applesauce

Originally, I wanted to make apple butter and pumpkin pancakes this weekend. Big surprise, I changed my mind. When I saw the apples we picked from last weekend on our counter, I wanted nothing else but applesauce.

Applesauce belongs in the top ten easiest homemade awesome yummyness ever. The smell took me right back to days of my mom and grandma canning. My family always used foley food mills to strain the peels and mash the apples for large batches to can. Since I don't have a foley food mill and I only made a small amount, I peeled my apples and mashed it with a wooden spoon. I boiled the peels with the apples to give that pretty pink color (my favorite) and add more nutrients. 

Homemade Applesauce
6 medium-size apples (I used a combination of macoun and liberty)
3/4 to 1 cup water
None to 1/4 cup sugar

Core apples. Peel apples. Chop apples. Use some fresh lemon juice to keep apples from browning.

Mix apples, water, and sugar. Add apple peels (this gives applesauce a pretty pink color and more nutrients). Bring to a boil, cover and cook on medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Allow to cool, remove peels, and mash with a fork or potato masher. I didn't even mash it, stirring occasionally made it into a chunky applesauce. Add cinnamon if desired. Serve warm or chill then eat. Makes a small batch: four servings.

I hope you have a chance to make applesauce this fall. The smell alone makes you smile. Enjoy!

spiced pumpkin doughnuts

Fall baking, you keep me from taking naps. That's probably a good thing.

Today, I tried to make doughnuts... again. When I was home a month ago, Mallory, my sister-in-law, and I attempted since she had a deep fryer. It didn't go very well. The oil was too hot, we didn't have enough oil, and the doughnut recipe wasn't very good.

At least, this attempt redeemed homemade doughnuts. I've been craving them ever since we went to the orchard last weekend and bought apple cider doughnuts. I improvised on many levels: no buttermilk, no doughnut cutter or any cookie cutters (whoops, forgot that on my registry), and no chilling. And, I also let my oil get too hot.

As a result, these were my problems. The first few, during the too hot oil phase, were not cooked in the center. While the whole chilling the dough for three hours does not solve immediate cravings, I'm assuming it prevents the outside from overcooking making an overall fluffier doughnut. Mine were crunchy on the outside like elephants ears. I'm not complaining. I really like elephant ears.

In the end, they were awesome. It was like biting into deep-fried fall.

Next on the baking list: pumpkin pancakes and apple butter. Look for it this next week. Oh, and do you see that cute little pumpkin? 69 cents at Trader Joe's. I love it. For the spiced pumpkin doughnut recipe...

homemade whip cream

First, never read cookbooks late at night. It's bad news.

While sifting through borrowed Donna Hay cookbooks, my stomach quickly  decided dinner wasn't enough. Rather than committing to cookies or a larger dessert project, I cut up a banana, topped it with peanut butter and homemade whip cream, pretty simple. And seriously, really good. I'm not sure why we sell whip cream in stores. I mean, I do, but it's definitely better homemade.

Whip cream is really easy to make with an immersion blender (must-have registry item, I think). I use this little guy for everything: soups, salsa, whip cream, guacamole. I have friends who use it to make baby food. Whatever they're eating, they just blend it and serve. It's an investment, and easier to store than a food processor.

Homemade Whip Cream
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon of sugar (more or less to your preference)

Mix until cream makes stiff peaks.

For dessert, it isn't that unhealthy other than the fat in the heavy cream and two teaspoons of sugar, but still filled with potassium and protein. What's your go-to quick dessert? 

pumpkin latte

It's fall as I have already mentioned. And I'm pretty sure, yes, I already stated my love for pumpkin lattes. Starbucks pumpkin lattes at $4 + no stable income = problem. The good news is you can make anything thanks to the internet.

So, I found a pumpkin latte recipe from the kitchn and gave it a try. It's really good. I made it with strong coffee since we don't own an espresso machine, and made my own cinnamon/nutmeg mix since I didn't have pumpkin pie spice. I tried this coconut milk whip cream recipe since I had coconut milk and not heavy cream, but I didn't really like it. I'll probably stick with typical homemade whip cream next time I make it, you know, tomorrow.

If you like pumpkin and fall and cheaper things, you should try it. Enjoy.

Pumpkin Latte from the kitchn

2 cups milk
2 tablespoons canned pumpkin OR 1 teaspoon of Torani Pumpkin Spice Syrup (your choice)
2 tablespoons sugar or sugar substitute - you can halve this amount
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1-2 shots espresso (about 1/4 cup of espresso or 1/2 cup of strong brewed coffee if you don't have an espresso machine)

In a saucepan combine milk, pumpkin and sugar and cook on medium heat, stirring, until steaming. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and spice, transfer to a blender (I used my hand blender) and process for 15 seconds until foamy. If you don't have a blender, don't worry about it - just whisk the mixture really well with a wire whisk.

Pour into a large mug or two mugs. Add the espresso on top.

Optional: Top with whipped cream and sprinkle pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, or cinnamon on top.

Lately, I've been excited over Sunday Suppers. It's perfect.

I want to make these yummy things:

Herbed Flatbread

Boozy Fruit

Roasted Asparagus with Capers & Lemon

Bon appetite!