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Sunday Dinners and Irish Apple Cake

March 24, 2020 by chrissy@mythankfultable.com

Sunday dinners are still a thing. Well, at the moment they are a smaller thing, but typically we eat together on Sunday. With work schedules, school schedules, and life in general, we try to all eat together before the week kicks off again. If I am lucky, I don’t have to cook (Sunday I meal prep for the week so the idea of creating something specific for dinner does not bode well). Even if I do, sitting together with my family and puppy at my feet, that’s the norm. I look forward to it. It’s the little things.

My heart is always thankful for the family that gathers together, but once in a while we get to eat with our chosen family, and that is a special treat. It starts with a group text, evolves to a Facebook event with a sign up sheet, and ends with a driveway full of cars and me having someone back my car out when I leave because I am afraid of hitting someone’s truck. True story. There are packaged up leftovers, drinks and laughter. You can move from one room to another and there is always someone to talk to. Those are the extra special Sunday dinners.

This cake made an appearance at last year’s Saint Patrick’s Day Dinner. When the menu included items such as corned beef and cabbage, shepherd’s pie, bangers and mash, and the like…I was on the hunt for a more traditional dessert. We did have a selection of bailey’s cupcakes and trifle, but for some reason, this simple apple cake called out to me.

Flash forward to now. Here we are at the onset of an “essential trips only” stay in place advisory. I find myself asking if I really need anything…or can we make do? Do we risk exposure to this virus or worse, endangering others if we don’t need to? No. Our family is staying put.

That said, I don’t want to waste one thing. I usually have a large bowl of fruit in the middle of the table and I am finding myself with some apples I need to turn into something and quickly. Enter this recipe.

This simple apple cake is layers of dough and prepared cinnamon sugar apples. It is easy to prepare, and if you make it in a spring form pan, looks really pretty when plated. A quick note about making the cake part, if you grate the butter ahead of time and stick it back in the refrigerator to chill, when you cut in the butter to the dry ingredients, it goes really quickly.

While the dough is light and slightly sweet, this dessert isn’t overly so. The apples retain their texture and so there is a nice tooth to this recipe. In a world of crazy sweets, this cake brings a change to the table. You also don’t feel overly guilty having a slice because hey, its mostly apples.

I don’t know when the next big Sunday dinner will be. I know I will be thankful for the invite. I know there will be laughter and friendship. I know we will be changed by what we are living now. I also know that the hearts of those people were already precious and tethered before something like this came into our lives. Because, those are the types of people I am lucky enough to have in my life. I may swim in my own lane, but I know who is with me in the pool. And while I don’t get to go to every thing, they can have my toilet paper if they find themselves without.

To the next family dinner, when we are hearty and hale, and together again. Sending you love friends.

I hope you enjoy this recipe, and thank you for coming to the table.

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Irish Apple Cake

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This lightly sweet apple cake combines spicy apple chunks between two doughy layers, sprinkled with confectioner’s sugar. It can be served with a caramel or custard sauce, but it is delicious on its own. Adapted recipe from Irish Traditional Cooking.

Author: chrissy@mythankfultable.com

Ingredients

Scale

3 Granny Smith Apples, peeled and chopped
2 Cups All Purpose Flour
2/3 Cup Sugar
8 Tablespoons Butter, Chilled and Cut/Grated
1 Egg
½ Cup Milk
2 Teaspoons Sugar
1 Teaspoon Cinnamon

Instructions

Peel and chop apples into chunks. You could do slices if you prefer.
Toss apples with cinnamon and sugar to coat. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 350* and spray springform pan or cake pan with cooking spray.
In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and sugar.
Cut in butter using a pastry blender or two knives. until pieces are no larger than pea sized.
In a separate bowl, mix egg and milk together.
Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients.
Mix until just combined.
Pat one half of mixture into prepared baking dish.
Spread apple cinnamon sugar mixture over the dough.
Cover apples with remaining dough. It is ok if this is imperfect looking.
Bake for 40 minutes. Cake will be lightly brown on the top.
Remove and let cool.
Right before serving, dust with confectioner’s sugar.

On Church Ladies and Shirley’s Pineapple Gratin

April 15, 2019 by chrissy@mythankfultable.com

Once upon a time, another life ago, I encountered this recipe at a church pot-luck supper. I am not sure how many churches still do this tradition, an event where people sign up and gather together with covered dishes and casseroles…that somehow end up working even though they contain potentially ingredients that may or may not work with the dish it is sitting next to. It’s alway’s somewhat magical, or maybe miraculous loaves and fishes style…there is enough food and enough diversity for all to share and break bread together, figuratively and literally.

This isn’t a post about religion. It is however, a post about family. The family you choose and make your own. I’m drawn to and want to be all about authenticity. Even though I am no longer a member of that church from long ago – there are women in my life today that still own a place in my heart. They are the most authentic, loving individuals. When you meet someone like the lady who shared this recipe with me…it isn’t so much about the side dish as it is about those who’s dish it is.

This recipe is easy and pineapple-y but cheese and crunchy. I know, sounds weird, right? It isn’t.

Think ham dinner with pineapple and Au Gratin potatoes. You put them on your plate and they go. Well, this recipe takes out the potato part. Or those of us who live in New England and eat cheddar cheese on top of apple pie. It works. This recipe is also topped with a crunchy, crumbly, buttery, ritz topping. It is a simple side for an Easter dinner, which, in my world is the only time I bake a big ham.

