Chicken Breasts with Cranberry Quinoa

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 fresh thyme sprig
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 green onions, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
2/3 cup dried cranberries
2/3 cup chopped dried apricots
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2-1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1/2 teaspoon salt

CHICKEN:
3/4 cup dry sherry
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 large tart apple, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup apricot preserves
2 tablespoons butter
6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (6 ounces each)
1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:
In a small saucepan, bring broth to a boil. Add quinoa and thyme. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from the heat; fluff with a fork. Discard thyme.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add green onions and celery; cook and stir until tender. Add cooked quinoa. Stir in the dried fruits, lemon juice, lemon peel and salt.

In a large saucepan, mix the first six chicken ingredients until smooth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until slightly thickened. Add the apple, cranberries and walnuts. Stir in preserves and butter until melted.

Cut a pocket horizontally in the thickest part of each chicken breast. Fill each with 2-3 tablespoons quinoa mixture; secure with toothpicks. Place remaining quinoa mixture in a greased 1-qt. baking dish; cover with foil. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Carefully brown stuffed chicken on both sides. Transfer to a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish; pour apple mixture over top.

Bake chicken and quinoa, at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in chicken reads 170° and quinoa is heated through. Serve chicken with quinoa. Discard toothpicks before serving.

Comments:
A little labor intensive, but so worth it. I skipped the "stuffing" part and just cooked the quinoa mixture underneath the chicken. Such a great mix of flavors and textures. I'd definitely make this one again.

Adam Cooks: Flat Apple Pie

From The Pioneer Woman via FoodNetwork



Ingredients:
5 Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 recipe Perfect Pie Crust (recipe is in link above)
6 tablespoons butter

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In large bowl, stir together the apples, brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour, salt and lemon juice. Set aside and see how long you can keep from sneaking a slice of apple.

With a rolling pin, begin rolling out the Perfect Pie Crusts into large circles. Roll the dough from the center outward. Be gentle and patient, it'll take a little time to get the dough completely rolled out.

If you think the bottom is really sticking to the surface below, use a nice, sharp spatula to loosen the dough and sprinkle some extra flour on top. Then flip it over to finish rolling. Remember to roll from the center in single, outward strokes, no back-and-forth rolling.

Again with a spatula, loosen and lift the dough and carefully place the circles on large baking sheets.

Place half the apple mixture on one crust and the other half on the other crust. Fold over the edges of each crust so that it covers 2 to 3 inches of the apple mixture. No need to be artistic - the more rustic the better. Dot the tops of the pies with chunks of the butter.

Bake until the filling is golden and bubbly, 30 to 40 minutes. If the crust appears to brown too quickly, cover the edges with aluminium foil for the remaining baking time.

Allow to cool slightly, then slice into wedges with a pizza cutter. Eat 'em on the go!

Comments:
OMG. This was so good. My dislike of pie crust is well known (and well documented here on this blog) so I was skeptical of Ree's "perfect pie crust" that everyone raves about. And apple pie especially, not my favorite. But seriously people. It's wonderful. The crust, so flaky and just awesome. Perfect pure apple flavor without all that cinnamon and spice junk to mess it up. Go make it immediately.

Caramel Apple Pie

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
Topping:
1.1 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1/4 cup)
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
Crust:
5.6 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 1/4 cups)
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons chilled vegetable shortening, cut into small pieces
3 tablespoons ice water
Cooking spray
Filling:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
4 cups thinly sliced peeled Granny Smith apple (about 1 1/4 pounds)
3 cups thinly sliced peeled Fuji apple (about 1 pound)
Caramel sauce:
1/2 cup fat-free caramel sundae syrup
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions:
1. To prepare the topping, weigh or lightly spoon 1.1 ounces (about 1/4 cup) flour in a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, brown sugar, and 2 tablespoons butter in a food processor; pulse 10 times or until crumbly. Transfer topping to a bowl; cover and chill.

