Apple Pie Snickerdoodle Bars

I have no idea where I got this recipe. I think maybe someone posted it on FB. Hmm...seems like more and more of my blog posts start out this way... What can I say? I see something that looks good, set it aside, and by the time I get back to it I can't remember where I got it. Oh well, guess it really doesn't matter. Anyway, where was I... OH! the Apple Pie Snickerdoodle Bars! YES. This dessert falls squarely into the "How can this not be good?" category. (See what I did there? SQUARELY?)
You only need a couple store bought items, you quick throw 'em together, and in no time you have a fabulous dessert. Yes yes, of course you could make you're own apple pie filling and you could make you're own sugar cookie dough from scratch, but in this case, you might as well take the short cut! Sometimes the quick and easy route is just as good! Oh btw, I posted the recipe as I originally found it, but I added a few hints right after the recipe. Be sure to read them before you start! Great then.


One 16.5 oz tube of Pillsbury refrigerated sugar cookie dough
One 20 oz. can of apple pie filling
Cinnamon sugar (1/4 cup of granulated sugar + 4 tsp of ground cinnamon) -Note: some suggest reducing this amount.

Press 2/3 of the cookie dough into the bottom of an 8x8 or 9x9 baking pan. Sprinkle with 2/3 of the cinnamon sugar. Spread the apple pie filling over the cookie base. Take small amounts of the remaining cookie dough, flatten it slightly and place over the pie filling. It will not cover the pie filling completely. Sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon sugar mixture. Bake in a 350º oven until the cookie dough is baked, approx. 35-40 minutes. Allow to cool, then cut into squares.

Tips:
-I found it easiest to slice the first 2/3 of cookie dough into about 9 or 10 slices. Then you can line them up in the bottom of the pan and then press them together to make one even layer. It's quicker than trying to flatten out a huge tube of dough.
-The chunks of apple, in my opinion, were FAR too big and I wanted every piece to get the same amount of apple. So I just dumped them onto a cutting board, chopped them up a bit and then it was much easier to spread them evenly over the cookie base.
-I didn't bother with trying to flatten out the pieces of cookie dough for the top as the recipe directs. Just crumble the remaining dough into small pieces and they'll flatten out when they bake. 
-Oh, one other thing... when I made this, I kind of thought the cookie crust would be, you know, like a cookie! But actually, it turned out to be more cakey than cookie. I think, perhaps, the next time I make it, I'll bake the crust for a few minutes to get a crisper crust before adding the apple pie filling.
-I think this SCREAMS to be served with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream, because that's just how I roll. Who's with me on this??

Corn Bites

Here's a quick little party bite that is a snap to throw together. My niece, Kelli, made these for a family thing a while back and I'm FINALLY caught up to sharing them with you. Sorry that it took so long, Kel! Anyway, I have no idea where she got the recipe, but like I always say, since she's the one who gave it to me, she's the one who gets the credit. They're just a few simple ingredients that you mix together, pop 'em in the oven and boom, it's a party! Sometimes the simplest things are the best, don't you think? Better make lots of them because they're HIGHLY addictive!
Thanx Kel!

8oz bar of cream cheese, softened
8oz bar pepper jack cheese, shredded
1 egg
1/2 cup frozen corn
1 bag Tostito's Scoops

Mix all filling ingredients together.
Fill Tostito's Scoops with cheese mixture and place on a baking sheet.
Bake at 425ºF for 15 minutes or until bubbly.

Tips:
 -If you're not a spicy kinda person, you can use regular jack or cheddar cheese instead of the pepper jack. On the flip side, if you LOVE the heat, add some diced chilis or some crushed red pepper!
-Feel free to switch things up a bit! Keep everything the same, but try another ingredient instead of the corn. Yes, yes, I know they're called corn bites, but maybe they can be sausage bites, or pepperoni bites! Or how about asparagus or broccoli or spinach bites or even crab and shrimp bites! Or any combination you like! Just cook your main ingredient(s) and chop it up, then throw it into your filling mixture and bake as usual. Simple!

Ina's German Chocolate Cupcakes

Ok here's a fun fact. Did you know that German Chocolate Cake is not from Germany at all? Nope! It's as American as apple pie! The cake gets its name from an American chocolate maker named Sam German, who formulated a kind of dark baking chocolate which was originally used in the recipe. So, actually, it should be called German's Chocolate Cake. Crazy, huh? Who knew?!
 Here's a cupcake version. They're fabulous and yummy and, let's be serious, can anyone resist that caramel coconut frosting? I think not! SO delicious! This recipe is Ina Garten's and is now my go to recipe. I think I need to make these again!

