Cinnamon Swirl Apple Bread

I've never made apple muffins or apple bread but I've been wanting to lately. I found this Cinnamon Swirl Apple Bread recipe online last night and it looked really good so I decided to give it a try. It was so easy to make and so delicious - it reminded me of my Aunt Lucia's coffee cake with the addition of apples.

I added 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts to my bread. I chopped my apple pieces small as I don't like big chunks of fruit in bread. I only had Fuji apples so that's what I used. I had a bit over 2 cups (from 1.5 apples) but next time I make this I will not put any more than 2 cups of apples.

It took 45 minutes of baking for my bread to be done, but when I cut into it, it was still slightly runny in the middle.

This was the perfect apple bread for me since I don't like other spices that are in some bread recipes (I prefer only cinnamon). I love that this easily comes together with just a whisk and spatula - no mixer needed. I will definitely be making this one again soon!

Cinnamon Swirl Apple Bread

Recipe courtesy “Mom On Timeout” Website

 

Homemade Apple Bread with a lovely cinnamon swirl is the perfect fall breakfast, snack, or dessert! This easy apple bread recipe is moist, sweet and simply loaded with apples and the flavors of fall. Make enough to share with friends and family or keep the whole cozy loaf for yourself! This easy apple bread recipe is a must make this season!

½ cup brown sugar

1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 large eggs, room temperature

½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1½ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)

2 cups chopped apples - Pink Lady, Gala, Honeycrisp - any apples that are good for baking, peeled and chopped (about 2 apples)

 

 

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour an 8 x 5 inch loaf pan or line with parchment paper. Set aside.

 

In a small bowl, whisk together brown sugar and cinnamon and set aside.

 

Whisk eggs and granulated sugar together in a large mixing bowl.

 

Whisk in melted butter and vanilla extract until thoroughly combined.

 

Stir in all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt just until combined. The batter will be very thick. Fold in chopped walnuts (optional) and chopped apples.

 

Add half of the batter to the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle about three quarters of the brown sugar mixture on top of the batter.

 

Spread the remaining batter carefully on top of the brown sugar mixture. Sprinkle remaining brown sugar mixture on top and use a knife or spoon to gently swirl it into the top layer.

 

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until lightly golden on top and an inserted toothpick comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. (If bread is browning too quickly, tent with foil for the last 10 to 15 minutes.)

 

Let bread cool completely before slicing and serving.

Soft-Baked M&M Cookie Bars

I made a few different kinds of cookies for Christmas this year and I've been trying to figure out if I should make any more or not. I had a bag of red and green mini M&Ms but have never really loved the cookie recipe that is on the bag, so I wasn't sure what to make with them. Usually I would make a skillet cookie but that is a better dessert to take to a small gathering where you will cut and serve it there (like after having dinner at someone's house). I saw this Soft-Baked M&M Cookie Bars recipe and decided to give it a try because it looked easy and I could cut them up and bring them to my sons' Preschool Christmas party on a tray, and freeze any remaining bars.

This recipe is super simple to make and takes no time at all. I love recipes that don't require a mixer and use melted butter (rather than having to plan ahead to soften butter).

I only used mini M&Ms in this recipe - I did not add chocolate chips. One 11-ounce bag of mini M&Ms was not quite 2 cups, so it was the perfect amount. I mixed most of them into the dough but reserved a few which I put on top before baking the bars in the oven.

Do not let these bars over-bake! Mine were a bit overdone when I checked them at 25 minutes the second time I made them (for Easter), so next time hopefully I'll remember to check them earlier.

If you use parchment paper and let the bars cool for an hour, it is very easy to lift them out of the pan and cut them up. I cut all 4 edges off and then cut the rest into little bars.

These are delicious and come together so quickly - give them a try the next time you have M&Ms that you aren't quite sure what to do with!

Soft-Baked M&M Cookie Bars

Recipe courtesy “Sally’s Baking Addiction” Website

 

Think of these bars as no-chilling, no-rolling EASY M&M cookies! Using melted butter, more brown sugar than white sugar, and a touch of cornstarch guarantee the absolute softest, chewiest M&M cookie bar texture.

2¾ cups all-purpose flour

1½ teaspoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted & cooled for just 5 minutes*

1 cup packed light or dark brown sugar

½ cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1¼ cups mini or regular-size M&Ms

¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

 

Preheat the oven to 350°. Adjust oven rack to the center rack position. Line the bottom and sides of a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to easily lift the bars out of the pan. Set aside.

 

Whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.

 

In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until no brown sugar lumps remain. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla extract. Pour this into the flour mixture and mix together with a large spoon or rubber spatula. The dough will be very soft, slick, and thick. Fold in the M&Ms and chocolate chips. The M&Ms and chips may not stick to the dough because of the melted butter, but do your best to combine them.

 

Transfer dough to the prepared baking pan and press/smooth into an even layer. Bake for 26–30 minutes or until lightly browned on the sides and top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean with a few moist (not wet) crumbs. Do not over-bake. If you notice the bars browning too much before 25 minutes, tent the pan with foil. Bars puff up in the oven, but settle as they cool.

