Cinnamon Apple Orange Dessert Pizza

May sound like a random combo, but it's one of my very favorite ones.  This is pretty simple and super delicious for a dessert!  :)

Pizza Dough (homemade or store-bought)

Apples (finely diced, 1 apple for small pizza, 2 for medium, 3 for large)

Sugar (2 T for every apple used)

Cinnamon (1/2 t for every apple, high quality is best, I used Vietnamese Saigon from Savory Spice Shop)

Orange Zest (as much as you'd like, or about zest from 1 orange for every 2 apples used)

1.  Spread out pizza dough on pan or cast iron skillet. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2.  Cook diced apples in a a microwave safe container with 2 T of water per apple until tender.  Or about 2 minutes per apple.  Drain water.

3.  Spread cooked apples over pizza dough.  Sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon and orange zest. (like below)

4.  Bake in 400 degree oven for about 7-10 minutes or until the crust is done.

Serve warm and enjoy!*

Optional to drizzle simple icing over slices before serving.

Easy Caramel Apple Crisp

Ok.  I'm admitting it's just about fall here.  I mentioned something about that last week....but now we're seeing leaves changing just about everywhere.  So, I reckon, fall must just be around the corner.  (Except hard for me to really comprehend since it got to 93 here today...)  Anyway, fall really makes me think of pumpkin everything, crunchy leaves, snuggling up with a blanket, book and cup of some chai.

Oh, and caramel apples.  Yum.  I used to work at a Coffee Shop in a Mall in Northern Colorado.  We made some great things there, and the aromas were fabulous....so were the smells that would come from our neighbor across the way.  The Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory.  Can you say d.e.l.i.c.i.o.u.s?!?!?!?!  At least i think so....  Sometimes they'd give us some of their caramel apples...those were great days.

Ok, back to this recipe.  ;)  I wanted something easy, containing apples and caramel that was yummy.  So this is what I came up with!  It sure didn't dissappoint me or my husband either.  So, I think y'all will enjoy it as well!  :)

Easy Caramel Apple Crisp (This will serve 4.  In my pictures I made half this recipe since it was just for the 2 of us.)

2 apples,  peeled, cored and diced (any variety will work, I used gala--use what you have!)

3 T. whole wheat flour

3 T. sugar (if you are using tart apples, you may need to add more sugar)

4 T. quick oats

2 t. butter/marg.

caramel topping/sauce (found in the ice cream section)

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Place the diced apples in the bottom of a small baking dish.  (8x8 or so)

2.  Mix the dry ingredients together in a small mixing bowl.  Then cut in the butter/margarine until it is a crumbly consistency.  (It's a streusel topping really.)

3.  Sprinkle the topping evenly over the apples, and bake for 25 minutes in a 375 degree oven.

4.  Remove from the oven, and serve immediately.  Place 1/4 of the crisp in each bowl and drizzle the caramel sauce on top like the picture below.  :)  Enjoy!

Mini Apple Pies

So, I'm planning a picnic for this weekend.  I wanted to make some cute little desserts...and this is what I came up with!  Mini apple pies!  We love apples.  We had apples.  We love apple desserts.  So, I made mini apple desserts.  :)

I did two with the crusts on the bottom, sides and top.  Then I did two with crust just on the bottom.  I thought I would try it both ways, but I am not a big fan of crust anyway, so I prefer the ones with the crust just on the bottom.  But feel free to experiment!  Also you could put a streusel on top of the apples instead of a top crust.  Oooo that would be fabulous!  :)

Here's the recipe and keep in mind that you could use any filling in place of the apples.  :)

~4 little 4oz. canning jars or 4 little 4 oz. oven safe containers.

~Crust (Or you can use your favorite crust recipe.)

1 c. flour (I used whole wheat, you can use whatever you have!)

1 t. butter (Yep, really is a little t for teaspoon.)

3-5 T. cold water

Pinch of Salt

~Apple Filling

2 apples, cored and diced

3 T. sugar

1/2 t. cinnamon (I prefer Ceylon, but use what you have!)

1.  Preheat oven to 375degrees.  Then start on the crust.  Combine the butter, salt and flour until it is somewhat combined.  Then add the cold water by the Tablespoon until it is all moistened and forms a ball.

2.  Start filling the jars with pie dough.  I just pressed it in with my fingers, but it would probably be better if you rolled it out, cut it and then put it inside though.  :)

3.  Mix up the diced apples, sugar and cinnamon.

4.  Fill the jars with apples.  Do this a layer of apples at a time to ensure it will be full after it is cooked. So be sure to press down each layer as you go.

5.  Top crust (if you'd like).  Just make a small layer of pie dough for the top crust like so.

On my first two I did them as above.  Then I did my other two like this with just a bottom crust.  :)

Again, either way you do the crusts be sure to layer the fruit and press them down until full.

6.  Just about ready to bake!

Another view of being ready to bake.  Don't you think they are SO cute?  Especially the ones without the crust up the sides.

7.  Before you put them in the oven be sure to vent any top crusts you have!!  Then bake them at 375 degrees for about 25-30 minutes!  :)

Just getting out of the oven.  See how the crusts look slightly golden?  (If they had been made with white flour they would be golden, but since it's whole wheat it only looks slightly different than before it was baked.)

Crusty apple pie.  Yum.

Or my fave, the less crust apple mini pie!  :)   Enjoy!!  But be sure to be careful these little cuties come out of the over SUPER hot!  But yummy!! :)

Just in time for Labor Day.

Apple Cake-like Dessert

3 c. Apples, cored and thinly sliced (I used Braeburn.)

1 t. Lemon Juice, toss with sliced apples

1 c. Skim Milk

1.25 c. Flour

1/4 c. Sugar

1 Egg

1 t. Orange Zest (Sounds weird, but it totally makes it!)

1 t. Cinnamon (I prefer Ceylon true cinnamon, but use whichever you prefer!)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. In a large bowl combine the milk, flour, sugar, egg, zest and cinnamon.

3. Spray a round casserole dish with cooking spray.

4. Gently fold the apples into the batter in the bowl.

5. Pour the apple mixture into the sprayed dish and bake for 45-55 minutes. (Or until browned)