Christmas Memories

Growing up, until about the age of 13, we spent every single Christmas in the snowy hills of Pennsylvania. We would pack up the car and spend 2 weeks with our family, enjoying every last festive minute the holiday had to offer. Both sets of my grandparents lived there, and those Christmases were some of the best memories I have. To this day I can't hear "No Place Like Home for the Holidays" and the line "I met a man in Tennessee, and he was looking for Pennsylvania and some homemade pumpkin pie...." without tearing up remembering them.

Both of my grandmas were exceptional cooks and each one had their own special dishes they always made for Christmas. I had my favorites from each of them, and these were always at top of my list from Grammy. She made them every single year, only at Christmas, and I always looked forward to them. In fact, to this day, even at the age of 90, she still makes them and makes sure I have some in my fridge this time of year.

They are one of the easiest holiday treats you can make, but also one of the most festive looking and flavored too. It doesn't get much more Christmas-y than red and cinnamon!

Memories of Christmases gone by are so special to me. Of course we are always making new ones with our little boy, and I'm always looking for ways to share some of what I had with him. Food is one of the easiest way to do that, so of course, these are one of his favorites too!

Cinnamon Apples

As many apples as you want to make, peeled, cored and quartered
1/4- 1/3 cup cinnamon candies (use more or less depending on how "hot" you want them)
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups water

Mix together candies, sugar and water. Bring to a boil and add apples a few at at time boiling for 1-1 1/2 minutes. When all done cooking apples, pour liquid over apples and add a dash of red food coloring. Store in a air tight container in the fridge.

Shared at Weekend Potluck

Ice Cream...It's Not Just For Summer

It's been almost a year since I developed this recipe for my friends over at Indiana Dairy, so I thought it was about time I shared it here too. Especially since many of you (in fact thousands of new readers) have joined the EMM family since last October when I did.

We all know summer's favorite sweet treat is ice cream. It's an American classic that is almost a mascot of summer time. But with September upon us, does that mean we have to stop? I say heck no! Now, you are talking to an ice cream fanatic, so quite frankly, you'll find me in the Culver's drive through year round, but when I created this, I thought it was about time ice cream got an autumn flare added to it!

If ice cream is the flavor mascot of summer, then pumpkin and apple have to be the ones for fall. Pumpkin spice everything is every where; and trips to the apple orchard are a favorite pastime. And once you're back home with those bushels of goodies, it is time to put them to good use.

Think about a big piece of warm apple pie, with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream on it. That will get you in the mood for this. It has all the same flavors, but in a new, fun, yummy twist. They are perfect for fall time parties, bonfires and tailgating. If you make the sauce ahead of time, you could easily keep it warm in the slow cooker for all day/night fun.

It's time to say good-bye to summer and hello to fall. But no matter what the calendar says, I don't think we have to stop eating our favorite summer time foods quite yet, especially if we transform them just a little to incorporate fall favorites too!

Apple Pie Sundae

Originally Posted on Indiana Dairy

4 large apples, cored, peeled and sliced into 1/4" slices
1/4 c. butter
1/2 c. chopped walnuts, a few reserved for garnish
1/4 c. packed brown sugar
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 c. apple cider
1 TBS cornstarch
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp. allspice
Vanilla ice cream
Waffle bowls

Melt butter in a large skillet over low heat. Add apples in a single layer. Sprinkle with lemon juice, brown sugar and spices. Stir to coat. Cover and simmer on low until tender, about 10 minutes. Remove apples with a slotted spoon. In a small bowl combine apple cider and cornstarch. Whisk well. Pour into skillet with drippings from apples. Increase heat to medium. Whisk continuously until thickened. Combine apples, sauce and walnuts in a large bowl. Stir gently to combine. Allow to cool slightly. Scoop ice cream into waffle bowls, spoon apple mixture over top. Add a few walnuts to top. *NOTE* You can serve this right after cooking, when it's very warm, but I find it works better when it's cooled slightly. You can also make it ahead of time and reheat in the microwave, for about 1-2 minutes until it's warmed through.

Shared at Weekend Potluck

Autumn Chicken {A Post For Earth Fare}

I wish I had some wonderful autumn themed story to tell you that was my inspiration for this recipe. A day spent picking apples that led to me coming home to a fire in the fire place and sitting around with the family eating this delicious dish. Well...not so much. Apple picking? That's still on our to do list. Sitting around the fire place? Yeah, we don't have one of those. What I do have is a simple explanation that is going to give you a new chicken recipe you're going to love.