 

Allow the bars to cool in the pan set on a wire rack for at least an hour. While they’re still warm, I like to press a few more M&Ms and chocolate chips into the tops, just for looks (optional!). Once relatively cool, lift the bars out of the pan using the overhang on the sides and cut into squares.

 

Cover leftover bars and store at room temperature for up to 1 week.

 

NOTES:

Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: You can make the cookie dough and chill it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Allow to come to room temperature and continue with step 4. Baked cookie bars freeze well for up to 3 months. Thaw bars overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving.

 

Cornstarch: If you don’t have cornstarch, you can leave it out. The cookie bars will still be soft.

 

Butter: Avoid letting the melted butter cool for too long, otherwise your dough will be crumbly instead of soft (and your cookie bars can end up cakey). You want it still warm, but not hot enough to begin cooking the eggs.

 

M&Ms: You can use regular-size, mini, or a mix of both. I like to crush some of them, too, to sprinkle on the top before baking. Totally optional!

 

Do I have to add chocolate chips? You can skip the chocolate chips. If you skip them, increase M&Ms to 1½ cups. You could also replace the chocolate chips with white chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, or peanut butter chips.

Edit April 2023: I made these again with regular size M&Ms for Easter. I prefer baking with the mini M&Ms and wish they made them more often in seasonal colors. I've only ever seen them in Christmas colors and in Red, White & Blue over the summer. These were slightly over-baked so next time I will be sure to set my timer for less than 25 minutes and check them earlier.

Healthy Chicken Pot Pie + Homemade Buttery Flaky Pie Crust

Tonight's recipe is a double - a Healthy Chicken Pot Pie Recipe from one blog (claimed to be healthy because of the crust recipe on the website) and a Buttery Flaky Pie Crust Recipe from another blog (a top and bottom crust recipe that I'm sure is not as healthy as the one on the other website but was perfect for a chicken pot pie). I made this tonight and I loved it, so I wanted to post these recipes together so I remember next time exactly what I did.

I love chicken pot pie, but I'm lactose intolerant so I haven't had it in years because it is usually made with dairy. This recipe uses almond milk so I wanted to give it a try, and it was delicious. I had my parents over for dinner and they both enjoyed it a lot too (my dad loves chicken pot pie as well). My husband wasn't too fond of the celery but liked everything else. Personally I thought the filling needed a bit more salt, but I also added more chicken and vegetables to the amounts than the original recipe called for so that might be why.

I have never been good at working with pie dough but this recipe was pretty easy to make. I mixed the dough last night and refrigerated two discs. This morning I boiled the chicken, shredded it, cut all the veggies and cooked the filling. About an hour before I wanted to bake the pie, I rolled out the bottom crust, put the filling in, rolled out the top crust and put it on. I crimped the edges, brushed the top with egg wash, made a few slits in the top and popped it in the oven (on top of a baking sheet, just in case anything spilled out but it did not).

The pie plate I use is a little bigger than your average pie plate, about 10.5" wide instead of 9", so I added a bit more chicken, veggies and almond milk to the filling recipe. This pie fed 4 adults with 3 pieces left over.

This is the perfect fall or winter dinner and as a bonus, it can even be made ahead of time. The pictures below are not the best (taken with my phone rather than my camera) but I will try to get better pictures the next time I made this.

Healthy Chicken Pot Pie

Recipe courtesy Well Plated by Erin

                       

1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

10 ounces chopped baby bella mushrooms

1 cup diced carrots (about 3 medium)

½ cup diced celery (about 1 large stalk)

½ cup diced onions

1½ teaspoons garlic powder

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

¼ cup all-purpose flour

2 cups unsweetened almond milk

2 cups cooked and shredded boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 8 ounces or 2 small breasts)

½ cup frozen peas

1 Tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

1 prepared pie crust (dairy free if needed)

1 egg (lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water to create an egg wash)

 

 

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly coat a 9-inch pie dish with baking spray (if you are not using a bottom crust). Set aside.

 

Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of a large pot, then season them lightly with salt and pepper. Give each breast a nice sprinkle. Cover the chicken with 1 inch of water. Place the pot on the stove and bring the water to a boil. Once the liquid is boiling, reduce the heat and let simmer until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F on an instant-read thermometer or is no longer pink in the center, about 8 to 16 minutes, depending upon the size and number of chicken breasts that you are poaching. A 10-ounce chicken breast will need to simmer for about 12 to 14 minutes. Remove the chicken from water and let it rest until cool enough to handle. Shred chicken – I find that the chicken is the easiest to shred apart while it is still slightly warm.

 

Heat a large Dutch oven or similar deep, heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Add the oil to the pan. Once hot, add the mushrooms and cook for 8 minutes, until mushrooms are beginning to brown, stirring occasionally. Add the carrots, celery, onions, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Cook until the mushrooms have browned more deeply and the carrots begin to soften, about 3 additional minutes.

