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Caramel Apple Cake Mix Waffles

October 14, 2016 by MamaHarris 9 Comments

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #BakeFallFavorites #CollectiveBias

We’re officially in the middle of Fall now, and it’s my favorite time of year. Sure, California weather isn’t always reflective of the seasons, but the scents and flavors of the season are all around. Fall is also when my kitchen heats up with baked goods, I love to come up with new recipes that are fun and tasty that my family can enjoy this time of year. Because of that, I was so excited to see new Fall flavors of Pillsbury™ baking mixes hit shelves for a limited time (from 9/4 through 11/5). With flavors like Halloween, Perfectly Pumpkin or Caramel Apple Cake Mix you’re sure to bake up plenty of fun seasonal goodies in a snap. I have a hankering for waffles and they’re perfect for brunch or even dessert, so I decided to try my hand at some cake mix waffles using the seasonal flavors. In fact, I also used the Cartwheel app for Target get an additional 10% off of all the Limited Edition Fall Flavor Baking Mixes and you can too, as long as it’s between 9/25 through 10/22. So go on and grab your mixes and come back for this super easy recipe!

Not only did I decide to make cake mix waffles, I also wanted to make an easy syrup for the waffles with the frosting. You just take a bit and heat it up, add a little milk to it and drizzle over your waffles for a mouth-watering treat. Add some fresh apples (since I made the caramel apple flavor), some fresh whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon sugar and you’re set! You could also supplement the whipped cream for some creamy vanilla ice cream to really make this more of a dessert waffle.

The texture of cake mix waffles is a tad bit different than traditional waffles. It’s a bit lighter and spongier, like a cake. It’s not as dense and the edges don’t get as crispy, but if you use a cooking spray it does help to create the crispier edges we all love. I really liked the texture, especially if we’re making these more of a dessert waffle. And the taste is delicious with that touch of caramel apple flavor, without being too overwhelming. Perfection.

For a true feast for the eyes and the palate, add pretty Fall themed touches to your tableware. I tied up a pretty napkin with sparkly twine and added a glittery gold leaf, this would make a great dessert for a Fall themed dinner party or a fun Fall brunch with friends!

Ingredients for Caramel Apple Cake Mix Waffles:

1 box Pillsbury™ Moist Supreme® Caramel Apple Flavored Premium Cake Mix
1 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
cooking spray
1/2 cup Pillsbury™ Creamy Supreme® Caramel Apple Flavored Frosting
1 tablespoon milk
apple slices
whipped cream
cinnamon sugar

Directions:

Begin by combining the cake mix, water, oil and eggs in a mixing bowl.

Whisk until smooth, the batter will be thick. Let the batter settle for a few minutes while the waffle iron warms up.

If you can adjust the heat on your waffle iron, set it to a medium/high heat. You don’t want it on the highest setting, but a bit above medium. Spray with a non-stick cooking spray and fill with batter based on the instructions that come with your waffle iron model. Mine used about 3/4 cup of batter.

Heat in the waffle iron until golden. They will be a bit softer than traditional waffles, but the spray will help get a little extra crisp on the edges.

Heat half a cup of frosting in the microwave, ten seconds at a time for a total of about 30 seconds. Stir between each break..

Once the frosting is smooth and melted, stir in the milk to thin it out a bit to create a syrup for the pancakes.

Pour the syrup on each waffle.

Top with apple slices, whipped cream, and cinnamon sugar.

Enjoy!

Caramel Apple Cake Mix Waffles

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Caramel Apple Cake Mix Waffles

Fall flavors combine with boxed mix for these caramel apple cake mix waffles with cake frosting syrup, the perfect treat for brunch or dessert!

Ingredients

1 box Pillsbury™ Moist Supreme® Caramel Apple Flavored Premium Cake Mix
1 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
cooking spray
1/2 cup Pillsbury™ Creamy Supreme® Caramel Apple Flavored Frosting
1 tablespoon milk
apple slices
whipped cream
cinnamon sugar

Instructions

Begin by combining the cake mix, water, oil and eggs in a mixing bowl.
Whisk until smooth, the batter will be thick. Let the batter settle for a few minutes while the waffle iron warms up.
If you can adjust the heat on your waffle iron, set it to a medium/high heat. You don't want it on the highest setting, but a bit above medium. Spray with a non-stick cooking spray and fill with batter based on the instructions that come with your waffle iron model. Mine used about 3/4 cup of batter.
Heat in the waffle iron until golden. They will be a bit softer than traditional waffles, but the spray will help get a little extra crisp on the edges.
Heat half a cup of frosting in the microwave, ten seconds at a time for a total of about 30 seconds. Stir between each break..
Once the frosting is smooth and melted, stir in the milk to thin it out a bit to create a syrup for the pancakes.
Pour the syrup on each waffle.
Top with apple slices, whipped cream, and cinnamon sugar.
Enjoy!

https://mamaharriskitchen.com/2016/10/caramel-apple-cake-mix-waffles/

What do you love to bake with Pillsbury?

There will be a second offer for Cartwheel users between the dates of 10/27 – 10/30, so be sure to get your hands on these flavors! You can find the Limited Edition Fall Flavors on display near the food section at Target on a special end cap. For more fun Fall baking ideas with Pillsbury, you can follow along on Facebook.

Apple Yogurt Parfaits with Homemade Fall Flavors Granola

September 16, 2016 by MamaHarris 15 Comments

This blog post was sponsored by Starbucks® but the opinions are completely my own based on my experience. These Apple Yogurt Parfaits with Homemade Fall Flavors Granola were inspired by Starbucks® Fall Flavors, now available at Walmart.

During the Fall season so many changes can occur that it can sometimes be difficult to keep up with daily rituals. Typically in the summer months the kids are home with me throughout the day and the summer season is slow for work so Mr. Harris is home a lot more too. However, once the Fall season rolls around school is back in session, work has picked up, kids are being shuffled to practice, and games and all of their activities and we’re onto a whole new routine again. It seems that just when I’ve begun to get comfortable with our routines, they change again! There’s one part of my daily routine that is always constant though, and that is my morning coffee ritual. I’m not the type that likes to head to a busy café for my cup of joe, I prefer to savor the morning hours alone with my favorite coffee all to myself. Maybe it’s because I’m an only child and used to being alone, but that’s just how I gather my thoughts and get my days started. This is probably one of the only routines of mine that stays constant, no matter how much our family or work schedules change, which makes it even more meaningful that Starbucks® Pumpkin Spice Caffé Latte K-Cup® pods are now available for purchase at Walmart to brew at home! The PSL is basically synonymous with the Autumn season, and now it can be enjoyed in the comfort of your own home. WINNING!

