Aunt Nimi's Apple Cinnamon Puffs, by Request

Her name is Naomi, but we call her Aunt Nimi.  I love her to the core.  She's of German descent and is a master in the kitchen.  I absolutely love German food:  give me sausage and sauerkraut, potato dumplings, and anything made from apples, and I'm a happy girl.  I owe this cultivated culinary crush to none other than my dearly loved Aunt Nimi.  The Apple Cinnamon Puffs are something she threw together one day, as is the case with most of her craftsmanship, and I hope you find it as delightful as I do.  I do think that the more love you put into a recipe absolutely impacts the final presentation, by the way.  In true Aunt Nimi fashion, put "Love" between the lines of this recipe and throw it in extravagantly, then you'll have it about right.

1 1/2 lb. tart apples (I always use Granny Smith) (about 4-5 medium-sized apples), peeled and sliced or cubed, whatever you prefer (She does sliced, but I cubed them the other day and loved the texture.)

Syrup:
1 cup sugar
1 cup water

Biscuits:
1 1/2 cups sifted enriched flour (I use white whole wheat; loved that texture, too.)
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup shortening
3/4 cup milk
2 tblsp. melted butter
2 tblsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.  Place apples in a greased, shallow 9x13 baking dish.  Boil the sugar and water about 5-7 minutes until it's more of a syrup.  Pour the syrup over the apples.
2.  Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into a big mixing bowl.  Cut the shortening into the dry mixture with a pastry blender* or a fork until mixture looks like meal.  Stir in the milk to make a soft dough.
*(I cannot recommend highly enough a pastry blender.  You might not need it often, but it's perfect when you do and takes up little space.)
3.  Drop 12 spoonfuls of dough (all of it) on top of apples, making a dent in the top of each.  Mix the melted butter, sugar, and cinnamon, then drop spoonfuls of this mixture into dough indentations.

Ah, the waiting...

4.  Bake 25-30 minutes at 450 degrees F.  Serve warm.  Serve with cream or whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, if desired.  Serves 8-10.

There's just something about the texture of this recipe.  If you like biscuits, you'll love this.  Delectable.

Now, since I'm clearly in the cooking/baking mode, and since I have your attention along the food vein, and since I don't want to keep making food posts without saying something else of intelligence in between, I'm going for one more.  This is another dessert that will knock your socks off.  Gooey, chocolatey, caramel-y goodness awaits. 


Caramel Brownies (Don't let the simple name deceive you.  They will blow your mind.)

1 box German chocolate cake mix
1 16-oz. bag caramels, each piece peeled and ready to go
6 oz. of chocolate chips
1 cup pecans, broken into the size of bits that you prefer (I use a nut grinder, courtesy of Mama Joanie [that is, my mom JoAnne], and get them pretty small)
2/3 cup evaporated milk (6 oz. can) or half and half

My fantastic little helper!

1 1/2 sticks butter or margarine, softened

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2.  Mix cake mix, softened butter, and 1/3 cup evaporated milk in a bowl.  When mixed, stir in pecans.
3.  Cook 1/2 of the batter in a greased 13x9-inch pan for 6 minutes.
4.  While 1/2 the batter cooks, take another medium-size bowl and melt the caramels with 1/3 cup evaporated milk in the microwave for 2-4 minutes, stirring every minute. 
5.  When 1/2 batter is done cooking, sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly on top, then pour the caramel mixture evenly on top of the chocolate chips.  With spoon or hands, add remaining batter on top--distributing globs evenly.  You can sprinkle chocolate toffee pieces on top, if you want, and it's awesome, FYI.
6.  Bake for about 20 minutes and check with a toothpick till done.

These are great for freezing.  And really, this is just one of those recipes:  another real crowd pleaser great for potlucks.  Give it a go, and be ready with spoon in hand when the oven timer goes off.  There's nothing quite like dipping in for that first warm and gooey bite!