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Single Serving Apple Crisp

Apple Crisp season is upon us!! The apples are ripe on the trees and ready for the picking. A favourite in our house is Apple Crisp (although my Grandma called it Apple Betty) and while I love to eat them, I don’t always love to make them, peeling apples, getting everything ready and make it, only to have left overs for days.

So, through the magic of Pinterest and my Grandmother’s recipe, I have created a single serving Apple Crisp. You can make it in the microwave, toaster oven or regular oven. And you can make it in a ramekin, a mason jar or a mug, the choice is yours!!

peeled apples sitting on a cutting board

fresh apples, peeled and ready for baking

All you need is one medium apple to make a single serving, well that and some oats, flour, butter, spices… you get the idea. You can truly just make one serving if you like. I made four so I could test out the different jars and cooking methods and hopefully my family will enjoy for dessert tonight.

Baked Apple Crisp in a white ramkin, sitting on a white napkin with red ribbing.

Baked Crisp

I had to test out ramekins and mason jars in addition to microwave and oven.

two mason jar apple crisps with a red apple and a white napkin with red ribbing on it

Baked Apple Crisp in Mason jars

This on was microwaved. It was almost exactly like the baked ones, the crisp, just wasn’t really crispy, like you get from the oven, but completely enjoyable for sure. Especially if you are away at school and only have a microwave to use, you could so easily impress your friends with a quick crisp.

Apple crisp in a ramkin with a spoon, red apple in the background

Microwaved Apple Crisp

Recipe:

Serves: 1

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 2-3 minutes in microwave, 30 minutes in 350ºF oven or toaster oven

Apple Filling:

  • 1 apple (peeled, cored and cubed) {other fruit may be substituted, pear, peach, berry…}
  • 1tbsp sugar
  • 1tsp flour
  • 1/8 tsp cinnamon
  • pinch of nutmeg
  • 1tsp orange juice

Mix dry ingredients together, add apples and apple juice, stir, place into jar, ramekin or mug (make sure you mug is oven safe if using in oven)

Topping:

  • 1/3 c quick oats
  • 1tbsp flour
  • 1tbsp margarine or soft butter
  • pinch of salt

Mix dry ingredients, cut butter into the oats mixture with a fork or your hands (I prefer hands). Place on top of apples.

Microwave for 2-3 minutes on high or bake in oven at 350ºF for 30 minutes. Enjoy! Garnish with vanilla ice cream or just enjoy plain!

**Please use oven mitts when removing from microwave or oven, dish will be hot and filling will be hot as well, use caution when eating.

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Categories: Uncategorized

Irish Tea Cake

annaepp.com-Irish-tea-cake-web-1Irish Tea Cake anyone? I do love a good tea party. Ever since I was young and my Mom would allow a tea party it was always a lot of fun and a real treat. Visiting my Scottish grandmother meant that we had tea often and it always seemed to turn into a bit of a party.

Fast forward to having a daughter to share my love of tea parties with and here we are. Since she was quite young she would host tea parties. In her room, outside, on the floor in the family room…wherever and whenever she could she would host a tea party. Even if it was just her and I.
annaepp.com-Irish-tea-cake-web-7We have the Fairmont Chateau Laurier in Ottawa and they hold a High Tea. One of our daughters friends was going for a birthday party so I got all the questions. And then realized that I had never taken her! What have I been thinking? Since we can’t go yet, I figured I would make some tea treats to enjoy with a nice cup of Earl Grey. First up was the Irish Tea Cake.
annaepp.com-Irish-tea-cake-web-9Not too sweet, not too dense, not too dry, just right. The perfect accompaniment to a cup of tea or coffee. At first our daughter was wondering where the icing was, but once she tasted it with the sprinkled sugar she understood. It would have been too much to put icing on it. Although, when fresh strawberries and raspberries are out, we will be sure to make this again and enjoy with a bit of each.
annaepp.com-Irish-tea-cake-web-11Want to try it for yourself? A simple, quick and easy recipe that you can whip up in no time for guests to enjoy, or just for a random Friday.

I followed this recipe from Let’s Dish Recipe’s that I found on Pinterest. I had made one in the past, but couldn’t find that recipe and this one was as close as I could get. Enjoy!

Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • Powdered sugar for dusting
  • Fresh berries and whipped cream, for topping (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9-inch round pan.
  2. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing until fully incorporated. Stir in the vanilla.
  3. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir into the batter alternately with the milk, starting and ending with the flour mixture.
  4. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  5. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 15 minutess, then turn out onto a serving plate.
  6. Just before serving, dust with powdered sugar. If desired, top slices with fresh berries and/or whipped cream.

 

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Categories: Recipes

Farmhouse Strawberry Jam

When June finally arrives, there is nothing like farm fresh strawberries that we turn into our Farmhouse Strawberry Jam. The warmer the weather, the sweeter the strawberry. Last June we did an experiment, a batch of early Farmhouse Strawberry Jam and a batch of late Farmhouse Strawberry Jam. The early one was lighter in colour and a lot softer in flavor and sweetness. The later batch was darker red and had a full bodied strawberry flavor and was so naturally sweet.

While both are delicious, it depends on how you like your jam. For us, both are welcome, for some they like consistency of one flavor so they only do early or only do late strawberries.

Fresh Ontario Strawberries in a bowl

Strawberries in a bowl

Biscuits are a family favorite here and it takes just a few minutes to whip up a quick batch to taste test our jam. I use my grandmother’s stir and roll biscuit dough recipe from the 60’s and I think of her every time I make some.

Strawberry Jamon biscuits on a blue plate

Farmhouse Strawberry Jam on fresh biscuits

Never turn down a bowl of fresh strawberries!

Strawberries in a blue bowl

Bowl of Farm Fresh Strawberries

Recipe:

60 min prep

longer to sit

makes 8-10 half-pint jars

Ingredients:

2 quarts      fresh hulled strawberries

1 1-3/4oz    package powdered pectin

1/2 tsp        margarine or butter

7 cups        white sugar

Instructions:

  1. Crush berries a cup at a time in a large pot. Stir in pectin and margarine (or butter). Heat on high, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a full rolling boil. Add sugar all at once. Return to boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; skim off foam.
  2. Ladle at once into hot, sterilized half-pint jars, leaving a 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe jar rims, place lids. Process in a boiling water canning bath for 5 minutes. Remove jars: cool

*You will know they are sealing when you hear pops as the jars cool.

Server on biscuits, toast, ice cream… your options are endless, we even just eat it with a spoon!

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Categories: Farmhouse, Recipes, Uncategorized