Baked Apples

cIAO eVERYONE!

Haha....that looks ridiculous.... 8-)

Guess what?!?

Today is the First Day of Fall!!!

 Happy Fall Everyone!!

"There is a time for everything,
    and a season for every activity under heaven..."
  (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

May this season bring you a fresh and sweet change, with an exiting new set of colorful experiences, just as the leaves also trade their green-ness for beautiful colors of red, orange, and yellow...

Well, as they are supposed to do anyway.

Unless you're in Florida.

In which case, maybe you should just try this recipe and light some autumn-scented candles and try to remember that fall does exist in some parts of this country... where there are four seasons.., neither of which are named just HOT and cooler...

But no matter where you live, this recipe is still delicious. And very autumn-esque. And I have been reserving it for posting on today since like June. So it has been a long time coming, and you should try it. If you would like to :)

Baked Apples

serves: 1

 Ingredients:

1 small-medium apple

lemon juice

spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, allspice)

sweetener (stevia, truvia, sugar, brown sugar, agave, honey)

extract (vanilla, almond, maple)

extras (raisins, craisins, nuts)

topping (granola, oats, crunchy cereal, wheat germ, nut butter)

Here is my favorite combinations of those listed above:

spices: cinnamon, ginger, allspice

sweetener: honey

extract: vanilla OR maple (depending on my mood:])

extras: raisins, stuffed in the center for baking

topping: a mix of  oats, wheat germ, cinnamon, nutmeg, and stevia, toasted in a boat of tin foil; sprinkled on top of homemade almond butter as it melts onto my hot baked apple:)

Directions: 

There are two ways I have tried that worked well... Here they are:

1) Core apple and preheat oven to 370 degrees.

2)  Place in small glass dish.

3) Stab apple all over with a sharp knife and pour lemon juice all over it, including down the middle. 

4) Add desired spices, sweetener, extract, and extras.

5) Cover with tin foil and bake for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake another 5 minutes. 

6) With tin foil OFF, microwave for 1 minute, and then let sit in the microwave 1 minute.

7) Top however desired; enjoy! (But be careful not to burn your tongue!!!!)

                                                                            -OR-

1) Core apple and preheat oven to 385 degrees.

2)  Place in small glass dish.

3) Stab apple all over with a sharp knife and pour lemon juice all over it, including down the middle. 

4) Add desired spices, sweetener, extract, and extras.

5) Cover with tin foil and bake for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake another 10-20 minutes (depending on size of apple; stab with fork to check. When it is as soft as you like, then it is done).

6) Top however desired; enjoy! (But be careful not to burn your tongue!!!!)

 

 Ciao for Now!

-The Red Lady-