Blueberry Muffin Skillet Cake and a Book Review #CakeSliceBakers

Next time you have company for breakfast or brunch, serve this fun Blueberry Muffin Cake instead of individual muffins.  

It's time for the Cake Slice Bakers.......

Kielbasa Apple and Onion Skillet #CrazyIngredientChallenge #Merlotme

Disclosure:  I received free samples of wine to participate in the #MerlotMe event taking place during the month of October.  All opinions posted on this blog are completely my own.

This month's Crazy Ingredient Challenge asked us to combine Apples and Rosemary, two ingredients that I am crazy about.  See what I did there?  Crazy Ingredient Challenge/Ingredients I'm Crazy About.....sigh....never mind.....

I was initially going to make a dessert of some sort but we are just finishing up Choctoberfest and I was craving something savory.

I had planned on making a skillet dinner for us and had pulled out some fresh kielbasa, red skin potatoes and onions for this purpose.  I thought, "hey, rosemary goes great with roasted red skin potatoes and apples pair perfectly with pork, why not incorporate these ingredients into my skillet?"

I was also still celebrating #MerlotMonth and Duckhorn Vineyards had provided me with 2 bottles of their Decoy line out of Sonoma County.  As you know the Napa and Sonoma areas of California have been devastated by fires.  One of the ways you can help is by buying their products and since it is October you may as well make it Merlot and join in the movement to bring this varietal the respect it deserves.

I decided to serve the Decoy Merlot up with this meal.  The Decoy is a wonderful, reasonably priced, every day wine.  Perfect for a casual home cooked meal before heading out to choir practice. And we had half a bottle left to enjoy after choir....now that's what I call a win/win.

I loved the earthiness that the rosemary added to this and it complemented the sweetness that the apples added.  It is not a beautiful dish but it was a fast, easy and delicious dish.  The wine is flavorful, fruity and dry it matched well with the fattiness and spice of the kielbasa.

Kielbasa, Apple and Onion Skillet

4 Fresh Kielbasa Links (1 lb total weight)

1 T. olive oil

4 Red potatoes, parboiled to fork tender and diced

2 apples, peeled, cored and diced

1 small onion, diced

leaves of 1 stem rosemary, minced

salt and pepper to taste

Brown the kielbasa, in a skillet, over med high heat for 5-7 minutes per side.  Remove to a plate and set aside.  Add the olive oil to the skillet.  Once heated, add the onions, cook and stir for a minute or two then add the potatoes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Let cook without stirring or flipping for 5 minutes, until bottoms begin to brown. Flip and add apples and rosemary to the pan.  Cook and stir until apples start to soften.  Add the kielbasa to the skillet, turn the heat to med low, cover and cook until the kielbasa is warmed through and reaches an internal temperature of 145*   Print Recipe

Join us each month over at Crazy Ingredient Challenge as we vote on 2 subsets of ingredients and combine the winners into creative and fun recipes.  Here is what we came up with using Apples and Rosemary.

An InLinkz Link-up

Apple and Onion Cornbread Skillet #AppleWeek #FoodnFlix

Today is the final day of Apple Week.  All week long we have been sharing our favorite apple recipes and giving our readers an opportunity to win some great prize packages provided by our sponsors.

Disclaimer: Thank you to #AppleWeek Sponsors: Rodelle, Dreamfarm, Casabella, Flahavan's Irish Oatmeal, Pryex, Chicago Cutlery, Rainier Fruit, and Veggie Wash for providing prizes for #AppleWeek free of charge. These companies also provided the bloggers with samples and product to use for #AppleWeek. All opinions are my own.

You haven't entered the raffle yet?  What are you waiting for?!  This is your last chance.....go, right now, and take care of this over at my Welcome Post.  I will be right here waiting for you when you are done.

Welcome back.  I am so glad you took care of that.  I am really hoping that one or more of my readers are lucky enough to win one of these great sponsor gifts.

I hope you have been enjoying this week as much as I.  I found some great recipes to put on my to make list.  I also loved creating recipes to share with you and to make life even better I was able to combine groups to which I belong on several of the days.

