Apple Fritters

Apple fritters are like a cross between donuts and funnel cake. I am wishing I had some right now. Today I am sharing the recipe for these fruity yummy golden apple fritters. They are best served warm, but it’s doubtful that there will be any left before they cool off. These fritters are studded with diced apples and generously dusted with powdered sugar or rolled in cinnamon and sugar. My youngest daughter even suggested a drizzle of caramel syrup. What a delicious treat!

These are easy to make and you kids will enjoy mixing and sugaring. Keep the cooking in oil to the older ones or adults.

Apple Fritters                                                                                                  Printable Recipe

1 cup all purpose flour
1-½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
⅓ cup milk
1 egg
1-½ cups chopped apples
2 Tablespoons sugar and ¼ teaspoon cinnamon mixed
Powdered sugar

Cheese-Stuffed Bread Sticks

I love my Quick Pizza Dough recipe but sometimes I don't want to heat up the kitchen with the oven for just me. One day I flattened the dough like a pizza and cooked it in my pan so I could dip it in the Roasted Marinara.  Then I realized I was missing out on the cheese. I decided to wrap a cheese stick up in the dough and then cook the dough.  Yum!  It's ooey gooey!  Quick and easy to make!

Cheese-Stuffed Bread Sticks                                                   Printable Recipe

3/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
3/4 teaspoon  sugar
1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees)
1/2 Tablespoon olive oil
couple dashes salt
1-1/2 cups flour plus more for dusting/kneading
6 cheese sticks (mozzarella or colby jack are best)

Add yeast and sugar to water.  Let set for 5 minutes.

Add olive oil, salt, and flour. 

Stir until completely mixed.  It is OK if it is a little wet.  You are going to add to a floured surface and knead. This will add flour and help complete your dough.

It should take you less than 5 minutes to get a nice smooth ball.  Cover with a towel and set aside for 15 minutes to rest/rise.

Divide dough into 6 pieces. 

Roll out into a rectangle that is large enough to cover your cheese stick.  Dampen the edge of the dough so when you fold over last edge it sticks.  Do the same on the end.  I lightly roll it all to be sure the are not holes for the cheese to seep out of as it melts.

Lightly oil a non-stick pan and heat to medium.  Add dough wrapped cheese to pan and cook until light brown. 

Flip each side and continue to brown/cook the dough.  If you want all edges brown you will need to gently hold the bread stick and hold the part of the dough you want browned to the pan.  I have learned that if you go too long they can leak but not as easily as when I did them in the oven.

Remove from pan and allow to cool for just a bit while you warm up your marinara sauce. I topped my sauce with Parmesan for extra cheesy flavor!  These are great to send in lunches too.

Check out that melty cheese!

I think next time I will make extra and freeze some.

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Piña Colada Muffins

The first time my husband and I had these muffins were on vacation on Maui where we stayed at a bed and breakfast.  Every morning the owner made breads and had juice and fruit for us to eat.  Everything was so tasty! I think it was the combination of short travel from plant to plate and the beautiful setting we ate them in. 

You can make these in jumbo size (which is how she made them) or in regular muffin size. Either way they are delicious. I  think next time I may add some chopped macadamia nuts to the muffins.

Piña Colada Muffins

1-1/3 cups sweetened coconut flakes
2  cups all purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
1/3 cup crushed pineapple, drained

Deep Dish Pizza, a New Tra-Dish with Ragú

Ragú challenged bloggers to put their own spin on one of their classic dishes and create, what they call, a New Tra-Dish. I was given their Upside-Down Deep Dish Pizza Recipe and I decided to flip it back!  It's easy to make and you can change up your fillings with different meats and add veggies if you like.  Each are complimented nicely by the delicious sauce Ragú has made.  I know this is a dish we will make often!

Each jar of Ragú® Old World Style® Traditional Sauce is made with 11 juicy tomatoes making it its richest, thickest recipe.* 

For more easy and delicious Authentic Italian recipe ideas visit Facebook.com/RaguSauce. 

