Old Lady Applecrisp

If there is one thing that old ladies have figured out, it's baking. This recipe came with a price. I had to sit thru a Weekenders clothing party. The positive side is that I got a good recipe. Unfortunately I do not have any pictures of this. It really isn't your typical apple crisp. Having it warm with ice cream or whip cream is fantastic.

Old Lady Apple Crisp

1/2 c. melted butter
1 box yellow cake mix
1/2 c. coconut
2 1/2 pared, sliced apples
1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 c. sour cream
1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 350. Cut butter into dry cake mix until crumbly. Fold in coconut (don't tell Mark. He doesn't like coconut). Press mixture lightly into 9 x 13 greased pan, building up edges slightly. Bake for 10 minutes. Add apples. Mix sugar & cinnamon and sprinkle on. Blend sour cream & egg. Pour over apples. Bake another 25 minutes. Be careful not to over bake.

Chocolate Spice Biscotti

Hi. This is me trying to take pictures of my food. I'm not the best photographer, but hopefully this at least will give you an idea of what the food looks like when I make it.

I am in love with fall and any cool weather makes me want to make fall dishes. I am so excited for this season which is now upon us. Therefore, I am going to post some recipes that will make me happy because they are fall-like.

These biscotti are super good in my opinion. They take a little bit to make, so you'll need a little bit of time. They're not hard, they just have multiple steps. I freeze my extra pieces and continue to love on them for a few months. They're good fresh or right out of the freezer.

Chocolate Spice Biscotti

1 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/3 c. toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped

3 Tbs. unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1/8 tsp. salt

3/4 c. sugar

2 eggs, room temperature *

1/2 tsp vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 300. Mix flour, chocolate chips, walnuts, cocoa powder, backing powder, cloves and salt.

2. In a separate bowl mix sugar, eggs and vanilla. Beat on high speed with electric mixer for about 10 minutes or until very light and thick. Fold flour mixture into egg mixture until well blended. (Dough will be soft) Shape dough on parchment paper; sprinkle evently with 1 Tbs of sugar. Bake 30 - 35 minutes or until firm to the touch. Remove from oven; cool completely (about an hour).

3. Return oven temp to 300. Slice logs on a diagonal into 1/4 inch thick slices. Place slices, cut side down, on bar pan. Bake 25 - 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven; cool completely.

Yield: about 3 dozen

Nutrition info: Serving size is 3 biscotti; Calories 160; Total Fat 5 g; Cholesterol 35 g; Carbohydrate 27 g; Protein 3 g; Sodium 55 mg; Fiber 1 g

*The reason the eggs should be room temp is so that they give good volume. You can quickly get them to room temp by placing them in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

1 box of chocolate cake mix

Mix and bake cake as directed and divide into 2 round 8” cake pans.
Let cool for 20 minutes after baking then invert onto wire racks to let cool completely.

To frost the cake place 1 layer flat side up onto a plate or cake stand (what you will serve it on). Spread 1/3 of frosting mixture on top. Repeat with the next layer and then frost the sides of the cake. Once frosted chill in the fridge so the frosting firms up.

To decorate with the chocolate peanut butter glaze, put the cake stand or plate on a couple of paper towels to catch any drips. Pour the glaze over the top of the cake, and spread it evenly over the top just to the edges so that it runs down the sides of the cake in long drips. Refridgerate, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes to allow the glaze and frosting to set completely. Remove about 1 hour before serving.

Peanut Butter Frosting

10 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
5 cups of confectioner’s sugar
2/3 cup smooth peanut butter, preferably a commercial brand (b/c oil doesn’t separate out)

In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl often. Continue to beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Glaze

8 oz. semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 Tbsp. smooth peanut butter
2 Tbsp. light corn syrup
½ cup half and half

In the top of a double boiler, combine the chocolate, pb, and corn syrup. Cook, stirring often, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.

Remove from the heat and whisk in the half and half, beating until smooth. Use while still warm.

Pasta Hot! Hot! Hot!

• 1 16oz. Package spaghetti
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
• ½ tsp. crushed red pepper
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  
  Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8-10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
  In a small saucepan over low heat place olive oil, garlic and peppers and simmer. Pour olive oil mixture over cooked pasta and serve with Parmesan cheese.
  
  Yields 4 servings.

Whole Wheat Braided Bread

3 pkgs. active (¼ ounces each) dry yeast

3 cups warm water

½ cup of sugar

3 eggs

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 Tbsp. salt

5 cups whole wheat flour

4 cups all-purpose flour

1. In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the sugar, eggs, oil, salt, and whole wheat flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough all-purpose flour to form a soft dough.


2. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.


3. Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide into nine pieces. Shape each piece into a 14 inch rope. Braid 3 ropes together; pinch ends to seal and tuck under. Place in three greased 8x4x2 loaf pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.


4. Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

Yeides 3 loaves