Apple Spice Waffles

 
Last week I told you about a homemade Apple Pie Spice. And, this spice blend is perfect for these Apple Spice Waffles/Pancakes. The recipe is a variation of my favorite Overnight Waffle/Pancake batter that I make so often. With the simple addition of applesauce and Apple Pie Spice, these waffles are transformed from an ordinary breakfast to a special fall treat.

The batter can still be mixed up the night before and refrigerated overnight. And you can use it to make either waffles or pancakes.

Apple Spice Waffles/Pancakes

1 ½ Tbsp. butter, melted
2 cups buttermilk
2 eggs
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 cups flour
1 tsp. apple pie spice
1 ½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt

For Waffles: Stir together all ingredients. Cover and refrigerate overnight if desired. Follow the instructions for your waffle maker to the cook the waffles. Yield: 6 Belgian sized waffles.

For Pancakes: Stir together all ingredients. Cover and refrigerate overnight if desired. Pour batter onto a hot buttered griddle and cook until bubbles on top pop (about 3-4 minutes). Flip and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until thoroughly cooked. Serve hot with butter and syrup. Yield: 12-14 pancakes.

Apple Pie Spice

 

In the Fall, it seems like I notice a lot of recipes that call for special spice blends that I don't normally keep on hand. And they can be kind of pricey. This homemade Apple Pie Spice takes only a minute to mix up and is a nice addition to baked goods. I have heard that some people will substitute Pumpkin Pie Spice for Apple Pie Spice, but they are traditionally a bit different and I like the variety. 

Next week I will share with you an Apple Spice Pancake/Waffle recipe using this homemade spice blend. 

Apple Pie Spice

1 Tbsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. allspice
½ tsp. cloves

Stir together all ingredients and store in an airtight container. 

Blueberry Pecan Muesli

Muesli is my absolute favorite breakfast cereal during the warmer months. It is so simple to mix up ahead of time and it is easy to customize. My first success with homemade Muesli was an “everything” recipe that you can read about here. Since then, I have tried many different varieties. All of them have been tasty, but this one is my favorite by far. 

As the weather continues to get cooler, I gravitate more toward hot cooked oatmeal for breakfast. So, I may create a hot version of this with some of the same ingredients.

Blueberry Pecan Muesli

2 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup puffed rice or wheat
¾ cup dried blueberries
½ cup chopped pecans
¼ cup shredded unsweetened coconut
¼ cup raw sunflower seeds

Measure all ingredients into a large bowl. Stir until combined. Store in an airtight container. Serve as a cold cereal with milk or over yogurt.

Happy Anniversary!

Today marks the two year anniversary of You Can Make That! I am having just as much fun sharing recipes here with you today as I did two years ago. And, hopefully there will be many more years to come. In honor of this two year mark, I thought that you might enjoy seeing the recipes have been the most popular with the You Can Make That readers.

 

These two recipes are at the top by far. Both have had about the same number of views, but the Honey Mustard Dressing and Marinade was posted in February 2012 and the Pumpkin Spice Creamer was just posted last month. I wonder which one will win out over time?

 

Honey Mustard Dressing & Marinade

 

Pumpkin Spice Creamer

 

Other Popular Recipes:

 

Homemade Amaretto Creamer

Homemade Onion Soup Mix

Cinnamon Tortilla Chips

Corn Cakes

Homemade Ranch Dressing and Dip Mix

I find it interesting that several of the most viewed recipes have been homemade convenience foods. Have you found a recipe here that has become a favorite at your house?

Fascinating Find - Apple Spice Granola

We have been eating a lot of granola lately. My kids favorite is Peanut Butter Granola, but I like to have variety. So, last week I tried this Apple Spice Granola. I was so pleased with it that I couldn't wait for my kids to get home from school so that they could try it. None of them cared for it. Ugh! But, that means more for me.

Rarely do I post a recipe that none of my kids care for. But, this one really is delicious, no matter what they say. I found this Apple Spice Granola at Down To Earth Digs where Stacey writes about “life in the country, tending kids, gardens and critters.” Be sure to check out her tasty recipe along with some very pretty photography at Down to Earth Digs.

