#COOKING WITH CLORIS--APPLE CRANBERRY MUFFINS WITH PECAN STREUSEL

I made these apple cranberry muffins topped with a pecan streusel for a Christmas brunch, but you you don't need a holiday to enjoy them.

Apple Cranberry Muffins with Pecan Streusel

Ingredients:

1 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 egg, beaten

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup + 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 lg. Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced

1 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup pecans

2 T. unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 12-ct. muffin tin.

Soak cranberries in water to rehydrate.

In small bowl mix together applesauce, oil, and egg.

Reserve 1 teaspoon granulated sugar. In large bowl whisk together remaining granulated sugar, brown sugar, flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.

Fold wet mixture into dry mixture. Drain cranberries. Fold cranberries and diced apples into batter. Divide evenly between muffin cups.

In food processor pulse together remaining sugar, pecans, and butter until crumbly. Spoon evenly over batter.

Bake 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 5 minutes before removing.

#COOKING WITH CLORIS--APPLE CRANBERRY CRUMBLE

Autumn means falling leaves and falling temperatures. It’s also apple-picking season. If you have an overabundance of apples (and who doesn’t this time of year?), here’s a quick recipe that works well with oatmeal for breakfast, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for dessert, or just by itself as a yummy treat.

Apple Cranberry Crumble

Ingredients:

2-3 lg. Granny Smith apples

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

2 T. unsweetened butter

Peel and core apples. Dice into bite-size pieces. Place in bowl. Add cranberries. Reserve 1/8 cup brown sugar. Toss the apples and cranberries with remaining brown sugar and cinnamon. Divide mixture evenly into two greased ramekins.

Pulse the butter, walnuts, and remaining brown sugar in food processor. Fold into fruit.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

#COOKING WITH CLORIS--GUEST AUTHOR CONSTANCE WALKER ON AUTUMN AND APPLE PIE

Constance Walker is the author of several Gothic and contemporary fiction works. Learn more about her and her books at her website. 

Ode to Autumn

Autumn is my favorite season – there’s an orderliness about it that I like and after long, hot sunny lazy days of “where shall we go, what shall we eat, what shall we do?” summer, there’s a return to planning in almost every part of our lives. It’s time to get back to the routines of jobs, school, family, and friends. As the Professor in my new novel, Storytime at the Villa Maria, believes, it’s really the beginning of a new year. And it is!

It’s goodbye to summer meals that you never felt like cooking and hello to thick vegetable soups and stews and lasagna and spaghetti. It’s hello to winter pears and juicy oranges and baked potatoes and hot cocoa in the evening, fragrant teas in the afternoon. It’s fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies and sponge cakes and hot fruit pies. (Ella, another Villa resident, always baked “sweet apple pies” for her war-wounded veteran husband.)

Autumn has its own language of clothes:  it conjures scarves and jackets and gloves and heavy sweaters – Sophie, who also lives in the Villa, loves to knit them for her family and friends. It’s taking out that old soft sweatshirt that you’ve had for years – the one you swear you’re going to throw away “soon” but somehow never can because it’s your lucky sweatshirt that has so many good memories.

There are autumn words and phrases that convey feelings of home and family and peace and calm:  “Brisk” walks on city streets and country roads, “chilly” nights that require a blanket or afghan, “windy” days and nights like when, Ben, another character, has to retrieve the hat of a Villa resident that has blown down the street.

Even autumn light is different – somehow the sun is a deeper gold, the sky bluer and the clouds whiter and more distinct. The season’s colors – burgundy and crimson and deep yellows and purples and oranges are reflected in big pots of chrysanthemums and pumpkins, and golden tans, scarlets and dark green shades show in just-about-to, or already, fallen leaves.

There’s a refresh/reset button for people in September, October and November – it’s a getting back to order before the cold comes. It’s a vow to straighten closets and drawers, to read a book, to listen to the sounds and rhythms of the family. It’s children’s arithmetic homework, it’s taking care of the family and having lots of “sniffle” tissues in the house, and it’s a “must lose ten pounds before the holidays” promise to yourself. It’s getting back to old friends – Saturday night get-togethers for adults and board and electronic games with the children, and the promise of Hallowe’en fun for the kids and the excitement of many religions’ holidays to come.

Autumn is the beginning of everything in its place, everything in order. Autumn is my favorite time of the year. I look forward to it. I revel in it.

Autumn is…

The characters in Storytime at the Villa Maria are in the late-autumn/early winter of their lives, but that doesn't stop them from enjoying whatever the golden years may bring.

Dutch Apple Pie

Ingredients:

1 deep dish pie shell (everyone has their own favorite way of making pastry) 

6 cups peeled, cored and sliced apples (I use a combination of tart and sweet apples like Granny Smith McIntosh, Johnathon Gold, Winesap, etc.)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 tbsp. lemon juice

1/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon cardamom

Topping:

3/4 cup flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2/3 cup brown sugar. Packed

1/3 cup butter or margarine at room temperature

Preheat oven to 375F degrees F.

In a large bowl, mix the sliced apples, lemon juice, sugars, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom. Place mixture in pie shell, mounding the apples higher in the middle.

