Apple Sponge Pudding with Cinnamon Whipped Cream

In the 1980-90s my husband I traveled quite a bit between our home in Blue Jay on the Ohio/Indiana border and Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri and Florida.  We always stopped in local shops or visitor’s centers to find souvenirs for the folks at home and I looked for regional cookbooks for myself.  I found the Bear Wallow small booklets to be full of good, old-fashioned, easy recipes.  This recipe came from Bear Wallow Apple Recipes.  I first made this dessert in 1995 and have a note in my binder:  “Made with our own Golden Delicious apples.  David (my husband) loved this – ate almost the whole thing for supper.”

It’s a sweet, flavorful dessert with lots of apples and a thin sponge filling baked on top.  The Cinnamon Whipped Cream was my idea and a good topping for this dish.

• Servings: 9
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1 egg yolk, beaten
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup all-purpose flour
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp baking powder
¼ cup water
½ tsp vanilla
1 egg white, beaten stiff
¾ cup dark brown sugar
2 Tblsp. butter
5 medium tart apples, peeled and sliced (about 5 cups)
Sprinkling of cinnamon and nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Have at hand a 9-inch baking dish

In a medium bowl, place the beaten egg yolk and whisk in granulated sugar.

Sift together dry ingredients and add to egg mixture alternately with water, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Add vanilla. Fold in stiff egg white.

Sprinkle brown sugar evenly on bottom of baking dish and dot with butter.

Pour sliced apples over sugar, sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg…

…then pour pudding mixture over apples.

Bake in 350 degree F oven for 45 minutes.

Serve with a dollop of Cinnamon Whipped Cream:
½ cup whipping cream
1 Tblsp.  powdered sugar
½ tsp. cinnamon

Beat cream, powdered sugar and cinnamon until cream is thick (don’t overbeat to form butter). 

Cranapple-Orange Crepes

I saw a beautiful jam on the blog, Happier Than a Pig in Mud here.  I made a couple of minor adjustments including Lynn’s suggestion to use orange juice to make a great jam or an equally great filling for crepes.  This is easy to make and I also like the fact that it is a one-cup yield – just right to use up some cranberries.  And, of course, any leftover filling would be delicious on your morning toast.

• Servings: 8
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Cranapple and Orange Filling
2 cups cranberries, fresh or frozen (thawed)
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup orange juice
½ tsp. grated orange peel
1 cup tart apple, peeled and grated
2 Tblsp. lemon juice
Whipped Cream or whipped topping, thawed
1 pecan half per serving, broken into pieces (8 halves)

In a medium heavy-bottomed pan, place cranberries, sugar, orange juice, orange peel, grated apple and lemon juice.

Cook, stirring, over medium high heat until mixture comes to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium low and continue boiling for another 10 minutes, stirring constantly.  Mixture should be thick and of jam-like consistency.

This filling can be made ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to use.  Have at room temperature for serving.

Yield:  One half-pint jar or one cup

Crepes are very easy to make.  Remember to allow an hour for the batter to rest in the refrigerator before making the crepes.  Crepes can be browned, placed in stacks with waxed paper between each crepe and refrigerated or frozen for later use.  The refrigerated and thawed crepes can be warmed in a microwave for 10-15 seconds or in a skillet.

Crepes

• Servings: 8
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2 eggs, beaten well
1 cup milk
1-½ Tblsp. melted butter
½ tsp vanilla
Pinch salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
Butter for frying

To Make Crepes
In a large measuring cup, place beaten eggs.  Add milk to beaten eggs, whisk in melted (cooled) butter, vanilla, salt and flour; mix until smooth.  Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Lightly butter a 7-inch non-stick skillet and heat to moderately hot.  Using a small measuring cup pour about ¼ cup of batter into pan and quickly swirl to coat bottom.

Brown and turn.

Allow to brown on the other side.  Remove to plate.  Spread about 1-½ Tblsp. Cranapple- Orange filling down the center of crepe.

Fold side portions of crepe toward center and top with whipped cream or whipped topping.  Add a coarsely chopped pecan half to each serving.

