Applesauce (Slow Cooker)

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Applesauce
The weather in Michigan has just been crazy. One day, it’s hot and feels like summer; the next day, it’s winter (except rainy) and the temperature will chill you to the bone. This is what I live for!  I love the days where you can cuddle on the couch, watch scary movies, and truly get into the Halloween spirit.

Granted, this is not a “Halloween” recipe, but this is a perfect Fall recipe to use all those wonderful apples.

My family went on a little apple picking/wagon ride at one of our favorite orchards recently and let me tell you – ain’t nothing like picking your own apples. My sweet little doll had a blast and now wants to apple pick on a daily basis. This is why I tell my husband we need to have lots of apple trees 🙂 So to keep track, I need to have  tart cherry trees, peach trees, and apple trees. They are beautiful in the spring and produce in the late Summer/Fall. We would save so much money (ha ha ha).

Applesauce
Michigan Ingredient (part 1): Variety of Michigan Apples!!

I like to use tart apples such as Granny Smith, Pink Lady, etc. They hold their same and the taste is just amazing. If you use a softer apple, such as Golden Delicious, keep in mind that the apple will not hold it’s shape as well.

Applesauce
Michigan Ingredients (part 2): Apple Cider, Cinnamon, and Meijer Brown Sugar

If you have an apple peeler and corer, please use it as it will make your job sooooo much easier. I have one, but it all depends on the size of the apple, and if the apple is on the “softer” side, etc.

Applesauce
Peel your apples.

Applesauce
Core the apples and chop. Seriously, this is the easiest recipe. It’s borderline embarrassing.

Applesauce
My family likes applesauce on the chunky side. So if you want your applesauce to be chunky, it is even easier as the chunks need to be larger as the apples will break down.

Applesauce
Look at how pretty. This is only half of the apples. I did not have a bowl big enough. I have a 5/6 quart slow cooker and it was filled to the top.

Applesauce
Sprinkle the apples heavily with cinnamon. If you are not a fan of cinnamon (which I don’t know anyone who is not a fan….), you do not have to have cinnamon to make this recipe. You can make it au naturel.

Applesauce
Give it a stir (take a fuzzy picture….). This was kind of hard to do in the slow cooker… but you can do it in the bowl if you want. I just didn’t have a bowl big enough…

Applesauce
Since it is quite a bit of apples, I decided to use 1 cup of apple cider.  Pour over the apples and cook on low for 6 hours.

If you cut the recipe in half, just cut the amount of liquid in half.  It all depends on how much liquid you want in your applesauce. It’s something that you can adjust to your own individual taste/preference as the apples (when they break down) will produce their own juice. AANNNNDDD of course, if you do not have apple cider, you can use water.

Applesauce
This is only have of the scraps of the apples. Why I took a picture, I don’t know… but it’s there. Let’s get real people!

Now I started this applesauce a little later in the day than I wanted; so I didn’t get to take a picture of taking the potato masher and mashing the apples in the slow cooker. It was about 9:30  in the evening and I was starting to get tired… yada yada yada..  🙂

When I add sugar, I usually sprinkle some in, give a little stir, and taste. Sometimes I add more, sometimes it’s just perfect. The amount of sweetness is a personal preference and a lot can depend on what apples you use.

Applesauce
Look at that. Chunky, homemade applesauce. So worth it.

When my daughter was a baby, I would make applesauce and puree it. I also didn’t add as much cinnamon. I eased her into my crazy world of cinnamon. This recipe makes quite a bit of apple sauce.

Applesauce
This applesauce is great to add to pancakes (inside the batter or even on top of the pancakes), oatmeal, warmed up and over ice cream, or just by itself.

Applesauce in Slow Cooker
 
Author:
Recipe type: Side dish
Serves: 3.5 qts
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A perfect applesauce that can be added to pancakes, oatmeal, or just by itself!
Ingredients
  • 1 peck of Michigan Apples (20 large)
  • 1 cup Apple Cider
  • Cinnamon
  • Brown Sugar
Instructions
  1. Peel and core your apples.
  2. Chop your apples into large chunks. This will help assure you to have chunky applesauce.
  3. Place chopped apples into your slow cooker and sprinkle with cinnamon. Use as much or as little of cinnamon for your family's taste. Stir to evenly coat the apples.
  4. Pour 1 cup of apple cider over the apples. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.
  5. When your applesauce is done, you can either mash your apples with a potato masher or puree it. Sprinkle with brown sugar to taste. Store in glass jars.

