Posts Tagged ‘dessert’

Old-Fashioned Warm Apple Crisp

Sunday, October 26th, 2008

warm apple crisp with heaping scoops of vanilla ice cream

If you’re looking to lift both your own spirits and those of your loved ones, whip up a quick apple crisp.  This is quite easy to make - quick and easy prep with materials you almost certainly have on hand - and it bakes in 30 minutes.  If you pop it in the oven before you sit down to dinner, it’s sure to come out of the oven at exactly the right time.  Top it with a scoop of Blue Bell and you have homemade happiness.  Serve it with a smile.

Ingredients for Old-Fashioned Warm Apple Crisp

  • 3-4 Granny smith apples - peeled, cored and chopped (see prep directions below)
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 Tbsp. sugar
  • 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
  • Pinch nutmeg
  • 1/4 cup butter (4 Tbsp.) - chilled and diced
  • Blue Bell homemade vanilla ice cream

Baking Instructions

  1. First prepare the apples.  To peel them, I usually use a potato peeler.  Once peeled I cut them into slices with an apple corer.  Cut each slice in half.
  2. Place the apples into a small but deep baking dish.
  3. In a food processor (I use Cuisinart), add the flour, brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg then pulse several times.
  4. Add the chilled and diced butter to the food processor and pulse several times until the butter is “pea sized”.
  5. Pour this mixture on top of the apples and spread it evenly.
  6. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes.
  7. Once baked, spoon into a small ramekin and top with some creamy Blue Bell homemade vanilla ice cream.

Enjoy!

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Golden Banana Nut Bread

Thursday, October 16th, 2008

What is better than a loaf of golden banana nut bread sitting on your counter? It’s fabulous for breakfast and a comforting after school snack. If you’re like me, you usually have a few bananas sitting around that are past their prime. No problem! Make some banana bread!

Ingredients for Golden Banana Nut Bread

  • 3-4 overripe bananas
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter - melted
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1/2 cup pecans - chopped

Cooking Instructions

  1. In a standing mixer with the whisk attachment, cream the peeled bananas and the sugar. Allow this mixture to whisk for about 3-4 minutes.
  2. While the mixer runs, combine the flour, baking soda and salt in a separate mixing bowl and use a balloon whisk to combine. Set aside.
  3. To the banana and sugar mixture, add the melted butter, the eggs and the vanilla.
  4. Don’t over beat, just combine all.
  5. On a low setting, add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture until combined.
  6. Fold in the pecans.
  7. Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan and bake in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
  8. When a toothpick comes out clean, pull the bread out of the oven and allow it to cool.

Slice and enjoy!

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Scrumptious Snickerdoodles

Thursday, October 9th, 2008

These are my daughter’s favorite cookies. What feels better than tucking your child’s favorite homemade cookie into their lunch box?

Ingredients for Scrumptious Snickerdoodles

  • 1 cup butter - softened
  • 2 2/3 cups flour
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 2 tsp. cream of tartar
  • 1 3/4 cups sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 Tbsp. cinnamon

Baking Instructions

  1. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt and cream of tartar in a mixing bowl and whisk it with a balloon whisk. Set aside.
  2. Add the butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar to the bowl of a standing mixer with the paddle attachment and cream it until it is light and fluffy.

    Reserve 1/4 cup sugar for later step.

  3. Add the eggs to the mixer and continue to mix until all is combined.
  4. Slowly add the dry ingredients that you combined earlier to the mixer on a lower speed so it doesn’t fly all over your kitchen.
  5. Combine remaining 1/4 cup sugar with cinnamon in a small mixing bowl.
  6. Take one spoonful of dough at a time and make a ball by rolling it in the palms of your clean hands.

    Don’t overhandle the dough, do just enough to make a rolled ball.

  7. Roll each ball in the cinnamon sugar and place on a baking sheet.
  8. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 15-18 minutes.

Delicious!

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