On The Run: Cinnamon Apple Snack Attack

Sometimes days get overwhelming between classes, studying, meeting up across the Quad, or headed to practice. And, it is super easy to resort to high carb junk food from the vending machine or cafeteria as a filler between meals. Move along!

Keep a few simple ingredients in your pantry for 'On The Run' moments during your busy college day! The Pioneer Woman recently posted one of her family's 'go to' snacks while hitting the ski slopes this winter. 

See what you think! Simple. Tasty. Filling.

Cinnamon Apple Snack Attack

Equipment:

Regular, or toaster, oven

Ingredients:

English Muffins

Peanut Butter, crunchy or smooth

Apple, thinly sliced

Cinnamon Sugar (1/2 c sugar plus 2 tsp ground cinnamon)

Instructions:

1. Wash your hands and the apple.

2. Preheat toaster oven to 350F degrees.

3. Core & slice apple. Cut into thin slices. 

4. Spread peanut butter on each muffin half and layer with apple slices.

5. Sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar. 

6. Bake for 10 minutes. Sugar will begin to melt and apples will brown slightly.

7. Turn oven to Broil and bake x 5-8 minutes.

8. Allow to cool before chow-ing down and burning the roof of your mouth.

Easy As Pie

Jon pretty much devours all baked goods in our house, especially if they are related to pie, fresh out of the oven, and homemade--really…any kind of pie-like dessert will get his attention. This recipe is the perfect solution to have pie all-year round!

If you are on the run and looking to make a simple dessert on the fly, look no further--using frozen pie dough and whatever fruit is in season, makes this virtually available anytime--apples, peaches, pears, cherries, strawberries--just think about the combo of jam you use and how it pairs with the chosen fruit! If you like nuts, sprinkle a few in at the end.

Run with it! Endless options! Make your own variation!

Equipment; 

Baking sheet, preferably rimmed

Parchment paper

Large mixing bowl

Apple corer, or not

Ingredients:

Frozen pie dough, thawed 

2-3 apples, cored, peeled and thinly sliced

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 lemon juice

2 Tbls butter, melted

1/2 cup of apricot preserves

2 Tbls butter, cubed

6 caramels, cubed and finely diced

Instructions:

1. Wash your hands.

2. Preheat oven to 400F degrees. 

3. Core, peel, and slice apples thinly. 

4. Toss apples with sugar, cinnamon and lemon.

5. Thaw pie dough enough to unfold onto parchment paper-covered baking sheet.

6. Pour melted butter into center.

7. Spread apricot preserve leaving a 1.5 inch border.

8. Layer apple slices towards the center. 

9. Use diced butter and caramels to top the apples.

10. Gently fold the edges towards middle. 

11. Brush edges with milk or egg wash. (This gives it a shiny crust) 
12. Sprinkle with coarse sugar. 

13. Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 350F degrees for another 15-20 minutes until golden brown. 

14. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, whipping cream or ice cream.

Fall Apple Cake

One of my overriding goals for this blog is to be aware of limitations that college students face who might be interested in cooking for themselves without stretching cost or needing to buy a lot of single-use equipment pieces.  I am trying to keep ingredients common, and equipment limited to the items you already own or would use for multiple recipes and other purposes.

Nothing is simpler than this recipe for a quick dessert.  No, it's not extravagant, but it is so easy.  The house smells warm, inviting, comforting.  You don't need a mixer or any funny shaped cake mold--just your ability to stir, peel, and chop, and pour into the pyrex dish you have already been using in other dishes.

(Found on Pinterest)

Equipment:

9" x 13" Pyrex Dish, greased

Large mixing bowl

Spatula

Whisk

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups light brown sugar

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 egg

1 cup buttermilk

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups apples, peeled and chopped

Topping:

1/3 cup sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1 Tablespoon butter, diced

Instructions:

1. Wash your hands.

2. Preheat oven to 325F degrees.

3. Mix ingredients step-wise, IN ORDER except for the Topping ingredients:

--Combine brown sugar & oil

--Add one egg

--Add buttermilk

--Add soda

--Add vanilla

--Add flour gradually.

4. Peel, chop and dice apple (approx 1 1/2 apples ).  Fold into the batter with a spatula.

5. Pour into greased pyrex dish

6. Make the topping using a fork to combine ingredients into a coarse meal 

7. Sprinkle topping over the batter.

8. Bake for 40 minutes.

9. Add ice cream or whipping cream or just have it plain with a cold glass of milk.

Almond-Oat Peach Crisp

Find some time in the school year to leave campus if only for an afternoon--take a hike, afternoon roadtrip, or hit an apple orchard or pumpkin patch--just get outside to enjoy one of the most beautiful times of the year!

Today's recipe combines some remnants of summer with all the comforts of fall--Almond-Oat Peach Crisp--almonds, raw sugar, oats, cinnamon, and cold butter--that's it--heat it up, add cream, ice cream or whipping cream!  You'll see.

Note:

Modify this recipe from Smitten Kitchen to suit your taste buds.  Try apples, plums, or pears.

Equipment:

Pyrex or oven-proof baking dish

Mini-Blender, ie Magic Bullet or Ninja 

Small bowl

Fork

Ingredients:

3-4 peaches, halved and pitted

1/3 cup sliced almonds

1/4 cup raw sugar (you can use granulated, white sugar, but this adds texture and crunch)

1/4 cup whole oats (optional, but this is better with it)

1/4 tsp cinnamon

3 Tbls of cold butter, cubed

Instructions:

1. Wash the peaches and wash your hands.

2. Preheat oven to 350F degrees.

3. Cut the peaches in half and remove the pit.

4. Combine the sugar and almonds in blender / Magic Bullet until coarse meal.

5. Add oats and cinnamon.

6. Combine the cold butter and blender mixture in a small bowl.  You can try adding butter to blender but it just isn't enough with a Magic Bullet.

7. Use a fork to mash together.

8. Place a large spoonful on top of each peach halve and press down firmly.

9. Place the peaches into the oven-proof dish.

10. Bake for 45-60 minutes