Apple Cinnamon Walnut Cookies

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Apple Cinnamon Walnut Cookies

I seriously love these cookies! This recipe is a crazy modification of my White Chocolate Chip Macadamia Nut Cookies. It was something that I just whipped up one day and my husband was quite pleased. It has oats, apples, and walnuts. This makes it a health food. True story.

This cookie hits all the Fall points: apples, warm cinnamon, walnuts…. YUM!

Apple Cinnamon Walnut Cookies

Michigan Ingredients: sugar, cinnamon, Meijer egg, Meijer butter, and Granny Smith Apple.

Apples are in full swing right now. Everywhere you turn, apples are on sale. Stores are advertising “local produce” left and right and who is in the spot light right now? APPLES!

Apples are the perfect snack and can be used in virtually any meal. You want to make a apple gravy, apple cheddar muffins, or put some apples in a crock pot with a pork loin.

Apple Cinnamon Walnut Cookies

Michigan Ingredients (part 2): Meijer walnuts, Meijer brown sugar

I love it when this happens…. too many Michigan ingredients to put in one picture 🙂

Apple Cinnamon Walnut Cookies

Combine your flour, baking soda, and baking powder. I don’t measure the cinnamon. I just sprinkle a little here, a little there. If you have to measure it, use at least 1/2 teaspoon. But this way you can have a little bit of freedom in how cinnamon-y your cookies will be.

Apple Cinnamon Walnut Cookies

Take a cup of walnuts and chop away to desired size. I don’t like too big of pieces due to having a little one… BUT if you want giant pieces, you can try that…. but trust me when I say, it is better to try to make the nut that you are using in your cookies match the size of the chips.

Apple Cinnamon Walnut Cookies

Like so. Look at how beautiful of friends these two ingredients are.

Let’s take a side trip… the cinnamon chips are a Hersey product. It is kind of hard to find, but so worth stocking up on. If need be, you can always order them online from Amazon or the Hersey website.

Apple Cinnamon Walnut Cookies

Whip up your softened butter and then add your sugars. Apple Cinnamon Walnut Cookies

With it being October, I got to bust out my Halloween utensils. Scrap the bowl to help assist in your creamed mixture to be extra creamy.

Apple Cinnamon Walnut Cookies

Add your egg and vanilla and beat the mixture until fluffy-ish.

Apple Cinnamon Walnut Cookies

Add your dry mixture and beat until well combined. Forget to take a picture…

Apple Cinnamon Walnut Cookies

What you didn’t see me do here is combine the walnuts, cinnamon chips and oats into a bowl. BUT you can see them being added to the dough.

Apple Cinnamon Walnut Cookies

Peel your apple and start dicing.

Apple Cinnamon Walnut Cookies

You will want to have your apple pieces be on the smaller side so as to not overcome/sogg-ify your cookie.  Depending on how big your apple is ( I usually use a medium sized apple), cut the quarters in half, then cut into thin strips.

Apple Cinnamon Walnut Cookies

Look at how small these pieces are; yet, big enough that you will taste them in the cookie. Whenever we make apple pancakes, we always cut the apples this size.

Apple Cinnamon Walnut Cookies

Sprinkle some more cinnamon. Apparently in my mind, there wasn’t enough. BUT adding a coating around your fruit is always a good idea. Why, I don’t exactly know; however, it is something that my family always does in recipes with fruit. Think of the blueberry muffins for example.

Apple Cinnamon Walnut Cookies

Fold your apples into (or on low…)  the dough.  Take a little nibble… such a warm and inviting cookie dough. And it only gets better when it’s baked.

Drop “whatever size you want” of dough onto a baking sheet and bake these beauties at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Apple Cinnamon Walnut Cookies

Apple Cinnamon Walnut Cookies

Soft, pillow-y cookies that I am sure will be your go-to Fall cookie. Hurry and make a batch today and share with loved ones. I promise they (and you) will be thankful.

