Category: Cooking And Baking

Apple Blueberry Kuchen

2/19/2019

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We have still been having cold, rainy weather here in Phoenix and I've got to tell you that I have actually been enjoying it as I anticipate the approaching summer months. It occurred to me that I had better get some baking out of my system now before we hit those scorching hot days when I won't be turning on my oven.
I like to read April J. Harris' blog. She has some wonderful recipes and this one, a Blackberry Apple Cake, was very tempting to me. Unfortunately, I didn't have blackberries or some of the other ingredients called for in the recipe. But I did have some frozen blueberries and Honeycrisp apples, so I decided to make something similar, but different with the ingredients that I had on hand. The result of that decision came out quite delicious!

The batter is quite thick. It turns purple when you fold in the blueberries! But, after it is baked, it miraculously doesn't appear purple anymore. I used frozen blueberries, but you could use fresh as well.

For ease of removing from the pan after it is baked, be sure to use a greased 9" spring form pan. I made do for years without a spring form pan, but after I got one, I realized how nice they are. I found this great set on Amazon that has 3 sizes of pans plus spatula and smoother at a great price!

You will smooth the thick batter into the pan and then top it with a brown sugar cinnamon mixture and the apples. It looks great in the pan, even before you bake it!

Now, you bake it for 45 min. The aroma is so amazing, warm and inviting! It makes your mouth water just looking at it. Here it is straight out of the oven.

I let the kuchen rest for about 10 min. after coming out of the oven. Then, removed the outer ring and used a long spatula to set it on a serving platter. This is the beauty of the spring form pan. You don't want to flip those beautiful apples upside down and hide them! The long, offset spatula is another tool I didn't know was so helpful until I got one. It is a simple thing, but is such a big help for jobs like this one.

I've had this platter for years, but I will link to another one at the bottom of this post.

This fruity kuchen will make a beautiful dessert or even nice breakfast coffee cake. My husband and I ate dessert first last night! That is one of the beauties of being empty nesters! You can do what you want!

Apple Blueberry Kuchen

If you enjoyed this recipe, you might also enjoy these:

6 Delicious Blueberry Recipes

French Style Brown Butter Blueberry or Peach Tarts

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How to Cook Orangetti Squash

1/29/2019

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*If you are unfamiliar with spaghetti squash, you will probably be even less familiar with orangetti squash. I got my hands on some a couple of years ago and my family really enjoyed it. I posted this orangetti squash with chicken recipe then and it has become one of our most searched for posts! Since I was able to get a spaghetti squash the other day, it reminded me of this recipe which the spaghetti squash would totally work with. So here is a re-post of how to cook orangetti squash!

A few posts ago, I told you about Market on the Move and how I was able to get a ton of squash, as well as other vegetables for $10. In this post, I gave you a recipe for a Carrot/Squash Loaf using the yellow squash I got a ton of. Another type of squash that I was able to get, I was less familiar with. It is called Orangetti Squash.

Orangetti is very similar to Spaghetti Squash, only it is smaller, more orange and a little sweeter.

At our house, we have some people who are less keen on beef and would prefer chicken. We have Maddy who is trying to eat a little more vegan. Then, we have my husband and I who just like to eat! In order to accommodate every one, I decided to make a deconstructed Chicken Cacciatore, using the orangetti squash as a replacement for the pasta! Madalynn left out the chicken and simply ate the orangetti with the sauce. Either way, the result was delicious. Here is how I cooked orangetti squash:

First, I cut open the orangetti and cleaned out the seeds. (Be sure you have a sharp knife because of the tough outer skin.) It smelled like pumpkin and the seeds looked like pumpkin seeds. I was tempted to roast them. I didn't.

I placed the halves of the orangetti squash on a foil lined pan. I drizzled a little olive oil on the squash and sprinkled it with salt and pepper. Then, I put it in a 350 degree F. oven and baked it until tender. (About 45 min. I think, just stab it with a fork to test it.) While it was baking, I started my chicken.

I used chicken breasts on the bone which I first parboiled and then cut off the bone. I cut it into large chunks and browned it in olive oil, adding Italian seasonings, salt and pepper.

Next, make your favorite marinara sauce, or open a bottle of it and doctor it up to make it taste the way you want. Keep all of these elements separate if you want the deconstructed version of this recipe. Otherwise, you can throw the chicken in with the sauce at this point.

When the orangetti squash is tender, shred it into "spaghetti" with two forks. If you want, drizzle a little more olive oil and add a little more salt and pepper.

Now you are ready to serve! This is a great one dish meal!

Just put a layer of Orangetti, a layer of chicken, top with sauce and sprinkle on a little grated Parmesan. It is so tasty!

Orangetti Squash vs. Spaghetti Squash

I think I enjoyed the taste of orangetti squash a little more than spaghetti squash. It has a sweet mild flavor that blended so well with the sauce. As I mentioned before, the orangetti squash is also slightly smaller than spaghetti sauce. I ate more for lunch the next day. (When I put it away, I went ahead and mixed it all together!)

If you find Orangetti Squash in the grocery store, don't be afraid to give it a try!

If you need recipe cards, recipe boxes, bowls or cutting boards, or anything, check out Etsy for some cute ideas! Don't forget our Etsy shop where you can find some sweet printables to help your life.

Here is a Southwestern Breakfast Version of Orangetti Squash.

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Crab Stuffed Potato Appetizers

12/20/2018

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If you are looking for a simple and delicious little something new to serve as an appetizer, this combination of seafood with the hearty potato really hit the spot. It isn't often that an appetizer gives me that hearty feeling of eating something substantial. But the goodness of the potatoes with the cheese and the wonderful taste of the crab make these something special. As a matter of fact, I made some a little larger and my husband and I ate them as a meal!