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

Top 10 Recipes of 2015

2015 has drawn to its end and it's always fun to look back and see some of the fan favorites.  Most of them are from this year but a few from last year snuck in. 

I hope you enjoy the look back with me. Click on the title to see the recipe or click on the "pin it" link to go right to Pinterest to re-pin for later!

Quark

Quark?  That's that character from Star Trek, right?  Sure, that's his name but today I am talking dairy!

I first discovered quark in Munich, Germany.  Although at the time I didn't really know what it was.  I just knew that I had been seeing the runnier, semi sour European yogurts up until that point in my trip.  This one was drizzled with walnuts and honey and looked thicker. I took a small scoop to try.  It was so delicious!  Super creamy and just a little sweet.  I was pleasantly surprised.  

I belong to a German page on Facebook and one day she was discussing this treat called "quark."  I was pretty sure then that it was what I had in Munich.  I set out to see if I could make it from my goat milk.  I found a few recipes for using cultures and this is what I came up with.  Every milk is a little different so you may have to play with the draining times to get what you want but it is easy to make so give it a go!  

We'll still make our runnier type of goat yogurt for smoothies but this is my new go to thick yogurt type of recipe!  I also found that if I don't sweeten it that it works similar to sour cream.  I plan to try it with a baked potato soon.  I read that the un-thinned version can be used like cream cheese for käsekuchen (cheesecake.)  Maybe we'll have a go at that too!

Quark                                                                                                  Printable Recipe

1 gallon whole milk (not ultra pasteurized)*
Buttermilk culture  - USE 1 packet from New England Cheesemaking Culture or 1/8 teaspoon bulk from GetCulture
3 drops liquid rennet
Extra whole milk (amount needed depends on amount of quark making at serving time)
pure maple syrup or honey
pecans or walnuts

Brownie Waffles

Who loves waffles?  Raise your hand.  You can't see me but I've got both raised!! I love waffles. They are moist on the inside with a little crunch on the outside.  I like a traditional style waffle like my Buttermilk Waffles slathered with some peanut butter and drizzled with syrup or sprinkled with chocolate chips.  In the fall we break out the pumpkin and spices and have some Pumpkin Buttermilk Waffles with walnuts or hickory nuts and syrup.

 Recently I decided to give chocolate waffles a try. These brownie waffles are a little slice of heaven!  I tried some plain, some sprinkled with powdered sugar (just like my mom used to make our brownies) and with a peanut butter syrup drizzle.  They were all good and I couldn't really pick a favorite.  You could even serve these as a dessert with a slice of ice cream on top and some chocolate syrup drizzle on.

Brownie Waffles (makes 6 round flip style waffles)                        Printable Recipe

1/2 cup butter
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup all purpose flour (or 1-1/3 cup Jovial Einkorn flour)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1/3 cup semi sweet chocolate chips (or milk chocolate or Andes Mints baking chips if you prefer)
Toppings ideas: powdered sugar, fruit, peanut butter, chocolate syrup, maple syrup.

Everyday Granola

Don't get me wrong, I love my original granola recipe.  It's versatile and with a bit of nut and/or dried fruit change you can have it your way.  After having a bag full of a fellow Iowa blogger's granola treasure I knew I had to try and come up with a recipe that tasted like her granola. 

She had salt sprinkled in her granola and while I thought it was odd at first and a bit too much for me, I couldn't keep out of it.  I've lowered the salt taste a little in mine but the flavor is still there and it's so yummy! Each salt has a different texture and size so start off with the least amount and see what you like. She also had mini chocolate chips so you can add them too if you like. I didn't have them on hand at the time I made the granola so I skipped it.  Add them after your granola has cooked and cooled or you will have a chocolate mess.

I named this recipe "Everyday Granola."  Why?  Because I could eat this everyday!  I think this is the fastest we've ever eaten a batch of granola.  I'll need to double it for sure next time. 

Everyday Granola                                                                                 Printable Recipe

8 cups old fashioned oats
1-1/2 to 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2/3 cup olive oil
1 cup pure maple syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup walnuts pieces
1 cup pecan pieces
1 cup plain flaked coconut

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix together oats, salt and cinnamon.

In glass measuring cup, mix together olive oil, maple syrup and vanilla. It thickened as I stirred but then I remembered it is due to the cold syrup causing the olive oil to firm up some.

Pour all but 2 to 3 Tablespoons of the mixture into the oats.  Bake for 25 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so. 

While the oats are baking, dump the rest of the syrup mixture into the coconut and nut mixture.

Stir to coat.

When oats are done cooking at 25 minutes, stir in nut mixture.  Return to oven for 7-10 minutes, stirring part way through.  Careful to watch so your coconut doesn't burn. 

Remove from the oven and cool.  Store in plastic gallon bag or other airtight container.  If you make a double batch you can freeze the cooled granola to enjoy later.

Apple Cider Cinnamon Steel-Cut Oatmeal

My family has recently discovered steel cut oats.  They haven't been run through a bunch of processes other than a quick cut so when they cook they aren't mushy like quick or regular oats.