In another bowl, blend together the topping ingredients with a fork or pastry blender until it begins to crumble. Sprinkle the crumble mixture evenly over the sliced apples.

Bake for 45-50 minutes until the crust and topping are deep golden brown.

Storytime at the Villa Maria

Meet…

Dominick, who married “the most beautiful woman in the world”…

Sophie, who is haunted by terrifying memories of the Holocaust…

Ella, who made “sweet apple pies” for her war veteran husband…

Tom, whose music lured women into his arms…

Artie, who is plagued by the ghosts of long-dead soldiers…

Frank, who can't let go of his yesterdays, though a better tomorrow beckons…

Join them and others as they gather every Monday night in the library at the Villa Maria to share their memories, their fears, and their dreams.

Storytime at the Villa Maria—the unforgettable book about life lived and still to be lived, and about the mysterious threads of joy and heartache and love that are woven into every life—including your own! 

A charming novel of senior citizens, storytelling, nostalgia, and a world gone by but not forgotten

    

Buy Links

paperback

ebook 

#COOKING WITH CLORIS--MINI PUFF PASTRY APPLE TARTS

Mini Puff Pastry Apple Tarts

(makes 12)

Ingredients:

1 sheet frozen puff pastry

1 T. melted butter

2 lg. apples, one Granny Smith and one Macoun

2 T. lt. brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Thaw puff pastry for about half an hour until it can be unfolded and rolled but is still cold. Roll out on a slightly floured surface to approximately 10” x 15”. Using a pizza cutter, cut into 12 equal pieces.

Peel, core, and roughly chop apples. Combine sugar, cinnamon, and lemon zest. Toss apples in this mixture.

Grease a 12-cup muffin tin. Place pastry squares into each cup of muffin tin, pressing into bottom and along sides.

Brush pastry with melted butter. Divide apples evenly between muffin tin cups.

Bake 25-30 minutes. Cool on wire rack before removing from tin. If desired, serve with vanilla ice cream.

#COOKING WITH CLORIS--GUEST AUTHOR KATIE O'BOYLE AND APPLE CRISP

Author Katie O’Boyle writes sweet contemporary romances. Learn more about her and her books at her website. 

I grew up in “apple country,” the Finger Lakes of Upstate New York. In fact, my father planted an apple orchard in the backyard, twelve unique trees, including varieties seldom seen today: Rome Beauty, Burgundy, Mutzu (called Crispin in supermarkets), Northern Spy, and more, some with coded names from Cornell University’s New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in nearby Geneva.

Apple desserts were abundant at my house, and I loved apple crisp unadorned. I’m less of a purist today and enjoy combining fruits and sometimes adding raisins or other flavor-enhancers.

A few years back, I was diagnosed with Celiacs, and now my crisps are gluten-free. You’ll find an easy recipe below for gluten-free crisp, using fresh apples and plums.

Farm-to-table food is a theme in my Lakeside Porches romances. Lyssa, heroine of Waking Up To Love, is known for her apple pie and fruit crisps. She likes to bring one fresh from the oven as a hostess gift. On an apple-picking date with the devilishly handsome Rand Cunningham, she promises him an apple pie. But when Rand doesn’t show up for their dinner date, Lyssa starts to wonder about him.

Plum-Good Apple Crisp

(gluten free)

In late September, black plums are ripe, and McIntosh apples are red and juicy on the tree. Together, they make a palate pleasing crisp, whether gluten-free (GF) or not. This recipe uses Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-free 1-to-1 Baking Flour, although any baking flour will work.

Fruit mix:

4 black plums

4-6 McIntosh apples

3/4 cup sugar

1 T. GF baking flour mix

1 T. lemon juice

Topping mix:

3/4 cup + 2 T. GF baking flour mix

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

6 tbsp. butter, cold

1 tsp. lemon zest

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8” square pan with butter.

Prepare the fruit mix: Remove the pit from the plums and slice into 1/4” wedges. Place in large bowl with sugar, flour, and lemon juice. Peel and slice the apples, enough to nearly fill the pan. Toss fruit mixture to coat. Let stand.

Prepare the topping: Whisk together flour mix, brown sugar, and zest. Use a pastry cutter to work in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Transfer fruit mix to pan and distribute evenly. Sprinkle on topping, covering completely. Bake 45 minutes until fruit is tender and bubbling, and topping is slightly browned.

Serve warm or cold. Makes 8-9 servings.

Waking Up to Love

Book 4 of the Lakeside Porches series

Kyle Pennington broke Lyssa’s heart when he let her go, rather than interfere with her budding career. An ocean away now, Lyssa has fallen under the spell of golden-tongued Rand Cunningham who’s in a hurry to marry her. But Kyle is miserable without her and is willing to risk everything to get her back. Will Lyssa wake up in time to ask who she really loves?

Buy Link

#COOKING WITH CLORIS--SKILLET APPLE-BLUEBERRY CRISP

Skillet Apple-Blueberry Crisp

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

pinch of salt

4 large or 6 medium apples

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Core, trim, and chop apples into bite-sized pieces, leaving skins on.

Melt 5 tablespoons of butter in large skillet. Add nuts, lemon zest, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Toss to coat. Cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown. Remove from pan.