Not only are the Pumpkin Spice Caffé Latte K-Cup® pods a more convenient way to enjoy your seasonal favorite flavor, the two step brewing process includes real pumpkin, cinnamon and nutmeg flavors combined with dairy and it’s specially crafted to complement the smooth balanced Caffé Blend made from 100% arabica coffee. Every cup is velvety rich in taste and deliciously familiar. I even took the short quiz at walmart.com/starbucksfall to find my personalized flavor recommendations based on my tastes, and it described me as having a smooth and balanced nature -which is the perfect match for the Pumpkin Spice Latte!

The two step blending process includes a packed of Sweetened Dairy Blend with Pumpkin Spice flavors (including real pumpkin. Just add the packet to your mug, pop the K-Cup Pod into your Keurig, and brew up a delicious Pumpkin Spice Caffé Latte. Easy peasy! You’re on your way to a delicious tasting cup of coffee in practically no time flat.

Starbucks also has a Fall Blend available in a roast and ground package as well as K-cup pods that’s hearty with spice notes. It combines coffees from all three growing regions in a full-bodied blend. With warm and fresh spice notes from Sumatran beans, citrusy brightness stemming from coffees from Kenya and subtle nuttiness and balance from beans from Peru this is a cup of coffee that hearty and refined.

Speaking of delicious coffee, I’ve discovered that to get the maximum effect of a great tasting cup of coffee there’s actually a process to developing your tasting skills. Don’t worry, it doesn’t take long but it will definitely help you savor every sip!

Smell the coffee. How the coffee smells really enhances the entire tasting experience. Your mouth can only distinguish salty, sweet, bitter or sour, but your nose detects thousands of smells!
Slurp the coffee. I know this goes against everything I’ve taught my kids about table manners, but to really get all of those subtle flavors and aromas to reach all of the tasting zones in your mouth you have to slurp it a bit so the coffee can spray across your palate.
Locate the coffee. Sure, it’s in your mouth but take a moment to savor how it feels. The weight of the coffee and where you’re experiencing the different flavors.
Describe the coffee. Now that you’ve smelled it, tasted it and located it you should be able to adequately describe your coffee tasting experience. How would you describe the aroma, flavor and how the coffee feels in your mouth. Do you taste any other food flavors (like pumpkin?) or aromas that you can compare the coffee to?

Now that you’re a pro with your tasting skills, let’s take it a step further. There are also four tasting characteristics when sipping on your favorite coffee flavors. They are aroma (the way a coffee smells), acidity (the tanginess or tartness of the coffee – described as low, medium or high), body (the weight of the coffee on your tongue) and flavor (the way a coffee tastes).

But you don’t have to be a pro to know you just like how it tastes and smells. Certain coffee flavors and scents really do remind me of certain seasons that got me inspired while I was stocking my Keurig drawer full of Starbucks Fall products.

I’m really a simple breakfast person, especially during the week when I’m savoring my cup of coffee alone. I just want to make something easy that I can enjoy with my coffee, so I was inspired to make a batch of Homemade Fall Flavors Granola. When I was younger I actually preferred a good bowl of granola with milk instead of the sugary cereals other kids liked, and I also love to serve granola over a simple low-fat yogurt with fruit. This granola is inspired by the aromas and flavors of the Starbucks Fall Blend and the Pumpkin Spice Caffé Latte.

Making homemade granola is so easy and much tastier than many store bought granola. It tastes fresher and you can really customize the flavors however you please. For this batch I used plenty of Fall flavors like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and all-spice along with honey-roasted sunflower seeds, golden raisins and dry bananas. Feel free to substitute your own favorite flavors to really customize a granola mix that you can enjoy. I’ve enjoyed snacking on this granola as is for the past few days, but it’s amazing over vanilla bean low-fat yogurt with some stove-top caramelized apples that I fixed up for a fall flavored parfait that’s perfectly suited to pair with the Starbucks Fall Blend or the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte.

Ingredients for Homemade Fall Flavors Granola:

3 cups rolled oats (not quick oats)
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon all-spice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup honey roasted sunflower seeds
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup grapeseed oil
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup apple juice
1/2 cup crushed dry bananas

Ingredients for Stove-top Caramelized Apples:

2 honey-crisp apples, peeled, cored and diced
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 cup water
1/2 tablespoon butter

Ingredients for Apple Yogurt Parfaits with Homemade Fall Flavors Granola:

low-fat vanilla yogurt
stove-top caramelized apples (recipe above)
Fall flavors granola (recipe above)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. To make the granola, start by mixing the rolled oats with the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, all-spice and cloves in a medium bowl. Stir to make sure all the spices are combined well, then add the honey roasted sunflower seeds.

In a smaller bowl, combine the honey, oil and vanilla extract. Whisk well until the mixture looks smooth and whipped, it will thicken a bit.

Pour the honey mixture over the oats mixture, and make sure all of the oats are completely covered with the honey coating. Spread the oats out onto a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven.

While the oats are cooking, pour the golden raisins into a small bowl, then let them soak for about 20 minutes in the apple juice. This will plump up the raisins a bit and add great texture to the granola. Once they have soaked thoroughly, squeeze out any excess moisture with a cheese cloth or paper towel before adding to the granola.

Stir the oats and bake again for another 10 minutes or so. They will be a pretty golden color.

Once done, stir in the raisins and bananas, then allow to cool completely.

While the granola is cooling down, prepare the stove-top caramelized apples. Add the diced apples to a bowl with the brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir well so apples are fully coated. Melt the butter in a skillet with the water, and add the coated apples. Allow them cook on a medium heat for about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the apples are softened. The apple mixture will thicken as they caramelize, remove from heat and allow to cool once done.

Add your favorite vanilla yogurt to a bowl or glass, then top with the caramelized apples. Top with a bit more yogurt.

Finish it off with the granola and serve. Enjoy!

Apple Yogurt Parfaits with Homemade Fall Flavors Granola

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Apple Yogurt Parfaits with Homemade Fall Flavors Granola

Apple Yogurt Parfaits with Homemade Fall Flavors Granola inspired by the taste and aroma of favorite fall season coffee flavors!