 

Sprinkle the flour over the top of the vegetables and cook for 2 minutes. Slowly pour in the almond milk, adding a few splashes at a time, stirring constantly. Bring to a low boil, scraping any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Continue to let it bubble until thickened, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken, peas, and thyme.

 

Spoon the chicken mixture into the prepared pie dish.

 

Roll the pie dough into a circle large enough to cover your dish. Brush the edges of the pie dish with the egg wash, then lay the dough over the top so that it overhangs the sides. Trim the overhang to a ½ inch larger than the edge of the dish. Gently press the dough onto the sides of the dish so that it sticks, then brush all over with the remaining egg wash. With a sharp knife, cut 3 slits in the top.

 

Bake until hot and bubbly on the inside and the crust is deeply golden, about 25 minutes. Let rest for a few minutes. Serve hot.

 

 

NOTES:

The filling can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months (let thaw overnight in the refrigerator). Add the crust just before baking.

This recipe tastes best the day it is made because the crust is the most crisp, but you can store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently in the microwave or oven.

To make the recipe vegetarian, substitute an additional 2 cups of chopped vegetables for the chicken. The pot pie will still be delicious and hearty.

To make gluten free, use your favorite gluten free pie crust.

 

Homemade Buttery Flaky Pie Crust

Recipe courtesy Sally’s Baking Addiction

 

This recipe is enough for a double crust pie. If you only need 1 crust for your pie, cut this recipe in half OR freeze the other half per the make ahead tip instruction below.

 

2½ cups all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled) plus more as needed for shaping and rolling

1 teaspoon salt

6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cubed

2/3 cup vegetable shortening, chilled

½ cup ice water

 

For best results, chill all ingredients before using. Mix the flour and salt together in a large bowl and chill them.

 

Add the chilled and cubed butter and shortening to the chilled flour and salt mixture.

 

Using a pastry cutter or two forks, cut the butter and shortening into the mixture until it resembles coarse meal (pea-sized bits with a few larger bits of fat is OK). A pastry cutter makes this step very easy and quick.

 

Measure ½ cup of water in a cup. Add ice. Stir it around. From that, measure ½ cup water since the ice has melted a bit. Drizzle the cold water in, 1 Tablespoon at a time, and stir with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon after every Tablespoon added. Stop adding water when the dough begins to form large clumps. I always use about ½ cup of water and a little more in dry winter months (up to ¾ cup). Do not add any more water than you need.

 

Transfer the pie dough to a floured work surface. The dough should come together easily and should not feel overly sticky. Using floured hands, fold the dough into itself until the flour is fully incorporated into the fats. Form it into a ball. Cut dough in half. Flatten each half into 1-inch thick discs using your hands.

 

Wrap each tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 5 days.

 

When rolling out the chilled pie dough discs to use in your pie, always use gentle force with your rolling pin. Start from the center of the disc and work your way out in all directions, turning the dough with your hands as you go. Visible specks of butter and fat in the dough are perfectly normal and expected!

 

Proceed with the pie per your recipe’s instructions.

 

NoteS:

Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Prepare the pie dough through step 4 and freeze the discs for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using in your pie recipe.

Shortening:  I use between 2/3 and 3/4 cup of cold shortening in this dough. Lately, I find 2/3 cup (which is 10 Tbsp + 2 teaspoons) works best.

Salt: Use regular table salt. If using kosher salt, use 1¼ teaspoons.

 

Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake

This coffee cake recipe is my Grandma Filomena's but my Aunt Lucia used to make it all the time. I haven't made it in many years but we are getting ready to go on vacation so I made one today to bring with us. It's the perfect recipe to make ahead of time, freeze and bring on vacation for breakfast. And best of all, while I'm at the beach, it's a recipe that makes me think of two of my favorite women who are now in Heaven. It brings back a lot of memories of beach trips with both of them when I was younger. I also realized we will be at the beach this year on my Aunt Lucia's birthday, which is what inspired me to make it for this trip.

The only change I make is that I add half of the batter, half of the cinnamon/walnut mixture, then the other half of each (rather than in thirds). When flipping this upside down to take it out of the pan, some of the topping falls off. If you swirl the top a little bit after adding the cinnamon/walnut mixture, not as much topping will fall off!

Edit July 2024: I changed the original recipe to add the dry cake ingredients last. The original recipe says to add the layers of cake and topping in thirds, but I do it in halves.

Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake

 

CAKE:

½ cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

TOPPING:

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ cup finely chopped walnuts

½ cup sugar

 

Cream butter and 1 cup sugar. Beat in eggs. Blend in sour cream and vanilla. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In separate bowl, mix the cinnamon, walnuts, and ½ cup sugar.

Grease and flour a 10” tube pan; pour in 1/2 of the batter, sprinkle with 1/2 of topping mixture; finish with remaining batter and then remaining topping.

 

Bake at 350˚ for 40-45 minutes.

 

Freeze if desired. To serve, return to room temperature; can be warmed in 350˚ oven.

 

Serves 10.