Thursday, August 28, 2014

Apple Pie Bars

As most of you know, I'm not one of those food bloggers, but today I used a recipe worth sharing...so just for fun, I'm breaking out of my little blogging box and giving you a recipe I found on Pinterest. [yes. i am completely serious. & it actually turned out.]

I highly recommend you try this recipe this fall if you are one of those [anything apple loving fans]....well, that's my advice..
Click here to visit the blog I got this recipe from.
//Her pictures are pretty amazing as well//
& have fun!
Happy Fall!

Apple Pie Bars
These Apple Pie Bars are the perfect handheld dessert and SO delicious! Made with fresh apples and topped with a sweet vanilla glaze.
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Author: 
Recipe type: Dessert
Serves: 12
Ingredients
  • Crust:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and diced into cubes
  • ¼ cup 2% milk
  • 1 egg yolk

  • Filling:
  • 5 cups Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and diced
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ⅓ cup packed brown sugar
  • 1½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg

  • Topping:
  • 1 egg white
  • 1½ tablespoons Turbinado sugar (or granulated sugar)
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

  • Glaze:
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons 2% milk
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
  2. Pie crust: Add flour and salt to a food processor bowl and pulse ingredients together. Add cold, cubed butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add milk and egg yolk and pulse until mixture comes together and can be formed into a ball. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate while preparing filling.
  3. Filling: Place diced apples in a large mixing bowl. Add vanilla and toss to coat. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Pour flour mixture over apples and toss until evenly coated.
  4. Assemble the pie: Divide pie crust dough into 2 equal portions. Roll first portion into a 13x9" rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Transfer dough into the bottom of an ungreased 13x9" baking dish by placing a rolling pin in the center of the dough, folding one side up over the pin, then folding the other side on top. Lift the rolling pin over the baking dish and unfold both sides into the dish. Carefully dump apples over the crust and spread them up to ½" around the edge of the crust. Roll out the 2nd dough portion i the same manner about ½" larger on each side. Transfer dough over apples and tuck sides of dough down into the baking dish, sealing the apples inside the crust. In a small bowl, whisk the egg white until foamy and brush over top of the pie. Combine the Turbinado sugar and cinnamon in another small bowl and sprinkle evenly over pie. Bake in preheated oven for 50-60 minutes until crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool for at least 1 hour on a baking rack before cutting into squares. Serve bars drizzled with glaze (see instructions below) or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
  5. Glaze: Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Thin with additional milk if necessary and drizzle over bars.
Notes
- If you don't have a food processor, you can make the pie crust by hand also. Just use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour mixture and use your hands or a spoon to add in the milk and egg until you can form the dough into a ball.

Sunday, August 24, 2014

Reflection on the Past [For my U.S. High School]

A year ago [approximately] I woke up a little nervous & excited.  It was the day I would begin the adventure of being a senior for the second year.  So many emotions flooded my mind as I left the house in my gray cape dress [this was a new adventure for me in itself. hehe] & walked down the street with my brothers.  We rehearsed a few things and nervously talked about what was coming our way, but little did we know what the year would hold. After walking a few blocks we came around the corner and into the gated area of the school.  There, right in front of me, was practically the entire school.  {insert dramatic music} I.was.not.expecting.to.meet.them.right.there.  It was a little shocking to say the least!  I took a deep breath and whispered a prayer, then I walked toward the few familiar faces in the crowd.
It didn't take long til people introduced themselves and accepted me [this random new person invading the senior class].  They were awesome and I made friends very quickly.
That first day started with introductions.  To say the least, it was [awkward] & very [interesting].  But looking back on it now, it was awesome.  When I need something to laugh about, I think of that day I got some first hand experience with a teacher embarrassing me. ;]  But it's ok.  Everyone needs those moments in life.  
The school year of 2013-2014 was amazing.  I look at what God did in my life.  He took me to places I never thought I would go.  He used hard situations to draw me closer to Him.  Relationships were given & not always the easiest, but He used them for my good.  I was stretched in ways I didn't expect to be stretched and blessed in ways I never dreamed possible.  I sit here and look at what God did to the Fairview Highschool and I'm so amazed and blessed that I had the privilege of being a part of a revival.  God really did work & change people's lives.  He changed people I had prayed for & now those people are living lives completely different than before.  He truly is amazing.

Tomorrow morning another year of school starts.  My brothers will be off to school & I'm not going.  [How weird is that?]  Yes. I am glad I'm done with school, but there's still a part of me that's desperately trying to grasp the thought of me never returning.  Pictures fly through my mind of this past year and all that happened.  It was a dream come true for me and now it's over.  There's no going back.  A new chapter of life is now opening.

Pray for my brothers as they enter a new school [a small school] and face lots of adjustments.  It looks BIG.

To the F.C.S. High School, I hope you have a wonderful year of school & I'm sure God's got amazing things in store for you all this coming year!  The memories we made this past school year are close to our hearts and we could never thank you enough!  The experience at ISC 2014 was the best & I won't soon forget that. [best convention ever] We miss you all more than you can imagine & we pray for you often! Love you guys! <3

& to the Senior Class of 2014, I can't help but think of the moments we sat in the library and tried to plan our graduation [not to mention the color choosing ;)], learned how to operate computer programs & "worked on our Power Points", took group pictures in the snow, racked our brains for words to type into our Writing Assignments the hour before it was due, walked around New York City for a day [& the moment of laughter that followed my ankle being sprained..that was a good moment lol], setting up for Graduation, taking those pictures of us in our purple clothing, standing in a circle and praying before we graduated, getting our diplomas and making an excited statement on the stage [ok. maybe that was me..but whatever..], having the juniors lay hands on us and say a prayer of blessing on our lives, sitting at the table after graduation and trying to grasp the thought of us being DONE with school....& there are many more..You guys are just awesome.  Thank you for making my last year of school AMAZING.  Thank you for accepting me for who I am and for allowing me to invade your senior class.  Thank you 100 times.  You have no idea how much you all mean to me & how much I miss you guys.  It was a great year!  But now it's time to move on and face new situations in life.  I saw God work in your lives this past year and I KNOW He has beautiful plans in store for your lives.  Keep serving Him & giving Him your all!
Love to all! <3



& I cannot forget to thank my Heavenly Father for the blessings He gave me this past year.  They were overwhelming and completely amazing.  Tears come to my eyes as I look back over the past year and see what all happened.  In some ways it feels like a dream & so far away.  Part of my heart was left behind, but that's ok.  God knew what I would face last year and He knows what's coming my way.  He never leaves & always listens.  There truly is nothing better than a relationship with the Creator of the Universe, the Father who chose me to be His daughter. <3

Goodnight world.
& So long..til next time...