Sunny Day Apple Bake

hi. I have no excuse. Can I offer you the recipe for something so delicious it will make you (after consuming it) lean back and say “that was so marvelous, what was I irritated about?” I thought I could…

(recipe adapted and inspired by the new still cookin’ mama at Smitten Kitchen)

1 pound green apples, maybe 2 how much do you love apples?

2 tbsp cinnamon

2 tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tbsp butter (melted)

1.5 cups oatmeal

1/2 cup roasted salted sunflower seeds

1/4 cup butter

3 tbsp honey

Preparation:

roughly chop the apples, you’re welcome to peel them but I like the peel.

Place in your lightly greased baking container.

Add the 1 tbsp cinnamon and 1 tbsp brown sugar and lemon and the melted butter. Toss the apples, this is not a suggestive statement.

In another bowl mix the rest of your dry ingredients (oatmeal, sunflower seeds, cinnamon, brown sugar)

Melt your butter and honey together. Add that to the dry mix.

Stir your crispy topping together, making sure all your ingredients are incorporated.

Top your apple mixture with your crispy topping.

Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minnutes or until the apples are smushy and the top is crunchy.

Now look, I recently came into some marvelous family recipes for Mexican food. To make up for my long absence I suppose I could post one or two of these a week for the next month. Would that take the edge off?

Divine Pasta

the name, it’s a joke. Although it does describe the taste quite nicely.

Angel Hair Pasta (get it? get it? Ha!)

Roasted Tomatoes (I made my own, oh simmer down, I’ll post the how to later), roughly chopped

Roasted garlic, roughly chopped

Feta Cheese, crumbled

Olive Oil

Fresh basil, chopped finely

Preparation:

Cook pasta according to box. Drain.

Toss all ingredients together in bowl.

Roll your eyes at blog readers who tell you: “Make something more difficult! Somehting with more than two steps”

People I have a two year old and a picky husband, difficult is a special occasion.

Quickie Pickles

I know, I know, after all that long silence I come back and all I’m giving you is a quickie recipe?? And for a garnish at that? What kind of food blogger do I think I am?

But these are really good pickles.

English Cucumbers, sliced or cubed or whatever you like

2 cups white vinegar

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup dill

3-4 tbsp. garlic powder

2 tbsp. fresh crushed black pepper

2 tbsp. salt

2 tbsp. sugar

Preparation:

Dump everything in a container that you can shut tightly (I used leftover tupperware),  shake it up (if you have a kid this is where they come in)

Put the whole mess in the fridge to chill for a couple days. Et Voila! Pickles!

These are still good if you want a little sour snappiness at your dinner the same night you make them. Toss the cucumbers and vinegar-y juice with feta and tomatos for a little side greek salad thingy.