FUN, “D”LISH CROCK-POT APPLESAUCE CAKE - Fabulous Fall Fare!

I love the smells of ‘Fall Flavorful’!Spices, and I LOVE baking in the fall.  Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cloves- so reminiscent of the Fall baking my mom did when I was a child.  With my schedule I also love recipes that are easy to make, BURSTING with Fall Flavors, and CRAZY DELICIOUS!  So, I have combined several recipes, played around with them, added my own touches and finally stirred them up with enthusiasm, and created a WONDERFUL Fall dessert that you will want to make for years to come!  Crock-pot Applesauce and Walnut Cake with Caramel Sauce!  YUMMO!

I love the ease of using my crock-pot.  There is nothing like starting a recipe in your crock-pot and then coming home to the smells of something wonderful that is waiting for you and welcoming you home!  So this recipe is easy, fall flavorful, and soon to be a family favorite!

Ingredients Needed:

Crock-pot

Parchment Paper

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp round ginger

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/8 tsp kosher salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup chopped walnuts

2 Granny Smith Apples cored and chopped

Confectioners’ sugar and ice cream, for serving

           

Recipe Preparation

Place a 15-in. piece of parchment paper in the bowl of a 5- to 6-qt slow cooker, letting the excess come up the sides. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and salt.

      Using an electric mixer, beat the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the applesauce and vanilla (the mixture will look curdled). Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture, mixing until just incorporated.

Add in the chopped walnuts and chopped apples

 

     Transfer the batter to the prepared slow cooker and cook, covered, until set and a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, 3 hours on high.

   Holding the parchment, transfer the cake to a rack and let cool for at about 15 minutes.

CARAMEL SAUCE:

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. butter

1/2 c. whipping cream

Bring to boil. Serve over slices of cake.  Top with Confectioners Sugar.  If desired, serve with Vanilla Ice Cream on the side.

I hope you are getting hungry for this yummy, delish, FALL FAB dessert!  SO easy, SO sweet, SO FALL!  Get your apron on!  Pull out your whisks and bowls, and get your cooking groove on!  You will Have Happy Tummies in your home!

Living, Loving, and Laughing my way through Fall! 

Patti

My Crazy Favorite Fall Projects~ Starting with Crazy Delish Chicken Noodle Soup!

I am CRAZY in LOVE with this time of year!  Fall has always brought a sense of excitement and anticipation, since I was a young in’. As a child, I loved the crisp fall breeze, the crunch of the beautifully colored leaves under my feet!  I adored hayrides, bonfires, roasting marshmallows.  I LOVED going to the pumpkin patch as a family, and choosing the PERFECT pumpkin, or two… or…  ; )  Our pumpkins would eventually be carved into CRAZY CREATIVE designs~ whether ghoulish or simply cute.  There was nothing like seeing our finished pumpkin friend grinning at us, candle lighting up his smile! 
I loved pulling out and donning my fall sweaters, and eventually my chosen Halloween costume, for the most festive of evenings for a child!

As an adult, I LOVE the smells, cider, cinnamon, a scented fall candle.  I experience CRAZY, IMMENSE pleasure in cooking ‘fall weather’ foods- soups, casseroles, anything pumpkin!  I love decorating for the fall, yes with a pumpkin included, and of course my FALL inspired Year Around Christmas Tree!!!! (blog coming)  I love being outdoors and seeing the changes along the gulf coast.  Even though we do not have the gorgeous foliage changes here, like I did as a child up north, we still have our leaves that do change as well as a 
plethora of flowers that are still blooming.  

Oh! I am simply inspired, and so in love with this time of year, 

that I will be doing quite a bit of blogging for you over the next few months.

 For the first in this string of CRAZY FALL BLOGS, I thought I would focus on some of my CRAZY~FALL~ COMFORT, foods that are family and friend approved! : )  There is nothing like cooking a pot of soup that warms you to the bone.  Or, how about a crockpot dish that wafts delicious smells that will greet you as soon as you walk in the door!  What a wonderful way to be welcomed home!  I will also share a few DELISH side dishes, and beverages that I LOVE to prepare during the fall!  I will be including pictures, recipes, and instructions.  There recipes that I am sharing,  while they may have been inspired by another recipe,  are  all my OWN recipes that have been recreated to fit my families tastes, or my personal tastes, so most recipes, while they may have been inspired, are indeed my own creations.  I hope you will enjoy, and I hope you will be adventurous, even if cooking is not your strong point.  These are easy recipes, but crowd pleasers, as well as family, fall warming favorites!

And today we begin with an oldie but goody:

 “Crazy Delish Chicken Noodle Soup”!

Ingredients:

*1 chicken

*1 onion sliced-divided

*4 stalks of celery, chopped- divided

*1 pkg. of carrot chips or 4 carrots peeled, and chopped- divided

*4 cloves of garlic, minced- divided

*1 tsp Italian seasoning- divided

*1 tsp parsley- divided

*1 tsp garlic salt- divided

*1 tsp black pepper- divided

*2 tsp salt- divided

*4 c reserved chicken stock

*1 large can chicken broth (contains 6 cups)

*1 can Cream of Chicken Soup

*3 cups medium egg noodles

Directions:

Rinse your chicken, and make sure you pull the neck out of the cavity.  Place the chicken in a large pot and cover with water.  

Add 1/2 of onion, celery, carrots, garlic and 1/2 of all spices. 

Bring to a rolling boil. 

 Turn the temperature down slightly, and allow to boil for 1 hour.  Take the pot off the stove, and reserve 3 cups of the chicken stock.  Set the chicken aside to cool and discard the remainder of the pot.

Once the chicken is cooled, remove the meat from the chicken. 

Pour the chicken broth and reserved chicken broth into your large pot. Add the chicken, the can of Cream of Chicken soup 

and the remaining half of all vegetables and spices. 

 DO NOT add egg noodles yet.  Allow the pot to boil, reduce heat and cook for about 30 minutes.  Add the egg noodles and allow to cook for 8 more minutes.

Dish your soup up in your favorite bowls, and snuggle up in a warm blanket and be ready to enjoy your Crazy Delish Chicken Soup. I always like to cook some corn muffins to go with the soup~ Yummo! This will warm you up and add a touch of joy to your Fall day!  
I hope you will cook and then enjoy!  

Bon Appetit!

Living Laughing and LOVING the FALL!

Patti