Apple Bread Pudding

We went to Apple Fest in Bayfield, Wisconsin, last weekend, and came home with some apples!  I've been thinking about making bread pudding for a couple of weeks now, so I looked for a recipe that included apples.  I adapted this recipe from the Gramma's Apple Bread Pudding on allrecipes.com.

4 cups soft bread cubes (I used some kaiser rolls that were getting dry)
1/4 cup raisins (I used 1/2 cup)
2 cups peeled and sliced apples
1 cup brown sugar
1 3/4 cups milk
1/4 butter
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs, beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 7 x 11 inch baking dish.

In a large bowl (I did this right in the pan), combine bread, raisins, and apples.  In a small saucepan over medium, combine brown sugar, milk and butter.  Cook and stir until butter is melted.  Pour over bread mixture.

In a small bowl, whisk together cinnamon, vanilla and eggs.  Pour over bread mixture in baking pan.

Bake in preheated oven 40-50 minutes, or until center is set and apples are tender.

In my opinion, bread pudding MUST be served warm with vanilla ice cream.

Apple Pie

We got a bunch of apples from a friend of my husband's, and hubby requested that I make apple pie with some of them. I went over to allrecipes.com and found this highly rated recipe for Grandma Ople's Apple Pie. I had never made a lattice crust before, so I just winged it. The pie was awesome!

• 1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie (I used Pillsbury refrigerated crust)
  
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 8 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and sliced (I didn't use Granny Smith, just whatever variety we were given, which were a semi-tart, firm apple)
  

1. Melt butter in a sauce pan. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add white sugar, brown sugar and water; bring to a boil. Reduce temperature, and simmer 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, place the bottom crust in your pan. Fill with apples, mounded slightly. Cover with a lattice work crust. Gently pour the sugar and butter liquid over the crust. Pour slowly so that it does not run off.
3. Bake 15 minutes at 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), and continue baking for 35 to 45 minutes.

Dutch Apple Pie with Oatmeal Streusel

I had two pie crusts and used one for pumpkin pie, so I decided to make apple pie with crumb topping to use the other crust. The recipe is from allrecipes.com
1-9 inch pie shell
5 cups apples--peeled, cored and sliced (I used closer to 6 cups)
2 T. flour
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. allspice (I did not use)
2 T. butter
Topping:
3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup rolled oats
1 tsp. lemon zest (I did not use)
1/2 cup butter
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Fit pastry shell into pie pan and place in freezer.
Apple filling: Place apples in large bowl. In a separate bowl combine 2 T. flour, sugar, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. Mix well, then add to apples. Toss until apples are evenly coated.
Remove pie shell from freezer. Place apple mixture in pie shell and dot with 2 T. butter. (I forgot to dot with butter, and I don't think it mattered.) Lay a sheet of aluminum foil lightly on top of filling, but do not seal (I did not cover). Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.
While filling is baking, make streusel topping: In a medium bowl, combine 3/4 cup flour, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, brown sugar, oats and lemon zest. Mix thoroughly, then cut in 1/2 cup butter until mixture is crumbly. Remove filling from oven and sprinkle streusel on top.
Reduce heat to 375 degrees. Bake an additional 30 to 35 minutes, until streusel is browned and apples are tender. Cover loosely with aluminum foil to prevent excess browning. (This was not necessary in my case.)

This was good, although in places the bottom crust was a little gummy, I suspect because the apple mixture was quite juicy.

Crock Pot Apple Crisp

I found this recipe on a blog called Frugal Homekeeping.

Apple Crisp in the Crock Pot

6 cups cooking apples, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup quick-cook oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
2 T. butter
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Place apples in greased crock pot. Combine remaining ingredients in mixing bowl until crumbly. Sprinkle over apples. Cover. Cook on low for 4 hours or high for 2 hours.

Apple Raisin Muffins

Another recipe from allrecipes.com

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup fat-free milk
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 cup chopped, peeled tart apple
• 1/4 cup raisins
• CRUMB TOPPING:
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons quick cooking oats
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon cold butter or margarine

In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Combine the egg, milk and oil; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in the apple and raisins. Coat muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray or use paper liners; fill two-thirds full with batter.

For topping, in a bowl, combine the flour, oats, brown sugar and cinnamon; cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over batter. Bake at 375 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Serve warm.