8 servings 

Ham and Apple Pudding

If you have some ham left over from New Year’s, you might enjoy this dish that was inspired by one I had seen in an old cookbook.  I changed it a lot to make a light luncheon entrée that my daughters and I enjoyed.

HAM AND APPLE PUDDING

• 2 cups bread cubes
• 1 cup cubed, cooked ham
• 2 Tblsp. butter
• 2 cups tart apple slices
• 1 Tblsp. dark brown sugar
• ¼  tsp. cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 Tblsp. prepared mustard
• 2 Tblsp. dried minced onions
• Thin white sauce (Recipe below)
• 1 cup of bread crumbs
• 1 Tblsp. butter

THIN WHITE SAUCE
2 Tblsp. all-purpose flour
¾ cup cold milk
¾ cup hot milk
1 packet Goya ham seasoning (optional)*
Salt/pepper if not using Goya ham seasoning

*Goya ham seasoning is an easy way to add some extra delicious ham flavor to any dish.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Oil a 9-inch casserole dish

In the bottom of the casserole dish place the bread cubes…

…topped with the ham cubes.

In a medium skillet over medium low heat, melt the butter and add the apple slices.  Cook, turning frequently for 5 minutes.  Add the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, mustard, and onions.  Continue to cook and stir for another 3 minutes until apples are fork tender.  Place this mixture on top of the layer of ham.

Make the thin white sauce:
In a small pan, whisk together the flour and cold milk until smooth.  Add the hot milk and cook, whisking constantly, over medium heat until mixture starts to boil.  Continue to cook and whisk for 2 more minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in ham seasoning or salt/pepper to taste.  Pour the sauce over the mixture in the casserole.

In a small skillet melt 1 Tblsp. butter, add crumbs and toss to coat.  Sprinkle buttered crumbs on top of casserole.

Bake @ 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes until top is golden brown.  Serve immediately.

4 servings

Apple Goo

I found this recipe in an old cookbook, Favorite Recipes of Indiana.  It makes a very good suppertime dessert – easy and quick to make.

• Servings: 4-6
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• 2 medium tart apples, pared and diced in small pieces (Golden Delicious, Granny Smith)
• ½ to ¾ cup granulated sugar (depending on tartness of apples)
• ½ cup chopped nuts
• ½ cup chopped dates
• 2 Tblsp. all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 egg, beaten

In a medium bowl, combine apples, sugar, nuts and dates.  Mix flour with baking powder and salt; blend into apple mixture.  Stir in beaten egg.

Place mixture in a greased 8” baking pan.

Bake @ 350 for approximately 30 minutes until apples are done and top is golden brown.

Serve with whipped cream or topping.

Good warm or chilled.  4-6 servings 

Mini-Apple Pie in a Jar, 3 Weight Watchers Points/Plus

My youngest daughter is a busy stay-at-home mom who always finds time to get together with me on Fridays for lunch.  I try to make meals that are tasty, quick and easy, and reduced in fat and calories.  Here is what we enjoyed this week.

My youngest daughter and I watch our food counts all the time – I do mine on DietPower software and she’s a member of Weight Watchers.  We’re great pie-lovers and pie just wrecks any diet, so I thought about making a small portion without the temptation of cutting a larger slice or having anything left over.  There is a lot of talk among food bloggers about using Mason jars and in my case, I didn’t want to store or mail the contents – I just wanted something small to bake the pie and it was nice having a lid for transporting to my daughter.

Note that I’m using the small ½-cup/4 oz.  jars – usually reserved for samples or gifts.

This little pie is just four or five bites of old-fashioned apple pie goodness – and absolute heaven for someone who has been dieting all week.

MINI-APPLE PIE IN A JAR

• Servings: 1-4
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For one pie:

• 1 Tblsp. pie pastry*
• ½ cup thinly sliced tart apple
• 2 tsp. granulated sugar
• ½ tsp. all-purpose flour
• Dash of salt
• Sprinkle of cinnamon and nutmeg

*Use your favorite pastry – here’s mine.  I keep small amounts in the freezer for quick desserts.

