Recipe: Mini Apple Pies

My husband loves Entenmann's Apple Puffs. But most of the time I look for them in the store, I can't find them. Then a video popped up a few times in my Facebook newsfeed on how to make these at home. I figured this was a perfect solution, I can make them anytime I want and I know what ingredients are going into them. And I'll probably get more than what I get in the Entenmann's box.

When I couldn't sleep last night, I figured, why not give them a try. I searched Pinterest to try and find the video and couldn't, but after some searching, I was able to locate the original instructional video from Tip Hero. I wrote down the directions and ingredients and headed to the kitchen.

I've made it easy for you and listed everything here. I'll add my comments and suggestions after the recipe.

Mini Apple Pies

1 box pie crust
4 c. diced Granny Smith apples
1/3 c. packed brown sugar
1 tsp. apple pie spice
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Pinch of salt
2 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. cornstarch
Egg wash
Frosting recipe

1. Peel, core and dice apples
2. Add brown sugar, apple pie spice, cinnamon and salt
3. Mix together until apples are fully coated
4. Melt butter in a pan and add apple mixture. Mix thoroughly and add cornstarch. Cook until the juice is nice and thick
5. Roll out 1 pie crust. Scoop cooked apple mixture onto pie crust, spacing far enough apart to allow for edges
6. Brush pie crust with egg wash to help top pie crust stick
7. Place top pie crust on top and use a cookie cutter to make a "pocket"
8. Remove extra pie crust and pinch edges of pockets with a fork
9. Brush tops with egg wash and put a slit in the top to vent
10. Put on parchment paper and bake at 375 for 15-18 minutes
11. When cooled, mix powdered sugar, milk and vanilla to make frosting
12. Drizzle over pies and serve


I realize the many of these videos are posted by people who have made them more than once and make it look so much easier than it really is. These were not incredibly difficult, however, I have a few suggestions/observations

My "pies"

- For me, 4 cups of apples were WAY too much. I have a lot of leftover cooked apple mixture, but it's gonna go great with some vanilla ice cream! When I make regular apple pie, I use half Granny Smith and half Gala, so I did that here too.
- I didn't have apple pie spice and it didn't make a difference.
- In the video it appears that she gets quiet a few "pies" out of a standard pie crust, I was only able to get 7 and there was a lot of leftover crust.
- I didn't have a cookie cutter in this shape, but found a drinking glass was a great substitute.
- While the pies were good, it really tasted more like a mini apple pie than a puff. Next time, I'm going to try a puff pastry.
- She didn't give instructions for the egg wash so I just looked it up, maybe it was a different egg wash than she used, but the pies didn't brown as nicely as hers did.
- 15-18 minutes in the oven didn't seem to be quite enough, could also be my oven, so start with that timing and adjust as necessary.
- I also looked up the recipe for the frosting, it was entirely too watery, so I made it a glaze.
- All in all, these were pretty good and an okay substitute for the original. I'll definitely be working to perfect this one!!

Recipe: Fresh Homemade Tomato Sauce

Now that I am a stay-at-home mom, I have made a commitment to myself and my family to remove some of the processed and convenience foods we eat. Most of our meals are homemade, but I wanted to make them with healthier ingredients. Getting a picky family on board can be a challenge in itself, so I wanted to get them as excited for eating it as I was preparing it. I have already gotten Brandon to eat homemade chicken nuggets (I make a huge batch and freeze) and "real" mac and cheese (elbows and grated cheddar jack cheese). He now asks for these instead of the pre-made kind. 

I always had dreams of having my own garden and growing the fruits and veggies my family enjoyed. I wanted to grow tomatoes and can them for the long winter months. Someday, I may be able to do that, but in an apartment setting, it's pretty difficult. So for now, I will have to settle for fruits and veggies from my local farmers market. 

Italians love their pasta and gravy and my family is no exception. At least one meal a week, usually Sunday, consists of pasta and gravy, yes, it's gravy. With tummy troubles in the family, I was inspired to make this meal lighter so we could all enjoy it and not feel awful after. 

My husband and son loved it! I paired it with some veggie pasta. It was boxed pasta, but one step at a time. Lol.

What You'll Need:

Extra virgin olive oil

3-4 garlic cloves

1 small onion

3 beef steak tomatoes

5-6 basil leaves

Salt and pepper

Oregano

Sauté garlic in extra virgin olive oil until fragrant

Add chopped onion and sauté until onions are soft

Grate tomatoes

I grate them until it becomes too difficult and I chop the rest.

Add spices and basil leaves. Simmer.

Add to your favorite pasta. 

I use veggie pasta to sneak in a few extra servings of veggies. 

Shhhh...