Toffee Apple Dip

I have kind of a complex about people coming over to my house. When we have guests over I don’t really care if the house is spotless or if my spaz of a dog is under control, but what I do freak out over is ---no surprise here--food. I need to feed people, plain and simple. So when Mike called me last week to tell me that friends were coming over for a Jazz game at 5:00 that night, my mind immediately went into panic mode thinking that I had no time to make anything for dinner.

Mike quickly reassured me that, since it was an early game, we could all go to dinner afterward and not worry about eating at our house. That seemed reasonable to me, so I went about my day fully planning on providing our guests only with a space to socialize and enjoy each other’s company without plying them with food the way I usually do.

However, the moment I walked in the door from work this sensible plan flew right out of my head, and was replaced by my characteristically dramatic stream of crazy thoughts: “What if people are hungry? What if they come straight over from work and need a snack? What if they don’t feel comfortable enough to ask for something to eat so they spend the game starving and never want to come back to our house again? What if we become known as the people that never feed anyone and everyone hates us?!” So I made this apple dip.

This dip is a funny thing to watch people eat for the first time. They usually take a bite and immediately say “what is this?” then marvel at the fact that something that is essentially just cream cheese and sugar could taste this good. Definitely a crowd-pleaser. And yet I still worried that there might be someone without a sweet tooth present so I went ahead and made nachos at half-time. Did I mention I have issues?

Toffee Apple Dip (from the Ivory Favorites cookbook)

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
About half of an 11 oz. bag of Heath or Skor bits (just add to your liking)

1) Beat cream cheese and sugar until fluffy.
2) Stir in vanilla and toffee bits.

Apple Pie

If you visit my parents’ house anytime during the months of August through October, you will most likely find their back patio lined with boxes of peaches, plums, tomatoes, nectarines, and other farm-grown delights typical of this time of year. My parents have always been big on eating lots of fruit and vegetables, so to supplement what their garden produces my dad makes a weekly trek to the Murray farmer’s market.

Those of you that know my dad as a calm, softspoken person really need to see him in action at the farmer’s market. He bounces from stand to stand examining peaches, haggling over the price of bell peppers, chatting with the farmers he has come to know on a first-name basis, and looking more like a buyer for a high-end department store than a guy buying tomatoes for his family. To my dad, the farmer’s market is serious business. I should know: one time he and my mom were going to be out of town for the weekend so he asked me to fill in for him as the produce purchaser for the family. I was given a wad of twenty dollar bills and a hand-drawn map of the market detailing which farmer sold the best corn, where I could get the best price on plums, the name of the stand that sells my dad’s favorite cranberry walnut bread, etc. I was overwhelmed to say the least.

The upside of my dad’s obsession is that every time I go to my parents’ house I leave with my arms full of delicious fresh produce. My parents practically force the stuff on me and I am more than happy to accept. Right around the end of September my haul starts including apples. Lots and lots of apples. I devour my favorite varieties—honeycrisp and jonagold—almost instantly, but a few no-name apples inevitably wind up forgotten at the bottom of the produce drawer. A little too soft or unsightly to be eaten straight-up, these apples are the ones that find new life as apple pies.

I don’t care how stellar an apple pie recipe claims to be, the secret of a great apple pie is the apples. If the apples taste good, so will the pie. And don’t judge by appearance here- I’ve found that the ugly misshapen apples my dad brings home from the market taste a million times better than the perfectly-shaped, waxed ones you find at the grocery store. I usually like to use a mix of sweet and tart apples in my pies, and will taste the apples as I peel and slice to make sure I like them. The recipe below is very much a bare bones take on apple pie, so if the only apples you have at your disposal are lacking in flavor, I would recommend using a more complex recipe. Otherwise, go right ahead and bake this pie. And please serve it warm with vanilla ice cream. Otherwise I might be inclined to think that your mama didn’t raise you right.

Apple Pie

I wish I had a crust recipe to share with you on this one, but I am a bit of a pie crust slut and have never used the same recipe twice. I’ve tried everything from the recipe on the back of the Crisco can to Smitten Kitchen’s all-butter crust and have yet to declare a favorite. They’ve all been good, though, and when I am ready to give up my pie crust promiscuity and commit to one favorite recipe, you all will be the first to know.

1 nine-inch double-crust pie pastry
5-7 apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
¾-1 cup sugar (depending on how sweet or tart your apples are)
¼ tsp. nutmeg
1-2 tsp. cinnamon (just add to your liking- I usually use the lesser quantity)
2 Tbsp. flour
2 Tbsp. butter
1 egg, beaten with 1 Tbsp water (for egg wash)

1) Place apples in a bowl with sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and flour. Stir to coat all the apples.
2) Place bottom pie crust in a 9-inch pie plate and mound apple mixture on top.
3) Cut butter into small pieces and dot the apple mixture with it.
4) Top with the second crust and crimp edges to seal.
5) Brush top crust with egg wash and cut a few slits in it (I do about 6 I think).
6) Bake pie at 450 for ten minutes, then turn the oven down to 350 and bake for an additional 40 minutes, or until apples are soft.

