Ina Garten's Easy Cranberry & Apple Cake

While I enjoy making savory dinners, there is always room for dessert.  There, I said it.  I like dessert.  I don't eat dessert every night.  But once in a while I like to keep an arsenal of quick dessert recipes, for when the fancy strikes me to make something sweet.  I record some of my favorite Food Network shows, but sometimes it takes me days, weeks, months to find time to watch them.  Last week, I watched a recorded episode of "The Barefoot Contessa".  I watched Ina Garten make this very easy dessert, and I quickly searched for the recipe on line.  D'oh! It's in my latest Ina Garten cookbook "How Easy is That?" that I purchased, and I had forgotten about it.

As luck would have it, I had one more bag of frozen cranberries left, after I made the Cranberry-Almond Poundcake.  I had apples that needed to be used.  This would be tonight's dessert! 

I decided to use two Granny Smith apples, rather than Ina's one, in her recipe.  Cranberries can be a bit tart, so I wanted to increase the apple.  My apple corer helps me to peel, core and slice apples in less than a minute. It's one of my newest favorite kitchen tools.  You also need the zest of two oranges (1 Tbsp.)  and about 1/4 cup of fresh orange juice.

Because I didnt' want the apples to dominate the flavor, I used my secret ingredient, "Boiled Cider." (I buy this online at King Arthur Flour.) 

Combine cranberries, apples, brown sugar, orange zest, orange juice, and 1 teaspoon of  cinnamon in a medium bowl. Set it aside.

It took less than 15 minutes to make the batter.  The beauty of using butter in this recipe is that you melt it, and let it cool-- no having to wait to bring it to room temperature. You also need eggs, sugar, flour, sour cream, vanilla extract and a pinch of kosher salt.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs on medium-high speed for 2 minutes. Can we talk about the paddle attachment that I use? It's a beater blade that I ordered online.  I love it, because it scrapes the sides of the bowl really well.  To know me, is to know that I love gadgets that make my life just a little easier!With the mixer on medium, add 1 cup of the granulated sugar, the butter, vanilla, and sour cream and beat just until combined. On low speed, slowly add the flour and salt. Pour the fruit mixture evenly into a 10-inch glass pie plate. Pour the batter over the fruit, covering it completely.

I didn't pay attention to the directions, and I sprinkled cinnamon on top.  I should have sprinkled cinnamon-sugar.  The sugar will leave a nice crunch to the cake, so I'm definitely going to do that next time.
NOTE: Be sure to place the cake on a parchment paper lined baking tray, before baking it in a 350 degree oven.  I checked my cake at 50 minutes, rather than 55 and the cake was ready.  Only poke a toothpick into the dough, as the fruit is going to be gooey!

See what I mean?  The fruit will bubble and flow over the sides.  The baking tray and parchment paper makes for easy cleanup.  This cake is best served warm or at room temperature.

A scoop of vanilla bean ice cream is perfect with this. (Or, fresh whipped cream.)

TASTING NOTES: I would call this a cross between a cobbler and a cheater pie, but the dough bakes into a tender cake consistency.  It's not too sweet, and easier than pie!  My husband thought the cranberries were a bit tart. Usually, I'm the one who is sensitive to sour/tart flavor. I actually thought the fruit had a perfect balance of sweet and tart.  My son agreed with me (for a change).  I plan to make this version with all apples. I also plan to make this with berries, and also when fresh peaches come into season.  

How easy is that?!

Now that I'm revisiting Ina's newest cookbook, I've bookmarked a few more recipes that I'll be cooking and baking over the next few weeks.  I love her recipes. This particular cookbook has a lot of easy recipes, and she does share some really great tips.  This book is worth the less than $25.00 investment.  The pictures, as always, are mouth-watering.

You can view and print the recipe at the bottom of this page.  Just scroll to the bottom of the recipe card, and you'll find the link that will take you to the "Cook, Eat, Share" website where you can print it.

Thanks, Ina!

