Mini Roasted Apple Pie Stacks

This simple little dessert is my pick for I Heart Cooking Clubs theme of the week, Let's Get Roasted. Giada's Roasted Apple Pies are a quick and easy dessert that ended up being pretty cute, kind of like a deconstructed apple pie. I couldn't leave well enough alone and had to switch up the recipe a touch, using homemade pie crust -- and also cutting hearts out for the top crust instead of a plain circle as per the recipe. I love hearts. They always make me smile, especially in desserts :)

Roasted Apple Pies

I called these Mini Apple Pie Stacks since it was easier for the kids to grasp ;)

Giada De Laurentiis

1 (9-inch) refrigerated rolled pie crust -- I used a pie crust dough disk that I had stashed in my freezer since Thanksgiving, recipe here at allrecipes
2 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled -- I used 4 apples
1/4 cup granulated sugar -- doubled this to 1/2 cup for the 4 apples
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, plus extra for dusting -- doubled this to 2 tbsp, but could have done with less
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Special equipment: a 3-inch round cookie cutter (I also used a heart cookie cutter for the tops)

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper sprayed with vegetable cooking spray.

Unroll the pie crust out on a work surface. Using a 3-inch round cookie cutter, cut out 8 disks of pastry.

Arrange the pastry disks on the prepared baking sheet. Using the tines of a fork, prick the pastry all over. -- I forgot to do this and it is important so please don't forget like I did! --Bake until brown and crispy, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely, about 10 minutes.

Slice the bottom of the apples to create an even surface for cutting. Slice each apple into 6 (1/2-inch) slices. Cut each apple slice in half and remove any seeds or pieces of core. In a medium bowl, mix together the sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon. Add the apple slices and toss until coated.

Shake off any excess mixture. Arrange the apple slices on the same baking sheet in a single layer. Bake until dark brown, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes.

In a medium bowl, using an electric hand mixer, beat the cream until thick, about 1 minute. Add the powdered sugar and continue to beat until the cream is very thick.

To assemble the pies: Place the pastry disks on a work surface. Divide the cooked apple slices among 4 of the disks. Dollop about 2 tablespoons of the cream on top of the apples and cover with the remaining disks.

