Apple-Cream Cheese Breakfast/Dessert Recipe!

Hello Y’all! 

Well a couple weeks back I had good amounts of cream cheese, apples, and oatmeal in my pantry.  I decided to then “Google” a recipe that uses all three of these ingredients that are nut-free and coconut free.  And Yes, as many of you all know, I’m the one in the family (including my Dad) allergic to specific kinds of nuts and seeds. My husband chooses to become as he says,  “also allergic by default”.  He is very sweet and supportive about it though! 

Yep, I finally found another interesting recipe, and it has been a hit ever since.  This site is new to me, http://www.thatsmyhome.com/, I usually use www.foodnetwork.com, but this other one seems to have interesting recipes though. My husband and I have been having portions of this apple-cream cheese-oatmeal-crisp (now say that again fives times and faster! ) for breakfast or as a dessert with coffee. 

Cream Cheese Apple Crisp
http://www.thatsmyhome.com/

Topping
1 1/2 Cups quick cooking oatmeal
1 1/3 Cups flour
1 Cup packed brown sugar [I used 1/4 cup instead]
2 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 Cup butter, chilled & cut up

Apples
6 Cups peeled, chopped Apples
1/3 Cup sugar [I used 1/4 Brown Sugar instead]
2 tbsp flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt

Filling
1 8 oz pkg cream cheese softened
1/2 Cup sugar [I used about 1/4 Brown Sugar instead here also]
2 eggs
2 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp milk

 
Heat oven to 350. In large bowl stir together oatmeal, flour, brown sugar and cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Press half the mixture in the bottom of 13x9 inch glass baking dish; reserve remaining mixture for topping.

In large bowl toss together all apple ingredients until apples are coated. Spread over crust.

In large bowl beat cream cheese and sugar at medium speed until smooth. Add eggs, flour & milk; beat until combined. Spread over apple mixture; sprinkle with reserved oatmeal mixture.
Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown & apples are tender. Cool on wire rack.

Makes 12 servings.

Recipe From: http://www.thatsmyhome.com/sweetspot/cream-cheese-apple-crisp.htm

Homemade Whipped-Cream Topping (Nut/Coconut Free!!!)
AKA -  Topping for the Topping ;)
2 Cups Whipping Cream
3-4 packets of Artificial Sweetner (or 3 Tablespoons of sugar)

While the Apple Crisp is baking mix up a good portion of Homemade Whipping Cream that can be used immediately or for storage in the refridge.  Place all Whipping Cream Ingredients in a mixing bowl, hand mix or beat using an electric mixer until the ingrededients become thick and fluffy.  Be sure to not mix too much or you would most likely have 2 cups (give or take a few ounces) of butter instead!

~Y’all Enjoy!

Pioneer Corn Bread - "Theophania Pioneer Recipe Series" ;)

Cornbread Ingredients:
3 three cups of Cornmeal or Mesa Flour
1 cup of All-Purpose White flour (keeps the Corn Bread from crumbling too much).
1/2 TBSP Baking Powder
2 eggs
Pinch of Salt
½ cup of brown sugar
1-2 cup(s) of chopped onion (whichever variety and quantity you like best!)
Water*, depending on the thickness/consistency you want – about a cup to 2 cups.
*use milk you if you don’t want to use water.

Mixing Directions:
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl, adding the water or the milk last and gradually to get it to a consistency between a pancake mixture and bread dough consistency.  If you accidentally add too much liquid, it can be easily fixed by adding more All-Purpose flour. Place mixed ingredients in a greased large loaf pan, oven proof casserole dish (Pyrex), or a cast-iron dutch oven (pre-greased).


Pioneer-Frontier-Dutch-Oven-Cooking Method:
Start a fire with good dry wood in an appropriate setting, like a camp, pioneer log cabin kitchen, and etc (chopped thick log-wood the best, not twigs.).  Don’t try this method in your modern kitchen unless you have the appropriate fireplace outfitted for such a job!

Once there are enough hot coals, dig some out from the bottom portion or sides of the fire. Place them in a small circle in a cleared area next to the fire (but not in the fire) about the same diameter as the Dutch oven you will be using to cook the corn bread in.  Judge the heat  by placing your had above the coals by a couple of feet, if you hand gets too hot too quickly, then you might burn your cornbread, wait for the coals to get to a medium heat (about 325°F -350°F) the feel you get when you open your modern kitchen oven when  placing items in there when cooking. Take the cornbread and pour it into the already greased Dutch oven, cover the Dutch oven with its lid.  Then place the Dutch oven on top of the coals. Then with the appropriate campfire equipment, scoop some coals and place on top of the lid to create the oven effect.  Make sure you do not put too many coals on top or on the bottom or your cornbread might burn into charcoal itself.  With a special metal/wrought iron hook, occasional lift the lid balancing it to not spill the coal into the bread mixture or on the ground to check how the bread is cooking.  Cook over and under the coals until the bread is a golden brown color and not doughy in the middle. This takes about 30-45 minutes to cook.


