It?s a bit tough to tell by the store decorations, but Thanksgiving is approaching. If you didn?t know any better, you?d assume we?re already on track for Christmas.
Now, I love Christ?mas (a lot), but it makes me a little sad that it feels like a lot of places are trying to skip us over Thanksgiving.
I get it. I?m sure retailers make a lot more money off Christmas shopping, but there?s something about Thanksgiving, with its focus on being appreciative and sitting around a table with people you care about, that really speaks to me.
Plus, there are so many amazing foods!
Personally, I love baking pies for Thanksgiving, but I know many people find the prospect tiring and a little intimidating.
With that in mind, I tried a new recipe that any of you non-pie-bakers can make for Thanksgiving dessert and get all the flavor of pie without all the work.
The recipe is for a bloomin? apple, which is a little like a bloomin? onion, except this one isn?t fried, it?s baked. Also, the side benefit is you can make as many as you need, so if you don?t want tempting leftovers sitting around, you won?t need to worry with this one.
The original recipe comes from the blog ?The Gunny Sack.? You can find it in http://www.thegunnysack.com/bloomin-baked-apples-recipe/. The measurements below are for one apple, so just multiply your amounts based on how many you?d like to make.
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Bloomin? Baked Apples
Ingredients
1 large, red apple
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 1/2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1/2 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 caramels (I used caramel creams)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Cut about one-quarter off the top of each apple and then scoop out the core and seeds.
Cut as many concentric circles as you can around the hole where the core was (I just cut a big spiral in mine).
Now turn the apple upside down and make a cut every half inch or so starting about an inch below the base of the apple (Be careful not to cut all the way through to split the apple. You want it to still hold together.).
Turn the apple back over and place two caramels in the center.
In a separate bowl, mix the butter, brown sugar, flour and cinnamon and then spread the mixture over the top of the apple.
Place the apple in an oven-safe dish or pan (make sure there?s room for some juices to spill out).
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the apple is tender and serve immediately with ice cream.
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Be careful when you move these to a bowl. They will be very hot.
Joey and I really enjoyed these. I liked eating them skin and all; he liked scooping out the insides best.
Either way, they?re definitely the flavor of fall and a perfect addition to the Thanksgiving table.
Christmas and all its fun can wait until later. For right now, please pass dessert!
When not helping husband Joey with newspaper work, Lindsey teaches speech, debate and forensics at Haven High School. She can be reached at lindseyclarion@gmail.com.
