BBQ Chicken, Asparagus, and Apple Naan Pizzas

This has to be my new favorite pizza flavor combo ever. EVER.

BBQ Chicken, Asparagus, and Apple Naan Pizzas

I’m a super big fan of fruit on pizza, just ask my suspicious-of-anything-fruity-on-pizza boyfriend – I’m always tormenting him by begging to get pineapple on my half.

And the use of naan as a crust? Not to toot my own horn, but that was genius. No pre-baking necessary, and it results in this soft and chewy crust. Everything you love about naan, now in a pizza. Continue reading

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Apple Pie Oatmeal

Confession: You are going to be seeing a lot of apples in the next few weeks.

Confession: I am totally obsessed with apples right now.

Apple Pie Oatmeal - fast and healthy! From www.theculinarycapers.com

I already told you about my terrible habit of buying a million (or like…20) apples every time I go to the farmers market. But now you get to find out what exactly I do with all these apples. Sort of simultaneously with me figuring out what exactly I do with all these apples. Continue reading

Super Green Juice

Ok, so let’s be real.

It’s February. Valentine’s Day happened, and you’re still munching on that box of chocolates, because – whether you gifted yourself, or received them from someone else – calories given with love don’t count, right?

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And we’re really past the point where we can say we’re all still on our New Years resolutions (but kudos to those of you staying strong and still with it!) so maybe it’s time to consider something different.

I’ve always said that I will sneak spinach into my children’s smoothies if/when I have them. What’s that? You don’t want to eat the spinach salad mommy just spent 30 minutes making? Well, let me go fix you a smoothie! *Cackles wickedly* Continue reading

Apple Upside Down Cake

I am a huge fan of unexpected delights when it comes to food. A new twist on a traditional dish brings out the nerd in me, and gets me thinking about new flavor combinations to try.

So when I came across this recipe for apple upside down cake, I had to try it. I adore pineapple upside down cake, with it’s gooey, sweet pineapple top, what’s not to love, right?

Well, before you whip out your old standby upside down cake recipe, seriously consider switching it up.

Because this cake is fantastic. Continue reading

How to Make Applesauce from Scratch

So…turns out I get a little excited by fall produce at the farmer’s market.

Like…buying 12 pounds of apples excited. And then contemplating buying more. Until my boyfriend points out what a ridiculous idea that is, and how am I ever going to use all these apples?

Enter applesauce. Continue reading

Rustic Apple Tarts

These rustic apple tarts, or Apple Snaps, as some (inexplicably) refer to them, were born on one of those beautiful fall days where the sun is shining, the weather is crisp, and the leaves seem to glow with all their colors.

Combine that with one of the most amazing apple orchards I have ever been to, and how can you not create something so simple, but so delicious?

While visiting my boyfriend in La Crosse, WI, we decided to embark on an apple picking adventure. He had never been, and I have always been fascinated by picking my own food (It’s just SO fresh!). Thus, we started our 40 minute journey to Ecker’s Apple Farm. Everyone should go to this apple orchard. I mean it, if you’re looking for a place to pick apples, this is where you should go. It’s run by the most adorable family you could ask for, they have a John Deere tractor to take you on a tour of the orchard with stops along the way where you are welcome to get off, pick an apple and eat it to make sure it’s just as tasty as it looks before you commit to picking and buying anything. Fabulous!

If the lure of a tractor train ride isn’t enough for you, they also make the best caramel I have ever tasted, which just happens to be delicious drizzled on the apple pie a la mode you can purchase by the slice, or by the entire pie, in the main barn. Trust me on this one, just go there, you cannot be disappointed!

So, as my boyfriend and I set off on our apple picking adventure, I knew I had to do something delicious with these apples.

You can’t spend all afternoon picking apples….or “apple hunting” in my boyfriend’s case….to not bake something delicious with them as soon as you get home.

So, with bag of apples and tub of caramel in hand, we set off down the road with dreams of these incredibly simple, incredibly delicious rustic apple tarts.

Ingredients:

  • 4-5 medium apples, peeled, cored and chopped into quarter-sized pieces
  • 1/2 cup of sugar, plus a little extra for sanding
  • 2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1 Tbsp. butter, melted
  • Two 9 inch pie crusts, store bought or your favorite recipe. (I used store bought)
  • Caramel for drizzling
1. Preheat your oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, then peel and chop your apples.
2. Add the sugar and cinnamon and stir to combine.
3. Roll your pie crusts out on to a pan. Cut them in half and add the apple mixture to the center of each half, leaving an inch or so of crust around the outside.
4. Fold over the edges of the crust any way you’d like (this is the rustic part!), then melt your butter and lightly brush over the edges. Sprinkle the buttered crust with a little extra sugar to get a nice crunch.
5. Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes, depending on the size of your tarts and the instructions on the package if you’re using store bought crust, or until the crust becomes golden brown.
6. Drizzle with caramel and enjoy!