Ingredients

Ingredients for Homemade Fall Flavors Granola:

3 cups rolled oats (not quick oats)
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon all-spice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup honey roasted sunflower seeds
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup grapeseed oil
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup apple juice
1/2 cup crushed dry bananas

Ingredients for Stove-top Caramelized Apples:

2 honey-crisp apples, peeled, cored and diced
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 cup water
1/2 tablespoon butter

Ingredients for Apple Yogurt Parfaits with Homemade Fall Flavors Granola:

low-fat vanilla yogurt
stove-top caramelized apples (recipe above)
Fall flavors granola (recipe above)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
To make the granola, start by mixing the rolled oats with the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, all-spice and cloves in a medium bowl.
Stir to make sure all the spices are combined well, then add the honey roasted sunflower seeds.
In a smaller bowl, combine the honey, oil and vanilla extract. Whisk well until the mixture looks smooth and whipped, it will thicken a bit.
Pour the honey mixture over the oats mixture, and make sure all of the oats are completely covered with the honey coating.
Spread the oats out onto a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven.
While the oats are cooking, pour the golden raisins into a small bowl, then let them soak for about 20 minutes in the apple juice.
This will plump up the raisins a bit and add great texture to the granola.
Once they have soaked thoroughly, squeeze out any excess moisture with a cheese cloth or paper towel before adding to the granola.
Stir the oats and bake again for another 10 minutes or so. They will be a pretty golden color.
Once done, stir in the raisins and bananas, then allow to cool completely.
While the granola is cooling down, prepare the stove-top caramelized apples.
Add the diced apples to a bowl with the brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Stir well so apples are fully coated.
Melt the butter in a skillet with the water, and add the coated apples.
Allow them cook on a medium heat for about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the apples are softened.
The apple mixture will thicken as they caramelize, remove from heat and allow to cool once done.
Add your favorite vanilla yogurt to a bowl or glass, then top with the caramelized apples. Top with a bit more yogurt.
Finish it off with the granola and serve. Enjoy!

https://mamaharriskitchen.com/2016/09/apple-parfaits-fall-flavors-granola/

#StarbucksAtHome | #SavorEverySip

Do you like to prepare your coffee at home?

Which flavor do you think you identify with more? Don’t forget to find out your flavor profile and let me know what you think of your results! All three of Starbucks’ fall flavors – the Fall Blend, Pumpkin Spice Caffé Latte and Salted Caramel Hot Cocoa – are available at Walmart. I also have good news for my Starbucks Rewards friends, when you buy any three qualifying Starbucks products at Walmart you can get 75 stars! Find out more info here.

Crunchy Broccoli-Apple Salad with Creamy Raspberry Poppy Seed Dressing

September 14, 2016 by MamaHarris 12 Comments

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #BetterWithCraisins #CollectiveBias

It’s the most wonderful time of the year – I know that sounds like a holidays song but I’m referring to Fall! Yes, my favorite season is upon is, and although the weather in Northern California hasn’t fully reflected the season change, I’m seeing it just a little more every day. Nights are getting darker a little earlier, we’ve already had our first school cold, and Fall flavors are abound. This is the time of year that I’m the most inspired, and I have a mini arsenal of recipe ideas prepared for my favorite season. First up, this crunchy broccoli-apple salad topped with a creamy raspberry poppy seed dressing and little Ocean Spray® Craisins® Dried Cranberries jewels scattered on top. It’s still a nice, light salad for the warmer weather but also has some great Fall flavors like apples, pecans, cranberries and broccoli! Perfect for this little time of transition between seasons.

I love using Craisins® Dried Cranberries in my favorite recipes because of their taste, texture and color – it’s the “zing” that makes them unique! One of my favorite snacks is some simple yogurt topped with granola and dried cranberries, and you already know that I love to include them in my baking. But a truly simple way to enjoy these tasty little gems is by sprinkling them on top of your favorite salads. They always add a touch of color and texture, not to mention the juicy flavor.

For this crunchy broccoli-apple salad I decided to take a bit of a different turn. I mixed up some romaine lettuce with broccoli florets, topped with one of my favorite apples – Pink Lady, then sprinkled a bit of corn, carrots, blue cheese and pecans. A nice crunchy salad with some sweetness and bite, the perfect compliment to dried cranberries. I wanted to keep the sweet taste going, so I mixed up a quick creamy yogurt based dressing with raspberries, lemon, and poppy seeds. I’m hooked!

Creamy Raspberry Poppy Seed Dressing Ingredients:

3/4 cup lowfat Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup fresh raspberries
1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Crunchy Broccoli-Apple Salad Ingredients:

2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
1 head of broccoli, florets cut
1 Pink Lady Apple, cut into thin wedges
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/4 cup carrot strips
3 tablespoons corn
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles
3 tablespoons Craisins® Dried Cranberries

Directions:

Begin by preparing the creamy raspberry poppy seed dressing. Using a standard blender or a hand immersion blender, combine the Greek yogurt, honey , lemon juice, lemon zest and salt and blend until it thins out just a bit.

Slowly add in the raspberries, ensuring they are blended well and the dressing remains smooth and creamy.

Once smooth, carefully stir in the poppy seeds and stir with a spoon or a small whisk. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Add the chopped romaine and broccoli to a large serving dish.

Once the apples are cut into thin wedges, soak them in the lemon juice to prevent from browning. Add the apples and carrots to the salad.

Sprinkle with corn.

Top with pecans, blue cheese crumbles and Craisins® Dried Cranberries.

Pour the creamy raspberry poppy seed dressing over the salad and enjoy!

Crunchy Broccoli-Apple Salad with Creamy Raspberry Poppy Seed Dressing

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Crunchy Broccoli-Apple Salad with Creamy Raspberry Poppy Seed Dressing

This crunchy broccoli-apple salad is still light enough for summer with the creamy raspberry poppy seed dressing, with plenty of fall flavors!

Ingredients

Creamy Raspberry Poppy Seed Dressing Ingredients:

3/4 cup lowfat Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup fresh raspberries
1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Crunchy Broccoli-Apple Salad Ingredients:

2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
1 head of broccoli, florets cut
1 Pink Lady Apple, cut into thin wedges
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/4 cup carrot strips
3 tablespoons corn
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles
3 tablespoons Craisins® Dried Cranberries

Instructions

Begin by preparing the creamy raspberry poppy seed dressing. Using a standard blender or a hand immersion blender, combine the Greek yogurt, honey , lemon juice, lemon zest and salt and blend until it thins out just a bit.
Slowly add in the raspberries, ensuring they are blended well and the dressing remains smooth and creamy.
Once smooth, carefully stir in the poppy seeds and stir with a spoon or a small whisk. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Add the chopped romaine and broccoli to a large serving dish.
Once the apples are cut into thin wedges, soak them in the lemon juice to prevent from browning. Add the apples and carrots to the salad.
Sprinkle with corn.
Top with pecans, blue cheese crumbles and Craisins® Dried Cranberries.
Pour the creamy raspberry poppy seed dressing over the salad and enjoy!

https://mamaharriskitchen.com/2016/09/crunchy-broccoli-apple-salad-with-creamy-raspberry-poppy-seed-dressing/

What’s your favorite thing to add dried cranberries to?

Although Ocean Spray® Craisins® Dried Cranberries are no longer available at Sam’s Club locations, they are still available at a number of retailers! I picked up a bag at Walmart – they’re at a rollback price of $4.98 for a 24 oz bag! Click Here to find more great ideas, recipes and a store near you!

