If there is one thing I am famous for in the colder months it would have to be my obsession with baking. As soon as the temperatures dip below 60 degrees the oven goes on until they hit 80 again. This time of year is one of my favorite times to bake. We have several apple trees on our farm and I just love the smell of freshly baked apples in the house.
So, as I embark on yet another baking season, I am sharing with you one of my favorite Apple Crisp recipes. It all starts with these amazing apples we have out back. Now, if you have a good husband, he will bring the newly picked apples in the garage for you when you ask him to. Ya know, before it rains on them and the ants feast on their tender flesh…I hate ants. I hate bugs. All bugs. In fact, anything with more than four legs…Even some things with only two…Birds, for instance…Did I mention someone put a bird on me this weekend? At the Steam show, a, what appeared to be harmless old lady came up to us with a parrot. Of course the kids loved the bird and wanted to see it. Being within 10 feet of it was fine with me, but apparently I looked as though I needed to touch the bird. I humored the woman and, albeit begrudgingly, touched the bird. But NOOOO that was not good enough. It seemed the bird liked me and she thought she needed to put it on my arm! I tried to get away, but I was holding baby…And the woman had lightening fast reflexes! She had that bird on my arm in the blink of an eye! I think she has tried to convert bird haters before…ARHG! A bird. On my arm. The kids thought it was cool though….
ANYWAY – apple crisp.
Here we go…
So, as I was saying. You will need 10 cups of apples, peeled and sliced. If you want to know how many apples 10 cups is, you will have to figure that out on your own, just as I had to the first time I made this recipe…OK OK -around 14 or so, depending on the size.


Now I always sliced the apples and then add them to a big bowl of cold water with about a teaspoon of sat added so they do not get all brown and mushy before I finish cutting, because I know I will be interrupted with the needs of small children about a hundred times before I finish.





Layer your apples in a 9 by 13 pan. I always spray my pan, even though it is probably not necessary – I just really dislike scrubbing…





Dang ants.


In a separate bowl, combine 1 cup of white sugar, 1T of all purpose flour and 1t of ground cinnamon and sprinkle over apples. Pour ½ cup of water evenly over apples and sugar mixture.






I reuse the same bowl – again, I dislike washing too many dishes – combine 1cup Quick cooking oats, 1 cup flour, 1 cup brown sugar (still with me? I know it is hard, but try to focus…), ¼ t baking sodee, ¼ t baking powder and ½ cup melted butter.




Crumble this mixture over top and bake for 45 minutes at 350. Meanwhile – hopefully your toddler is still asleep and you can look up other people’s blog posts for supper ideas. I found mine of Kraft Foods website for tonight –Bruschetta Chicken Bake – yum.

















Now, when the crisp is done –I highly recommend hiding it immediately so you can enjoy the whole thing yourself. If your family asks about the smell, tell them you lit a candle.

Cold Days (In August?)

Today I felt the baking bug. Each year it creeps in about the same time that school starts. This year, however, school started early - really early! So here I am, on this August 26th, a balmy 65 degrees outside, baking. It started simply enough, I had to rearrange a cabinet that, at 10:30 last night, decided to shake the foundation of the house when the shelf finally let go from the heavy burden of cookbooks that I had, over the years, collected and piled on the not-so-sturdy 1/2 thick board. Nevermind that my, always on guard and highly protective beagle attack dog (is that an oxymoron?) never even woke up when the crashing noises filled the house and that I about jumped out of my skin - sure that someone was on their way to my bedroom with an ax.
Anyway, while trying to ease the cookbooks off the precariously hanging shelf and not destroy the mixing bowls and fondue pot wedged below, I noticed an old issue of Cooking Light. And there my downfall into baking addiction occurred...
Two loaves of zucchini bread, a batch of cranberry bars, and 24 fresh blueberry muffins later, here I sit inhaling the rich aromas of my kitchen and hoping I do not eat it all (at least not in one sitting...)





