I was so excited about the look of my new site that I ran 7 1/2 miles.  Shane was a bit too lazy for a Monday so he went for 3 1/2 and I managed a grueling 4 on the treadmill with an aching shoulder and all. But I was SO excited!

A few things going on:

1. The birds are STILL MIA

Why have our birds gone away? We didn't change the food?

2.  Our clock decided to quit in the kitchen and I didn’t realize it until too late. Obviously no photo … I was dashing out the door when I realized this minor fact.

3.  The new look on my computer….

My new computer wall paper

4.  The new Apple Crumbles site…

I will stop posting from this site but it will stay up.. just no new posts will generate.  So all recipes and past info can still be found. Please go to www.applecrumbles.com for updates and make sure to use the feed so you don’t miss an exciting thing!   Also… if you come across something that isn’t right …not working…etc., please let me know.  All feedback and comments are welcome.  Tips and tricks also encouraged.  

HAVE A GREAT DAY! … and make sure to let Jen know how much you like her work at idesignblogs.com

We are all just SO happy…

The recipe was graciously offered by Rainie Piccione and offers a clarification of Buffalo Mozzarella:  “Mozzarella de Bufala Campania”  is made only from Campania’s buffalo milk.  This satisfying cheese appetizer with its crunchy texture outside and melted inside, topped with your favorite marinara sauce and sprinkled with oregano will only want you longing for the Mediterranean. “

For about 18 sticks,  you will need…

1. 12 oz fresh mozzarella
2. 2 eggs, beaten
3. ½ cup EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive oil)…or canola oil for frying
4. 2 cups Bread Crumbs – seasoned
5. 1 cup flour
6. 1 tsp dried oregano
7. 1 tsp garlic powder
8. 2 tsp fresh parsley
9. fresh basil leaves – to garnish
10. 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
11. salt to taste

 Slice the cheese into ½” sticks.  In a small bowl, beat the eggs.  Mix salt and pepper in with the flour to season.  Mix in the garlic powder and parsley with the bread crumbs. 

Heat oil in a large frying pan.  Coat each cheese slice with the flour mix.   Dip it in the egg.  Dip it once again into the bread crumbs. 

Fry the cheese, about 2 minutes per side.  Place on paper towels to drain.  Serve hot with your favorite sauce.  Sprinkle some dried oregano on top and garnish with fresh basil.

Rainie adds that her kids love these mozzarella sticks.  I know plenty of adults who love them as well  

 Next week , due to time constraints, we will make the Humus/Hummus recipe on pages 14 and 15.   The Appetizer Rolls, page 14 will be made on Sunday Sept. 27th.  The stuffed olives still have to be made and I am STILL waiting their arrival.  All in due time.

If you’ve ever made Mozzie sticks…tell me about your recipe and the results.

It has been a confusing couple of days.   I’ve been trying to switch the blog to a hosted site where I have a bit more flexibility.  I didn’t realize you have to know more code than the pundits advertise.   Please be patient with me and don’t get too confused.  I’ll have to hire a professional to straighten things out. 

Sure signs of fall…

Doesn’t that get you so excited! Halloween! Trick or Treat!  Send something good to eat!   This photo was taken on Old Herkimer Road on my way to work.  I was avoiding road construction in Frankfort  last week and found this beautiful scene.

 When you see that many pumpkins, well!  You just HAVE to make PUMPKIN MUFFINS! 

• 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup 100% pureed pumpkin – canned
• ½ cup Vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract

Preheat your oven to 375F.  Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.

  In a separate bowl, combine the sugar, pumpkin, oil, egg and vanilla and beat well.  

Add the pumpkin mixture to the flour and JUST STIR UNTIL COMBINED.  Don’t over mix. 

Add enough to fill the muffin cups that you have lined the muffin tins with.  You will need 18 muffin cups. 

Bake for 20 minutes.  You WILL enjoy these wonderful, moist, flavorful treats.  Have one for breakfast!

 Guess what we received Friday?   Harry & David Nectarines and Peaches ! 

