gastrogirl:

chicken stroganoff.

gastrogirl:

the best chocolate chip buttermilk pancakes.

RICH TOFFEE APPLES

Ingredients

10 small apples
4 cups brown sugar (or white sugar)
1 cup butter
4 tablespoons boiling water
4 tablespoons white vinegar
Red food coloring, optional

Directions

Place a piece of waxed paper on a tray. Wash and dry the apples and skewer them with wooden skewers. Set the apples on the waxed paper until ready to use.

Mix all of the ingredients together in a heavy-bottomed sauce pan. If adding food coloring, do so at this point. Stir continuously until the sugar has dissolved. Boil for about ten minutes, trying not to stir. During this time, the toffee will reach the hard-crack stage.

To test to see if your toffee has reached the hard-crack stage, drop a little of the toffee into a glass of cold water. If it hardens immediately, the toffee is ready. Remove the toffee from the heat and wait until it has stopped boiling before you dip your first apple.

Twist the apples in the toffee until coated. Immediately dip the apple into cold water to cool the toffee and keep it from sliding off the apple. Eat immediately.

APPLE TURNOVERS (50 Calories each)

Serves 8
 

Ingredients

• Vegetable oil cooking spray
• 2 medium Granny Smith apples, cored and thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons apple juice concentrate
• 2 teaspoons whole-wheat flour
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (plus extra for sprinkling)
• 4 sheets phyllo dough, thawed
• 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar (optional)

Preparation

1. Heat oven to 375°. Coat a cookie sheet with cooking spray. Toss apples, concentrate, flour and cinnamon in a bowl. Stack 2 phyllo sheets at a time and cut them in half lengthwise. Place 3/4 cup of apple mixture across the end of one half. Roll up and place on cookie sheet. Repeat until you’ve used up all apples. Brush top of each roll with juice from apple mixture. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake until browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool. Sprinkle with sugar, if desired. Cut each roll in half.

APPLE CRISP

Serves 12

Ingredients

• 10 cups all-purpose apples, peeled, cored and sliced
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup water
•  1 cup quick-cooking oats
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup butter, melted

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degree C).
2. Place the sliced apples in a 9x13 inch pan. Mix the white sugar, 1 tablespoon flour and ground cinnamon together, and sprinkle over apples. Pour water evenly over all.
3. Combine the oats, 1 cup flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and melted butter together. Crumble evenly over the apple mixture.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for about 45 minutes.

APPLE SWEET POTATO BAKE

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 3 cups sliced peeled cooked sweet potatoes
• 3 cups sliced peeled tart apples
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 dash pepper
• 3 tablespoons butter or margarine

Directions

1. In a greased 1-1/2-qt. baking dish, layer half of the sweet potatoes and apples. Combine brown sugar, nutmeg, allspice, salt and pepper; sprinkle half over apples. Dot with half of the butter. Repeat layers. Cover and bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Baste with pan juices. Bake, uncovered, 15 minutes longer or until the apples are tender.

APPLESAUCE PANCAKES WITH APPLE CIDER SYRUP

Ingredients:

• ***Apple Cider Syrup***
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 cups apple cider
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• ***Applesauce Pancakes***
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 1/4 cup melted butter

Preparation:

Apple Cider Syrup: In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. When butter stops foaming, add the apple cider, brown sugar, and cinnamon sticks. Bring to a boil, stirring. Continue cooking over medium heat, stirring frequently, until reduced by half to about 1 to 1 1/4 cups. This will take about 15 minutes. The syrup will thicken as it cools. Remove cinnamon sticks and serve with pancakes.

Applesauce Pancakes: In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Combine eggs, milk, applesauce, and butter; add to dry ingredients and mix well. Pour about 1/3 cup of batter onto a lightly greased hot griddle. Turn when bubbles form on top; cook until second side is golden brown. Keep warm while making the remaining pancakes.
Serves 6 to 8.

APPLE BBQ SAUCE

• 1 cup ketchup
• 2/3 cup seasoned rice vinegar
• 1/2 cup apple juice or 1/2 cup apple cider
  
  
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/8 cup soy sauce
• 1/8 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons yellow mustard
• 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne (more or less to taste)
• 1/3 cup imitation bacon bits, ground in a spice grinder
• 1/3 cup peeled and grated apple
• 1/3 cup grated onion
• 2 teaspoons grated green bell peppers

Directions:

1. Mix together the ketchup, rice vinegar, apple juice or cider, cider vinegar, brown sugar, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, garlic powder, white pepper, cayenne, and bacon bits in a large saucepan.
2. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in apple, onion, and bell pepper. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, 10 to 15 minutes or until it thickens slightly. Stir it often.
3. Allow to cool, then pour into sterilized glass jars. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

VARIATION: To make this sauce a little hotter, add more cayenne pepper to taste, approximately another 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon. Be careful; a little cayenne goes a long way.