Quinoa Pilaf with Apples & Cranberries

Original Recipe HERE

 

I thought this was really good, though reactions from the rest of the family was split.  Since it was easy to make and held up well over several days, this will be a contender for something like Thanksgiving.  The apples, cranberry, and pecans give a autumnal vibe.

 

It made an insane amount of food: we ate it as a side for two dinners, plus it gave me several lunches.  Next time I'll cut the amount of quinoa in half (original amounts reflected below).

 

I don't often like nuts in any sort of recipe, but I'm glad I went against type and made the toasted pecans.  They added a nice balance to the other flavors.  I also added some finely-chopped sharp cheddar and gouda in the hopes that the addition of cheese would make the entire thing appeal to the kids.

Ingredients

1 cup white quinoa

1 & 1/2 cups red quinoa

4 cups vegetable or chicken broth

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 one red onion, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 & 1/2 teaspoons Herbes De Provence [I used Tuscan blend]

1 teaspoon Salt

pepper to taste

2 Granny Smith apples, diced

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 cup dried cranberries

1 cup pecans, toasted

1 cup sharp cheddar, diced [optional]

1 cup gouda, diced [optional]

Directions

(1) Rinse quinoa in a fine mesh colander; drain.

(2) In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine quinoa and broth.  When it comes to a boil, cover and turn heat to medium low.  Simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes until quinoa is al dente.

(3) Meanwhile, in a saute pan over medium high, add olive oil, onions, celery and garlic; stir.

(4) Add herbs, salt and pepper. Saute until the onions and celery are translucent, about 8 minutes.

(5) Add apples and wine; simmer 5 minutes to cook out alcohol.(6) Pour onion mixture over cooked quinoa; stir until combined.

(7) Fold in cranberries, pecans, and cheese. Check for seasoning.

 

Kid Participation: None.

Baked Peanut Butter & Apple Oatmeal

Original Recipe HERE

 

Yet another oatmeal dish to add to the ever-growing list of easy oatmeal dinners.  I wasn't sure how well this would go over, since *J* isn't a peanut butter fan.  But he asked for seconds.

 

I doubled this recipe because there was no way an 8x8" portion would feed all of us.  The new amounts are shown below.

 

I could've added some chia seeds, ground flax seeds, or wheat germ...but I forgot.  There was a strong peanut butter taste, which might been due to my spontaneous addition of PB2.  I didn't mind it, since I love me some peanut butter.  But next time I'll leave out the powder or decrease the amount of peanut butter.  And how many more times can I say "peanut butter" in one post?  Peanut butter, peanut butter, peanut butter.

 

Ingredients

4 cups old fashioned oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 & 3/4 cups milk

1 & 3/4 cups water
2 large eggs
6 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup creamy peanut butter, warmed

2 to 3 Tablespoons PB2 [optional]
3 large apples, diced [I peeled them]

 

Directions

(1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13" baking dish.

(2) In a large bowl, mix together oats, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.

(3) In a medium bowl, whisk eggs.  Add milk, applesauce, and vanilla extract; whisk thoroughly.

(5) Pour the liquid mixture over the oat mixture; stir to combine.

(6) Add peanut butter; mix.

(7) Add apples; stir. Pour mixture into prepared dish.

(8) Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until oatmeal is set.

 

Kid Participation:

* Measure & mix dry ingredients

* Measure & whisk wet ingredients

* Chop apple slices with a very dull knife

Autumn Meatballs

Original Recipe HERE

 

I changed the name of this recipe (am I allowed to do that?) because I didn't make them in the crockpot, and I associate the dominant flavors of apple and cranberry with fall.  I got 17 meatballs out of this, if I'm remembering correctly.  I thought I'd be able to calculate that after dinner, but all the kids surprised me by eating a second helping, and I lost track.  So these were a success.

 

I added the breadcrumbs because I was worried there wasn't enough to bind them together.  I knew the egg would help with that, but I wasn't sure about the cheese.  Good thing I didn't put my confidence in the cheddar, since it melted completely, and a lot of it was left on the parchment paper.

 

I wasn't sure how to serve these...some sort of cranberry sauce would've been nice, but I didn't have fresh cranberries to make a simple stovetop concoction with.  So we defaulted to ketchup.  Don't judge.

 

Ingredients

1-1/3 lbs ground turkey

1 egg

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 cup unseasoned breadcrumbs or panko

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled & shredded

1/2 to 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar

1/2 to 1 cup dried cranberries

 

Directions

(1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment.

(2) In a medium bowl, mix together egg, salt, pepper, onion powder, and breadcrumbs.

(3) Stir in apple, cheddar, and cranberries.

