The Farm Chicks.
I knew about their book, it’s on my wishlist. I did not know that Serena from the farm chicks has a fantastic blog but I’m so glad I found it! She has a great recipe for little hand-held, heart-shaped pies perfect for Valentines day! Serena filled her pies with seedless raspberry Jam but since I didn’t have any on hand I decided to make apple pie filling.
Apple Sweetie Pies
- your favorite pastry crust recipe
- 6 granny smith apples
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp corn starch
- 1 tsp apple pie spice
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
Prepare the pie filling by peeling, coring (is this a word?) and dicing the apples. The size of your dice depends on the size of your pies…my apples were originally cut too large and I had to pulse them in the food processor.
Combine apples with all other ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat and cook for 5 minutes until the apples are slightly tender and the sauce begins to get thick. Set aside.
Roll chilled pie dough and cut with a heart-shaped cookie cutter.
Place hearts on a parchment lined baking sheet and put a spoonful of filling in the center.
Using a pastry brush and some water, wet the edges of the dough.
Place a second pastry heart on top of the filling and press to seal the edges. Crimp edges with the tines of a fork and prick the centerof each pie.
Whisk 1 egg until combined and brush the tops of the pies with the egg wash.
Pop pies in the freezer for 15 minutes to firm up the pastry before baking.
Bake pies for 15 minutes at 425 degrees.
The inspiration for these muffins came from the recipe for Baker’s best Bran Muffins from A Passion for Baking. I switched up a lot of the ingredients so I could use what I had on hand and the muffins turned out delicious!
Apple Ginger Bran Muffins
- 2 cups + 2 tbsp all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 4 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil (you could sub half of this with applesauce)
- 1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp molasses
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1 cup bran
- 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
- 2 apples, peeled and diced
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line muffins tins with paper liners.
I chose to bake 12 muffins, and reserve the rest of the batter in the fridge for a few days and baked another 9 muffins.
Combine the flours, baking powder and soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg together in a bowl and sift or whisk. Set aside.
Using a mixer, whisk together oil, sugar, molasses and vanilla. Beat in the eggs one at a time and then add the buttermilk. Stir in the bran and oats and let the batter rest for 10 minutes.
Stir the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and mix until just blended. Use a spatula to fold in the apples.
Cover batter and let rest in the fridge for 1 hour (or longer)
Fill muffin cups with batter (I used a large ice cream scoop) Sprinkle some oats on the top of each muffin and place on the top rack inside the oven. Bake for 15 minutes and then reduce oven temp to 375 and bake for an additional 10-12 minutes.
HAPPY FRIDAY!
I’m sick.
I feel like my throat is full of razor blades, it hurts to swallow, my head hurts, I still have to look after my two children and I feel super un motivated to get anything done. I need to think positive.
There were definatley a few good things over the past week…
I won a prize :) I can’t remember how I originally linked up to nana’s kitchen but Debbie has an adorable little blog and she had a birthday party give away and I won! Debbie sent me a fun little party bag in the mail with cocktail napkins, a notebook, some fun stickers, a writing pad and some cute strawberry potholders and a dishtowel. It definatly brightened my day
Be sure to stop by In Nana’s Kitchen for a visit!
My Brother Ryan made me potato bread with bacon and rosemary and he tied it all up with Raffia (old skool Martha Stewart style) He also made a pavlova with a delicious light meringue, cream, strawberries and chocolate! YUM
Spent some fantastic time with my kiddos and husband exploring some nature trails.
Taco Bowls! We found these awesome fluted pans at the local thrift shop that my husband thought were for making tortilla bowls! I’m not sure if that’s their exact purpose but they worked awesome!
I was given a gift of homemade Madeleines. They were light and sweet and delicious, thanks Emmy!
I also had some help baking miniature heart shaped pocket pies. Recipe to be posted soon!
And if you’re looking for something else to improve your mood there’s still 2 days left of Pink Partying over at Blooming on Bainbridge! Lots of wonderful prizes!
Party dessert #2 – Miniature Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake
The inspiration for this recipe comes from a book called “Junior’s Cheesecake cookbook” by Alan Rosen & Beth Allen that I borrowed from the library. They call their miniature cheesecakes ”little fellas” and they are the perfect little serving size! I used the original little fella cheesecake recipe and made 12 cheesecakes but probably had enough batter leftover to make 4-6 more but I reserved it to use in another recipe!
