Apple Pie Bars

Caramel Apple Pie Bars with streusel topping
Shortbread Crust
1 cup salted butter, melted          1//2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoon vanilla extract              2 cup all-purpose flour

Streusel
1 cup old-fashioned oats                   2/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon          1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup salted butter, cold and cubed

Prepare the Apple Pie filling prior to starting the crust, the filling recipe is below.
Preheat the oven to 300F degrees. Line an 9x12 baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving an overhang on all sides. Set aside.
Crust: Stir the melted butter, granulated sugar, vanilla, and salt together in a medium bowl. Add the flour and stir until everything is combined. Press the mixture evenly into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes.
Streusel topping: Whisk the oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour together in a medium bowl. Cut in the chilled butter with a pastry blender (or even with your hands) until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. I use my hands I find this to be the easier.
Remove the crust from the oven, and turn the oven up to 350 degrees. Pour 5 cups of Apple Filling onto the crust you just took out of the oven. Then Sprinkle the Streusel topping onto the top. Place back in the oven for 35 to 45 minutes until the topping is starting to brown.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least an hour at room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Lift the foil out of the pan using the overhang on the sides and cut into bars. Once cut, pour salted caramel sauce on top. These apple pie bars can be enjoyed warm or cold. The bars will stay fresh in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

PS You can make caramel from scratch or you can do what I did and get a tub of apple dipping caramel in your local grocer section. I added a couple of tablespoons of milk to loosen up the caramel to make it easier to drizzle.
You can also buy 2 cans of prepared pie filling to make this as well to make it something you can throw together without having to cut, peel and core apples

 

 

 

 

Apple pie filling

7 Apples peeled, cored and cut (I used 6 granny smith 1 red delicious)
4 cups water                        3 cups sugar
2 tsp cinnamon                1/2 tsp nutmeg
                                        1 cup cornstarch                                       

Prep apples set aside. Put 4 cups water in pot on the stove, in a bowl combine sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and nutmeg. Pour this mixture into the water and whisk until boiling. Continue to boil and whisk for 3 to 4 minutes. Lower heat and add apples bring back to a boil then turn down to a simmer and place a lid on the pot and let simmer 8 to 10 minutes. Then let cool approx. 30 minutes.

You can use this for Apple pie, ice cream topping, strudel your options are endless. I am using this for a strudel and the leftover is going into the freezer to be used at another time.

 

 

 

Enjoy!!!! I found the original recipe from pintrest Sally's Baking Addiction and then put my own twist on it.  I can't seem to just do thing the way the recipe says!

Banana Cupcakes, Muffins or Cake

 

 

 

This was my favorite cake for my birthday when I was a kid. It was between this and German chocolate cake. I make this as my banana muffins, as banana bread and as cake!!! Enjoy!!!!

Banana Cupcakes

2 1/3 cups flour
1 2/3 cups sugar...
1 1/2 cups overly ripe banana (about 3 medium)
2/3 cup shortening
2/3 cup buttermilk
3 eggs
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat all ingredients in large mixing bowl for about 30 seconds to blend. Then on med to high speed mix for 3 minutes. Pour into 24 cups for cupcakes for 18 to 20 minutes, a 9x13 prepared pan for 45 to 50 minutes, or 2 prepared loaf pans and bake 35 to 40 minutes.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 brick softened cream cheese
2 cubes of butter softened (1 cup)
2 tsp vanilla
2 pounds of powdered sugar

Cream cream cheese and butter until well blended and slowly add powdered sugar slowly after about half of the powdered sugar is blended add the vanilla. Then continue to add the rest of the powdered sugar. You can spread onto the cupcakes that are cooled or put it in a piping bag and make them a bit fancier up to you!!! See More

Apple Pie Bombs

 

 

 

 

Apple Pie Bombs

12 frozen white dinner rolls, (uncooked)
2 medium apples, (I used granny smith)
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
2 Tbsp granulated sugar...
30 vanilla caramels, unwrapped and divided
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
¼ cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp heavy cream
Flour, (for dusting)

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 350°F.
2.Place dinner rolls on a microwave safe plate and microwave on defrost for about 2 minutes (or until dough is no longer frozen, but not cooked).
3.Butter a small casserole dish (approximately 9”x6”) and set aside.
4.Peel, core and dice apples. Place them in a medium size bowl. Add sugar and cinnamon. Toss to coat. Set aside. Unwrap and cut 18 caramels into quarters. Set aside.
5.Lightly flour your countertop.
6.Toss 1 piece of dough in flour and flatten and stretch like you are making a mini pizza. Stretch dough to about 3” across.
7.Reserve ¼ cup apple mixture. Add a tablespoon of apple and 6 of the cut caramel pieces. Pull the edges of the dough together to create a ball. If they ball won’t seal, tap your finger tips into the flour and crimp the seal together.
8.Place dough ball in prepared dish. Repeat until all apple pies are in dish. Brush apple pies with melted butter (use it all). Sprinkle with reserved apple mixture and brown sugar.
9.Bake for 30-35 minutes until the tops are golden brown and the pies are no longer doughy.
10.Meanwhile, place 12 remaining unwrapped caramels and cream in a microwave safe bowl and heat until melted. Stop microwave and stir every 30 seconds. Once you have a smooth mixture, set aside to cool.
11.Remove from oven and drizzle with caramel sauce.
12.Serve and enjoy!

Makes 12 but I doubled it!

Pumpkin Cookies with Browned Butter frosting

 

 

 

Pumpkin Cookies with Browned Butter Frosting

Cookies
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened ...
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup (from 15-oz can) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt

Browned Butter Frosting
3 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 to 4 tablespoons milk
1/3 cup butter (do not use margarine or spread; it will burn)

1. Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, beat granulated sugar, brown sugar, 3/4 cup butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally, until well blended. Beat in pumpkin and eggs until well mixed. On low speed, beat in flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
2. On ungreased cookie sheets, drop dough by heaping tablespoonfuls. I use a cookie scoop
3. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until almost no indentation remains when touched in center. Immediately remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 45 minutes.
4. In medium bowl, place powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 3 tablespoons milk. In 1-quart saucepan, heat 1/3 cup butter over medium heat, stirring constantly, just until light brown.
5. Pour browned butter over powdered sugar mixture. Beat on low speed about 1 minute or until smooth. Gradually add just enough of the remaining 1 tablespoon milk to make frosting creamy and spreadable. Generously frost cooled cookies.

I made these because these are my father in laws favorite and it is his birthday on Monday. PSSST Beckie they do taste like pumpkin.

These are like little pumpkin cakes and my family and friends love them. People will come back for more they can't resist!