Sour Cream Apple Bars

I was in a kitchen-y kind of mood today, so after enjoying a bowl of Taco Soup which I posted earlier today, I decided I wanted something sweet.  I had one ingredient requirement for this sweet treat.  Apples!  Living in Nebraska, we are all about apples come Fall.  Every year at the end of September or early October my husband and I will make the trek down to Nebraska City (Home of Arbor Day) and visit a couple of apple orchards. We haven't had an opportunity to go and hand pick our apples yet, however I did have some Granny Smith apples sitting in the fridge just waiting to be eatem up, and as chance would have it, yesterday I had found a really awesome blog site that so just happened to have posted a very delicious looking apple treat.  It seemed as if the stars were all aligned.  Destiny was calling...and you can't ignore destiny, right? 

Sour Cream Apple Bars - recipe from Your Home Based Mom

Ingredients:

  For Crust:

     1 cup butter, softened

     1 cup brown sugar, packed firmly

     2 cups quick cooking oats

     1 cup flour

     1 cup chopped pecans

     1 tsp baking soda

     1 tsp cinnamon

     1/4 tsp allspice

  For Filling:

     1 cup sour cream

     3/4 cup sugar

     2 tbsp flour

     1 egg

     2 medium Granny Smith apples, unpeeled and shredded

Directions:

1.  Mix butter and brown sugar in large mixing bowl, beat until creamy.

2.  Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon and allspice.  Mix well.

3.  Add oats and pecans and mix well.

4.  In an ungreased 9 x 13 baking pan, press half of the crust mixture over the bottom of the pan.  Bake at 350F for 8-10 minutes until golden.

5. While your crust is baking, mix all the ingredients for the filling in a large mixing bowl.  Pour the filling on the hot crust, then crumble and spread the rest of the crust mixture all over the top of the filling, lightly pressing it down.

6.  Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the center is set and the topping is a nice and brown.  (Note:  The original recipe said to bake it for 25-30, but my center was still pretty jiggly so I went 38 minutes.  In other words keep an eye on it and don't be afraid to stick it back in the oven for a couple minutes at a time until it is perfect.)

7.  Allow the bars to cool, and store in the refrigerator.

Celebrating National Grilled Cheese Month

It is most likely no surprise that I am a  lover of the grilled cheese sandwhich. I probably have it for lunch or dinner, once a week and I always make it the same way.  Bread, slice of cheddar, shredded italian cheese and lots of butter!  The shredded cheese can be a bit messy during the flip portion of the cooking process but I don't care because I have found it to be just so darn good this way and once you find the perfect combination of cheeses for your sandwhich, it becomes really hard to change it at all.  However, since April is National Grilled Cheese month, I thought it would be fitting to celebrate this tried and true sandwhich by changing it up just a bit. I did some digging around, searching for something to pep up my standard grilled cheese sandwich, and found many many different variations but one in particular intrigued me.  For some reason I seem to be really drawn to the sweet and salty flavor combinations lately.

Apple & Bacon Grilled Cheese modified from a Tyler Florence recipe found on Food Network

Ingredients:
2 slices of bread (I used Orowheat Oatnut, but use whatever bread you prefer)
1 slice Cheddar Cheese
Shredded Italian blend cheese, a good handful will do wonders!
2 slices of bacon, cooked
Thin slices of a Granny Smith Apple
Butter
Dijon Mustard

Directions:
1. Butter the bottom of each slice of bread. 
2. Spread one slice with dijon mustard, add slice of chedder, bacon, handful of shredded italian blend cheese and bacon and cover with the second slice of  buttered bread. 
3.  Place the sandwhich on a skillet, set to medium high heat.  I allow mine to cook about four or five minutes then flip and cook an additional four or five minutes.  I like mine nice and golden brown color.
4.  Cut sandwhich in half and enjoy! 

After painting our countertops last week, we got the painting bug and decided to paint the entire kitchen.  I decided two things: 1. I really hate painting and 2. I love my fresh "new"& improved kitchen, so it was well worth all the horrible, wretched work!

Baked Apple Pancakes

Back in my college days, I like many students, would use student loan money to go on fun trips with my friends.  Although I am still currently paying those trips off on my thirty year loan, all in all they were well worth it. 

One trip we took was to Chicago. My friend Shannon had a cousin who lived there and agreed to have four of us out to her place for an extended weekend. We went shopping on Michigan Ave, went to the top of the Sears Tower, hung out at Oktoberfest on the Navy Pier, checked out the Aquarium, the Life & Science Museum and, of course, went club/bar hopping every night. 

I have many, many great memories of out Chicago Girl Trip, but I also have four amazing food memories I took back with me.  The first being I ate at the Cheesecake Factory, my absolutely favorite restaurant, for the very first time.  Second, we had this fried onion appetizer at one of the bars we went to that was in the shape of a brick and it was simply amazing, as well as extremely fattening.  Third, I had one the best deep dish pizza's ever at a place called Duo's Pizza.  The sauce was on the top layer, which was nothing short of brillant in my opinion! 

The fourth food memory is what inspired my dish for today. Shannon's cousin took us out to the 'burb's to get breakfast at a place that was known for it's baked apple pancakes.  I wish I could remember the name of this place but, alas, I can't.  All I can say was it was amazing.  The pancake was probably the size of a pie, I mean this sucker was huge, and I ate the entire thing in no time without thing twice.

