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Cooking, Recipe and Food Blog

Pineapple and Apple Bars

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Pineapple and apple bars is a delicious dessert which you can have with tea or as a yummy dessert. It can be stored for 3-4 days in an airtight container. You may also freeze them and heat them in the oven or microwave before serving.

 

Makes 16 slices

Ingredients:

1/4 cup self-rising flour

1/4 cup whole meal self-rising flour

3/4 cup rolled oats

1 cup dried apples, finely chopped

1/2 cup canned crushed pineapple, drained well

90g margarine

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon low-fat natural yogurt

2 egg whites

 

Preheat the oven at 180C and the lightly grease a shallow rectangular cake pan with margarine or oil.

Next, sift the flour and the whole meal flour into a large mixing bowl. Add the oats, pineapples and apples.

Melt the margarine in a small saucepan or in the microwave. Add the honey and stir until well combined.

Place the melted margarine mixture and the yogurt in the mixing bowl with the dry ingredients. Mix well.

Put the egg whites in a medium sized mixing bowl and beat it until it becomes light and foamy. Fold in the flour and fruit mixture. Mix until well combined.

Transfer it to the greased pan and bake it in the oven for 30 minutes or until it is set. Remove from oven and let it cool completely. Cut into squares and serve.

 

Photo Courtesy Of:  Darwin Bell

Tomato and Chilli Chutney

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Left unopened, these jars will last around a year – when they’re open, store them in a fridge and use within two weeks, and they’ll be great still.

Tomato and Chilli Chutney

You can use these as presents, or as a treat every so often – served over a Jacket Potato, with a Salad or on Toast as a spread.

To make 3 Jars
1.5kg Vine Ripened Tomatoes
3 Medium Red Onions, peeled and chopped
2 Bramley Cooking Apples, peeled, cored and roughly chopped
3cm Root Ginger, peeled and grated
3 Large Red Chillies, finely chopped (remove the seeds for a milder flavour)
2 Garlic Cloves, finely chopped
150g Sultanas
600ml Red Wine Vinegar
350g Light Soft Brown Sugar
1 1/2level tsp Mustard Powder

1. Make a small cut in the base of each Tomato, and place in a heat-proof bowl. Pour enough boiling water to cover them, and leave to stand for a minute. Drain off the Water and skin the Tomatoes. Chop Roughly, then place in a Large Saucepan.
2. Add the Onion, Apple, Ginger, Chillies, Garlic, Sultanas and a teaspoon of Salt to the Saucepan, then stir. Place on a medium heat, then add the Red Wine Vinegar, Soft Brown Sugar and Mustard Powder, then bring to the boil, stirring occasionally.
3. Simmer without a lid on for two hours, or until the mixture is thick – the exact time will depend on the thickness of the pan, and the heat used. As it thickens up more, start to stir more to prevent anything sticking to the base of the pan.
4. Wash the Jars that you are going to use in hot soapy water. Rinse clean of any suds, and place in the Oven, open side down at 140C for twenty minutes.
5. Test the Chutney is ready. To do this, draw a wooden spoon across the base of the pan, and if you can clearly see the base of the pan, it’s ready!
6. Spoon the chutney into the Jars, then leave to cool. Leave to mature for at least six weeks before eating, to give the flavours a chance to mature and the Vinegar taste to mellow slightly.

Photo Courtesy of: Elin B

Toffee Apple Cakes

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Small, soft and juicy, these golden caramelised treats are so succulent and flavoursome that you’ll be making batch after batch and eating them as soon as you can.

Toffee Apple Cakes

Make them small enough to be party-treats, but big enough to get the slices of Apple on the top and when cooked, they’ll caramelise nicely!

To Make 12
2 Eating Apples
1tbsp Lemon Juice
250g Plain Flour
1 1/2tsp Baking Powder
110g Light Muscovado Sugar
70g Unsalted Butter, plus extra for greasing
100ml Milk
100ml Apple Juice
1 Egg, beaten
2tbsp Single Cream

1. Preheat the oven to 200c, and grease a twelve-cup muffin tin, preferably a non-stick one.
2. Core and coarsely grate one of the Apples, and slice the other into half a centimetre thick wedges, and toss in the Lemon Juice. Sift the Flour, Baking Powder and Cinnamon, before stirring in seventy grams of the Sugar and Grated Apple.
3. Melt the fifty five grams of the butter, and mix with the Milk, Apple Juice and Egg, then stir In the Liquid Mixture with the dry ingredients, mixing lightly until combined.
4. Spoon the Mixture into the prepared muffin tin, then arrange two slices of the Apple on top of each.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for twenty to twenty five minutes, or until risen, firm and golden brown in colour, before running a knife around the edge of each bun to loosen, before turning out onto a wire rack to cool.
6. Place the Single Cream, forty grams of Muscovado Sugar and the remaining Butter in a pan, and heat until the mixture has dissolved. Increase the heat, boil rapidly for two minutes, or until slightly thicker and syrupy. Drizzle over the cakes, and leave to set.

