Easy No-Peel Apple Cake

Happy holidays!  Whether you celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas, or just the fact that you have a long weekend away from the office, I hope you are enjoying your time off and spending it with family and friends.  Stan and I are in Nashville this weekend, hanging out with my parents, enjoying the unseasonably warm weather and having a little Hanukkah celebration. 

One of the many ways we’ve been celebrating is with cake – sweet, delicious, ridiculously moist, crunchy-topped cake.  Cake filled with so many apples there seems to be more apples than batter.  Cake my family cannot stop eating – despite the fact that 50 percent of us are on a diet and 25 percent of us are not supposed to eat gluten.  Oops… but hey, that must mean it’s good, right?

In addition to being good, this apple cake is easy to make.  I had 10 minutes to spare yesterday before my parents got back from an errand, and I wanted to make something sweet.  In terms of the prep work, I’m not sure what I liked better – the fact that you add all of the ingredient to the mixing bowl at one time (no need to measure your dry and wet ingredients separately) or the fact that you do not have to peel the apples.  Ok, that’s a lie. I don’t like peeling apples.  I love that this recipe specifically calls for unpeeled apples. 

Most of all I love this cake because my family loved it – and that’s the most important thing of all.

Chocolate Pudding

Chocolate pudding is one of those foods I associate with childhood.  Growing up, my mom would make pudding for us using the box mix.  Sometimes she made instant pudding.  That was fun because it required putting the pudding mixture in a sealed container and shaking the daylights out of it to mix it up.  (At least that’s how we did it when I was helping.)  More often, Mom made the kind you had to cook and then let chill. That was also fun because we never put plastic wrap on the top of the pudding cups so they got a nice thick film.  (Am I the only one who thinks it’s fun to eat pudding skin?)

I never was into the pudding cups you could buy at the store.  My mom’s “homemade” pudding seemed far superior in taste.  Plus I was weirded out by the idea of pudding that didn’t need to be refrigerated.  That went against everything I knew about dairy products at that point in my life.  (Shelf-stable boxed milk would have probably blown my mind.) Homemade pudding from scratch was not something I knew anything about as a kid.  As an adult, I knew you could make pudding yourself, but I’d never tried it.  Over the past couple of years, I’ve saved several pudding recipes to try.  For whatever reason, I’ve never gotten around to making any of them.  The other night however, I was having a serious sweets craving.  Stan was at the store getting groceries, and while I’d texted him a request for ice cream, I had my suspicions he wouldn’t remember to bring any home.  (I was right.)  I didn’t want to take any chances, so I went looking for the chocolate pudding recipe I knew I had stored away.

And I gotta say… I’m glad Stan forgot the ice cream because homemade chocolate pudding rocks.  It is richer and more chocolaty and more decadent than anything you can made from a box mix.  And much to my very happy surprise, homemade chocolate pudding is just about as easy to make as the pudding you cook from a box.  All you have to do is whisk a few things together, heat everything up, and whisk a little more.  See?  Easy.  Perhaps the very best part about scratch-made pudding is that you probably already have all of the ingredients in your fridge and pantry so you can make it anytime you have a craving.  And I suspect you’ll be having lots of cravings once you have a taste of this homemade pudding.

Blueberry Bread

If you follow The Well-Fed Newlyweds on Facebook (and if you don’t, you should!), you will likely recall the blueberry-buying extravaganza I went on a couple of weeks ago.  For those of you who didn’t see my thrilled/horrified posts, let me fill you in…

Whole Foods had a 1-day sale on organic blueberries – they were selling pints for less than the non-organic berries at my local supermarket.  Clearly an excellent deal, right?  So I went and I bought… a case. A case contains twelve pints.  In my defense, two pints were purchased for a friend, but the other ten, those were all mine.

Since I didn’t know what to do with them, I turned to you, my helpful, recipe-suggesting readers.  And like always, you came through.  I came up with a plan for how to use those blueberries – and then I completely abandoned my plan and made different recipes instead.  (Not to mention the massive amount of berries consumed by the handful.)

