Caramel Apple Cider

What I Ate’ is a series of posts for so-easy-this-doesn’t-need-a-recipe but I’m sharing with you for the idea or inspiration.

Apple cider is one of my favorite flavors of fall. This fall, as I’m 7 months pregnant, I’ve been heating it and drinking it on the way to work. It helps me pretend I have all the coffee I can drink. Helps.

I was digging around to figure out why hot cider at fancy places tastes so different. Then I discovered Betty Crocker had the secret! It is heavy cream! Don’t bail on me, hear me out. This is amazingly apple and caramel flavored with just a touch of creaminess.
The Three Bite Rule - Caramel Apple Cider

Ingredients:

(for 2 mugs or 1 travel mug)
3 tbs brown sugar
3 tbs heavy cream
3 cups apple cider
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
whipped cream for garnish (optional)

Directions:

Heat brown sugar and cream until bubbly and dissolved.
The Three Bite Rule - Caramel Apple Cider
Add cider, vanilla extract, and cinnamon, cooking until heated through.
The Three Bite Rule - Caramel Apple Cider
Divide into 2 mugs.
The Three Bite Rule - Caramel Apple Cider
Optional: top with whipped cream, cinnamon, and caramel ice cream topping while playing some coffee house jams.
The Three Bite Rule - Caramel Apple Cider
This is so decadent. I have it for dessert…warmed cider is the morning version. It is super sweet but you definitely taste the caramel and apple. You could always add in a splash of rum, vanilla vodka, whipped cream vodka, or the spiking of your choice.

Sausage, Apple, and Onion Calzone

After apple picking, I knew some dinners should include apples…as well as snacks, breakfasts, and any other occasion this fall. Seriously, the orchard only did big bags so we have a LOT of apples. I hadn’t made a calzone in awhile so that was the winner.

Apples are easily served with brie or baked into some dessert. Well, no brie or soft cheeses for me for another 3 months, and I’m not a big baker.

The Three Bite Rule - Sausage, Apple, & Onion Calzone

Ingredients:

pizza dough
1 onion, sliced
2 apples, sliced
2-3 chicken sausage links
2 cups mozzarella, shredded

Directions:

Preheat the oven and a pizza stone if using one, to 400-degrees.
In a large skillet over medium low heat, gently cook the onion until lightly browned and cooked through.
Slice the sausage and add them to the pan to warm through.
Roll out or spread the dough out. Then drape it onto the pizza stone or pan, off-centered so the toppings will go on the bottom and the excess will fold over.
Layer on the cheese, sausage and onions, and the apple slices.
The Three Bite Rule - Sausage, Apple, & Onion Calzone
Keep layering the toppings, even if it seems like it is over filled.
Pull the rest of the dough over the top and pinch to close.
Cut a few slices in the top of the calzone to vent it.
Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden browned and cooked through.
The Three Bite Rule - Sausage, Apple, & Onion Calzone
Let sit 5 minutes before slicing.
The Three Bite Rule - Sausage, Apple, & Onion Calzone
I loved this one. I’ll definitely make it again. The apples being raw added a soft crunch to go with the sweet onions and the mild chicken sausage. This is such a fantastic combination. I’d love these flavors as a sub or panini, or as a pizza, or an app of some sort.

Roasted Red Pepper Romanesco Sauce

The last time we ordered pizza our specialty pie had roasted red peppers on it. It made me think, woah, that’s an ingredient I guess I assumed Mr. J wasn’t into, annnnnd it is a veggie I don’t use often. That was all about to change.

I was aided when I scored 3 red peppers in the clearance produce for $0.68. Insane! The peppers were fine if used in about 5-7 days. They weren’t squishy or shriveled at all.