Deep Dish Pizza, a New Tra-Dish with Ragú

1 pound ground beef
1 - 24 oz jar Ragú® Old World Style® Traditional Sauce
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Tablespoon cornmeal
1 - 13.8 can refrigerated classic pizza crust
2 cups shredded Italian Blend cheese (or mozzarella)
1.75 oz of sliced pepperoni
1 Tablespoon grated Parmesan

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  In a skillet, cook ground beef until no longer pink.  Drain meat and add sauce. 

Quick Pizza Dough (oven ready in under 30 minutes)

Quick Pizza Dough (oven ready in under 30 minutes)             Printable Recipe

3/4 teaspoon active dry yeast

3/4 teaspoon  sugar

1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees)

1/2 Tablespoon olive oil

couple dashes salt

1-1/2 cups flour plus more for dusting/kneading

Add yeast and sugar to water.  Let set for 5 minutes.

Cinnamon Applesauce Muffins (with Gluten Free Option)

Three of our favorites in one...cinnamon....applesauce...muffins! These are great for snack, breakfast, or even dessert.  Double your batch because they go fast!

Cinnamon Applesauce Muffins (with Gluten Free Option)

1/2 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup dark brown sugar

2 eggs
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce (homemade is best if you have it)
1 teaspoon baking soda
2-1/4 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups flour (I used Jules GF Flour)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt

Combine dry ingredients.

Beat together butter and sugar, then add eggs.  Beat on medium for 20-30 seconds.

 Add applesauce.

 Mix until combined. 

 Dump in flour mixture. 

Mix just until dry ingredients are wet.

Scoop into greased muffin pan. (I have not tried these with papers so I don't know if they will work well or not.) 

I filled mine fairly full using all of the batter.  It is thick.  If you have peaks on your muffin batter you can wet your fingers a little and tap them down.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Cool in pans for at least 5 minutes then finish cooling on rack.  

 Eat now or freeze for another time.

Baked Eggnog Mini Donuts with Eggnog Glaze

Even if you don't like or drink egg nog you need to try these little goodies.  There is eggnog in the donut as well as the glaze.  What a wonderful treat for your family!

Eggnog Mini Donuts with Eggnog Glaze (Makes 18)

Donuts:

2-1/2 Tablespoons canola oil

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

scant 2/3 cup eggnog

1 cup flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

couple dashes salt

ground nutmeg*

Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

2-4 Tablespoons eggnog

Maple Cinnamon Rolls

Who doesn't love a soft fluffy cinnamon roll?  I use my grilled pizza dough  recipe as a starter.  Did she just say, "pizza dough?"  Yes, yes I did!  It's the same exact dough!  I use pure maple syrup and no butter in the center of these delicious rolls.  It's a nice flavor change and I am sure there are some calories saved.

Maple Cinnamon Rolls (makes approximately 24 large rolls plus some leftover ends)  

                                                                                                                        Printable Recipe

2-1/2 cups warm water
3/4 cup shortening
3/4 cup sugar
2-1/2 teaspoons salt
2 eggs
2 Tablespoons active dry yeast
8-1/2 cups flour (I use 6 cups bread flour and 2-1/2 cups fine ground wheat)

3/4 cup pure maple syrup
5-6 Tablespoons corn starch
cinnamon

favorite frosting recipe (mine has butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk or you can use cooled coffee and I don't measure anything when I make it for rolls)


Add eggs, water, shortening, sugar, salt, eggs, and yeast in large bowl.
Mix with whisk until shortening is pulverized.

Add wheat flour and whisk.

Add rest of flour and mix. You will have "Hulk" fingers but soon it will....

all blend into a nice ball with a little bit of kneading. You can also use your mixer if it has a dough hook. Place in greased bowl and cover.

Let rise for one hour. It will almost double in size.

Cut dough in half.  On large floured area roll out to 24" long and about 15" or so inches wide.

