Deep Dish Apple Pie with Streusel Topping December 4, 2007

Ingredients
1/4 C. Brown Sugar
1/4 C. White Sugar
1/2 t. Ground Cinnamon
1/8 t. Ground Nutmeg
Pinch Salt
5-6 Apples (I like to mix varieties..)
1 T. Lemon Juice
1 Deep Dish Pie Shell (Marie Callendar makes a good one in the frozen food section)
2 T. Unsalted Butter (cut into bits)

Topping:
1 Stick Butter (8 T.)
1/2 C. Brown Sugar
1/2 C. Walnuts (Chopped)
1 T. Lemon Juice
1/2 t. Ground Cinnamon
1/2 C. Flour

Method
1. Peel and core apples. You can buy a nifty device in the grocery store gadget aisle that cores and slices in one step–it’s about $1 and totally worth it!.
2. Toss together sugars, spices and salt. Toss the apples with the lemon juice, then this mixture.
3. Add the apples to the pie shell and top with butter pats.
4. Cream together the butter and brown sugar for the topping. Add the walnuts, lemon juice, spices and flour. Put topping over top of apples.
5. Bake at 375 for 45-60 minutes or until center of pie is bubbly and streusal mixture is browned.

Note: I have had great luck making these pies, then wrapping tightly in plastic wrap and a couple layers of foil before baking, then freezing. I then bake the frozen pie for 60 minutes at 375. I do this advance prep for Holidays–take the kiddos apple picking in the fall and have great pies for Thanksgiving. I also made a bunch of these pies for my wedding because my husband hates cake and loves apple pie. With the help of one of my bridesmaids, we set up an assembly line and catered the dessert portion of the wedding in under an hour! We baked the pies the day before and it worked great.

Whole-Wheat Pumpkin Bread December 4, 2007

Ingredients
2 C. White Flour
1/2 C. Whole-Wheat Flour
1/4 C. Cornmeal
1/4 C. Wheat Germ
1/2 t. Salt
1 T. Baking Powder
1 C. Sugar
2 Eggs
1/4 C. Butter (melted)
1 1/4 C. Milk
1 Can Pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
1 t. Ground Cinnamon
1/2 t. Ground Ginger
1 Pinch Ground Cloves
1 Pinch Nutmeg
1 C. Chocolate Chips (if you’re feeling wild!)

Method
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a loaf pan.
2. Combine all the dry ingredients. Add the egg, butter and milk. Add the pumpkin.
3. Bake 1 hour.

Notes: I make this for my 17 month old daughter for breakfast (without the chocolate chips). It’s easy, she loves it, and it’s good for her (and cleaner than oatmeal!). You can make the same recipe with apple sauce, substituting it for the pumpkin. If you want it as a dessert, add the chocolate chips and serve it warm with butter. Delicious!