Quick & Easy Treats: Cinnamon Butter Rum Glazed Apples

We all have our favorite smells in the kitchen. For instance, I love the odor of onions and garlic being sauteed in butter. And there's nothing quite as hunger-inducing as the smell of smoky bacon frying up in a pan on a weekend morning.

Likewise, there isn't anything quite like the smell of melted butter and cinnamon swirling in a skillet. It's the sort of smell that takes you back to grandma's kitchen... where the promise of fresh sweet rolls looms.

One of my favorite things to do with butter and cinnamon is to add a bit of rum and sugar to the mix.

The sauce is perfect for serving over bread pudding. And it's nearly unforgettable when served atop ice cream. But, it also works as the perfect glaze for apples.

A bit like apple pie without the crust, cinnamon butter rum glazed apples are delicious on their own or with a dollop of whipped cream. They’re even better when served warm with ice cream and spiced nuts. 

Best of all, they take just minutes to prepare, so they're an easy option for a quick weeknight dessert, a topping for pancakes on the weekend, or a nice little sweet something for casual company.

Cinnamon Butter Rum Glazed Apples

There are more great recipes where this one came from! We created this dish as part of our work with the Go Bold with Butter blog, where you'll find an amazing collection of delicious recipes using real butter.

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Imagine Autumn: Crockpot Pork Roast with Melted Apples

 Imagine a pork roast so tender it shreds with the tap of a fork, its aroma redolent of sweet apples and woodsy herbs, and its meat so succulent that it takes your breath away. 

This is that roast.

It starts where most good roast recipe begin - with a good quality pork shoulder, preferably procured from a trusted butcher.  In this case, it was a beautifully marbled roast from a local farm that we pulled out of the freezer and thawed.

The thawed roast spent the night marinating in a mixture of herbs de Provence and garlic before undergoing a quick sear in melted butter, a nice deglaze with white wine, and a day-long braise in the crockpot with some sliced apples and onions.

You can probably imagine the smell emanating from the crockpot as the roast cooks -- the perfume of the apples and herbs swirling about the kitchen, augmented by the savory richness of the pork and garlic.

You can probably imagine the flavor of the savory apple and onion laden sauce that tastes just perfect adorning the meat, but also somehow melts seamlessly into that pile of buttery mashed potatoes you've placed alongside.

But, you probably can’t imagine an easier or more delicious autumn dinner for even the  busiest of weeknights.  So, try it out and enjoy.

Crockpot Pork Roast with Melted Apples

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Spiced Apple Oatmeal: Autumn in a Dish

I'm sitting inside, snuggled on the couch with a cup of Rishi peach oolong tea (which is delicious, in case you were wondering).  And I've just finished one of my favorite autumnal breakfasts, a steaming hot bowl of spiced apple oatmeal.

It's a simple porridge. But, it's warm and hearty and redolent with all the flavors that exemplify the beginnings of autumn.  Spicy ginger and warming cinnamon. A splash of vanilla and a quick grate of nutmeg.  And a pinch of salt to bring everything together. On top of everything, oatmeal is seriously good for you.  But, that's neither here nor there.  It's delicious.  And, on a brisk morning like today, there's really nothing better than a steaming bowl of oatmeal.  Especially when Peef is the one in the kitchen, cooking it up.

But, there are a few tricks to making that perfect bowl of oatmeal. Here's what we like to do.

1. It helps to start with a good quality whole grain oatmeal (not instant or quick-cooking).  Personally, I love both the texture of steel cut oats and the creamy texture you get from rolled oats.  So, I like to use a mixture of the two. 
2. Use milk for cooking the oatmeal.  This gives your breakfast more protein, as well as a richer flavor and a super creamy texture.  For two servings, we like to use 1 cup of whole milk and 1/2 cup of water.
3. Add fruit!  In this case, we added crisp apples.  But, just about any fruit will work.  Try dried fruits like raisins, cranberries, cherries, or pineapple.  Or add fresh fruit like peaches or blueberries toward the end of cooking.
4. If you'd like a little textural crunch, try adding a handful of chopped nuts. Walnuts are a particular nutritional powerhouse, but almonds offer additional calcium and an amazing sweet  nuttiness.   A dollop of peanut or almond butter is also delicious.
5. You can microwave your oatmeal... but trust me when I say that it's really better when cooked the old-fashioned way, right on the stovetop.  To cut down on the cooking time, soak the oats in water overnight by bringing the water to a boil, turning off the heat, and adding the oats. Cover the pot and let sit over night. The next morning, reheat the oatmeal  on low heat for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally.

