Peanut Butter Apple Pie

Did you know that November is Peanut Butter Lovers Month?  I didn't!  This recipe was featured in the most recent issue (November 2014) of Wisconsin Cooperative Energy News , which is a publication from my power company.  They usually have a page devoted to recipe exchanges and a one or two page highlight on a particular food group (pork, dairy, etc.)  This month's spotlight was on Peanut Butter. 

In all honesty, I did not have high hopes for this recipe.  I am not the pie baker in our house.  That is my husband's title.  He was out hunting, however, and I had nearly a bushel of apples laying around on the countertop that needed to be used.  There was also an extra pie crust sitting in the fridge.  I had already made a big batch of apple butter the day before, and would still have more apples than what I would need to make the Apple Pie Jam I had been thinking about.

What started out as an "eh, why not?" recipe turned out to be a new family tradition.  No joke, this pie was OUT. OF. THIS. WORLD.  I have not had a slice of pie this good since I had that little slice of cherry heaven in Door County last year (but that is another story)!  It was relatively easy, too!  We made a decision to have it every year on November 1st.  (Maybe more - 'cause it's just that good!)

Peanut Butter Apple Pie

1 pie crust, store bought or from scratch

7 apples, peeled, cored, and sliced

2/3 c. sugar

3 Tbs. flour

1 tsp. lemon juice

3/4 c. rolled oats

1/4 c. butter or other fat for dairy free(we used a scant measurement of lard and added a little more peanut butter)

1/4 c.  crunchy peanut butter

1/3 c. dark brown sugar

1/2 c. flour

Preheat oven to 350*F.  Place crust in a 9" pie pan and crimp edges.  Use pie weights or dried beans to weigh down the bottom.  Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until crust is lightly browned.

In a large bowl, combine apples, 2/3 c. sugar, 3 Tbs. flour, and lemon juice; pour into crust.  In a medium bowl, combine remaining ingredients for topping.  It is easiest to use your hands to mix and mash everything together until it falls into pea-sized pieces.  Don't worry if your pie is sky-high - the apples will cook down and level out.

Bake at 350*F for 40-50 minutes.  Keep the crust edges covered with foil until the last 15 minutes.  (At this point, mine actually ended up cooking for about an hour so that my crust browned enough - it was perfect).

Homemade Sweet Potato Fries

Hello, everyone! Today I actually have a recipe that is not anything pumpkin related! Be happy. And relieved. Oh, and go ahead and say, "It's about time!" 
Today's recipe is seasonal, however. I would eat it all year round, though, because it's just that good. I had the idea to make sweet potato fries after I saw a picture of them online. I never was very fond of them, but for some reason, that picture made them look really good. I was not disappointed. I made these two different ways, because I wanted to see which way would make them taste better. The fried version was my favorite. They were much crispier, and there was something about them that made them feel more like fries. Probably the fact that they were done in the deep fryer. 
I highly advise trying out this recipe. Leave us a comment telling us how it turned out too! Enjoy! 

Homemade Sweet Potato Fries

5 large sweet potatoes, peeled

seasoning salt

garlic

chili powder

oil, for frying 

Wash and peel the sweet potatoes. Cut them into sticks, and place in a large bowl. 

Heat up the oil in a deep fryer to 375*. If you don't have a deep fryer, heat up the oil in a large saucepan until it is hot. 

Fry the sweet potatoes in the hot oil until brown and crispy. Make sure you stir/flip them often to make sure they cook evenly. 

Transfer them to a paper towel-lined bowl, and sprinkle them with the seasoning salt, garlic, and chili powder. Toss them until they are well coated. Repeat with all of the rest of the sweet potatoes. Serve warm. 

These make a really yummy snack, and they are really easy to make! My family really enjoyed them. 

                                                            ~Nutmeg

Oven Roasted Carrots

Hello Everyone!  How was your weekend?  Mine went pretty well.  I went to a friend's house who I hadn't seen for a while.  We ate a lot of junk food.  I know, I know, shame on us.  Fortunately, it's the beginning of a new week, so let's start it out healthy!  Carrots are one of my favorite cooked vegetables.  I love that they get sweeter when they are cooked.

Oven Roasted Carrots

12 carrots, peeled and trimmed

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400*F.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.  Halve your carrots lengthwise so that they cook more evenly.  Lay carrots out on the foiled sheet and drizzle with olive oil.  Toss them a bit to make sure they are fully coated.  Sprinkle with thyme, salt, and pepper.  Roast at 400*F for 35-40 minutes.

