Archives for 2019

Apple picking is the quintessential fall family activity. But what to do with all the delicious fruits of your labor when you get home? These recipes will help you use up those crisp apples and leave your home smelling like the start of autumn.

Homemade Crockpot Apple Butter

Ingredients
6 pounds of apples
½ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
a pinch or 2 of ground cloves

Instructions
1. Peel, core, and slice all 6 pounds of apples.
2. Toss apples into the Crockpot along with all the rest of ingredients and stir. Cook on low for 4-6 hours or until apples are very soft, stirring every hour or two.
3. When the apples are cooked through, puree them in a blender or food processor. Depending on the size of your processor, you may need to puree in several batches.
4. Refrigerator or freeze. Makes 4-6 cups.

~From TheGraciousWife.com

Healthy Cinnamon Apple Chips

Ingredients
1 large or 2 medium apples thinly sliced
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Lay apple slices in a single layer on lined baking sheets and sprinkle evenly with cinnamon.
3. Bake at 200 degrees for 2 hours.
4. Once you remove the slices from the oven loosen them from the parchment paper and they will crisp up even more.

~From CookCraftLove.com

Easy Apple Pie Bites

Ingredients
⅓ cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons butter, melted
⅓ cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and sliced into 8 (1/2-inch) slices
1 (8-ounce) can Pillsbury Original crescent rolls

Instructions
1. Heat oven to 375°F. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. Unwrap the crescent roll and separate the triangles.
3. Combine sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
4. Evenly spread butter onto each triangle.
5. Sprinkle each triangle generously with sugar and cinnamon mixture. Sprinkle with the pecans or walnuts, if using.
6. Wash the apple and cut into 8 equal slices. Place a piece of apple on each triangle of dough (on a wider side) and roll it in a croissant shape.
7. Arrange crescent roll bites on a cookie sheet. Spread the remaining butter on each crescent roll croissant and sprinkle with additional sugar and cinnamon.
8. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

~From CakesCottage.com

Homemade Apple Cider

Ingredients:
1 orange
10 medium apples (use a variety if you can)
3 cinnamon sticks (or 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon)
2 teaspoons ground cloves
granulated sugar

Instructions
1. Peel the orange and place the segments in the slow cooker. (Pictures show unpeeled- I prefer peelng it. Less bitter.) Wash the apples, cut into quarters, and place in the slow cooker. Add the cinnamon sticks, ground cloves, and sugar. Add enough water to cover the fruit.
2. Cook on low heat for 6-7 hours. (Or high heat for 3.)
3. After 6-7 hours, the fruit will be very soft. Use a large spoon to mash the fruit and release its liquids. Allow the cider to cook on low for 1 more hour.
4. Very slowly strain the chunky liquid though a fine mesh sieve into a large pot or pitcher. Discard the solids. Strain the cider one more time to rid any other solids.
5. Serve the cider warm. Leftover cider keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 5-7 days. Warm up on the stove before serving or drink cold.

From SallysBakingAddiction.com

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Unless you homeschool your kids, weekday mornings aren’t the time to fuss with pots and pans. For many parents, a quick bowl of cereal or toaster waffle is the easiest way to handle breakfast on school days — but it’s not always the healthiest way. If you’re hoping to cut down on the sugar and bump up the nutrients in your kids’ breakfast, these simple and versatile make-ahead recipes are worth a try.

Breakfast Yogurt Popsicles

Ingredients

• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 teaspoon honey
• 1/2 cup granola
• 1 cup berries/chopped fruit

Directions

1. Mix together the milk, yogurt and 1 tsp of the honey.
2. Divide the mixture between your popsicle molds.
3. Place a few berries into each mould.
4. Mix the last teaspoon of honey with the granola (you can place the honey in the microwave for 10 seconds if you are struggling to mix it) and top the yogurt with a little granola mixture.
5. Place a wooden ice cream stick into each mould and place the popsicles into the freezer for at least 4 hours before consuming. Makes 6-8 popsicles.

-Recipe from IHeartNapTime.net

Sweet Potato Biscuits

Ingredients

• 1 medium sweet potato
• 1 1/2 cup flour, all-purpose
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoon butter, unsalted
• 1/2 cup milk

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a baking mat.
2. Poke fork into sweet potato and cook in microwave for 5 minutes, or until softened. Mash well or add to food processor, mixing until smooth.
3. In a medium mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Use a whisk to combine.
4. Add the butter and then using a fork, pastry blender, or your fingers, work the butter into the flour mixture until it is the size of small peas. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.
5. Add sweet potato and 1/3 cup of milk to the flour mixture and stir to combine. If the mixture is crumbly and not sticking together add the rest of the milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough comes together.
6. Remove the dough onto a flour dusted surface and dust the top with a little more flour. Roll the dough so that it is 3/4 of an inch thick. Cut the dough using a knife or a biscuit butter into 9 pieces.
7. Place the but biscuits on the baking sheet and into the oven. Bake until the tops are a light golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Serve hot.

– Recipe from SuperHealthyKids.com

No-Bake Quinoa Crumble Bars

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups granola
• 1 cup cooked quinoa cooled
• 1 cup coarsely chopped raw almonds
• 1/2 cup ground flaxseed
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/4 cup melted coconut oil or peanut butter I have used both
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips or dried pomegranate seeds or a mix

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine quinoa, granola, almonds, flaxseed and salt, stirring to mix well. Fold in chocolate chips and or pomegranate seeds.
2. Stir in honey, coconut butter and vanilla extract, mixing well with a spoon until combined. Place mixture in the microwave for 45 seconds. Allow to cool slightly and pour over dry ingredients mix until entire mixture is moistened. If it still seems too dry, add additional honey 1 tablespoon at a time, but you don’t want it to be too wet.
3. Line a 9×9 baking dish with plastic wrap or parchment paper. Firmly press the mixture into the pan, into all the corners and evenly top it off with a spoon. You want it packed as tightly as possible. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, then remove and lift granola bars out of pan, cutting into 12 squares. These work best refrigerated.

– Recipe from HalfBakedHarvest.com

Breakfast Egg Muffins

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt
• 6 oz mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 6 eggs
• ¼ cup milk
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
• 3/4 cup spinach, cooked and drained (about 8 oz fresh spinach)

Instructions

1. In a large skillet, heat olive oil on medium-high heat, and add thinly sliced mushrooms, sprinkle with salt, and cook for about 10 minutes until mushrooms soften and release juices.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Use a regular 12-cup muffin pan. Spray the muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray.
3. In a large bowl, beat eggs until smooth. Add milk, salt, Cheddar cheese and mix. Stir spinach, cooked mushrooms into the egg mixture. Ladle the egg mixture into greased muffin cups ¾ full.
4. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven, let the muffins cool for 30 minutes before removing them from the pan.

– Recipe from JuliasAlbum.com

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