Apple Cinnamon Butterscotch Muffins

Company is coming for Thanksgiving weekend. I’m so excited that my friend Meagan is visiting! Beside the classic Thanksgiving dinner that will be served – I want to make sure that there are ample delicacies for other meals and snacks.  I’ve decided that Apple Cinnamon Butterscotch Muffins are just the thing to kick off the weekend of fun.

However, despite my good intentions, I baked a beautiful batch that also include pecans that she cannot eat :( I will have them all to myself! Looks like this year’s sweet potato casserole will not have pecans on top either! This muffin recipe is adapted from the blog http://annies-eats.net/.

I’m off to cook the turkey and will post pics of the delicious food and a spotlight on some of Meagan’s great recipes too!

Apple Cinnamon Butterscotch Muffins

Makes about 16 muffins.

Ingredients:


2½ cups all-purpose flour


2 tsp. baking powder


1 tsp. baking soda


½ tsp. salt


1¼ tsp. ground cinnamon


¾ cup old-fashioned oats


8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature


½ cup packed brown sugar


2/3 cup applesauce


2 large eggs

1½ tsp. vanilla extract


1 cup milk


¾ cup butterscotch chips


¾ cup chopped apples
1/3 cup toasted pecans, chopped

Directions:


Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Line the wells of two muffin pans with paper liners (about 16 liners total).  Set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.  Mix lightly with a fork to blend.  Stir in the oats.  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until light and smooth, 1-2 minutes.  Beat in the applesauce, eggs and vanilla extract until incorporated.  With the mixer on low speed, mix in the dry ingredients in three additions alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients and beating just until incorporated.  Fold in the butterscotch chips, apples, and toasted pecans with a rubber spatula.

Butterscotch Chips

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared muffin cups.  If desired, press a dried apple slice into the top of the batter in each cup.  Drizzle lightly with maple syrup and sprinkle with sugar.  Bake about 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Delicious!

I did manage to package some in some fun Halloween bags for some friends.

Apple Muffins

Apple Muffins

I woke up this morning to a blanket of grey sky and mist.  I felt motivated to bake apple muffins for breakfast. This was taken from my family cookbook that has many a wrinkled and stained page from years of use.  I do have a “new version” with added recipes that our family has – but I keep going back to the old battered and true.

I added the new addition of the Pampered Chef Sweet Apple Sprinkle which was the little extra it needed. 

Apple Muffins

Makes approximately a dozen medium sized muffins. I used both a big and medium muffin tin so I ended up with 6 large muffins and 6 medium sized.

Ingredients:

½ cup butter

1 ½ cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

3 cups grated apple

2 tsp of vanilla yogurt

1 cup of golden raisins

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 ½ tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking powder

1 ½ tsp salt

½ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg

Pampered Chef Sweet Apple Sprinkle for topping

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375.

In a large bowl mix butter, brown sugar, eggs, grated apple and vanilla yogurt.

Stir in 1 cup of golden raisins.

In a separate medium sized bowl, whisk dry ingredients - flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Gradually stir in dry mixture to the apple mixture until well blended.

This cookie sheet is probably older than me,
but is a favorite!

Place muffin liners in the pan (or you can grease the pan - although I find better results with the liners).

Fill muffin mixture into the liners so there's approximately 1/2 inch of room left at the top.

Sprinkle Pampered Chef Sweet Apple Sprinkle over the tops.

Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown.

Remove and cool on wire wrack.

I've already had some for my breakfast and will probably end up taking them on an afternoon hike as a snack! Enjoy :) 

Apple Cinnamon & Raisin Porridge

Why is this early morning favorite like a warm hug? Because it’s what my dad has made me many a breakfast since I was little enough to stay clung to the tops of his feet while he worked in the kitchen. 

Aside from my obvious sentimental value and memories, it really is great tasting and a filling breakfast or lunchtime meal.  It’s easy and quick enough that you can make it mid-week before you head off to work – or save it for a lazy Saturday. 

Apple Cinnamon & Raisin Porridge 

Makes approximately six bowls. 

Ingredients:

4 cups of water

2 cups of quick oats

1 TBSP butter

2 medium sized apples, peeled and grated

3 TBSP brown sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup golden raisins

Directions:

1. In a large pot, bring 4 cups of water and quick oats to a boil - and reduce to medium/low heat.

2. Stir in TBSP of butter and grated apples.

3. Add 3 TBSP of brown sugar and stir in cinnamon and salt.

4.  Stir in raisins - should be a fairly thick consistency at this point. Taste.  If not quite enough “umph” add a little extra salt.  

5. Serve with milk and topped with a little brown sugar.

This is also great for leftovers. Simply boil the kettle and pour a little water in the bowl - just enough to get the "stiffness" out of it while stirring it with a spoon. Place in the microwave for about a minute. Remove and then add milk/sugar as necessary. This helps it taste fresh and help avoid it from getting too sticky and clumpy like bad porridge! Serve with a cup of Tetley Tea and you're ready to take on the day.

Apple Crisp

What is better than warm cinnamon-sugar covered apples coated with butter and oats?

APPLE CRISP makes more than one debut from my oven every fall. It’s so quick and easy to throw together – and so perfect to curl up with, wrapped in your fleece blanket, letting your eyes rise above your bowl just enough to see the changing autumn colours from your window.  Well, at least that’s how I eat it for the optimal  experience.

As easy as it is to make, it’s even easier to “miggle” or devour quickly away! It’s no surprise that my house smells like apple much through September and October.