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk, shaken, at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
2 tablespoons freshly brewed coffee
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Coconut Frosting:

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
1 1/4 cups light brown sugar, lightly packed
4 extra-large egg yolks
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
1 cup blanched sliced almonds, toasted
1 cup chopped pecans
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl. Lower the speed to medium, add the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla and mix well. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream, and coffee. In a third bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low, add the buttermilk and flour mixtures alternately in thirds, beginning with the buttermilk and ending with the flour. Don't overmix! Fold the batter a few times with a rubber spatula to be sure it's mixed.

Scoop the batter into the cupcake liners. (I use a 2-inch ice cream scoop.) Bake in the center of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, remove from the pans, and allow to cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting:
 Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the evaporated milk, brown sugar, and egg yolks and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, for about 15 minutes, until slightly thickened. If the mixture looks a bit curdled, beat it vigorously with a whisk. Off the heat, stir in the vanilla extract, almond extract, coconut, almonds, pecans, and salt. Allow to cool for about an hour. Frost the cupcakes with a knife or small metal spatula.

Tips:

For me, the key to the icing is the almond extract. Be sure to include it! Oh and also the kosher salt! It just makes everything SO much better. 

I didn't have sliced almonds, so I just left them out and they were still delish. Just sayin'.

Tomato Jam

 I recently saw this recipe and thought it sounded interesting. I found it on a blog called Just A Taste, which adapted it from a recipe that was in the NY Times. I figured if it's good enough for the NY Times, it's good enough for me. So I gave it a go, and immediately LOVED it. It was absurdly simple to make and I loved all the different notes it hits. On one hand, it's sweet like any other jam. It has a little bite of heat, which is awesome when it's paired with the sweet.  And then it has all the warm spices to smooth everything out, with just a little lime juice to give it a little citrus zing. It's really deep and complex and absolutely delicious. It's also a really great way of using up a whole bunch of extra tomatoes from your garden. Serve it just as you'd serve any other jam. It's great with a little schmear of cream cheese on some hearty toasted bread. It would also be great with a cup of tea and some scones or croissants. Try it and tell me what you think!


1½ pounds ripe tomatoes (on the vine)
1 cup sugar
2 tbs fresh lime juice
1 tbs minced fresh ginger
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp salt
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Core and coarsely chop the tomatoes.
Combine all of the ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring them to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and bring the mixture to a simmer. Stirring occasionally, allow the mixture to simmer for 1 hour and 15 minutes until it has the consistency of thick jam.
Taste and season the jam with salt or additional dried spices then transfer it to a separate bowl to cool. Refrigerate the jam until ready to use.

Tips:
I cooked it for a lot longer than the recipe directs. I didn't really time it, but just simmered it until it was the right consistency.
When using cumin and cloves, a little goes a long way, especially with the cloves. Be careful not to use too much! (random thought...I wonder if adding dried basil might be good, since basil and tomatoes love each other so much. Hmm...what do you think? Will that go well with the cumin?)
The NY Times recipe added a diced jalapeno pepper. I decided to leave it out, and also reduced the amount of crushed red pepper, just because I only like a little warm heat, but nothing really HOT. As it turns out, I wound up adding more crushed red because the heat really mellows out after a day or two in the fridge. Maybe next time I'll add the jalapeno too!

Joey's Chunky Herbed Feta Ranch Dressing

Whenever the weather is really hot, I like to do lots of main course salads. Sometimes I'll do a grilled chicken Caesar salad, or maybe a big chef's salad, or maybe just some iceberg wedges and sliced Jersey tomatoes. And whenever I go on a salad kick, I like to try to come up with different kinds of salad dressings. Most times it's some sort of quick vinaigrette, but this time it's a creamy ranch dressing. It's rich and yummy and SO flavorful! I made it for Jerry, who was an immediate fan, and I also won raves when I brought some to Danny and Emma. Just a few fresh ingredients, whisk them together, and boom, you're good to go. I think this is my new go-to ranch dressing! Maybe it'll be yours too. Try it!

1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tbs fresh lemon juice
1 tbs chopped fresh basil
1 tsp chopped fresh herbs (thyme, oregano, and rosemary)
1/4 cup half and half
4 oz crumbled feta cheese

Simply place all ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir well to combine. Easy, right?
This dressing sets up a bit when you chill it in the fridge. If it gets too thick after you chill it, just add a few drops of half and half until you reach the right consistency. Then again you could leave it thick and serve it as a FABULOUS veggie dip. Seriously, it's SO good with carrots and celery sticks. Speaking of celery sticks, you could even crumble bleu cheese into it instead of feta and serve it with buffalo wings. If you're not a fan a feta or bleu cheese, just omit them and enjoy a delicious creamy herbed ranch! Yum.