Raspberry Cheesecake Trifle

A while back I was reading an article in a goofy women’s magazine entitled “How to Maintain Your Weight During the Holidays” or something to that effect. What was unusual about it, however, is that I still remember the author’s clever intro to the article. Of course I can’t quote it directly, but she said something like “I always hear people saying to eat before you go to a party, but then I think ‘what’s the point of going if you don’t eat?’ Oh, people. Right.”

I love to socialize as much as the next person, but I’d have to say that I’m with the aforementioned author when it comes to my party priorities. Case in point: I threw a bridal shower for my best friend last month. The shower involved no cutesy decorations or elaborate games. It consisted only of friends gathering in my living room to chat and munch on Mediterranean pasta, green salad, pita triangles and hummus, cantaloupe with fresh mint, a platter of chocolate chip cookies, and raspberry cheesecake trifle.

When it comes to desserts, trifle is a definite showstopper. True, it starts looking downright sad and messy once people dig in, but before that first spoon is sunk into the trifle those pristine layers of custard and fruit are definitely worth all the oohs and aahs that escape people’s mouths when they see them shining through a glass bowl. This trifle in particular is quite the beauty— juicy red raspberries juxtaposed with pale layers of creamy, cake-y goodness. And its pretty appearance is matched only by this trifle’s delicious flavor. Plus it is a cinch to make and is assembled in advance, which makes it perfect for entertaining. So next time you find yourself hosting a gathering, don’t stress over decorations or party favors. Make this trifle instead.

Sylvia’s Raspberry Cheesecake Trifle

This recipe was given to me by a friend of the family, who made this trifle for my sister’s bridal shower. It easily feeds up to twelve people, and is perfect for those springtime occasions when you want a fruity dessert but nothing is really in season yet. My family has kind of made it our traditional Easter dessert. In fact, I think the photos below were randomly taken while transporting the trifle from my house to my parents.’ Classy. But at least you get an idea of what it’s supposed to look like, right?

2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened*
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
½ tsp. almond extract
1 cup sour cream
1 cup whipping cream (measure one cup liquid cream- then whip it)
2 bags frozen raspberries
1 prepared angel food cake

1) Combine first six ingredients (I use the whisk attachment on my KitchenAid to get rip of any lumps)
2) Cut angel food cake into bite-size cubes and fold into cream cheese mixture
3) Layer cake mixture and raspberries in a large bowl, beginning with the cake and ending with the raspberries.
4) Cover and refrigerate overnight, or until raspberries are thoroughly thawed.

*I have messed this recipe up by not letting the cream cheese thoroughly soften. I ended up with little lumps of cream cheese in the cake mixture and it was not a pretty sight. So make sure your cream cheese is soft and smooth- I find Philadelphia brand works best.

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Prior to making this recipe, I had never had a pineapple upside-down cake. To me they’ve always seemed sort of old school—the kind of thing made by a grandmother who keeps dishes of butterscotch hard candy on her coffee table and collectible porcelain figurines on her bookshelves. Yet somehow I got it into my head that this would be the perfect dessert to take to a LOST finale party last weekend, probably because it is vaguely tropical and as ‘70s as the Dharma initiative itself.

Now that I have made a pineapple upside-down cake, I’m kind of wondering where it’s been all my life. A perfectly moist vanilla cake topped with a layer of caramelized fruit—what’s not to love? I found the recipe, appropriately enough, not on some swanky food blog or website but in my copy of The Joy of Cooking, that classic American cookbook that so much resembles an antique I find it hard to believe the recipes still work. Consider my mind changed on that one.

This recipe calls for maraschino cherries, pecan halves, or prunes as fillers for the holes in the pineapple rings. If you want to go full-out retro, then by all means use the cherries. I used blackberries because they were what I had in my fridge and maraschino cherries make me want to barf. Also because I like to think that the presence of fresh berries helps downplay the kitsch factor and brings pineapple upside down cake—in all its golden, buttery glory—into the 21st century.

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake


7 slices canned unsweetened pineapple rings
9 tablespoons butter, divided
Scant ¾ cup packed brown sugar
Maraschino cherries, pecan halves, prunes, or fresh berries
2 large eggs
8 tablespoons buttermilk, divided
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour
¾ cup sugar
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt

1) Drain pineapple and place on paper towel to absorb the excess juice.
2) Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a 9 inch cake pan (either in the oven or on the stovetop).
3) When the butter is melted, tilt the pan so that the melted butter coats all sides. The excess will settle in the bottom.
4) Sprinkle brown sugar evenly in the bottom of the pan.
5) Top with pineapple rings and “filler” of choice (if using).
6) Whisk together eggs, 2 tablespoons buttermilk, and vanilla.
7) Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer for a few seconds to combine.
8) Add 6 tablespoons softened butter and 6 tablespoons buttermilk and beat on low just until flour is moistened.
9) Increase speed to medium (or high if using a hand-held mixer) and beat for 1 ½ minutes.
10) Add egg mixture a third at a time, beating for 20 seconds and scraping the bowl after each addition.
11) Pour batter over pineapple in pan and bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean.
12) Shake the cake lightly to loosen sides from the pan (I just went around the edges with a butter knife). Let cake cool for at least five minutes before inverting onto serving plate. Serve with loosely whipped, lightly sweetened cream.