Personal Favorite Fall Recipe Roundup

My blogger friend, Stacey (of Stacey Snacks), left a comment a couple of posts ago that I should rename my blog "The Weekend Cook".   For those of you who are new to my blog, I wish you a warm welcome.  My two year anniversary is coming up at the end of this month, and I am planning a celebration/giveaway.  Until this July, I was blogging several times a week.  Everything has changed, since I'm at a new school site, working at an Adult School. That means I'm working a split shift and am gone for 13 hours a day, during the week.  So, as Stacey pointed out, it's the weekend and this is where I do my marathon cooking and baking.
I'm still editing and organizing last week's Foodbuzz Blogger Festival, and I hope to find a way to share some of it with you. In the meantime, I'd like to share with you some recipes from last Fall that are worthy of an encore in my own home:

This Rainbow Salad has been featured on my header for some time.  I made this with roasted golden beets and .  I'm fortunate to live in the Salinas Valley, where I can buy beautiful salad greens from Fresh Express. Another salad that I serve for holiday tables is:

This salad with pears, gorgonzola, candied pecans and a balsamic vinaigrette is a recipe I fell in-love with at a restaurant in Pacific Grove, California. Sadly, the restaurant is gone but I was able to replicate the recipe.

While this soup doesn't wouldn't win for it's looks, it's has a mild flavor from a very ugly vegetable-- celeriac. This is a Creamy Celery Root & Yukon Gold Potato Soup.  It's comforting and makes a beautiful starter to any dinner party.

Pumpkin takes center stage this time of year.  I've made this Pumpkin pasta with fried sage pasta dish for several years.  When I first saw this recipe, I couldn't bond with the idea of pumpkin in a pasta.  It changed my mind and I'm going to recreate this very soon.  The pasta is made with Italian sausage, white wine, spices, red pepper flakes and is served with a savory pumpkin cream sauce. Trust me, it's a winner.

Speaking of pumpkin... I do stock up on canned pumpkin for lots of recipes. Last year, I decided to learn how to make my own pumpkin puree.  It was easier than I thought, and I was able to enjoy pumpkin year-round. (Just click on the bold and highlighted recipes names, to be see how I made this)

I also show you how to make tasty pumpkin seeds.

I made the Pioneer Woman's Pumpkin Spice Muffins.  They come together, fast, and disappear even faster.

I created a Pumpkin Ice Cream that turned out even better than expected.  It would be delicious as an ice cream cake.

This is one of the first food shots I ever took for my new blog.  The photo is grainy and was shot in flash-- since then I've learned not to use flash photography or it muddies out the colors. It has zero comments, which also shows that it takes time to develop friendships with other food bloggers. I will remake this so I can re-shoot it and show how I did it.  The picture does not do justice to the Pumpkin Brulee recipe. Trust me, it's delicious and makes for a nice alternative to pumpkin pie.

I'm not sure if this is a dessert or a side dish.  The Pioneer Woman posted this recipe, and I'm going to make it again and again. If you love sweet potatoes and pecans, here's a great Sweet PotatoCasserole side dish/dessert for you.

For pie recipes, Pumpkin and Apple Pie are top on the list.  Making your own pie crust is easier than you think. I'll show you how by clicking here.  I'm making my pie crust dough, this weekend, so I can freeze some and store some in the refrigerator. I found two recipes I hope to make, and I'll share it with you.

 Fruit Crisps are "Cheater Pies".  This is a Cranberry & Pear Fruit Crisp that offers a sweet-tart cooked fruit combination, with a brown sugar & pecan topping that makes you want to eat seconds.

Of course, the Thanksgiving Turkey is what most of us look forward to. I've made many turkeys over the years, but I pay extra for Diestel Turkeys that are fresh and always turn out juicy.  I've evolved into buying range-free, hormone-free turkey that aren't injected with vegetable oil or any other kind of fats.  I don't brine my turkey, either.  Somehow, I think that the turkey takes on a rubbery texture and even Alton Brown's recipe didn't appeal to us.  Ina Garten's Roast Turkey was easy to make and very flavorful.

 I made King Arthur Flour's Buttered pull-apart rolls.  I blew it the first time I made them, and I show you what happened. I also share how my second attempt yielded tender and buttery rolls. Store-bought rolls cannot compare with these! I show you how to make them, and you can do it!

 There are folks who don't like to eat turkey. I don't understand it, but another alternative is a Greek Stuffed Pork Loin that I created.