Can’t wait to bite into those babies!

As for the weekend, we went to the Quarter Century Club clam bake put on by Ted’s company.  It was Ted’s first year as a QC.    

The Park

The Clams

Ted wanted more…

As for today, we went 4.5 miles around the Proctor parks.  I also ran downstairs to get in 20 minutes of weight lifting so tomorrow can be simply an aerobic day.  Yesterday, Shane and I ran 6.5 around the parks.  Not a bad, busy weekend, except for ….DUN…DA..DUN..DUNT…the website crapola!  We’ll get it right.  Stick with me guys and have a great day!

The new site is found at www.applecrumbles.com but not quite in full swing yet.  You will find some goofy stuff. Be patient. It will get corrected in due time.

Since yesterday I have told you that I’m switching over the blog.  Well …it wasn’t a “1-Click” situation.  GoodNESS!  I was on the phone with some very patient techies today…3 times in fact at Bluehost.  By the way…if you want to find a really supportive hosting site..BLUEHOST people!  Amazing!  Even though I’m still having some issues, they have been super.  

So here we are, half way there. Kind of . I think. 

There will be more tomorrow, it’s just I’m a bit worn out from the frustrations and everything else.  Keep checking in…I’ll be back in full swing soon.

The first night of class.  It has been SOME time since I’ve been in a class. What fun!  We had a room of 8 students, supposed to be 10 but we had 2 no shows.  Class began at 6:30 pm and ended at 9:30 pm.  By about 8:45, my eyes were beginning to blur a little but the mind was still alert which was suprising considering usually by that time the senses are shutting down and getting ready to turn off completely for the night. 

I knew this was going to be a good class because one of the students brought a bag of mints and tossed them onto the table to share….who knew this was going to involve  food!  What was even more interesting, this same “minty” guy has a restaurant locally and is also interested in photographing food!  Small world.

 I ended up with 7 1/2 pages of notes.  There was so much covered and most of it I’m still unsure of so here are simply basic settings that I will share and promise more when specifics get a little clearer.

1. Take your camera out of AUTO mode.

2. Don’t use the flash – use natural light if possible.

3.  Shoot with the maximum pixels your camera will offer.

4.  The larger the ISO setting, the “grainier” the photo.  Shoot at 200 most of the time.  The ISO of 100 is not a true setting on my camera apparently. Hmmmm… I have a FAKE ISO!

For taking photos of food, course it depends on light and other factors but for the most part, an F 11 or F16 is a good setting.  That would be the F Stop which controls the size of the aperture.

I noted that the “P” setting or Program mode on my camera might be the best setting.  That will automatically set the shutter  and aperture for me and about 90% of the time, give the ideal setting.

That’s it for now more next week and hopefully it will all come together to make a bit more sense.  

How about a recipe?…

 Something different to do with fish and a stuffing.  Sole is thin, it lends itself to stuffing.  There were quite a few cans of black eyed peas in the pantry…the thought gears started humming.

• 1 lb sole fillets
• 1/3 cup Blackeyed Peas, mashed
• 1 TBS mustard
• 2 TBS Italian Cheese mix (Parmesan, Asiago, Romano)
• 2 sprigs fresh dill – chop
• 1 chopped sun dried tomato – from oil
• salt and pepper
• 1 TBS Veggie Broth
• 1 TBS EVOO
• Fresh dill
• Tomato Slices

Preheat oven to 425 F.  Coat a baking pan bottom with melted SmartBalance or butter. Lay one layer of fish fillets on the bottom of the baking dish. Do not overlap.  Salt and pepper these fillets.  Now mix the Blackeyed peas (mashed) with mustard, cheese, dill, s.d.tomato, salt and pepper and 1 TBS Veggie broth. 

Top the fish layers with this mixture.

Top the covered fish layers with another fish fillet. 

Sprinkle top fillet with EVOO, salt and pepper.  Lay a slice of tomato on top and a sprig of dill.  

Bake 20 minutes – uncovered.