It was time for me to go shopping at my local Earth Fare for my monthly post. It just so happened they had beautiful chicken thighs on sale for $.99/pound! It was a deal I couldn't pass up. The second part of the story is while we grill year round, when the days start to get a little chilly, and then down right cold, Mr. E. is in charge of manning the grill. Sure, he normally is anyway, but I have actually gotten pretty proficient  at it myself over the last few years, but only when it's warm outside.

So there I was. I had these gorgeous chicken thighs that needed to be cooked in the oven. Okay, that's easy enough. I love roasted chicken. And why not add in some autumn flavor with apples. Do you cook savory dishes with apples? They are fantastic in dishes other than dessert. And if you've never tasted the way they compliment onions, you must! When they cook together (think a stuffing that has apple in it) it's a match made in fall heaven.

This would make a terrific Sunday supper but is also easy enough for any weeknight. It's a beauty to entertain with, and can be adapted to feed more without much hassle

Not every recipe has to have some magical story behind it. Sometimes the yummiest of dishes come by the most simple of means. A good deal + A chilly day = Your lucky day!

Roasted Honey Mustard Chicken 

with 

Apples

6 bone in chicken thighs, patted dry

2 large Cortland apples, cut into large chunks

1 large white onion cut into large chunks

1 c. chicken broth

2 TBS honey mustard

1 1/2 TBS olive oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

Dried Parsley

Preheat oven to 450. Grease a 9x13 baking dish. Heat oil in large skillet over medium high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper. When oil is hot, place chicken in, skin side down, and cook for about 6 minutes until golden brown. Flip. Cook 3 additional minutes. Remove to a platter lined with paper towels. Drain off all but 2 TBS drippings. Add apples and onions to skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with parsley.Saute' until softened about 4 minutes. Mix honey mustard with broth. Pour into skillet. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Carefully transfer to baking dish. Lay chicken on top. Roast in oven for 20-25 minutes until chicken cooked through. To serve, remove chicken and then using a slotted spoon, lay apples and onions on platter. Lay chicken on top. Spoon pan juices over top. Sprinkle with extra parsley. *NOTE* This honey mustard is NOT the salad dressing. It can be found in the condiment aisle next to the other varieties of mustard.  

Shared on The Country Cook Sept. 26, 2014

Chicken at Very Good Recipes

Disclaimer: I was provided with a gift card in exchange for this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Copycat Fall Favorite

While I think of this recipe as one that would be more enjoyable in fall, to be honest, I will order the original winter, spring, summer and fall. They are something I enjoy as a side dish for both breakfast and dinner any time we visit our local Cracker Barrel. But I do admit to making them more often at home when the leaves are changing, the pumpkins are abundant and apple season is in full swing! They are another recipe that works great as a side or add a little whipped cream for a warm easy dessert. In fact, many times I will order them with my meal and then save them until the end making them my dessert. They would also work great as a "topper" for things like oatmeal or French toast during a weekend breakfast or brunch. Another tip for you~ if you have some apples laying around that are starting to "turn" and aren't quite as crisp as they should be, this is a great use for them. In fact, that's exactly what I used when I made this batch. Remember that $9 bag of apples I told you about when I shared my Cinnamon Dip? Well, I had just a few left in that bag and they needed to be used ASAP, so this was what came to mind.  However or whenever you decide to serve them, they scream autumn and are a warm, comforting side dish on any chilly fall day!

Fried Apples
6 medium apples, cored and sliced (I like the peel left on)
1/4 c brown sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 c. butter
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg

In a large skillet, melt butter over medium hit. Evenly spread apples in skillet. Drizzle with lemon juice. Gently stir. Sprinkle with brown sugar and salt. Stir to coat. Turn heat down to low, cover and cook for 10-15 minutes until apples are tender. Add cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir gently. Remove into serving dish and drizzle with extra syrup in pan.

Shared on Lady Behind The Curtain Oct. 17, 2012
Shared on Miz Helen's Country Cottage Oct. 18, 2012
Shared on The Country Cook Oct. 19, 2012

Apples at Very Good Recipes
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