It's stuffed with fig jam, feta cheese, garlic and spinach.  I made this the night before company was to arrive and it worked perfectly! I made a port-wine reduction sauce, and it was outstanding and worthy of another gala dinner entree.

The weekend flies by so fast, that I need to get up and running. I have a house to clean, errands to run and some new recipes to make.  Someday, I'll return to working a daytime shift. Until then, I'm temporarily The Weekend Blogger!

Remember, all you have to do is click on the recipe names in each paragraph, and you will be linked to the post that shows you how I made the recipe and you will also find a printable recipe at the very bottom of each post.

I need to work on my Two-Year Anniversary Giveaway. Thank you for not giving up on me. I love to cook and bake, and my food blog has led me to meeting so many of you who share the same passion as I do.

Cranberry Pear Crisp & Check out my Booty!

Mondays, ah yes...the beginning of a work week.  This particular Monday, I'm feeling the anticipation of a two week Winter Break vacation... just four more days!  When I arrived home,  I was having one of my "Iron Chef Home Cook Moments"--it's when I check out what's in my refrigerator and start thinking of something to make, depending on what I find in my pantry and maybe even my freezer...and I want to do it in under an hour!  Ready, set...go!

I decided to throw together a quick dinner of grilled New York strip steak (thawed from the deep freeze the night before), some Garlic Mashed Potatoes and some thawed Pioneer Woman's Pinto Beans.   While rummaging through the refrigerator, I found a bag of fresh cranberries (I hoard these red jewels, this time of year) and the leftover topping from the Sweet Potato Casserole from Thanksgiving, and a fresh Bartlett pear.  I had a light bulb moment!

I've made Cranberry Pear crisps before, but was left disappointed that the cranberries were still too crunchy and the crisp was just too "soupy".  This time, I decided to experiment on an idea--

Why not cook the cranberries in a little water, sweetened with some sugar, for just a few minutes? Yeah, that's it! The cranberries could use a little headstart!

Lemon zest!  That should add some brightness to it!

The pear was peeled, cored and cut into bite-sized pieces.  With a slotted spoon, I added the cooked cranberries and some lemon juice.

I didn't measure, I used about about 1/4 cup of sugar to sweeten the liquid, and then about t 2 teaspoons corn starch and equal water, and I whisked it together-- then added it to the leftover juice until thickened....

After giving the mixture a gentle stir, I divided this into two ramekins and added a layer of the crumble mixture (which consists of pecans, four, brown sugar and butter).  The oven was preheated to 350F...

...and baked for about 25 minutes, until golden brown on top and bubbly.

Would you believe I made dinner and dessert  in under an hour?  How do I do it?  I guess I'm just a born multi-tasker!  The beans were actually frozen, and all I did was thaw them out!  I do a lot of freezer cooking, since I work full-time but I prefer to eat at home, than to pick up pizza or processed foods...

Craig loved his dinner, but as I was clearing the table I looked and him and I recognized that  very anxious look. You know...that "can I have my dessert now?" look.  I dug out the vanilla ice cream, with a smile and he patiently waited while I did my quick photography thing...

This turned out perfectly!  The cranberries were cooked evenly, the fruit wasn't watery and overcooked... and that topping... I like having that on hand, for a fast dessert.    I quickly wrote down the recipe and tried to give the best measurements that I could.  I have a feeling that I'll be making this again.

Now, about my booty-- Hey!  Not that one!  This one...

Old Bay Seasoning sent me all these wonderful prizes-- for winning a contest on their Facebook page!  I saw that Old Bay Seasoning posted that if we upload a picture on their FB page, showing how we use OB Seasoning, we could win a prize.  I uploaded the photo for my Chunk Split Pea Soup with ham and Yukon Gold Potatoes-- and I won!  I got a deep fryer, a HUGE aluminum propane steamer (which I have no idea how to use, it's so darn big), lots of Old Bay Seasoning products, samples, t-shirts, cups and a $25.00 American Express gift card!  I've been having some fun with my prizes-- and I'll be posting them soon. I promise!


In the meantime-- make this crisp. It's wonderful!  You'll love it.