(4) Add turkey.  Mix until well combined.

(5) Using 2 tablespoon portions, roll meat mixture into balls.  Place on parchment paper (spacing can be tight since they shrink slightly).

(6) Bake about 20 minutes or until cooked through.

 

Kid Participation: None.

Apple Pie Baked Oatmeal

Original Recipe HERE

 

I'm realizing that I turn to "brinner" meals a lot more than I'd ever intended to, but they're so easy and kid-pleasing that it's hard not to make them a weekly staple.  And then I wonder...why do I feel like I shouldn't rely on them so often?  Food is food, and other than the amounts of sugar and eggs (which can often be modified or substituted), these things are usually pretty healthy.  Bring on another baked oatmeal recipe!

 

This did resemble apple pie in taste and, somewhat, in texture and presentation.  I squirted a little surprise whipped cream on each kid's serving, which solidified the likeness.

 

I used a mix of Granny Smith and Fuji apples, and I doubled the amount of the "filling" because I knew the original amounts wouldn't be enough (altered amounts are shown below).  Sure enough, the four of us (minus Husband) just about finished a 9x13" dish of this stuff.  A little - though not enough for my liking - was left for breakfast the next day.

UPDATE: I made this again, and it was drier than the first time.  I think I accidentally added too many oats, because the oatmeal mostly sat on top of the apples and cooked into a solid layer.  Next time I'll try stirring the apples and oatmeal mixture together and baking that way.

 

Ingredients

* For the apple layer:

5 medium apples

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

3 to 4 Tablespoons brown sugar

2 Tablespoons corn starch

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves [can substitute nutmeg]

* For the oatmeal layer:

2 large eggs

1-1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup brown sugar

1-1/2 cups milk

2-1/2 cups old-fashioned oats

Directions

(1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Grease a 9x13" baking dish.

(2) Peel apples if desired.  Cut apples into 1/2" to 1" cubes. 

(3) In a medium bowl, whisk lemon juice, corn starch, brown sugar, cinnamon, and cloves.

(4) Add apples to spice mixture; toss until well-coated.  Spread in an even layer in the bottom of the baking dish.

(5) In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, apple sauce, vanilla, salt, baking powder, brown sugar, and cinnamon. 

(6) Add milk; whisk again.

(7) Add oats; stir until well-combined.

(8) Pour oat mixture evenly over apples.

(9) Bake oatmeal for 45 minutes or until the top is lightly browned and no longer wet in the center.

 

Kid Participation:

* Whisk spice mixture

* Toss (though not literally) apples with spice mixture

* Whisk oatmeal mixture

* Spoon oatmeal mixture over apples

Apple & Oat Breakfast Cookies

Original Recipe HERE

I think this is a very functional recipe: it is easy to make, tasty and filling, and handy to take one on-the-go.  That said, I wasn't completely sold on the texture...it was overly moist, bordering on soggy (yet no doubt fully baked).  Maybe it was because I used a different type of flour?  Maybe it was all the apple sauce?  Maybe that's just the way it's supposed to be?  I baked some with parchment and some with a silpat, and the parchment ones were a little drier (in a good way).  The recipe yielded about 20 cookies that I stored uncovered for three days, and they never got stale.

I will definitely make them again because everyone in the family liked them - maybe try pears?  However, I might slightly decrease the amount of applesauce and will try substitutes for the oil.  Also, I made them gigantic like the original recipe says, and smaller cookies would be more practical.
 

Ingredients

3 cups whole wheat pastry flour or white wheat flour [I used half all-purpose flour and half whole wheat flour]

3 cups old fashioned oats

1 cup brown sugar

1 Tablespoon cinnamon

1-1/2 tsp salt

1-1/2 tsp baking soda

1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped [I did not use]

2-1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce

1/2 cup canola oil
3 eggs, lightly beaten

3 apples, peeled, cored, and finely chopped

 

Directions
(1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
(2) In a large bowl, whisk together flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, and walnuts.
(3) In a separate bowl, whisk together applesauce, oil, and eggs.
(4) Add wet ingredients to dry; stir until thoroughly combined.
(5) Fold in apples.
(6) Scoop 1/4 to 1/2 cups of dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.  Slightly flatten each cookie and shape into a roughly uniform circle shape.
(7) Bake 20-25 minutes (mine took 25), or until tops are firm.  Let cookies set on baking sheet for several minutes; transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Kid Participation:
* Whisk dry ingredients
* Whisk wet ingredients
* Stir batter
* Scoop batter onto baking sheets (if you don't care about precision)

Cranberry & Apple Crisp

Original Recipe HERE

 

While I would happily have every dessert I ever make be chocolate-based, I know not everyone shares the same obsession.  So if it's not going to be full of my VIP ingredient of choice, I like to go in the opposite direction and include fruit: if it's not going to be obviously bad for you, why not pretend it's masquerading as something good for you?

