Whole Wheat Apple Muffins

photo via smitten kitchen

Last week, I hosted a baby shower for my best friend, Katie. It was a definite success and I was so happy to be able to prepare some delicious food and fun games. The shower was at 10:30am, so we dined on brunch foods, including eggs with salsa, fruit, doughnuts, veggies, cranberry punch and baked goods. I re-vamped this yogurt bundt cake to include raspberries instead of strawberries, and found a new whole wheat muffin that is moist and delicious.

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen to be 100% whole wheat

Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Bake Time: 15-20 Minutes

Total Time: 30-35 Minutes

Yield 18 muffins

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon cinnamon

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed, divided

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 cup (8 oz.) buttermilk or yogurt

2 large apples, peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped

DIRECTIONS:

Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees. Grease and flour 18 muffin cups and set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon and set aside. In a large, cream the butter using electric beaters and add the granulated sugar and 1/4 cup of the brown sugar. Beat until fluffy. Add the egg and mix well. Mix in the buttermilk gently (apparently the buttermilk can cause the mixture to curdle if you overbeat). Stir in the dry ingredients and fold in the apple chunks. 

Divide the batter evenly among prepared muffin cups and sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar on top of each unbaked muffin. Bake for 10 minutes, turn the heat down to 400 degrees, and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool the muffins for 5 minutes in the tin, then turn them onto a wire rack and cool completely.

Enjoy!

Country Apple Dumplings

Whoa. These are amazing. I try not to say that a lot, but I really think these are absolutely divine. This is like a gourmet pastry and a down-good home-baked apple pie all rolled into one. A tart apple slice, wrapped in a crispy and gooey shell, then encompassed with butter-y, sugar-y goodness, complete with one surprise ingredient. This is just fabulous. And amazingly simple.

From Allrecipes.com

INGREDIENTS:

1 large apple, peeled and cored

1 can refrigerated crescent roll dough

1/2 cup butter

3/4 cup white sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 can (6 fluid ounces) Mountain Dew

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a baking dish.

Cut the apple into 8 wedges and set aside. Separate the crescent roll dough into triangles and roll each apple wedge into crescent roll dough, starting with the smallest end. Pinch to seal and place in the baking dish. 

Melt butter in a small saucepan and stir in the sugar and cinnamon. Pour over the apple dumplings. Pour Mountain Dew over the dumplings.

Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until golden brown.

Prepare to put your lips together and say "Mmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!!" 

Cinnamon Applesauce

Someone I know well has a deep love for applesauce. According to this person, applesauce is "the perfect food: it's a solid and a liquid, sweet but not overbearing, goes down smooth." I love this person. And he loves this applesauce.  

Adapted from Just Cook Already

INGREDIENTS:

5 apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup water
juice of half a lemon

DIRECTIONS:

Place apples and water in a saucepan over medium-high heat. When water starts to boil, lower heat to medium, cover, and let simmer until apples are sauce and slightly mushy, about 15 minutes.

When apples are soft, remove from heat and add nutmeg, cinnamon, sugar, and lemon juice. Using a potato masher or a fork, mash all ingredients together until desired consistency is reached. Serve warm or chill in a covered container in the refrigerator.

Apple Crisp

What says fall more than apples and apple desserts? The sweet, crumbly goodness of a crisp combined with the tart crispness of apples is a no-fail combination. With the weather looking a bit dreary this weekend, this is a surefire way to warm things up.

*Recipe and photo from Allrecipes.com

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups rolled oats

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar

1 1/2 cups butter, cut into small cubes

2 quarts peeled, cored, and sliced apples (I ended up using about six large apples)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar. Cut butter into mixture until crumbly. (I use my fingers for this...a pastry blender would probably be helpful if you have one.)

Take half of the mixture and pat it into the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Cover crumb mixture with apple slices, then sprinkle apple slices with remaining crumb mixture. 

Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until apples are tender.

De-lish and welcome fall!!