If you are looking for a warm, nutritious breakfast but don't have the time in the morning, try this oatmeal recipe.  You can throw all of the ingredients into the crock pot before bed, set a timer (in the electric section of the store that will turn your crock pot on and off for you based on how you set it) or program on your crock pot and you're off to sleep.  The oatmeal cooks without effort and in the morning you will have an aroma that smells like baked apple pie filling your kitchen.

This recipe makes plenty and you can save the leftovers in the fridge to heat up for another tasty quick breakfast. I made ours for dessert since I was testing the time needed to cook and wanted to be awake during the process.  After our family of four we devoured our share, there were still 2-3 servings to be re-heated for breakfasts.

Apple Cider Cinnamon Steel-Cut Oatmeal                                   Printable Recipe

3 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped

2 cups apple cider (or use 3-1/2 cups and leave out the water)

1-1/2 cups water

1 cup steel cut oats ( I used organic Bob's Red Mill)

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon sugar (I used raw)

Optional: chopped pecans or walnuts and pure maple syrup

Top 10 Recipes of 2014

2014 is drawing to an end and I thought we should take a look back at some of the fan favorites.  Most of them are from this year but a few from last year snuck in. 

I hope you enjoy the look back with me. Click on the title to see the recipe or click on the "pin it" link to go right to Pinterest to re-pin for later!

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

Gma's Featherlight Pancakes

Gma? What does that mean?  It is short for GRANDMA!  Some time ago we got lazy in our typing messages back and forth we that shortened grandma and grandpa to gma and gpa....it stuck.  Even the grandkids call them that!

These are the pancakes my mom has been making since I was little kid.  She always made shaped pancakes for my sister and I. This is a thinner batter so it was easy to do.  At the end of cooking she always made the 50 cent size pancakes and even if we had already had enough pancakes we always had room for those.  Now she makes these pancakes with my daughter and my niece.  The fun part now is that she lets them add coloring.  So grandpa has eaten purple, pink, green, and sometimes blue pancakes!

Gma's Featherlight Pancakes

1 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons baking powder
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup milk
2 Tablespoons oil

Chuckwagon Breakfast

We LOVE breakfast dishes and so I am always looking to change it up.  This one combines it all in one pan.  Add some cooked veggies, change you cheese, add different spices and it can be different every time!

Chuckwagon Breakfast

1 pound frozen hash browns, thawed
one recipe sausage gravy
4 eggs
olive oil
dried parsley
1-1/2 to 2 cups shredded cheese (your favorite kind that melts well)

Make one recipe sausage gravy (via the link) and cool it to at least room temperature.

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.

Gluten Free Buttermilk Berry Muffins

These muffins are soft and fluffy.  I send them to school with my oldest daughter as a snack to replace the fruit grain bars that contained gluten. If you aren't watching gluten you should be able to sub you regular flour back in for the amount I put here. 

Gluten Free Buttermilk Berry Muffins

2 cups flour (I used Jules GF flour)

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup frozen berries (I used blueberries and raspberries)

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup canola oil

2 eggs

Combine dry ingredients.

In separate bowl mix together liquid ingredients.

 Add berries to flour mixture

 and mix until coated.

Dump into liquid and 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. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-22 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.

Top 10 Recipes of 2013

While I have been blogging recipes for a while now I only got serious this year by adding a Facebook page and offering more recipes.  I've added about 100 recipes this year and thought maybe we could take a look back at some of the fan favorites and toss in a couple of our family favorites. I hope you enjoy the look back with me.  

#10

Pretty tasty BBQ sauce and how to cook the ribs so they are oh so tender!

Grilled Baby Back Ribs with Whiskey BBQ Sauce

Pin it:  http://www.pinterest.com/pin/273593746082432317/

#9
A twist on the usual dressing for Thanksgiving.

Cornbread Dressing
Pin it:  http://www.pinterest.com/pin/273593746085357345/

#8
My favorite holiday cookie

Thumbprint Cookies
Pin it:  http://www.pinterest.com/pin/273593746082432322/

#7
Light and fluffy

Lemon Cream Cheese Dessert
Pin it: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/273593746086323337/

#6
A twist on a peanut butter dessert.

Peanut Butter Snowballs
Pin it: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/273593746086461624/

but you loved them first as

Bloodshot Peanut Butter Eyeballs!
Pin it:  http://www.pinterest.com/pin/273593746086273945/

#5
It's called easy for a reason..

Easy Quiche
Pin it:  http://www.pinterest.com/pin/273593746085699433/

#4
A holiday favorite

Mexican Wedding Cakes
Pin it: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/273593746086499294/

#3

Easiest roast to make

CROCKPOT POT ROAST
Pin it: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/273593746082587985/

#2

My husband's favorite

CHICKEN FRIED STEAK
Pin it:  http://www.pinterest.com/pin/273593746082533329/

and #1!!

The cookies heard and made all over the world!

PECAN PIE THUMBPRINTS
Pn it:  http://www.pinterest.com/pin/273593746086323339/

Please join me in 2014!

I'm looking forward to more cooking and new recipes!