Today’s recipe for blueberry bread is one of the healthier ways I used my blueberries.  The loaf is made with white whole wheat flour and oatmeal so it is hearty and a little dense.  It’s a quick bread, so it’s easy to make.  And the entire loaf is filled and topped with fresh blueberries bursting with sweet juice.  It’s the perfect breakfast bread, snack bread, dessert bread… It’s also the perfect way to use up some blueberries.  You know, in case you’re like me, and sales make you go a little shopping-crazy.

Strawberries with Cannoli Cream Dip

I don’t know about you, but after last week’s hearty, Mexican-inspired recipes, I’m in the mood for something a little lighter.  A little more Spring-like.  Something containing fruit.  Something like today’s recipe for Strawberries with Cannoli Cream Dip.

I’ve had this recipe saved to try for about a year.  A big sale on strawberries last week gave me the excuse I’d been waiting for to try it out.  Of course, like so many recipes I tell you about, after just one bite, I kicked myself for not trying this one sooner.

Imagine all of the creamy, slightly sweet flavor of traditional cannoli filling paired with juicy, ripe strawberries instead of the typical cookie wrapper.  Heavenly – as good as the original with a springtime twist.  If you’re not a fan of strawberries, this dip would also be amazing as a dip for cookies or graham crackers, spread on top of brownies, or even as a topper for cupcakes.  It’s even good straight out of the bowl.  Not that I would eat dip right from the bowl or anything… Just sayin’.

Oreo Cheesecake Bars

Oh my. Good golly. Holy crap. That is along the lines of what I thought when I tasted my first bite of these Oreo Cheesecake Bars. And then I might have done a little happy dance around the kitchen. But I won’t cop to that – cause that would be embarrassing. And I do plenty enough to embarrass myself on a regular basis. I don’t need to add sugar-induced, hallelujah dancing to the list. So let’s just say, if you are prone to busting out some rockin’ dance moves when feeling euphoric, you might want to sample your first bite of these bars when no one else is home. I’m just sayin’.

Because these creamy, crunchy, cheesecake-y babies are so crazy good. They are I-would-eat-lettuce-for-a-week-to-justify-eating-them good. They are so good I was glad I was baking them for other people. And that I had friends to invite over to eat the rest. And that the few that remained fit in a small spot in the back of the freezer. Cause there’s no way these bars can have a regular seat at my currently healthy-eating table.

If you are in the mood for a treat, however, run to the kitchen as fast as you can and get to work. But don’t worry – there’s little work to be done. First you need to make an easy chocolate cookie crust using crushed chocolate sandwich cookies (like Oreos or something similar if you are like me and aren’t a fan of some of the ingredients in Oreos). Then you make the creamy, tangy, rich, and dreamy cheesecake layer. Pour the cheesecake on top of the crust, and bake. All you have to do after that is let it cool down, then chill it til the bars are very cold. (You may need to leave the house for this part to resist digging in too soon.)  

When they’re ready, cut them up and prepare to bliss out. Just make sure you invite some friends over to help you (after the first potentially embarrassing bite), because this recipe is very rich and makes a lot. Not that that’s ever a bad thing.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie

When I first came across this recipe, it kind of blew my mind. I like cookies, and I like pie, but I have to say it had never occurred to me to make a cookie pie. Since I don’t think you can (almost) ever have too much of a good thing, the prospect of taking a pie crust and filling it with cookie dough seemed to be a special kind of genius.

I made this Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie for our Valentine’s Day dessert, and let me tell you, it lived up to my expectations. Plus it got me thinking – what else would be tasty baked up in a pie shell? Frosted cake pie? Brownie pie? The fattening, delicious possibilities are endless.

But I digress. This pie is a dream for several reasons. First, it comes together in a snap and requires no fancy equipment. Since my burnt hand isn’t quite healed yet, I used my stand mixer to help me out. The cookie dough itself is made a little differently than traditional cookie dough, which results in a softer, fluffier dough that is easy to scoop into a pie crust. (You can go all out and make a homemade crust or go the quick and easy version and pick one up at the store.)

Another reason this pie rocks is that it is equally good served warm (not hot) or at room temperature. When it is warm, the chocolate chips are all melty and the filling is enticingly gooey.

When the pie cools to room temperature, the filling sets up a bit more and the chocolate solidifies. Served this way I think you get a little bit more of the cookie essence. No matter the temp, this pie is rich, so small slices are a must – especially if you decide to top them off with scoops of vanilla ice cream or dollops of whipped cream.

Spiked Blueberry Crumb Bars

Over the past couple of years, I’ve tried more and more to cook seasonally. By that I mean that I try to use in-season produce as much as possible – if it’s local too, so much the better. Nashville is a fantastic city for seasonal cooking as we have an array of farmers markets, organic markets, specialty stores, and supermarkets. I realize that not everyone has the time or interest to visit multiple food stores per week, but for a foodie like me, it’s pretty great.

That being said, I’m sure you’re asking yourself why I’m featuring a blueberry recipe today when blueberries are most certainly not in season – at least not in the U.S. Here’s why – my loving husband and sweet father-in-law went grocery shopping for us last weekend and picked up a huge container of blueberries since they know I love them. You can’t fault them for that! The blueberries had good flavor, but their texture was a little mealy. We didn’t want to eat them straight out of the container, but I knew they would be perfect for baking.

A quick scan through my ever-growing list of waiting-to-be-tried dessert recipes led me to these Spiked Blueberry Crumb Bars. The recipe called for the exact amount of blueberries I had on hand and could be made relatively easily with only one hand – and the help of my trusty stand mixer. (I made these a few days post-burn.)

I must say, in season or not, I’m so glad we had these blueberries hanging out in our fridge because these crumb bars rock. A sweet (but not too sweet) blueberry filling is spiked with a little rum (or lemon juice if you’re not feeling the rum) and sandwiched between two layers of crumbly crust. The bars are delicious warm, cold, or room temperature. After some scientific taste testing, I’d have to say we like them best very cold, right out of the fridge. The recipe makes a lot so these crumb bars would be perfect for entertaining, made for a fancy brunch dessert or served with tea after dinner. I finally had to pop the last few into the freezer to save us from ourselves.

Cherry Cobbler

Ok, friends, it may be a week and a day later than planned, but it’s finally time to kick off our Second Annual Sweets Week! Better late than never, right? My hand has healed enough that I’m back in the kitchen, and I’m thrilled to bring you some new sweets to share with the sweeties in your lives.

I think it’s only fitting to start things off with the recipe responsible for my second-degree burns, er, I mean the small delay in posting this recipe. And let me tell you, this cherry cobbler was almost worth the pain. Okay, not really, but it is crazy good.

In addition to being delicious, this cherry cobber recipe is very easy to make. You make a quick-cooking cherry filling and top it with small, fluffy, sugar-crusted, biscuits. When it comes out of the oven the cherries are bursting with (not too) sweet juice that soaks into the bottom of the biscuits, giving them lovely cherry-soaked bursts of flavor. Served warm with some vanilla ice cream on top, this might just become your new favorite dessert. It is definitely going to be making frequent appearances in our home – with a stack of oven mitts nearby.

Cocoa Banana Bread

I keep telling myself I’m not going to post anymore banana bread recipes. At least not for awhile. At least not until you’ve forgotten how many I’ve already posted in the past year. And I’ve kept good on my promise for a little while. It’s been three months since I’ve posted a banana bread/muffin recipe. I even tried a new recipe during that time, decided that it wasn’t good enough to merit breaking my vow of silence, and didn’t tell you about it. I’ve been so good. Will you forgive me now for not being able to resist any longer? It’s for a good reason, I promise.

I knew this banana bread would be a winner from the get-go. The ingredients are fabulous – and simple. Butter and buttermilk to guarantee moist, rich bread. Lots of cocoa powder for gorgeous, dark color and deep, chocolaty flavor. Bananas, of course, and chocolate chips too – you know, just in case this bread wasn’t rich enough already. From tasting the batter alone, I knew it would be divine.

The baking time for recipe is a little longer than most banana breads I’ve made, which makes sense given the heft and density of the loaf. To keep the top of the loaf from getting too dark before the middle cooks through, you just have to place a little foil tent over the bread about halfway through baking. I was skeptical if this would work, since my oven runs hot, but it worked perfectly. My loaf came out beautifully, just begging to be sliced into – but I resisted and let it cool completely so it would be easier to slice. And when I did… chocolate banana bread bliss, totally worthy of breaking my vow of silence.

Molasses Spice Cookies

College roommates are great for a lot of things. They’ll lend you clothes and jewelry so you look extra cute for an important party. They’ll sing indie rock and show tune duets with you even though you can’t sing on key. They’ll even go out with you in the pouring rain so you can meet up with a boy you like. (Just make sure you thank your roomie for that at your wedding when you marry that same boy.)

College roommates are also great for introducing you to new recipes – like these cookies, for instance. Until recently, I was convinced I did not like spice cookies even though I love spices in everything else. Perhaps I had a less than tasty specimen when I was a kid. Whatever the reason, spice cookies have never been on my radar. Until now that is, and I have my former college roomie to thank!

These molasses spice cookies are sweet and buttery. They are spice-kissed with a touch of salt. They are soft and chewy with a crunchy sugar coating. Basically, they rock. They are also quite easy to make. Just make sure you leave enough time to let the dough chill in the fridge for a couple of hours. You need that time to let the dough firm up enough to roll it into balls – and to call up your old roommate and thank her again for changing your mind about spice cookies, helping you get together with your future husband, or you know, whatever else you might need to thank her for.

Easy Chocolate Fudge

I have a question for you. It’s super important, so please, stop whatever else you are doing and think long and hard. Here goes: do you know how easy it is to make homemade fudge? If you do, why didn’t you tell me?! I could have been making fudge way too often, eating way too much of it, and gaining way too much weight. Okay, on second thought maybe it’s not such a bad thing that you didn’t let me in on your fudge-making secret. For those of you, like me, who didn’t know how easy it is to make homemade fudge, prepare yourself to get excited… and maybe let out your waistlines just a little bit.

This chocolate fudge recipe is easy from start to finish. The ingredients are basic, easy to find, and inexpensive to buy. We’re talking chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, salt, and nuts if you want them. Even better, the process is simple, quick, and dirties very few dishes. Oh how I wish I had known all of this sooner. I’d have been making fudge for parties, to take to work, to eat in front of the television… In other words, if you’re looking for a quick and easy dessert this holiday season, look no further than this easy chocolate fudge.

Dulce de Leche Sandwich Cookies

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and I am feeling thankful. Thankful for family and friends. Thankful for a nice place to live and plenty of food to eat. I’m feeling thankful for all of you, too. You come here and read my ramblings, check out my pictures, and read my recipes. Knowing you’re out there keeps me cooking, trying new things, and figuring out entertaining (I hope) ways to tell you about it. And so I thank you. Stan thanks you too, since he gets to eat everything I share with you.

Because I’m feeling thankful, I’m going to post a new recipe every day until Thanksgiving. Some of them will be things you might want to put on your Thanksgiving table. Others will be lighter, healthier options you might want to check out after your Thanksgiving feast. Either way, you’ll want to check back often because there is going to be some serious culinary goodness coming your way over the next five days.

To kick things off, I’d like to tell you about some cookies that might just rock your world. I made these for a party recently and to say they were a hit would be an understatement. To illustrate my point, picture a grown man walking around with a cookie in each hand, alternating bites between the two. That actually happened, and it wasn’t my husband – though he couldn’t stop eating them either.

The star and show-stopping ingredient in these cookies is dulce de leche. Dulce de leche is basically a caramelized milk product. It is thick and rich and sweet. You can buy it already prepared in cans or jars or you can make your own by caramelizing sweetened condensed milk. Look for prepared dulce de leche in the baking aisle of your supermarket next to the sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk (that’s where I get mine) or in the international foods aisle in the Latin American section.

For these cookies, dulce de leche is added to the cookie batter and is used as a filling for the sandwiches. The cookies themselves are soft, chewy, and richly flavored. They are also a breeze to make if you have an electric mixer. Sandwiched together with a smear of dulce de leche in the middle, the cookies are a decadent, easily portable treat. They aren’t as fancy looking as many other desserts, but they are special enough that they will leave those lucky enough to try them begging for more.

Cranberry Applesauce

I know I’ve been inundating you with fall flavors lately. I hope you don’t mind. I just can’t seem to resist the allure of crisp apples, bright pumpkin, and cozy spices. They call to me. They beg me to take them and make them into something delicious. And really, who am I to resist the siren song of my favorite season?

So bear with me, if you will, and indulge my fall flavor fanaticism just a wee bit longer. I promise you won’t be disappointed with what I have on deck. We’re talking all manner of warm (and cold) and cozy here. Cranberries are in season now, so they’ll be making some appearances. I still have more to tell you about all the wonderful things you can do with apples and pumpkin. Plus, to balance things out, I’ll make sure to throw in a few dinners and some sinful desserts. Do we have a deal?

Now about those cranberries I just mentioned. Last fall was the first time I’d ever cooked with fresh cranberries. I put them in bread, baked them with apples and pears under a buttery crisp topping, and got them drunk on brandy. Last fall was also the first (and last) time I tried a raw cranberry. Please learn from my mistake and never try them raw. If you don’t believe me, give one a try. I dare you. But I digress. Cranberry season is fleeting, so now is the perfect time to try out some new recipes.

Today’s recipe for cranberry applesauce is simple to make and is simply fantastic in taste – that alone makes it a winner in my book. All you do is take chunks of peeled apples (any kind you like), and throw them in a pot with fresh cranberries, some white and brown sugar, and a little cinnamon, salt, and lemon juice. Cook it all down until it is nice and mash-able, and then go to town with your potato masher. Easy enough, right? As for the taste, it’s a little sweet and a little tart. It can be as chunky or smooth as you like, and the pink color will do wonders to brighten up the dreariest fall day. This applesauce would also be lovely on any Thanksgiving table. Cook some up sometime soon, and I promise you’ll fall in love with fresh cranberries… just as long as you don’t try them raw.

Spiced Applesauce Cake

Sometimes I make desserts because I’m in the mood for something sweet. Other times, I bake because we have company coming over. Sometimes I pull out the sweet stuff because I want to try a new technique. And sometimes, sometimes, I make dessert for love.

Not to get all mushy on you, but today’s recipe was a love cake. Stan started back in school this week (he’s getting his MBA at night), and I wanted him to have some fresh baked, sugary goodness when he got home from class. Hence this cake. It’s simple. It’s pretty. It’s moist and lightly spiced. And it’s topped with cinnamon cream cheese frosting. This cake is pretty much perfect for impromptu weeknight baking. It also is a lovely and delicious way to show someone you love him or her.

Happy 1st Birthday!

I can hardly believe today is the one-year anniversary/first birthday of The Well-Fed Newlyweds. Thank you to all of you who have been with me since the beginning, joined us along the way, and told your friends to check us out, too. It’s been a great ride so far, and I can’t wait to see what we cook up in the coming year.

(Clearly this is an out-of-season, not exactly recent picture, but it's all I had!!)

In case you haven’t been with us since the beginning – and let’s be honest, at the beginning most of my readers were related to me – I wanted to share with you some of our favorite recipes from the past year. These are recipes that we’ve loved enough to make more than once (something that doesn’t happen too often), recipes that changed our thinking about certain foods, and recipes that got rave reviews from our family and friends. I hope you enjoy them as much I we have.