Cinnamon Apple Scones

I love King Arthur.  Great site, great recipes, great products.  These scones were inspired by this recipe from King Arthur Flour.  Even though they are brown in appearance they are super moist.  All that applesauce and apples help with that.

I think when you are making scones or baking in general, technique is as key to the success as the the recipe itself.  A few things to remember when making scones.

1. Do not over mix (and this is really true with any flour recipe when baked- except for bread).

2. Butter should be cold.

3. Take the time to cut them into triangles or rounds, separated. If you bake as a big round (as some recipes actually suggest), they run the risk of being goey in the center or over done around the edges and perfect in the middle. Its just too thick.

4. Er on the underdone side.  Its better to have the scones a little underdone then overdone and dry. 

CINNAMON APPLE SCONES

2 3/4 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

1/3 cup granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) cold butter
3/4 cup chopped fresh apple, in 1/2" pieces (about half a medium apple); leave the skin on, if you like
1 cup cinnamon chips
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup applesauce, unsweetened preferred

In a food processor or large bowl, blend together dry ingredients. Add butter in pieces until mostly blended.  In a separate bowl combine, apple sauce, eggs and vanilla.  Add wet ingredients and mix until just combined.  Turn out onto flat surface and gently knead in cinnamon chips and cut apples.

Divide dough into 10 or 12 equal pieces.  I used my scone baking pan which is very handy and worth it if you make a lot of scones. Bake at 425° for 25 to 30 minutes

Crockpot Apple Butter

Polish folk art or wycinanki (pronounced vee-chee-non-key)  Source:  Polish News Seattle

Happy New Year!

The end of 2014 had some rough spots for us.  The flu hit us this Holiday Season.  Also, the passing of a man that I babysat when he was young.  He leaves behind a wife and three young children.  Sadly.  His death has hit me hard.  My sadness is for his family.  I love them so.  Seeing them hurting just breaks my heart to pieces.  Sadness because he was too young and too precious to go.  A beautiful spirit.  41 is just too young.  A brain tumor. 

My best friend lost her father a few days after Christmas.  I sat in Church, during the service, thinking about how he touched my life.  When I was in my early twenties I had the good fortune of going with my friend, her sister and her Dad to Poland.  I was very fortunate to go and am still very grateful about that! We stayed with his relatives in Gydinia and Gdansk. My friends father, in his younger days, was a Merchant Marine.  He sailed the world over and learned many languages.  I always thought that was very mysterious and exciting.  

It is really the kindness of someone that you remember.  I sat there, in Church, thinking about that.  How kindness really does matter.  Sure the accomplishments of an individual you remember too.  But what really is the stand out for me is the love and kindness that the person extended to you and the world.  (And really in some cases the lack there of- let's be honest). 

I am looking forward to this New Year. Besides the fact that I don't really have a choice, 2015 is here.  Period.  I do like the freshness of a new day.  The freshness of a New Year!  How the slate seems to be wiped clean in some ways.  But new beginnings are really in every moment.  Aren't they?  Each moment is a decision to be a better person, to live a better life, to give to someone.  It is true there is no greater gift than the giving of one's self to another.  The moments you spend with your children, your spouse, your friends, your parents.  Or even the small kindness you give to a stranger. 

The hardest part of this recipe is chopping all the apples.  The rest?  Easy Peasy.  Place in crock pot, turn it on and forget about it.  You don't have to even stir it.  Just let it simmer away.

Crock Pot Apple Butter

18 large apples
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup cider or water

Fill crock pot with apples.  I use the above as a guide for about how much spice to put in.  Don't add your spices until right at the end.  Since everything will cook down quite a bit the flavor will condense as well.  The vanilla will just cook out so wait until the end for that as well.  Mine was in the crock pot for 12 hours.  It never stuck to the pan at all.  

