Apple Dumplings

I am very thankful right now that my dad doesn't read my blog. He doesn't even own a computer, or a cell phone, or a DVD player. I am not even sure he really even comprehends what a blog is. He calls it my website "thing". New fangled technology is just not his thing....or any technology for that matter.

The reason I'm glad, is if he did read my blog, he would then know that I made Apple Dumplings with out having him over or even saving him one. If he knew, I would be in deep doo-doo. Apple Dumplings are one of my dads favorites! So if you run into my father in the grocery store please keep the fact that I made Apple Dumplings quiet. Thank you.

Apple Dumplings are easy, and a fun treat to make with your kiddos. If you are not fond of making your own pie crust, feel free to purchase pie crust from the refrigerator section of your grocery store. Voila!

Another fact that is raising my guilt-o-meter is the fact that my Dad went out of his way to hunt down the cookbook from the local parish, so I would have this recipe and would make it for him. Oh Good Golly, I'm gonna need to make these when he comes over next time....to ease my dumplin' guilt.

Easy steps to make melt in your mouth Apple Dumplings~ from the Wright Way to Cook cookbook.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

1. Bring 2 cups water, 2 cups brown sugar, 1 stick butter, and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon to a boil in a sauce pan.

Remove from heat and set aside.

2. Peel and core 6 apples. Jonathans are my favorite for this recipe.

3. Prepare Pie Crust, you can find my recipe here. (Or if you prefer to buy it you will need 3 Pillsbury crusts.) Separate into 6 sections.

4. Place apple in center of pie crust,

place 1 tablespoon of brown sugar in hole,

sprinkle with cinnamon, use as much as you like

top the hole off with a 1/2 tablespoon of butter.

5. Lightly dampen edges of dough with egg white or water, pull dough up around apple...

crimping dough at the top and forming it around apple with the palm of your hand.

6. Brush with egg white. You can leave it as is or if you are feeling fancy....

you can use some of the extra dough to make leaves and a stem. The egg white will act as glue to hold them on for you.

Place Apple Dumplings in a baking dish, where they will have space, you don't want them touching.

7. Now take the Brown Sugar Syrup and pour it all over the Dumplings. Lucky Dumplins' I would love to take a bath in this stuff!

Pop in 375 degree preheated oven for 35-40 minutes!

Apple Dumplings

Printable recipe Makes 6.

2 cups Brown Sugar

2 cups Water

1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon

1 stick Butter

1 recipe Pie Crust

6 medium baking Apples, peeled and cored. Jonathans are what I prefer.

3 tablespoons Butter

6 tablespoons Brown Sugar

Cinnamon for sprinkling

1 egg white

These also freeze well. You can freeze them together or individually in mini deep dish pie pans, from freezer to oven add 15-20 minutes baking time for frozen dumplings. I should probably make my dad some for his freezer. That would be a what a good daughter would do. A daughter with a guilty conscience.

Do you call these Apple Dumplings? Or do you have another name for them in your neck of the woods?

What ever you call them, in the words of my father they are.....

ScrumpDILLYicious!

LUSH Dessert

Now back to my regularly scheduled pre-Valentines Day program......

This dessert is nothing short of dreamy. The perfect treat for those you love. Lush Dessert will cause your taste buds to do the Macarena. It's heavenly. OK now that I have totally built this dessert up to be the greatest thing next to sliced bread, let me tell you it's also super easy to make. It takes a bit of assembly, but other than that it's easy, and everyone always loves it. It can be prepared a day ahead. If you are entertaining, it's always a bonus to be able to prepare ahead of time!

That's what I'm talkin bout!

I am salivating more than a St. Bernard right now.

This recipe is from memory. The mother of a long lost friend of mine used to make this. I loved it. Somewhere along the way not only did I loose touch with this friend but I lost the recipe!

UGh!!

So I took a cookie recipe of my Grandmas and used it as the crust, because I always remembered the crust tasted like Grandma's Almond Snowball Cookies. And then the layered fillings I figured out on my own. Don't go thinking I am too culinary or anything. It was pretty easy. As you will see...