Oh- and I had help. Here is Aiden as he sits at my feet, feeding the dog cheerios and watching his crazy baking mother dance to her O Brother Where Art Thou CD (such a dork).

Object of My Obsession

Pies, Pies, and More Pies

I have been baking up a storm...Again....I have a dear friend who has blessed me with several quarts of cherries this week and I have taken pies to friends, to meetings, and to relatives.
I don't know why I find it necessary to try to use all the cherries at once, maybe it is because when you open my upright freezer you have to be sure to protect your toes. It is so full that today my daughter was assaulted by a loaf of bread trying to make it's escape. So, I will continue to bake until things stop falling out of the freezer each time the door is opened.

The Sandwich of All Sandwiches

Recently I was introduced to my new favorite restaurant. A friend took me to a Mary's Market - to which I had never been to before and while there I tasted one of the most heavenly sandwiches I have even encountered...

It was bliss. It was true culinary excellence. It was love. It was the Artichoke and Pesto Grilled Cheese.

I walked away with such a feeling of satisfaction and fulfillment, that I knew I would need this fix again.

So, I went to the market and scooped up all the ingredients in the attempt to recreate such a treasure. And whadda know - I did!! And now, thank you to me, you can too.

Shopping List

1 Loaf Pane Bread - or similar "crusty" type bread

1 Jar Marinated Artichoke Hearts

1 Jar Tastefully Simple Pesto

1 Jar Parmesan Cheese

1 Jar Olive Oil (EV if you can!!)

1 Brick Mozzarella Cheese

1 Small Container Feta Cheese

First make your Pesto - Add 2T Olive Oil to 2T water and stir in 2T Pesto mix. Microwave on High 1 minute and let stand five minutes then add Parmesan Cheese.

Slice Mozzarella into two small slices.

Slice bread and coat both sides with EVOO. Top one side of each slice with Pesto mix. Layer on Mozzarella slices, Artichoke Hearts and Feta. Top Layers with other slice of bread and grill on Panini grill or Goerge Foreman for about 5 minutes.

Slice sandwich at an angle and enjoy the flavor sensation you are about to experience!

Tookie Mesipie

Tequila Christmas Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup water
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup nuts
2 cups dried fruit
1 (750 ml) bottle tequila (Jose Cuervo or your other favorite brand)

Directions:
1. Sample the tequila to check quality.
2. Take a large bowl; check the tequila again to be sure it is of the highest quality.
3. Pour one level cup tequila and drink.
4. Turn on the electric mixer.
5. Beat one cup of butter in a large fluffy bowl.
6. Add one peastoon of sugar.
7. Beat again.
8. At this point it's best to make sure the tequila is still ok, so try another cup just in case.
9. Turn off the mixerer thingy.
10. Break 2 leggs and add to the bowl and chuck in the cup of dried fruit.
11.. Pick the frigging fruit off the floor.
12. Mix on the turner
13. If the fried druit gets stuck in the beaters just pry it loose with a drewscriver.
14. Sample the tequila to check for tonsisticity.
15. Next, sift two cups of salt, or something.
16. Who geeves a sheet.
17. Check the tequila.
18. Add one table.
19. Add a spoon of sugar, or somefink.
20. Whatever you can find.
21. Greash the oven.
22. Turn the cake tin 360 degrees and try not to fall over.
23. Don't forget to beat off the turner.
24. Finally, throw the bowl through the window, finish the quetila and make sure to put the stove in the wishdasher.
25. Cherry Mistmas !

Still Baking

Don't worry folks, I have not let the baking slide. I have a NEW recipe! In all my baking delirium, I have come up with Cherry Garcia cookies. Please hold the applause... To my regular chocolate chip recipe I have added about 1/4 t. of almond extract, a cup of dried cherries (finely chopped) and 2 cups of chocolate chunks in lieu of chips. (You may applaud now) OH Yumm! It is cherry/chocolate heaven...NOT that I have tried any - ya know, with the whole chocolate ban in effect. Ok, I tried them before the ban, so it doesn't count! Quit judging me!