Tips:
The key to this recipe is using fresh herbs. I suppose you can use dried herbs, but in this case, it's that green freshness that I was looking for. I like to grow lots of herbs on my window sills and then just snip off a few sprigs for whatever I'm making. Btw, listed above is 1 tsp chopped fresh herbs.. I just took a few leaves of each herb and chopped them up to make a TOTAL of 1 tsp. Hope that was clear enough. If you're not a fan of any of the herbs I used, try a few others! Perhaps a different kind of basil, flat leaf parsley, or maybe some chives. Whatever you like!

Delicious Eggless Zucchini Bread

Whenever I decide to invite the WDHS gang over for dinner, I'm always sure to invite my good friend, Lea. She's always such a lovely guest! First of all, she always brings me a little gift, which is just SO nice and SO appreciated. Not only that, she's one of my biggest fans, always telling me that she "loves everything that I cook", even if it's something she's never tried. What home cook doesn't love to hear that??? I love that she's always telling her friends and family about the latest thing I've cooked for dinner and I'm always happy to send some home with her so that her family can have a taste. She always tells me "We don't deserve you!" whenever I give a little cooking lesson, or show her how I've made something. Isn't that the nicest thing anyone could ever say???
 Anyway, Lea gave me this recipe a while ago. She found it on Food.com, and was so excited to tell me about how great it turned out. She even took the lovely picture so I could post it. Thanx!! It's perfect for anyone who can't or is choosing not to have eggs for one reason or another. The yogurt and the vegetable oil keep everything nice and moist and the spices make it super flavorful. Actually, I think Lea told me she pumped up the amount of cinnamon, which is fine by me. As far as I'm concerned there's no such thing as too much!
 So give this one a try. Even if you're not restricting eggs from your diet, you'll never miss them. OH! you could even toast a slice or two and give 'em a schmear of butter or cream cheese! Doesn't that sound heavenly? Thanx again, Lea, for the fabulous recipe and for always being a fabulous friend!

2 cups sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3 cups flour
2 cups zucchini, shredded or finely chopped
2 1/4 teaspoons vanilla
3/4 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon nutmeg


Preheat oven to 350F and grease ONLY the bottoms of two loaf pans. Measure yogurt into a medium sized mixing bowl. Add sugar and blend until creamy and slightly thick approx 2-3 minutes. Add oil and blend through. Add zucchini and vanilla and stir until mixed through. Sift flour in a medium bowl and add cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to it. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients a little at a time. Fold ingredients into each other just until nicely combined. Pour batter into loaf pans, and put into oven. Bake for 1 hour or until it tests done.*

Tips:
Be sure to grease only the bottom of your loaf pans and not the sides. This will insure that your finished product will have a nice smooth edge around the top. It's all about presentation!
It may take longer than an hour to bake, up to 90 minutes, depending on your oven.

*To test for doneness, insert a toothpick or skewer in the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, it's done!

Cheery Cherry Ice Cream

 Here's an easy frozen something to keep you cool during the summer heat. I saw it on a site called Just a Pinch, and figured it was the perfect thing since it's been so hot out lately. Now, I have to say, I didn't do it exactly as the recipe directed. The original recipe required you to whip the cream and then fold it into the cherry mixture, then freeze it in the freezer. Since I have an ice cream maker, I just stirred everything together in a bowl and then processed it for about 30 minutes. It worked perfectly! If you like maraschino cherries, you're gonna LOVE this!

1 jar(s) (10 ounce) maraschino cherries, undrained and cut into fourths (or smaller, if preferred).

1 can(s) (14 ounce) sweetened condensed milk

3 Tbsp lime juice

1 tsp grated lime zest, optional

1 c heavy whipping cream

  Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Pour into canister of your ice cream maker. Freeze for 20-30 minutes. Transfer to a freezer safe container and place in freezer until firm.

-OR-

 Combine undrained Maraschino Cherries and juice, sweetened condensed milk, lime juice and lime zest in a large bowl. Whip cream in a medium bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until stiff peaks form. Fold Whipped Cream into Cherry mixture. Pour into a 2 quart freezer-safe container or a 9x5-inch loaf pan to freeze her ice cream. Cover and freeze until firm. Or you can leave in the freezer overnight.


Tips:
I think the next time I make this, I won't add the lime zest. I think the lime juice added plenty enough lime flavor to the ice cream. Otherwise it becomes VERY tart.
I also might try this with another kind of cherries. Maybe if I can find Bing cherries in a syrup. Yum! That would be awesome.And perhaps I'll add a little vanilla extract, just to give it more of that cherry vanilla flavor that I love.
Btw, as you can see, I added a little chocolate syrup over the top. Just like a chocolate covered cherry cordial!! SO good.