Drizzle on half of the maple syrup. 

Sprinkle on some cinnamon.  Use as much as you like.  They are called CINNAMON rolls, right?!

Using a sieve, sprinkle on half of the cornstarch.  You don't have to use a sieve but it will go on a little more evenly. The cornstarch will help thicken the syrup so it doesn't all run out when it is baking.

Using a spoon, mix it all together and spread all over but not quite to edge on the far side.

If you are adding nuts, sprinkle them on now. 

Roll it up. As you roll, since this is a stretchy soft dough, you can pull on it a little bit.  This will help you get many rings in your cinnamon roll and keep your rolls tight.  When you get to the edge pinch it shut. It will be longer than the 24" you need but that is OK.  I'll tell you what to do with the extra.

Now you are ready to cut your cinnamon rolls.  I found the center and started from there.  That way I had nice pieces and only the ends would be odd shaped.  Using a piece of thread, scootch it under the dough, pull up, criss-cross, pull and it will cut your rolls without smashing them like a knife would.  Move over 2" and do the same.  You should have 12 nice pieces total.  6 on each side of center. When you get to the ends they will be a little thinner so you can go  a little shorter.  Since they aren't as nice you can either toss them or do what I did.  I put all these goodies in their own baking dish, baked them, and we ate them anyway! They still taste as good.

Stand the rolls face up on a greased baking dish/pan. I used a 9 x 13" pan and put 12 in each. I could have put them closer but I know these really expand and I wanted to let them have their full potential! Cover and let rise for 45 minutes.  Turn oven on to 350 degrees.  (Allowing them to rise while the oven preheats.)

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and only slightly give when you press on them. If they have a bit of flour on it you can use a pastry brush and dust them off or leave it and the frosting will cover it.

You can frost while warm and the frosting will run down the sides or wait until they are cool to frost.  Your choice! For the ones with pecans I sprinkled a few on top of the frosting so I knew which pan was which. 

We love these fresh but if you are eating them another day you can pop them in the microwave to warm them up.  They'll taste like they are fresh out of the oven!

Pumpkin Buttermilk Waffles

Pumpkin Buttermilk Waffles                                                   Printable Recipe

1-3/4 cups flour

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1-1/2 cups buttermilk (or 1-1/2 T lemon juice and rest filled to 1-1/2 cups with milk)
6 Tablespoons butter, melted
2 eggs
1 cup pumpkin puree

Grilled Flatbread

Careful, this bread is so quick and easy to make you'll find yourself making it often.  Not good if you are a carbivore like me!

Grilled Flatbread                                                                                      Printable Recipe

3/4 teaspoon active dry yeast

3/4 teaspoon  sugar

1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees)

1/2 Tablespoon olive oil

couple dashes salt

1-1/2 cups flour plus more for dusting/kneeding

optional: more olive oil and flavored salt

Add yeast and sugar to water.  Let set for 5 minutes.

Add olive oil, salt, and flour. 

Stir until completely mixed.  It is ok if it is a little wet.  You are going to add to a floured surface and kneed. This will add flour and help complete your dough.

It should take you less than 5 minutes to get a nice smooth ball.  Cover with a towel and set aside for 15 minutes to rest/rise.

Roll out or hand toss until it is as thin as you like it. The thinner it is the crispier it will be. Using a pastry brush brush on olive oil.  Sprinkle with a flavored salt if you like.  I used a rosemary salt.  Not too much or it will be overpowering.

Place oiled side down on a medium heat grill for a minute or so, turn 1/4 turn to get pretty criss cross marks.  Flip and continue to cook the other side.  It doesn't take long to cook your bread so do not step away.  A little burn adds to the flavor, a lot doesn't.  :)

You can hand tear and serve or

cut like a pizza and serve. This one I served with hot marinara sauce to dip in.

You could also use this as a base to a fresh pizza. I plan to try some of these to freeze sometime to use with my oven and stone. I'll let you know when I do!

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