This recipe basically combines pineapple tidbits, shredded cheddar cheese, crushed cracker topping. SIMPLE. It’s something I throw together in a deep dish pie plate, and adds to round out the sides of the meal. It isn’t too sweet, its a warm fruity option at the table. Truth be told, I make it because it reminds me of sitting along side strong women who lifted me up as a young minister’s wife long ago.

I am so thankful for those women, those pot-luck suppers, and the way my life was made better by sharing meals and recipes. They shaped me to be who I am today.

I hope you enjoy this recipe, and as always, thank you for coming to the table!

Chrissy

Click below for a printable recipe.

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Shirley’s Pineapple Gratin

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This side dish combines sweet pineapple tidbits with melty cheddar cheese and is topped with buttery crunchy Ritz crackers. It is the essential side dish for a ham dinner, and makes for a great potluck addition!

Author: chrissy@mythankfultable.com original recipe from Shirley in Clarks Summit, PA

Ingredients

Scale

1 Can Pineapple Tidbits (you can also use crushed pineapple)
1 Cup White Sugar ( I have never tried light or dark brown sugar but I bet it would work well)
3 Tablespoons AP Flour
1 Cup Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese
1/2 Sleeve Ritz crackers
4 Tablespoons Butter, melted

Instructions

Drain pineapple, reserve juice.
Combine sugar, flour, and pineapple.
Mix in cheddar cheese and incorporate.
Put in a baking dish. (I use a pie plate but it an be made in a bigger dish depending on if you double recipe)
Crush Ritz crackers and sprinkle on top of mixture, and then pour melted butter over the top of the crackers.
Bake at 350* for at least 30 minutes.

Blue Cheese Bacon Wrapped Figs Appetizer

October 21, 2017 by chrissy@mythankfultable.com

Fresh Figs

Figs. Where to begin? So much more than the cookie. I loves me some Newtons. It is the combination of the dry outer layer and the chewy inner filling…I don’t know. It reminds me of staying home sick, or deep dark winters. It is a healthier sounding cookie, even though in truth, it is a cookie indeed.

But what if we stepped outside the Newton and tried something new with figs? This is their season. Fresh figs are beautiful in color, as well as texture. They are light and sweet, and a fruit like no other. What if we took the fig out of the cookie and did something new? Let’s mix it up.

I’m talking about sweet and tangy, cheesey and melty and crispy with bacon. Essentially the fig is the perfect carrier for savory or sweet. So this post and the next are two really easy things to do with figs. Wow your family and table or just yourself, because, hey, you are worth it. I made both recipes on the same night and essentially had a fig fest. I know. But, at least it wasn’t me and a box of Newtons watching reruns on the DVR. Not that anything (ahem) is wrong with that.

For this appetizer, you want to cut the figs criss-cross from the top until almost the bottom, keeping a tear drop shape but making room for the deliciousness that is the blue cheese middle.

This filling is simple, blue cheese crumbles, salt, pepper, hot sauce, a little heavy cream to combine, and then gently spoon into the fig. You want to keep the shape of the fig as much as possible, and the bacon wrapping not only adds to the flavor, it also helps to keep the fig’s shape.

Blue Cheese Stuffed Figs

You can make this batch as small or as large as you need. It is a beautiful and simple appetizer for the holidays or a dinner party, or even with a glass of wine on the back porch after a long week. I’m not a big drinker, but even I have those nights where appetizers for supper seem like a grand idea.

Wrap the fig in a slice of bacon and place on a Silpat or parchment lined baking sheet. Bake. Wait, what? We’re done?

Bacon Wrapped Blue Cheese Stuffed Figs

Yes.

That’s the recipe right there. Bake these beauties in the oven at 350* until the cheese is melty and the bacon crisps up. This was about 15-20 minutes in my oven. You could broil these but I am always nervous with the broiler. I use it, I am just very respectful of it. You will need to gauge it the first time you make this so you don’t have fig volcanos with blue cheese lava.

Once the figs have come out of the oven, I let them rest for a few minutes to set up. Scalding hot bacon and melted cheese is never a wise choice right out of the oven, but after a few minutes, you are good to go.

This is a simple recipe that can be super indulgent. And far far away from the Newton.

I hope you enjoy this recipe, and as always, thank you for coming to the table!

Chrissy

For a printable recipe, click below!

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Blue Cheese Bacon Wrapped Figs Appetizer

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This quick and easy appetizer that combines fresh figs with blue cheese and bacon!

Author: chrissy@mythankfultable.com

Ingredients

Scale

Fresh Figs

For each fig you will be making, you will need:

1 Tablespoon Blue Cheese Crumbles
Salt, Pepper to taste
1 Dash of Hot Sauce (of Choice)
1 Slice of Bacon
1 Teaspoon Heavy Cream
garlic powder or minced garlic if you -want not necessary

Instructions

Remove stems from figs and slice cross-wise top down making a almost quartered but still in tact tear drop shape. (leave the bottom part together and cut open the top)
In a bowl, mix blue cheese, hot sauce, salt, pepper, and heavy cream to create a soft and combined pasty consistency. Don’t over-mix. It should still have body and resemble blue cheese crumbles but hold together.
Fill each fig with filling.
Wrap each fig with one bacon slice.
Bake in a 350* oven for 20 minutes. Or until bacon is crisp and cheese is melted.
Let sit after baking for a few minutes before serving.