Apple-Cinnamon Streusel Bars

Here's a sweet treat that I made recently. I love anything with a streusal top, so when I saw this recipe, I knew I'd have to try it. I really like the texture of the bar, but it doesn't have a very strong apple flavor. If I were to make it again I would add either some fresh chopped apple or applesauce to the recipe.

Apple-Cinnamon Streusal Bars
found in the 2011 Better Homes and Gardens Christmas Cookie magazine
2 cups flour
1 1/2 cup oatmeal
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1 cup butter, cut into 8 pieces
1 8-oz package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup chopped dried apples
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup powdered sugar
3-4 tsp milk

Preheat oven to 350.
To make crust: stir together flour, oats, granulated sugar, 2 tsp cinnamon, and ginger. Cut in butter until it makes coarse crumbs. Set aside 1 cup of crumb mixture. Press the rest into a 9x13 pan.
To make filling: beat cream cheese, apples, walnuts, sweetened condensed milk, maple syrup, and 1 tsp cinnamon. Beat until well combined. Spread evenly over crust. Sprinkle with reserved crumb topping.
Make for 35-40 minutes. Cool completely.
To make icing: stir together powdered sugar and milk. Drizzle over uncut bars.

Apple-Ginger Snack Cake

I absolutely love apple desserts! To be quite honest, it might be my favorite part of autumn and winter. While this cake was in the oven our whole house smelled amazing. So warm and cozy!

Apple-Ginger Snack Cake

found in September's All You magazine

1 cup chopped walnuts (I used only 1/2 cup)

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp salt

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, melted

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 tsp vanilla

4 large apples, peeled, cored, and chopped

frosting:

6 oz cream cheese, at room temperature

2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp lemon zest (I omitted)

1/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger (I omitted)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 pan with non-stick cooking spray. Spread nuts in pan and bake until lightly toasted (5-7 minutes).

In a bowl, mix flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt.

In a separate bowl mix together butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Add flour mixture. Fold in apples and walnuts. (batter will be thick) Spread in prepared pan and bake 45-50 minutes. Let cool completely.

To make frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter. Beat in lemon juice and powdered sugar. Fold in zest. Spread on cooled cake. Sprinkle with ginger.

Birthday Crisp

I know most people celebrate birthdays with cake...but after cupcakes twice this week I needed to make something different. Luckily Caroline was up for a birthday apple cranberry crisp!


I found this recipe on weightwatchers.com and liked the contrast between the baked apples and the craisins. It was slightly tart, slightly sweet, and definitely party-worthy.

Apple Cranberry Crisp
serves 6
5 points each

4 apples, peeled and slices
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 cup uncooked oatmeal
2 tablespoons unpacked brown sugar
2 tablespoons reduced calorie margarine
1 tsp cinnamon

In a large bowl, combine apples, lemon juice, and sugar. Toss to coat. Place in the bottom of a 9" pie plate. Sprinkle with dried cranberries.
In a medium bowl mix oatmeal, brown sugar, margarine and cinnamon. Sprinkle over apple mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes. 3/4 cup = one serving.

Dreamy Apple Pie

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! We had a great time celebrating and spending time with family. One of the recipes I made was this pie I found on Pioneer Woman. It is perhaps the best apple pie that I have ever made. You MUST try this! I didn't alter the recipe at all, so here's a link to it. Dreamy Apple Pie

Parisian Apple Tartlet

This week's TWD recipe was the Parisian Apple Tartlet. I thought that it looked too good (and easy) to be true. Not only does it look like something you'd find in a bakery case, it's delicious. One of the best parts of the recipe was how easy it was to put together. To make it even easier I made mine into squares/rectangles instead of the preferred circles. I'd recommend this to anyone that would like a yummy dessert but is a little short on time.

Parisian Apple Tartlet

(makes one 4-inch tartlet)

1 1/8-inch-think 4-inch circle cold puff pastry

1/2 firm sweet apple (such as Golden Delicious), peeled and cored

Light brown sugar

1 tsp butter, cut into three pieces

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Put pastry circle on the sheet.

Cut the apple half into four chunks and center the chunks on the pastry circle. Sprinkle the apple with 1-2 tsp brown sugar - depending on how much sweetness you want - and dot with bits of butter.

Bake tartlet for 25 minutes, until the pastry is deeply browned and puffed up around the apple and the apple can be easily pierced with the tip of a knife.