2. To prepare crust, weigh or lightly spoon 5.6 ounces (about 1 1/4 cups) flour in dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a food processor; pulse 2 times or until combined. Add 3 tablespoons butter and shortening; pulse 4 times or until mixture resembles coarse meal. With processor on, add 3 tablespoons water through food chute, processing just until combined (do not form a ball). Press mixture gently into a 4-inch circle on plastic wrap; cover and chill 15 minutes. Slightly overlap 2 sheets of plastic wrap on a slightly damp surface. Unwrap dough, and place on plastic wrap. Cover with 2 additional sheets of overlapping plastic wrap. Roll dough into an 11-inch circle. Freeze dough 5 minutes or until plastic wrap can be easily removed.

3. Preheat oven to 375°.

4. Discard top 2 sheets of plastic wrap; let dough stand 1 minute or until pliable. Fit dough, plastic-wrap side up, into a 9-inch pie plate coated with cooking spray. Discard plastic wrap. Press dough into bottom and sides of pan. Fold edges under; flute.

5. To prepare filling, combine granulated sugar and cornstarch in a bowl; stir with a whisk. Add apples; toss to combine. Arrange apple mixture in crust, mounding slightly in the center. Bake at 375° for 25 minutes. Remove from oven; sprinkle evenly with topping. Bake at 375° for 25 additional minutes or until golden. Cool on a wire rack 20 minutes.

6. To prepare sauce, combine caramel syrup and salt. Slice pie into 12 wedges, and serve with sauce.

Comments:
I obviously didn't make my own crust. And I forgot the caramel topping. And Adam wasn't such a fan. Overall, not as big of a disaster as some of my other attempts at making pie...

Deluxe Grilled Cheese

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
1 small onion, halved and thinly sliced
4 slices French bread (1/2 inch thick)
Butter-flavored cooking spray
1 ounce herbed fresh goat cheese
1/2 small tart apple, thinly sliced
1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese

Directions:
In a small skillet coated with cooking spray, saute onion until tender; set aside.
Place bread slices on a baking sheet; spritz with butter-flavored cooking spray. Broil 4 in. from the heat for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown.

Spread goat cheese over two untoasted sides of bread slices. Top with apple slices and reserved onion; sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Broil 2-3 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Top with remaining slices.

Comments:
I made these in the toaster oven. I heart the toaster oven! These sandwiches were pretty good. Interesting combination of flavors and textures. Onions and apples really go well together. And goat cheese, oh man, I can't get enough of it.

Maple-Walnut Chicken and Cheddar-Apple Rice

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
1 cup walnut halves
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/4 cups long-grain white rice
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 honeycrisp, gala or golden delicious apple—peeled, seeded and chopped
3/4 cup packed flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/4 cup packed fresh dill
Salt and coarsely ground black pepper
One 6-ounce brick sharp white cheddar cheese, cut into small, 1/4-inch cubes
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup dark maple syrup

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325°. Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and roast until well toasted and fragrant, 10 to 12 minutes.

In a large saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the rice and toast for a minute or two. Add 2 cups chicken stock and bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the apple and simmer for 8 minutes.

While the rice cooks, using a food processor, pulse 1/4 cup chicken stock, the parsley, dill and 1/4 teaspoon salt until finely chopped. Stir into the rice during the last minute of cooking. Turn off the heat and let the rice stand, covered, for 1 to 2 minutes before fluffing with a fork. Transfer to a serving dish and stir in the cheese.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the EVOO, 1 turn of the pan, over medium-high heat. Pat the chicken dry and season liberally with salt and black pepper. Add to the skillet and cook, turning once, until browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a platter. Drain off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat in the skillet and add the vinegar. Cook, scraping up the pan drippings, then add the remaining 1/4 cup chicken stock, the maple syrup and black pepper to taste. Cook until thickened, about 1 minute. Add the chicken and walnuts and spoon with the sauce. Loosely cover the pan with foil and simmer for 5 minutes. Serve the chicken, sauce and nuts with the rice alongside.

Comments:
This recipe requires the mastering of multi-tasking more than most recipes. You've got to be on your game to not burn something, and I think I did ok. The end result is delicious. The rice is perfect with some gooey cheese surprises. The chicken and walnut and just sweet enough. Definitely a keeper.