Mini Pear Apple Pie

October 6, 2015 by MamaHarris 107 Comments

Well the first day of fall has come and gone so I’m ready to announce the official start of baking season. That’s right: it’s all about cookies, cakes, and we must not forget the pies! I must say, I love a good pie, with a nice flaky crust; and I thought I’d celebrate the kick off to the fall season with some decidedly seasonal fruits that just scream AUTUMN to me. That’s right, pears and apples. I just love these two flavors together, when the pears are just slightly sweeter than the apple, yet not quite as crisp. With a bit of a milder flavor, then combined with the crisp tartness of a beautiful green granny smith apple. It’s a flavor combo I will never tire of, and I decided to switch things up a bit by making a few tweaks to this recipe by making it low calorie. I get a lot of emails asking for healthier desserts; low calorie, reduced sugar but still full of richness and flavor.

I know I had a tough task in front of me with this one, because pies are technically flour, butter, sugar, maybe some fruit or cream and possibly even some shortening. That’s not exactly a low calorie type of indulgence, but I did some homework and found Born Sweet® Zing™ Baking Blend – a combination of stevia leaf extract and cane sugar made with only real ingredients – nothing artificial – that bakes and browns just like sugar, with only 5 calories per serving. Sounds great, right? It’s an easy supplement; just replace the sugar ingredient for half as much of this sweetener. So if a recipe calls for two tablespoons of sugar, you just need one tablespoon of Zing™ Baking Blend. Depending on the ingredients or type of dessert you are baking, sometimes you may need to make minor adjustments to compensate for the difference, but you can find some great baking tips on the ZingStevia.com website!

I love that it comes in this 20 oz. Easy-Pour canister, which makes it so simple to measure out the amount I need and then snap the lid closed for easy storage and no fuss. What’s even better is that one 20 oz. container sweetens just like 2.5 lbs. of sugar! There’s only 5 calories and 2 grams of carbohydrates per serving. I knew I was up for a task with pies, but I just couldn’t contain my excitement for the season. I love baking season, I love challenges, I love making people smile. With the low calorie mini pear apple pies I could accomplish all of this. Yay!

Most apple pies call for a mixture of brown and white sugar. I just used the Zing™ Baking Blend along with typical spices and it came out amazing. I loved the flavor and texture of the filling, and it didn’t even have the low calorie taste that some desserts have when you start replacing ingredients. To help keep this a low calorie dessert, I decided to make mini pear apple pie in small ramekins, using a crust only on the top in a rustic lattice pattern. Instead of butter or shortening (or a combination of the two) I discovered a way to make the crust using coconut oil. Since we just need a few strips to cover each ramekin it helped cut down calories and fat, but the texture of the crust is so flaky and tasty you would never know. They end up only being 111 calories per serving, so you even have a little wiggle room to add a small dollop of homemade whipped cream or vanilla frozen yogurt on top!

Since they are mini pies, the baking time is cut down significantly as well. Your kitchen, however, will smell amazing and these little treats will satisfy any sweet craving for sure!

Filling Ingredients for Mini Pear Apple Pie:

1 red pear, peeled, cored and diced
1 granny smith apple, peeled, cored and diced
1.5 tablespoon Zing™ Baking Blend
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Ingredients for Crust:

1/2 cup all purpose flour
dash of salt
1/3 cup coconut oil (solid, not melted)
3 tablespoons cold water

Directions:

Begin by adding diced pears and apples to a medium bowl. Add Zing™ Baking Blend, cornstarch, cinnamon and nutmeg to the bowl.

Mix until all ingredients are well combined.

In a separate mixing bowl add flour and salt together. Spoon in the coconut oil, and combine with a pastry blender. Carefully add water one tablespoon at a time, continuing to use the pastry blender until dough becomes just wet enough to come together. Form into a ball, then place on a floured surface.

With a rolling pin, roll out the dough to about the size of a 5-6 inch round. Cut into strips using a pastry cutter.

Place four ramekins on a small cookie sheet, and lightly spray the insides of the ramekins with non stick baking spray. Spoon 1/4 of the mixture into each ramekin.

Carefully place the pie crust strips on top of the fruit mixture, forming a weave pattern. Lightly sprinkle with Zing Baking Blend and place in lowest position in oven. Bake at 425 degrees for about 8 minutes, then turn oven down to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 22 minutes, until golden.

Allow to cool, then serve while still warm.

Serve with some whipped cream, or even vanilla ice cream. Both are optional as this pie is pretty tasty on its own!

All you need is a dollop.

Enjoy!

Mini Pear Apple Pie

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Serving Size: 1 mini pear apple pie

Calories per serving: 111

Fat per serving: 3.2 grams

Mini Pear Apple Pie

Mini pear apple pie made with Zing Baking Blend for a low calorie treat!

Ingredients

Filling Ingredients for Mini Pear Apple Pie:

1 red pear, peeled, cored and diced
1 granny smith apple, peeled, cored and diced
1.5 tablespoon ZING baking blend
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Ingredients for Crust:

1/2 cup all purpose flour
dash of salt
1/3 cup coconut oil (solid, not melted)
3 tablespoons cold water

Instructions

Begin by adding diced pears and apples to a medium bowl. Add Zing baking blend, cornstarch, cinnamon and nutmeg to the bowl.
Mix until all ingredients are well combined.
In a separate mixing bowl add flour and salt together. Spoon in the coconut oil, and combine with a pastry blender. Carefully add water one tablespoon at a time, continuing to use the pastry blender until dough becomes just wet enough to come together. Form into a ball, then place on a floured surface.
With a rolling pin, roll out the dough to about the size of a 5-6 inch round. Cut into strips using a pastry cutter.
Place four ramekins on a small cookie sheet, and lightly spray the insides of the ramekins with non stick baking spray. Spoon 1/4 of the mixture into each ramekin.
Carefully place the pie crust strips on top of the fruit mixture, forming a weave pattern. Lightly sprinkle with Zing Baking Blend and place in lowest position in oven. Bake at 425 degrees for about 8 minutes, then turn oven down to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 22 minutes, until golden.
Allow to cool, then serve while still warm.
Serve with some whipped cream, or even vanilla ice cream. Both are optional as this pie is pretty tasty on its own!
All you need is a dallop.
Enjoy!

https://mamaharriskitchen.com/2015/10/mini-pear-apple-pie/

Do you have a favorite low calorie dessert?

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25 Apple Recipes for Fall!

October 24, 2014 by MamaHarris Leave a Comment

Disclosure: My “25 Apple Recipes for Fall!” recipe collection is part of a sponsored opportunity by Foodie.com. I personally selected each recipe to be added to the collection. As always, all opinions are my own.

