Paper Bag Apple Pie

I saw this recipe on the King Arthur Flour site and I was intrigued.  I've never cooked anything in a paper bag and I loved the idea of the mess staying in the bag and not in my oven.  This pie was delish!  I will definitely be making this again.  Think apple crisp, plus apple pie.

Paper Bag Apple Pie

Recipe for your favorite pie crust. You only need one crust for the bottom.

Filling:

8 cups of apples, peeled, cored, and sliced

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

3 tbs. unbleached all-purpose flour

Struesel topping:

1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 1/2 cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) cold butter, cut into pats

Put the sliced apples in a microwavable bowl, stir in the brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg.

Microwave the filling uncovered for 5 minutes.

Stir in the flour.

Preheat the oven 425 F.

Roll out the pie crust and place in the pie pan.

Spoon the filling into the crust.

Make the topping:  Combine, the sugar and flour, and butter.  Use a pastry cutter to mix the above together until crumbly.

Sprinkle the struesel over the top of the filling.

Place the pie in a brown grocery paper bag and close securely and staple shut.  Place the bag on a cookie sheet.

Bake the pie for one hour.

Remove the pie from the oven.  Cut the bag open and carefully remove it avoiding the steam.  Place on a rack to cool for 30 minutes.
Serve with ice cream if desired.


Source: King Arthur Flour

Blueberry Walnut Granola

I love a good homemade granola.

When we went to Chicago last spring my dear friend and excellent hostess had a variety of breakfast treats out for us every morning.  She had made the most delicious granola, and I of course asked about the recipe.  She told me it came from Gale Gand's Brunch cookbook.  I should have known.  Those of you that are long time readers of Young Adventures may remember the chocolate waffles that I made from this amazing cookbook.  If you like breakfast food, run don't walk to the store and purchase this book.

I have been thinking about this recipe and tweaking it in the back of my mind for some time now.  I finally got around to making it and I am very happy with the way it turned out.

This will make a great breakfast with milk or yogurt.  I also think it would be a great after-school snack.

Feel free to swap out the fruit and nuts for your favorite.

Blueberry Walnut Granola

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

1/4 cup orange juice

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 teaspoon almond extract

4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

3/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 cup wheat germ

1/4 cup ground flax seed

1 cup dried blueberries (I get mine at Costco)

1. Heat the oven  to 325 degrees.  Line a large rimmed cookie sheet with parchment paper.

2. Combine the honey, maple syrup, orange juice, butter in a small saucepan.  Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat.  Watch this closely and don't let it boil over. 

3.  Reduce the heat and simmer it for 5 minutes, stirring often.  Remove from the heat and add the almond extract.

4.  Mix the oats, coconut, walnuts and salt in a large bowl.  Pour the hot mixture over the oat mixture.  Stir all of this together until it is thoroughly coated.  Spread it evenly on a baking sheet.

5.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Add the blueberries and bake for another 15 to 18 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown.

6.  Remove the granola for the oven and place the pan on a cooling rack.  Once the granola has cooled, stir and place in an airtight container at room temperature.  It will keep for up to two weeks.

Enjoy!

Source: Adapted from Gale Gand's Brunch  

Tomatoes on toast

Do you have a million tomatoes and you're running out of ideas as to what to do with all of them?

This is just a quick and easy lunch idea I came up with for myself.

Tomatoes on Toast

1 large slice of good bread (I used sourdough)

1 garlic clove paper skin removed

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 or 2 tomatoes sliced (enough to cover your bread)

Fresh basil, torn into pieces

1.  Toast your bread in the toaster to your desired toastiness.

2.  Remove the bread and place on a plate.  Now take the garlic clove and rub it all over the bread until there is not much garlic left. I LOVE GARLIC!!

3. Top with your sliced tomatoes.  Drizzle a bit of olive oil on top of the tomatoes.  Scatter your basil on top.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Easy and delicious.  

P.S.

Make sure to brush your teeth after eating this sandwich.  Otherwise you might scare the neighbors away.

xoxo

Rachel

Source: Young Adventures

Young Adventures Pasta Salad

No one will eat macaroni salad in this home, but if I mention pasta salad their eyes light up and I hear yum.  I serve this as a main dish with fruit for dinner in the summer time.  You could serve it as a 

side dish of course, but it's summer make... things easy for yourself.

Pasta Salad

1/2 of a box of farfalle pasta, about 8 oz.

1/2 cup light mayonnaise

1/4 cup light vinegar (like white wine or rice wine)

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

Salt and Pepper

1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese

4 oz. of feta either crumbled or cube it yourself 

1/2 cup Kalamata olives

1/4 pound of salami cut up in quarters or pepperoni

1 cup grape tomatoes

1.  Cook the pasta according to the package directions.

2.  While the pasta is cooking prepare the other ingredients.  In a large bowl combine mayo, vinegar, seasoning, salt, pepper,  Parmesan, and feta.

3.  When the pasta is finished cooking drain and rise under cold water until it is no longer hot.

4.  Add the cooked pasta to the bowl and stir with the dressing until it is combined.  Add the olives, salami, and tomatoes and stir until everything is incorporated.  Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Source: Young Adventures

French Onion Dip

Someone in our house is a fan of the potato chip dip you can get at the grocery store.  Nothing against it, but I thought we could do better.  I think I was right!  If you love potato chip dip, you should most certainly try this.  It is super easy to make and so much better.

French Onion Dip

3/4 cup 0% fat Greek yogurt

1/4 cup light mayo

Dash of granulated onion (I get mine from Penzey's)

salt and pepper 

1  large sweet onion

olive oil

1.  Chop the onion into medium to small pieces.  

2.  In a medium size skillet add about 1 tablespoon of olive oil.  Add the onions and about 1 teaspoon of salt.  Cook over medium to low heat until the onions start to turn brown and caramelize.  This will take about 40-50 minutes.  Set aside to cool.