Apple Pan Chicken

From allrecipes.com



Ingredients:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
3 apples - peeled, cored and sliced
3 tablespoons dried currants
3 tablespoons pine nuts (optional)
1/3 cup apple juice
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Saute onions and garlic until soft and translucent. Move the onions to the side, and brown chicken breasts 4 minutes on each side. Top chicken with apples, currants and pine nuts. Pour in apple juice. Season with thyme, parsley, jalapeno, salt and pepper. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until apples are cooked and chicken is no longer pink.

Comments:
I left out the pine nuts and used golden raisins instead of currents. Other than that I kept the recipe the same. It was easy to throw together and tasted great. It's got the balance of sweet, spicy, and salty that's almost perfect. We'll definitely have this again.

Apple Upside-Down Cake

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
Topping:
Cooking spray
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
3 cups (1/4-inch-thick) slices peeled Rome apples (about 2 large)
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Cake:
5.3 ounces cake flour (about 1 1/3 cups)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons butter, softened
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup 1% low-fat milk
3 large egg whites

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Coat a 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray.

2. To prepare topping, combine 3/4 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water in a small heavy saucepan over medium-high heat; cook until sugar dissolves, stirring gently as needed to dissolve sugar evenly (about 3 minutes). Continue cooking for 4 minutes or until golden (do not stir). Immediately pour into prepared cake pan, tipping quickly to coat bottom of pan. Arrange apple slices in concentric circles in pan over the warm caramel. Sprinkle with nuts; set aside.

3. To prepare cake, weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; stir with a whisk.

4. Combine 2/3 cup sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks and vanilla to sugar mixture; beat until combined. Add flour mixture and milk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix after each addition.

5. Place egg whites in a large, clean bowl. Beat egg whites with mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form using clean, dry beaters. Gently fold egg whites into batter. Spread batter over apples. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack in pan for 5 minutes. Loosen edges of cake with a knife; invert cake onto a serving plate. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Comments:
This cake is pretty easy to make. My caramel didn't turn out so great - not sure what happened there, but it worked. Kind of. You can see it crystallized and glumped together on the bottom of the pan (which is then the top of the cake.) Altogether, a good use of apples. The cake part is pretty good as well.

And of course it's really good with ice cream and caramel sauce too!

Caramel Apple Cupcakes

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 rome apples (about 1 pound), peeled and shredded
1 1/2 cups chewy caramel candies
1 tablespoon heavy cream

Directions:
1. Arrange a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 350°. Line a cupcake pan with baking liners. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, brown sugar and granulated sugar until smooth. Whisk in the oil and vanilla. Stir into the flour mixture until just combined; stir in the apples. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan until almost full. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.

3. In a small, microwavable bowl, combine the caramels and cream. Microwave for 1 minute at medium power, then stir; repeat in 30-second intervals until melted and smooth. Let cool. Spread the frosting generously on the cooled cupcakes.

Comments:
I must admit I haven't had one of these. Caramel isn't my thing. But Adam has enjoyed them. They're not hard to make, but make sure to refrigerate them. Otherwise the caramel slides right off the cupcakes onto the bottom of the storage container.

Apple-Cranberry Crisp

From Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook



Ingredients:
1/2 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
4 tbsp packed brown sugar
1 tbsp flour
1 tbsp cold unsalted butter
6 medium Empire apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1 cup cranberries (fresh or frozen)
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375ºF. Spray an 8-inch square baking dish with nonstick spray.

In a small bowl, combine oats, 2 tbsp brown sugar, and flour; with two knives or your fingers, work in the butter until mixture is combined and crumbly.

In a large bowl, combine apples, cranberries, remaining 2 tbsp brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg; toss to combine. Spoon into the pan; sprinkle with oats mixture.

Bake until filling is bubbly and top is golden brown, about 35-40 minutes.

Serves 4. POINTS Value per serving: 3

Comments:


This was really good, although I was not such a fan of the oat topping. I would have preferred a more traditional crisp topping. The tart cranberries and apples went very well together. The other issue was there was a lot of liquid on the bottom of the dish. But that didn't really make a difference in the taste - just have to be sure to get it out of the dish pretty quickly or it would get soggy.