Did you know that October is National Apple Month? I bet you didn’t, but that’s what I’m here for. To share all of the National food holidays there are to be had, and this one is really a thing. It’s also National Pizza Month and National Caramel Apple Day falls on October 31st. It’s no wonder October is such an awesome month, right?

I’ve gathered together a bunch of apple recipes from friends of mine, some where the apple is the star ingredient and others where it’s an enhancement, and put them all together for you to enjoy. So celebrate October with plenty of apple recipes, whether it’s breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacktime, desserts or anytime in between. Apples are great for you and they’re a classic Fall fruit.

What’s your favorite way to enjoy apples? If you don’t have a favorite, click through the slideshow below and I bet you’ll find yourself a new recipe or two to include in your regular meal rotations!

Fun Fall Recipes: Caramel Apple Bread and Milkshakes!

September 12, 2014 by MamaHarris 14 Comments

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser.
As always, all opinions are mine alone.

We’re only a few weeks away from the official beginning of Fall, and I’m already knee deep in Fall Recipes. I just can’t help it, Fall to me is cool, brisk weather, when leaves change color and the sun sets earlier. It’s also cinnamon, pears, apples and caramel, and a season for baking.

Can you tell it’s the most wonderful time of the year in my eyes?

I love everything about Fall Recipes. What I love even more is that not only is October is both National Apple Month AND National Caramel Month – but there’s also a National Caramel Apple DAY in October! To help you prepare for it early I wanted to bring you a few caramel apple recipes based on the newest flavor this season from M&M’s! Yes, there’s a new flavor for the season, and it’s called Candy Apple, based on the delicious caramel apples you can find at most harvest festivals and carnivals.

Last week I was on a mad search for this flavored candy, and unfortunately it’s more elusive than I thought because I couldn’t find it anywhere within 100 miles of me! No worries though, I picked up a few of my other favorite M&M candies and decided to incorporate them into my own apple recipes that I created, inspired by all the wonderful ideas on the Flavor Of Fall tumblr page. You can also download couponds for $1 off any two (2) Mott’s sauce or Mott’s juice drink and $1.50 off any two (2) M&M’s brand chocolate candies, both will help you make these fun Fall recipes!

I made some homemade caramel, and it’s just enough to use in both of these recipes. It’s so easy to make, just be sure that you don’t cook the water and sugar too long because it can be quick to burn! For the bread I based the recipe on my most recent banana bread recipe, making a few changes by adding diced apples and Mott’s applesauce instead of oil and drizzling the homemade caramel between layers of batter to create caramel swirls. It tastes just like caramel apple, and I made the glaze by using Mott’s apple juice! I topped it with some crushed M&M’s for fun color and an extra oomph. Everyone loved it!

The milkshake was super easy, and I added apples, applesauce and apple juice in addition to caramel and vanilla ice cream. It’s thick and has a bite to it, just like granny smith apples and a smooth sweetness thanks to the caramel. Since it’s still 100 degrees here in California, this really hit the spot and reminded me that the Fall season is just around the corner

Homemade Caramel

1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon butter

Caramel Apple Bread

2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup applesauce
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and diced
2 tablespoons of prepared caramel *see recipe above

Apple Icing

1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk
1-1/2 tablespoon apple juice
*1/4 cup milk chocolate M&M’s, crushed for garnish

Caramel Apple Milkshake

3 cups vanilla ice cream
1/2 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and diced
1/4 cup almond milk
1/4 cup applesauce
1/2 cup apple juice
2 tablespoons prepared caramel *see recipe above
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
*whipped cream & caramel for garnish

Directions:

Begin by making the caramel. Over a medium/low heat combine the water and sugar and stir together. Bring to a boil swirling the pan every 30 seconds or so.

After about 8-10 minutes the sugar will start to brown. Once it turns an amber color, quickly remove from heat and stir one final time.

Add the cream, then margarine and whisk until smooth. Set aside to cool while you prepare the remaining ingredients.

Start by preparing the bread. Combine the flour, baking powder and baking soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and sugars in a bowl. Mix well, then set aside.

In another large bowl, add the eggs and vanilla and beat on low until combined. Add the apple sauce and continue to mix.

Slowly add in the dry mix, 1/3 at a time while the mixer is on low.

Add the apples to the last 1/3 of the mixture, and fold it in to the mixture.

Preheat oven to 350, and spray a loaf dish with non stick cooking spray.
Put about 1/3 of the mixture in the bottom of the loaf pan.

Spread about one tablespoon of caramel over the batter.

Spread the next 1/3 of the batter on top, bringing it out to the edges of the pan and smoothing over the caramel layer.

Spread the last tablespoon of caramel over the batter.
Spoon the last 1/3 of the batter on top, being sure that it’s evenly spread over the pan.
Place in preheated oven for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

While the bread is baking, combine the powdered sugar, milk and apple juice for the icing and crush the M&M’s for the topping.

Remove the bread from the oven and allow to cool.

Drizzle with icing…

…then top with M&M’s.

Then cut into bread slices.

To prepare the milkshake, add all ingredients (except garnish) to a blender.

Mix on low until combined, then pulse at the end.Drizzle a little caramel around the inside of your cup, then pour the milkshake in.

Top with whipped cream and caramel, add a cute straw.

Enjoy your Fall treats!

Caramel Apple Treats!

I'm channeling my favorite Flavors of Fall early with these two caramel apple recipes, using homemade caramel sauce!

Ingredients

For the Homemade Caramel:

1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon butter

For the Caramel Apple Bread:

2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup applesauce
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and diced
2 tablespoons of prepared caramel *see recipe above

For the Apple Icing:

1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk
1-1/2 tablespoon apple juice
*1/4 cup milk chocolate M&M's, crushed for garnish

For the Caramel Apple Milkshake:

3 cups vanilla ice cream
1/2 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and diced
1/4 cup almond milk
1/4 cup applesauce
1/2 cup apple juice
2 tablespoons prepared caramel *see recipe above
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
*whipped cream & caramel for garnish