Photo Courtesy of: jamieanne

Apple and Fig Strudel

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Surprisingly healthy, this dish can easily be changed to an Apple, Apricot and Almond Strudel, but replacing the Figs with 125g of No-Soak Dried Figs, and adding 2tbsp of Ground Almonds and half a teaspoon of Cinnamon to the filling.

Apple Strudel

It’s great served fresh from the oven, dusted with a little Icing Sugar, and a drizzle of Single Cream.

To Serve 6
125g No-Soak Dried Figs, roughly chopped
Grated Rind and Juice of 1 Lemon
25g Fresh White Breadcrumbs
450g Cooking Apples
4 Sheets Filo Pastry
25g Low-Fat Spread
1tsp Caster Sugar

1. Place the Figs into a large bowl, and add the Lemon Rind, Lemon Juice and Breadcrumbs.
2. Peel, quarter and core the Apple, before slicing thinly and mix with the rest of the ingredients in the bowl.
3. Lay two pieces of Filo Pastry side by side on a clean tea towel, overlapping the edges by two inches (around five centimetres), and brush with a little of the low-fat spread, before topping with the other two sheets (in the same pattern) and brush again.
4. Place the Apple and Fig mixture down one side of the Pastry, and using the tea towel, begin to roll it up. Place onto a non-stick baking tray, curled around if necessary. Brush with the rest of the Low-Fat spread, then sprinkle the Caster Sugar over the top.
5. Bake in the Oven at 190C for around thirty to thirty five minutes, until the Pastry is golden brown, and the Apple filling is soft – loosely cover with Foil if the Pastry begins to brown too soon.

Photo Courtesy of: Rubber Slippers in Italy

Pork Chops with Applesauce

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Here is an interesting dish that can be prepared in many ways. If you don’t have time to make your own applesauce, you can use the bottled ones. I myself am guilty of that and sometimes the taste grows on you and it becomes addicting, despite this I still recommend using fresh apples.

Ingredients:

For the pork chops

2 cups milk

3 teaspoons salt

8 (1/2-inch-thick) pork chops (2 lbs)

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary or 1/2 teaspoon dried, crumbled

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried, crumbled

2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 to 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
For the applesauce

3 lb mixed green and red apples of your choice

1/4 cup water

3 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1 bay leaf

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

Dash of cinnamon

Place the milk, salt and lemon juice in a shallow dish. Mix well. Marinate the pork chops in this mixture. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour. Turn at least once. You can also place the chops and the marinade in a resealable bag, for better absorption.

While marinating the pork chops, you can prepare the applesauce. Set aside 1/2 of a red apple and ½ of a green apple for garnish (optional). Peel and core the apples. Chop them coarsely or in cubes. In a heavy saucepan or Dutch oven, combine the water, sugar, cider vinegar, bay leaf and cinnamon. Add the apples and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat and let it simmer, stir occasionally. Cover and cook until the apples are very soft. After, discard the bay leaf and mash the apples.

If you want to marinate the pork chops in the applesauce: add the salt, thyme, rosemary and garlic to the applesauce mixture and remove the pork chops from the milk mixture and transfer it to the applesauce for another hour up to overnight. Keep refrigerated. After marinating, you can grill or fry them in oil and butter.

If you want to serve the chops with applesauce: season the chops with salt, garlic rosemary and thyme. Then fry it in a skillet or grill it for 5-8 minutes per side, until it turns brown. You may glaze it with some applesauce while cooking.

Serve warm with vegetables, rice or potatoes. Garnish with sliced apples if desired.

Photo Courtesy Of: Laurel Fan

Vegetable and Apple Stir Fry

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This Vegetarian dish is a fast dish to make – taking only half an hour to prepare and cook. To make sure that the Vegetables don’t burn, keep them moving when stir-frying them – it’s a good habit even with meat so that they’ll cook evenly.

Vegetable Stir Fry

If you’re creating this as a side, try serving with some freshly Grilled Pork Chops – the Apple and range of Vegetables compliments the dish greatly.

