10 October

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October 1, 2013

Applesauce Spice Mini Bundt Cake

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Applesauce Spice Mini Bundt Cakes

Applesauce Spice Mini Bundt Cake

October: National Apple Month

After seeing some fall foliage at Lost Maples Natural State Park in Vanderpool, Texas, we decided to have lunch with our friends in nearby Medina—the Apple Capital of Texas. We stopped in a cute café and ate hamburgers with applewood smoked bacon. For dessert, we chose from an array of apple-flavored treats, such as pie, dumplings, bread, cobblers, cookies and even ice cream! The “Apple Store” (not to be confused with the one that sells Macintosh computers, iPads, iPods and iPhones) has souvenirs, gift items and other products from Love Creek Orchards, such as jellies, jams and sauces and butters. We also walked around the grounds to see a variety of dwarf apple trees.

Applesauce Spice Mini Bundt Cake

Celebrate the season with a recipe that includes the quintessential fall fruit—apples. Make mini applesauce spice bundt cakes during National Apple Month.

Recipe

(Adapted from Southern Food)

For the applesauce spice mini bundts

  • ¾ cup applesauce
  • ¾ cups sugar
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspooon vanilla
  • 1 ¼ cup flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
  • ½ cup raisins
  • ½ cup walnuts, chopped

Directions

In a large bowl, mix the applesauce with the sugar and oil. Beat in the eggs. Add vanilla. Mix until smooth.

Applesauce Spice Mini Bundt Cake

In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. Gradually add this to the wet mixture and combine well. Fold in the raisins and walnuts.

Applesauce Spice Mini Bundt Cake

Pour batter into a well-greased mini bundt pan. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes, testing with a toothpick for doneness. Remove from the oven. Carefully invert the pan onto a wire rack. Cool the cakes completely.

Applesauce Spice Mini Bundt Cake

For the caramel glaze

(Adapted from Southern Food)

  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • pinch of salt
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup heavy whipping cream

Directions

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the pinch of salt. Stir in the brown sugar until cooked. Pour in the cream and bring to a boil over medium heat. Keep stirring until thickened (about two minutes). Remove from heat and let cool for about an hour.

Applesauce Spice Mini Bundt Cake

Line a lipped pan with foil. Place a wire rack with the mini bundts on top. Drizzle the caramel glaze on the cakes and let flow to the sides. Decorate the tops with fall-themed candy sprinkles (optional).

Applesauce Spice Mini Bundt Cake

Notes

  • We used Wilton brand jumbo leaves mix sprinkles to decorate each mini bundts for the fall season.
  • Some sources state that National Apple Months are from September until November. National Apple Week is the second week of August.
  • Learn more about apples from the U.S. Apple Association website at http://www.usapple.org/.
  • Search our blog for more apple recipes.
 

October 1, 2013

Apple Butter Muffins

Posted by HI Cookery under 10 October | Tags: , , , , |
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Apple Butter Muffins

Apple Butter Muffins

October: National Apple Month

Our friends Pat and Phyllis S., who, like Islander, are Hawaii ex-patriates now living in South Texas, brought back some apple butter from Branson, Missouri, when they went on a road trip there.  Apple butter reminds us of applesauce but it is sweeter, spiced and slightly thicker with a warm caramel color.

Like our applesauce cupcakes, these apple butter muffins are a yummy quick breakfast or snack. Whenever we bake them, we are reminded of the fun times we have with our friends, especially of our own road trip with them through the Texas Hill Country where we stopped to eat lunch at an apple-themed restaurant in Medina, the Apple Capital of Texas.

Bake a batch of apple butter muffins during National Apple Month to share with good friends and warm your hearts throughout the autumn season.

Recipe

(Adapted from Recipe Girl)

For the muffins

  • 1 ½ cups flour
  • ¾ cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 teaspoon allspice
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ½ sticks (¾ cup) butter, unsalted, melted
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup apple butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

For the topping

  • 1 tablespoon sugar, granulated white
  • generous pinch of ground allspice

Directions

In a bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, allspice, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix well. Melt the butter and cool slightly.

Apple Butter Muffins

In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Add the apple butter. Stir in the melted butter. Mix in the vanilla.

Apple Butter Muffins

Pour in the flour mixture and blend until moistened. Use a large scoop to put the batter in cupcake papers or a greased muffin tin.

Apple Butter Muffins

Make the topping by combining the sugar with the pinch of allspice. Sprinkle on top of the muffins. Bake in a preheated oven at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm. Yield: 12-15 apple butter muffins.

Apple Butter Muffins

Notes

  • Thanks to Pat and Phyllis S. for the apple butter.
  • Search our blog for more recipes containing apples as an ingredient.
 

October 1, 2013

Misoyaki Butterfish

Posted by HI Cookery under 10 October | Tags: , , , , |
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Misoyaki Butterfish

Misoyaki Butterfish

October: National Seafood Month

It is ironic that Islander grew up by the beach but does not like a lot of fish (although she loves shrimp, crabs and lobsters). One of the rare fish dishes that she likes is misoyaki butterfish, a popular food among locals in Hawaii. The recipe is influenced by the Japanese immigrants, who marinated butterfish in sake, mirin, sugar and miso paste (soybean paste). If butterfish is not available, it is fine to substitute with cod fillets.

Our friend Pat S., who is part Japanese from Hawaii, first served misoyaki butterfish to a reluctant and picky Islander. But after tasting this mild fish dish with a great glaze, she can now add it to her limited list of favorite seafood recipes.

Create some converts and let finicky friends try a fantastic fish dish during National Seafood Month by making misoyaki butterfish.

Recipe

(From Pat and Phyllis S.)

  • 1/3 cup sake (Japanese rice wine)
  • 1/3 cup mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)
  • 1 cup sugar, granulated white
  • 1 cup miso (soybean paste), white
  • 3-4 thin cod fillets
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil

Directions

Prepare the marinade by combining the sake and mirin in a saucepan. Boil on medium heat for 10 minutes to burn off the alcohol. Reduce the heat and add the sugar and miso. Stir well and cook until pale. Remove from the stovetop and cool completely.

Misoyaki Butterfish

In a shallow dish, pour the marinade. Add the fish fillets and coat on both sides. Transfer the fish and marinade to a large zipper top plastic bag and seal well. Refrigerate for at least two days (48-72 hours). Heat the oil in a skillet on medium-low heat. Remove the fish from the container, letting the excess marinade drip back into the bag. Place the fish in the skillet and fry for 3-4 minutes until the coating is caramelized. Turn over and finish frying the fish. Do not burn or overcook the fish or it will not be tender and flaky. Transfer to a platter and serve immediately.

Misoyaki Butterfish

Notes

  • Mahalo to Aunty Liz for giving us some miso from her restaurant! Also, thanks to our friend Lisa L. for the fish platter.
  • Find a few more fish recipes by searching our blog.
 

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