Transfer the apple pies to dessert plates, dust with cinnamon and serve immediately.

~~~

These were a fun and easy treat and it was nice to do another Giada recipe that used up ingredients I already had on hand. I think if I would have remember to prick the pie crust rounds these would have turned out even better, mine ended up puffing up a lot and were thicker than I expected, even though I rolled them thin. There is a ton of cinnamon in these so be prepared. I would decrease it if you are not a huge cinnamon lover. Picky hubby was kind of scared of these because he said they smelled like potpourri :)

Spaetzle Soup with Mini Soft Pretzels

This is a dish is a family pleaser, something that I can make that everyone including picky husband and my three little ones enjoy. The soup is pretty much chicken noodle soup without the chicken and with homemade spaetzle in place of the noodles, who wouldn't love that? And serving it with mini soft pretzels just ups the enjoyment factor. Being a first generation American, I like that this gives a nod to the German food I grew up loving, and being able to share that with my kids is special to me.

For the soup I like to use this Seitenbacher broth base (it is a powder, I buy it on amazon) if I don't have any homemade vegetable stock on hand. It's imported from Germany and tastes great, on top of the convenience factor. It makes a quick meal, especially if you have some leftover spaetzle from last night's dinner, although sometimes I make spaetzle specifically for this soup. Pretty much just chop up a few carrots and stalks of celery, about 5 each -- more or less of one if you have a favorite of the two -- and cook them in the stock. Ladle your broth and veggies over a bowl of cooked spaetzle. You do not want to add the spaetzle directly to the broth pot or it will get too mushy.

My Favorite Spaetzle

recipe came with my spaetzle press, I've tried lots of spaetzle recipes and keep coming back to this one

• 3 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 3 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Whisk together eggs and milk, add flour, salt, and nutmeg, stir together until you have a very thick wet dough.

Use with your spaetzle press, drop into boiling water in batches, remove from water when they float, let drain in colander, then add to frying pan with a little bit of butter, keep on warm on low heat while you cook the rest of the spaetzle, adding the remaining batches after draining to the pan and stirring every few minutes. This makes a big batch of spaetzle -- 6 to 8 servings.

Next up is a recipe for Pretzel Rolls that can be shaped into traditional pretzels, mini pretzels, or rolls.

Mini Soft Pretzels

recipe from Chow.com

1 cup warm water (105°F to 115°F)
1 (1/4-ounce) envelope active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
2 3/4 cups bread flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling
Vegetable oil
6 cups water
1/4 cup baking soda

**The below directions are from Chow.com for a stand mixer -- I've done the dough for this recipe in my bread machine and it works perfectly!**

Place warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle yeast on top. Set aside to rest until mixture bubbles, about 5 minutes. (If the mixture does not bubble, either the liquid was not at the correct temperature or the yeast is old.)

Place flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl and whisk briefly to break up any lumps and combine. Once yeast is ready, fit the bowl on the mixer, attach a dough hook, and dump in flour mixture.

Mix on the lowest setting until dough comes together, then increase to medium speed and mix until dough is elastic and smooth, about 8 minutes.

Form dough into a ball, place in a large oiled mixing bowl, and turn dough to coat in oil. Cover with a clean, damp dishtowel, and let rest in a warm place until dough doubles in size, about 30 to 35 minutes. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, coat paper with vegetable oil, and set aside.

Once dough has risen, punch it down and knead it on a floured, dry surface just until it becomes smooth and springs back when poked, about 1 minute. Divide dough into 8 pieces and form into oblong rolls. Place rolls on the baking sheet and cut 4 (2-inch) diagonal slashes across the top of each. Cover with a damp towel and let dough rise in a warm place until almost doubled in volume, about 15 to 20 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 425°F and bring water to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat.

Once rolls have risen, stir baking soda into boiling water (water will foam up slightly). Boil two or three rolls for 2 minutes per side. Using a slotted spoon, remove rolls, drain, and place on the baking sheet, cut side up. Sprinkle well with salt, and repeat with remaining rolls.


Once all rolls are ready, place in the oven and bake until golden brown, about 10 to 12 minutes. Serve hot.

If you give these recipes a try I hope they become favorites for you and your loved ones too! I'm sending this on over to Heather at girlichef who is hosting Presto Pasta Nights #197. Spaetzle Soup is heading to my blogging friend Deb at Kahakai Kitchen for her Souper Sundays event. And last but not least, this post is also going to Susan at Wild Yeast for YeastSpotting! Thank you to everyone for hosting :)

Gnocchi a la Parisienne -- French Fridays with Dorie

Welcome to our second French Fridays with Dorie recipe for January -- Gnocchi a la Parisienne. This was such a new dish to me, I'd never heard of a French Gnocchi, but love the traditional potato gnocchi and ricotta gnocchi so I could not wait to give this French version a try!


First the pâte à choux dough is shaped, either by spoon or by being squeezed out of a bag and cut (which is what I did) -- this method was mentioned on the FFwD site and after a little internet sleuthing, I found this to be a popular way to form Gnocchi a la Parieienne. The dough is then boiled like regular gnocchi, until they float to the surface, and cooked a minute longer...


My five year old daughter had so much fun watching me make these, we both snuck a few before they were baked with the sauce and thought they were great. The texture was softer than I expected, they reminded me a little of ricotta gnocchi. One option was to whip an egg white and fold it into the gnocchi dough to make it even lighter, I did not do this and am kind of glad I didn't, I think the texture would have been way too light for us.


After the gnocchi are boiled, they are gently place in a baking dish that has been dusted with parmesan cheese and has a layer of absolutely delicious bechamel sauce (one of my favorite sauces!) on the bottom.

Then they are blanketed with another layer of bechamel sauce and some shredded cheeses. Now they are ready to go into the oven.

Finally they come out looking like this, bubbling bechamel, crusty cheese topping, and a few little gnocchi peeking through.

Making this French dish was an enjoyable experience. I made a couple of minor changes, using skim milk instead of whole in the bechamel (since skim is the milk we keep on hand) and leaving off the extra butter dotted on top of the cheese before baking, this was an accidental omission, but I don't think it mattered much since the dish was so rich anyway.

Gnocchi a la Parisienne was such a neat recipe to try, even though my daughter and I are the only ones who finished our servings for dinner. I couldn't help thinking how this would taste extra delicious with some sauteed mushrooms added to it before baking, yum! Picky husband and our two boys only had a bite or two. Picky husband said it was the texture. Oh-well. Can't win them all over all the time, right?

CSN Review Coming Soon