3.  While the onions are cooling.  In a medium size bowl mix together the yogurt and mayo until incorporated. Add the granulated onion, salt and pepper.  Stir in the cooled onions.  Taste and see if any additional seasonings are needed.    Serve immediately with chips.

Enjoy!

Source: Young Adventures

Cinnamon Maple Banana Smoothie

I know, another smoothie...but I love.

Cinnamon Maple Banana Smoothie

1 banana

1 cup of skim milk

1 tablespoon of pure maple syrup

a healthy dash of cinnamon

Place all the ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth. 

Yum!

Source: Young Adventures
This recipe shared with Gooseberry Patch

Leftover Fruit Smoothies

I've been making a variety of smoothies this summer.  I love fruit, and I especially love summer fruit.

My Mom, brought a beautiful bowl of fruit for the 4th of July and left it with us.  I wasn't sure what I was going to do with all of it, but then decided to try it in a smoothie.  It was fabulous!  So if you have an overabundance of fruit, try making a smoothie with it and see what you think.

Leftover Fruit Smoothies

There really is no "right" way to make these smoothies, so use this as a guideline and go with what you think sounds good.

Watermelon, sliced and cut into cubes

Strawberries, stems removed

Blueberries

1 Banana

Throw all of your ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Doesn't that sound like a great way to start your morning!

xoxo

Rachel

White Sangria

This is the kind of sangria you want to serve your girlfriends.  It's sweet, juicy, and full of fruity flavor.  Be careful though, you'll want to drink the whole pitcher he he.

White Sangria


3 nectarines cut into wedges
3/4 -1 cup raspberries
1 plum cut into wedges
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1 bottle of white wine (preferably something on the sweeter side, I used Dr. Beckerman's Alsace)
1/4 cup limencello


In a small saucepan combine the raspberries, water, and sugar.  Heat over low heat until stirring occasionally until the sugar is dissolved.
Remove from the heat and cool completely.
In a large pitcher combine the nectarines and plum.  Pour any juices from the fruit also into the pitcher.  Add the raspberries and the liquid from the saucepan.  Pour in the wine and limencello.  Chill for at least six hours.  Enjoy!


Source: Young Adventures

Grilled Stone Fruit Crisp

It's way to hot to turn my oven on, so I turned to my grill.
This crisp was out of this world and I loved that it baked on the grill and I didn't have to heat up our home.
Be careful when you take this off the grill, use the best oven mit you have.  The pan is EXTREMELY hot.

Grilled Stone Fruit Crisp

Peaches, Plums, nectarines cut into wedges ( I used about 8 pieces of fruit)

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 tablespoons cornstarch

7 tablespoons cold unsalted butter cut into small pieces about 1-inch

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup oatmeal

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

In a glass bowl place 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar, 1 tsp. of the cinnamon, and the cornstarch.  Whisk until the ingredients are combined.  Add the fruit and stir.  Spoon the fruit into a 10-inch cast iron pan.

In another bowl place the butter, flour, oatmeal, brown sugar, and 1/2 cup of granulated sugar and 1 tsp. of cinnamon.  Cut the mixture with a pastry cutter or a couple of knives until it is crumbly and the butter is the size of peas.  Spoon the topping over the filling.
Set up the the grill for indirect grilling and preheat to medium. Go here for instructions on how to do that.
When ready to bake, place the pan in the center of the hot grate, away from the heat and cover the grill.  Cook the crisp until the filling is bubbly and the topping is brown, about 40-60 minutes.  Remove from the grill and let it cool for about 10 minutes.  Serve with ice cream if desired.


Source: Adapted from BBQ USA

Grandma Anderson's Calico Baked Beans

I love these beans!  They are so delicious and really they could be a meal by themselves.  I ask my sister Elizabeth to bring them every year to our fourth of July get together and she complies.  I tell her what food to bring and she tells me what to wear.  Our relationship is good like that.

My other sister Susie is making recipes in her crock pot this week, since it is crazy hot outside!  So Sus, I suggest you make these.

The recipe comes from Elizabeth's good friend's Grandmother.  I don't know the history of the recipe, except that it is Grandma's.

Please, please make these beans they are so yummy!

Grandma Anderson's Calico Baked Beans

1/2 lb ground beef or turkey
1/2 lb bacon
1 med onion chopped
1tsp dry mustard
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup ketchup
1 can each; pork and beans, kidney beans, butter beans, lima beans

Brown meat, bacon and onion. Mix all ingredients and bake, covered @ 350 for one hour. Elizabeth always cooks them  in her crock pot on low.

Source: Elizabeth Varghese
This recipe shared with Walking on Sunshine Recipes

Frozen Milk Punch

I saw a recipe a number of years ago for milk punch and it looked so good.  I was looking for the right time to make it and I decided the 4th of July would be perfect.  The only regret I have with this recipe is not making it sooner.  Everyone loved it!  Brian said it tasted like ice cream.  It is really yummy, go make some you won't regret it.

Frozen Milk Punch

I used 1/2 cup of brandy in mine and left it in the freezer overnight.  It was pretty much frozen solid the next morning.  I let it sit on the counter for about 10 minutes and then used a wooden spoon to break it up.

1 1/2 cups of skim milk

1 cup heavy cream

1/2- 3/4 cup brandy

1/2 tablespoon almond extract

1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar

Nutmeg

Combine all of the above ingredients together in a bowl.  Pour into a pitcher and place in the freezer for a few hours or overnight.  It should be a slushy consistency.  Pour into small cups and sprinkle with nutmeg.  Cheers!

Source: Young Adventures