Simple Apple Dumplings {Family Favorite}

My dear mama made apple dumplings often when we 4 kids were growing up. Some Saturdays, she'd bake all day long - mostly pies - but would make apple dumplings too, and that's what we'd have for Sat. night dinner.

We had NO clue how spoiled we were!!

My mom's sisters and families would come for a visit from an hour away, and mom would do all the hard work of making pies from scratch, and dumplings too.  Her sisters brought pies and cakes, but mom was the 'official' pie maker in my family. 

She labored long hours making the crust from scratch, rolling out the dough, cutting the squares and wrapping them around the apple slices, sprinkled with cinnamon/sugar. 

As much as I appreciate her labors, and recipes, I think I have discovered an easier way to make dumplings!

The comment I put in my cookbook recipe notes for this dish, says I won't ever use another apple dumpling recipe after trying this one.

This is the best. So yummy with little work.

Crescent rolls are such a versatile ingredient and they add to the ease and heartbreakingly deliciousness of this dessert.

 

Since my hubby is diabetic, and I rarely make anything using the full sugar amounts, I do use Splenda, so this is a favorite because I can use diet soda as well. 

I have also used diet 7-Up instead of the Mt. Dew.

One of my sis-in-loves, Vicki, who is an awesome cook herself, says this makes the best 'sauce' of any other dumpling recipe she's tried.

Bake them in the morning and then reheat to serve if you'd like. We have always liked ours with a little milk in the bowl, but of course, they're terrific with ice cream too.

Really no need to drizzle some caramel syrup since the sauce adds great flavor.

Give 'em a try!  You won't be sorry at all.

Maybe they'll become a favorite at your house like they are at ours.

ENJOY EVERY TASTY BITE!!!

SIMPLE APPLE DUMPLINGS

8 Granny Smith, or any baking apple

(I prefer galas - use your favorite)

2 - 8 ozs pkgs. (reduced-fat) refrigerated crescent rolls

2 sticks butter

(I cut back to 1)

1-1/2 c. sugar

(I use 3/4 c. xylitol)

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 - 12 ozs. can Mt. Dew soda

(I use diet 7-Up or Sprite)

Preheat oven to 350. Grease 9" X 13" baking dish.  Peel and halve apples.  Separate crescent rolls; roll up apples in crescent rolls from big end to little end. Place in prepared pan. In small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon. In saucepan, melt butter; add sugar/cinnamon mixture. Pour mixture over the apples, then pour the Mt. Dew around all the dumplings.  Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until apples are tender.  Serve warm with ice cream or milk.

Tip: I cover the pan with foil after 30 minutes as the rolls tend to brown too much after that length of time in the oven.

Linked to Crazy Sweet Tuesday
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Ingredient Spotlight
Weekend Potluck

Cheesey Chicken Chowder

                                                                                  

(Since this is one of our family favorites, I'm reposting an older post) -

This is a MUST-TRY, especially during colder weather... soup seems to warm us inside and out. It's truly comfort food.

And a wonderful recipe to help use up some of that leftover turkey.

Someone recently asked me the difference between soup and chowder.  I said I thought that chowder is thicker.

What do you think?

This is another recipe that has been published in two of the American Profile cookbooks and in their nationwide publication. I have a friend who lives on the West coast and she got to see this recipe in print before I did!

 

I received notes from women (unknown to me) from out of state, and even a long distance phone call letting me know how much they enjoyed this delicious recipe, after reading it in American Profile.

What a kick!!!

This is my 'go to' recipe when I need something in a hurry (I keep cooked, diced chicken ready in the freezer).  This is the dish I take most often to a grieving family or to someone ill.

And I always! get raves.  It's really quite simple - you can choose to use frozen veggies if you want something quicker. 

Because it is a thicker soup, I've been known to add more milk to stretch it to feed more mouths.

Serve with a salad or sandwich and you're all set to enjoy!

TRY IT...YOU'LL LIKE IT!

CHEESEY CHICKEN CHOWDER

3 cups chicken (reduced-sodium) broth

2 cups diced, peeled potatoes

1 cup each - diced carrots & celery

1/2 cup diced onion

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1/3 cup all purpose flour

2 cups milk

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

(we prefer 1-1/2 cups velveeta)

2 cups diced cooked chicken

2 - 3 Tb. dry chicken soup base, optional

 

In large pan, bring chicken broth to a boil. Reduce heat.

Add potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Add flour and mix well with whisk. Gradually stir in milk and cook over low heat until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.

Stir in cheese and heat until melted.

Add to broth and vegetables along with chicken.

(If using soup base, add now)

Cook and stir over low heat until heated through.

 

Yield: 6 - 8 servings

(When I'm in a hurry, I use frozen hash browns and frozen mixed veggies, along with the fresh chopped celery & onions - cooking the fresh ingredients a few minutes before adding frozen)


Linked to Melt in Your Mouth Monday
Gooseberry Patch Roundup - Soups
Meal Plan Monday

And the Winners are....

Thanks for entering this giveaway. I am using Random.Org to choose the winners for the first time.

{Maybe next time I'll figure out how to display the box with the actual numbers??}

CONGRATS LADIES!!!!!! 