Lush Dessert

printable recipe~from my Tasty Kitchen recipe box

Crust:

2 1/4 cups All-purpose Flour

1/4 cups Powdered Sugar

3/4 cups Ground Almonds

1/4 teaspoons Salt

1 cup butter

Cream Cheese Filling:

1 package (8ounce) Cream Cheese, softened

1 cup Powdered Sugar

1/2 cup Heavy Whipping Cream

Chocolate Pudding Filling:

2 packages (6-1/2 cup serving) Instant Chocolate Pudding

3 cups milk

Whipped Topping:

1 1/2 cups Heaving Whipping Cream

1 tablespoon Sugar

1/2 teaspoon Vanilla

1/2 cup Slivered Almonds(optional)

Combine the crust ingredients together in mixing bowl, mix until combined.

Dump dough in to a 9x13 baking pan, and press evenly into bottom of pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Set aside and let cool while you prepare the fillings.

Instant pudding is my friend. It's a beautiful thing. It makes everything better. Whip up two 6 serving packages of Instant Chocolate Pudding with 3 cups of milk. Put prepared pudding in refrigerator until you are ready to assemble.

Whip cream cheese, powdered sugar, and heavy whipping cream on medium to high speed. This will become smooth and creamy. Control yourself. You will want to stick your finger in this more than once and have a little taste test.

When the crust is completely cooled, spread cream cheese filling evenly on top.

Now pull the chocolatey pudding out of the frig, and spread evenly over cream cheese filling.

I bet you're thinking, "she had me at chocolate pudding".

Now we're almost there. I told ya it's easy.

Whip up the 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream, with sugar and vanilla, until peaks form.

Spread over top of chocolate pudding layer. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. Cut into generous squares, and garnish with slivered almonds if you like that sort of thing.

That's it! Simple. Now you just need to go get yourself a fork.

Have yourself a seat, and dig in!

OPEN WIDE!

Oh don't think I stopped at just one bite. No I was just savoring my Heav-EN-leeeee moment!

Are you wondering WHY it's called Lush Dessert? I am thinking it's short for luscious. Because that's what this is LUSHous!

Hope you enjoy.

I LUV Ya!

Bittersweet- giveaway WINNER and Triple Chocolate Pound Cake Recipe!

Oh Golly some of your comments brought tears to my eyes and left a large lump in my throat. Life is so hard at times. We gotta keep on keepin' on. Looking for the opportunity to give glory to God for what he is going to do with each day, bitter or sweet. If you didn't win today, please considering getting a copy Bittersweet by Shauna Niequist in your grimy little hands. It is a must read. Hey it's not too late to add things to your Christmas list!

The winner of the signed copy of Bittersweet is Laura from Texas! Laura hugs to you. Wish I could sit down with you and have coffee my friend....moving is hard. It's a heap O-lot a change in every ones lives when you move. I know you will enjoy this book!

Laura said...

Moving to TX, so far from home started bitter but is becoming sweet :)

December 8, 2010 10:41 PM

Now for your noshing pleasure I wanted to share with you one of my richest, most decadent, chocolaty treats. Triple Chocolate Pound Cake....oh yeah baby...this cake is the bomb. Bomb of chocolate! If you live in the West Michigan area you might remember Bill Knapps Restaurants. This cake is reminiscent of their chocolate cake. I think they must have sold the rights to the recipe to Meijers Grocery stores because I have seen it in their bakery section. But I just can't bring myself to buy it when I can make this easy peasy cake at home. (Mine is better anyway.) This cake is so moist, and dense, and rich. It lasts for days. It's a dessert that is easy to make a few days in advance, just cover it up and hide it from your scoundrely husband that has a sweet tooth the size of Alaska!

Triple Chocolate Pound Cake

printable recipe

1 package devils food cake mix (the super moist brand)

1 package 5.9 ounce instant chocolate pudding

1 1/4 cup water

1/2 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs (yes I said 4, it's a pound cake remember)

3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup whipping cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, grease and flour bundt pan.

1. Mix first 5 ingredients, beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in 2 cups of chocolate chips. Pour batter into a greased and floured bundt pan.

PAUSE: Have you ever seen My Big Fat Greek Wedding? NO! Go rent it today! YES! Well then you know where I'm goin with this. The bundt cake scene gets me every time, I laugh hysterically like a hyena. Ok now back to our regularly scheduled recipe.

2. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes on wire rack. Remove cake from pan and cool completely on rack.