Baked German Apple Pancake with Nutmeg & Ginger adapted from cookincanuck

Ingredients:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground ginger
2/3 cup half-and-half
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 1/4 lb (3 to 4 large) Gala or Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch slices
3 tbsp packed brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
Powdered sugar

Directions:
1.  Preheat the oven to 500 degrees, make sure the oven rack is in the upper-middle position.
2.  In a large bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar, salt, nutmeg, and ground ginger.
3.  In a medium bowl, whisk together half-and-half, eggs, and vanilla extract.
4.  Pour the liquid mixture into the flour mixture and whisk until smooth.
5.  In a 10-inch cast iron skillet set over medium-high heat, melt in the butter.
6. Add the apples and brown sugar. Stir often until the apples are golden brown, about 10 minutes.
7. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in lemon juice.
8.  Pour the pancake batter around the edges of the pan and then over top of the apples.
9.  Place into the oven, turning the oven heat to 425 degrees. Bake until the pancake is brown and has risen above the edges, about 15 to 18 minutes.
10. Loosen up the edges of the pancake and place a serving plate on the skillet (be careful not to burn yourself) and turn the skillet upside down so the pancake falls out onto the plate. Sift a little powdered sugar over the top of the pancake and cut it into wedges. Serve while still hot.

This was super yummy. It is very similar to the dish I had in Chicago all those years ago. It was basically like eating an apple pie for breakfast, which is definitely not a bad thing at all! I think next time I will add some cinnamon to this dish as well.

I had one minor mishap while making my dish today.  I had just successfully flipped the pancake out of my cast iron skillet onto a plate when I noticed that there were a few bits of apple and pancake stuck on the skillet.  So I went to scrape the yummy bits out with my spatula, to nibble on, and instead I yelped in pain as I had very stupidly grabbed the piping hot handle on the skillet with my bare hands.  Rushing to the sink, I let the cold water run over my throbbing fingers when suddenly I recalled something I had read about once that was supposed to soothe burns.  Honey!  I drenched those suckers in ooey, gooey honey and to my amazement it actually worked.  My hand quit throbbing right away and after letting the honey sit on my fingers for about 20 minutes before I licked...er...washed the honey off, my fingers are as good as new.  No blisters or anything!!!

Couscous, "the food so nice they named it twice" - Pineapple Express

In 2008, my brother got married.  My parent's and I made a very long, 22 hours long, car ride to Virginia for the big day.  It was a beautiful wedding.  They were married on a outdoor stage next to the beach.  It was on a tad windy, but otherwise gorgous sunny day.  After the "I do's", the wedding party paraded down the Hampton sidewalks to the reception hall a few blocks away.  I think the very first thing people feasted their eyes on when they entered the reception hall was a long table laden with an amazing variety of foods!

My sister-in-law is a vegetarian, and many of her friends are vegans so the food incorporated all these dietary restrictions, as well as having a meat dish for the meat eaters.  I scrounged around my shoe box full of mementos, looking for the menu this morning so I could reminisce about the amazing meal we shared with the newly married couple, as well as, share it on my blog.

Buffet Supper:

• Fire roasted Greek chicken over penne pasta with portabella mushrooms, bell peppers, capers and a red wine reduction
• Warm potato salad Nicoise with haricot vert (vegan) 
• Tabouli - Bulgar wheat salad with tomatoes, scallions, cilantro, parsley and mint (vegan)
• Couscous salad with cranberries and almonds (vegan)
• Hummus - Chickpea, olive oil, garlic and sesame spread (vegan) served with a selection of breads
• House salad with romaine, olive tepenade, montrachet cheese, grape tomatoes and balsamic vinaigrette (vegetarian)

 All the food was amazing, I sampled all of the dishes and didn't find one I didn't enjoy.  My absolute favorite dish that night was the couscous salad.  Mmm, mmm it was a delight, so when I saw this recipe below while browsing one of my favorite Food Network chef's webpage, I about died with joy!   I absolutely had to make it for my hubby, who had fell ill and wasn't able to make it on the long road trip out to the wedding and therefore missed out on all the amazing food. 

Isreali Couscous with Apples, Cranberries and Herbs adapted from Giada De Laurentis
Ingredients:
Couscous:
2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups Israeli couscous (can use orzo)

4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 medium granny smith apple, diced
1 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted, see the Cook's Note

Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil


Directions:
1. In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil on medium-high heat.
2. Add the couscous, stir and cook until slightly browned, about 3-5 minutes.
3. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil then allow to simmer for 10-12 minutes until the liquid has evaporated.
4. Place the couscous in a large bowl and let cool.
5. After cooling, add the parsley, rosemary, thyme, apple, dried cranberries, and almonds to the couscous.
6. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, maple syrup, salt, and pepper.
7. Add the olive oil and whisk the mixture until smooth.
8. Pour the vinaigrette over the couscous and toss to coat evenly.

"Giada's Cooks Note: To toast the almonds, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Arrange the almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely before using."

Oh my, this is one amazingly delicious salad.  Wow!  Each and every ingredient adds an amazing flavor sensation with each and every bite.  It would be a great fresh side dish to meals and it makes for a brilliant option to have as a snack during the day.   I am so thankful that my brother's wedding well over a year ago inspired me to make this dish today, or I would be missing out on something really really wonderful. 
 
Oh, and my hubby took a bite and said one thing, "Amazing!"  I think that about says it all!