Spiced Apple Breakfast Bars

 

 

 

A cool fall morning, apples from the cider mill and some early baking has produced a delicious treat to go with my coffee. My kitchen smells of fall and my day is starting out just right on this last day of September. The bowl of freshly picked Honey Crisp apples sitting on my counter has been crying out to be turned into a fall, apple flavored dessert, of some sort and what could be better than breakfast bars. The spices; cinnamon and nutmeg, are evocative of autumn and go hand in hand with the flavor of apples. If you have a shiny red bowl of apples, these breakfast bars are quick to put together and bursting with flavor.

As always when I bake, I substituted Truvia for the white sugar and Splenda brown sugar in place of regular brown sugar. This recipe is very adaptable to other ingredients and would be delicious with walnuts or raisins. Enjoy!

 

Spiced Apple Breakfast Bars

 

2 cups Honey Crisp Apples ( peeled and chopped)

1/3 cup brown sugar ( I used Splenda for baking)

1/3 cup white sugar ( I used Truvia equivilent )

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 cup flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup vegatable oil

2 T butter, melted

 

Combine apples, sugars, cinnamon and nutmeg in a small mixing bowl. Mix well and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking soda and salt. Add the egg, vanilla, oil and butter. Mix well, then add the apple mixture. Stir well, until there is brownie batter consistency. Place in a 8x8 baking pan, sprayed with cooking spray and bake at 350 degrees for 30 - 35 minutes. Serve with a sprinkle of powdered sugar if desired.

 

{Linking with these friends}

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First Weekend of Fall

 

 

 

It was the little things all adding up that made this such a great first weekend of the fall season. The weather cooperated all weekend and gave us blue skies and mild temperatures. The full moon was a beautiful sight every night and on Friday when I walked to my Bunco group in my neighborhood it was shining so bright on my way, the house lights up and down the street paled in comparison. It was one of those moments when you step outside yourself and notice the beauty of what is around you. Fall is a season for noticing the beauty whether it is a whole woods that glows with red, orange and gold, or the sight of a perfect, lone maple leaf sitting so perfectly on a pot of mums. We soak up the beauty and color of these days while they last and enjoy what the autumn season so vividly brings to the outdoors.

 

 

 

 

It was also a perfect fall Saturday for another football tailgate and another win for my Spartans. We were at our tailgate spot bright and early; still waiting for the sun to rise and bring us some warmth. We had a "make your own" Bloody Mary bar set up, to keep our spirits bright and lots of good food for breakfast. I made the egg casserole dish from my Tailgate! Pinterest board and post and it was a big hit with the crowd. Because the day was so beautiful, we even tailgated after the game and grilled hot dogs to go with our victory beers. We always make each tailgate a little different, with everyone pitching in to do their part and that makes it even more fun.

Happy Monday!

 

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We Are Back At Book Club

 

 

 

A fall night, a beautifully set table and the welcoming chatter of friends all signify the start of another season of my wonderful book club. Summers are a busy time for everyone and while I see some of these ladies now and then, it will be so nice to start see everyone on a regular basis. We had so much to talk about; big things like weddings, trips to Paris, moving to a new house and everyday things too.

 

 

As usual, our dinner was fabulous and in fact when I arrived, our hostess was grilling perfectly cooked salmon. Served with salad, asparagus risotto and a pesto topping it was a light and delicious meal. We sat around the table talking and drinking wine, had dessert (apple crisp - yum) and still had not started on our book discussion. We tried a few times, but got sidetracked with other conversations as we are prone to do when we haven't seen one another for a while.

 

 

As the evening grew late, we did begin to discuss the wonderful book, Orphan Train. I had read it previously, over a year ago (review here) and read it a second time to refresh my memory. I enjoyed it just as much, if not more, with the second reading and I think that makes for a good recommendation. My other book club members really loved this book too. It was good to be back, good to hear everyone's thoughts and most importantly, good to sit around the table with friends.

Have a wonderful weekend!

 

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