Instructions

Begin by making the caramel. Over a medium/low heat combine the water and sugar and stir together. Bring to a boil swirling the pan every 30 seconds or so.
After about 8-10 minutes the sugar will start to brown. Once it turns an amber color, quickly remove from heat and stir one final time.
Add the cream, then margarine and whisk until smooth. Set aside to cool while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
Start by preparing the bread. Combine the flour, baking powder and baking soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and sugars in a bowl. Mix well, then set aside.
In another large bowl, add the eggs and vanilla and beat on low until combined. Add the apple sauce and continue to mix.
Slowly add in the dry mix, 1/3 at a time while the mixer is on low.
Add the apples to the last 1/3 of the mixture, and fold it in to the mixture.
Preheat oven to 350, and spray a loaf dish with non stick cooking spray.
Put about 1/3 of the mixture in the bottom of the loaf pan.
Spread about one tablespoon of caramel over the batter.
Spread the next 1/3 of the batter on top, bringing it out to the edges of the pan and smoothing over the caramel layer.
Spread the last tablespoon of caramel over the batter.
Spoon the last 1/3 of the batter on top, being sure that it's evenly spread over the pan.
Place in preheated oven for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
While the bread is baking, combine the powdered sugar, milk and apple juice for the icing and crush the M&M's for the topping.
Remove the bread from the oven and allow to cool.
Drizzle with icing, then top with M&M's.
Then cut into bread slices.
To prepare the milkshake, add all ingredients (except garnish) to a blender.
Mix on low until combined, then pulse at the end.Fun Fall Recipes: Caramel Apple Milkshakes - Mama Harris' KitchenDrizzle a little caramel around the inside of your cup, then pour the milkshake in.
Top with whipped cream and caramel, add a cute straw.
Enjoy your Fall treats!

https://mamaharriskitchen.com/2014/09/fun-fall-recipes-caramel-apple-bread-milkshakes/

#FlavorOfFall | #CollectiveBias

Do you remember my recipe last year using seasonal M&M’s too? I made mini white chocolate cheesecakes inspired by last years seasonal flavor (the white chocolate candy corn M&M’s) and I added a copycat Starbucks Caramel Apple Spice to the mix also using Mott’s Apple Juice.

They were so good! This year I headed to Walmart for my supplies and picked up my M&M’s where I can always find them, in the candy aisle.

I also picked up the Mott’s Apple Juice and Applesauce at Walmart too!

What are you favorite recipes that include M&M’s or Mott’s?

Caramel Apple SNICKERS® Monkey Bread

August 19, 2014 by MamaHarris 6 Comments

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. As always, all opinions are mine alone.

Well, here we are.. a little over halfway through August. In my house that means we’re on the second week of back to school season for our older kids but it also means that football is underway. For our high schooler, football practice has been going on since June, but very soon the high school football games will be underway and for a houseful of (mostly) boys, this is their favorite time of year. It’s not just the high school football either, since the preseason for NFL games just began last week and that just means that Fall is just around the corner.

Caramel Apple SNICKERS® Monkey Bread

When I think of the Autumn season, football every weekend is one of my first thoughts. It’s also hot apple cider, harvest festivals, and the delicious smell of Fall favorites like cinnamon and brown sugar. Pies, cookies, crumbles and all my other favorites are keeping kitchen ovens busy and the brisk Fall weather is admittedly a favorite of mine. It’s no secret that this is the time of year I love, and with the hustle and bustle of football practice and big games on the tv we often have a variety of friends to entertain as well. Even if we are just relaxing watching all the Sunday games, these boys want some snacks that are more than just chips and dips. Last year I posted a few favorites to chomp on while watching some football (check out the spinach bowl, potato skins, 7 layer dip, pulled pork and baked beans) but I inadvertently left out sweets! I think it’s also safe to say that my boys have a MAJOR sweet tooth so I came up with a perfect snack for the football season. It combines the caramel apple favorites of harvest season with the cinnamon scents that are synonymous with Fall. As a surprise I threw in everyone’s favorite SNICKERS® candy and reworked a favorite pull apart bread of ours into some delectable. I served it with some of our other favorite snacks like chips, dips and and assortment of miniature MARS Candy on the side.

Of course it was a hit and I guarantee it will be a hit on game days for you too!

What I love about this recipe, besides all of the delicious Fall flavors, is that when it comes out of the oven the bread looks toasty and the SNICKERS® have all melted away leaving behind nuts and swirls of chocolate that taste just like little bites of the candy. When you invert the pan over a serving plate, all of the caramel comes dripping down and it’s ooey gooey and sticky. SCORE!

Ingredients:

non stick baking spray
2 cans Pillsbury homestyle buttermilk refrigerated biscuits
1 cup caramel sauce (either store bought or homemade)
2-3 medium granny smith green apples, peeled and diced (about 2 cups, once diced)
1 cup PLUS 1 tablespoon brown sugar *divided
2 teaspoons PLUS 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon *divided
5 regular sized SNICKERS®, sliced (measuring about 2 cups)
1/4 cup butter, melted

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Spray your bundt pan with a non stick baking spray, preferable with flour combined in the spray.

Open two cans of Pillsbury biscuits and quarter each slice of biscuit. Set aside.

Peel the apples, then dice them up until there is about 2 cups of diced apples. Combine 1 tablespoon of brown sugar with 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and toss the apples in the mixture. Set aside.

Slice up the SNICKERS® bars, measuring out about 2 cups of cut candy. Set aside.

Pour about 1/3 cup of caramel sauce in the bottom of the bundt pan.

Top with about 1-2 tablespoons of chopped apples, then finishing with about 1 tablespoon of chopped SNICKERS®.

Combine the remaining 1 cup of brown sugar with the 2 teaspoons of cinnamon. Set next to the melted butter, this will be the dipping station setup. Dip each quartered biscuit in the melted butter, being sure to soak all sides. Then dip in the cinnamon sugar mixture.

Place in the bottom of the pan on top of the caramel, apples and candy. Be sure to arrange them so they are spread out evenly. Continue this process until about 20 pieces of biscuits are spread into the pan. Spread about half of the remaining apples on top, then about half of the candy. Top with another 1/3 cup of caramel sauce.

Begin the process again by soaking each biscuit in butter, then cinnamon sugar and spreading evenly over the other layers.

Once you’ve gotten about halfway through the remaining biscuits, top with most of the apples, and most of the candy. Drizzle with the last 1/3 cup of caramel sauce.

Repeat the process one last time soaking the biscuits in butter, then cinnamon sugar. Top with the last of the apples and candy, then drizzle with a little bit more caramel if you like.

Place the pan on top of a cookie sheet topped with foil to catch any spills (it WILL bubble over!) and bake for about 40-45 minutes.

Once done, let cool for about 30-45 minutes before inverting over a plate or cake dish.

For a sweet treat, serve with ice cream.. or just munch on it by pulling the pieces off one by one.

Enjoy!

Caramel Apple SNICKERS® Monkey Bread

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Caramel Apple SNICKERS® Monkey Bread

Autumn is synonymous with football, warm scents of cinnamon and caramel apples at harvest festivals. Caramel Apple SNICKERS® Monkey Bread combines it all!

