♥ Apple Swirl Streusel Bread

I used Gala apples for this one however, you can use Braeburn, Pink lady or Honey Crisp apples. Don't forget to click on photo for drool mode!

Apple Swirl Streusel Bread
  
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups apple, peeled and diced
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Topping:

2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon

With a mixer, beat sugar, and eggs until creamy. Mix in lemon juice and the vanilla. In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda, and salt and then gradually stir it into the flour mixture until it is just moistened. Next fold in apples with a rubber spatula and scrape down sides of bowl.

In a small bowl add Streusel topping ingredients. I usually cut them in with two knives until blended and crumbly. Pour half the batter into a standard greased 8 x 5 loaf pan. Sprinkle half of streusel topping over batter. Repeat layers for 2nd half of batter and ending with rest of topping. Bake at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes. Let cool completely.

Icing

1 1/4 cups confectioners sugar(powdered sugar)
1-2 tablespoons milk

Mix powdered sugar with a little milk at a time to get the consistency you like best. Drizzle over cooled bread.






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Cinnamon Cream Cheese Pull Aparts

These ooey-gooey miniature cinnamon pull-aparts make a comforting breakfast treat any time of year. I also call them my little personal monkey breads.

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Pull Aparts

4 – 4½ cups flour

4½ teaspoons dry yeast

2 cups warm water

¼ cup vegetable oil

2 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1¼ cups sugar, divided

¼ cup brown sugar

¼ cup whole milk

1 tablespoon butter, room temp

1¾ teaspoon cinnamon, divided

Mix 2 cups flour and the yeast. Add the water, oil, sugar and salt. Beat on low for ½ minute and then on high for three minutes. Stir in the remaining flour until a moderately stiff dough forms.

Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 8-10 minutes, or until it is smooth and elastic. Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a greased bowl, greased side up. Cover the bowl and let it rise for 1½ hours or until doubled in size. Punch the dough down and divide it into half, letting it rest for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine 1 cup of the sugar, ¼ cup of the brown sugar, milk, butter and 1¼ teaspoon cinnamon in a small saucepan.  Bring the syrup mixture to a boil and cook it for 1 minute. Remove it from the heat and let it cool for 10 minutes.

Combine remaining ¼ cup sugar and ½ teaspoon of the cinnamon in a shallow bowl. Cut each loaf of bread dough into 24 equal portions and roll into balls. Roll each portion into the cinnamon sugar mixture and then lay three balls of dough in each greased muffin tin.

Sprinkle any remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture over the dough balls. Then spoon the cooled sugar syrup over the dough in each muffin tin.

Cover the pan and let it rise for 35 minutes or until doubled in bulk. Bake the bread at 350 degrees for 15-25 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately loosen the edges of bread from the muffin tin using a knife.

 Cream Cheese Drizzle

4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted

Pinch of salt

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

3 tablespoons milk, plus more if needed

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add sugar and beat until combined, about 1 minute. Add salt, lemon juice, and milk; mix on low speed until smooth. If glaze is too thick to drizzle, add more milk, 1 tablespoon at a time.

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Deep Fried Shrimp

I love shrimp baskets when I order carryout. I like making my own at home even more because I can choose my bread coating and of course you always get more when you make them yourself! Tender succulent shrimp with a light crispy breading makes the perfect bite! I like to butterfly my shrimp first so that they lay flat and don't curl up when you fry them. Here's how you do that.

First rinse and drain your shrimp. Then peel them but leave the tails on. To butterfly a shrimp you simply make an incision on the back of the shrimp following the curve of the back. Remove the vein that runs along side and then gently lay out the shrimp out flat on a baking sheet. It's just that simple.

Deep Fried Shrimp

1 lb large shrimp, shelled and butterflied
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups Panko bread crumbs
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon of Old Bay Seasoning (optional)
3 cups vegetable or Peanut oil

Season the shrimp with salt, pepper and Old Bay Seasoning. Heat the oil on medium high heat in a deep and heavy pot or skillet until the oil sizzles. Dredge the shrimp in flour and then dip in the egg mixture. Then dredge in flour a second time and shake off the excess. Then dip the floured shrimp back in the egg mixture a second time and dredge in Panko bread crumbs. I usually put my Panko in a Ziplock and then add my shrimp and shake it to coat evenly.

