Apple Pie Dip

I have always been a fan of apples and apple pie. Always have been, always will be. How about a sweet and simple apple pie dip that is perfect with your homemade baked tortilla chips (seasoned with cinnamon and sugar of course!)

Apple Pie Dip

Ingredients

• 2 cups peeled, cored, and diced apple (Fuji is my favorite and one of the best to use) 
• 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 3 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 teaspoon water

1. You can either cook this on the stove-top or the microwave.
2. Combine all the dip ingredients in a small pan/ microwaveable bowl except the cornstarch-water mixture.
3. Heat for a few minutes until it’s boiling and has extracted juice from the apple.
4. Add cornstarch-water mixture to the “sauce”
5. Put back in the microwave/stove top until boiling and the sauce has thickened.
6. Set aside. You can serve this warm or chilled.
7. Break out the cinnamon sugar tortilla chips and dip away!

Kwegyirba Croffie is a freelance Associate Producer at News 12 Connecticut and a Special Events/Event Planning and Social Media Intern at College Lifestyles (TM). She is a Quinnipiac University alumni and a member of Alpha Delta Pi. She enjoy cupcakes,Broadway musicals, Forever 21 ,giraffes, peacock feathers, orchids, lillies and anything Disney.

Homemade Baked Tortilla Chips

Tortilla chips are one my favorite snacks. Crispy and salty (or sweet) you definitely can’t go wrong with tortilla chips. As a gluten free gal (or guy) you have to be careful with the tortilla chips that you buy because they may contain wheat/gluten ingredients so always remember to read the labels! What if you could skip the chip aisle and make your own chips at home! Sounds that a tasty idea.

Homemade Baked Tortilla Chips

You get to season them to your chip which is the perfect opportunity to get creative – you can make Italian Tortilla Chips (Italian seasoning, garlic + parmesan), Southwestern Lime Chips (Southwest seasoning + a sprinkle of lime juice) or Sweet Tortilla Chips (sprinkle with cinnamon + sugar).  Plus, they are baked, not fried! 

Ingredients

• Corn Tortillas (make sure they are gluten free!)
  
• Olive Oil Mister or Pam Spray
• Kosher Salt
• Seasoning of your choice: try Penzey’s Southwest seasoning OR lime juice OR make it sweet by adding cinnamon & sugar (sweet is definitely my favorite)

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. 
2. Spray each side of the tortilla with Olive Oil/Pam.  Use a fair amount for crispiness.  Sprinkle one side with Kosher salt and seasoning. 
3. Stack tortillas and cut into fourths for large chips or eighths for smaller chips.  Place in a varying pattern on cookie sheet.  Cooking Tip: Do not crowd the chips, leave ample space in between chips or they will not get crispy.  
4. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes.  Begin to check on the chips at around 8 minutes.  If your oven heats unevenly, you may have to flip the pan halfway through.  Remove from oven and let cool. Serve with your favorite dip or snack on them without! 

Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies…for Breakfast

Oatmeal-Raisin cookies that you can have for breakfast! Say no more! Who doesn’t want to eat their cookies first! Sure you can have these for snack or dessert but sweets for breakfast are just so, well SWEET!

Oatmeal-Raisin Breakfast Cookies 

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup rolled oats (love Quaker Oats!)
• 1 over-ripe banana (mashed)
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter (your favorite)
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons raisins (golden raisins work great as well)
• 1/4 cup sugar

What! No eggs, no flour! That’s right. Simple wholesome ingredients perfect for breakfast and feeling good!

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
2. Prepare a cookie sheet with a sheet of wax paper. Set aside.
3. Mash the banana with the peanut butter.
4. Combine all other ingredients and mix until well-combined. OR you can try pulverizing the raisins and oats before combining them with the banana mixture.
5. Shape into cookies and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
6. Cool on a wire rack completely

ENJOY!

 

Grilled Barbecue Pork Bites

For dinner last night my mom and I marinated a couple of pork chops with balsamic vinaigrette dressing (one of the easiest marinades I have used and it works with so many things!) and it got me thinking about other ways to use pork. We usually have ground pork or pork chops when using pork. So what about little pork bites? These grilled barbecue pork bites are prefect for indoor and outdoor grilling or even on the broiler or on your stove top. Grilling isn’t just for the summer anymore!

Grilled Barbecue Pork Bites 

Ingredients

• 1 pork tenderloin (3/4 to 1 lb)
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon packed brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne) (or more for some extra heat)
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1 medium green onion, finely chopped (1 tablespoon)

1. Cut pork into 32 (1-inch) pieces; place in medium bowl. In small bowl, mix chili powder, cumin, brown sugar, garlic powder and red pepper. Reserve 2 teaspoons spice mixture; sprinkle remaining mixture over pork pieces; stir to coat completely. Let stand 15 minutes.
2. In small bowl, mix mayonnaise, mustard, reserved 2 teaspoons spice mixture and the onion; set aside.
3. Heat gas or charcoal grill. Spray grill basket (grill “wok’) with cooking spray. Spoon pork into basket.
4. Place basket on grill. Cover grill; cook over medium heat 10 to 12 minutes, shaking basket or stirring pork once or twice, until pork is no longer pink in center. Serve with toothpicks and mayonnaise mixture for dipping.
5. OR if you do not have a grill, heat a little bit of olive oil or canola oil in medium pan on medium heat. Cook pork 10 to 12 minutes until pork is no longer pink in the center. Serve with toothpicks and mayonnaise mixture for dipping.

Now I have a small craving for some good old fashioned southern barbecue ribs! I cannot wait for summer to be here!