Ingredients

non stick baking spray
2 cans Pillsbury homestyle buttermilk refrigerated biscuits
1 cup caramel sauce (either store bought or homemade)
2-3 medium granny smith green apples, peeled and diced (about 2 cups, once diced)
1 cup PLUS 1 tablespoon brown sugar *divided
2 teaspoons PLUS 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon *divided
5 regular sized SNICKERS®, sliced
1/4 cup butter, melted

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Spray your bundt pan with a non stick baking spray, preferable with flour combined in the spray.
Open two cans of Pillsbury biscuits and quarter each slice of biscuit. Set aside.
Peel the apples, then dice them up until there is about 2 cups of diced apples. Combine 1 tablespoon of brown sugar with 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and toss the apples in the mixture. Set aside.
Slice up the SNICKERS® bars, measuring out about 2 cups of cut candy. Set aside.
Pour about 1/3 cup of caramel sauce in the bottom of the bundt pan, top with about 1-2 tablespoons of chopped apples, then finishing with about 1 tablespoon of chopped SNICKERS®.
Combine the remaining 1 cup of brown sugar with the 2 teaspoons of cinnamon. Set next to the melted butter.
Dip each quartered biscuit in the melted butter, being sure to soak all sides. Then dip in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
Place in the bottom of the pan on top of the caramel, apples and candy. Be sure to arrange them so they are spread out evenly.
Continue this process until about 20 pieces of biscuits are spread into the pan. Spread about half of the remaining apples on top, then about half of the candy. Top with another 1/3 cup of caramel sauce.
Begin the process again by soaking each biscuit in butter, then cinnamon sugar and spreading evenly over the other layers.
Once you've gotten about halfway through the remaining biscuits, top with most of the apples, and most of the candy. Drizzle with the last 1/3 cup of caramel sauce.
Repeat the process one last time soaking the biscuits in butter, then cinnamon sugar. Top with the last of the apples and candy, then drizzle with a little bit more caramel if you like.
Place the pan on top of a cookie sheet topped with foil to catch any spills (it WILL bubble over!) and bake for about 40-45 minutes.
Once done, let cool for about 30-45 minutes before inverting over a plate or cake dish.
For a sweet treat, serve with ice cream.. or just munch on it by pulling the pieces off one by one.
Enjoy!

Notes

PLEASE NOTE - Cooking time includes the 30-45 minutes of cooling time!

https://mamaharriskitchen.com/2014/08/caramel-apple-snickers-monkey-bread/

#Chocolate4TheWin | #CollectiveBias

Oh, by the way, I found an AMAZING deal on all of this candy when I was shopping at Sam’s Club last weekend. Somehow, I just happened to be shopping in the candy aisle and found this huge bag of assorted MARS Candy, right along with this big box of regular sized SNICKERS® chocolate bars that I used in this recipe. I guess because I know it’s football season and we’ll be having a lot of company in the coming months for football parties and after practices and games, it was only logical I bought them all up. If your logic works like mine, then you can find these in the candy aisle at Sam’s Club. You’re welcome!

What would you make with all this candy?

Creative Ideas with Pillsbury Pizza Crust

January 7, 2014 by MamaHarris 7 Comments

Disclosure: I was provided free product from Pillsbury to try and was not compensated for this post. All thoughts are my own.

Do you have a fun weekly dinner tradition?

Since our family pizza night last month we’ve made a habit of getting together as a family every week or two and preparing some fun meals together. The kids have a great time preparing the food together, and I enjoy some company in the kitchen while I’m cooking.

Last I’d shared with you we had made 2 pizzas that were on the more traditional side with the Pillsbury Pizza Crusts. They were both delicious, but we wanted to do something a little different this time and see how the Pillsbury Pizza Crusts could stand up to the challenge.

The results were delicious and we just couldn’t get enough!

For our first recipe we created our own version of Stromboli. I remember in my teens I was introduced to the most amazing pizzeria. They specialized in Stromboli and it was love at first bite for me. Since I’ve moved to the suburbs I can’t find anything like it in my town, and I figured we could attempt our own with these Pillsbury Pizza Crusts.

It was absolutely as wonderful and delicious as I’d hoped, and the crust tasted amazing. No soggy areas where it had been wrapped up and it cooked evenly. I should have made two because it was gone in an instant!

For the second recipe we wanted to switch it up even more. It was just after the holidays and I had some leftover seasonal fruits. I thought combining the seasoned apples with my own recipe for cranberry sauce and topping it with blackberries that were just a smidgen overripe would be a great flavor combination when topped with some white chocolate drizzle. Once again we were pleased by the crust and how it didn’t explode! Yes, this was a real concern for me, but they came out amazing and they were gone just as quickly as they were prepared. The combination of the fruits was a great blend of sweet and tart, and the cinnamon sugar that was sprinkled on top of the crusts before baking was the perfect touch.

We’ve really enjoyed creating a little tradition out of pizza nights, and we’re already thinking of alternate flavors for the dessert calzones. Maybe filled with a few types of apples and topped with caramel instead of white chocolate. Or even strawberry filling and milk chocolate drizzle.

There’s so many fun ways to get creative, I hope you’ll be just as inspired!

Salami & Italian Sausage Stromboli

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 of 16 ounce chub Italian sausage
1/2 cup onions
1/4 cup pizza sauce
1 Pillsbury Classic Pizza Crust
20 slices of salami
1/2 cup pepper jack cheese
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons spinach
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon Parmesan

Stromboli Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a medium skillet, brown the Italian sausage in one tablespoon of olive oil.

Add chopped onions about halfway through and saute until sausage is brown and onions are soft.

Add Pizza sauce and combine until the meat is soaked in sauce.

Here’s RiRi helping me brown the meat. Are we having fun yet?

While browning the meat, spray a large cookie sheet with cooking oil and spread out the pizza crust.

Lay out salami down the middle.

RoRo is helping!

So is D-Man!

Spread the sausage mixture on top of the salami.

Now wait for your kid to finish shredding the cheese…

Top with cheeses and finish it off with the spinach!

Roll it up, then place on greased cookie sheet seam side down.

Drizzle with remaining olive oil, then sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and basil.

Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes or until golden.

Perfection!

Let cool, then cut into slices.

Serve with pizza sauce to dip.

Enjoy!

Dessert Calzone Ingredients:

1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled and cored
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon white sugar
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 Pillsbury Classic Pizza Crust
powdered sugar (for rolling dough)
1-1/2 cup cranberry sauce (I just halved my recipe)
1 pint slightly overripe blackberries, quartered
1 teaspoon cinnamon sugar
1 square bakers white chocolate

Dessert Calzone Instructions:

Cut up the apple into small chunks, then sprinkle with lemon juice.

Top with brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon and ground cloves.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Dust cutting board with powdered sugar, then spread out pizza dough on top.

Cut into four even sized pieces.

Roll each piece into balls, then roll out into oval shapes with a rolling pin.

Continue to add powdered sugar to cutting board, crust and pin whenever they get dry to avoid stickiness.

