I love the smell of apples cooking in the oven. It just doesn’t get any better than that!

This recipe captures the essence of  that love. The entire house fills up with that wonderful aroma. It is warm and comforting; you know something special is on it’s way.

This recipe provides you  with all the above.

You can taste the juiciness and sweetness of the apples. It is crisp and crunchy on the outside with the softness of the apple and custard on the inside.

It satisfies all my requirements; simple and fast. This is a thoroughly enjoyable, tasty home dessert that will leave your family and friends wanting more!

Make this one when you need to bring a dessert to a dinner.

Everyone will disappointed that you only bought one. Promise!                                   

Ingredients for the Custardy Apple Squares

3 medium juicy sweet apples, such as Gala or Fuji, peeled
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
6 tbsp. whole milk, at room temperature
2 tbsp. unsalted butter melted and cooled
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Center a rack in the oven .

Butter a 8-inch square baking pan 

Slice the apples using a mandolin or a sharp knife.

If you are using a sharp knife, cut each of the four sides off the apple, discard the core.

Very carefully, with the cut side down, slice the apple into very thin 1/16 slices. This may take some time, but be consistent and precise. Do not cut them so thin that they will be transparent and fragile.

Preheat oven to 400.

Whisk the flour and baking powder together  into a small bowl.

Using a hand mixer, electric mixer or large bowl with a whisk,  beat the eggs , sugar and salt together for about 2-5 minutes, until the sugar dissolves and the eggs are pale.

Add in the vanilla, milk and butter. Incorporate the flour into mixture slowly.

Using a spatula, gently fold in the apples into the batter. Keep turning them around until all the apple are coated with the batter.

Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the top as evenly as you can. The batter will be bumpy; that’s its nature.

Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until golden brown and uniformly puffed- make sure the middle of the cake has risen and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes.

Using a long, sharp chef’s knife, cut the cake into 8 squares in the pan.

Or flip it onto a plate and cut it into the squares.

Give the squares a dusting of confectioners’ sugar before serving.

It’s that simple!

I love carrot cake with cream cheese icing! Who doesn’t?

When I found this recipe I couldn’t resist making a cookie that resembled a cake. Brilliant! I knew I had to give this recipe a try.

My favorite part of this cookie is the addition of the oats. It adds a wonderful texture and a nice layer of flavor. They look and taste just as appetizing.

This is an easy recipe. The hardest part is gathering all the ingredients, so I suggest you do this first. It makes it much faster to have them measured out and organized when you need them.

This recipe is courtesy of Martha Stewart. The original recipe suggests that you could use goat cheese or cream cheese. I decided to stick with the cream cheese since it was always my favorite part of the cake. I also changed some of the directions in a way I thought would be easier for you to follow.

These cookies are wonderful! They look bakery-made and taste home-made as they should.

Go ahead and give these a try. I know you will be happy you did.

Ingredients for the Carrot- Cake Thumbprint Cookies

1 stick unsalted butter, melted, plus 1/2 stick, room temperature, set aside for frosting
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg yolk, room temperature
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
3/4 cup packed finely grated carrots (about 3-4)
1/4 cup golden raisins, chopped
3/4 cup pecans, finely chopped
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 ounces fresh cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/2 tsp. apricot jam

In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter, brown and granulated sugars and egg yolk.

In another bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon and salt.

Stir dry mixture (flour) into the butter mixture to combine. Mix in oats, carrots and raisins.

Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350.

Roll the dough into 1 1/2 inch balls and around in the pecans to coat.

Space balls 2 inches apart on parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake for 10 minutes.

Remove from oven.

Press an indentation into the center of each cookie with the end of a wooden spoon.

Bake 10-12 minutes more until golden brown on the bottoms.

Let cookies cool.

In a bowl, beat the remaining 1/2 stick of butter and confectioners sugar on medium until smooth.

Beat in cream cheese until combined.

Swirl in apricot jam.

Fill the center of each cookie with cream cheese mixture.

Happy Baking and ENJOY!

It’s that simple!

My mother never wrote the ingredients to her recipes. She instinctively knew what to do and was a wonderful home cook.

I inherited that trait from her until I started this blog. I just recently started measuring my ingredients and filing them so I could share them with my family and readers.

I did, however, find this recipe is one that she actually wrote down and has been in my family for years.

My mother made the world’s best mandel bread. It was something my brother, sister and I enjoyed growing up.

Mandel bread is closely related to the Italian cookie known as biscotti.

It is a wonderful dessert and I am so grateful to be sharing it with you.

Ingredients for the Mandel Bread.

Preheat oven to 375.

4 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups canola oil
1 pinch of salt
2 tsp. baking powder
2 1/2 tsp. vanilla
4 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup of sliced almonds (optional). You can also use chocolate chips, pecans or walnuts.

Combine sugar, canola oil, salt, baking powder, and vanilla using paddle attachment of mixer.

Add eggs, one at a time, until thoroughly mixed.

Add flour, slowly, a small amount at a time.

When ingredients are fully blended, take half of the mixture out and shape into small loaves. Make sure sides are even and not runny.

Add almonds (or whatever you choose) to the mixture in the blender. Mix  well.

Shape the remaining dough into small loaves.

Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes.

Take loaves out of the oven, and slice them.

Turn each  piece on it’s side, place back in the oven.

Turn oven down to 350, and bake for 20 more minutes.

Done!

It’s that simple!