Crock Pot Applesauce

When I peel apples, I always think of the alphabet.

It all started when I was in first grade. My teacher, Mrs. Darnell, was peeling my apple and she told me that the peel could tell my future.

I was intrigued. I mean, I was six years old.

She said that whenever you peel an apple, you need to recite your ABCs.

When the peel breaks away, whatever letter you are on will be the first letter of the name of the person you are to marry.

Since then, I’ve always landed on the same letter. It’s completely creepy and weird. And a teeny-tiny, itty-bitty part of me wonders if it will be true.

We’ll see though. At the rate I’m going, I will probably report back to you all in 9 years…

Last Year: Pumpkin Pull-Apart Bread with Cinnamon Sugar

Crockpot Applesauce

The crock pot method of making applesauce does take a bit longer than the stove-top version, but it fills your kitchen with the smells of fall. I loved the way this applesauce tasted – lightly tart, but sweet with a hint of spices. It tastes delicious topped with chopped walnuts or even a bit of ice cream.

Ingredients

• 6 medium-large apples – I used Granny Smith, but a sweeter apple will work
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon – although I added a bit more because I LOVE cinnamon
• pinch of nutmeg and ginger

Method

1. Peel, core, and chop apples into smallish chunks. I had about 6-7 cups of apples.

2. In a crock pot set on high, place apple chunks, maple, and spices. Mix well. Allow apples to cook for about 3 hours or until the apples are completely softened. I didn’t need to puree or mash my applesauce because I like it chunky, but you can puree or mash if you want it smoother. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

It may separate, that’s okay, just mix it up again.

Recipe lightly adapted from (neverhome)maker

Related Recipes

Apple Crisp

Apple Fritters

Apple Cinnamon Muffins with Walnuts and Flax

Warm Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake

Looking for more Cooking College Chick? Follow me on Twitter or Pinterest! You can also subscribe on the upper right hand bar to receive email updates! Happy Cooking!!!

Chocolate-Chocolate Breakfast Bread

Can I tell you a wonderfully random, yet profound (Okay, maybe profound is a stretch) story?

I have a lucky dollar bill in my wallet.

Many times it has been the very last dollar in my wallet, and many times I have resisted using it.

I’ve had this dollar bill since I was a freshman in high school. I got it on the day that I was going to my very first band competition. I was in the colorguard; you know, the people that spin flags, rifles, and sabres while the band performs their halftime show.

On the way to the competition, I was insanely nervous and insanely carsick. We were driving to the small town of Wise, Virginia, and I am absolutely positive that our bus driver took every curvy road that he possibly could to get us to our destination. Oh, and it was raining. Because it always rains when you’re only crazy rural roads…

We were late getting to the performance venue and had to run straight into warmup – at this point I was a totally nauseas, nervous, fidgety mess. Basically like how I am now, except more caffeinated. One of my instructors, Noel, said that she would give a dollar bill to whomever performed the biggest that day. In colorguard, you ALWAYS want to perform big.

I honestly cannot remember that performance. I remember walking on the field feeling completely lost and scared, and I remember exiting the field feeling exhilarated and hooked on the sport that would carry me through my high school career.

After we performed, Noel came up to me and presented me with a slightly crumpled dollar bill.

I have kept that dollar close to my heart. It’s not so much about the actual performance – because like I said, I don’t remember it. It’s more of a reminder to shine bright.

Goodness, that sounds cheesy. But, it’s true.

So, what does this have to do with this deliciously addictive chocolatey bread? Well, this bread is actually a metaphor for life…

Okay, I’m lying. The only metaphor of this bread is in my stomach.

Should I stop with the awful jokes now?

By the way if you want a laugh (or an eye-roll), I’m including this video for fun. To check me out in my awkward high school days go to 0:28 and 0:53, I’m on the bottom left. I’m a brilliantly awful dancer

Last Year: Portobello Mushroom Burgers and Apple Cinnamon Muffins with Walnuts and Flax

Chocolate-Chocolate Breakfast Bread

This bread has become my favorite breakfast treat. It is incredibly moist and has the perfect amount of sweetness – perfect for a filling breakfast or delightful snack. 

To make the recipe a bit healthier, I substituted half of the oil for mashed banana. I think it came out wonderfully with the tiny chunks of banana. Feel free to use other fruit purees or the entire amount of oil. This bread has an interesting ingredient – red wine vinegar – which is used to get some of the ingredients to react with each other. Don’t worry though, your bread will not taste like you’re eating a salad

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup warm water $
• 1/4 cup canola oil – or 1/8 cup oil with 1/8 cup fruit puree (see notes)
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 oz. semi sweet chocolate – chopped (The original recipe calls for 1/2 cup chocolate, I didn’t have enough, but I still thought it was delicious)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Lightly grease a loaf pan (I used a 1 qt. loaf pan which is 7-1/2 by 3-1/2), but this recipe can also be made into 12 muffins.

2. Weigh or lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flours and next 5 ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Make a well in center of mixture. Combine 1 cup water and next 4 ingredients (through egg) in a bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Stir in the chocolate. Add oil mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist.

3. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan (or muffins liners). Bake at 375° for 30-45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. The reason there is such a wide range is that different loaf pans will cook the bread at different times. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes in pan on a wire rack.

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light

Related Recipes

The Best Banana Bread with Walnuts and Mini Chocolate Chips

Chocolate Chickpea Bread

Looking for more Cooking College Chick? Follow me on Twitter or Pinterest! You can also subscribe on the upper right hand bar to receive email updates! Happy Cooking!!!

Thursday

Today. It’s Thursday and it’s wonderful.

Because Grey’s Anatomy comes on tonight.

Because tomorrow is Friday.

Because I finished my Italian exam (and got very little sleep).