I've been asked to do a review by the online store for everything, CSN Stores! How fun, right? CSN Stores has over 200 online stores where you can find everything from stylish and functional Herman Miller chairs...

to small kitchen appliances by Cuisinart...

to a pillow with your favorite NHL team logo on it -- perfect to snuggle up with and watch the game...


I can't wait to try out a Chef's Choice International KrumKakes Express krumkake maker! I've been wanting one for a while and this was the perfect chance for me to try one out and see how I like it. Be on the lookout for a full review and krumkake recipe in the near future :)

Over at My Kitchen My World, I am hosting a giveaway for a $35 CSN Stores gift card so you can buy whatever suits your fancy from kitchen gadgets to learning toys for a special child in your life or anything in between! Click on over there to check it out!

Chocolate Fluff Filled Madeleines -- Tuesdays with Dorie

Don't these look fun? Margo at Effort to Deliciousness chose Chocolate Fluff Filled Madeleines as our bake along treat of the week for Tuesdays with Dorie, thank you Margo! You can find the recipe here at Margo's site if you do not have Dorie Greenspan's Baking From My Home to Yours.

Please excuse the lingering Christmas decor, it's the last piece I haven't put away yet, promise!

This is the first time I've ever made Madeleines, even though I've had a pan for them since 2008. Right after I joined TWD I bought a tradtional and mini madeleine pan, and can't believe it's taken so long for me to use them! I just used the traditional one today, in retrospect, I probably should have used both since I think I overfilled the pan, resulting in some giant and not so pretty madeleines.

Oh-well, tread on. Filling these guys with marshmallow cream was so much fun...

But not quite as fun as getting all messy dipping them in the ganache. After dipping only half of a few I decided to redo them and dip the whole thing. I was getting messy anyway, so why not go all out and completely cover them with the ganache, the recipe gives you extra, anyway :)

Haven't tried one yet, they are setting in the fridge waiting to become an after-school snack, but I did sneak a taste of the batter and it was delicious, so I'm betting these will be too :) Even though they weren't the picture perfect madeleines I was hoping to make, I still think these turned out pretty darn cute.

Hazelnut Raspberry Layer Cake -- Sweet Melissa Sundays

Time for Sweet Melissa Sundays! We've been on a break and are just starting back up baking through the remaining 16 recipes of The Sweet Melissa Baking Book. Our pick this week is Hazelnut Raspberry Layer Cake, chosen for us to try by Candy of Candy Girl, thank you Candy! You can find the recipe here at Candy's site if you do not have the book.

Although this was a fun baking project, this is a pretty complicated cake and took lots of time and patience to complete. It is definitely one of the more complicated cakes I've ever baked, and I've baked a lot! It is also very indulgent with 5 sticks of butter and 15 eggs between the cake and Italian buttercream (meringue cooked with hot sugar syrup) frosting -- you're probably thinking, "Whoa!," and that would be a correct statement regarding this cake :)

The cake features hazelnuts and raspberries, a combination I don't think I've had before (possibly in cookie form but never in a cake). Believe it or not, picky husband actually likes both hazelnuts and raspberries so I didn't feel too guilty making this, knowing he would at least try it, and I'm sure the kids will love it.

My five year old daughter declared the cake "so beautiful" and asked me to make it for her next birthday, still months away -- I told her that if after she tried she liked it, I would love to make it again for her special day :)

The raspberries in the frosting are soaked in a raspberry liquor before being blended into the buttercream.

This was a fun baking project even if it led me out of my comfort zone a little bit. I accidentally let the hot sugar syrup for frosting get 10 degrees higher than called for. It still seemed to come together just fine, I hope it didn't mess something up taste wise. We haven't tried this cake yet, it is for dessert after dinner, but I thought I'd better get it posted while I have a minute...
The only tiny change I made to the recipe was to use three 9 by 1 1/2 inch pans instead of two 9 by 2 inch pans since I was a little worried the 9 1/2 inch pans I have wouldn't be tall enough for only two layers that needed to be sliced. So with that change my cake has only three layers and I didn't have to split any of them, whew!


I'll have to report back later on my family's reaction to this one but I have a feeling it will be positive, if not, just look at how pretty it is, that will have to be enough :)

Giada's Spicy Baked Macaroni

This week at I Heart Cooking Clubs the theme is resolutions. One of mine was to make an effort to plan more meals with stuff we have on hand for those busy weeknight dinners. I love finding recipes for lingering pantry/fridge/freezer items, and basing a complete meal on them. The more ingredients I have on hand the better, it's always fun reading through a recipe and doing that mental check-list of what you have, it's like a little score card, and it's a nice little win when you already have every ingredient you need.

Another resolution I have is to blog more and not miss participating with my favorite cook and bake along blogging groups :)


I've never been good at "sticking to the list" when grocery shopping and always end up with a ton of mismatched ingredients that sound interesting, but I don't have a specific recipe planned to use them so they sit in the pantry or fridge or freezer. For this recipe, everything I needed was available in my home and it always feels good to make something with stuff you don't need to run to the store for, right? So, if you'd like to make a tasty dish for dinner and don't want to go out, I bet you have most of this stuff in your pantry/fridge/freezer as well...

Spicy Baked Macaroni
Giada De Laurentiis

Salt
1 pound elbow macaroni pasta -- used barilla, love their ridged macaroni
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 pound assorted mushrooms, quartered -- used white button mushrooms
1 onion, chopped -- skipped this, not an onion fan
2 cloves garlic, chopped -- used roasted garlic, like 5 cloves
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes -- used Muir Glen Fire Roasted
1 (10-ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed and drained of excess liquid
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes -- used Paul Prudhomme's Pizza Pasta Magic - Hot & Sweet Seasoning
1/2 cups bread crumbs -- used half panko and half three cheese bread Crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1/3 cup
1/4 cup Romano, plus 1/3 cup
2 tablespoons butter, softened, plus 2 tablespoons
12 ounces mozzarella cubed (about 2 cups) -- upped this to 20 ounces, extra cheesy :)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, onion, and garlic. Cook until the mushrooms are tender and the onion is golden, about 7 minutes. Add the tomatoes, spinach, and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.


In a small bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, 1/4 cup Parmesan, and 1/4 cup Romano. Spread the softened butter in a 9 by 13-inch glass baking dish and sprinkle half of the bread crumb mixture inside the dish to coat.

In a large bowl combine the vegetable mixture with the cooked macaroni, cubed mozzarella, the remaining Parmesan and Romano cheeses, and the nutmeg. Spoon into the prepared baking dish...

top with the remaining bread crumb mixture, and dot the top with the remaining butter.

Bake until the top is golden brown, about 30 to 40 minutes.

