Apple Turnovers

Delicious, yet so easy to make. Anyone can do these classic apple turnovers!


Ingredients:

2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 cups water
4 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and sliced
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon water
1 (17.25 ounce) package frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed

1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Directions:

1. Combine the lemon and 4 cups water in a large bowl. Place the sliced apples in the water to keep them from browning.

2. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Drain water from apples, and place them into the hot skillet. Cook and stir for about 2 minutes. Add brown sugar, and cinnamon, and cook, stirring, for 2 more minutes. Stir together cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water. Pour into the skillet, and mix well. Cook for another minute, or until sauce has thickened. Remove from heat to cool slightly.

3. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

4. Unfold puff pastry sheets, and repair any cracks by pressing them back together. Trim each sheet into a square. Then cut each larger square into 4 smaller squares. Spoon apples onto the center of each squares. Fold over from corner to corner into a triangle shape, and press edges together to seal. Place turnovers on a baking sheet, leaving about 1 inch between them.

5. Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until turnovers are puffed and lightly browned. Cool completely before glazing.

6. To make the glaze, mix together the confectioners' sugar, milk and vanilla in a small bowl. Adjust the thickness by adding more sugar or milk if necessary. Drizzle glaze over the cooled turnovers.


Note:

If you do not wish to make the glaze, you can brush beaten egg over the top of each turnover, and sprinkle with white sugar before baking.

Brown Butter Cookies

These cookies are rich and highly addictive.


Ingredients:

2 cups butter
2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup chopped pecans
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup hot water


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. Heat butter over medium heat for 5 minutes or so, until it turns nut brown in color. The foaming and bubbling is part of the browning process, but watch it carefully so that you don't burn the butter. Remove from heat, and cool slightly. Reserve 1/2 cup of the butter for the frosting.

3. Pour remaining browned butter into a large mixing bowl. Beat browned butter with brown sugar until the butter is no longer hot. Mix in eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Beat thoroughly. Mix in flour and chopped pecans. Drop tablespoons of dough onto ungreased baking sheets.

4. Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until light brown around the edges. Cool.

5. In a medium bowl, mix the reserved 1/2 cup browned butter with 2 teaspoons vanilla, confectioners' sugar, and hot water. Beat until smooth, and use to frost cooled cookies. Enjoy!

Molasses Cookies

These soft molasses cookies are moist and easy to make.


Ingredients:

3/4 cup shortening
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup light molasses
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger


Directions:

1. Cream together shortening and brown sugar. Stir in egg and molasses and mix well. Fold in dry ingredients and stir. Cover and chill until firm (1 - 2 hours).

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

3. Roll dough into small balls (I use a small melon baller to help with this) and roll in white sugar. Place on lightly greased cookie sheets.

4. Bake 9 - 10 minutes. Leave on cookie sheet one minute until set.

Apple Strudel Muffins

These muffins are moist and simple to make and enjoy. With a delicious cinnamon crumb topping, they'll be devoured by friends and family.


Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cups chopped apples

1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 12 cup muffin pan.

2. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

3. In a large bowl, beat together butter, sugar and eggs until smooth. Mix in vanilla. Stir in apples, and gradually blend in the flour mixture. Spoon the mixture into the prepared muffin pan.

4. In a small bowl, mix brown sugar, flour and cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture is like coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over tops of mixture in muffin pan.

5. Bake 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Allow to sit 5 minutes before removing muffins from pan. Cool on a wire rack. Enjoy!