Because I got the coolest, most beautiful DSLR camera! And I took this picture of my puppy with it.

Because last night I registered for the most important test in my undergraduate career.

Because it’s 84 degrees outside.

Because I love this picture and it always makes me smile.

Because I’m eating dinner here tonight with a friend.

Because season 9 of One Tree Hill just came to Netflix.

Because I can finally play Katy Perry’s “Wide Awake” on my guitar.

Because I ate this for lunch. And I didn’t write a recipe. I just went with it.

And it was the bomb-diggity.

I’m glad it’s Thursday. I hope you’re having a wonderful day!

Last Year: Chocolate Chip Walnut Banana Bread

Refried Bean and Portobello Mushroom Quesadilla

This is a completely random, but completely delicious lunch option. I omitted the cheese, but you could definitely add some if you like. Feel free to also play with the seasonings.

Ingredients

• 1 flour tortilla (if gf, look for tortillas labeled gluten free)
• 1 portobello mushroom, chopped
• handful of fresh spinach
• 1/2 refried beans (if vegetarian or vegan, make sure to get refried beans labeled vegetarian)
• cheese, optional
• red pepper flakes to taste, optional
• salt and pepper

Method

1. In a medium pan with a bit of oil, saute mushroom until tender, about 5 minutes. Add desired seasonings and spinach and cook until spinach is lightly wilted. Remove from pan and set aside. Meanwhile, heat beans until warmed.

2. In the same pan, lightly toast the tortilla on each side, 1 minute. Spread beans on tortilla and add vegetables (and cheese, if using), let cook open faced until heated through. Fold over tortilla to make into quesadilla. Remove from pan and cut into desired size. Eat immediately.

Recipe from Cooking College Chick

Related Recipes

Black Bean Tacos with Spicy Peach Salsa

Looking for more Cooking College Chick? Follow me on Twitter or Pinterest! You can also subscribe on the upper right hand bar to receive email updates! Happy Cooking!!!

Thousand Seed Fig and Banana Muffins

8 things you really didn’t care to know about me.

1) I love Garth Brooks (but only circa 1990s). This is probably because my mom is completely obsessed and we would spend long car rides listening to him on repeat while delivering desserts for her bakery. I know nearly every one of his songs by heart, but I have a few favorites that I listen to over and over and over (yes, most of these videos are super cheesy).

2) I love when people call me Rhy. I wish it happened more. It’s happened like seven times in my life. Or maybe 6.

And. Every. Single. Time. It. Was. Amazing.

3) I believe in luck, fate, karma, the evil eye, divine interventions, red bendels, and superstitions (I don’t even know if you can technically believe in all of them simultaneously). I knock on wood like a maniac and always carry some kind of good luck charm or jewelry.

4) Kevin Bacon is my favorite actor ever. I’ve always thought he was adorable and handsome and amazing and perfect. Everyone thinks I’m insane. I think they are insane.

5) One of my all-time favorite movies in The Wedding Singer. When I was about 10, I watched it all the time on VHS (though many of the dirty jokes made absolutely no sense to me). I saw it so much that I memorized the words for the ENTIRE film. BUT, I haven’t seen it in over 5 years though because VCR’s are basically obsolete.

6) Up until about last year, I thought “forward” was spelled “foward”. This because all of my family are New Yorkers, and they all say “foe-ward”. So, I say it that way too. And Microsoft Word always automatically corrects it in my documents. So, when I hand write it, people probably think I’m a weirdo. Actually, people probably think me weird anyway

7) I have a Darwinian Tubercle. It’s a congenital birth mark of sorts. Basically it’s a tiny bite out of my left ear. My dad has one, my grandpa has one. It does absolutely nothing, except make me insanely awesome.

8) These muffins, loaded up my grill with seeds (and I don’t mean the steak kind of grill). They are some of my favorite homemade muffins and you should make them. So we have loaded grills together.

Last Year: Ginger Coconut Carrot Soup

Thousand Seed Fig and Banana Muffins

These muffins are delightful! I’ve been enjoying them for breakfast and snacks daily. They can be made with either dried figs or dates, both are delicious. I also tweaked the recipe and used greek yogurt instead of regular plain yogurt. 

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup sesame seeds
• 1/4 cup poppy seeds
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 cup packed dried figs (or pitted dates)
• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2-3)
• 1/4 cup plain greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 large egg, separated, plus 1 large egg white
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup white pastry flour (I wasn’t able to find whole wheat pastry flour, but if you can, you should try it!)
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup flaxseed meal
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Butter 12 muffin cups (1/3-cup size) and set aside. Put sesame, poppy seeds, sunflower and pumpkin seeds on a baking pan. Bake seeds, stirring once, until golden, 6 to 8 minutes. They toast very quickly, so pay attention!

2. Whirl figs with 1/2 cup water in a blender or food processor until very smooth. Scrape into a medium bowl and add bananas, yogurt, oil, vanilla, egg yolk, and brown sugar. Whisk to blend, then set aside.

3. Stir flours in a large bowl with flaxseed meal, baking powder and soda, salt, and all but 2 tbsp. of the seeds.

4. Beat egg whites with cream of tartar in a bowl with a mixer on high speed until foamy. Continue beating until soft peaks form. Fold whites into banana mixture. Fold into flour mixture just until blended. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups (they’ll be very full). Sprinkle with remaining 2 tbsp. seeds.
Bake muffins until just firm to touch and edges are golden, 22 to 25 minutes. Loosen from pans with a small metal spatula. Serve warm or cool.

Recipe adapted from Shutterbean

Related Recipes

Apple Cinnamon Muffins with Flax Seed and Walnuts

Looking for more Cooking College Chick? Follow me on Twitter or Pinterest! You can also subscribe on the upper right hand bar to receive email updates! Happy Cooking!!!