 And there you have it:  the perfect bowl of oatmeal. Not too watery, not too thick... and it will make your entire house smell like you've been baking an apple pie.


Peef's Spiced Apple Oatmeal


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Caramelized Baked Apple Pancake

Good morning, sleepyheads!
2009 is upon us, and it's time to celebrate the New Year!

We're hoping that your NYE was filled with ample celebrating -- and that you're looking forward to all the fantastic possibility that comes with the start of a brand new year.

However, if you're anything like us, you stayed up fairly late last night. And morning is feeling a bit like it came slightly earlier than usual.

Fortunately, I happen to have the perfect recipe for the morning after the eve. It's a baked pancake that's fairly easy to whip together -- and, for those of you still yearning for a bit of that holiday spirit, it brings together just enough sweetness and spice to satisfy.

First, you want to start with a couple of lovely apples. I core and slice mine without bothering with the peels. But, if you'd like to meddle with peeling them, that's your perogative.
I like to melt a bit of butter in the bottom of my cast iron skillet for this recipe. The pan will do double duty as a saute pan for the apples and a nice skillet for the oven-baked pancake.
Saute the apples with a bit of cinnamon, nutmeg, and a few tablespoons of sugar.
Be sure to add a handful of dried cranberries toward the end of the cooking process. These offer some nice color to the final product -- and I really like the tart-sweet combo.
Now, we're getting to the easy part. While those apples were cooking, you whipped up a bit of pancake batter. And now's your chance to pour it all over the top of those warm, caramelized apples.
When the apples are sufficiently covered with batter, toss the whole pan into a preheated oven, grab a cup of coffee, and enjoy the smell that begins to waft over. The final product doesn't look particularly impressive. But, it smells fantastic.
And when you flip it over onto a platter, you'll see what all the fuss is about.
This is positively delicious served with a nice dollop of creme fraiche ... and a bit of powdered sugar doesn't hurt either.

Make your own!
Caramelized baked apple pancake


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Meltingly Tender Pork Roast

Although we are not huge meat eaters at our house, when it's time to pull out the roaster we tend to go whole hog. And, in this case, I mean that literally.

This recipe is my absolute favorite way to cook up a pork shoulder. The slow cooking renders the pork meltingly tender, and the apples and onions (which are dessimated by the length of the cooking process) make a seriously fantastic sauce. On top of everything, this roast is a cinch to put together -- although it does require a bit of foresight, as the overnight marination really helps the flavors to permeate the roast.

As I've mentioned, first you must marinate the roast. When you've slathered it all over with a mixture of anise, rosemary, thyme, garlic, peppercorns, salt, and olive oil, you should wrap it up as tightly as you can in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for a day or two. Trust me, it will be beautiful.
When you've got the roast all nicely marinated, you should chop up a few apples. I like to do five apples. But, if you've only got four, that will do nicely. Also chop up a couple of onions.
Season the apples and onions with salt and pepper and place them into the bottom of a nice roasting pan with a cover.
Add the pork roast right on top. I chose (this time) to chop my roast into two pieces. It seemed to work fine, so you can follow my lead if you like. You're also welcome to leave your roast in one piece.
You'll roast the pork at 450º for about 30 minutes. Then you'll turn the temperature way down, add a bit of wine to the pan, and continue cooking it for about 3 more hours. What you'll find in the oven upon your return is a lovely thing. Sweet, succulent pork on a bed of the softest apples you've ever laid your eyes upon.
Don't hesitate to plate the whole mess up nicely on a platter and serve it to guests. They'll love you for it.
We had this beauty for Thanksgiving this year with a side of shaved brussels sprouts and some smashed potatoes with white truffle oil.

Stupendous stuff.
And the best part is, you can make it yourself.

Meltingly Tender Pork with Apples

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