When I asked my four-year-old son what he wanted to take to his class Valentine's Day party he quickly said "nothing pink." Then he told me he didn't want cake because everyone brings cake. I started thinking about Rice Krispies squares dipped in chocolate and he turned to me and said "Apple pie, Mommy. That's what I want to share with my friends."
Who can deny a man his apple pie?
Part of me considered buying a pie from the store. But I still suffer a bit from that "I Don't Know How She Does It" complex and am not completely ready to succumb to store-bought baked goods. I am, however, prepared to share with you how the Canned Soup Mom makes mini apple pies in the amount of time it takes my husband to give the kids a bath! The most difficult part of this recipe is finding the perfectly-sized round item to cut the crusts—so look for that before you start (I used a sugar bowl).
Ingredients
1 Box Pillsbury pie crusts (at room temperature—approx. 15min out of fridge)
4-5 large baking apples
1/2 lemon
1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
1-2 tbsp cinnamon (depending on how much you like it)
1/3 cup butter divided into 12 equal parts
Egg yolk (optional)
1 tbsp water (optional)
1/4 cup sugar (optional)
Preheat oven to 400F.
Peel and chop apples into small pieces. I peel and chop one apple at a time then put the apple pieces in a large bowl then squeeze some of the lemon juice into the bowl and stir. This prevents the apple from browning. Squeeze a little lemon juice and stir after chopping each apple.
Add flour, 3/4 cup sugar and cinnamon to the apples and mix well with wooden spoon.
Roll out both Pillsbury pie crusts flattening slightly with a rolling pin. Using something that will cut circles big enough to fit into muffin tins (I used a sugar bowl but a glass or Tupperware lid would work well), cut 12 circles and press into prepared (buttered) muffin tins.
Fill each mini pie with the apple mixture (to the top of the crust), top with one small piece of butter.
With remaining dough cut out 12 hearts (using a heart-shaped cookie cutter) and place on top of mini pies.
Optional: Mix egg yolk and 1 tbsp water and brush onto heart and top of base crust.
Optional: Sprinkle glazed crusts with sugar.
Bake in 400F oven for 15-20 minutes. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes then remove carefully and continue to cool on baking rack.
Yield: 12 mini pies, but the recipe can easily be doubled.
Valentine's Day is next week and if you're like me your children are already asking what you plan on making for their class parties. This week I am going to bring you some creative and EASY recipes to help make you look like mom of the year without interfering with any of that other stuff you do (you know work, laundry, packing lunches, watching Greys...).
Ingredients:
1/4 butter
250g package of marshmallows
Red food colouring (I used Wilton's gel but liquid would work too)
1 tsp. vanilla extract (optional)
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal
1 container pre-made white Icing (I used the whipped kind)
Candy decorations (I used heart shaped ones from the grocery store baking aisle)
In large saucepan over low-medium heat melt butter. Add marshmallows and stir until melted.
Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Adding a little bit at a time (I use the tip of a teaspoon for the gel) add small amounts of food colouring stirring between additions until desired colour is reached.
Stir in Rice Krispies until well coated.
When cool enough to touch (and using damp hands so it doesn't stick to you) press mixture into greased (with butter) mini muffin tin. They don't have to be beautiful, but try to keep them flat on top. Let sit for 15 minutes until set.
Spoon pre-made icing into Ziploc bag. Squeeze to one end and cut a small triangle from the corner (see picture). Pop out each Rice Krispies mini cupcake from muffin tin (if they are set they should come out easily) and pipe on desired amount of icing.
Top with candy decorations, put on serving dish and you're ready to be the hit of the class Valentine's Day party.
Yield: 36-45 mini cupcakes (depending on size of your pan).
Note: If you don't have a mini muffin pan you can easily make these in regular-sized muffin pans.
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