Whole Grain Apple Cheese Bread

Oops!  I published this recipe this morning without noticing that Jen had published another recipe a few minutes before me.  Normally I would have chosen to publish it another day, but alas it's really hard to make a post go away once you hit publish so you all just get double recipe goodness today!


                                                             *************************

Bread  = Good.

Bread + Apples = Very good.

Bread + Apples + Cheese = Excellent!

 Bread + Apples + Cheese + Apple Butter = Yum-o-licious!

Click here for printable recipe. 

Posted by Lara.

The ingredients:

1 Tbs. active dry yeast
3/4 cup warm water (110 to 115 degrees)
3 cups all purpose flour, divided ( I used 1-1/2 cups white whole wheat flour + 1-1/2 cups all purpose flour)

1-1/2 cups finely chopped apples
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 Tbs. sugar
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 tsp. salt


Directions:
BREAD:  In a large bowl, combine yeast and water; stirring to dissolve yeast.  Allow to rest for about 5 minutes.  To the yeast mixture, add the all-purpose flour (1-1/2 cups), the chopped apples, shredded cheese, eggs, sugar, shortening, and salt. 

Beat for about 2 minutes. 

Gently stir in remaining flour (1-1/2 cups of white whole wheat flour). 

Cover batter and allow to rise for 50-60 minutes. 

Beat the dough one last time before shaping and placing it into a greased 9x5-inch loaf pan.

Cover and allow to rise about 40 minutes or until nearly doubled.

Bake for 45-55 minutes in a 375-degree oven or until loaf sounds hollow when gently tapped. 

Remove from pan and cool on wire rack at least 15 minutes before serving with some apple butter!

Enjoy!

Read more...

Apple and Pear Green Salad with Honey Poppy Seed Dressing

Last week, we kicked off autumn here at Recipe Shoebox by posting a new apple recipe a day.   WE made sweet and savory dishes....some duds (that we didn't post) and some new family favorites.  This salad recipe is most likely the last of our apple series and was another delicious addition to the collection.  My family loved the sweet and salty combination in this hearty salad and with how easy it was to throw together I envision this one being one that we make on a regular basis. 

Recipe from Southern Living.

Click here for printable recipe. 

Posted by Lara.

The ingredients:

SALAD
1 package (16-oz) Romaine lettuce, thoroughly washed, dried, and chopped
1/2 lb. Swiss cheese, cut into strips
1 cup roasted, salted cashews
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries (Craisins)
1 large apple, thinly sliced
1 large pear, thinly sliced

HONEY POPPY SEED DRESSING


3 Tbs. apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp. dry mustard powder
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbs. poppy seeds
salt and pepper
1/2 cup olive oil

Directions:
Makes 6-8 hearty servings. 

For salad, divide lettuce up among the serving plates.  Top with cheese, cashews, craisins, apple, and pear.  Drizzle with dressing.  Or if you prefer combine all ingredients in a large serving bowl, then drizzle with dressing. 

For dressing, combine all ingredients into a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake well to combine. 

Enjoy! 

Don't miss a single recipe.  Sign up on the right for free email updates!

Read more...

Apple Pastry Rolls

If you like apple pie filling, you are going to LOVE this!  Many years ago I had the opportunity to be served a wonderful, sweet, pastry-like apple sweet roll.  I had to have the recipe immediately.  As it turned out it was a recipe from the Better Homes and Gardens website.  (I should of known because my red and white checkered BH&G cookbook has never failed me).  I do admit that I really like the apple pie filling in a can, but if you find that too sweet, you can easily adapt this recipe.  I personally think that the next time I will omit a little bit of sugar.  These are not quite a sweet roll dough, but more like a pie crust/biscuit combination.  Thus the pastry danish-like texture.  And with a sugar and cinnamon sauce to bake them in, how can you go wrong?!

Recipe from :Better Homes and Gardens "Spiral Apple Dumplings"

Click here for printable recipe.