Melt remaining butter in pan. Add apples and blueberries. Cook, stirring frequently, until apples are soft but not mushy. Mix topping back in. Stir together. Serve warm by itself or over vanilla ice cream.

COOKING WITH CLORIS - GUEST TERRI L. AUSTIN

Today we have mystery author Terri L. Austin subbing for Cloris. Terri is the author of the Rose Strickland Mysteries. Diners, Dives and Dead Ends was the first book in the series and has been followed by Last Diner Standing.  Read more about Terri and her books and her website and the Little Read Hens group blog. -- AP

Thanks so much for having me on Killer Crafts & Crafty Killers today. Since I write a mystery series set in a diner that serves only breakfast, people ask me about my specialty breakfast dish. The truth is I’m more at home eating in a diner than cooking breakfast. My husband is the omelet maker around here and for good reason.

My main character isn’t much of a cook, either. She’s a waitress and reluctant sleuth. In her second outing, Last Diner Standing, Rose Strickland is having a blue Christmas. Her friend is arrested for attempted murder, her sexy bad guy crush is marked by a hit man, and her boss is locked in an epic smack-down with a rival diner. Determined to save those she loves, Rose embarks on an investigation more tangled than a box of last year's tree lights. With her eclectic gang at the ready, Rose stumbles across dead bodies, ex-cons, jilted lovers, and a gaggle of strippers as she searches for the truth. What she finds will leave her entrenched in a battle for freedom she might not survive. Buy link 

While you won’t find recipes in my novels, this is an Apple Butter recipe I make all the time. I use the microwave, and it couldn’t be easier. I don’t can it, so it’s not sealed. I simply store it in an airtight container and it’s good for a week to ten days. If it lasts that long—which it rarely does in my house.

I’ve adapted this recipe from Gifts of Great Taste published by Leisure Arts, 1989. Enjoy.

Microwave Apple Butter

Ingredients:

6 medium cooking apples, peeled, cored, and chopped fine

½ c. apple cider or juice

2 c. firmly packed brown sugar

1 ½ t. cinnamon

¼ t. nutmeg (use ½ t. if you’re a nutmeg nut)

1/8 t. ground cloves

Place apples and cider in micro-proof bowl. Cover with plastic wrap. Microwave on high about 10 minutes. (This recipe is an old one and calls for 15 minutes cooking time. But microwaves are more powerful now, so I’d do about ten minutes and see if apples are tender.) Carefully remove plastic wrap—watch out for the steam!—and stir in remaining ingredients. 

Cook 5 minutes more. (Cook this time without the plastic wrap, but you might want to cover it with a damp paper towel to prevent splatter.) Remove from microwave and test for tenderness. Apples should be extremely soft. 

Let the apples cool before placing in a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Store in airtight container and refrigerate.

Thanks for joining us today, Terri. The apple butter recipe sounds yummy! -- AP 

COOKING WITH CLORIS -- CRANBERRY APPLE CRISP

In winter we all seem to gravitate more toward comfort foods. Maybe it has to do with the cold, dark days. One of my favorite comfort foods is apple crisp. Today Cloris offers up a yummy version. -- AP

CRANBERRY APPLE CRISP
(serves 8)

Ingredients:

4 cups Granny Smith apples, cored and cut into 1” pieces

2 cups fresh cranberries

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1-1/2 cups uncooked oatmeal (not the quick-cooking kind)

1/2 cup packed lt. brown sugar

1/3 cup flour

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 stick unsalted butter, melted

In a large bowl mix together apples, crafberries and granulated sugar. Spoon into a greased 2-qt. baking dish.

Mix together the oats, brown sugar, flour, and walnuts. Stir in the melted butter. Sprinkle oatmeal mixture evenly over the fruit mixture.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes or until apples are tender. Serve warm or cold.

And this is so yummy with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt. -- AP

COOKING WITH CLORIS -- APPLE BUNDT CAKE

Cloris features on of my favorite versions of apple cake today. This is a great recipe for holiday entertaining. -- AP

APPLE BUNDT CAKE

Ingredients:

5 cooking apples

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2-1/4 cups sugar

1 cup butter

3 cups flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup orange juice

4 eggs

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1 teaspoon almond extract

confectioner’s sugar

Peel and slice apples. Place in bowl. Add cinnamon and 1/4 cup sugar. Mix to coat apples. Set aside. Cream the butter and remaining 2 cups of sugar. Mix all other dry ingredients together. Slowly add dry ingredients to butter/sugar mixture. Combine eggs, juice, vanilla, and almond extract. Slowly add to other ingredients as you continue to mix. Batter will be thick.

Grease and flour bundt pan. Place small amount of batter in bottom of pan. Add a layer of apples. Continue layering batter and apples, with batter as last layer.

Back at 350 degrees for 1-1/2 hours. Cool on wire rack 15-20 minutes. Remove cake from bundt pan. Dust with confectioner’s sugar.

The only problem with this cake is that you can’t stop eating it. What do you think, readers? Anyone going to try it? Post a comment to enter the drawing for a free book from our Book Club Friday guest author. -- AP