Yum!!!  You should all give these carrots a try.  They were so good that we could have doubled the recipe for our family of four!  What are your guys' favorite carrot recipes?  Leave a comment and share!

Pumpkin Spice Overnight Oats

Hello, everyone! I am taking this whole autumn thing really seriously, as you can probably very well see from all of my pumpkin spice recipes. I think Koko should do a pumpkin spice recipe or two, don't you? I have one more for you today, and who knows...there may be more coming!
Today's recipe is another really quick breakfast idea for those rushed mornings that everyone has. This is perfect topped with walnuts, and the syrup adds a really nice flavor as well. I discovered the part about walnuts after I took the picture, but it is delicious without them too. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Spice Overnight Oats

1/3 cup oats

1/4 cup milk

1/4 canned pumpkin 

1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

pumpkin spice syrup (or syrup of your choice)

chopped walnuts (optional)

Combine all of the ingredients except the syrup in a mason jar or bowl. Refrigerate it overnight. 

In the morning, put it into a microwaveable bowl and microwave for 30 seconds, or until it is warm. (you don't have to heat it up if you don't want to.) Drizzle it with syrup of your choice, and sprinkle with walnuts. Enjoy! 

                        ~Nutmeg

Quick Berry Muffins

Hello Everyone!  My mom made these muffins, and I love them.  The thing is, I hadn't had time to get breakfast and had to catch the bus.  These little muffins were done three minutes before the bus came.  I am still not sure whether my mom has superb timing, or if the muffins had a mind of their own.  Although, I am inclined to believe that my mother just had great timing.

Quick Berry Muffins

2 cups flour

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup berries

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup milk (or almond milk for dairy free)

1/4 cup vegetable or refined sunflower oil

1 egg

Preheat oven to 400*F.  Combine dry ingredients in bowl; stir in berries.

Add vanilla, milk, egg, and oil.  Mix to combine.  Pour batter into paper lined muffin tins, filling 3/4 full.  Bake 12-15 minutes in preheated oven.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

Hello, everyone! I hope you have all been enjoying this beautiful autumn weather! 

I don't know about you, but I love peanut butter and chocolate together. They just happen to combine to make one of my favorite candies of all time...Reese Peanut Butter Cups. I wanted to make a cookie this week that had both peanut butter and chocolate, since I didn't have any Reese Cups on hand. They were delicious. Try them out and let us know what you think! Enjoy!! 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups shortening or butter

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 cups (or one 10 oz. bag) peanut butter chips

Preheat the oven to 350*.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. 

In a large mixing bowl, cream the shortening and sugar until smooth. Add the eggs and vanilla, and mix well. 

Gradually add in the dry ingredients, making sure that it is mixed well.

Add in the peanut butter chips, making sure it is evenly distributed throughout the dough. 

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets, and bake for 10-12 minutes. They will be slightly puffy, but will flatten more as they cool. Do not over-bake them. 

I was really happy with the way these cookies turned out. I will definitely be making these again in the future! 

                                                                            ~Nutmeg

Raspberry Almond Cake

Hello Everyone!  Who loves apple orchards?  I do!  Who has picked raspberries at an apple orchard?  I have!  Ok, I know that is kind of ridiculous, but my family had gone apple picking the previous week.  This time, I was going with my youth group and thought more apples would be a little much.  That is when I noticed the raspberries. 

Actually, a friend and I discovered them.  While we were picking, she playfully yelled at me several times to stop eating all the raspberries she had just picked.  Admittedly, I was doing more eating than picking.  She motivated me to get picking, or else.  The "or else" is what finally got me picking, and not eating.  This was the fruit of our labor!  :)

Raspberry Almond Cake

1 box white cake mix

4 eggs

3/4 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/3 cup oil

1 quart raspberries

1/2 cup toasted almonds

Frosting

1 1/2 sticks butter, softened

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 T. milk

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350*.

Grease and flour 9x13 cake pan.

Combine all ingredients for cake, excepting almonds.

Pour into pan and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool.

Combine ingredients for frosting and beat on high for three minutes.  Spread on cake, and sprinkle toasted almonds on top.  Serve. Enjoy!

I brought this cake to my school for the teachers, and there was barely any left!  I hope you all enjoy this as much as they did!