Applesauce Cake

I am sorry to inform all of you that I cannot share the recipe for this cake, but that doesn't mean I still cannot share it in some way!  My Aunt Peg was so kind as to give me this recipe, which was passed down through several generations of her family.  Having this recipe is something I consider an honor and a privilege!  I guess the best way to describe it is as a true fruit cake.  Someone who tried it last year described it as "like biting into fall".  It is filled with granny smith apples, golden and dark raisins, dates, walnuts, and lots of spices.  Normally I make two batches...1 at the beginning of November for Thanksgiving, and 1 during Thanksgiving for Christmas.  I wrap them very tightly in saran and foil and let them sit.  They are beyond moist when the time comes to eat them!  Every now and then we will pour apricot brandy over them once a week until it is time to eat them, and they become more of a drunk cake, but we prefer them sans the booze!

Waldorf Salad Croissant Sandwiches

Waldorf Salad found its start at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in NYC.  It was actually created by a maitre d'hotel in 1896.  The original salad contained apples, celery, and mayonnaise.  Later, walnuts were added to the mix, and it is most commonly served on a bed of lettuce.  Here at our house, we prefer our Waldorf Salad as a post-Thanksgiving treat served on croissants!  

I guess I need to preface the history of this recipe with the story of the 53 pound Thanksgiving turkey.  My mom decided to buy a fresh kill, never frozen turkey for the 5 of us and some guests.  Worried that a 25 pounder would not be enough to feed us all, plus have leftovers, she asked the farm to give us the biggest turkey they could find.  53 pounds later, we were all REALLY sick and tired of turkey leftovers!  In an effort to mix things up, she suggested a new spin on Waldorf Salad to put a dent in the leftovers.  It was an immediate success and we still enjoy it, even when we don't have turkey leftovers! 

Waldorf Salad Croissant Sandwiches
Yields 6 sandwiches

To Prepare the Salad
1. Break up 2 cups worth of cold, leftover turkey or chicken into a decent size bowl.  If you don't want to use leftovers, you can substitute this with canned chicken breast (the kind that comes like tuna).  Just be sure that you strain it of as much juice as possible!
2. Chop 2 cups worth of peeled apples.  I like to use a sweet apple such as a gala or honeycrisp.  I would avoid anything in the sour family!  Add these apples to the bowl.

3. Add 1/2 a cup of Craisins, and 1/2 a cup of raisins to the bowl. Sometimes we also add 1/2 a cup of chopped walnuts, but that is usually when I have leftovers from baking!

4. Bring everything together with 3/4 cup of mayo or light mayo.

5. Serve the salad in a croissant, or if you prefer, a super hearty multi-grain wheat bread.  I like to throw a side of baked potato chips on the plate too!

Iced Pumpkin Spice Cookies

This isn't a recipe I can take credit for, but it is very yummy!  It is chock full of fall flavor with pumpkin, walnuts, raisins, spices, butter, and brown sugar. I've served them both iced and un-iced, and they are delicious either way!  I only make them between October and then end of November, so they are a welcomed treat when they come out of the oven!

Iced Pumpkin Spice Cookies 
Source: The Great American Cookie Cookbook
Yields 30 cookies

To Prepare the Cookies
1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Blend 1 stick of butter (1/2 cup) with 1 cup of packed brown sugar, and 1/2 cup of granulated sugar.
3. Once the above ingredients are blended well, mix in 1 1/2 cups of canned pumpkin, 1 egg, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla.
4. Mix in 2 1/4 cups of flour, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg, and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon.
5. Once all of the dry ingredients are well incorporated, add 1 cup of chopped walnuts and 3/4 cup of raisins.
6. Spoon the batter onto cookie sheets and bake for approximately 10 minutes, or until firm.

To Prepare the Icing
1. Mix 1 cup of powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons of milk while your cookies are cooling.
2. After the cookies have cooled, drizzle a thin stream of icing over the top of them with a spoon.

Cinnamon Chicken with Vanilla Raisin Yogurt Sauce over Polenta

This is one of those amazing dishes you have at a restaurant, and then when you go back to have it again, the restaurant has changed owners, and it is mysteriously the ONLY dish that is no longer on the menu...but I'm not bitter about it (<-- that would be the sarcasm lol)!  I had a very similar dish at a restaurant in the town I went to college in, and loved it!  I have found nothing like it since, but have found a way to replicate it closely enough at home.  I do cheat and use pre-made polenta, mainly because I do not have the tolerance to figure out the balance of liquid to cornmeal, or want to risk burning it in a pot...it can be an excruciating process!   If you are looking for the pre-made stuff, it can be found either with refrigerated vegetarian products (such as veggie burger patties), or in the Italian aisle of your grocery store! 

Cinnamon Chicken with Vanilla Raisin Yogurt Sauce over Polenta
Yields 3 servings

To Prepare the Chicken
1. Rub 1 pound of chicken with cinnamon.  It takes approximately 1 tablespoon of cinnamon to coat all of the chicken!  I like using thin sliced boneless, skinless chicken breast for this recipe!

2. Heat a frying pan coated with non-stick spray over medium heat.
3. Add your chicken to the pan once it is coated.
4. Flip the chicken once the underside has turned white and is starting to turn white up the sides.

To Prepare the Sauce 
1. Mix 1 single serve sized container of vanilla yogurt (approximately 6 ounces) and a serving sized box of raisins together in a sauce pan.

2. Heat over very low heat, being sure to stir occasionally while preparing the rest of the meal!

To Prepare the Polenta
1. Heat some oil or non-stick spray in a frying pan.
2. While the pan and oil are heating, cut the polenta into 1/2 inch wide slices.

3. Add the polenta to the pan.

4. Flip it when the bottom begins to brown.
5. The polenta is done when the second side has also browned!

To Serve
1. Place the polenta on the plate and top with the chicken.
2. Drizzle some of the yogurt and raisin sauce on top of the chicken.