Monday, I incorporated apples and oats into these wonderful muffins for Muffin Monday.  Tuesday I was able to share my thoughts on our Cook the Books selection with these amazing apple turnovers.

Today I am sharing this month's movie selection from FoodnFlix.  I was so happy when Debra of Eliot's Eats chose To Kill a Mockingbird this month.  It is one of my favorite movies and I was happy to watch it again with foodie glasses on.  You can learn more at Debra's announcement post.

I am sure that even if you haven't read the book or watched the film, you know pretty much the premise of the story.  Atticus Finch, a well respected, small town, southern lawyer during the great depression who is given the task of defending a black man accused of raping a white female.  This story is told as seen through the eyes of 6 year old, Scout, his daughter.

There is not a lot of food in this movie but there is a fair amount.  These are the foods that caught my eye.

• Hickory Nuts for payment when Walter needed some legal work provided.
• Atticus accepts the nuts saying the "Collards last week were delicious". 
• Hot biscuits for breakfast 
• Apple being eaten by Jeb 
• Cabbage patch when they met Dill 
• Cookies? when coming out of the house 
• Coffee, Milk Bacon, Scrambled Eggs, Biscuits for breakfast on the first day of school
• Roast, Cornbread, Collard Greens, Beans during dinner and speech about Mockingbirds 
• Squirrels and Rabbits that Walter hunts for dinner 
• Syrup (Molasses) for Walter to put on his food 
• Lemonade, Cookies, Canned Goods in kitchen cupboard 
• Ham (Scout's costume) 
• Angel Food Cakes (brought to Boo's door)

I took my inspiration from that southern staple, cornbread, and, since it is Apple Week, the apple that Jem was enjoying at the beginning of the film.

I made this amazing Apple and Onion Cornbread Skillet that I found at Bon Appétit.  Caramelized onions and delicious fresh apples are sprinkled over homemade cornbread batter and baked to a beautiful golden brown.  

This takes cornbread to a whole new level.  It was amazingly scrumptious.  I couldn't get enough of it.  I served it with dinner one evening when we had guests over and was happy to have a slice leftover to enjoy for breakfast the next day.

I adapted this recipe very slightly and I used thinly sliced Honeycrisp apples from one of our sponsors, Rainier Fruits. I didn't have any buttermilk on hand so I made my own by using fresh milk soured with lemon juice.  The ratio for this is 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar for each cup of fresh milk.  Mix together and let rest for about 5 minutes before using.

I love using a cast iron skillet when making cornbread but you could also use an 8" square baking pan for this recipe.

I want to give a huge shout out of thanks to Carlee of Cooking with Carlee for all of her hard work on this event.  It was a great success and I truly appreciate all of her efforts: organizing, seeking out sponsors, making graphics, spending each day for months checking and double checking all of the components that go into making an event successful. 

You will find all the other final Apple Week offerings directly below this recipe.

Apple and Onion Cornbread Skillet

slightly adapted from Bon Appétit

1 stick butter

1/2 of a large sweet onion, thinly sliced

salt and pepper, to taste

2 medium red skinned apples, thinly sliced

5 T. sugar, divided

5 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves reserved, stems discarded

1 1/2 c. cornmeal

1 c. flour

1 T. baking powder

2 eggs

1 1/2 c. buttermilk

Melt 2 T. of the butter in a cast iron skillet over medium high heat.  Add the onion, season with salt, pepper and 2 T. of the sugar.  Cook and stir until onions soften and begin to brown, about 5 minutes.

Add the apples and thyme leaves.  Cook another 5 minutes, until apples are softened. Transfer mixture to a plate and set aside.

Whisk together the cornmeal, flour and baking powder with a pinch of salt and the remaining 3 T. of sugar.  Make a well and add the eggs, buttermilk and 6 T. of butter, melted and cooled.  Whisk together until batter is smooth with no lumps remaining.  Fold in half of the reserved apple/onion mixture and pour batter into the cast iron skillet used earlier.  Sprinkle the remaining apple/onion mixture over the top of the batter.

