The kids have been loving being independent in the kitchen lately – they want to do as much as possible without my help. Blender muffins have been one of my favorite projects to give them because they’re pretty much fool proof.
The measurements are forgiving if you go over or under, and thanks to the blender they always mix up perfectly. Whether you’re letting the kiddos fly solo or looking for an easy project for the them to help with, this is a great recipe to tackle!
Continue readingThis post is sponsored in conjunction with #AppleWeek . I received complimentary product from sponsor companies to aid in the creation of the #AppleWeek recipes. All opinions are mine alone.
Apple spice cake. Cream cheese frosting. Dark Chocolate. All wrapped up in a portable treat. You’re welcome in advance.
I’m calling them cakesicles because they’re just too big to be cake pops. Hefty squares are like a slice of cake on a stick. Sure, you can totally make them into smaller pops – but one taste and you’ll understand why bigger is better.
Is it even summer if you don’t end up drowning in zucchini at some point? I think not.
Between our garden and our CSA, we always have plenty of zucchini around. I have, of course, been experimenting with lots of new, fun recipes – but I just keep coming back to zucchini bread. It’s a classic.
This loaf is our favorite. It’s a little heavy on the nutmeg which gives the loaf a nice spice. Pecans and chocolate chips are mixed in, too, to add a little sweetness and texture.
This recipe does make a big batch, so it’s great to share with neighbors – or freeze a loaf for later!
And if you’re looking for more ways to use up your garden zucchini, I suggest Zucchini Scones, Zucchini, Chile & Red Onion Frittata, or Cheesy Zucchini Enchiladas – all family favorites!
Thanks Ellen from Family Around the Table and Christie from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures for hosting our Farmer’s Market Event!
Thursday Farmer’s Market Week Recipes
Makes 2 large loaves or 5 small loaves
3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. baking powder
3 eggs
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups shredded zucchini
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease loaf pans and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and baking powder.
In another bowl, beat the eggs, applesauce, oil, and vanilla together. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in the zucchini, pecans, and chocolate chips.
Divide batter between loaf pans. Bake until a knife inserted comes out clean – about an hour for large loaves or 35-45 minutes for smaller loaves.
adapted from The Taste of Home Baking Book
This post is sponsored in conjunction with #BrunchWeek. I received product samples from sponsor companies to aid in the creation of the #Brunchweek recipes. All opinions are mine alone.
Are you Team Sweet or Team Savory for breakfast? I’m Team Sweet, though I make a valiant effort to eat something healthy each morning.
Brunch, though, I tend to lean in to the treat-yo-self philosophy. After all, you’re nearly in the middle of the day so desserts are totally acceptable.
One week until Mardi Gras! The countdown is on!
Whether you observe Lent or not, Mardi Gras is a really fun excuse to make some indulgent dishes – and these cinnamon rolls definitely fit the bill.
This post is sponsored in conjunction with AppleWeek . I received product samples from sponsor companies to aid in the creation of the AppleWeek recipes. All opinions are mine alone.
I’m wrapping up #appleweek today with the simplest dish of the week – and my personal favorite.
One of the things I’ve learned over the years is that while the over-the-top, super involved recipes can be really fun, simple recipes with great ingredients are often just as good – if not better.
This cake falls into the super simple category. The whole thing takes just about 10 minutes to prep, and instead of something super polished, it’s got the rustic beauty thing going for it.
And honestly, it’s delicious. This is the perfect cake to pair with a hot cup or tea or coffee, a book, and some of this crisp fall air. Who wants a slice?
Also, now that you’ve seen all the apple goodness, be sure to pop over and enter to win some amazing prizes from #appleweek sponsors! You can enter here: a Rafflecopter giveaway
Apple Cinnamon Cake
(adapted from Skimbaco Lifestyle)
Makes 1 9″ Cake
3 eggs
1 cup flour
1 cup + 2 Tbsp. sugar, divided
1 large apple
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract (I used Rodelle)
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
Powdered sugar
Preheat the oven 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9″ baking pan and set aside.
Peel, core, and slice the apple. In a bowl, toss the apple slices with 2 Tbsp. sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg, until evenly coated.
Using an electric mixer, beat together the eggs, flour, sugar, and vanilla until fluffy.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Arrange the cinnamon-sugar coated apple slices on top, pushing them down just slightly.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool for several minutes, then remove from the pan and dust with powdered sugar.
Out with a bang! Check out these Saturday Recipes:
Disclaimer: Thank you AppleWeek Sponsors: Swiss Diamond, Nordic Ware, Envy Apples, Imperial Sugar, The Spice House, Rodelle Vanilla, Flahavan’s Irish Oats and Nairn’s for providing the prizes free of charge. These companies also provided the bloggers with samples and product to use for AppleWeek recipes. All opinions are my own. The AppleWeek giveaway is open to U.S. residents, age 18 & up. All entries for the winner will be checked and verified. By entering you give the right to use your name and likeness. The number of entries received determines the odds of winning. Seven (7) winners will be selected. The prize packages will be sent directly from the giveaway sponsors. The AppleWeek Bloggers are not responsible for the fulfillment or delivery of the prize packages. Bloggers hosting this giveaway and their immediate family members in their household cannot enter or win the giveaway. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter or any other social channel mentioned in the AppleWeek posts or entry.
