the apple butter.  I started looking through my canning book and found that the cranberry apple butter needed 6 pounds which was exactly how many pounds I had left.

     I was skeptical about how thick the cranberry apple butter would get because of the large amount of juice in it.  The color of the apple butter was a beautiful, rich pink.  The cranberry apple butter was both tart and sweet and had district flavors of both apples and cranberries.  It was a bit on the thin side but was still thick enough to spread on toast or crackers.

Cranberry Apple Butter (recipe from Ball's Blue Book Guide to Preserving)
6 lbs. apples
4 c. sugar
2 qts. cranberry juice cocktail
2 t. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg

1.  Wash the apples.  Core, peel, and slice the apples.  

2.  Combine the apples and cranberry juice cocktail in a large saucepan over medium high heat.  Simmer until the apples are soft.

3.  Pour into a food processor and puree until smooth but not liquified. 


4.  Prepare a boiling water canner and 3 pint jars.

5.  Combine the apple pulp, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Cook slowly until thick enough to round up on a spoon.  Stir frequently to prevent sticking.  

6.  Ladle the hot butter into hot jars leaving 1/4 inch of headspace.  Remove air bubbles and readjust headspace.

7.  Put on the 2 piece lid and screw to finger tip tight.  Heat in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes with the lid on. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Remove from the water and let cool for 12 hours then check to make sure the lids have sealed. Store for up to 1 year.

**Makes 3 pints**

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Color Splash Tofu and Quesadilla Salad: Meatless Monday

     Do you know what I miss about not living in the city?  Besides my family I really miss the food.  We have very few restaurants in our town and even fewer that are actually good.  That's why we eat at home so much.  (Well, that and I actually really enjoy cooking).

      While I miss ethnic food, something simple that I miss are big salads.  In the city I can go to almost any restaurant and they have a collection of large entree salads.  In our town a restaurant might have 1 or 2 salads and they often aren't what I am looking for.  This leads to me looking for hearty, filling entree salads that I can make at home.

      For the most part I end up making salads with grilled chicken.  Then I found this tofu salad.  The photo was the first thing that caught my eye.  The colors were just popping out of the screen and my mouth literally began to water.  Once I read the ingredient list I was even more excited.  A vegetarian salad complete with BBQ tofu and mushrooms, on a bed of mixed greens, and finished off with cheese quesadilla triangles.  It sounded amazing.

      I have to tell you, this salad totally lived up to my expectation.  My husband really loved it as well.  I put a very small amount of dressing on my salad but really it didn't even need it.  The apples added a touch of sweetness, the BBQ mushrooms and tofu were bursting with flavor, the greens added some crunch, and the cheese quesadillas finished off this filling salad.  It not only tastes delicious but it's a beautiful salad as well.  I'd love to serve this the next time we have our vegetarian friends over.

Color Splash Tofu and Quesadilla Salad (adapted from Lunch Box Bunch)
For the Salad:
2 bunches of mixed lettuce and greens (I used Bibb lettuce, kale, and chard)
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1/3 c. red onion, chopped
1 small apple, thinly sliced
1/2 avocado, diced and tossed with lime juice

For the Mushrooms:
1 c. mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/4 c. red onions, diced
1/4 c. BBQ sauce
1/2 t. salt
1 t. black pepper
1 t. olive oil 

For the Tofu:
1 block extra firm tofu, pressed and sliced
1 t. salt
1 t. black pepper
1 t. cumin
3 T. BBQ sauce

For the Quesadilla:
2 flour tortillas
1 T. butter
1/3 c. cheese, shredded (I used cheddar and American)

1.  Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Spray an 8 x 8 pan with cooking spray.  Drain the tofu, cut into pieces, and place in the pan.  Cook for 15-20 minutes.  Flip the tofu over, sprinkle with salt, pepper, cumin, and BBQ sauce.  Continue baking for 10-15 minutes or until crispy.

2.  Wash the greens in cold water and slice into ribbons.  Drain in a salad spinner.  Place the greens in a large bowl and toss with peppers, onions, apples, and avocado.

