Apple Coffee Cake with Crumble Topping and Brown Sugar Glaze

Cake:

1 stick plus 2 teaspoons unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs

2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups peeled, cored and chopped apples

Crumble Topping:

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Brown Sugar Glaze:

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons water

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 13 by 9-inch glass baking dish with 2 teaspoons of the butter.

In a large bowl, cream together the remaining stick of butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating after the addition of each. In a separate bowl or on a piece of parchment, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add to the wet ingredients, alternating with the sour cream and vanilla. Fold in the apples. Pour into the prepared baking dish, spreading out to the edges.

To make the topping, in a bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon, and butter, and mix until it resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the topping over the cake and bake until golden brown and set, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes.

To make the glaze, in a bowl, combine the sugar, vanilla, and water and mix until smooth. Drizzle the cake with the glaze and let harden slightly. Serve warm.

Lemon Ice Box Pie

1 - 9 inch prepared graham cracker crust

2 - 8 ounce packages of cream cheese, softened

1 - 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk

2 lemons juiced

1 teaspoon lemon zest

In medium mixing bowl beat cream cheese until fluffy.  Add milk, lemon juice and zest.  Mix until smooth, pour mixture into crust.  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

I also put this in a regular pie crust like you would for cream pies, and garnish with whip topping.

Beef Stew

• 2 pounds stew beef
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 clove garlic, peeled
• 1 or 2 bay leaves
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• Dash ground allspice or ground cloves
• 3 large carrots, sliced
• 3 ribs celery, chopped
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

Directions

Brown meat in hot oil. Add water, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, bay leaves, onion, salt, sugar, pepper, paprika, and allspice. Cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours. Remove bay leaves and garlic clove. Add carrots and celery. Cover and cook 30 to 40 minutes longer. To thicken gravy, remove 2 cups hot liquid. Using a separate bowl, combine 1/4 cup water and cornstarch until smooth. Mix with a little hot liquid and return mixture to pot. Stir and cook until bubbly.  Pour over hot biscuits.

Meatballs

1 pound ground chuck
1 (6-ounce) package pepperoni, finel chopped.
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup minced fresh mushrooms
1 cup italian bread crumbs
1 teaspoon basil
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat oven 350 degrees. Lined rimmed baking sheet with heavy duty aluminum foil. Place a cooling rack over pan; spray rack with nonstick cooking spray.
In large bowl, combine ground chuck, pepperoni, onion, mushrooms, breadcrumbs, and basil. Add beaten eggs, stirring to combine. Shape mixture into 2-inch balls. Place on prepared rack, and bake for 28 to 3 minutes, or until meatballs are no longer pink in the center.

These are good plain, or add you favorite spagehetti sauce, and put on subs or mix with you favorite pasta.

Apple Cranberry Sauce

2 Granny Smith Apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped.
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup cranberry juice cocktail
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 cinnamon stick
1 (12-ounce package fresh cranberries

In a medium saucepan, combine apples, sugar, cranberry juice, vinegar, and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; boil for 3 minutes. Stir in cranberries; reduce heat and simmer for 8 minutes, or until cranberries pop. Discard cinnamon stick. Remove from heat; cover, and chill.

Note: Cranberry sauce can be stored in air tight container for up to 1 week.

Apple & Pecan Pastries

2 Puff Pastry Sheets
1 cup cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons butter
¼ cup of granulated sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
2 Granny Smith Apples, peeled and chopped
2/3 cup of pecans, chopped
½ teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 eggs, beaten (for brushing pastry)

Method:
Remove pastry sheets from freezer and let stand at room temperature until thawed. Make sure they stay covered and don’t dry out.

In a medium size sauce pan, add butter, both sugars and apples.
Sauté until apples are tender, about 5 minutes on medium heat.
Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
Add cream cheese, vanilla, cinnamon, and pecans.
Mix well & let stand at room temperature.

Lay thawed pastry sheets on lightly floured surface and cut into 18 squares. You will have 36 total squares.
Place 1 spoonful of mixture into 18 squares.
Place an empty square on top and crimp with a fork to bind the top and the bottom.
Brush with egg wash.
Bake at 400F for about 10 minutes or until golden brown.

For a sweet glaze, mix 2 cups of powdered sugar & 3 tablespoons of milk. Drizzle over pastries when removed from oven.
If glaze is thin, add more sugar.
If glaze is thick, add more milk

Buttermilk Biscuits

This one is for Henry... Here you go I have finally posted my biscuit recipe... try not to make hockey pucks out of them... :)

4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup vegetable shortening, cold, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 1/2 to 2 cups buttermilk, plus additional for brushing

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Cut in the shortening using a pastry blender or your hands until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center and add 1 cup buttermilk. Using your hands, quickly fold the dry ingredients into the buttermilk until a sticky dough forms. You may need to add more buttermilk.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Gently fold the dough over itself 3 or 4 times to create layers. Press the dough out to 1 1/2-inches thick and cut with a floured 3-inch biscuit cutter. Lay the biscuits on an ungreased cookie sheet and brush the tops with buttermilk.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until risen and golden brown.