Gingersnap Apple Crisp

Recipe taken from NewEngland.com
We had an old box of ginger cookies from Trader Joe's given to me by pain rep way back when, and they were getting stale, so I searched recipes that used ginger cookies and found this one. Just had to buy some butter and apples.

Recipe a bit modified because I didn't want to make as much, so used the 9x9 pan. So lower heat in oven and not as long. I used 50 min from recipe and burnt it.

Eric really liked it! I added ginger candy, and he said that having the ginger kicked it up a notch.

Ingredients:

-apples (used about 5 pink ladies), peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2 inch pieces (1/8 apple slices)

-gingersnap cookies (they were the small thin ones from trader joe's like 50 cookies)

-1/2 cup firm-packed light brown sugar

-1 tsp ground cinnamon

-1/2 tsp kosher salt

-butter (I used one whole stick) cut into small pieces

-3/4 cup rolled oats

-1/2 cup pecan or walnut halves (I used half/half)

-vanilla ice cream (ESSENTIAL)

-ginger candy - I added it outside the recipe

Directions

1. Arrange apples in an even layer in baking dish

2. Sprinkle in chopped ginger candy with the apples

3. Heat oven to 350 degrees (365 was too hot)

4. In food processor, pulse cookies, sugar, cinnamon, and salt until mixture has sandy texture

5. Add butter, oats, and nuts and pulse until nuts are size of small peas and mixture looks like wet sant

6. Spread mixture over apples and bake until topping golden brown and juices are bubbling (50 min too much --> try 40 min next time)

7. Let cool 20 min. Serve warm with ice cream.

Pan con tomate

Originally recipes have you rubbing garlic on the bread, but I just roasted everything and mashed it together. Eric said he liked it better with fresh basil on top. He also said needed more salt.

Ingredients:

-tomatoes

-garlic

-olive oil

-basil

-salt

-sourdough toast

-OPTIONAL: The Mediterranean Dish mentions a splash of lime juice

Directions:

1. Roast tomatoes and garlic in oven - I think I did 350 degrees

2. Put in blender/bear chopper w/ olive oil

3. Spread on toast

4. add basil, salt

Date Balls

Because I had leftover Medjool dates from the Sticky Toffee Pudding recipe, tried making these. 
Got recipe from unicornsinthekitchen.com

Ingredients (recipe halved):

-6 Medjool dates

-1/4 cup old fashioned oatmeal, or quick oats

-1/4 cup walnuts

-1/4 cup nut butter (peanut)

To roll the balls (didn't do because of time)

-ground pistachios

-desiccated coconut

-sesame seeds

Directions:

1. Discard Medjool date seeds if not already pitted

2. I ground the oatmeal first in food processor before the other ingredients. Then added rest of ingredients. Mix until looks dry.  

3. Add 1-2 TBSP hot water and mix again as needed

4. Rub olive oil on hands and scoop out mixture and roll into balls

5. Roll balls into other stuff above (optional)

May try rolling into other things next time. Pretty good.

Sticky Toffee Pudding

Took recipe from tastesbetterfromscratch.com

Lately, Eric and I have been inspired by things we ate from abroad. He has been making really good sikil pak that we ate in Mexico. Decided to give this one a go. We ate it at a nice British restaurant called Upstairs at the Grill in in Chester.  Weirdly enough, it was American-themed.

Ingredients:

-8 oz pitted medjool dates (225 g) - used a little more because it gets stuck in the blender

-1 cup boiling water (240 ml)

-1/3 cup butter, room temperature (75 g)

-2/3 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed (145 g)

-2 tsp vanilla extract (10 ml)

-2 large eggs, room temperature

-2 TBSP molasses (30 ml)

-1 + 2/3 cups all-purpose flour (200 g)

-1.5 tsp baking powder (6 g)

-1 tsp baking soda (5 g)

-1/4 tsp salt (1.5 g) - accidentally bought salted butter, so omitted

Toffee sauce:

-1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (120 ml)

-1/2 cup butter (115 g)

-3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed (160 g)

-1 pinch salt (omitted due to the salted butter)

-2 tsp vanilla extract (10 ml)

-chopped walnuts (also used pecans)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven 350 degrees

2. Lightly grease 12 cup muffin tin or ramekins

3. Pour boiling water on top of dates. Set aside 5 min. (was a lot longer)

4. Prepare batter: cream butter + brown sugar. Then add one egg at a time, beating after each addition. Then add molasses and vanilla and mix.

5. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt, then stir into batter (used fine strainer)

6. Pulse date mixture in a food processor, then stir in baking soda. Pour date mixture into batter and gently fold to combine (don't over-mix)

7. Pour batter in pan. Bake for 18-20 min or until toothpick clean. Don't overbake or cake will be dry.

Notes:

Batter was enough for 12 muffins + a ramekin (equivalent to 2 muffins per Eric).

There was too much toffee sauce leftover.  May want to try to halve the recipe next time

I liked it a lot, but Eric was tired of eating it too many days in a row. Again, maybe try to halve the recipe?