To Serve 4
4tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 Garlic Clove, peeled and crushed
350g Small Leeks, trimmed and sliced
4 Sticks Green Celery, sliced
225g Courgette, sliced
1 Red Pepper, deseeded and chopped
2tbsp Medium Curry Paste
1tsp Ground Ginger
1tbsp Clear Honey
2 Green Eating Apples
50g Unsalted Cashew Nuts
Salt and Pepper
Juice of 1 Lemon

1. Heat the Oil in a large, non-stick Sauté pan, and cook the Garlic off for a few seconds over a medium heat, before increasing the heat, and adding the Leek, Celery, Courgette and Pepper to the pan, and cook for ten minutes, stirring throughout.
2. Add the Curry Paste to the pan, along with the Ginger, Honey and three tablespoons of Water, and stir until smooth. Make sure that all of the Vegetables are evenly coated with the flavours.
3. Roughly chop the Apples up – it’s personal preference for leaving the skins on. I do to give a mix of textures in the finished dish, but it is okay to remove them if you want. Add the Apple Chunks to the pan, with the Cashew Nuts and season to taste.
4. Cook for five more minutes, until the Vegetables are tender, but not soft. Squeeze the Lemon Juice, and stir one last time, before serving.

Photo Courtesy of: swanksalot

Apple Cinnamon Streusel Muffins

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According to Wikipedia, Cinnamon was so valuable that it was considered as a gift fit for royalty and even for a god.  Now, it is very common and is used daily, whether as a spice, condiment or flavoring material. Apples on the other hand help bone protection, lower cholesterol and help with weight loss. Here is a healthy recipe you can enjoy for breakfast or as a snack.

Ingredients:

Muffin Batter
1 1/2 cups plus 2 level tablespoons of all purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/3 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1 egg
1/3 cup butter milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large apples – peeled, cored and diced

Streusel Topping
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup cold butter, cubed (not soft butter or spread)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350(F) degrees. Grease six muffin cups or line them with paper muffin liners.

To make the streusel, combine 1/3 cup flour, 1/2 sugar, butter and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon in a small bowl and whisk the ingredients well. With a fork, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles pea sized crumbles. Refrigerate it until it is ready to use.

Prepare the muffins by mixing the salt, sugar, flour, baking powder and cinnamon in a bowl. In another bowl put together the oil, apple sauce, egg, buttermilk and vanilla extract. After, combine the wet and dry ingredients together and mix well. Fold in the apples and make sure that all the ingredients have blended together.

Using a ladle or an ice cream scoop, place the batter into the prepared muffin cups and top with streusel toppings.

Bake the muffins in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Insert a toothpick at the center of the muffin to test if it is cooked. It must come out clean, with no batter. Let the muffins rest for 5 minutes before removing them from the pan.

Serve warm or store in an airtight container up to a week.

Photo Courtesy Of:  Jennifer Chernoff

Apple Jack

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Fruity, fresh and tasteful. This drink can be made stronger or weaker depending on your taste. Try sprinkling some soft brown sugar in before stirring to make it that bit sweeter if you prefer.

Serves 1
50ml Jack Daniels
200ml Apple Juice
Wedge of Lime

1. Fill a highball Glass with Ice, and run the wedge of lime around the rim, before dropping te Wedge into the Glass
2. Pour in the Jack Daniel’s, and add the Apple Juice, and stir well.

Photo Courtesy of KimsDinner

Bombay Apple Orchard

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Sophisticated, elegant, tasty and elegant: what more is needed! The vast infusions of the flavours in the Bombay Sapphire, combined with the tartness of the fresh apple juice gives beautiful tastes.

Serves 1
50ml Bombay Sapphire
200ml Apple Juice
6 Mint leaves
Slice Apple (decoration)

1. Fill Highball Glass with Ice and Mint Leaves
2. Add the Bombay Sapphire and Apple Juice
3. Decorate with the slice of Apple, and serve

Fruit Orchard Smoothie

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Takes a bit more preparation than other smoothies, but perfect for those Autumn evenings!

Serves 2
1 ripe Pear, peeled and quartered
1 Apple, peeled and quartered
2 large Red or Dark Plums, halved and stoned
4 ripe Damsons, halved and stoned

200ml water

1. Put the pear, apple, plums, damsons and water into a small saucepan. Cover tightly and slowly bring to the boil over a medium heat.
2. Take from the heat, and allow to cool before chilling
3. Put the fruit and water mixture into a blender, and process until smooth

Photo courtesy of WxMom

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wxmo