Waffles with Caramel Apple Syrup

I am a big fan of the “Breakfast for Dinner” concept. Mostly because I don’t have the time to make eggs, pancakes, or any of that other stuff in the morning, but also because I think there is a certain sense of whimsy in having French toast or egg-in-a-hole as your evening meal. It makes life seem a little less hectic and stressful, and a little more like the days of slumber parties and Saturday morning cartoons. Plus any excuse to eat things containing high amounts of sugar and call it a meal is just fine by me.

A while back I found this recipe on a blog called The Jet Set. I instantly knew that it would make a perfect Breakfast for Dinner, and I was right. The caramel apple syrup was full of flavor without being overly sweet, and it was a great way to use up some old apples I had sitting in my fridge. Besides being a topping for waffles I think this syrup would work well as a crepe filler or maybe just poured on top of some vanilla ice cream for dessert. I am still looking for a perfect waffle recipe, and, although these yeasted waffles were very good, I would like to experiment with some others so if you have a great one please send it my way.

I served these suckers topped with some freshly whipped cream, alongside some crisp bacon and orange juice. I suggest you take advantage of the dwindling days of apple season and do the same.

(I forgot to take a picture until I was almost done eating, plus it was taken with my ghetto camera phone. Sorry about that)

Caramel Apple Syrup
4-5 medium tart apples (the flavor of this syrup is going to depend almost entirely on the quality of apples you use, so choose wisely)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup

1.Peel, core, and dice the apples.
2. In a large saucepan heat 1/4 cup butter over medium high heat until melted. Add apples.
3. Sprinkle with salt and a couple tablespoons of the brown sugar.
4. Turn the heat to high and stir while apples caramelize, about 4-5 minutes.
5. As the apples brown, turn down the heat to medium to prevent scorching. Add the remaining butter and sugar.
6. Reduce for another 3 minutes, until sugar is melted, stirring often (I let mine reduce a little longer, about 5 minutes). Add syrup and serve over waffles or pancakes.

Yeasted Waffles:
1 3/4 Milk
1/2 cup butter
2 cups white flour*
1 Tbl sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp yeast
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

1. Heat the milk up until hot, but not boiling.

2. Add the butter to the milk and melt. Cool slightly.

3. Beat the eggs lightly and then add to the milk mixture, along with the vanilla.

4. Put all the dry ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine. Add the wet ingredients and stir until combined, a few lumps are OK.

5. Cover with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for 12-24 hours.
6. Heat your waffle iron a good 10-15 minutes before you use it. Whisk your batter and ladle it into the iron. Cook until golden. Serve immediately.

*The recipe originally calls for 1 cup wheat flour, 1 cup white, but white is all I had on hand the night I made these.

Peach Cobbler

I have mixed feelings about fruit desserts. I love fruit pies, crisps, cobblers and the like, but I just can't bring myself to make them most of the time. Fresh fruit(when it's in season) is so good on its own that adding the extra sugar and fat seems downright wasteful. In my book, the more mediocre and readily-available fruits like apples are fine to tamper with, but when it comes to sweet, delicate specimens such as peaches, nectarines, berries, etc. my policy has always been to leave well enough alone.

As you can tell from the title of this post, I strayed from that policy a couple of weeks ago by baking peach cobbler. My excuse is that my in-laws have a peach tree and were kind enough to give us a case of them one evening. Mike and I feasted on fresh peaches for the next few days, but it soon became apparent that we weren't going to finish them before they spoiled: a perfect reason to try out a peach cobbler recipe.

This cobbler is a very traditional one- a sweet biscuit-like topping with fresh peaches bubbling in their juices underneath. Mike prefers the made-with-a-cake-mix-and-sprite take on peach cobbler that is usually made in a dutch oven, but I find it to be way too sweet and overpowering for my taste. This version is more complex and lets the peaches dominate the flavor of the dessert.

Peach Cobbler

Ingredients:
8 large peaches* (I think I only used about 5 or 6)
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1 teaspoon baking powder

1)Grease 8'' square baking pan
2)Peel and slice peaches into pan
3)Combine remaining ingredients to make a dough (I used the paddle attachment on my Kitchen Aid, but you could use a hand mixer or even just a spoon)
4) Crumble dough on top of peaches
5) Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes (mine took a little longer- more like 40 or 45 minutes- but that might be because my oven is a piece of crap).

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

*If your peaches aren't terribly sweet (mine weren't) toss them with a tablespoon or two of sugar before putting the dough on top.