Celery Risotto with Apples and Basil

This crazy recipe was discovered when I was looking to do something with limp celery that wasn't a soup. The original recipe called for Asian Pears and Shiso, so I substituted with Apples and Basil instead. I also didn't have ricotta or Romano, so I substituted for mozzarella and grated parmesan; I also used Chardonnay rather than vermouth. This was probably one of the most bizaare but totally worth it recipes I've made in a long time. So delicious! This might be one of my staple party side dishes in the future. :)

https://food52.com/recipes/14444-celery-risotto-with-asian-pear-and-shiso

Blueberry Apple Pie

Happy “pie” day. I actually made this one a few days ago, inspired by my trip to the Pagosa Springs  Bakery. The hubby loves blueberry and who doesn’t like apple? I also, for the first time used an old fashioned crust recipe that uses shortening (I use butter flavored Crisco). The hubby said it was the best crust he’s ever had. I’m posting the recipe I used from the internet for the basic ingredients but I made a few changes. I used one Granny Smith and one pink lady apple. I also used tapioca instead of cornstarch.

My mom was the true pie queen. Happy to bake such a delicious pie in one of her dishes. <3

Attached is my picture before we devoured it!

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sunny-anderson/simple-blueberry-apple-pie-recipe-2014863

Apple Cake (BBC Food)

It's getting crisp and cool outside-fall is in the air. I had a bowl full of apples that I needed to use up, so I decided to make two different apple cakes. Another British recipe, this one has potential, but I came away with some lessons learned and personal preferences.

1. I learned that French Cider isn't easy to find here. I decided to go with a bottle of Angry Orchard instead. Next time, I'll branch out and see what other hard cider options are out there.
2. "Sultanas" in the US are golden raisins.
3. "Bicarbonate of Soda" = baking soda
4. Mascarpone with just cinnamon and heavy cream doesn't add value to the recipe. It was very bland. I think I might add honey or sugar next time.
5. It baked in an 8" springform pan, but I think it really needed a 9" to give it room to bake all the way through. It almost gets overdone in order to get the middle cooked. And, at 6400 feet elevation, it requires about 1 hour 15 minutes to bake as it exits.

I may or may not make this one again...there are so many other apple recipes I have yet to conquer. :)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/applecake_90046

Mary Berry's Apple Cake

My free-time includes watching British baking shows. One of my favorites is The Great British Baking Show. There is so much to learn in each episode. My latest discovery is that BBC Food's website has a lot of the recipes from the shows!

Lately, I've been spending my baking efforts in learning how to measure in ounces, grams, milliliters and using Celsius. There are also a lot of ingredients that either aren't available here in the US or have a different name that mean the same thing.

1. For example, "caster sugar" is fine or baking sugar. The less expensive method to get caster sugar is to put regular sugar in the mini food processor to grind down.
2. Another one is "icing sugar". The British term for confectioner's or powdered sugar.
3. "Double Cream" is heavy whipping cream, but in the UK, it is actually a bit thicker and tastes better.
4. I'm addicted to lemon curd (found in the jelly section of the store). Admittedly, I didn't make it from scratch this time. There is a French jar at Safeway that is super delicious.
5. Typically British recipes call for an 8 inch pan and in the US we use 9 or 10 inch. This time I used 9 inch cake pans, so the cake isn't as tall as I'd have liked. Thanks to Amazon, I have some 8 inch pans on the way for next time. :)

Can't wait to share this one!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/apple_sandwich_cake_28507#recipe-tips

Apple and Kohlrabi Salad

We love, love, love gardening, but the second best thing is the farmer's market. Last week we visited a stand in Elizabeth who's produce comes from the Western slope. There were many varieties of vegetables that we've yet to try-one of those being Kohlrabi (aka "German Cabbage"). I read through a plethora of recipes that include Kohlrabi, but this one was perfect for summer. It's got a great asian vinegar flavor; a great complement to the grilled salmon we're pairing it with. [Also serving with broccoli and fried combo of potatoes, tomatoes, onions and fresh dill.] Definitely have to add this to our garden next year. It cuts like a potato or jicama, but has a cabbage flavor. Next time I think I'll try a roasted version. [Also added carrots.]

https://cookieandkate.com/crispy-apple-kohlrabi-salad-recipe/

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

I had a surplus of apples and decided to go for decadence for once (ok more than once, lol). I didn't end up adding the caramel (ran out of time), but I must say, the hubby and I will not be losing weight this week. Absolutely scrumptious and not really that much effort. It is best to make it overnight and eat it the next day. But, it does make a 13x9 pan's worth...however, it doesn't seem to be a problem for us.

I love the title of her website; I can totally relate :)

https://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2010/09/caramel-apple-cheesecake-bars.html

Slow Cooker Apple BBQ Ribs

Recipe #2 countdown of my bushel-full of Macintosh. This was an out-of-this-world recipe and thank goodness it was in the crockpot because we ended up having an extra busy, but productive day around the ranch. I used onions from the garden as well as applesauce from the Yellow Transparent apples. I added potatoes to the bottom (also from the garden) and garlic & pepper, for a well rounded meal. Probably one of the best rib recipes I've had in a while. :)

http://cincyshopper.com/slow-cooker-apple-bbq-ribs/

Apple Oat Greek Yogurt Muffins

I was recently given a bushel of Macintosh apples. I've been letting them ripen but am now starting to need to use them. So, just like zucchini and pumpkin, I will be looking for a month long stretch of apple recipes. Today, managed to find the first 2. This recipe is fairly healthy as far as muffins go. I didn't have whole wheat pastry flour, so I used regular flour instead. I also used homemade applesauce (from my last batch of Yellow Transparent apples). Really great recipe for breakfast muffins. [I used 2 apples instead for a chunkier muffin and omitted the raisins.]

http://www.runningwithspoons.com/2015/01/21/apple-oat-greek-yogurt-muffins/

Carrot Zucchini Apple Bread

My dear neighbor and friend posted this recipe to my wall and I decided to make it for our women's group yesterday. I used zucchini from the garden and some apples and carrots I had in the fridge. I ended up adding orange extract to the cream cheese frosting and sprinkled it with pecans. This was probably one of the best sweet breads I've ever made and eaten. Needless to say, it was a big hit with the group. Thankfully, this recipe made 2 loaves so the hubby had a chance to eat some too :)

http://www.momontimeout.com/2013/07/carrot-zucchini-apple-bread-recipe/

Apple Butter (Crockpot)

A friend of ours up the road "Yellow Transparent" apples for sale so I bought a box. Yellow Transparents don't have a long shelf life, so I had to prepare them right away. I ended up making applesauce, apple butter and apple pie filling. For those who like a tart apple, this one is ranked 10/10. I really enjoyed the flavor, but I feel I need to make people who try it aware of the tartness. Overall fun and easy to make.

http://www.food.com/recipe/crock-pot-apple-butter-93886

Rustic Pear and Apple Galette

We spent our anniversary in the charming little old mountain mining town of Ouray, CO last weekend. All over town there were 130 year old apple and pear trees ripe for the picking so we brought some home. I harvested the seeds and decided what would be more perfect than a rustic pear and apple galette! In truth, it's the first galette I've ever made and am already in love. They are so easy to make and have that country, pioneer beauty. Definitely right up my alley--I can always make things taste good...it's the pretty part that's a challenge. I'm looking forward to growing these heirloom plants on our property and have someone else enjoy them in another 130 years. :)

http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-rustic-pear-and-apple-galette-34650