Apple Fritters

• YieldMakes about 20

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 4 teaspoons vegetable oil, plus 2 cups for frying
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 4 medium tart apples, such as Granny Smith, cored, peeled, and cut into 1/2-inch-thick rings

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, combine 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon. In another medium bowl, whisk buttermilk, 4 teaspoons oil, and eggs. Stir in flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, and salt.
2. In a large, heavy, high-sided skillet, heat 2 cups oil until it registers 375 degrees on a deep-fat or candy thermometer. (The oil should bubble rapidly when a drop of batter is added.) In batches, coat apples in batter and fry until golden brown, about 4 minutes per batch, flipping halfway through. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet to drain. Toss apples in cinnamon sugar and serve immediately.
   
   
   -From Martha Stewart

Apple Pie Cheesecake Stuffed French Toast with Apple Butter

Apple Pie Cheesecake Stuffed French Toast with Apple Butter

Prep Time:

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Inactive Prep Time:

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Cook Time:

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Level:

Easy

Serves:

6 servings

INGREDIENTS

French Toast:

• 6 large eggs
• 2 cups milk
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie seasoning
• 9 slices of whole wheat sandwich bread, cut in half
• 1 8oz bar of cream cheese, softened
• 3 apples, cut off the core, leave peel on
• 2 tsp pumpkin pie seasoning, for dusting
• your favorite pancake syrup
• 2 tsp confectioners' sugar

• Apple Butter:

  • 1 stick of unsalted butter
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/2 apple

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place apples for both french toast and apple butter in a pan and cover with water.  Boil until soft.

Whisk first 5 ingredients together. Heat large skillet over medium high heat.  Spray with non-stick spray.  Using tongs dip bread in egg mixture and place in batches into skillet.  Once browned flip and brown other side.  Spray a 8x8 baking dish with non-stick spray.  Place toasted bread in bottom of dish making one layer.  Cut cream cheese into sections 1/8 inch thick.  Place the cream cheese on top of bread.  Place cooked apple slices on top of cream cheese forming one layer (reserving the 1/2 cooked apple for the apple butter).  Place a second layer of bread on top of apples.  Place another layer of cream cheese on top of bread.  Place last layer of toasted bread on top of cream cheese.  Pour any remaining egg mixture on top of bread.  Sprinkle with pumpkin pie seasoning on top of bread.  Bake in oven for 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, make butter by placing all ingredients in a food processor.  Once blended place in the fridge till butter is the consistency of margarine.

Once french toast is done remove from oven pour syrup over top and dust confectioners' sugar and spoon apple butter on top.  Serve hot!

Cooks Note:  This can be made ahead of time and baked just before serving.  It also reheats nicely in the microwave.

Apple Strudel Cups 

Prep Time:

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Inactive Prep Time:

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Cook Time:

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Level:

Easy

Serves:

12 servings

INGREDIENTS

Strudel:

• • 1/4 cup apple cider
  • 1/2 cup currants
  • 2 to 3 Granny Smith apples (about 1 pound), peeled, cored, halved, and thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest, grated
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 cup lady fingers, diced
  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1 pound package of frozen dough
  • 4 tablespoons butter, melted, for brushing phyllo sheets, plus more if needed
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon sugar

• Icing:

  • 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
  • 3 tbsp milk
  • 
    
  • Caramel Sauce, optional

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a muffin tin with non-stick spray.

In a small bowl, pour the apple cider over the currants and microwave on high for 45 seconds. Let sit for 15 minutes.

Combine the currants, apples, lemon juice, lemon zest, cinnamon, brown sugar, lady fingers, and walnuts, in a large bowl.

Remove the phyllo dough from the box, unfold, and cover with a damp towel. Cut dough into six squares.  Place 4 sheets of phyllo on the work surface and brush lightly with melted butter. Place into an opening in the muffin tin.  Repeat with 4 more sheets, brushing each with melted butter, place on top first layer at a 90 degree angle.  Repeat filling the other muffin tin openings, until each is filled.

Spoon the apple mixture in the muffin cups. Take 4more sheets.  Brush with butter, fold into a triangle.  Place on top of the apple mixture.  Repeat with each cup.  Brush the tops with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

Bake for 30 minutes, until golden brown. Mix together icing ingredients.  Drizzle the icing and caramel sauce over the strudel cups.

When Brian was born in 2006 I was up about the same time each night for feedings.  While he would eat I would pop on the TV to stay awake.  The only show that seemed to spike my interest was The Phantom Gourmet.  One night they featured a restaurant in Maine (I think) that had "the best" stuffed french toast.  The head chef showed how to make it but never gave ingredient amounts.  The next day I bought all of the ingredients.  My first batch was a hit with the family.  Over the years I have tweaked the recipe adding my own touch to it.  Today I hit a home run with this rendition of my blueberry stuffed french toast.

Blueberry Stuffed French Toast

Prep Time:

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Inactive Prep Time:

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Cook Time:

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Level:

Easy

Serves:

4 servings

INGREDIENTS

French Toast:

• 4 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup half and half
• 8 slices of sandwich bread or texas toast, cut in half
• 1 8oz bar of cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
• your favorite pancake syrup
• 2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar

• Lemon Glaze:

  • 1 cup confectioners sugar
  • 2-3 tablespoon half and half
  • 1 or 2 dashes of salt
  • 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon lemon extract

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Whisk eggs, half and half and cinnamon together. Heat large skillet over medium high heat.  Spray with non-stick spray.  Using tongs dip bread in egg mixture and place in batches into skillet.  Once browned flip and brown other side.  Spray a 8x8 baking dish with non-stick spray.  Place toasted bread in bottom of dish making one layer.  Cut cream cheese into sections 1/8 inch thick.  Place the cream cheese on top of bread.  Sprinkle blueberries on top of cheese.  Sprinkle half of cinnamon sugar and drizzle some of the syrup on top of the blueberries.  Place a second layer of bread on top of blueberries.  Pour any remaining egg mixture on top of bread.  Sprinkle remaining cinnamon sugar and drizzle a bit more syrup on top of bread.  Bake in oven for 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, make glaze by whisking all ingredients in a small bowl.

Once french toast is done remove from oven and drizzle lemon glaze over top.  Serve hot!

Cooks Note:  This can be made ahead of time and baked just before serving.  It also reheats nicely in the microwave.

A Note & A Yummy Breakfast

After getting home from NYC Keith and I had some work to catch up on so we did not get to bed till very late.  We left a note for the kids and they were so good I made two kinds of Baked Oatmeal.  The kids loved it and cleaned their bowls.  Since then they have begged to have me make it again.

Fruity Baked Oatmeal

Resse's Baked Oatmeal

Resse's Baked Oatmeal

9 ServingsPrep: 15 min. Bake: 35 min.

Ingredients

• 3 cups quick-cooking oats
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup fat-free milk
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 cup chocolate chunks
• Additional fat-free milk, optional

Directions

• In a large bowl, combine the oats, brown sugar, baking powder, salt
• and cinnamon. Combine the eggs, milk and butter; add to the dry
• ingredients. Stir in the peanut butter and chocolate.
• Pour into an 8-in. square baking dish coated with cooking spray.
• Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until a knife
• inserted near the center comes out clean. Cut into squares. Serve
• with milk if desired. Yield: 9 servings.

Fruity Baked Oatmeal

9 ServingsPrep: 15 min. Bake: 35 min.

Ingredients

• 3 cups quick-cooking oats
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup fat-free milk
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 3/4 cup chopped peeled tart apple
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh or frozen peaches
• 1/3 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
• Additional fat-free milk, optional

Directions

• In a large bowl, combine the oats, brown sugar, baking powder, salt
• and cinnamon. Combine the eggs, milk and butter; add to the dry
• ingredients. Stir in the apple, peaches and blueberries.
• Pour into an 8-in. square baking dish coated with cooking spray.
• Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until a knife
• inserted near the center comes out clean. Cut into squares. Serve
• with milk if desired. Yield: 9 servings.

From Taste of Home