Apple Cake

This is a variation on a dump cake recipe.  I always loved the recipe, but wanted more apples...many more apples...

Apple Cake

Ingredients:

2 cans apple pie filling (21 oz)
1 package yellow cake mix
2 cups Granny Smith applies (peeled and chopped)
2 sticks butter
4 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon apple pie spice

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix cinnamon and sugar together.  Pour lemon juice over chopped apples.  Coat with about half the sugar mixture (save the remaining for the top of the cake).
Coat 9x13 pan with butter.
Pour one can of apple pie filling in pan and spread evenly.  Sprinkle with apple pie spice.
Pour chopped apples into pan and spread evenly.  Top with remaining can of apple pie filling.
Spread cake mix over apples.  Spread evenly and break up the lumps.
Sprinkle with remaining cinnamon/sugar mixture.
Melt 1/2 stick of butter.  Slice remaining butter into thin pats. 
Place pats of butter on top of cake mix.  Top with melted butter.
Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 45 minutes or until golden brown on top.
Serve warm with ice cream or whipped topping.  This is also delicious served cold.

Simple Apple Sauce

Simple Apple Sauce

4 apples, Granny Smith

¹/₃ Cup-water

3 Tablespoons-sugar

1 Tablespoon - light brown sugar

½ teaspoon-cinnamon

Wash and core the apples. Add water and cook slowly in a covered pan until tender. Remove cover, add the sugar and cook two minutes. Sprinkle cinnamon on the top.

SIMPLE APPLE SAUCE

SIMPLE APPLE SAUCE

8 to 10 medium apples (Gala or Winesap are good*)

One cup of sugar,

One-half teaspoon of nutmeg,

One-half teaspoon of cinnamon

One teaspoon of vanilla.

Wash apples and then cut in pieces and place in a saucepan and add three cups of water.

Cook until soft.  If you want a smooth applesauce, then rub through a fine sieve. I prefer to leave it 'lumpy'.  Add sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla.  Bring to a boil and remove from heat.  Once mixture is cooled, pour into jars and store in refrigerator.

*If red apples are used, this makes a most delicious pink-looking sauce. No need to peel apples.

Cranberry Sherbet

Cranberry Sherbet

• 2¾ cups water
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 cups cranberries
• 1 tablespoon gelatin (1 envelope)
• ¼ cup cold water
• Juice and grated rind 1 lemon
• Juice and grated rind 1 orange

Combine cranberries, water and sugar in saucepan. Cook until cranberries are soft. Put through sieve or food mill. Soften gelatin in cold water and dissolve in hot cranberry puree. Stir in fruit juice and rind. Cool. Pour into refrigerator tray and freeze until firm. Makes 1 quart.

Scalloped Sweet Potatoes & Apples

SCALLOPED SWEET POTATOES & APPLES

• 6 medium-sized sweet potatoes
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1½ cups sliced apples
• 4 tblsp. butter
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

Boil sweet potatoes until tender. Slice in ¼ inch pieces. Butter baking dish and put a layer of sweet potatoes in bottom, then a layer of apples. Sprinkle with sugar, salt and pumpkin pie spice, and dot with butter. Repeat until dish is filled, having the top layer of apples. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.

Simple Cherry Dessert

I love simple desserts that you can make from ingredients in your pantry.  You can substitute your favorite canned fruit, but I like cherries best.

Simple Cherry Dessert

1 can biscuits (10 count)
1 can cherries, drained (not pie filling)
1 tablespoon flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 box Jello instant pie filling - French Vanilla
milk (for pie filling)

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.  Press biscuits lightly into 8x10 pan, overlapping to make a crust.  Sprinkle with flour.  Cover with cherries.  Mix sugar and cinnamon, then sprinkle on cherries.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  While baking, prepare the pie-filling according to package directions for a pie.  When cherry mixture is finished baking, remove from the oven and let cool.  Top with pie filling and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Cranberry Orange Relish

Fall is my favorite time of year.  I love the crisp, cool air in the mornings and the warm afternoons.  Of course, my thoughts turn toward Thanksgiving and the menu for this year.  I love cranberries, but as a child, we only had them at Thanksgiving.  There are so many other uses for them.  Check out my Crockpot Cranberry Chicken & Rice.  You can buy bags of cranberries cheaply when they are in season and freeze them for later use.  So, now is a good time to stock up!

This is a quick relish that you can make ahead of time so that it's ready for Thanksgiving or any special meal.

Cranberry Orange Relish

• 2 cups sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 4 cups raw cranberries 
• 2 oranges, quartered and seeded

Put raw cranberries and oranges through food chopper. Add sugar, cinnamon and mix well. Chill in refrigerator a few hours before serving. Makes one quart relish. This relish will keep well in the refrigerator for several weeks.  You could also substitute an apple for one of the oranges.  And, your favorite chopped nuts would be a great addition.

 

 

 

 

Got Fresh Strawberries?

May in Tennessee means Strawberry time!  Take advantage of this special time of year to pick your own and make this wonderful pie.