Modern Kitchen Oven Method:
While mixing ingredients turn the oven on to 350°F (man, modern amenities are a lot easier than out on the Frontier!), place pan/dish uncovered and cook until the top of the cornbread is a golden brown color (about 30-45 minutes).

Enjoy!

Cranberry-Apple-Stuffing Meatloaf Recipe

If any of y'all are not used to cooking meatloaf, here’s an article that gives you helpful suggestions that follows Alton Brown’s tips, which I find very helpful!  

What I did was I used my Apple Meatloaf Recipe to build the basics of the meat loaf and then I modified it by adding and or switching out the following ingredients for the Cranberry-Apple Stuffing version.

Please Note: I did not use the mustard, horseradish, or ketchup that is in the Apple Meatloaf recipe version.

See the following ingredients used for the Holiday/Winter Meatloaf:

Meatloaf Ingredients:
2 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef (I used Frozen Sirloin Meat Patties that I buy in bulk, allow time for the frozen meat de-thaw if you use this kind).
1 can of whole cranberry sauce
1 1/2 c. – 3 cups of  packaged stuffing mix, (Pepperidge Farm’s Stuffing seems to be the best).
2 c. finely chopped apples, you can use whichever kind you like best.
3 eggs
2 t. salt (I used Kosher Salt)
1 large red onion, chopped (for onion lovers out there, add as much as you want!)
½ cup (or 1 small can) of chopped pineapples with juice drained out.
1 cup of milk (if you don't want to use milk, use 1 cup of *Chicken Broth instead)
*Chicken broth, to moisten it further if you want to add more stuffing to your desired amount.
Freshly ground pepper to taste.

Cranberry Glaze Topping Ingredients:
2 Cans of Jellied Cranberry Sauce.
1 Can of Chicken Broth

Meatloaf Mixture Directions:
In a large pan, sauté (using 1 TBSP of butter) the onions, chopped apples, and pineapple together.  Season gingerly with pepper. Once ready, set aside to allow for it to cool down.

In a large bowl, combine all meatloaf ingredients, with the eggs and milk last, mixing well.  If the mixture seems to be too dry, or you added too much stuffing add a little bit of chicken broth, be careful to not get it too moist though! Once the meatloaf mixture is at the desired consistency, pack into a greased casserole pan/Pyrex dish, or medium to large loaf pan. Sear it at close to 375°F or 400°F (whatever you are comfortable with) for 15-20 minutes. 

While that is searing in the oven, mix together the ingredients for the meatloaf glaze in a bowl. 

Glaze Directions:
Mix the two ingredients together in a large bowl, add the chicken broth gradually while mashing down the cranberry jelly sauce. Mash and stir until two ingredients become more blended together.  Note: If you want thicker glaze add less chicken broth.

Take out the meatloaf after the searing process, add the newly mixed glaze and spread it around the top and sides and place back into the oven at 350°F for 1.5-2.5 hours, you will have to judge when it will be done. If you are not sure, read the article on Alton Brown's meatloaf tips so you will have a better idea on the duration of cooking the meatloaf.

After cooking in the oven, place meatloaf on the counter to cool down and to allow the meatloaf’s juices to seep back in.

 
Enjoy!

~*~

Making Do, more than just Thanksgiving Soup!

This section was created to post inspirational recipes to help those who are having to “make-do” with what they are limited in using as far as ingredients goes due to budget and or severe nut allergies. 

I love to cook, however, I had recently inherited the well known severe nut allergies from my Dad’s side of the family.   Not just any nuts, but ALL and any kind of nuts, from coconut to sesame seeds!  So I have to learn and make up new recipe’s while having to be on a tight budget!  So instead of eating my favorite, pecan pie, for the Holiday’s, I learned to make sweet potato pie with a melted marsh-mellow topping! ;) MMMM!

Warning, I usually cook without really measuring it out….I call it guesstimating….and I make up a lot of my recipes, a bad habit     that had developed due to my experience of Dutch oven cooking out at a Living History Ranch as a pioneer reenactor.

So as an experienced living history reenactor, I learned the trade of constantly having to make-do with what I can use. Let’s see, for an example: I learned to make from scratch corn bread, roasted corn on the cobs, corn soup, mashed corn and cream (breakfast), beef stew and corn (lunch), cornbread green bean casserole, and uhh….iced corn latte shakes …no, no, just kidding on that last one!

I hope y’all will check back, I will be posting some recipes soon!

Thanks!

-Theophania :)