3.  Divide the greens between 4 plates and set aside.

4.  Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium high heat.  Add in the mushrooms, onions, BBQ sauce, salt, and pepper.  Saute for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and divide evenly between the 4 salads.

5.  Remove the tofu from the oven and divide evenly between the 4 salads.

6.  Spread half of the butter on one of the tortillas.  Place in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Place the cheese on top of it and then cover it with the second tortilla, spread with butter.  Heat for 3-4 minutes then flip over.  Heat for 2-3 minutes on the second side.

7.  Remove from the pan and cut into 16 pieces.  Divide between the salads.  (Make a second quesadilla if you'd like more quesadilla pieces per salad)

8.  Serve with salsa and/or dressing.

This post linked to:
Meatless Mondays, Mop It Up Mondays, Food of the Month Club:  Salads

     Do you know what I miss about not living in the city?  Besides my family I really miss the food.  We have very few restaurants in our town and even fewer that are actually good.  That's why we eat at home so much.  (Well, that and I actually really enjoy cooking).

      While I miss ethnic food, something simple that I miss are big salads.  In the city I can go to almost any restaurant and they have a collection of large entree salads.  In our town a restaurant might have 1 or 2 salads and they often aren't what I am looking for.  This leads to me looking for hearty, filling entree salads that I can make at home.

      For the most part I end up making salads with grilled chicken.  Then I found this tofu salad.  The photo was the first thing that caught my eye.  The colors were just popping out of the screen and my mouth literally began to water.  Once I read the ingredient list I was even more excited.  A vegetarian salad complete with BBQ tofu and mushrooms, on a bed of mixed greens, and finished off with cheese quesadilla triangles.  It sounded amazing.

      I have to tell you, this salad totally lived up to my expectation.  My husband really loved it as well.  I put a very small amount of dressing on my salad but really it didn't even need it.  The apples added a touch of sweetness, the BBQ mushrooms and tofu were bursting with flavor, the greens added some crunch, and the cheese quesadillas finished off this filling salad.  It not only tastes delicious but it's a beautiful salad as well.  I'd love to serve this the next time we have our vegetarian friends over.

Color Splash Tofu and Quesadilla Salad (adapted from Lunch Box Bunch)
For the Salad:
2 bunches of mixed lettuce and greens (I used Bibb lettuce, kale, and chard)
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1/3 c. red onion, chopped
1 small apple, thinly sliced
1/2 avocado, diced and tossed with lime juice

For the Mushrooms:
1 c. mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/4 c. red onions, diced
1/4 c. BBQ sauce
1/2 t. salt
1 t. black pepper
1 t. olive oil 

For the Tofu:
1 block extra firm tofu, pressed and sliced
1 t. salt
1 t. black pepper
1 t. cumin
3 T. BBQ sauce

For the Quesadilla:
2 flour tortillas
1 T. butter
1/3 c. cheese, shredded (I used cheddar and American)

1.  Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Spray an 8 x 8 pan with cooking spray.  Drain the tofu, cut into pieces, and place in the pan.  Cook for 15-20 minutes.  Flip the tofu over, sprinkle with salt, pepper, cumin, and BBQ sauce.  Continue baking for 10-15 minutes or until crispy.

2.  Wash the greens in cold water and slice into ribbons.  Drain in a salad spinner.  Place the greens in a large bowl and toss with peppers, onions, apples, and avocado.

3.  Divide the greens between 4 plates and set aside.

4.  Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium high heat.  Add in the mushrooms, onions, BBQ sauce, salt, and pepper.  Saute for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and divide evenly between the 4 salads.

5.  Remove the tofu from the oven and divide evenly between the 4 salads.

6.  Spread half of the butter on one of the tortillas.  Place in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Place the cheese on top of it and then cover it with the second tortilla, spread with butter.  Heat for 3-4 minutes then flip over.  Heat for 2-3 minutes on the second side.

7.  Remove from the pan and cut into 16 pieces.  Divide between the salads.  (Make a second quesadilla if you'd like more quesadilla pieces per salad)

8.  Serve with salsa and/or dressing.

This post linked to:
Meatless Mondays, Mop It Up Mondays, Food of the Month Club:  Salads

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