Cherry Chocolate Blondie

Chewy, tasty and delicious – a special treat for an after school snack, these cherry chocolate blondies are a hit! 

Cherry Chocolate Blondie – Adapted from Averie Cooks

Ingredients

• 1/4 C butter, melted
• 1/4 applesauce
• 1 C brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 C white whole wheat flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 C dried cherries (we LOVE these)
• 1 C dark chocolate chips

Directions

In a large bowl, combine 1/4 C (half a stick) of butter, melted, with 1/4 C applesauce and 1 C brown sugar.  Stir to combine. 

Add in 1 egg, 2 tsp. vanilla, 1 C white whole wheat flour and 1/2 tsp. salt.  Stir well. 

Pour in 1 C dried cherries and 1 C dark chocolate chips. 

Pour/scoop the batter into a lightly greased 8x8 inch baking pan. 

Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the blondie comes out clean. 

Enjoy!

Apple Dessert Pizza

In need of a quick dessert for a spontaneous gathering with friends, the apple dessert pizza came into existence. 

I am glad that it did. 

It was devoured. 

So quickly I didn’t get a photo of the deliciousness all plated and sliced, ready to serve. 

I guess that just means I will need to make it again.

Apple Dessert Pizza

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 C flour
• 1 C powdered sugar
• 3/4 C butter, divided
• 2 oz. cream cheese
• 1/8 C whipping cream
• 1/8 C powdered sugar
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla
• 3 medium apples, firm apple recommended (e.g., honey crisp)
• cinnamon
• 1 tsp. brown sugar
• 1/4 C granola
• Caramel sauce, optional

Directions

Note: This recipe makes 1-cookie sheet size pizza; you can easily divide it between 2 pie plates, or halve the recipe to make just one 9-inch pie-plate pizza (shown). 

Begin by mixing together 1 1/2 C flour with 1 C powdered sugar.  Stir well.  Meanwhile melt all but 1/2 T butter.

Using a fork, mix in the butter to the flour/sugar mixture.  Incorporate until the butter is combined and the flour/sugar mixture has clumped. 

Press into a cookie sheet or 2 9-inch pie plates to form a nice crust. 

Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes, until lightly browned.  Do not over bake.  Cool.  

Meanwhile, slice up the apples into 1-inch pieces.  In a medium skillet, heat remaining 1/2 T butter over medium heat until melted.  Add in the sliced apples and sauté for 5-7 minutes until crisp-tender.  Add in 1 tsp. brown sugar and a dash of cinnamon.  Continue stirring until apples are softened, but not mushy.  Set aside off the heat to cool. 

Finally, whip 1/8 C whipping cream until light and fluffy, set aside.  Whip the cream cheese (2oz) with 1/8 C powdered sugar and a splash (~1/4 tsp.) of vanilla.  When whipped smooth, fold in the whipping cream.  Set aside.

To assemble, spread the whipping cream/cream cheese mixture over the crust in a very thin layer. 

Top with the apple mixture spread evenly over the top. 

Sprinkle with granola. 

Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. 

Slice into pieces, and if desired, drizzle with caramel sauce before serving.  Store leftovers in the refrigerator. 

Enjoy!

Caramel Apple Braid with Cinnamon Glaze

This caramel apple braid with cinnamon glaze made an appearance at our first life group of the season, and it was the perfect way to start off fall. 

Sautéed apples in a caramel sauce wrapped in a yeast bread, drizzled with a cinnamon glaze; yes please!

Apple Braid with Cinnamon Glaze – Adapted from Busy Mommy

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 C warm water
• 1 1/2 tsp. yeast
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/8 C sugar, or 2 T honey
• 3 1/2 C white whole wheat flour
• 4 T butter
• 6 medium apples (we used Paula Red)
• 1/8 C brown sugar (we used dark brown sugar)
• 2 T sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 C powdered sugar
• 1 T milk
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Directions

Begin by preparing the bread dough; you’ll need 1 hour or so to do this before you make the rest of the dessert.  Place 1 1/2 C warm water into the base of your mixer or a large bowl if you will be kneading by hand.  Add in 1 1/2 tsp. yeast.  Allow the yeast to sit in the water until it starts to get foamy.  Then, add in 3/4 tsp. salt and 1/8 C sugar. 

Mix in 3 1/2 C white whole wheat flour, slowly, 1 C at a time, while the mixer is beginning to knead the dough together.  I ended up using just under 3 1/2 C flour, so play that last 1/2 C by ear as you are bringing your dough together.  Then, allow the dough to knead for 5 minutes. 

Lightly spray a bowl with cooking oil and place the dough inside the bowl.  Roll the dough around the outside of the bowl so the dough gets coated in oil and forms a nice ball.  Cover and allow the dough to rise for 30-45 minutes, until nearly doubled. 