 Serve with sauted greens.

I had Ted and Teddy set up their own plates for photos.   I take no credit for the cosmetic success/failure of the following:

Teddy's BBQ Chicken Sandwich

Ted said “How did I get pulled into this one?”  Guess he just likes eating and volunteering the occasional comment..no laboreous procedures please.

Ted's Mountain of a BBQ Chicken Sandwich

Joanne's BBQ Quorn Sandwich

Should we take a vote? ____TEDDY _____ TED _____JOANNE (no pressure, but I AM the one who keeps this blog    )

The ingredients:

canola oil, chopped onion, minced garlic, tomato sauce & paste *I used left over pasta sauce made the other day using fresh garden tomatoes from Ted’s brother Richard. So I omitted the tomato sauce, paste and water. Apple cider vinegar, molasses…lets talk about molasses…

You hear the Gurus of health telling us to use blackstrap molasses over the other stuff, but what’s the difference between regular unsulphured molasses and blackstrap molasses?   Blackstrap molasses has more iron, calcium, and magnesium.  It is also a little less sweet since it is the result of the third boiling of the cane sugar syrup.  No sulphur dioxide has been added to either unsulphured or the blackstrap molasses.  The comparison between nutrition labels is as follows:

Unsulphured: Calories=60, Fat=0, Sodium=15mg, Potassium=150mg, Carbs=15g, Protein=0, Calcium=4%, Iron=4%, Magnesium 2%.

Blackstrap: Calories=60, Fat=0, Sodium=25mg, Potassium=240mg, Carbs=14g, Protein=0, Calcium=20%, Iron=25%, Magnesium25%.

Now back to the rest of the ingredients… black pepper, liquid smoke, ROTISSERIE CHICKEN, whole wheat rolls, and green leaf lettuce.  

The rotisserie chicken took all the credit in our house.  No recognition for Ellie Krieger and no recognition for Joanne.  A simple ..”that rotisserie chicken is always so good..really tender”.  Of course I chimed in  “but what about the flavor..you know I added the flavors to it”.  “Oh yeah. That’s good too”. 

The dinner was a success once again.  I really enjoyed my meatless version.  I should have added some hot chile pepper to my sauce but it was pretty good even without it. I did cut the molasses to only 1 TBS for my version.  Ted and Teddy loved the tender GROCERY STORE bird  as well as the sauce.

Good going Pam. Great pick for this week’s CEimB.  We like quick, weekday meals.

Tomorrow is an aerobic day and I’m not sure what I’ll do yet.  We’ll see what the morning brings.  As for tomorrow night, it’s the first class of Digital Photography so make sure to tune in Friday or Saturday and I’ll let you know what we learned.  I’m SO EXCITED!!!!     Don’t you just love to learn new stuff?!

Now for Good Eats…

A tortilla meaning “round cake” or an omelet?  This was easy to prepare.  I was able to get everything chopped and ready because Ted had gone to exchange some undies.  A woman cannot buy undies for her man …apparently.  The sporty, boxer type, brand name Nike or Reebok just don’t cut it (and NO SAM! He wasn’t exchanging silky thongs!).  Fruit of the Loom… are you still there?  

• 2 TBS EVOO
• 1 Shallots, fine chop
• 3 TBS chopped sun dried tomato (use oil packed or if you dehydrated some of your own from the summer’s bounty, crumble those up for 3 TBS.) 
• 6 oz mushrooms, peeled, cleaned and sliced
• 2 cups fresh spinach
• 1 Eggplant, peeled and chopped into about 1 ” cubes
• 1 TBS toasted slivered almonds or toasted pine nuts
• 2 whole eggs
• 1 cup EggBeaters * or just use 6 whole eggs
• 2 TBS chopped parsley
• 2 TBS water
• 4 oz Grated Cheese (I used Asiago – Oh WOW that was good!)
• salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in skillet. Add the shallots and tomato over low heat and cook 5 minutes.  Add mushrooms  and eggplant, increase heat to medium and cook 5 minutes.  Add spinach and cook until it wilts, about 3- 4 minutes. 