This post is sponsored in conjunction with AppleWeek . I received product samples from sponsor companies to aid in the creation of the AppleWeek recipes. All opinions are mine alone.
Baklava has been on my baking bucket list for so, so long. It’s one of those dishes that I love to get when we’re out, but I always assumed it would be hard to make. I was wrong. A little time consuming? Maybe. But not hard.
This version is fall-perfect with apple chunks in the layers and apple cider in the syrup.
I used apples from #appleweek sponsor Envy Apples in these. This was my first experience with Envy, but they’re definitely an apple that I’ll seek out now. They’re perfectly delicious eaten on their own, but they were also fantastic to bake with. Every recipe I’ve posted this week using apples has been made with Envy Apples!
Here they hold the flavor and crunch perfectly so you get undeniably apple bites in the middle of this baklava.
Since Envy Apples is one of our sponsors, they’re also offering up a fabulous prize for our #appleweek giveway – a $60 Visa giftcard and a shipment of apples! You can enter here: a Rafflecopter giveaway
Apple Cinnamon Baklava
(adapted from Yummy Crumble)
Makes 1 9×13″ pan
2 cups chopped walnuts
1 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 large apple, peeled and chopped
1 package frozen phyllo dough, thawed
1 1/2 sticks butter, melted
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup honey
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
½ cup apple cider
Dash ground ginger
Dash ground cloves
Dash ground nutmeg
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Spread out the chopped nuts on a baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes, until fragrant. Transfer the nuts to a food processor along with the brown sugar and 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon. Pulse a few times until the nuts are chopped medium-fine and sugar is well incorporated. Set aside.
Unroll the phyllo dough on the counter and cover with a damp tea towel to prevent it from drying out.
Using a pastry brush, brush a 9×13″ baking pan with melted butter. Lay two sheets of dough in the pan, and brush with butter. Lay two more sheets of dough over and brush with butter. Lay another two sheets over and brush with butter. (You’ll have 6 sheets total.)
Spread 1/3 of the nut mixture layer over the dough. Spread half of the apple over.
Lay two sheets of dough on top of the apple- nut mixture and brush with butter. Lay two more sheets of dough over and brush with butter. Lay another two sheets over and brush with butter.
Spread 1/3 of the nut mixture layer over the dough.
Lay two sheets of dough on top of the nut mixture and brush with butter. Lay two more sheets of dough over and brush with butter. Lay another two sheets over and brush with butter.
Spread 1/3 of the nut mixture layer over the dough. Spread half of the apple over.
Lay two sheets of dough on top of the apple- nut mixture and brush with butter. Lay two more sheets of dough over and brush with butter. Lay another two sheets over and brush with butter.
Using a sharp knife, cut into slices in a diagonal pattern.
Bake for 45 minutes, until golden.
While it bakes, combine the remaining ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until it’s reduced to half.
When the baklava is baked, pour half of the syrup over. Let it sit for about 15 minutes, then pour some more over until fully absorbed.
Here are Friday’s Recipes, full of apple goodness:
Disclaimer: Thank you AppleWeek Sponsors: Swiss Diamond, Nordic Ware, Envy Apples, Imperial Sugar, The Spice House, Rodelle Vanilla, Flahavan’s Irish Oats and Nairn’s for providing the prizes free of charge. These companies also provided the bloggers with samples and product to use for AppleWeek recipes. All opinions are my own. The AppleWeek giveaway is open to U.S. residents, age 18 & up. All entries for the winner will be checked and verified. By entering you give the right to use your name and likeness. The number of entries received determines the odds of winning. Seven (7) winners will be selected. The prize packages will be sent directly from the giveaway sponsors. The AppleWeek Bloggers are not responsible for the fulfillment or delivery of the prize packages. Bloggers hosting this giveaway and their immediate family members in their household cannot enter or win the giveaway. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter or any other social channel mentioned in the AppleWeek posts or entry.
Hey guys, I’m pregnant! I realized after the last post I never actually said it here – but it sure does explain the lack of posts recently, right?
One thing I’ve been loving this pregnancy is breakfast. Anything breakfast-y. Pancakes for dinner? Bagel sandwiches? Brunch whenever I can? Yes, yes and yes.
I found some really nice apples in the store a few weeks ago and whipped this up one weekend morning. It was delicious. I can’t wait to make this again in the fall with some fresh-from-the-farm apples!
Apple Cinnamon Dutch Baby
(from Your Home Based Mom)
Serves 4
4 Tbsp. butter
3 medium size Gala apples, thinly sliced
3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 Tbsp. sugar
4 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
Preheat the oven to 400F degrees. Place the butter in an oven-proof skillet and put in the oven until melted.
Meanwhile, whisk together the flour, baking powder, 1 Tbsp. sugar, salt, milk and eggs in a medium bowl. In another bowl, mix together the 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon.
Once the butter is melted, arrange the apples in the pan. Pour the batter over the apples. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the batter.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown and nicely puffed up.