So, I know what you’re thinking.
We don’t need another apple crisp recipe. There are already 34892365 versions of this dessert floating out there in the interwebs. What makes this one special?…
Streusel-Stuffed Baked Apples with Hard Cider Caramel
So, who else out there is in complete shock (denial?) that Thanksgiving is now less than two weeks away? I know I’m not the only one.
Ever since becoming a mom, time has just been FLYING by. I know it’s a phenomenon that occurs with age, and I definitely felt it before motherhood, but I swear…time just…evaporates now. Yes, everyone tells you that before you have kids, but just so many other things that come with being a parent, you just don’t REALLY know until you’re living it. Hello, cliche!…
Bacon & Apple Stuffed Jalapeño Poppers
I made these poppers a few years ago for a party and people flipped over them. They’re a fun twist on your standard popper. They’ve got the basics (jalapeños and cream cheese) but with a few flavor twists thrown in. Namely in the way of bacon, scallions, and APPLES. Yes, apples. You may think it sounds like an odd combo, but trust me, the flavors really pop with this stuffing. See what I did there? They POP! In the POPPERS? Eh? OK sorry, bad joke time is over. I blame it on the lack of sleep.
The apples lend juuuust a touch of tart sweetness and the bacon and scallions…well, they just make everything more awesome (duh). I adore the FLAVOR of jalapeños themselves (they also provide the perfect level of heat for me), but if you have another type of pepper you prefer, I’m sure this would work in most varieties. In fact, if I ever have leftover filling, I’ll just stuff a regular ol’ bell pepper (because I always have them on hand) and roast it off the same way I do the jalapeños. Easy peasy.
I love making a large batch of these poppers when the jalapeños are lookin’ purdy at the store. I cut/seed them, fill them, and then freeze them on baking sheets until firm. Then, I transfer them to plastic baggies and keep ‘em in the fridge for a quick and awesome snack. These babies and football were meant to be together. Just sayin’. You’ll see that the recipe below is for a large batch. Feel free to halve it for a more immediate use…or freeze the leftovers for another time.
I recommend, however, having a large quantity of these on hand no matter what…because they disappear like crazy. People love a good popper.
On that note, I’m off to feed a hungry baby and sneak in some snuggling. I may even pull a few of these poppers out of the fridge for a post-feed snack. Yum.
Bacon & Apple Stuffed Jalapeño Poppers (makes 40 poppers)
20 medium jalapeño peppers, halved lengthwise
8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
1 small Granny Smith apple, cored and grated/finely chopped
3 large scallions, finely minced
5 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
2. Slice each pepper in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds/ribs with a spoon.
3. Stir the cream cheese in a large bowl until smooth. Add the apples, crumbled bacon, scallions, and half of the cheese. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
4. Fill each jalapeño half with the cream cheese mixture. Place the filled peppers on a baking sheet and top each one with a little bit of the remaining mozzarella cheese.
5. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the filling is warmed through and bubbling. Broil the peppers on HIGH for 2-3 minutes until the cheese is lightly browned. Remove from oven, allow to cool slightly, and serve warm or at room temperature.
Apple Crisp with Salted Coffee Caramel Sauce
Two Mondays in a row, I’ve assaulted your eyeballs with pictures of decadent desserts. Sorry, guys.
I know Mondays are usually reserved for getting back on track with the healthy routine, recuperating from the weekend indulgences, and so on…and I guess I haven’t been helping that cause lately. This crisp, though, is so worth the calories. Plus, it has APPLES in it, so I mean, it can’t be THAT bad for you, right? Wink wink.
Seriously, though. This crisp turned out so lovely. It hit all the right dessert notes for me, which might have something to do with the fact that I’m falling into my usual “OMG-IT’S-FALL-LET’S-EAT-ALL-THE-APPLES-PUMPKINS-AND-SQUASH-WE-CAN!!!” mode. I can’t help it. I adore this time of year and the food that comes with it! I have so much nostalgia surrounding this time of year, and I get swept up in it all every time. Nevermind the fact that we’re still having 80-degree days. It’s SEPTEMBER, people. Bring it on.
Am I the only nerd who actually MISSES going back to school? Not the actual school part so much, but all the ANTICIPATION leading up to returning to school? I mean, getting new school supplies (I’m a sucker for a good pen and fresh notebook. I LIVED for back-to-school sales) and finalizing that perfect first-day outfit were the best. Seeing who was in your classes. Using that fresh notebook for the first time. The nerves associated with meeting new teachers and hoping they like you. Seeing where your locker was going to be that year. All that stuff. I loved it. My husband thinks I’m crazy. The first day of school was always his most dreaded day of the year. Not me, though. I loved it because it meant that fall was finally here (and new school supplies!!! Did I already mention that?).
As a result, I always get a little reminiscent around this time of year. The kids are now back in school, the leaves will be changing before we know it, and the AWESOME crisp air of fall will soon be here. Give me all the pumpkin spice coffee, butternut squash soup, and apple pies you’ve got! This is the time of year for it. I totally fall into those clichés. No pun intended.
So yeah, this crisp is right in line with all of that. The crisp itself is pretty standard: apples, warm spices, sugar, butter, and oats all baked together until melded and perfect. It’s the redonkulous caramel sauce situation that has me wanting to shout from the rooftops. I’ve mentioned this many times before, but I LOVE caramel sauce. It is one of my most favorite treats (and I’ll pick it over hot fudge on an ice cream sundae anytime). Add a little sea salt into the mix and I’m done for. Add a little coffee flavor into the mix and I’m super done for. It’s just an incredible combination of flavors. Salted coffee caramel. OMG. So good.
It’s kinda like having coffee and apple crisp for breakfast. Which is totally reasonable for a Monday…
…minus the (mandatory) side of ice cream.
Apple Crisp with Salted Coffee Caramel Sauce (makes 6 servings)
5 cups apples, peeled, cored, and sliced (I used Granny Smith)
½ cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
Pinch of salt
For the Streusel Topping:
1 cup old-fashioned oats
¾ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup sugar
Pinch of salt
1 stick of unsalted butter, cold and cubed
For the Caramel Sauce:
1 stick of unsalted butter
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder (or instant coffee)
1 teaspoon fleur de sel (or other flaky sea salt)
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste (or extract)
Vanilla or coffee ice cream, for serving
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 2-quart baking dish.
Combine the apples, sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice/zest, and salt in a large bowl. Mix well until everything is evenly coated. Place the apples in the prepared baking dish.
For the Streusel Topping: Combine the oats, flour, sugars, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to mix. Add the cold butter and pulse until just incorporated and crumbly.
Evenly distribute the streusel over the top of the apples and place in the preheated oven. Bake for 45-60 minutes or until bubbly and golden. Allow to cool slightly before serving. Top with ice cream (optional) and the caramel sauce before serving.
For the Caramel Sauce:
Melt the butter in a small pot over medium heat and add the sugar. Whisk until the sugar is mostly dissolved. Slowly add in the heavy cream, espresso powder, and sea salt and whisk constantly until the mixture comes to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 2-3 minutes, whisking frequently, until the mixture thickens.
Remove the caramel from the heat and whisk in the vanilla bean paste. Use immediately over the apple crisp or transfer to an airtight container for later use. The caramel will thicken as it cools. Reheat in a microwave on low in 10-second increments until pourable and warm.
Caramel sauce adapted from here.
Hi There. I'm Molly. I'm a food-obsessed, self-taught cook and I can't wait to share my passion for all things culinary with you. My love for egg yolks is just the tip of the iceberg!