A Little Hot Apple Love

 

The other day my 5 year old came to me and asked me what we you do on Valentines day.  She wanted to know if we could go out an buy presents for each other like Christmas.  I explained that daddy and I would probably go out but besides that we wouldn't be doing much.  She then requested that we make heart shaped chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast and then tacos for dinner.  She then asked what we would have for dessert.  I knew she would love anything that we could make together and so these little heart shaped apple pastries came to be. 

These are so easy and the kiddos can help out.  All you need is an apple some cinnamon and sugar and some biscuit dough.

Heart Shaped Apple Pastries

1 medium golden delicious or granny smith apple, peeled and diced

2 1/2 Tbs. sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1 can Grands biscuit dough (I used the flaky layers ones)

1 Tbs cream or milk

1 Tbs sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1.  Preheat the oven to 350° and grease a cookie sheet.  Mix together the apples, sugar and cinnamon.

2.  Separate the biscuits, roll out and cut with a heart shaped cutter.  Place a heaping spoonful of the apples on top the half of the hearts and cover with another heart shaped biscuit.  Crimp the edges with a fork.

3.  Mix together the remaining sugar and cinnamon.  Brush the top of the hearts with the cream or milk and sprinkle with the cinnamon and sugar mixture.  Poke a few slits in the top with a knife.

4.  bake for about 20 minutes or until the biscuits are browned and cooked all the way through.  Drizzle with the glaze**.

**To make the powdered sugar glaze, mix together 3/4 cup powdered sugar with 1-2 Tbs cream or milk.  Drizzle over hearts with a fork.**

Apple Pie Bites

I never grew up eating apple pie; I know, how unamerican! My mom just never made it. We were a peach pie eating family, and ohh, if I can ever record my mom's peach pie recipe to paper it would be a winner. But lately I have been into all things apple and am discovering that I love apple pie.

A few friends and I got together and had an appetizer party today to say goodbye to our friend Kim who is moving away :( (We'll miss you Kim!).

I still wasn't sure of what I wanted to make while I was perusing the aisles of the grocery store yesterday until I passed the apples. The craving for apple pie hit and thus this recipe was born.

I came home with a bag full of apples and hope that somehow I could make them into little appetizing bites of pie. I found a crust recipe in a pampered chef book which I modified slightly. Then I kind of just guessed with the rest and amazingly they turned out so delicious. If you like more crust than filling, like I do, than you'll love these little apple pie bites.

Apple Pie Bites

crust
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
3 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup powder sugar
1 cup flour

Filling
3 apples,(I used pink lady apples), peeled, cored and cut into small bite size pieces.
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 Tbs. flour

Crumb topping
1/2 cup flour
1/4 sugar
2 Tbs. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter, room temperature

Crust: beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and beat until well incorporated. Add the flour and mix scraping down the sides until just combined. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky. Scoop and roll into small 1 inch balls and place in the cups of an ungreased mini-muffin tin. Here is the one tool that I recommend to make this easier. Pampered Chef sells a mini-tart shaper which is super cheap that makes this so simple. Using it you can shape the dough balls into mini pie shells by lightly flouring the shaper and pressing down onto the dough. Set aside the shells. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Filling: place the apples in a small saute pan and cover with water. Put the lid on and bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 1-2 minutes. The apples should be slightly softened but still be a little firm as they will finish cooking in the oven. Pour the apples into a collander to drain. With the apples still in the collander, add the sugar, cinnamon and flour and stir to combine. Taste for sweetness and add more sugar if necessary depending on the tartness of your apples. Let them sit in the collander to drain any excess liquid while you make the crumb topping.

Crumb topping: Mix the flour, sugars, cinnamon and salt together in a bowl with a fork. Cut the butter in using two butter knives until it resembles small peas.

Place a small scoop of apples into each mini shell, filling to the top. Sprinkle on a good amount of the crumb topping pressing slightly to adhere. Place the apple pie bites in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the top is slightly broned and the shells are a golden brown. Remove from the oven and let them cool in the pan for 3 minutes. remove them from the pan and let them cool on a cooling rack.

They are delicious warm but also taste good once they have cooled. You can reheat them in the microwave for a few seconds to warm. Store them in an airtight container.

Makes 24.

Apple Cinnamon Stuffed Waffles

My friend Jen asked me the other day if I ever make things from a box. Of course I do, I'm a mom and there are lots of days when the best that I can do is a box of mac and cheese. And my kids love it all the same, but I also love to change up some of the box mixes to make them better. Today I will show you my from the mix waffles that I have jazzed up a bit. These are made with a basic pancake mix following the directions for waffles. I do make a few changes like adding in vanilla and almond extract and a few tablespoons of brown sugar. Here I also stuffed them with cinnamon sugar apples and then topped them with some more of the apples. I love the sweet ooey gooey things, they remind me of when I was a kid. My mom used to make them for us for a snack and we would eat them right up barely waiting for them to cool down. And then the house would have the left over scent of cinnamon. I haven't made them for awhile and was surprised by the nostalgia that I felt when eating them today.

Cinnamon Sugar Apple Stuffed Waffles

Pancake mix made following waffle directions
4 apples, (I used pink lady apples)
brown sugar
cinnamon
powdered sugar
chopped walnuts, optional

1. Mix up the pancake mix following the waffle directions, set aside.

2. Peel and chop up the apples into small bite sized pieces. Add to a saute pan that has a lid and add some water to cover the bottom of the pan. Cover with the lid and cook over medium heat for a few minutes until softened. Check to make sure there is still water in the bottom, you don't want the apples to burn. meanwhile, heat up your waffle iron.

3. When the apples are softened add a few Tablespoons of brown sugar (adjust depending on the sweetness of your apples) and a few shakes of cinnamon. Stir to combine. Make sure that there is still a little water in the pan and cover withthe lid and simmer for one more minute.

4. Grease the waffle iron and add a little bit of the batter. Top each section with a spoonfull of the apples and then cover with a little more of the waffle batter. Cook according to your waffle iron's instructions (it may take a little longer than normal because of the apples).

5. Remove waffles and butter. Dust with a little powdered sugar and top with another spoonfull of apples. I also like to top mine with a few chopped walnuts. Delicious!