Red Cinnamon Apples

this recipe was first made by my grandmother, and then my mom throughout my childhood. it is simple, elegant, and delicious. Red Hots are now called Cinnamon Imperials so that's what you want to look for when making this recipe. As an alternative after they are cooled you can pipe sweet and cream cheese into the hole that was the core.

red cinnamon apples

3/4 cup red hots or cinnamon imperials

1/3 cup sugar

2 cups water

6-8 small Jonathan Apples

In a deep skillet, heat the water, sugar, and red hots until the candy and sugar melts. Peel and core the apples but keep them whole. Carefully lower the apples into the syrup and cook until soft, about 15 minutes. Carefully turn the apples half way through cooking to get the red evenly into the apples. Remove with a slotted spoon to your serving plate (I use a pie plate.)

Cook the remaining syrup to thicken. Ladle some of it over the apples. The rest is really good on pancakes. 

Market Soup

I call this Market Soup because I make it with whichever veggies look the best at our local farmers market. Use this as a guideline, not a rule book--make it to your own taste.

Market Soup

2# Tomatoes

1# carrots

1 quart green beans

3-4 ribs celery

1 bulb garlic, peeled

1 quart beef stock

1 quart tomato juice or V-8

1 green pepper

1# shredded cabbage

1 large beef marrow bone.

Put the bone in a large stock pot. Add the liquids. Roughly chop the carrots, beans, tomatoes, celery, garlic, and whatever herbs you like. I use oregano and basil. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Heat on a medium burner to simmer flavor from the bone. Cook until the veggies are tender crisp.  Add the peppers and cabbage. Cook a few more minutes don't overcook the cabbage unless you like mush!

Remove the bone. Serve with crusty bread or whole grain crackers. 

Cinnamon Caramel Apple Dump Cake

It's Fall. Time for ooey gooey good desserts (in moderation). This meets that description and it's simple!

Cinnamon Caramel Apple Dump Cake

7-8 Macintosh Apples, peeled and sliced

1 cup brown sugar

1 T Cinnamon

1 yellow cake mix,  dry

2 sticks butter

Layer 1/2 of the apples in a cake pan. Sprinkle with 1/2 of the cinnamon and 1/2 of the sugar. Repeat the layers. Don't skimp on the cinnamon! 

Spread the dry cake mix evenly over the apples. Slice each stick of butter into about 16 slices and distribute them evenly over the dry mix. 

Bake at 350° for 45 minutes to an hour. It will "settle" as it cools.

Garlic Garlic Chicken with Garlic

GARLIC GARLIC CHICKEN WITH GARLIC

As you've probably guessed by now, this dish is about garlic! As it roasts, it absorbs the fat of the chicken and the acid in the garlic turns to sugar and becomes very mild and sweet. Don't let this scare you and don't try to cut back on the garlic! Serve this with some good, crusty bread and use the garlic as butter on the bread. You can thank me later!


4-5 pound whole chicken
8-10 whole BULBS fresh garlic--not cloves, BULBS! (about a pound)
Salt, pepper, and olive oil

Clean and trim the chicken. Clean and peel the garlic, leaving the cloves whole. Heat the oven to 350°.  Use your finger to gently separate the breasts from the skin of the chicken. between the breast and the leg on each side, poke a hole in the connecting tissue and loosen the skin on each leg, too. Stuff about half of the whole garlic cloves under the skin, into the legs and over the breasts. Push it in gently and make sure it covers the breasts as much as possible. Stuff the other half of the cloves into the cavity of the chicken. Any garlic that won't fit in the chicken or under the skin should be put in the pan to roast with the bird. Place in a roasting pan. Season with salt and pepper and anoint it with olive oil. I like to cut small potatoes and pile them around the chicken, too. Roast for 60-90 minutes until the juices run clear. Let it sit for 15 minutes before slicing.

(Until I figure out how to resolve an issue with the photos, this will be the new format for my blog. My apologies to those who just like the pictures!)

Tomato Jam

TOMATO JAM (Much better than it sounds!)

This is a good one! I adapted it a little and have made this a couple of times. It's been a hit every time. I recommend it for parties--it's too tempting to eat the whole recipe if you don't share it! It's a good winter warm up.

TOMATO JAM

1 large shallot, minced

1 T Olive Oil (Extra Virgin is best for the light taste)

1 T Butt

1 Pint Cherry Tomatoes

2 T brown sugar

1/3 cup River Rose Gin from Mississippi River Distilling Company (Hendricks if you can't get Rose)

1 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Red Pepper Flakes

1 T Red Wine Vinegar

1 tsp fresh Oregano (or use the tube of prepared oregano that you can get in the produce department.)

Heat the olive oil and butter over medium high heat until the butter foams up. Add minced shallot. Lower heat to medium. Add tomatoes, cook 3-5 minutes. As the tomatoes start to break down, add brown sugar, gin, salt, and pepper flakes. Cook another 10 minutes, smashing the tomatoes with the back of a spoon. The sauce will thicken. After 10 minutes, add the vinegar and oregano, stirring to incorporate. Cook another minute or two and turn off heat.

If you make this early, it can be stored in a glass jar in the fridge. It should be served at room temperature. Pour it over a brick of cream cheese and serve with wheat crackers. It will keep for up to a week, but it probably won't last that long.