Apple Cinnamon Walnut Cookies
 
Author:
Recipe type: Cookies
Serves: 24 cookies
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The perfect Fall cookie
Ingredients
  • 1½ cups Flour
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 1 stick or ½ cup Butter (softened)
  • ½ cup Brown Sugar
  • ½ cup Sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla
  • 1 cup Cinnamon Chips
  • 1 Cup Walnuts, chopped small
  • 1½ cups Old Fashioned Oats
  • 1 medium sized Granny Smith Apple
  • Lots of Sprinkling of Cinnamon
Instructions
  1. Combine your flour, baking powder, and baking soda in a bowl. Sprinkle some cinnamon. You can add as little or as much cinnamon as you like. Set aside.
  2. In the bowl of your mixture (or separate bowl), whip up your softened butter. Add your sugars and beat until combined. I would recommend scraping the bowl at least once before the next step.
  3. Add your egg and vanilla to your creamed mixture and beat until fluffy.
  4. Add your dry ingredients that you set aside and mix until combined.
  5. Combine your chopped walnuts (which you can do by hand or buy them pre-chopped/small), cinnamon chips, and oats in a bowl. Add to the dough mixture.
  6. Peel and dice your apple into tiny pieces. Sprinkle cinnamon over the apples and give a little stir. Fold (or on the lowest setting) the apples into the cookie dough until just combined.
  7. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes

Zamazetti

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Zamazetti

This Michigan weather… LOVE IT!! I am on cloud 9, over the moon, etc. over this weather. Isn’t it the greatest to bundle up when you go outside? This is THE perfect weather. Side note: The only thing that is a downer….. (well now is..) is when I go running, I need to be mindful of my little running buddy and the cool crisp air. Which… don’t get me wrong, is just fine. I just push those runs a bit later in the day; but I know that those days are numbered…

BUUUUUTTTT! Casseroles, comfort foods, desserts, cookies…. it’s the baking season! It’s the, “let’s turn on the oven and heat up that kitchen.” 🙂

Whenever I tell someone that we’re having Zamazetti, they always say they same thing…what is that. Well my friends, this is one  of THE best quick, weeknight family meals. It is something that you can make the cream of mushroom soup from scratch (just an added 10 minutes to prep) or do it mega quick with canned.

This recipe comes from my dad’s mother. I believe she may have gotten it from either her camping group or… maybe another family member? Either or, this is a family favorite.

I don’t know how many times we have made this casserole… too many to count/keep track of apparently (Ha!!). But if you want to have a quick and somewhat cheap meal, this is it.

Zamazetti

Michigan Ingredients: Meijer Cheese, Meijer Butter, Spartan Tomato Soup, local ground beef

Zamazetti

Please, use a block of cheese and shred it. It’s what dreams are made of.  Plus, there is no weird powder that prevents clumping. I actually got rid of a bag of cheese because I thought it was mold. Brand new, only a week old… That’s when I made the switch…

Zamazetti

Chop your onion and garlic and set aside.

Zamazetti

Let’s start the cream of mushroom soup from scratch. If you want, you can simply use a can of cream of mushroom soup. For the full recipe and amounts, please visit Simply Scratch.  She is amazing and I love love love her site.  Chop another small onion and about 3-4 portabella mushrooms.

Zamazetti

Melt some butter in a skillet and saute your onion for a couple minutes, then add your mushrooms. Saute for a few more minutes.

Zamazetti

Add some flour. The flour and the butter are going to become friends and act like the thickening agent to the “cream of mushroom soup.”

Zamazetti

Whisk in some veggie broth and bring to a bubble.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Try not to eat the entire pan because oh my goodness!!! So good!

Now the start of the Zamazetti (you know… in case you wanted to just use a can of cream of mushroom soup). Start some water in a large pot for your egg noddles. You know, multi-task.

Brown your beef, drain, rinse and set aside and forget to take a picture… lol

Zamazetti

Saute your onion and garlic in some olive oil (you know the onion and garlic we chopped earlier and set aside?) until translucent.

Zamazetti

Add your meat back to the onions and garlic. Salt and pepper “to taste.”

Zamazetti

Zamazetti

You know how casseroles have a “sauce” slash….. cream mixture that makes it so the casserole doesn’t dry out… this is that sauce. Combine your cream of mushroom soup, tomato soup, and shredded cheese. Sometimes I’ll hold some cheese to put on top before baking, but…. I apparently wasn’t feeling it, and wanted to show that it is still just as beautiful of a dish without a cheese top.

Zamazetti

By now, your water has boiled, and your noodles are done.  🙂

Zamazetti

Add your noodles and beef mixture to the sauce mixture. Go ahead and take a little nibble…

Zamazetti

Place your casserole into a 9×13 pan and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes until bubbly.

