The Food Brie Cooked and Baked

Recipe source: BP’s mom, who got it from her mom

When I first saw a dish of these apples at a family gathering a few years ago, I thought they were tomatoes, and I didn’t try them until BP had a pile on his plate. He informed me, as he wolfed down a few slices, that they were not, in fact, tomatoes, but they were his grandmother’s cinnamon apples.

Curious, I tried one, and it was, in fact, delicious. However, I was still confused why they were bright red (they are much more red in person – the photo doesn’t do them justice). It turns out, the secret “cinnamon” ingredient was red-hot candies, or cinnamon imperials if you buy the bag by Brach’s. I was hooked and immediately requested the recipe from BP’s mom.

cinnamon apples

Cinnamon apples

9 oz. red hot candies

4-6 gala or yellow delicious apples

Peel and quarter apples. Place in 9×13 dish.

Boil 2 cups water. Add red hot candies until dissolved.

Pour red hot sauce over apples. Bake 25-35 minutes or until tender at 400.

Serve warm or put in the refrigerator and serve cold later.

Recipe source: Simple & Delicious, June/July 2010

Okay, so I know the photo makes this meal look very unappealing.

But in reality, it was pretty good. It wasn’t so good that I’ll probably make it again, but it was good enough to look forward to leftovers for lunch.

It was quick and easy to throw in the slow cooker. I made the rice on the stovetop when I got home.

pineapple chicken and rice

Recipe source: Simple & Delicious, June/July 2010

Grilled pineapple may just be my very favorite grilled food item. It is seriously delicious, and I think it’s what made these kabobs rock it out.

BP and I did not eat this with ranch dressing, as the recipe suggests. They were delicious by themselves, straight off the grill.

sausage & chicken kabobs

1/4 c. soy sauce

1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/8 tsp. seasoned salt

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-1/2-in. cubes

1 lb. fully cooked kielbasa or Polish sausage, cut into 3/4-in. slices

4 medium red potatoes, cut into 1-1/2-in. cubes

2 c. cubed fresh pineapple

Combine the first five ingredients; add chicken and sausage. Stir to coat. Refrigerate one hour.

Meanwhile, place potatoes in a large microwave-safe bowl. Cover and microwave on high for 6-8 minutes or until almost tender, stirring twice.

Drain and discard marinade. On metal or soaked wooden skewers, alternately thread the chicken, potatoes, sausage and pineapple. Grill, covered, over medium heat for 10-15 minutes or until chicken juices run clear, turning frequently. Serve with ranch dressing.

Summer means strawberries! (Okay, so I know it’s technically not summer yet, but we’re close enough!)

BP wanted to make some freezer jam with strawberries from his parents’ strawberry patch. So that is just what we did.

Recipe:

Measure 2 cups crushed strawberries. Add 4 c.  sugar. Let stand for 10 minutes.

While the berries are standing, stir 4 Tbls. pectin into 3/4 c. water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil on high heat. Boil one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

Stir pectin mixture into fruit, stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved (about three minutes).

Pour into containers. Leave 1/2-inch space at top for expansion during freezing.

Let stand at room temperature 24 hours until set. Store in freezer for up to one year. Refrigerator up to three weeks.

We nearly doubled the recipe, and here are the nine jars of strawberry jam going into our freezer:

strawberry freezer jam

Recipe source: Betty Crocker

Betty’s got such great recipes, doesn’t she?

Strawberry shortcakes are a favorite treat for BP and me during the summer when local strawberries are in season. We buy them by the bucketful from a produce stand near our house.

Recently, however, BP’s mom gave us some strawberries and so we needed a quick and easy way to eat ‘em up. (I’m not sure where the berries came from. It’s still freezing in Ohio and so obviously, they are not local.)

We skip the whip cream and enjoy hot shortcakes topped with sliced berries.

strawberry shortcakes

Recipe source: Real Simple

BP and I both give this a thumbs-up. I was skeptical about this recipe because I generally am not a big fan of fruit with meat. However, the sweet potatoes and prosciutto lured me in anyways, and I do not regret it for one second. In fact, maybe I’ll go back to the kitchen for seconds …

Anyways, the editors at Real Simple know what they’re talking about – this was, actually, real simple to put together, in addition to being delicious!

prosciutto-wrapped pork with sweet potatoes and pears