Recipe Link: Apple Spice Granola

Blog Link: Down To Earth Digs

Creamy Ranch Pasta

Recently I told you that I was getting tired of our dinner menus. And, I dusted off an old recipe for Kielbasa and Rice that my kids really liked. This is another recipe that I have dug out that I had not made in years. My kids are pleased with it and it is super simple to make. Sometimes I will add some steamed broccoli, but my kids definitely prefer it without.

 

The seasonings in this recipe are the same as the dry mix for Homemade Ranch Dressing. However, I feel like the salt is a bit much, so I typically cut the salt down a bit. The recipe below has been adjusted to reflect the reduced amount of salt.

Creamy Ranch Pasta

8oz. cooked pasta
2 Tbsp. butter
3oz. cream cheese
½ cup milk
1 tsp. dried parsley

½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
½ tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. onion powder

Cook pasta according to directions, drain and set aside. In the same pot, melt butter. Add cream cheese and whisk until melted. Add milk and seasonings. Wisk until thoroughly combined. Return pasta to the pot and stir together. Serve immediately.

Apple Crisp

Lately I have been pleased to find McIntosh Apples at my grocery store. I grew up eating this variety, and they have not been available many of the places that I have lived. I can remember as a kid many times taking field trips to local apple orchards to pick McIntosh Apples and to watch apple cider being made.

One of my favorite fall desserts is Apple Crisp and the McIntosh bake up beautifully. So I pulled out my favorite Crisp Topping recipe and made some over the weekend to share with friends. This is a tried and true recipe that I have shared with both my Cooking With Confidence class and my Investment Cooking class. The topping can even be made up in advance and frozen for later. Plus, it works with many fresh or frozen fruits. I have made this Crisp with apples, pears, peaches, and berries. All have been delicious.

Crisp Topping

2/3 cup raw or brown sugar
½ cup white whole wheat flour
½ cup oats
1/3 cup butter, softened
¾ tsp. cinnamon
¾ tsp. nutmeg
4-5 cups of fruit or berries (fresh or frozen)

Combine all ingredients with a fork or pastry blender. Freeze for later or sprinkle on top of fruit and bake at 375º for 30-35 minutes. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream. 

This post has been linked to The Penny Pinching Party.

Dill Dressing

We have spent the last couple of days eating up the odds and ends in the refrigerator. Leftover pork, leftover taco meat, half a cucumber, a bit of lettuce, etc. We typically have a leftover night each week to finish off these leftovers and this has really helped to reduce our food waste. To go along with our lettuce and other bits of produce, I made up this Dill Dressing. As I was whisking it together I realized that I had never posted it here at You Can Make That. I've been making it for years and I can't believe that I had never told you about it. My favorite way to serve this is over a green salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, and grated carrots. 

Dill Dressing

¼ cup olive oil
2 Tbsp. white vinegar
2 Tbsp. sour cream
1 tsp. prepared mustard
1 Tbsp. dried dill
½ tsp. salt

Measure all ingredients into a jar. Whisk to combine. Serve over green salad.

A Fun Filled Fall Weekend

Over the weekend we visited a local farm. We went especially to go through the Corn Maze. It was geared toward young children with educational questions that gave you directions through the maze. There was only one way in and one way out with no possibility of being lost for hours. My younger two loved it, and my older one was gracious about the fact that it was not more challenging.

At the end of the maze there were more educational activities that they enjoyed. Plus, everyone got a free pumpkin. After the maze, we got some homemade ice cream that is made right on the farm. It was a lovely day and the kids were pleased with all of it.

After we had gotten home, and the kids were off playing in the yard, I saw this pumpkin sitting on my living room couch wrapped up like a baby in a basket. I couldn't help but to take a picture. My little one is definitely in love with her pumpkin!

This pumpkin baby reminded me of another interesting baby that my little one fell in love with over the summer. Meet pumpkin baby's cousin, corn baby. My little one certainly has a unique attraction to produce!

What are you doing to celebrate Fall?