The Three Bite Rule - Romanesco Sauce

Ingredients:

(sauce yields 4+ servings)
3 red bell peppers (or double the jarred roasted red peppers)
2 medium tomatoes
1/2 jar roasted red peppers
2 tbs minced garlic
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts or toasted walnuts
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 tbs lemon juice
3-4 tbs olive oil
2 tsp heavy cream (optional)
pasta

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400-degrees.
Half the tomatoes and fresh red peppers. Brush or drizzle with olive oil and bake for 20 minutes.
Flip once and bake another 10 minutes.
Remove and put into a plastic bag, or cover with plastic wrap for 5 minutes then release the steam and pull off the skin.
In a food processor, blend all the red peppers, tomatoes, garlic, parmesan cheese, nuts, lemon juice, and olive oil.
The Three Bite Rule - Romanesco Sauce
Blend 30 seconds to a minute.
The Three Bite Rule - Romanesco Sauce
Bring salted water to boil for the pasta.
Scoop out the sauce in a large skillet over medium low heat. Add cream, or some starchy pasta water.
The Three Bite Rule - Romanesco Sauce
Toss the pasta with the sauce.
The Three Bite Rule - Romanesco Sauce
I liked this a lot. It had a great flavor to make dinner feel a bit different. The sauce was thick and a bit textured (from the nuts). I love sauce so it was great to me, or you can blend more for a more silky sauce that would stick to the pasta a bit less.

I think the sauce has great potential for a ton of uses. It would be good on a sandwich, panini, or wrap. I’d like it on pizza too. It would definitely be a fun twist on bruschetta.

Potato Bar

I was inspired to make dinner out of potatoes after seeing lots of potato skin-football food and after making candied sweet potatoes for tacos. A few years ago mashed potato bars were all the rage at weddings costing a fortune for such basic ingredients. I figured with a few toppings it could easily be dinner.

Baked potatoes are so much faster than I really thought they’d take. I spread out a few toppings and it was such a fun dinner. This would be great for guests. Everyone getting to customize their own keeps everyone happy.
The Three Bite Rule - Potato Bar

Ingredients:

2 potatoes
frozen creamed spinach
1 cup shredded cheddar
4 strips bacon, chopped
sour cream

Directions:

Microwave potatoes for 4 minutes then bake potatoes for 20 minutes at 400-degrees.
Pan fry the bacon until crisp.
Heat the creamed spinach until warmed through.
Rub the potatoes in olive oil and a sprinkle of salt.
Lay out the toppings and enjoy!

The potatoes were filling but not super heavy. The creamed spinach was a perfect sauce and took no effort.

The Three Bite Rule - Potato Bar
The Three Bite Rule - Potato Bar

Pumpkin Coffee Cake

I saw, I pinned, I waited forever, then I made. I’m not much of a baker but despite the cake, topping, and glaze it was actually really easy. It was addictive and somehow squares of the pan just kept disappearing. I’m not sure how it happened.

The Three Bite Rule - Pumpkin Coffee Cake
This comes from Tasty Kitchen by way of How Sweet It Is and Pretty Good Food and whoever else has made it.

Pumpkin Coffee Cake

Ingredients:

⅓ cups water
1 can pumpkin
2 eggs
1 tbs vanilla
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 box spice cake mix
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup brown sugar

Topping:

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
4 tbs melted butter

Glaze:

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup heavy cream

Directions:

In a mixer, combine water, pumpkin, eggs, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice until well combined. Add the cake mix and baking soda and mix again until just combined.
Preheat the oven to 350-degrees.
Pour cake into a sprayed 9×13 pan.
In a small bowl, mix the topping ingredients: brown sugar, flour and melted butter. Use your fingers to sprinkle over the top of the cake.
The Three Bite Rule - Pumpkin Coffee Cake
Bake for 25-30 minutes.
In a medium sauce pan simmer brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla, and heavy cream. Remove from heat and stir until all sugar dissolves.
When the cake is cooked, pokes some holes and pour glaze over the top.
The Three Bite Rule - Pumpkin Coffee Cake
I absolutely loved this. It was great as dessert and as breakfast.