Post by: Jen

Ingredients:

for the sauce:

2 c sugar

2 c water

1/4 c butter

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

For the pastry dough:

2 c flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 c shortening (I used butter flavor shortening)

1/2 c milk 

for the apple filling:

3-4 apples (good cooking ones like Granny Smith), peeled and chopped

lemon juice (to help with the browning)

1/4 c sugar (optional)

1 tsp cinnamon (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  

Add the sugar, water, cinnamon, nutmeg, and butter to a sauce pan.  Stir and heat to a boil.  I can tell you that the smell from this was heavenly.  Who needs to have a scented candle when you can heat this, then add apples and eat?!  OK, I digress...

 Let it boil for about 5-10 minutes.  Make sure that you are using a pan big enough to allow for the boiling sugar water.  I actually had to pour my sauce into a bigger pan when it started boiling.  (note the change of pans in the pictures!)  The longer your boil, it may actually reduce a bit to be thicker.

Meanwhile, either prepare your pastry dough or chop your apples.  I chose to peel and chop apples first because 1) peeling apples takes a long time for me and I wanted to get it over with, and 2) I had limited space on my counter top and couldn't roll out a dough in the space I was chopping apples.

 After chopping your apples toss them with lemon juice so as to prevent a lot of browning. I actually used 3 big apples and I think I may have actually had too many making it hard to roll up the dough.  (then again, can you ever have too many apples when it comes to baking?)

 For the dough, mix your dry ingredients in a bowl.  Measure out your shortening and then add small pieces of shortening to the bowl, tossing it around periodically to cover them all with flour.

 Cut in the shortening with a pastry blender, or two knives, or even just with your fingers (which is what I did).  You want it to be like pie crust and be little pieces of covered shortening.

 Make a well in the center of your bowl, and pour in the milk.

 Stir just until all the flour is moistened.

 Flour a surface to roll the dough and dump out your dough.  You will have to press it all together and knead it a few times to get it all into a nice smooth ball.

 Roll out into a 12 x 10(ish) rectangle.  I am so horrible at rolling out rectangles.  Maybe the next time I will make these as crescents.  That's so much easier to roll out.  Make sure to flour underneath from time to time and move it around so that it isn't sticking to your counter.

 Spread the chopped apples all over but leave a 1/2 inch or so border on the bottom clear of apples.  Mix your remaining sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the apples.  NOTE:  If you want it less sweet, leave this part out.  I think I will next time.  The sauce is plenty sugary.  (not that my family would complain)

Carefully roll the dough in a spiral until you have rolled up all the apples.  Remember that this is a pie-like consistency and the dough can easily tear.

  Pinch the edges so as to seal it up.  Moisten your fingers with water if necessary.

 Slice into 12  1-inch thick slices.

 Spray the bottom of a 9 X 13 pan and evenly arrange your apple rolls.

 Pour the cinnamon sugar syrup over your apples.

 Bake in oven for about 45 minutes or until the tops are golden and the bottoms are looking cooked.  It's hard to tell if the bottoms are all  the way cooked because they are sitting in syrupy liquid.  I was concerned that they would be squishy (and I don't like squishy baked food).  But perhaps that's why Better Homes and Gardens called them "Apple Dumplings"

If you can't help it and you have to eat one right away, then yes, the bottom of these will seem a little less cooked than the golden tops.  But I promise you that if you wait until it is cooled down the the sauce thickens up, then it tastes like a single serve apple pie.   (I admit, that I ate 2 of them for breakfast today.  But I seem to have read recently that it's OK to eat sweets for breakfast  because then you have the whole day to burn calories.  Unlike when you sit down in front of  the TV at 10:30 at night after kids are finally quiet and then you have to eat your sweets.  Um, maybe that's just me.)  

 Speaking of which, I think I still have a couple in the pan...

Read more...