The powdered sugar will also help sweeten the crust for a great dessert taste!

Using a dinner tablespoon, add 1-2 scoops of cranberry sauce to one side of the oval.

Then add a scoop of the cubed apples

Top with 1/4 of the blackberries.

Fold the empty half over the fruit filled half and pinch the seam closed.

Place seam side up on greased cookie sheet.

Sprinkle the tops with cinnamon sugar and bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until golden.

Just before the calzones are done, melt the square of white chocolate in a microwave safe dish, stirring every 15-20 seconds. Once melted, remove from microwave.

Let the calzones cool, then place on top of parchment or wax paper.

Drizzle with melted white chocolate.

Serve once cooled.

Yum!

Enjoy!

What’s your favorite thing to make with Pillsbury Pizza Crusts?

Apple, Coconut & Carrot Breakfast Muffins

October 25, 2013 by MamaHarris 2 Comments

I love having muffins in the house for my family. They’re so convenient for kids to grab and snack on, or to take along for a quick breakfast on the go. You can combine so many different flavors and combinations, it’s pretty hard to go wrong! Not only that, but they’re fun to make! These particular muffins have come a long way since I made my first batch. Back when I first made them, I followed this recipe by Weelicious which is absolutely more guilt free than my version. They were nice, but I wanted to customize them a bit more, and I also found they stuck to the liners when I used them due to the honey. I decided to play with the recipe a bit and have changed it through the past few years into what I now have today. I know this recipe is based on the “old school” Morning Glory muffins that typically use pineapple, raisins and walnuts, I’m sure each or all of those would be an amazing addition. Next time I make them I may actually add some walnuts and raisins, but these are pretty amazing as is.

I call them low-guilt breakfast muffins because for the most part they have some pretty healthy ingredients. White whole wheat flour, coconut milk and grapeseed oil are all pretty healthy, in addition to the carrots and apples. Of course there’s sweetened coconut and sugar (mostly brown) in there too, which makes them low-guilt. Not quite no-guilt, but delicious nonetheless! We’re talking muffins here anyway! These have an amazing flavor and delicious texture, I love the bits of flavor in every bite. They are perfect for the season and I would absolutely bring them to a Halloween party or serve as part of breakfast for Thanksgiving with my Pumpkin Muffins! These are a perfect accompaniment to coffee or tea, and would be delicious served with a pumpkin spice coffee or a vanilla chai tea!

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cup all-purpose white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes, chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and grated (about 1 cup)
1 medium granny smith apple, grated (about 1/2 cup)
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon maple extract
1/3 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup grapeseed oil
pinch of raw sugar (to sprinkle)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine all dry ingredients (flour, sugars, baking powder and soda, salt, and spices).

Prepare the shredded carrot, apple and coconut.

Add coconut, carrots and apples to dry mixture.

Mix until well combined.

Combine all wet ingredients (eggs, extracts, milk, and oil).

Add the dry mixture to the wet, stirring until just combined.

Using a standard size muffin/cupcake pan, scoop two tablespoons batter per liner. (Makes 12 muffins.)

Sprinkle with a pinch of raw sugar over each muffin, and bake 20-23 minutes until done.

Let cool and serve.

Enjoy!

Apple-Pear Shortbread Crumble Bars

September 19, 2013 by MamaHarris 3 Comments

Disclosure: I am a Blog Ambassador for Walkers Shortbread. I was provided free product to try and was not compensated for this post. All thoughts are my own.

I’m so happy the weather is finally cooling down and it’s starting to feel like the Fall season. I don’t know about you, but here in Northern California it’s been hot, hot, hot in recent week! It finally seems to be cooling down, and the other night I actually got to wear boots and leggings – my favorite kind of Fall apparel. Something about the crisp air, and being able to bundle up in cute clothes and all of the beautiful Fall colors just does something to me. It’s absolutely my favorite season of the year, with all my favorite flavors and scents of the season.

As you know, I’m an ambassador for Walkers Shortbread. This month my shipment included some delicious varieties of the Pure Butter Shortbreads as well as one of my favorites from my initial shipment, the Pure Butter Stem Ginger Shortbread. If you recall my first recipe with Walkers included these babies in the crust. Ah, that was a delicious pie. This month I decided I wanted something decidedly Fall tasting. At first I considered another pie, but quickly decided this needed to be a little different. I decided to create some fruit bars that incorporated fresh Bartlett Pears and Granny Smith Apples. Flavors included would be cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, a trace of maple, walnuts and of course I’d use the Pure Butter Stem Ginger Shortbread for a crumble topping. Similar to my cookie bars, but at the same time decidedly different. Also a slight resemblance to my pear crumble, but not quite. These are in a league of their own, incorporating all the best Fall flavors in every bite.

This months shipment from Walkers Shortbread.
See the coupon code at the end so you can purchase your own delicious collection!

Crust Ingredients:

2 boxes Pure Butter Shortbread Highlanders, crushed
1 box Pure Butter Shortbread Rounds, crushed
1-1/2 tablespoons white granulated sugar
1/2 cup lightly salted butter, melted
2 teaspoons maple extract

Filling Ingredients:

3 granny smith apples (peeled, cored & diced)
3 bartlett pears (peeled, cored & diced)
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon corn starch
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon all spice

Crumb Topping Ingredients:

1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
6 Pure Butter Stem Ginger Shortbread cookies, crushed
1/4 cup butter, cold
1/4 cup quick oats
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Vanilla Drizzle Ingredients:

1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Peel, core and dice apples and pears. Place in bowl and mix with lemon juice, to prevent browning.

In a separate bowl, combine the remaining filling ingredients and cover fruit with it.

Let sit while crust is being prepared.

Place all the cookies and sugar for crust in a food processor. Process until crumbly.

Remove from processor, place in bowl and add melted butter and maple extract.

Mix well until it’s evenly distributed.

Grease or spray a large rectangular casserole dish.

Press crust evenly in the bottom with the back of a spoon.

Bake in preheated oven for about 15 minutes until golden brown.

Remove crust, let cool.

While crust is cooling, prepare crumble topping.

Add flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and cookies to processor. Process until crumbly.

Place mixture in bowl with slices of butter, cubed. Using a pastry cutter or fork, press butter with mixture until the butter is small pieces thoroughly combined. Add quick oats and walnuts and mix.

Spread apple and pear mixture over prepared crust, then sprinkle crumble mixture on top.

Bake 20 minutes in preheated oven. Let cool.

Prepare Vanilla Drizzle and lightly sprinkle over the top of the crumble mixture.

Perfect.

Once done, refrigerate everything at least an hour, this will help to ensure it slices nicely.

Cut into square bars, heating up if necessary.

Enjoy!

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