Zamazetti

Serve this casserole with garlic bread and love.  This is a casserole that even your pickiest of picky eaters will eat. My daughter eats this like crazy. Mind you she didn’t eat the meat, but that’s a different story for a different time.

Zamazetti
 
Author:
Recipe type: Dinner
Serves: 5-6
Prep time:
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A casserole dish that is comforting and perfect for any weeknight dinner!
Ingredients
  • 1 pound Ground Beef
  • 1 Onion
  • 2-3 cloves of Garlic
  • Olive Oil
  • 1 can Tomato Soup
  • 1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup (or from scratch*)
  • 1 Block of Sharp Cheddar Cheese (2 cups), shredded
  • 1 package of No Yolk Egg Noddles
Instructions
  1. Start some water for your noodles.
  2. While your beef is browning, chop your onion and mince the garlic and set aside. Once the beef is browned, drain and rinse.
  3. Saute your onions and garlic in olive oil until translucent. Add your beef back to the pan. Salt and pepper to taste.
  4. In a large bowl, combine your tomato soup, cream of mushroom soup, and shredded cheese.
  5. By now, your noodles are either just being added to the water or are done. Add your noodles and beef to the "sauce" mixture.
  6. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes until bubbly. Serve with garlic bread.
Notes
Note: You can make your cream of mushroom from scratch like in the blog post. Please go to Simply Scratch for said recipe 🙂

Pumpkin Bread with Cinnamon Chips

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Pumpkin Bread

I couldn’t just make Homemade Fresh Pumpkin without giving you a fancy recipe to use said pumpkin.

This is a simple bread that takes no effort to make (especially if you already have made your pumpkin ahead of time).

Pumpkin Bread

Michigan Ingredients: Cinnamon,Nutmeg, Meijer Butter, farm fresh eggs, fresh Michigan Pumpkin

Pumpkin Bread

Combine your dry ingredients: cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, salt, flour.

Pumpkin Bread

In a separate bowl, combine your sugar, butter(of which is melted and cooled – not pictured, don’t be like me), eggs, milk, fresh pumpkin.

Pumpkin Bread

Beat the “wet” ingredients until well combined. I would recommend using the hand mixture so that you don’t have to get your stand mixture out or move it to the plug in the kitchen (however, you can beef up your arms by doing so).

Pumpkin Bread

Add you dry ingredients to the “wet ingredients.”  Be thankful that your bread is tough and not afraid of the dark…. haha.

Pumpkin Bread

Stir until just combined. You don’t want to over mix, as you will be adding……

Pumkin Bread

Cinnamon chips!!! Please note that they are usually a solid color; however, when they melt and such and have been stored for a month or two, the chips can start to look funky. Trust me when I say, I tried multiple chips a chip or two, and they taste just wonderful!

Fold the chips in until evenly distributed. Pour the batter into a prepared loaf pan (9×5) and bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes to 1 hour or until the bread passes the toothpick test. Wait at least 10 minutes before removing the bread out of the pan. This will help prevent the breading from completely falling apart.

Pumpkin Bread

Looks like your standard homemade bread (quick bread if you will). It’s what’s on the inside….

Pumpkin Bread

…that matters.  This is such a perfect fall bread to eat. It has all the elements: pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, cinnamon chips, and warm cozy feels.

Pumpkin Bread with Cinnamon Chips
 
Author:
Recipe type: Breads
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Ingredients
  • 2 cups Flour
  • 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
  • ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon Nutmeg
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1 cup Fresh Pumpkin puree
  • 1 cup Sugar
  • ½ cup Brown Sugar (packed)
  • ¼ cup Butter (half a stick), melted
  • 1 cup Cinnamon Chips
Instructions
  1. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a medium sized bowl. Set aside.
  2. Beat eggs, pumpkin puree, both sugars, and melted butter until well combined.
  3. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until just moistened.
  4. Gently fold in the cinnamon chips until evenly distributed.
  5. Pour batter into a prepared 9x5 loaf pan.
  6. Bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes until bread passes the toothpick test.
  7. Wait at least 10 minutes before removing the bread out of the pan. This will help prevent the breading from completely falling apart.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Spartan recipes

Homemade Fresh Pumpkin

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Fresh Pumpkin

Seriously…. FALL

This is my jam… the reason for the season… I wait all year for fall and when it gets here, it comes and goes too quickly. Let’s just slow down… take a brisk walk in the Michigan crisp air.