Potato Salad with Smoked Turkey and Gruyere

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
4 cups salted water
1 pound quartered small red potatoes
1/2 pound smoked turkey breast
6 ounces gruyère cheese
3 ribs celery
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill, plus sprigs for topping
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 chopped granny smith apple

Directions:
In a large saucepan, bring 4 cups salted water and 1 pound quartered small red potatoes to a boil. Cook until crisptender, about 5 minutes; drain and let cool. Meanwhile, slice 1/2 pound smoked turkey breast, 6 ounces gruyère cheese and 3 ribs celery into matchsticks. In a large bowl, combine 3/4 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill and 1 tablespoon dijon mustard. Add the potatoes, turkey, cheese and celery and toss. Stir in 1 chopped granny smith apple. Top with dill sprigs.

Comments:
This was really good. The crunch of the celery, the sweet tartness of the apples. Great combination of flavors and textures. Plus, it's potatoes, so what's not to like? :)

Grilled Cheddar-Apple Sandwiches

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
8 ounces cheddar cheese, thinly sliced
1 granny smith apple, cored and thinly sliced
8 slices bread

Directions:
Divide the cheese and apple slices among 4 bread slices, then top with the remaining 4 bread slices. In a large skillet, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat; add the sandwiches and cook, turning once, until golden-brown, about 5 minutes.

Comments:
Totally simple, made even easier by skipping the accompanying parsnip soup and using a panini press. Oh, and we also added turkey. Perfect for those nights you come home from work after a long day and just want to fall into bed the second you get through the door but are then greeted by hungry cats and a hungry husband. *sigh*

Rosemary-Dijon Roast Pork with Autumn Fruit Compote

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
For the pork
1 (2 1/2-lb.) boneless pork loin roast, trimmed
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary

For the fruit
4 (3") fresh rosemary sprigs
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns, crushed
1 cup orange juice
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 Bartlett pears, peeled and sliced
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup dried apricots
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup fresh cranberries

Directions:
Roast Pork
Pat pork roast dry with paper towels. Sprinkle or rub roast with salt and pepper.

Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Brown pork roast on all sides, about 5 minutes total. Place roast on a rack in a lightly greased roasting pan.

Combine mustard and 2 Tbsp. rosemary; spread onto browned pork.

Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 45 to 55 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in center of roast registers 155°. Cover with aluminum foil, and let stand 10 minutes or until thermometer registers 160° before slicing.

Fruit Compote
Place rosemary and crushed peppercorns in a small square of cheesecloth; tie to secure. Place cheesecloth bag, orange juice, and next 6 ingredients in a large saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer 8 minutes or until apple and pear are almost tender. Remove from heat, and let cool to room temperature. Remove and discard cheesecloth.

Comments:
Obviously I went with thick-cut pork chops rather than a roast. I couldn't find any small roasts and didn't want a ton of leftovers. Not being a pork enthusiast, I only ate half of one chop. It was ok, but nothing to yell from the rooftops about. The fruit compote was wonderful. I couldn't find fresh cranberries so I used Craisins instead. I'm thinking this probably made it a bit sweeter than it should have been, but it was still good. And I even ate the raisins.

Cinnamon-Apple Breakfast Pockets

From The Biggest Loser Cookbook



Ingredients:
1 whole-wheat pita, cut in half
4 tbsp fat-free vanilla or caramel-apple yogurt
1/2 medium apple, cored and thinly sliced
ground cinnamon to taste

Directions:
Preheat the broiler.

Place the pita halves on a small nonstick baking sheet. Set the pan 6" from the heat source. Broil for 30 to 60 seconds per side, or until just warmed and barely toasted. Carefully open one pocket and spread half the yogurt evenly inside. Insert half the apple slices over the yogurt. Season with cinnamon. Repeat with the other half.

Comments:
Now, I haven't had this yet (I made Adam's for lunch since he's going to some Super Bowl thing tonight) so I can't judge the taste. It's ridiculously easy though. I actually used the toaster oven rather than the broiler. Worked splendidly.