Bake in a preheated 400* oven for 30-40 minutes, until golden brown and a skewer, inserted into the middle of the bread, removes cleanly.  Print Recipe

More Amazing Apple Recipes for this Final Day of Apple Week

• Apfelstrudel Recipe (Apple Strudel from Scratch) from House of Nash Eats 
• Apple and Onion Cornbread from A Day in the Life on the Farm 
• Apple Butter Cheesecake from The Redhead Baker 
• Apple and Butternut Squash Autumn Lasagna from All That's Jas
• Apple Chicken Stew from Jolene's Recipe Journal 
• Apple Dark & Stormy from The Crumby Kitchen 
• Apple Mincemeat Pie from Palatable Pastime 
• Apple Pie Bread from Sew You Think You Can Cook 
• Apple Pie Pancakes from 4 Sons 'R' Us 
• Apple Praline Bread from Family Around the Table 
• Apple Stuffing Crusted Pork Chops from Caroline's Cooking 
• Battered Chocolate Caramel Apple Slices from The Freshman Cook  
• Caramel Apple Pull Apart Bread from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks 
• Cinnamon Apple Donuts from Daily Dish Recipes
• Diminutive Caramel Apples from Culinary Adventures with Camilla 
• Easy Caramel Apple Butter from Grumpy's Honeybunch 
• Fast and Easy Peanut Butter Yogurt Fruit Dip from Cooking With Carlee 
• Mom's Apple Cake from Books n' Cooks 
• Roasted Butternut Squash and Apples from Simple and Savory  
• Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Apples from Feeding Big 
• Savory Apple Turkey Brie Galette from Bear & Bug Eats 

Apple Pie in a Skillet?....Yes Siree! #AppleWeek

Today is the final day of #AppleWeek.  I have so enjoyed sharing a new apple recipe with you each day and seeing what all the others have shared each day.  My to make list  is getting huge.  I will be breaking in my new kitchen this fall, big time.

Today we are invited to post Anything Apple.  I was hosting a Soup Swap a couple of weeks ago. I invited 3 couples to join us. We all brought soup and I provided a Chopped Apple Salad, some Pumpkin Dinner Rolls and this amazing Apple Pie in a Skillet for dessert.

It was the perfect ending for a casual soup and salad night with friends and it is the perfect ending for this amazing #AppleWeek that we have been sharing with you.  

You start off by caramelizing an assortment of apples in your skillet.  I love using different types of apples in my pies. It gives each bite a different texture and level of sweetness or tartness.  I used some galas, granny smith and honeycrisps in this pie.  

It's easy as can be...after you caramelize the apples, you let them cool for a bit and then you place a pie crust on top of them.  Cut some vent holes and put it in the oven to bake. Once it was baked, I just let it cool right in the skillet.  When it was time for dessert, I brought the skillet to the table and cut into it.  It was a great presentation.

I had eight guests so one pie skillet was the perfect amount. Of course, I am sure had I made two of these pies there would have been no leftovers and absolutely no complaints.  

I want to take a moment to thank Carlee of Cooking with Carlee, for all of her hard work and for allowing me to join in the fun.  Don't forget to scroll past my recipe to the other final shares for this amazing #AppleWeek.

Apple Pie Skillet

adapted from Cuisine at Home

2 T. Butter

6 apples of your choice, (I used 3 varieties) peeled, cored and cut into eighth's.

1/4 c. brown sugar

zest of 1/2 lemon

1/2 t. ground cinnamon

pinch of salt

1/2 c. apple cider

juice of 1/2 lemon

1 T. corn starch

1 pie crust

1 egg, beaten

1 t. sugar

Melt butter in a cast iron skillet over med heat. Add the apples and brown sugar.  Cook for about 5 minutes until apples begin to soften  Reduce heat to low and stir in the cinnamon, salt and zest. Whisk together the cider, lemon juice and cornstarch.  Add to the apples, cook and stir until thick and glossy, about 5 minutes longer.  Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes.  Lay the pie crust over the apples and crimp the edges against the skillet.  Brush with the beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar. Cut slits to allow the steam to escape and bake in a preheated 400* oven for 20 minutes, rotate pan and bake for another 15-20 minutes until golden brown and bubbly. Allow to cool to room temperature before serving. Print Recipe