(DRUM ROLL PLEASE)

Winner of the Christmas Cookies cookbook, peppermint plate & spatula is...

 

#30 -   Patti Kiel said...

What a perfect giveaway; I sure would like to win this! We are having a cheesy broccoli casserole that is delicious. The recipe came from a dear friend who is no longer with us.


Winner of the Cookie Dough Cookbook and Christmas Recipe Cards is....
#37 - Mary Lou said...

Hi, Marsha I am looking forward to your giveaway. I follow you on FB and am retouching base with you from our friendship in Texas.

I also have your great cookbook. I am so proud of you.
I am making pecan pie. My son is making the rest.


PLEASE SEND ME YOUR MAILING ADDRESSES LADIES!

A BIG THANK YOU FROM MY HEART TO YOURS GOES OUT BECAUSE LAST SATURDAY
(MY BIRTHDAY EVEN!) I REACHED 1000 FACEBOOK FANS!

YOWZA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'M STILL SHAKING MY HEAD IN DISBELIEF!

YA'LL ARE WONDERFUL & AMAZING!!


 










 

HAPPY THANKS-LIVING!!

HOW TO OBSERVE THANKSGIVING

~Count your blessings instead of your crosses;

~Count your gains instead of your losses.

~Count your joys instead of your woes;

~Count your friends instead of your foes.

~Count your smiles instead of your tears;

~Count your courage instead of your fears.

~Count your full years instead of your lean;

~Count your kind deeds instead of your mean.

~Count your health instead of your wealth;

~Count on God instead of yourself.

A favorite scripture...
Psalm 34:8 O TASTE AND SEE THAT THE LORD IS GOOD!
BLESSED IS THE (WO)MAN THAT TRUST IN HIM.

And please be sure to.....

SWEET BLESSINGS TO ALL! How thankful I am for each of YOU!
You surely ROCK my world by being a part of my blog.

Enjoy a blessed weekend - I'll be back next Monday.

Pumpkin Muffins with Cream Cheese Filling

                                                           

Ohhhhhhh - this is a WONDERFUL muffin recipe.

Since I'm already a muffin freak, and a cream cheese nut too, how could I not LOOOVE these great muffins! 
I first tasted them at a church ladies meeting, when my very creative friend, Margie, brought them to share.  After I got home, I scoured the internet for the recipe and was thrilled to find it at Annie's Eats.

(along with 225 comments, I dare say!!)

Look at that cream cheese right there in the middle!!!

And the crunchy topping only adds perfection to this seriously delicious & moist muffin.

I love love love all the spices added - they make this muffin sooo perfectly tasty!

Very 'fall-ish' & 'holiday-ish'!

The first time I made them following the directions to a tee - freezing the cream cheese/powdered sugar combination.

The second time I made them, I just put dallops of the soft cream cheese mixture in between the pumpkin layers of dough. 

Either way is OUTTA SIGHT! good.

Give them a try - they freeze nicely too.  But they weren't 'safe' in the freezer for very long.  They make for a great breakfast and start to your day.

I normally tend to stick to simple, few-ingredient recipes, but trust me on this one, this is SOOO worth the extra time to mix these up. 

 Your family will be so thankful you did!

PUMPKIN CREAM CHEESE MUFFINS

Filling:

8 ozs. cream cheese, softened

1 c. powdered sugar

(I reduced that amount when I didn't freeze this mixture)

Muffins:

3 c. all purpose flour

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 tsp. ground cloves

1 Tb. plus 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

(Homemade recipe here)

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

4 large eggs

2 c. sugar

(I reduced to 1-2/3)

2 c. pumpkin puree

1-1/4 c. vegetable oil

(I used 1/2 c. applesauce, 3/4 c. oil)

Topping:

1/2 c. sugar

5 Tb. all purpose flour

1-1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

4 Tb. cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

To prepare filling: combine cream cheese and powdered sugar in medium bowl; mix well until blended and smooth.  Transfer the mixture to piece of plastic wrap and shape into a log about 1-1/2" in diameter.  Smooth the plastic wrap tightly around the log, reinforce with a piece of foil.  Lay on a plate and transfer to freezer, chilling atleast 2 hour, or until slightly firm.

To make muffins: preheat oven to 350. Line muffin pans with paper liners. In medium bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, pumpkin pie spice, salt and baking soda; whisk to blend.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine eggs, sugar, pumpkin and oil.  Mix on medium-low speed until blended.  With mixer on low speed, add dry ingredients, mixing just until blended.

To make topping: combine sugar, flour and cinnamon in small bowl; whisk to blend.  Add butter pieces and cut into dry ingredients with a pastry blender or two forks until mixture is coarse and crumbly.  Transfer to fridge until ready to use.

To assemble muffins: fill each muffin well with small amount of batter, just enough to cover bottom of the liner (1 - 2 tablespoonsful). Slice the log of cream cheese filling into 24 equal pieces. Place a slice of cream cheese into each muffin well.  Divide remaining batter among muffin cups, placing on top of the cream cheese to cover completely.  Sprinkle a small amount of topping mixture over each muffin.

Bake 20 - 25 minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely before serving. (It's tough to resist, but cream cheese filling gets very hot, so be careful)

Linked to Crazy Sweet Tuesday

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    Breakfast Ideas Monday