GLAZE: Combine remaining 1 cup chips and whipping cream in a saucepan. Cook on low heat stirring constantly until chips melt. Use a whisk to make sure glaze is smooth. Let stand for 5-10 minutes before drizzling over cake.

3. Move cake to cake plate and drizzle with chocolate glaze. All of it! Anything left in the pan you can take a banana and scrape it out and have your own little fondue party!

Who wouldn't like a piece of that goodness. Someone who doesn't care for chocolate I guess. But I don't really hang around with the likes of those kinds of people.

There's my rascally Kenny in the background. He had this piece of cake for lunch. How does this man stay so svelte? Makes me sick! If you don't remember, my husband...a.k.a. Kenny, is an E.R. doctor...physician...call it whatever you like, the group he works for has a mandatory 1 month off every 18. (mental health month) December is Kenny's month. He is home all day everyday. I guess you could say this is somewhat bittersweet for me, because as much as I love hangin with my man...I am not really used to having him around 24/7. He works ALOT! I am afraid I might get used to this or the kids might. We are going to go through serious withdrawal come January. No he is not driving me crazy....I just have my own little routine so having him around this much throws me for a loop. We did go see a move together in the middle of the afternoon this week. Now we know where all the retired people go after lunch. "Theater full of Q-tips", is what Kenny said. We saw Morning Glory....very cute, would recommend. Yesterday we went Christmas shopping together....unheard of in the 16 years of our marriage. Today we are sitting around eating chocolate cake!

Love you all so much, thanks for sharing your stories with me.

Have a great weekend!

Toll House Cookie Pie

My Aunt Flo is in town. She arrived Saturday. She zaps the ever lovin' life out of me. I think she is leaving Tuesday, maybe Wednesday. Who is this women I call Aunt Flo, you ask. Aunt Flo is the affectionate nick name for my DOT....my monthly friend.... or you could say my menstrual cycle if you like using technical term. (Not to be confused with "minstrel", which is what I thought it was as a child....this lady ain't no singing entertainer.) Apologies to my male readers, I hope this topic doesn't put you off. I try not to use Aunt Flo as an excuse.....for laziness or grouchiness, but I do use her as an excuse for excessive eating. We're friends right? I felt I share with you on this lovely Monday morning.

When my Aunt is in town I want to eat like a ravished maniac. I think this is why I bought eight different cheeses at the store on Friday, and a 3lb bag of the pretzel M&M's which I ate 1lb of in my van on the way home from the store....ugG! Then of course it being the Halloween weekend...I had my four kids pillowcases full of candy, calling my name. Actually the Almond Joys were screaming at me!.......Lord help me.

Toll House Cookie Pie is a quick easy fix for gal with her Aunt in town. Maybe, I should call this pie...PMS Pie. It is so easy. I make my own pie crust, but if you are not into that sort of thing the pie crust in the refrigerator section works just dandy.

Roll out your crust and place it in a 8 or 9" pie plate.

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Then add two eggs in to your mixing bowl, beat until foamy.

This pie is so simple.... just add sugars beat, add flour beat, then add the melted butter and vanilla extract, beat until smooth and creamy.

Smooth and creamy batter. Now if your Aunt Flo is visiting try and refrain from dropping your face down in the bowl. At least until after you add the chocolate chips.

Fold in the chocolate chips and nuts if you like your pies nutty. My kids are not big nut fans, so I leave them out.

Spoon filling into unbaked pie crust.

Push filling up to the edges. Pop it in your oven for 1 hour.

It will be nice and brown. Let it cool for 15-20 minutes, cut, and serve with vanilla ice cream.

Or if you are completely out of control like myself then cut it immediately, don't even take your oven mitt off. This pie will cure what ails you, no doubt about it. Not only does it please me in my times of need....but it is a great treat to serve for guest. Easy to make ahead and pop in the oven and bake while you are eating dinner.

I hope you have a good week ahead of you, not too stressful, hopefully no unwanted Aunts overstaying their welcome. My week is quite full. Possibly doing some house cleaning around this blog of mine. So I may or may not be back this week, Oh who am I kidding I won't be able to stay away all week.......

Toll House Cookie Pie

printable recipe

2 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup flour

3/4 cup melted butter cooled

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

1 unbaked 9" pie crust

Luv Ya!