Monday: Appetizers and Drinks

• Apple Brie Roll Up  by Family Around the Table
• Apple Cider Margaritas by A Palatable Pastime
• Apple Cheddar Pinwheels by Cooking With Carlee 
• Apple Pie Martini by Amy's Cooking Adventures
• Apple Pie Smoothie by Feeding Big
• Hot Fireball Apple Cider by Grumpy's Honeybunch
• Caramel Apple Float by Jolene's Recipe Journal 
• Caramel Apple Martini by A Day in the Life on the Farm 
• Caramel Appletini by The Speckled Palate 
• Crockpot Apple Sauce by I Say Nomato 
• Hot and Boozy Caramel Apple Cider by Love My Messy Messy Mess 
• Mulled Apple Shrub Mule by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures 
• Red Hot Apple Cider by New South Charm
• Roasted Apple and Acorn Squash Soup by Caroline's Cooking 
• Slow Cooker Caramel Apple Cider by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks

Tuesday: Main Dishes and Sides

• Apple Cheddar Grilled Cheese by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
• Apple Cider Bread by I Say Nomato 
• Apple-Glazed Pork Chops with Raisins by Love My Messy Messy Mess
• Apple Streusel Muffins by Family Around The Table
• Chicken Salad with Apples and Cranberries by Feeding Big
• Chopped Apple Salad by A Day in the Life on the Farm 
• Fall Apples Become Yummy Applesauce for the Year by Crafty Mama in ME 
• Harvest Brats with Apple Slaw by Corn, Beans, Pigs and Kids
• Sausage Stuffed Apples by A Palatable Pastime 
• Sage Pork Chops with Apple Pan Gravy by Amy's Cooking Adventures
• Scalloped Apples Casserole by Red Cottage Chronicles 
• Slow Cooker Apple Cider Pulled Pork by Cooking With Carlee
• Southern Style Fried Apples by New South Charm

Wednesday: Sweet Treats

• Apple and Nut Drop Cookies by A Day in the Life on the Farm 
• Apple Brown Betty by Corn, Beans, Pigs and Kids
• Apple Cider Caramel Sauce by Cooking With Carlee 
• Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Bread by Feeding Big 
• Apple Dumplings by A Palatable Pastime
• Apple Oatmeal Cookies by Jolene's Recipe Journal 
• Apple Pie & Cinnamon Things by Crafty Mama in ME 
• Apple Pie in a Jar by Grumpy's Honeybunch 
• Apple Swirl Buns by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
• Baked Apples with Chocolate and Caramel by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks 
• Brown Butter Apples by Cricket's Confections 
• Mini Apple Pie with Cheddar Crust by Amy's Cooking Adventures
• Nana's Apple Pie by The Crumby Cupcake 
• Sparkling Cider Pound Cake by Family Around The Table

Thursday: Apple Projects

• Apple Bacon Jam by Caroline's Cooking
• Apple Cinnamon Pancake Mix in a Jar by A Palatable Pastime
• Apple Cinnamon Stovetop Potpourri by Amy's Cooking Adventures
• Apple Suncatchers by Crafty Mama in ME
• Caramel Apple in a Jar by Family Around The Table
• Homemade Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Packets by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
• Knit Apple Hat by Jolene's Recipe Journal

Friday: Anything Apple Goes

• 1 Minute Caramel Apple Dip by Corn, Beans, Pigs and Kids
• Apple Brown Betty by A Palatable Pastime
• Apple Bundt Cake With Cider Caramel by Cooking With Carlee 
• Apple Cinnamon Shortcakes by Jolene's Recipe Journal
• Apple Crisp Shortbread Bars by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks 
• Apple Fritters by Grumpy's Honeybunch
• Apple Pie Skillet by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Caramelized Apple and Bacon Jam Crostini by Caroline's Cooking
• Creamy Peanut Butter Apple Dip by New South Charm 
• Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Apple and Peppered Bacon by Feeding Big
• Individual Apple Crisp by Family Around The Table 
• Smoky Apple Pulled Pork by Amy's Cooking Adventures
• Slow Cooker Apple Butter by The Crumby Cupcake