I challenge you to try and only make this once this season… I have yet to do it.

After trying several recipes, I found what I believe to be the most delicious and hunger-sized friendly apple crisp.  It’s from www.simplyrecipes.com.

Apple Crisp

Makes for 9 x 12 inch pan. 

Ingredients:

7 apples, peeled, cored, and sliced

4 tsp fresh lemon juice

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, combine apples, lemon juice, and vanilla.  Toss to combine.

2.  Layer sliced apples in a 9 x 12 (or approximately same size) baking dish.

3.  Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and oatmeal in a bowl.  Cut in the butter. Sprinkle sugar mixture over apples.

4. Bake 45 minutes or until topping looks crunch and apples are tender.  

Please try and let it cool even for a few minutes. From years of impatience I have developed a resistance to the boiling apples fresh out of the oven. Take your time – and please remember to let your nose fall close to your bowl – and take a big sniff in of that aroma! 

Apple Butter

Apple picking at the orchard last week.

It's that time of year again when shorts go on sale, the kids are back to school, and redheads are in style and on the cover of every fall issue.  If you’re not careful you may, like many people, overlook the fact that beside your favorite variety of apples showing up at the grocery store, there are thousands of fresh apples hanging and just waiting to be picked at the orchard down the road. 

It’s been a yearly tradition to head to the farm with bags tucked under the arm and hands extended practicing the perfect twist-picking technique.  A smiling gapped-tooth farmer reminded us to go for the bright ones at the top – but not too near to the top as they’re the ones that get a little scorched.

With sage advice and enthusiasm we took to the fields and picked our 20 pounds of apples in no time.  

But what do you do with TWENTY pounds of apples?

You use them for cooking, baking, preserving, feeding the deer, and for a personal snack.  I’ve been adding to my apple recipes every year and  hope to make several new items this fall.  And if you’re wondering if more apple recipes will show up - the answer is of course!

What’s on the recipe list today?


I’ve decided to make a batch of APPLE BUTTER.  As a new venture into solo preserving (I’d always had the help of much wiser family members!) I thought I should tread lightly into a simple slow cooker recipe to get the hang of bottling and not do too many things at once.  

I did some extensive research on the internet for making apple butter and found a recipe from http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/all-day-apple-butter/detail.aspx that I adapted. You will need a few kitchen tools to make this process a smooth one.

Tools you will need:

Slow cooker

Slap-chop like device

Apple peeler

Apple corer

Bottles (I chose to use mostly 250 ml simply to use as gifts later) enough to hold approximately 3.5 L.

Preserving tool kit – see photo!

What kind of apples to use?

I used Gala apples. You want something with a little sweetness to add a rich flavor to the batch. With this is mind – I didn’t want something sickly sweet so I cut my sugar in half of what the original recipe called for.  I’ve changed the amounts to what I found to be successful (and delicious!) below. Also, as a bonus, your house will smell of apples and cinnamon!

Apple Butter Recipe

Prep Time: Approximately 11 hours (don’t worry only about an hour of that is you getting things ready!)

Ingredients:

5 ½  pounds apples - peeled, cored and finely chopped

1 cup of white sugar

1 cup of brown sugar

2 tsp ground cinnamon

¼  tsp ground cloves

¼  tsp salt

¼ tsp allspice

Directions:

Peel, core, and finely chop apples (this is the most laborious part I promise!)

Place the apples in a slow cooker.

In a medium bowl, mix the sugar, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and salt.

Pour the mixture over the apples in the slow cooker and mix well.

Cover and cook on high 1 hour.

Reduce heat to low and cook 9 to 11 hours, stirring occasionally (I stirred it every hour or two) until the mixture is thickened and dark brown.

Uncover and continue cooking on low 1 hour. Stir with a whisk, if desired, to increase smoothness. Spoon the mixture into sterile containers.

If you’ve never preserved anything before – it’s a little bit to get used to. Here’s what I did to prepare the bottles.

Bottle Preparation:

Wash and rinse the bottles in warm sudsy water.

Remove lids and rims and place to one side.

Dry jars and place on a cookie sheet.

Preheat oven to 300.

Place jars in oven for 10 minutes to sterilize.

Carefully remove jars and have them ready and hot for hot apple butter that will be placed in the jars. Don’t put hot butter into cold jars!

On a burner, in a medium saucepan with water just covering the snap lids, simmer (do not boil!).

There is a nice insulated gripper in that tool kit to grab the jars so you don’t burn yourself. Use with care!

Use the funnel to pour apple butter to about a ¼ inch from the top. Use the measuring stick from the preserving tool kit. Then place the other end directly in the middle of the butter to remove any air bubbles.

Make sure there’s no sticky jam around the top – if so wipe off. Then place the snap lid onto the jar with the magnetic stick from the tool kit (to avoid burning your hands).

Screw the top on just lightly – don’t cram it tight as it may ruin the seal.

Once all apple butter has been placed in jars and sealed you leave them out sitting rightside up until you hear them “pop” that they are sealed. You’ll be able to press on the top of the lid later to see if they all sealed properly. I had one that didn’t seal for some reason so I just put that one in the fridge to eat right away.

Then comes the part of how you want to individualize your jam label! You can get all kinds of stickers to place on the top of the bottle and place your jam/preserving item name and date on top – and if room anything else you want!

The apple butter turned out great and I’ve had it several times on toast! I hope that I can save a few bottles for Christmas gifts! I will definitely be preserving more in the future!

Apple Butter