Adam Cooks: Hearty Cabbage Skillet Supper

Adam found this in the local newspaper, but here's a link to the recipe from a local TV station.



Ingredients:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 yellow onions, thinly sliced
1 package (16 ounces) coleslaw or 6 cups finely shredded cabbage
¼ to ½ cup chicken broth
1 apple, peeled if desired, diced
4 precooked sausages
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper

Directions:
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add onions. Cook, stirring often, until onion softens, about 3 minutes. Add cabbage, ¼ cup of the broth and apple. Cover; reduce heat to low. Simmer 5 minutes.

Stir in caraway seeds, salt and pepper to taste. Arrange cooked sausages over cabbage. Add more of the broth if needed. Cover; cook 5 minutes. Uncover; cook until broth is reduced, about 2 minutes; do not let vegetables burn.

Comments:
Adam's on this new health kick so he thought this might be a good, healthy dinner option. He made this himself and it turned out pretty well. He used turkey sausage to up the healthy factor. I'm not a fan of cabbage and could have done without the caraway (yuck!) but overall, a success. Whatever makes him happy...

Turkey (or Chicken) Schnitzel with Tots and Apple-Cranberry Sauce

From Everyday With Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
4 cups frozen puffed potatoes, such as Ore-Ida Tater Tots
4 mcintosh apples, peeled and cut into small cubes
1 cup apple cider
1/3 cup sweetened dried cranberries (a generous handful)
Flour, for coating
2 large eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning (about a palmful)
About 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
4 turkey breast cutlets, pounded 1/8 inch thick
Salt and pepper
Vegetable oil, for frying
4 lemon wedges

Directions:
1. Bake the potatoes according to package directions until golden and crisp.

2. In a large saucepan, bring the apples, cider and cranberries to a boil. Lower the heat to medium and cook, mashing the apples into a sauce, for 15 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, place the flour, eggs and breadcrumbs on 3 separate plates. Season the breadcrumbs with the poultry seasoning and nutmeg. Season the turkey cutlets with salt and pepper and coat them in the flour, then in the egg, then in the breadcrumbs.

4. In a large skillet, heat 1/4 inch vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the cutlets 2 at a time and fry, turning once, until deep golden and cooked through, 5 to 8 minutes. Serve with the lemon wedges, potatoes and apple-cranberry sauce.

Comments:
Pretty simple, although I used chicken instead of turkey. Adam helped with the pounding of the chicken. He always likes doing that - male agression or something. He really whacks them good... The cranberry-apple sauce was really good. It gets pretty sweet, even with no added sugar, and is a nice alternative to ketchup for the tater tots.

Potato-Apple Latkes

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
6 cups shredded peeled Yukon gold potatoes (about 2 pounds)
2 cups shredded Gala or Honeycrisp apples (about 2 medium)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2.25 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1/2 cup)
6 tablespoons canola oil, divided
1 teaspoon turbinado or granulated sugar

Directions:
1. Combine potatoes, apples, and 1 teaspoon salt in a colander. Let stand 20 minutes, pressing occasionally with the back of a spoon until barely moist. Combine potato mixture, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Add flour to potato mixture; toss well to combine.

2. Heat a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons oil to pan, swirling to coat. Add potato mixture in 1/3-cupfuls to pan to form 4 latkes; flatten slightly. Cook 6 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Remove latkes from pan; keep warm. Repeat procedure 3 more times with remaining oil and potato mixture. Sprinkle latkes evenly with sugar.

Comments:
I halved this recipe and ended up using 1 large and 3 small potatoes and one apple to get to the four cups I needed. I let it sit over a bowl, smooshing it every so often for 20 minutes. It was nowhere near "barely moist" so I hauled out my tea towel and wrung it out a la frozen spinach. If I had known that I would have saved myself 20 minutes. Oh well. I'll keep it in mind for next time.

Anywho, I felt kind of guilty since I cooked this traditionally Jewish fare in bacon grease. Is that weird? Mine took about 5 minutes per side before they started to burn a little.