One ½-cup/4 oz.  Mason jar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

Roll pastry dough on a lightly floured board.

Use the jar to cut out one round of pastry…

…and a small cookie cutter to make cut-outs for the top (a child’s cookie cutter works nicely for this).

Place the round of pastry in the bottom of the Mason jar.

In a small bowl, mix together the apple slices,

…sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Spoon the apple mixture into the jar.  Place the cutouts on top of the apple mixture.  Place the jar on a pie plate …

…and bake @ 375 degrees F for 35-40 minutes until apples are done and crust is golden brown.  Remove to a rack to cool.

Nutritional count for one pie per my Diet Power software is: 111 calories, 3.98 g fat, 21.2 g carbohydrate, 2.75 g fiber, 0.98 g protein

Weight Watchers Points/Plus:  3

The count is for one pie but I’ve included ingredients for 2, 3 and 4 pies in case there is more than one dieter to feed.  I made three pies for supper for my two daughters and myself.  The two dieters especially enjoyed them.

For two pies:

• 2 Tblsp. pie pastry
• 1 cup thinly sliced tart apple
• 1 Tblsp. plus 1 tsp. granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. all-purpose flour
• Dash of salt
• Sprinkle of cinnamon/nutmeg

For three pies:

• 3 Tblsp. pie pastry
• 1-1/2 cup thinly sliced tart apple
• 2 Tblsp. granulated sugar
• 1-1/2 tsp. all-purpose flour
• Dash of salt
• Sprinkle of cinnamon/nutmeg

For four pies:

• ¼ cup pie pastry
• 2 cups thinly sliced tart apple
• 2 Tblsp. plus  2 tsp. granulated sugar
• 2 tsp. all-purpose flour
• Dash of salt
• Sprinkle of cinnamon/nutmeg 

For our entree, we had a favorite from the 1970s – Beef Stroganoff.

Cinnamon Apple Cheese Torte

I found this recipe in a magazine in 2002 and we all enjoyed it.  It’s a nice supper dessert – not too rich but very good.

• Servings: 8
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Crust:

• 1/3 cup butter, cut in small pieces
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup flour
• 1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon

Cheese Filling:

• 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1-1/2 tsp. vanilla

Apple Topping:

• 4 cups thinly sliced peeled tart apples (Golden Delicious)
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Butter bottom and up 1 inch of sides of a 9-inch springform pan.

To make the crust:

By hand, mix butter, sugar, vanilla, flour and cinnamon.  Press onto bottom and 1 inch up sides of the prepared springform pan.

To make the cheese filling:

Beat together the cream cheese and sugar.  Add egg and vanilla.  Spread filling over unbaked crust.

To make the apple topping:

Toss apple slices, sugar and cinnamon.

Arrange over filling.

Bake @ 400 degrees F for approximately 40 minutes or until apples are tender and crust is golden brown.  Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

Remove sides from pan and continue cooling on the rack.

8 servings.  Good at room temperature or chilled.  Store leftovers in refrigerator.

Apple and Pecan Pancakes with Brie

This is a breakfast or brunch dish to celebrate something – a birthday, an anniversary, the fact that it’s Saturday…..

I was watching Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives featuring a restaurant which included a breakfast plate like this on its menu.  My oldest daughter, who lives with me, began imagining how great it would be, so I picked up a package of brie on my next trip to the grocery.

I had everything else on hand and this is what I whipped up for our Saturday morning breakfast:

• Servings: 2
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• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 Tblsp. (1-1/2 tsp.) baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 cup milk
• 2 Tblsp. vegetable oil
• 1 medium tart apple, peeled and sliced thinly
• 2 Tblsp. chopped pecans
• 1 Tblsp. butter
• 6 slices of brie, about 1 inch square x 1/4 inch thick (like a pat of butter)

• Syrup of choice

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

In a 2 cup measure, pour the milk and oil.

Add to the dry ingredients, mixing just until blended.  Stir in apples and pecans.

Preheat a skillet on medium-high heat, lightly grease with butter and place three rounded 1/4-cup measures of batter onto the skillet.  Allow to brown until bubbles form on top…

…then flip and allow to cook until brown on the other side.