~~~~~~~~

Yum! This was a great dish that was easy to prepare, and everyone who tried it liked it. I noted on the foodnetwork reviews that a couple of people thought this was dry, so I added some extra cheese. Honestly it did *look* a little dry but did not taste dry at all. It was very flavorful and full of texture and taste. I loved the crumb bottom and topping. It was also not very spicy so don't worry if spicy isn't your thing.

I made it one night for dinner while picky husband was working late since he would not like something like this, he does not eat spinach, mushrooms, or tomatoes. I have to admit to a little "sneaky cheff-ing" by not telling my kids what veggies were in this. The kids are fine with mushrooms, and the boys both like tomatoes, but they all claim to not like spinach and my daughter claims to not like tomatoes. I told them that there were surprise veggies in here and they had to guess what they were...after a few cautionary bites they were happily cleaning their plates and having fun guessing what was in here. My daughter who is five thought that the tomatoes were red peppers, and couldn't quite put her finger on the green stuff, but thought it was good. My three year old son kept saying the green was spinach, which made my daughter exclaim, "no way, this is not spinach, I hate spinach, it's disgusting, and this tastes good!" -- too funny! When I revealed the secret veggies my daughter was the most suprised and now has a new appreciation for spinach :)

I'm sending this dish over to Presto Pasta Nights, thank you to Claire at Chez Cayenne for hosting PPN #196 this week!