Adam really liked them, which is good since he picked the recipe out. They were ok for me, but seemed a little heavy. I'd still make them again though.

Adam Makes Applesauce (The Sequel)

Using a recipe from Recipezaar



Ingredients:
20 large tart apples
4 cups water
1/2 cup brown sugar, to taste
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, to taste
1 teaspoon cinnamon, to taste
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, to taste

Directions:
1. Peel and core, and quarter apples.

2. Place in a large pot with the 4 cups water.

3. Over medium heat bring to a simmer, reduce to medium low and cook until apples are soft, stirring constantly.

4. Mash apples until desired consistency is reached.

5. Add Sugar, Lemon Juice and spices to taste.

6. While stirring bring applesauce to a full boil.

7. Remove from heat and ladle into clean hot jars, leaving 1/2 inch head space.

8. Process for 25 minutes in a boiling water bath.

Comments:
Adam made applesauce before back in 2006 when we were still at our apartment. (He doesn't remember this, but I have proof.) The urge hit again so we bought a ridiculous amount of apples and he spent a good deal of the afternoon peeling, stirring, and canning. Not my thing (applesauce or canning) but whatever keeps him happy...

Taffy Apple Dip

From Recipezaar



Ingredients:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped peanuts
6 apples, cut into wedges

Directions:
1. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese, brown sugar and vanilla until smooth.

2. Spread mixture on small serving plate; top with nuts.

3. Serve with apple wedges

Comments:
Back at Christmas Cheryl brought some apple dip to our party and Adam loved it. He immediately went and found a recipe. This is actually the first time I've made it. I brought home two bags of apples from the store and when he saw me eating one, he remembered this dip and decided it was time to try it out. I tasted a bit when I put it in the container. Seemed kind of sweet to me, but I suppose that's the point. Adam likes it.

Oh, and I left out the peanuts.

Apple-Cheddar Turkey Burgers

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
2 pounds ground turkey breast
4 scallions, finely chopped
1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley (a generous handful)
1 tablespoon grill seasoning
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1 apple, such as granny smith, cut into 12 slices
8 slices extra-sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup whole-berry cranberry sauce
2 tablespoons grainy mustard
4 sandwich-size english muffins, split and toasted
8 leaves red- or green-leaf lettuce

Directions:
In a bowl, combine the turkey, scallions, parsley, grill seasoning and poultry seasoning. Form into 4 patties, pressing your thumb into the center of each to prevent it from bulging.

In a large skillet, heat the EVOO, 2 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the patties and cook for 6 minutes on each side for medium. Top each with 3 apple slices and 2 cheese slices, tent the pan with foil and cook until the cheese melts, 1 to 2 minutes.

In a small bowl, mix together the cranberry sauce and mustard; slather on the muffin tops. Pile 2 lettuce leaves on each muffin bottom, top with the patties and set the muffin tops into place.

Comments:
We left off the "burger" part of this so I omitted everything after the cheese. These were good - a nice contrast of sweet, tart, salty. I might play around with it next time - maybe put the cheese and apple inside the burger... hmmm...

Bistro Breakfast Panini

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
6 bacon strips
1 teaspoon butter
4 eggs, beaten
4 slices sourdough bread (3/4 inch thick)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
3 ounces Brie or Camembert cheese, thinly sliced
8 thin slices apple
1/2 cup fresh baby spinach
2 tablespoons butter, softened

Directions:
In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain.

Meanwhile, heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add eggs; cook and stir until set.

Place eggs on two slices of bread; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Layer with cheese, apple, bacon, spinach and remaining bread. Butter outsides of sandwiches. Cook on a panini maker or indoor grill for 3-4 minutes or until bread is browned and cheese is melted.

Comments:
These were delicious! I omitted the spinach, but other than that I stuck to the plan. I used Granny Smith apples and these cute mini brie wedges:



Wee Brie! Adorable!

I still can't get them to brown on the press. I even cranked it all the way up this time. I'm not sure what that's about. But they tasted just fine. At least they weren't soggy like the turkey sandwiches always turn out to be.