 

Apple Coffee Cake

We have been away from home for two weeks.  Crazy, right?  I feel like I have been gone forever.  I am a homebody for the most part so this was kind of a big deal for me.  Where did we go?  On a cruise.  Oh, swoon, on a cruise.  Strangely enough I just realized I did not take one picture of the food we ate.  Which, if you been on a cruise ship, you know, is pretty amazing. Beef Bourguignon, London Broil, Steak, Crab Cakes, Gnocchi, all kinds of shrimp dishes.  The desserts, pretty amazing too. There were a lot of good ones.  Linzer Torte, Fruit Tarts, Chocolate Crepes, Soufflés... One of my favorites was a beet root chocolate cake.  If you are not a fan of beets, you would never know.  It was a really rich chocolate cake. 

How much did I gain?  Yes, this was a concern before I went.  But miracle of miracles, I stayed the same.  Must have been my time in the fitness center that balanced out the desserts.

While the food was very good, it was actually refreshing to have home cooked meals.  Fanciness aside, my meals are pretty good.  I am not trying to be boastful.  But one thing I found lacking was vegetables.  Would have like to see more vegetables with all these amazing dishes they serve. 

On the stove when we returned home was a pot of soup and an Apple Coffee Cake, compliments of my Mother.  Thank you Mom!

Here it is in all its glory.  Very delicious.

APPLE COFFEE CAKE

 Beat 1/2 cup shortening until light and fluffy.

Add in:  1 cup sugar
              2 large eggs
              1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat until throughly combined.

In a separate bowl combine

2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     1/4 teaspoon salt

Add flour mixture to batter along with  8 ounces sour cream.
Stir in:   1 1/2 cups chopped apple

Pour into greased 9 x 13. Sprinkle topping over batter.

Topping:
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Bake at 350F for 35 minutes.

Apples and Oats Muffins

How's that for a breakfast?  Delicious and healthy- bonus.

Had to post this recipe before I forgot what I did.  Loved this.  My youngest daughter proclaimed, I could eat this every day for the rest of my life.  Nice comment but that might get a little boring after a while.  But they are good enough to eat a lot.

Works out to be 165 calories.  Not bad.  Combined with some egg whites and you have a nice balance of protein and carbs.

I will say that this muffin really is amped up by good coconut oil.  The kind that tastes like coconut.  If you decide to swap the oil out for something else, you will not have the same results.  If your oil that you choose does not have any flavor I would suggest some almond extract for a little added flavor.

Apples and Oats Muffins aka Full Of Goodness Muffins
For a printable recipe, click here.

half of a banana, mashed
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups oats
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup applesauce, unsweetened
1/2 cup coconut oil- first press
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 large egg plus an egg white
2 teaspoons vanilla

Preheat oven to 350F.  Line a muffin tin with paper liners.  This recipe will make about 16 regular muffins.

Mix dry ingredients together in a small bowl:  oats, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt.  In a large bowl mix together applesauce, banana, sour cream, egg, vanilla and brown sugar.  In a microwave safe bowl, melt coconut oil.  Not too much.  You don't want it piping hot, just melted.

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir.  Add in coconut oil.  Spoon into muffin tins.  Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

1

Apple Loaf Bread

I love a sweet bread for the kids for quick breakfast when times are busy.  It's a sweet treat admittedly, but it also has nutrition.  This one, I think, is a nice mix of things.  The fat is not excessive nor is the sugar.  (I guess the walnuts have quite a bit of fat in them but its good fat).  I think it is a winner.

Apple Loaf Bread

1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups apples diced very fine
1 cup chopped walnuts


Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Grease or spray one large loaf pan or 3 small. Beat together first 4 ingredients.
Add the dry ingredients mixing well and scraping sides of the bowl. Fold in the apples and the nuts.Pour batter into loaf pan(s) and top with remaining nuts.
Bake for 45 to 55 min. (large) and 35-40 min. (small)
Let sit in pans for 10 minutes, remove from pan and then cool on a wire rack.