Apple, Pear, and Gorgonzola Chicken Pasta

When I was searching for apple recipes to try for this week, I was determined that I would branch out of the apple/cinnamon genre of recipe and go for some fun, new combinations.  I tried a few others along the way, but this autumn-inspired pasta dish rose to the top and has become a new family favorite.   There's just something about the way the sweetness of the apples, the sharpness of the Gorgonzola, and the tanginess of the craisins came together that worked so deliciously well.   Enjoy!

Be sure to check out all of our other yummy apple recipes and look out for a couple more still coming... 

Recipe adapted from my favorite new cookbook Savoring the Seasons With Our Best Bites

Click here for printable recipe. 

Posted by Lara

The ingredients:
1-lb. boneless skinless chicken breast
salt and pepper
1 Tbs. oil
1 box (14.5-oz) bow tie pasta
2 medium pears, peeled and chopped into 1/4-inch slices
2 medium tart apples, peeled and chopped into 1/4-inch slices
3 Tbs. butter
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2/3 cup cream
1-1/2 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 cup dried cranberries
2/3 cup Gorgonzola cheese
1 Tbs. dried parsley
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Directions: 
Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper, then in a heavy duty skillet over high heat, cook the chicken in the oil for 1-2 minutes on each side or until golden brown, but not cooked through.   Remove from heat, reserving oil/juices.

Cook pasta according to package directions.


While pasta is cooking, cut up the chicken and place back in the skillet and cook on low for 8-10 minutes, or until chicken is tender and cooked through.  Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.

Over medium heat, melt the butter in a large skillet.  Add apples and pears and saute for 1-2 minutes or until slightly tender. 

Use a slotted spoon to remove apples and pears from pan and set aside.  Leave any remaining butter and juices in pan.

Add chicken broth, salt, and pepper to pan and bring to a simmer.   Whisk cream and cornstarch together and add to pan.  Return to simmer and cook 1-2 minutes, until slightly thickened. Add dried cranberries and simmer about 30 seconds.

Remove from heat and immediately add Gorgonzola cheese, apples/pears, chicken, parsley, Parmesan cheese, and pasta. 

Toss to coat. 

Immediately before serving, add pecans and top with additional cheese if desired. 

Makes 6 main dish servings. 

Enjoy! 

Don't miss a single recipe.  Sign up on the right for free email updates. 

Read more...

Whole Wheat Apple Cinnamon Bread

Welcome to another delicious addition to our apple recipe collection here at Recipe Shoebox, where we are sharing an apple recipe a day!     Don't be fooled by the dark color of this bread into thinking that this is heavy or dense.  Nope!  This is whole wheat bread is soft crumbed, delicious,  and chock full of apples!  This recipe makes two loaves...one for you and one for a friend, although if you're like us you may want to keep them both for yourself after trying it!  Enjoy!   

Click here for printable recipe. 

Recipe by Lara.


The ingredients:
2 cups white whole wheat flour* ( I like King Arthur brand)
1-1/3 cups all purpose flour*
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. cinnamon
1 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. cloves
4 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 tsp. vanilla
4 cups chopped apples (we used 4 Granny Smith apples)

TOPPING:
3 Tbs. brown sugar
3 Tbs. sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:
* NOTE:  If desired, you can substitute all purpose flour for the wheat flour.

In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients (flours, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves) together.  Set aside.

In a separate bowl, mix together well beaten eggs, vegetable oil, applesauce, and vanilla.  Mix until well combined.  Pour over dry ingredients and stir until flour mixture is barely combined. 

Gently fold in apple chunks and pour batter into two well-greased 8x4-inch loaf pans. 

In a small bowl, mix together topping ingredients and sprinkle evenly over the loaves. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. 

Allow bread to cool in the pans for about 10 minutes, then running a knife gently around the edges, loosen sides and remove from pans.  Allow to cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

Enjoy!   

Don't miss a single recipe.  Sign up on the right for free email updates! 

Read more...