mmmmm: homemade cinnamon applesauce

my mom used to make this recipe when i was a little girl. it still brings back memories and fills me with nostalgia. it makes me think of fall and winter and is just sweet enough to be a dessert on the coldest of days. 

cinnamon applesauce

4 medium apples, cored, peeled and sliced

1 cup of water 

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg


heat apples and water in a pot until water is boiling. boil down apples and water for 10 minutes until apples are tender. 

add brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. simmer on low heat for another 20 minutes until water is reduced and   mixture has thickened. serve warm or refrigerate and serve cold. if you like a pureed consistency, put the finished mixture in a food processor and pulse a few beats until smooth.

mmmmm: apple cake

how can i describe holly? i have no childhood memory that does not somewhere include her in the picture. long before i ever had friends of my own to call on the telephone, i could dial holly's number by heart. she has been my mom's closest friend forever. there wasn't a day that went by in my childhood that didn't involve a phone call from holly to my mother or my mother to holly. their's was the friendship i idolized. it's the kind of friendship that has withstood relocation, growing children, illnesses, heartache, and the passage of time. it's the kind of friendship i long for.

holly is hilarious, laughs easily, loves pink, teddy bears, 50's music, tea parties, her kids, her husband, history, good books and amazing food. she's the kind of person that, when hosting a tea party, called to get everyone's starbuck's orders to have them ready and waiting. how great is that? she is a gem. when she shared her recipe for apple cake, i had to pass it on. she's an amazing baker and i've never been disappointed with one of her treats. this recipe screams fall and you will love it.

apple cake

1 cup flour

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

2 cups peeled chopped raw apple

1 egg

1/4 cup oil

1/2 cup raisins

preheat oven to 350 degrees. combine flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl. stir in the apples, egg, oil and raisins. pour into a greased 9 x 9 inch baking pan. top with streusel mixture

streusel topping

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup rolled oats

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/3 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup flour

mix streusel ingredients well, making sure the butter is broken up well within the other ingredients. spread the streusel over the cake batter. bake the cake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. enjoy!

mmmmm, mondays: apple crisp

perhaps i am not the person to post a dessert like this. i pretty much believe fruit belongs in a salad and not in a dessert...unless it is a strawberry covered in chocolate. then i'll make an exception.

still, this dessert makes me think of fall. it's pretty delicious served warm with a scoop of ice cream. sometimes i wish i could just eat the topping...but that probably wouldn't fly in the dessert category.

so here you go...apples and all.

apple crisp

8 cups apples, peeled and sliced

1/2 cup water

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cup flour

1/2-1 cup butter

place sliced apples in a 9 x 13 pan. sprinkle them with water. put aside and prepare the crust. mix together the dry ingredients and sprinkle evenly over the apples. cut the butter into pieces and lay over the layer of apples and topping. cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. uncover and bake for an additional 30 minutes. serve warm with ice cream. enjoy!