Miniature Chocolate Chip Cheesecake
- 2 packages (8 oz) cream cheese at room temperature
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- chewy chips ahoy cookies
- chocolate syrup
- 1/2 recipe chocolate ganache
The first thing you need to make these delicious little cheesecakes….a package of chewy chips ahoy cookies.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Line muffin tins with paper liners and place a cookie in the bottom of each well.
If you find that your cookies are not covering the bottoms of your muffin tins, just break off an extra piece of cookie and squash it into the bottom
Take about 6 cookies and roughly chop them into small pieces. Set aside.
Do you have a mixer? My mom bought me this awesome attachment for Christmas that scrapes down the sides of the bowl as it mixes. It’s perfect for cheesecake batter! If you don’t have this attachment, make sure you scrape the bowl often.
Mix one package of cream cheese with 1/3 cup sugar and the cornstarch and beat until smooth. Add the second package of cream cheese and 1/3 cup of sugar and beat until the mixture is smooth. Add the Vanilla.
Add eggs one at a time mixing until they are fully incorporated.
Beat the cream into the cream cheese mixture until it’s blended. Be careful not to over mix.
Spoon batter into the cookie lined muffin cups until they are half full.
Add chopped cookie and drizzle with chocolate syrup.
Top with another spoonful of batter.
Bake for 20 minutes or until cakes are set.
Cool to room temperature and then transfer cakes to the freezer.
Once cakes are frozen, remove paper liners and top with Chocolate Ganache.
Enjoy!
Remember last week I sent you here for a pink party?
Well the party was delayed but it’s happening this week and for 10 days!!!
Pop over to blooming on bainbridge to check it out!
DINNER!
I don’t usually take photos of dinner, they never do the food justice and I don’t often cook with a recipe or measure ingredients. Yesterday I was feeling ambitious and decided to break out the old hand crank pasta maker that’s been collecting dust in my cupboard and the pasta turned out incredible!
(See what I mean, not pretty!)
Homemade Pasta
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 1 cup semolina flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 4 eggs + 1 egg yolk
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp water (add more or less as required)
You can do this on the countertop, I started in the mixing bowl and had to move my dough onto the countertop to be kneaded. Combine the flours and the salt. Make a well in the middle and add the eggs, extra yolk and olive oil. Begin by mixing the eggs and slowly working the flour in them.
Drizzle water as needed until you have a cohesive dough. It will be really tough! Turn the dough onto the countertop and knead the heck out of it! The dough needs to be kneaded for at least 10 minutes, it’s a good workout!
Once the dough is kneaded, it will be smooth but still feel tough. Place the dough under a damp towel and let it rest for 30 minutes.
After the dough’s rested cut it into 8 portions. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough to 1/4 inch thick and begin using the #1 setting on the pasta machine. (OR you may continue with a super workout and roll the dough by hand with the rolling pin)
I rolled the dough through the machine up until the #6 setting.
From this point you can cut the dough into your desired pasta shape. I decided to make Ravioli and Manicotti.
Bacon, Spinach and Ricotta Manicotti (or Raviolli)
- 2 slices bacon, chopped
- 1 bunch of fresh spinach (or 1 box of frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and drained)
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
- 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
- salt and pepper
- 400 grams Ricotta cheese
- tomato based pasta sauce
In a heavy bottom skillet, cook bacon on medium high heat. Once bacon is almost done add the onion and cook until onion is soft and translucent. Add garlic and cook 30 more seconds. Add the spinach to the pot and cook until the spinach has wilted down. Season with Italian seasoning and salt and pepper.
Using a food processor, pulse the spinach mixture 3-4 short pulses. Stir in the Ricotta cheese.
Using a sharp knife, cut the pasta into rectangles. (size is totally up to you!)
Place a few tablespoons of filling on the sheet of pasta. Using a pastry brush (or your fingers) wet the edge of the pasta so it will seal when rolled.
Coat the bottom of a casserole dish with sauce
Roll up the pasta and place it seam side down in a casserole dish leaving a bit of room for expansion.
Cover the top with sauce and cover the casserole dish with tinfoil. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25-35 minutes removing the tinfoil after 20 minutes.






