 

Per the recipe, I used granny smith apples and found the final product to be too tart for my liking.  Next time I'll substitute some sweeter ones.  Also, because the apples were in the back of our fridge and went through an unfortunate freeze/thaw cycle, I had to throw out a few and use pears in their place.  I don't know how much of a difference they made; everything got mixed in together so I never identified a definite bite of apple or pear either way.

Ingredients

* For topping:

1 cup flour

1 cup old-fashioned oats

2/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup cold butter

* For fruit layer:

8 to 9 apples

2 cups cranberries (fresh or frozen) [I used fresh]

1-1/4 cups sugar

7 Tablespoons flour

1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 pinch nutmeg (optional)

7 Tablespoons cold butter, cut into pieces

 

Directions

(1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease 9x13" baking pan (I used glass).

(2) Mix dry topping ingredients together until well combined.  Add cold butter; mix with fingers or pastry cutter until it resembles coarse meal.  Put in refrigerator while preparing fruit layer.

(3) Peel, core, and cut apples into 1/4" slices.

(4) In large bowl, mix apples, cranberries, sugar, flour, and cinnamon.  Add butter; toss to combine.  Transfer mixture to baking dish.

(5) Crumble topping over fruit.  Bake for about 1 hour, or until apples are desired tenderness.  Cover with foil after 30 minutes to prevent browning.

(6) Cool slightly and serve with ice cream or whipped cream.

 

Kid Participation:

* Mix dry ingredients

* Make apple mixture

* Crumble topping

* Expect to have whipped cream squirted into your mouths during the entire process

Apple Bundt Cake with Brown-Butter Vanilla Glaze

Original Recipe HERE

 

Don't let the length of the ingredient list or number of directions deter you.  This was actually really easy to make and turned out fabulously.  I liked how it was hearty (does it make a cake sound less appetizing if you call it "hearty"?) but not so dense that it sat like a rock in my stomach.  The apple flavor came through but wasn't overpowering.  And, in theory, this could be made in a regular baking pan - especially if the glaze was made thicker. I made it when hosting a family for dinner, and ever member (from age 2 to 33) ate their piece.  I liked it so much, I posted it on Facebook to show it'd earned my stamp of approval.  A friend subsequently made it and concurred with my opinion.

 

However, we both thought a few tweaks would've improved it a bit.  The "mistakes" I made:

(1) Used apples that were too juicy.  Next time I'll use "drier" ones or drain shredded apples thoroughly (actually, probably wring them out in a dishtowel or cheesecloth as I do with zucchini).

(2) Didn't make my glaze runny enough.  It was more like a goopy frosting.  Which was fine, but aesthetically it didn't look as nice.

(3) Paid a crazy amout for a jar of two vanilla beans.  I can't see how they made that big a difference in the taste.  Next time I'll just use the extract.

 

I think this would be a great contribution to a potluck or brunch or just to bring to a friend's house.  It's hard to find a reason it wouldn't be nearly-universally liked.

 

Ingredients

* For the bundt cake:

1 Tablespoon unsalted butter

flour [for preparing the pan]

4 medium apples

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

1-1/3 cups white sugar, divided

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 Tablespoon baking powder

1 Tablespoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon mace [I did not use]

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup applesauce

4 large eggs

1/2 cup apple cider

2 teaspoon vanilla

* For the vanilla glaze:

2 to 3 Tablespoons half-and-half

2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

vanilla bean seeds scraped from 1/2 a vanilla bean (split bean lengthwise and scrape out seeds)

4 oz unsalted butter

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

 

Directions

* For the Bundt cake:

(1) Peel and core apples.  Shred using large holes on grater to make about 3-1/2 cups shredded apples.

(2) In a small mixing bowl, stir apple with lemon juice and 1/3 cup white sugar.  Set aside.

(3) Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 12-cup Bundt pan [I used silicone] with butter.  Dust with several tablespoons of flour; tilt and tap pan to coat.

(4) In medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, mace, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.

(5) In a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), thoroughly combine remaining 1 cup white sugar, brown sugar, oil, applesauce, eggs, apple cider, and vanilla.

(6) Add flour mixture; mix well.

(7) Add apples; mix until the apples are evenly distributed.

(8) Pour into prepared Bundt pan.  Bake 1 hour, or until a toothpick comes out of the cake clean. Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto drying rack or serving platter.  If glaze is going to be used, begin making it immediately while cake is still warm.

