Apple Crisp

  Now that it's not blazing hot outside, I get to use my oven more often. Today's treat is a delicious apple crisp that will curl your toes. You know how people selling their houses will bake cookies to help make the place smell like a home? The smell of this apple crisp could make a back alley smell like grandma's. I got the recipe from here, and if you haven't tried it, you absolutely must. Let's get started!

Ingredients

• 10 Cups Apples [about 8-10 medium sized apples]
• 1 Cup Sugar
• 1 Tablespoon Flour
• 1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
• 1/2 Cup Water
• 1/2 Cup Raisins [optional]
• 1 Cup of Quick Cooking Oats
• 1 Cup Flour
• 1 Cup Packed Brown Sugar
• 1/4 Teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1/4 Teaspoon Baking Soda
•  1/2 Cup [1 stick] Melted Butter

Preparation

   Wash all apples, then peel [I chose to omit this step *lazy*], core, and slice into pieces.

  Place the chopped apples in a 9x13 baking dish. Mix together 1 cup of sugar, 1 tablespoon flour, and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and sprinkle over apples. Evenly pour the 1/2 cup water over the entire apple mixture. [If you wish to add raisins like I did, now would be a good time to add them on top of the apples.]

  Mix the remaining ingredients together and crumble on top of the sugary apple pieces.

  Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes. [If the result is too watery for your liking, I suggest pour the juices over the top of the crumbled mixture.]

  This would be a great substitution for apple pie come Thanksgiving. I hope you enjoy!
-K

Cheesecake Cupcakes

  Growing up, my mother always made cheesecake cupcakes at Christmas. It was a treat that everyone looked forward to. Once I moved out on my own, I started baking them much more frequently. They are perfect for sharing with friends, or making new ones. In fact, I am pretty sure these cupcakes are one of the reasons my husband decided to spend his life with me.
  We are six months away from Christmas and the heat has become unbearable. So I decided to whip up a batch of these cupcakes to brighten everyone's moods. Except this time I wanted to add a personal touch. Enter the strawberry topping. These cupcakes are usually topped with a cherry pie filling, but I decided to make them a touch more pretty with some strawberry glaze. Here are the directions:


Cupcake Ingredients:

• Three 8 ounce packages of cream cheese
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• Vanilla wafers

Step 1: Line a cupcake pan with baking cups, then fill each one with a vanilla wafer.

Step 2: In a medium bowl, mix together cream cheese and sugar.

  Step 3: Add eggs to mixture & pour mix into cupcake pan.

Step 4: Bake for 30-45 minutes at 350°F.

  For the glaze, I just cut up some strawberries (I had to use frozen since it isn't strawberry season) and cooked them in confectioner's sugar and a few drops of vanilla extract until it was a little bit thicker.
  I hope you enjoy my childhood treat!


-K