Remove pancakes to a plate and place a slice of brie on each.  Complete with a generous drizzle of syrup.  My daughter likes maple syrup and I favor Lyle’s Golden Syrup.

Enjoy.

Fluffy Gingerbread and Spicy Sauce

This recipe for gingerbread comes from a favorite old cookbook, Southern Sideboards, 1978. I have a note that I made it for the first time in September of 1985 and rated it “excellent”.  Then, I have another note from February 6, 2007 – “Revision made during a snow storm and during Rusty’s (my dog) recuperation from pancreatitis.  Had made potato soup for myself  for supper and thought I’d like some gingerbread that wasn’t too high fat-wise.  It was exactly what I was hoping for – had it warm with some whipped topping – excellent.”

The revised version substituted canola oil for butter and cut the recipe in half.  It also omitted a streusel-type topping.

FLUFFY GINGERBREAD

• Servings: 6-8
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• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup plus 2 Tblsp. molasses (Grandma’s)
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 cup boiling water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Oil and flour an 8-inch baking pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, brown sugar,  egg and molasses.  Whisk in the baking soda, salt, cinnamon and ginger.

Stir in the flour and then stir in the boiling water.  Pour batter into prepared pan and bake @ 350 degrees F for approximately 25 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.  Cool in the pan on a wire rack.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

This time around, I decided to serve the gingerbread with a Spicy Sauce:

SPICY SAUCE WITH APPLE JUICE

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 Tblsp. cornstarch
• 1 cup cold apple juice*
• 2 Tblsp. butter

*I make stronger flavored apple juice by combining 6 tablespoons of apple juice concentrate with enough water to make one cup.

In a small pan, combine sugar and cornstarch.  Add cold apple juice and whisk until smooth.  Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until mixture comes to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat and stir in butter until melted.

Serve warm over warm gingerbread.

Makes about 1-1/2 cups of sauce.  Sauce can be reheated.

The Best of 2010

It’s been another fun year of blogging and on this last day of 2010, I revisited the 10 most popular of the past year’s posts.

Farmer’s Wife Sampler Quilt

Round Patchwork Tablecloth

The Next Best Thing to Robert Redford Dessert

Irish Lemon Blackberry Sponge Pudding

Pork-Apple-Sweet Potato Casserole

Peach Crumble Pie

Creamy Ham Tetrazzini

Vintage Hanky Heart Pillow

Light Pineapple Cheesecake

Tasty Gingerbread Muffins

Happy New Year to All!

Gingerbread with Caramelized Apples

About 10 years ago, I copied this recipe from an old 1976 Bicentennial Heritage cookbook before the book was donated to Goodwill.  Recently, as I was updating my computer files, the recipe turned up and looked interesting.  It was way too high in calories and fat, though, so I adjusted the recipe considerably.  My youngest daughter and I enjoyed it for dessert – and it’s just right for these nice autumn days.

• Servings: 6-9
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For the Caramelized Apples

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 4 cups thinly sliced tart apples (Golden Delicious or Granny Smith)

For the Gingerbread

• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1/3 cup oil (Canola)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 2 Tblsp. light brown sugar
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup boiling water

To make the caramelized apples: In a large skillet, melt the butter and add 1 cup brown sugar.  Stir until sugar is dissolved.  Add apple slices and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture is as thick as syrup and apples are tender.

To make the gingerbread: Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, molasses and oil.

In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, soda, salt, baking powder, 2 Tblsp. brown sugar, ginger and cinnamon.

Add the dry ingredients to the molasses mixture alternately with the boiling water, stirring just until blended.

Spread the apple mixture in the bottom of a 9-inch ungreased baking dish.  Pour the batter over the apples.

Bake in a 325 degree F oven for 30 minutes. Increase heat to 350 degrees F and bake for 15 minutes longer or until cake tests done when a tester is inserted in the center.

Remove pan to wire rack and allow to cool for 5 minutes…

…then invert the pan onto a large platter, apple-side-up, to continue cooling.

This cake is delicious slightly warm and keeps its soft texture for several days.