Apple Dumplings

Happy Friday!

I’m back from vacation and I had an amazing time! Hopefully I’ll do a post soon with pictures and details 🙂 So last week was a week I was scheduled to pick up my CSA but as you know, I was on vacation. My aunt and uncle picked it up for me and I told them to help themselves and I would take whatever was left. So I don’t have my bi-weekly CSA post ready yet 😦 and might just combine with the next week. But in the mean time, feast your eyes (and bellies!) on these beautiful and delicious Apple ‘Dumplings’.

They require a little bit of work, but the outcome is worth it. I promise.

Ingredients:

2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup butter
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup shortening or butter
2/3 cup milk
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3 cups shredded, peeled cooking apples (3 to 4 medium); Golden delicious, Rome, Granny Smith or Jonathan apples

Instructions:

Sauce:

In a large saucepan, combine 2 cups sugar, water, butter, 1/4 tsp cinnamon and nutmeg. Bring to boiling. Boil 10-15 minutes; set aside (should be a liquidy syrup consistency)

Dough: In large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt. Using pastry blender, cut in shortening or butter until pea-sized clumps of dough form throughout. Make well in center of dough and add milk all at once. Stir just until moistened. Knead dough on lightly floured surface 10 to 12 strokes or until nearly smooth- don’t over kneed it. Roll out to 12×10-inch rectangle (I found I needed a little extra flour and to wet my hands before this 🙂 )

Filling:

Combine 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 tsp cinnamon; set aside. Sprinkle apples evenly over dough. Sprinkle with sugar mixture. Roll dough into spiral, starting from a long side. Pinch seam to seal. Cut into twelve 1-inch thick pieces (a serrated knife works best). Place in a 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Pour sauce over dumplings. Bake in a 350 degree oven about 50 minutes or until golden. Cool 20-30 minutes before serving.

Yeah- soooo good. And not drenched in a frosting or glaze, which I really really liked.

What do you think? Pretty right? Give it a try and come back and tell me how yours turned out! I love to hear from my readers.

xoxo

Rosemary Bread

Hi everyone! I saw something like this on Pinterest (where else right?) but bread scares me a little, so I combined/adapted several recipes to come up with this. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Ingredients

1 tablespoon active rise yeast(this is like one packet if you use that kind)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup warm water
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary (chopped/crushed)
2 tablespoons butter

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Directions

Place yeast, sugar and water in large bowl or food processor and mix slightly and allow mixture to become bubbly.

Mix in 1 T butter, salt, and 2 cups of flour and then 1 tablespoon of the fresh chopped rosemary.

Knead for about 10 minutes by hand or in food processor about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
Add more flour if necessary.

Oil a separate bowl, put dough in it and cover with a towel. Let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.

Then Punch down dough and divide in half.

Let dough rest about 5 minutes.

Spray baking pan or cookie sheet with cooking spray. Shape the dough into whatever size/shape you are going to make.

Sprinkle remaining 1 Tablespoon of rosemary over the loaves and press lightly into the surface. Let the doug rise again for about 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned.