March 19, 2021

Recipe: Baked Cinnamon Apple French Toast

Ingredients

3 tbsp unsalted butter

3 cups chopped apples (1/2 inch pieces)

2 tbsp light brown sugar

1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon, divided

1 lb brioche or sourdough bread, cut into cubes

8 oz (1 package) full fat cream cheese, cut into cubes

12 large eggs, beaten

1 ½ cups half and half

½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice

⅓ cup pure maple syrup

½ cup raisins

2 tbsp pure vanilla extract

½ tsp Kosher salt

½ cup chopped pecans

Directions

Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the apples and cook about 5 minutes until fragrant and slightly softened. Stir in the brown sugar and cinnamon. Continue cooking until the sugar has dissolved, about 2 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a bowl to cool.

Butter or spray a 9X13 casserole dish. Place 1/2 of the bread cubes in the bottom of the baking dish in an even layer. Top with 1/2 of the apple mixture and cream cheese cubes. Layer again with the rest of the bread cubes and then the rest of the apple mixture & cream cheese.

In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, half and half, orange juice, maple syrup, raisins, vanilla, rest of the cinnamon and salt. Pour over the apple/bread mixture. Cover the casserole, set in the fridge and let soak for at least 2 hours to overnight.

Remove the casserole from the fridge 30 minutes before baking. Top with the pecans.

Pre-heat the oven to 350˚ F with the rack in the middle. Bake the casserole covered with foil for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 25-30 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the center is cooked through.

Serve immediately with more maple syrup and whipped cream.

~ Marla Meridith

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November 6, 2020

Skillet Sour Cream Coffee Cake with Walnut Crumble

Ingredients

For the Cake

¾ cup unsalted butter, softened

¾ cup granulated sugar

¾ cup light brown sugar

¾ cup full fat sour cream

2 large eggs

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 ¾ cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

For the crumble

½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour

½ cup light brown sugar

2 tsp ground cinnamon

4 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1 cup finely chopped walnuts

1 pinch salt

Directions

For the coffee cake

Pre heat oven to 350˚ Fahrenheit. Grease a 10 inch cast iron skillet with butter or vegetable oil.

Using a stand mixer and the paddle attachment, beat the butter, granulated and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the sour cream, eggs one at a time and vanilla.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and the salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in 3 additions. Combine well but don’t over-mix.

Spread 1/2 of the batter into the prepared pan, smooth with a knife or offset spatula. Sprinkle 1/2 of the crumble onto the batter. Spread and smooth the rest of the batter over the crumble. Top with the rest of the crumble, pressing in very gently.

Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a wooden skewer comes out virtually crumb free.

For the crumble

Whisk together the flour, brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Add in the butter and mix with clean hands or a pastry cutter. The crumble should stick together and the pieces of butter should be no larger than peas.

~ Marla Meridith

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July 10, 2020

Recipe: Skillet Banana Bread with Double-Crumb Topping

Ingredients

Banana Bread

¼ cup unsalted butter, melted

¾ cup light brown sugar, packed

1 large egg, room temperature

3 medium sized very ripe bananas, mashed (to equal 1 1/4 cups)

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp salt

Double-Crumble Topping

1 cup light brown sugar, packed

½ cup granulated sugar

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

2 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350˚ with the rack in the middle.
Grease a 10″ cast iron skillet (or any heatproof skillet) with butter or vegetable oil.

For the Banana Bread

Melt the butter and let it cool to room temperature. Mix the cooled butter with the brown sugar in a large bowl. Mix in the egg, mashed banana and vanilla.

Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon together in another bowl.

Add the banana mixture into the flour mixture, combining well. Do not over mix.

Transfer the batter into the prepared skillet, smooth with top with the back of a spoon or spatula. Top with the crumble, pressing the crumble gently down into the batter with your fingers. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a wooden skewer comes out virtually crumb free. Let cool completely before slicing and serving.

For the Double-Crumble Topping

Combine the sugars, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl. Add the flour and stir with a rubber spatula until mostly combine. Using clean fingers, mix until everything is well combined.

~ Marla Meridith

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February 3, 2020

Recipe: Dutch Speculaas Cookies with Peppermint Crunch Icing

Ingredients

Directions

~ Marla Meridith

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February 3, 2020

Recipe: Apple Cider Mojitos

The flavors of fall and winter combine in this quenching and delicious Apple Cider Mojitos cocktail. A great recipe for entertaining and holiday parties.

2 cocktails

–cinnamon brown sugar simple syrup
1 cup light brown sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
1 cup water
–Apple Cider Mojito
1/2 lemon
3 sprigs fresh mint
1/4 cup apple cider
1/4 cup cinnamon brown sugar simple syrup
1/4 cup gold rum
splash of club soda
–for garnish
fresh mint, apple slices, pomegranate and cinnamon

Directions

~ Marla Meridith

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November 10, 2019

Recipe: Pumpkin Pie Baklava