Don't Waste It...

"Don't waste it." is a phrase my Mom used to say. My grandmother, my aunts, my play aunts and other women in my life always said this as they were preparing something in the kitchen or even when they were doing things like washing dishes or cleaning, or stocking shelves or cupboards. It was a phrase that always existed to make sure we acknowledged the luck and blessing in our lives. Although we had never known poverty we always knew about the existence of it and respected the possibility of it. So in my life even though I have never had to suffer I also knew not to squander things away. Ironically, these lessons serve me now when the economy is all tilted and I'm going back to school again and desirable jobs are far from grasp.

Which led me to make...

Cinnamon Apple Cupcakes - hahaha.

Basically I had purchased too many pink lady apples and they were approaching the overripe stage and I hated to see them go to waste so I made these cupcakes from a recipe I changed up a bit...I ended up making far too many as you can see but since I had the eggs and flour and butter and the rest of the bits I just sent them to the husbands office...



I made those a few weeks ago and then made them again this last weekend to send with my Momma in Law to her sisters house. A few days after that we had everyone over for Sunday dinner (where I got lessons in Southern Fried Chicken and 7 up cake making) and I think the best compliment I got was from an Uncle in Law about these cupcakes...Uncle Larry said,"I couldn't eat those cupcakes quick enough, they are fantastic and reminded me of a cake my oldest auntie used to make and eating them just took me BACK."

Now THAT is a compliment...when you can get down to the likes of a Big Momma's recipe - you have earned your right to be in the kitchen...

Here is the recipe for the apple cinammon cupcakes

preheat oven to 340

"filling"

2 pink lady apples cored peeled and chopped
2 green apples cored peeled and chopped
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 stick butter
2 tsp cinnamon (or add more to your liking)

cook about halfway and set aside...

cake

1 1/2 c butter
1 1/2 c sugar
6 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla
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sift together dry ingredients, or i just toss them with a fork
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3 c all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp pumpkin pie mix

2 Tbsp milk or half and half
4 -6 tbsp of apple filling (depending on what you like)
1 cup chopped pecans (optional or you can use loose chop almonds/walnuts)

Icing

2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp lemon or lime juice

You just make the cake as usual...cream butter and sugar until pale gradually adding eggs and vanilla until incorporated - mix in 1/3 of dry mix at a time...then fold in the apple filling and the milk...to make a regular size cupcake is 2 heaping tablespoons dropped on the cupcake pan. Bake for about 20-25 minutes...

Cool on a baking rack - once cool spoon icing over the top. Once stiff add 1 teaspoon of the filling. The other option is to top with the filling and then drizzle the icing in the style of a danish.

It ain't low carb but it tastes very good. Enjoy.