Apple “Pie” Oatmeal

 

Today is National Pie Day….so I should really be posting about this pie:

But to be honest, the recipe needs a little tweaking before I share it with you. 

So, instead let me tell you about this Apple “Pie” Oatmeal. 

I rarely eat breakfast.  I know, Most Important Meal of the Day….blah blah blah.  I often find myself starving at 1pm realizing that I haven’t had anything in my belly all day.  Growls heard for miles.  So I decided that I need to make it easy, and quick, if I am going to give breakfast a go in the mornings.  On colder winter days, I really like something warm.  Cold cereal and milk on a WA rainy morning isn’t going to cut it.  And I don’t have time in the morning to make a hot delicious breakfast.  So I am taking a short cut.  I can pre-make this Apple Pie topping for my oatmeal, and then in the morning it just takes about 5 minutes to make some hot oatmeal.  I have time for this.  And it is so delicious…..and kinda healthy.  All that fiber from the apple and oatmeal.  I keep telling myself this…..it’s working. 

Apple “Pie” Oatmeal Topping

Makes enough for four servings

Ingredients:

2 Granny Smith Apples, peeled and diced small (I like G.Smith because they hold their crunch after cooking)

1 tbsp Butter

2 tbsp Brown Sugar

1 tbsp Cinnamon (depending on how much you like cinnamon)

Directions:

Melt the butter in a skillet.  When melted, add diced apple to the pan.  Let the apple “sweat” and soften a little (not too much).  Then add brown sugar and cinnamon, stir to combine.  Continue to cook the apples for about another 5 minutes to give the sugar a chance to caramelize a little.

Put the warm apple mixture into a heat proof container that can be sealed and put into the fridge.  Allow the mixture to cool before closing and refrigerated.

Use within 5 – 7 days.

It’s simple.  Cook up your oatmeal, either on the stove or in the microwave.  Take a 1/4 of the mixture and heat in the microwave for 30 seconds, and top your hot oatmeal with it.  Delicious and good for you.  And I will admit, when I eat it it gives me an extra boost of energy…..and the neighbors don’t complain about the growling my stomach makes. 

Well….happy National Pie Day!  Hope you are enjoying some yummy pie today!

 

Sunday Supper and a National FOOD holiday!

 

Happy National Pie Day!!  I know, holidays for food.  But did you know that each day of the year is a holiday for a different kind of food?  Check out my friend Susan’s blog for a daily round up for each special food’s holiday.  Incredible, right?

Pie Day!  I have many favourite kinds of pie.  I love a great lemon meringue, chocolate cream, strawberry, cherry….etc.  But nothing beats a really great APPLE pie.  It has to be really great.  This past Thanksgiving the Stenzel’s were invited over to the household of Team Wallace for dinner.  It was an honour to be included in their family celebrations.  And of course I wanted to contribute, I begged to be able to contribute.  To show up empty handed would have been awful for me.  Nikki was kind enough to oblige my desire to cook or bake and asked me to bring an apple pie. Just one??  Yup, just one.  So I was on the quest to make the BEST apple pie I could find.  And it would have to be tested before Turkey Day.  Poor Jason.  He a lot of pie that month (though didn’t complain once).  After several different crust and pie fillings, it was decided that The Pioneer Woman’s Dreamy Apple Pie would be what was served at Casa Wallace.  It is perfect.  It isn’t easy to describe this pie.  Just perfect.  I love a single crust apple pie. Don’t get me wrong, I love a flaky pie crust…but this pie doesn’t need that double crust. It has a crunchy nutty topping that is heaven….probably why she called it a Dreamy Apple Pie.

For National Pie Day, I decided to make mini versions of this pie.  I cut the recipe into thirds and baked them in these really cute mini pie plates I picked up at World Market (did you know I collect pie plates??).  A third fit perfectly….baked them for 45 minutes and they were done.  As all apple pie should be served, I scooped a perfect scoop of vanilla bean ice cream on top. And then Jason suggested some caramel sauce….a decadent finish, but not necessary.  For Thanksgiving I made The Pioneer Woman’s Maple Whiskey Sauce, which later was named Pie Crack by a certain Wallace.

I recommend pie.  For any occasion. A simple Sunday Supper, a birthday, a more traditional holiday, but definitely for today….National Pie Day!

Did you make a pie today??  What kind?  Have a recipe to share?  Share a link!!

A Lazy TWD….

 

I think the Tarte Fine is a perfect Lazy TWD dessert.  It is so simple to put together, quick to bake, and tastes really good.  And if it wasn’t easy enough….I got lazy with it.  Which I shouldn’t have, because now I have chunks of apricot jam in my glaze that you can see in pictures….and undercooked puff pastry.  And there is nothing worse than undercooked puff pastry, it’s chewy and a little gross.  I got lazy.  I wanted to glaze it and eat it.  So when I saw the edges of this simple, easy tarte getting browned I pulled it!  I should have foiled the edges like Dorie told me too and let it bake longer.

So even though my pictures are spotted with bits of apricot, and my puff pastry is a little chewy, I think it looks good, and the edges are really good!!

I, of course, added a little caramel sauce!  I think it really goes with everything! 

Enjoy!

And be sure to go and check out all the other TWD creations of the Tarte Fine!

TWD - Brioche Tart!

I wasn't going to participate this week as I have developed quite a summer cold! I am all congested and icky feeling the past couple of days. But I forged on and twisted it up a bit. Instead of using plums like Dorie's recipe calls for I used diced apple and blueberries.

So since I am not feeling so great and anxious to take a hot bath and go to bed, all you are going to get from me this week is pictures! Sorry....but they are great pics, in my opinion!

Before going in the oven....

A little slice....

The complete tart! Look at those shriveled blueberries....all that juice is in the tart...mmmmm

Take Care,

Tania

Love Big, Bake Often

No slacking here this week!

I apologize for the lack of blogging. Have had my head in a funk and am trying really hard to pull myself together. So you will understand when I say that I was very thankful that this weeks Tuesday with Dorie's recipe had so few ingredients and was so simple to put together. These Parisian Apple Tarts were so easy to make. Once I made my own puff pastry that is!! I had checked out the P&Q and the recipe and saw that a full butter puff pastry was recommended, and that the brand of puff pastry that Dorie recommended was hard to find and expensive. So I checked the recipe in "Art & Soul of Baking" and saw that their puff pastry recipe was fairly easy....even if I was intimidated by it! So I jumped in with two feet and made a 1/2 batch of pastry. It was pretty easy....lots of steps...and totally worth it!

And with Dorie's recipe basically cutting up an apple, cutting a circle of pastry, put apple on pastry, sprinkle with butter and brown sugar and bake, how could I go wrong?? And I didn't. It turned out great. My homemade pastry puffed like it was suppose to! They are so simple, and so delicious. I really wanted to make some caramel sauce to put on top of them, but I didn't have any heavy cream in the fridge to make some. :( Next time for sure!

Look at them....they are so yummy looking....and look at that puff!

Be sure to check out the other wonderful bakers on the TWD Blogroll, here!

I am looking forward to posting all the goodies I have been busy baking as I hibernate in my AC - it is so freakin' hot here already!!

Take Care,

Tania

Love Big, Bake Often