Fall dessert

My dad requested Caramel Apple Streusel Squares for dessert this weekend.  I asked how he picked the recipe, thinking he would mention fall and apples, but no, he said he did a search for "recipes with sweetened condensed milk".  Oh.  Well, I thought it was the perfect fall dessert... not that it feels like fall right now, BUT IT IS.    

I had all the ingredients on hand except for the apples.  I used my new Pampered Chef mandolin to slice the apples in thin, uniform slices.  I used the 2nd setting though next time I will use the 3rd setting to have thicker slices.  I have also decided that I will always use the guard because I do not want to cut off any of my fingertips.   Mandolins are scary!  

This dessert is all about the crust and topping.  It is sweet with brown sugar and spicy with the cinnamon and nutmeg.  The apples are nestled between the layers and the caramel mixture ties it all together.  I put some extra caramel sauce on top because the top seemed a little dry.  This addition just made the bars even more delicious.  

What I have been cooking....

I love buying bananas. If I don't eat them, they become a fabulous banana creation. I have a core group of friends at the office and they love helping me out by eating my goodies. Thursday night I made banana muffins. These had a great struessel topping and were very moist. I was able to make 12, unlike the recipe which says only 10.

I recently bought a lodge iron skillet. It is enamel coated and other than it being blue when I wanted red, it is perfect! And it was on sale, which is why it is blue when I wanted red. I made this corn bread recipe tonight and it was wonderful! I feared it would be too sweet, but not at all. The pan cleaned easily with some hot water and a dish towel. Next I want to make an apple pie in it, or maybe a cake. Whatever the pioneers would make in their skillets.

The corn bread was served with mashed potatoes, asparagus, cranberry sauce and TURKEY. HEB had a special where if you buy a pre-cooked turkey you get all kinds of other items for free. The turkey was very good and I will be eating on it the rest of the week. Which is fine, because I will be in Mexico for Thanksgiving and most likely eating fish tacos rather than poultry.


My mom joined us for our pre-Thanksgiving feast and she brought the dessert. It was chocolate mousse torte made with nilla wafers. It was very good and very pretty.

Chocolate Mousse Torte

Nilla Wafers
4 squares Baker's semi sweet chocolate, divided
2 packages (3.9 oz) jello chocolate instant pudding
2 cups plus 2 tbs cold milk, divided
1 tub (8 oz) cool whip, divided
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese
1/4 cup sugar
raspberries for garnish

Line wafers on the bottom and up sides of a 9-inch pie pan.

Melt 3 squares of chocolate.

Beat pudding mixes and 2 cups of milk with whisk for 2 minutes. Stir in melted chocolate and 1 cup of cool whip. Poor into prepared pan.

Beat cream cheese, sugar and remaining milk with mixer until blended. Stir in 1 cup of the remaining cool whip. Spread over pudding.

Garnish with raspberries and chocolate curls from remaining square of chocolate. Refrigerate at least 3 hours before serving.

Knife Class

My knife skills class at Teach Me Now was last night and it was so much fun! It's very personal and hands on. There were only 6 of us and I am now a pro!! I even know how to use the steel to hone the knife!

I shall show you my skills next month.

This is the knife we used. It is a Forschner Victorinox Fibrox and just like Carol said, the only knives you need are a chef knife, paring knife and bread knife.