Reduce the heat, add salt and pepper and nuts. Beat the eggs, beaters, water, parsley, salt and pepper.  Add to the skillet and let cook for about 6 – 8 minutes. You want the bottom to cook so lift the edges now and then to let all eggs cooks.  

Preheat the boiler to high.  Sprinkle the cheese on the omelet and place under the broiler for about 3 minutes until cheese melts.

And of course…Enjoy!

==========================================

Just lately I’ve found a new tasty snack:  FORZE. 

It boasts a blend of natural fats, protein and calcium that activates the “body’s natural appetite control signal… so you can achieve your perfomance goals.”

 I have both the bars and the drink.  Both are pretty good and satisfying as a light snack.   Check it out.

On this particular Sunday, Ted wouldn’t go through the Switchbacks even though it wasn’t muggy so there would be no horse fly attacks (they get pretty bad in there sometimes   ), but he did want to walk up to the Eagle.  It was a beautiful morning for it as well.  I always think that I should bring my yoga mat because it is so peaceful and beautiful, I couldn’t think of a more relaxing place to practice some Asanas.

As we set out this particular morning, Shane needed something in his mouth..typical Shane…

It was cold..51 deg. so I wore my spring mittens

The best part about my Spring Mitts is that they turn into a more "Airy" glove when you warm up.

Can you see the deer at the top of the hill? There were 4 of them. Guess I need a telephoto lens.

Once at the Eagle, we always read the inscriptions even though we have read them umpteen times before.

The Boilermaker 4 mile marker... what is it? ... just over 5 miles to go?

Some wild flora

A view coming down the hill .. the golf course

It's a tough haul up that hill... these two opted to walk their bikes and I don't blame them.

Coming out of Valley View we saw this... the leaves already beginning to change. Fall is just around that corner.

Movie review:

State of Play with Russell Crowe and Ben Affleck…a really good movie. Not your typical story line. Both actors were spectacular.   Worth the watching.

“Academy Award®-winner Russell Crowe leads an all-star cast including Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams & Helen Mirren in the blistering thriller about deception, manipulation & corruption. When D.C. Reporter Cal McCaffrey (Crowe) is assigned to investigate the murder of an assistant to an up-and-coming politician (Affleck), he uncovers a conspiracy that threatens to bring down the nation’s power structures. In a town of spin-doctors and wealthy power brokers, he will discover one truth: when fortunes are at stake, no one’s integrity, love or life is safe. From director Kevin Macdonald of The Last King of Scotland, State of Play brings together gripping performances, riveting suspense and is “sophisticated, intelligent and powerful”

That’s all for now… another weight work out tomorrow morning. I’ll be following day 3 of this schedule:

It should take no more than 30 minutes.  We shall see.

I have this horrible pain in my upper back which was hounding me since Sunday.  It’s a little more concentrated today and therefore just a tad better but still hurts.  Amazingly, it goes away when I run. I just better keep those feet moving today, hadn’t I?

After that aerobic workout, cookies are in order..

The Ghirardelli Ultimate Double Chocolate Cookie - another recipe pocketed from the NY State Fair.

• 1 bag Ghirardelli 60% Bittersweet Chocolate chips
• 1 Stick Butter
• 3 whole eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 bag Ghirardelli Semi Sweet Chocolate chips
• 1 cup finely chopped walnuts

Using a double boiler over  hot water, melt the bittersweet chips with butter.  

In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until thick and combined.

Stir in the melted chocolate-butter mixture.

In a small bowl, mix the flour and baking powder then stir it into the chocolate-sugar mix.  Stir in the chips and walnuts.

The dough will be very soft but separate it into two sections and form 2 logs with wax paper.  I use wax paper because it saves getting my hands too gooped up.  Is that a real word?

Wrap in plastic wrap for at least one hour.

Preheat oven to 375 F and cut the dough into slices about 3/4 “  thick. Bake about 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheet for 12 – 14 minutes.  Yum!