*For the vanilla glaze:

(1) Pour half-and-half into small bowl; set aside to take the chill off.

(2) In medium mixing bowl, combine sifted powdered sugar and vanilla bean seeds (if using).  Set aside.

(3) In large saucepan over medium-low heat, warm butter until golden brown, about 6 to 8 minutes. It should smell toasty but not burnt.

(4) Pour browned butter into powdered sugar and vanilla bean seeds, leaving darkened butter sediment behind.

(5) Add 2 tablespoons half-and-half.  Add vanilla. Stir vigorously until smooth. Glaze should be pourable; if it's too thick, add remaining half-n-half.

(6) Pour glaze over cake while both are still warm. Serve immediately or allow to cool; store covered on counter or in refrigerator for several days.

 

Kid Participation:

* Whisk dry ingredients

* Mix wet ingredients

* Pour glaze if appearance doesn't count

Apple Crimble

I don't know if this dish is technically a "crisp" or a "crumble."  So for now, I'm dubbing it a "crimble" until I can research further.

I came across a baked apple recipe that was super easy.  I thought I bookmarked it, but when I went back to make it that night, it was nowhere to be found.  Luckily I remembered how to make it, so I did.  It was really good.  But it involved halving apples, scooping out the seeds, and baking in the skin.  It got the pan messy with the juice the apples released, some halves fell apart, and the topping came off in one big piece.  So I tweaked it to be easier to both prepare and eat. 

Below is listed how to make a good-sized crimble for an individual.  The amounts are easily adjusted depending on how many apples you're using and how big you want the servings to be (and if you want to double the topping but keep the apple portion the same...).  This could be tweaked a bit, like using wheat flour instead of white and adding nuts. The type of apple used, and whether it's peeled, is variable as well.

Ingredients

1 large or 2 small apples

2 Tablespoons butter

2 Tablespoons flour

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

4 Tablespoons quick-cook [or old-fashioned] oats

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon [or to taste]

Directions

(1) Preheat over to 350 degrees F.

(2) Peel each apple and cut into 8 slices.  Toss with cinnamon if desired.  Place slices in a 2-cup ramekin.

(3) In bowl big enough to hold all additional ingredients, melt butter in microwave.  Add flour, sugar, oats, and cinnamon [if not already used] and combine well.

(4) Spread topping over apple slices.  Bake 25 minutes, or until topping crisps (but does not brown) and apples are easily pierced with a fork.  Serve with whipped cream or Cool Whip.

Kid Participation:

* Arrange apple slices in ramekin

* Mix ingredients into butter

* Spread topping onto apple slices

Oatmeal Yogurt

Original Recipe HERE

To say I'm not a morning person is a grievous understatement.  I've tried for 30 years to change it.  No, that's a lie...I haven't tried that hard.  But now with two kids, I need to make some adjustments.  I'm concerned about what it'll be like when one or more of them are in school.  We'll have to get certain mandatory things accomplished by a certain time every day.  Pre-10:00am is not a good time to ask me to function, cup of strong coffee or not.  So anything that can streamline my mornings is a blessing.  I'd much rather spend five minutes throwing a batch of this together at 11:00pm when my house is full of peace and quiet instead of trying to fix breakfast for three people during the inevitable morning chaos.

This recipe includes several of my favorite things, and a bonus is that you can use apples year-round in it.  Out-of-season apples are so unsatisfying.  Here, their often meally texture and lack of potent flavor don't matter.  I heated a few spoonfuls of the final product in the microwave to compare, but I thought it was better cold.  Sweet!  One less step to worry about when stumbling around the kitchen in my morning fog.  This will be made again.  I can think of all kinds of variations and add-ins, and the thought of tripling or quadrupling the recipe so everyone eats the same thing for breakfast makes me giddy.

Update: I've since made this many times, including using a six-ounce Chobani plain yogurt and a diced pear. Just as good, though I figured out too late that my pear wasn't ripe enough. I've also used Stonyfield fat free French Vanilla yogurt, wheat germ, and flax seeds.  And I have learned to just eyeball the ingredients.  Both kids gobble up at least two bowls whenever I make it, so double or triple the recipe each time.

Ingredients

4 ounces (fluid) plain yogurt [I used Dannon fat-free]

1 tablespoon honey

1/4 cups uncooked oats [I used quick-cook]

1 small apple, peels and diced (1/4" to 1/2" cubes)

dash cinnamon

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a bowl or tupperware. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Notes: The original recipe says you can substitute vanilla for the honey and suggests using Greek yogurt.  Adding some slivered almonds or craisins in the morning has potential.

Kid Participation (if you're not throwing it together at 11pm):

* Measure yogurt and oats

* Shake cinnamon

* Stir