While the dough is rising, wash and peel your apples.  Slice them into wedges.  Start warming a large skillet over medium heat, and add 4 T of butter. 

Melt the butter and then add the apple wedges.  Cook the apples for 1-2 minutes until they are nicely coated in the butter and then add in the sugars (1/8 C brown + 2 T white sugar) and 1 tsp. vanilla. 

Cook until the sauce slightly thickens and the apples begin to soften. 

When the dough is ready, roll it or form it into a large rectangle; the size of a 13x18 cookie sheet.  Place on a cookie sheet. Cut 1-inch wide slits on both sides of the dough. 

Then, place the apple mixture into the center of the dough.

Take the ends of the dough and wrap them around the apples, bringing the sides down in the inside along the apples. 

Alternating sides, bring each 1-inch wide dough strip up over the apples and create a braid as you crisscross the dough. 

Place the braid into an oven heated to 325.  Bake for 25-30 minutes until the top of the braid begins to lightly brown. 

Remove from the oven and cool. 

Before serving, mix together 1/2 C powdered sugar with 1/2 tsp. cinnamon and 1 T milk to create a cinnamon glazed sugar frosting.  Drizzle the cinnamon glaze over the top. 

Cut into slices and serve. 

Enjoy!

Slab Cherry Pie

It’s no secret that we love cherries around here.  So, before summer ends, we whipped up a cherry pie! 

Rather than make it in a pie plate, I decided to make one as a “slab”, in a 9x13 baking dish. 

It worked out great and it was sure delicious. 

Slab Cherry Pie 

Crust Ingredients

• 3 C flour {we used Eagle Mills Flour with UltraGrain}
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 1/4 C butter
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vinegar
• 5 T cold water

Cherry Filling Ingredients

• 1 recipe cherry pie filling

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the 3 C flour, 1 tsp. salt {omit if using salted butter}, and 1 1/4 C butter.  Use a fork and mix until crumbly. 

In another bowl or measuring cup, lightly beat an egg and add the 1 tsp. vinegar. 

Add the egg mixture to the butter/flour and then add in the 5 T cold water.  At this point, the dough will begin to clump together.  Use your hands to form a dough.

Chill the crust for 15-30 minutes. 

Meanwhile, prepare the cherry pie filling according to directions.  Set aside to cool. 

When the pie crust is ready, divide the dough into two portions and roll each portion into a thin layer (roughly the size of a 9x13 rectangle) using a well-floured surface.

Place one pie crust into the 9x13 baking dish.  

If the dough does not come up the sides very high, you have two choices: take some pie crust dough from the other rectangle and piece it in along the sides, or just leave it as is (that’s what I did). 

Taking the other piece of crust dough, cut lattice strips, about 1/4-1/2 inch in width, from the full piece. 

Then, pour the cooled cherry pie filling into the crust. 

Arrange the lattice strips across the top as you please. 

If your crust comes up over the top of the filling, fold that edge over to create a lattice around the sides.  If it does not, you might consider creating a seal around the edges by pinching a lattice strip along each side.  That is what I ended up doing. 

Place the pie into the oven and bake at 375 for 45-50 minutes until the filling is bubbly and the crust is slightly browned. 

Cool completely before serving and then top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. 

Enjoy!

Raspberry Rhubarb Crisp

I have a delightful spring recipe for you today!  Our garden is a bit slow to get started this spring, but our rhubarb is ready to go. 

This dessert is delicious and I know that I have mentioned before my great love for raspberry and rhubarb.  For those of you a little hesitant, think about strawberry rhubarb and then imagine a better, more perfect match.   

Trust me. 

Once you try this combo, you’ll be hard pressed to go back to strawberry rhubarb. 

Raspberry Rhubarb Crisp

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 C chopped rhubarb
• 2 1/2 C raspberries (fresh or frozen)
• 1/3 C sugar (more, if you prefer sweeter dessert, up to 1/2 C)
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 1/4 C corn starch
• 1 C old fashioned oats
• 1/2 C whole wheat flour
• 1/2 C brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• pinch of nutmeg
• 5 T butter, softened

Directions

Begin by combining the 2 1/2 C sliced rhubarb and 2 1/2 C raspberries in a large bowl. Toss the berry mixture in 1/3 C sugar and 1/4 C corn starch. 

Add in 1 tsp. lemon juice and stir well. 

In a second bowl, combine 1 C oats, 1/2 C brown sugar, 1/2 C whole wheat flour, 1/4 tsp. salt and a pinch of nutmeg.  Using a folk, cut in the softened butter until the topping mixture is crumbly. 

Lightly grease an 9x9 square baking dish and arrange the rhubarb raspberry mixture across the base of the baking dish.

Top with the oat mixture. 

Bake the crisp in an oven heated to 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes.  The topping will be lightly browned at this point and the fruit wonderfully cooked. 

Serve warm, with vanilla ice cream, if desired. 

Enjoy!