Carefully fry the shrimp for about 3 minute or until it turns golden brown. Don't crowd your pot or skillet. Fry in batches for best results. Drain golden brown shrimp on a paper towel lined baking sheet. Serve hot with cocktail sauce.
Chunky Cocktail Sauce

1 (14-1/2 ounce can) diced tomatoes with onions, undrained
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Place all the ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

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Olive Tapenade Bruschetta With A Kick

Along with all the appetizers and snacks, I always make some sort of a Bruschetta to put out for a party.  I also like to put out a few relish trays and it seems that the olives are always the first to need a refill. This year I have decided to combine the two and make a spicy olive tapenade to spread on my crostini rounds. It was such an easy recipe to make thanks to Star Fine Foods. I used their Hot Pepper Stuffed Green Olives to give this appetizer the perfect kick!  These little crusty rounds topped with a subtle dash of heat are going to be just perfect for the big game! 

Olive Tapenade Bruschetta With A Kick

1 jar StarFine Foods Hot Pepper Stuffed Green Olives, chopped

4 Tablespoons Star Fine Food Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped or minced

1/4 cup sweet onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoon capers, drained

1/8 teaspoon pepper

¼ cup parsley, chopped

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 medium French baguette, sliced (about 30 slices) or use petite toasts

Drain the liquid from the olives and finely chop. Next finely chop the garlic and the onion and add to the olives. Then add the capers, parsley, lemon juice and pepper and stir to blend. Finally add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and mix well.

NOTE:  If you use a food processor you want to only pulse it about 3 or 4 times so that you keep it a little chunky.  Pour into serving bowl and refrigerate.  Slice your rounds and stack around bowl when ready to serve.

If you prefer toasted Crostini:

Prepare the crostini toasts by laying them out on a baking sheet and brushing each slice with olive oil.  Put the baking sheet under the broiler and broil on low for about a minute or two until golden brown.  Remove and allow to slightly cool.

Spread a heaping tablespoon of the tapenade onto each slice of toasted bread. Arrange on a serving platter and serve immediately.

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Star Fine Food's new Hot Pepper Stuffed Green Olives are available at Savemart and Walmart stores and online at http://bit.ly/HotPepperOlives.

So far I've tried Star's new  Hot Pepper Stuffed Olives, the new Lemon Stuffed Olives. the new Flavor Destinations Spanish (Tomato & Peppers) Marinated Olives, and the new Flavor Destinations Italian Garlic and Basil Marinated Olives.

And I love them all! 

Disclaimer: I have an ongoing relationship with STAR Fine Foods for my recipes and photography using their wonderful products. This post is sponsored by STAR. I am compensated for my time and work and I am sent products as I request them. However, all opinions of the product stated in this post are 100% my own. I truly love their products!

Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

 My Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

 This is one of my most requested recipes when I have a get together for the holidays.  They only last a few minutes because they are the first appetizer everyone runs too.  These aren't just any stuffed mushroom cap. These are stuffed with the same mixture I make my Maryland Crab Cakes with. OMG they are so delicious! 

Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

1/2 pound lump crab meat

1 large egg 

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon of  salt

1/2 cup fine breadcrumbs made from white bread

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Topping

1/2 cup breadcrumbs 

1 tablespoon melted butter

2 teaspoons chopped parsley

You can choose whatever mushroom you like. Both Baby Portabella and White Button mushrooms work very well.  Do not wash or rinse the mushrooms. Simply wipe them with a clean damp cloth and remove the stems.  Set aside. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with non-stick spray.  Drain crab meat and put it in a bowl and set aside.

In a another small bowl, whisk the egg, mayo, mustard, Old Bay seasoning, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Gently stir in crab meat and breadcrumbs and mix with hands lightly without breaking up too many lumps. Mixture will be somewhat wet. 

Stuff each mushroom with the mixture making a small mound on the top. 

Next make your topping of buttered bread crumbs. Pour panko in a bowl and add melted butter and parsley.  Mound the breadcrumbs on top of each mushroom cap. 

Bake mushrooms at 350 degrees for 25 minutes until they are slightly brown on the top.















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