SANDRA'S DECADENT GERMAN-STYLE BAKED APPLES

This recipe was created due to an 
influx of wonderfully
delicious apples I had on hand...

[Today (12-18-11) I just found that 
two sites re-posted my recipe 
and this photo @ the following links:
1) Driving and Dining; and
2) What's for Dinner]

Also, at http://aquieterstorm.tumblr.com/page/44

Servings: (4)

Prep: 10 Mins.
Bake:  1 Hr.

INGREDIENTS

4 organic apples (I used Cripps Pink – also called Pink Lady; fall apples from Washington)

4 tablespoons fireweed honey

1 tablespoon butter, room temp.

1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

½ teaspoon vanilla extract (I used half of a scraped organic bourbon vanilla bean)

1-1/2 teaspoons organic ground cardamom

¼ teaspoon organic ground nutmeg

2 tablespoons chopped candied pecans

1 teaspoon chopped organic crystallized ginger

Optional:

--French Vanilla Ice Cream

--Caramel Sauce

--4 Whole Maraschino Cherries, with stems

METHOD

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Pour ¼” deep of lukewarm water into bottom of a square 8”x8” baking dish, and set aside.  Mix the remaining ingredients in a small bowl, and set aside.

Cut the very top off of the apples and scoop out the core; leaving a well while taking care not to cut all the way through the bottom.  Using a vegetable peeler, remove a strip of peel around the middle outer diameter section of each apple (so they can breathe while baking).

Method in which to prep
the apples

Equally fill each apple with stuffing mixture from small bowl. 

A filled apple

Place filled apples in the prepared baking dish. Bake, covered, for 40 minutes. Uncover, and continue baking for 20 additional minutes, or until apples are tender to your liking.

Fresh out of the oven
dripping in gooeyness

Serve the baked apples while hot in individual bowls, top each with a scoop of ice cream, drizzle them with caramel sauce, and top with a maraschino cherry. – Enjoy!

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Tip:  I prep all the ingredients beforehand to make assembling a breeze, except for the apples that I do lastly to prevent oxidation prior to baking.

SANDRA'S CARDAMOM FRENCH TOAST with SAUTÉED APPLES and WHIPPED CREAM

A featured recipe I created inspired 
by incorporating organic spices from a
locally owned Red Onion Organic 
Spice & Tea Company...

Servings: (2)
Prep: 10 Mins. |
Cook 8 to 10 Mins.

Posted: by Sandra

INGREDIENTS

***Apple topping
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 apple
--(I used Rancho Royale,
peeled, cored and sliced ¼” thick)
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

***French Toast
3 large eggs
1-1/2 tablespoons whole milk

4 green organic cardamom pods, seeds removed, and ground fine
1/8 teaspoon seeds scraped from a split organic vanilla bean (generally ½ a bean)
1/4 teaspoon organic lemon peel powder
4 slices organic whole wheat bread
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

--¼ cup prepared whipping cream

METHOD

Use a paring knife to slit the cardamom pods lengthwise, remove the seeds and discard the outer pods. Pour the seeds into a spice grinder and pulse until the seeds are finely ground, about 2 minutes, and set aside.

To make the topping, heat a small non-stick skillet with 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat; add apple slices. Saute while folding constantly with a spatula until apples are almost tender, about 6 to 7 minutes. Dissolve cornstarch in water; add to skillet. Stir in brown sugar and cinnamon, and reduce to low to simmer.

Meanwhile, in a shallow bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, vanilla bean seeds, lemon peel powder, and ground cardamom. Add each of the bread slices to the egg mixture, and turn gently to coat evenly.

Heat a griddle (or large skillet) over medium heat, and melt the butter to evenly coat the bottom. Remove the bread from the egg mixture, letting the excess drip back into the bowl. Arrange 4 bread slices onto griddle and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Turn the bread over and cook until golden brown on the other side, about 2 minutes more.

Divide the French toast between two serving plates, mound the apple topping over the French toast, and top with whipped cream. – Enjoy with a light drizzle of your favorite maple syrup!


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*Tip: Green Cardamom Pods are a member of the ginger family, and provide a spicy, aromatic sweetness to this French toast, as does the vanilla bean seeds, including adding a hint of Lemon flavor from the Powdered Peel.


Also, you can store the scraped vanilla bean in an airtight jar with sugar, and in a few weeks you'll have vanilla bean infused sugar for using in baking recipes, tea, etc.

SANDRA'S CREAMY TOFFEE DIP with FRESHLY SLICED, SWEET APPLES

I had an abundance of fresh, quality apples
and came up with this recipe
because I'm crazy about toffee;
hence the dip creation...

Servings: (4)

Prep Time: 5 Mins.
Posted by Sandra

INGREDIENTS

4 unpeeled apples, cored, and cut into ¼” slices

***Creamy Toffee Dip

1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, at room temperature
1 (8-oz.) package toffee bits
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

METHOD

In a medium bowl, beat with a hand mixer on low all the dip ingredients until well blended. Serve dip immediately in a nice serving bowl placed in the center of a decorative platter, and surround with sweet and crunchy apple slices.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tip: This Creamy Toffee Dip can be stored in the refrigerator up to 5 days, just bring to room temperature to soften for easier dipping, about 30 minutes beforehand.