Sugar&Spice

If you know anything about me, you know I can't cook. It's a damn shame considering that I'm the oldest of five, but it is what it is. I started my sophomore year of college knowing how to make spaghetti and that was it. Thank God for my patient parents, who have walked me through recipes countless time. Thanks to them, I can now cook beef tips and rice, bacon, fried chicken, Italian chicken, rigatoni...that's about the extent of my cooking skills.

Despite being clueless in the kitchen, I love being there. I love adding different seasonings to dishes, trying new things, adding whatever is in the fridge into a pan and browning. SOMEDAY I will be a Betty Crocker, complete with fresh organic vegetables from the local farms, beautiful vintage plates hanging on the wall, a fresh bouquet on the table, a homemade lasagna cooking in the oven, and a knowledge of spices other than Garlic Salt and Onion Powder. Today, I'm starting small with a quick but yummy recipe perfect for this colder weather!

BAKED APPLE SLICES

Ingredients:
1 Apple (as red as possible)
1/4 cup of sugar
A dash of cinnamon
1 Tbsp maple syrup
Makes 1 Serving

Start off by peeling your apple. You can do this when it's in wedges, but it's easier to do it when it's whole (I shaved five minutes off of my prep time by doing it beforehand.)

 Using a handy dandy apple corer and wedger (a knife will work just fine) slice your apples and toss out the core.

 Put your apples in a bowl and add your cinnamon, sugar and syrup. I don't exactly have Maple Syrup, and being a poor college kid, I just used whatever I had in my pantry. It worked just fine, I promise :)

 Stick your bowl in the microwave for four minutes and thirty seconds-this softens the apple.

 When it's done, take it out but CAREFUL! The bowl might be hot. The sugar and cinnamon will be melted. Stir up the ingredients making sure to coat as much of the wedges as possible.

Wait a few minutes to let it cool off. I like to add in scoops of vanilla ice cream, but if you don't wait long enough, the hot apple slices will melt the ice cream and it becomes soupy. I know it smells good but really try to let it cool off. Enjoy!
xxoo,
V