Strawberry Pie

3 tablespoons cornstarch

3 tablespoons strawberry Jell-O

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup warm water

1/4 cup cold water

1/4 teaspoon red food coloring, if desired

3 cups sliced strawberries

1 baked pie crust, cooled

Dissolve cornstarch in the cold water.  Combine remaining water, cornstarch mixture, Jell-O, sugar and food coloring in medium saucepan.  Bring to a slight boil and cook until thick.  Remove from heat and add strawberries.  Let cool to room temperature.  Pour into pie shell and refrigerate until cold.  Top with whipped cream before serving.

A Cup of Sunshine

You’ve probably been wondering where I’ve been and what I’ve been doing with all my free time since I haven’t posted a recipe in a while.  I’ve been hit with multiple household repairs.  One of those repairs was replacing my refrigerator, so I was limited in being able to cook for a while.  But, I’m back!

I love this recipe.  It’s great for a potluck or a quick dessert.  You can change it up using your favorite fruit or flavored Jell-O. 

Sunshine Salad

1 small package Pistachio instant pudding mix

1 cup miniature marshmallows

1 cup pineapple tidbits with syrup

1 cup coconut

1 cup almond slices

1 tub cool whip (8 oz.)

Mix dry instant pudding with the cool whip.  Add remaining ingredients.  Chill at least 4 hours or overnight before serving.

Simple Date Cookies

 

I love using dates in cookies.   Somehow it makes the cookie healthier!

Simple Date Cookies

1 stick butter, softened

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup self-rising flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 and 1/2 cups old fashioned oats

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup chopped dates

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.  Cream butter and sugars together.  Beat in eggs and vanilla.  Gradually add flour and mix well.  Stir in oats, dates and nuts.  Drop by tablespoonful onto greased cookie sheet two inches apart.  Bake 11-12 minutes.  Cool at least 2 minutes on cookie sheet before removing to finish cooling on a clean, dry linen towel.

Check out more great recipes at The Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap.

Simple Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

 

I love the smell of cookies baking.  There’s just something about cinnamon, vanilla and sugar.  These cookies are chewy and delicious.  When you pull them from the oven, they won’t look done.  Letting them cool  on the cookie sheet finishes the job.  If you let them cook until they are brown, they will be overdone.  Try adding nuts or some other dried fruit for your own twist.

Simple Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

3/4 cup self-rising flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 and 1/2 sticks butter

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 tablespoon water

2 teaspoons vanilla

3 cups old-fashioned oats

1 and 1/2 cup raisins

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.  Combine flour and cinnamon.  Set aside.  Beat butter and sugars together until creamy.  Add egg, water and vanilla.  Beat well.  Gradually add flour mixture.  Blend at low speed.  Stir in oats and raisins until mixed.

Drop by tablespoonful onto buttered cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart.  Bake 10-11 minutes.  The edges will have just turned brown.  Allow to cool on cookie sheets at least 2 minutes.

Natalie's Strawberry Pie

Not only did our friends Natalie & Carl send us a great recipe for a Strawberry Pie, they sent the pie too! It was delicious! Natalie made this with Splenda and sugar-free Jello, so it's the perfect 'guilt-free' dessert. Natalie said you can use this recipe for any fruit. Just change the flavor of the jello to match the fruit.

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Natalie's Strawberry Pie

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1 baked deep dish pie crust (cooled)

Fresh strawberries, cleaned & hulled (about 2 cups)

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 cup Splenda

1 cup water

1/2 package of sugar-free Jello (about a tablespoon)

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In a saucepan over medium heat, mix cornstarch and Splenda with a whisk, add water a little at a time, mixing well. Cook 3 to 5 minutes whisking constantly until thick. Remove from heat. Add Jello, stirring until mixed. Cool.

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Spread a little cooled filling on inside of pie crust. This keeps the juice from the strawberries from making your crust soggy. Place a layer of strawberries, then a layer of filling until the crust is filled. Let set in refrigerator 2 hours & serve with whipped topping.

Strawberry-Sour Cream Pie

It's hard to believe that it is already the middle of May! In Tennessee, that means one thing....it's Strawberry time! This recipe is a family favorite. Mom always made her own crust, but I like Pillsbury.
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Strawberry-Sour Cream Pie
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Pie Crust - one 9-inch
4 cups fresh strawberries
1 cup sour cream
1 & 1/4 cups sugar
1 cup sifted flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
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Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees. Sort, rinse, drain, hull and cut strawberries into halves. Pour into pie crust. Sift 1 & 1/4 cups sugar, flour, and salt and gradually add to sour cream, mixing well. Pour sour-cream mixture over strawberries. Sprinkle remaining sugar over mixture. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for 30 minutes or until topping is lightly browned.

Easy Blackberry Cobbler

4 cups fresh blackberries (or frozen)

1 cup flour (self-rising) - do not sift


1 Cup Sugar & 1/4 Cup Sugar (reserved for topping)


1 Cup Milk

1/2 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees & grease 14 X 9 inch baking dish. You can use a 12 X 8 dish or smaller, but you will need to increase your baking time. You could also divide this into two smaller dishes.

If using fresh berries, wash them and drain. If using frozen, rinse them in cold water and drain. Stir together flour and 1 cup of sugar in large bowl. Melt butter. Add milk to flour/sugar and stir until blended. Stir in melted butter. Pour batter into baking dish. Add blackberries on top of batter distributing them evenly. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup of sugar over berries. Don't worry that the berries sink to the bottom! Bake at 350° for approximately 1 hour or until golden brown.