Lately, my daughter and I have been talking walks and looking for the “crunchy” leaves. It’s such a great sound to hear under your feet. Music to my ears. The sound, the smell of leaves is seriously the best.

Back in the day, I use to buy canned pumpkin until I learned how EASY it is to make your own pumpkin puree. You have to use the smaller pumpkins because… obviously, small and sweet.

Fresh Pumpkin

Michigan Ingredient: Pumpkin

Seriously look at that beauty. The color… it just.. pops! There was a sticker that said Michigan on it, but my sweet little girl took it and was running around with it on her chest like a name tag.

Fresh Pumpkin

I would recommend using a saw to cut your pumpkin in half. This is one of the many knifes that we use when we carve pumpkins.  You can use a normal knife if you would like, but it will not be as fun as using a saw (and obviously more difficult).

Fresh Pumpkin

Cut the top off, but cut off as little as possible so that you have as much pumpkin to “roast” as possible.

Fresh Pumpkin

Cut the pumpkin in half and look at the glory of …. the guts.. there’s no other words I can think of then “guts” so… start to scoop those out and try to make it so there is not many strings left. If you want, you can save the seeds and give yourself a preview of carving big pumpkins with the kiddies (or you know when you carve pumpkins).

Fresh Pumpkin

Fresh Pumpkin

I like to sprinkle cinnamon on my pumpkin. You can make it all natur’elle. But come on, you’re just going to add cinnamon to whatever recipe you are going to use the pumpkin in… well maybe not soup… I’ve never made soup. Maybe something to try?

fresh pumpkin

Place the pumpkin flesh side down on a tin foil lined pan (sprayed with non-stick of course).

I used my toaster oven to roast the pumpkin. I had the heat set to 350 degrees.  I love using my toaster oven if I am able to when it takes more than a half hour to cook something. Save that propane people! And when you have an Indian summer, you still have the mentality of  not heating up your kitchen!

Obviously, sizes of pumpkins vary, so times will vary. I would recommend starting at 45 minutes. To test if the pumpkin is done, take a fork and see if you can pierce the flesh; if it pierces easy, it’s done. If not, try again in 10 minutes.

fresh pumpkin

fresh pumpkin

Let the pumpkin cool a little bit so you don’t completely burn your fingers. Use a spoon and scoop the flesh of the pumpkin out. Scrap every little bit you can so that you can get as much flesh to puree.

fresh pumpkin

fresh pumpkin

You can either mash the pumpkin by hand in a bowl, or you can use your food processor to make it extra smooth; you know, lady’s (or dude’s) choice.  Either way, there is no need to add liquid. Why water down a good thing?

Fresh Pumpkin

Oh my yum!! Use the puree in your favorite pumpkin recipe (which one will be here tomorrow).

Fresh Pumpkin

Once you start making your pumpkin from scratch, you will never want to use canned pumpkin again. So simple… ANNNNND you know it’s actual pumpkin. I just read that canned pumpkin isn’t even really pumpkin…. HEELLLLOOOO!! Really!? They use squash, which is a great substitute. But why call it pumpkin, when it is either butternut squash, acorn squash, etc. False advertisement and lies ladies and gentleman.

Which brings me to the best point… making things from scratch, you know what is in the food you are making. Love and (in this case) pumpkin!

Homemade Fresh Pumpkin
 
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Easy homemade fresh pumpkin
Ingredients
  • Small Pie Pumpkin
  • Cinnamon (optional)
Instructions
  1. Cut the top of the pumpkin, making sure to cut as little off the top as possible.
  2. Cut the pumpkin in half and scoop the "guts" out until there are no strings.
  3. If you want, you can sprinkle a little bit of cinnamon on your pumpkin.
  4. Place the pumpkin flesh side down on a tin foil lined pan (sprayed with non-stick spray) and roast in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes.
  5. To test if the pumpkin is done, take a fork a try to pierce the flesh. If it pierces easily, it's done. If not, check on the pumpkin again in 10 minutes.
  6. Let the pumpkin cool so you don't burn your fingers. Once it's cooled enough to handle, use a spoon to scoop out the flesh.
  7. You can either mash the pumpkin by hand or place the pumpkin in a food processor to get a smoother consistency.
  8. Use the pumpkin puree in your favorite pumpkin recipe in place of "canned pumpkin". Store any unused pumpkin until ready to use.