Apple Pizza

This is a delicious and *healthy* dessert.  Okay, yes, I believe that if there is fruit, it's healthy.  Just because there's sugar and cream cheese and all that other stuff doesn't change the fact that it's good for you.  That's my story and I'm sticking to it. 

I actually have lots of pictures of this one, so I can show it to you step by step and also at the very bottom there are the actual directions :)

This is a soft homemade pizza crust with a cream cheese spread and apple slices and topped with a crumb topping.  Very yummy.

First, the crust!  

To make the dough, combine the warm water, yeast, and sugar in an electric mixer with the dough hook.  Then add in the oil, salt and half the flour.  Once the flour is completely incorporated, slowly add in the rest until it's completely mixed in, adding additional flour if necessary.  

Mix for 5 minutes until the dough does not stick to the bowl. Spray the bowl with cooking spray to prevent dough from drying out and cover with a towel to let it rise while you prepare everything else.

For the Apple Topping: Whisk the flour, sugar and cinnamon together in a medium saucepan.  Add the butter and apples.  Heat until it boils and then reduce to simmer until the apple mixture is tender.  Set aside to cool. 

For the Cream Cheese mixture: Combine cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice and nutmeg in a bowl and beat until it's smooth. 

Combine the crumb topping ingredients until mixed and crumbly

Once the dough has fully risen it will be 2-3 times in size and look like this :).  Now punch it down and spread it onto a pizza pan!

Smooth it all out with a rolling pin and it'll look all pretty and round like this! 

Spread the cream cheese mixture over the dough 

Add the apple topping on top of that.

Sprinkle the crumbs on top of the apples.

Let it sit to rise more for about 15-20 minutes.  Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 and then bake for 25-30 minutes until done.

Enjoy!!!! 

Here's the Recipe
(Serves 12-16)

Prep time - 60 minutes

Cooking time - 25-30 minutes

Total time - 90 minutes

Pizza Crust:

1 cup warm water (112-115 degrees F)

1 tablespoon dry yeast

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons oil

3 cups flour

Apple topping:

3 tablespoons butter

3 large cooking apples, peeled and sliced thinly

3/4 cup sugar

3 tablespoons flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

Cream cheese spread:

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Crumb topping:

1/3 cup flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup soft butter

1/3 cup quick oats

Step 1 - Making the Crust:

To make the dough, combine the warm water, yeast, and sugar in an electric mixer with the dough hook.  Then add in the oil, salt and half the flour.  Once the flour is completely incorporated, slowly add in the rest until it's completely mixed in, adding additional flour if necessary.  

Mix for 5 minutes until the dough does not stick to the bowl. Spray the bowl with cooking spray to prevent dough from drying out and cover with a towel to let it rise while you prepare everything else.

Step 2 - Making the Apple Topping:

Whisk the flour, sugar and cinnamon together in a medium saucepan.  Add the butter and apples.  Heat until it boils and then reduce to simmer until the apple mixture is tender.  Set aside to cool. 

Step 3 - Making the Cream Cheese Spread:

Combine cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice and nutmeg in a bowl and beat until it's smooth. 

Step 4 - Making the Crumb Topping:

Combine the crumb topping ingredients until mixed and crumbly.

Step 5 - Assembly:

Punch down the dough from Step 1 and roll out onto a greased 16 inch pizza pan.  Spread the cream cheese mixture over the crust with a knife or spatula or spreader.  Pour the apple mixture evenly over the cream cheese.  Sprinkle crumbs over the apples.

Step 6 - Baking

Preheat the oven to 375 F.  Let the assembled pizza sit for 15-20 minutes to rise more.  Put the pizza in the oven for 25-30 minutes, until done.  

This is based on Cathy's recipe

Delicious Chocolate Chip Cookies

I've been told by a few people that these are the best chocolate chip cookies they've ever had!  So, hopefully you'll feel the same way because I certainly think they're delicious.  

It's a fairly standard recipe, based on the tollhouse chocolate chip recipe and slightly altered.  I'm not a big walnut-in-cookies fan so that step is totally optional (I usually opt out).

Here's the recipe:

(makes 4-6 dozen depending on size)

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons hot water

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Step 1:

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Step 2:

Cream together the butter and sugars until smooth.  Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla.

Step 3:

Dissolve the baking soda in water.  Add to the batter along with the salt and flour.  Mix in the chocolate chips and walnuts.

Step 4: 

Drop by large spoonfuls onto baking sheets and bake for about 10 minutes. 

These cookies are nice and crispy on the edges and soft and chewy in the center.  

Seriously, some of the best cookies you'll ever have.  I highly recommend them to all! 

Apple Pie Baked in an Apple

Apple Pie baked in an Apple!


This is a really simple and fun recipe that I made for a game night that I had a few weeks ago.  


It's essentially an apple pie baked inside another apple.  There are a couple options to choose from when making this and that's kind of why it's fun!  The part is how easy it is!  Any level of culinary knowledge is sufficient and you're guaranteed to impress people.  

Here's the recipe:

(Serves 4)

5-6 Granny Smith Apples (Make sure that 4 of them can stand on their own)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup sugar

1 Tablespoon brown sugar

1 Pie Crust (homemade or pre-made)

Step 1:
Preheat oven to 375 Degrees F
Cut off the top of 4 apples and discard the top.  Scoop out the interior with a spoon or melon baller very careful to avoid piercing the peel.  I left about a centimeter around the edges.
If you're able to, save the interior to use for the pie, but if not, no big deal, that's why you have an extra 1-2 apples!  Make sure to get rid of the seeds and the core.


Step 2:
Peel the remaining apples and cut them very thin.  I highly recommend an apple peeler/corer/slicer.  It'll save you a TON of work.  These apples will give you the rest of the filling for the pies.
Put the slices in a bowl and toss them with the cinnamon, sugar, and brown sugar.  If you want more of any of the ingredients, by all means, add to your heart's content! 
Scoop the apple slices into each of the hollowed apples.


Step 3:
Roll out pie crust and slice into 1/4 inch strips.  You can also add a strip of pastry inside the top of the apple almost like a liner to add a little more texture/sweetness to the pie.


Step 4: 

Place apples in an 8x8 pan and add just enough water to cover the bottom of the pan.  

Cover with foil and bake 20-25 minutes.

Remove the foil and bake an additional 20 minutes or so until the crust is golden brown and the sliced apples are soft.

And that's it!

I recommend serving it with ice cream, because let's be honest, everything, especially pie, is better with ice cream.  

You can find the original posting on Pinterest or the Paper Plates and China blogpost:

http://paperplatesandchina.blogspot.com/2011/08/pie-la-apple.html

Welcome!

Welcome everyone!  

My name is Sheley Arnold.  I'm a newly wed living in Southern California and I absolutely love to cook and bake.  I get people asking me for my recipes all the time, so I thought, hey, why not make a blog so everyone (or no one, don't really know if anyone's reading this....) can see what I'm making and how I make it! 
If you want to give me any suggestions about what to make or if you have a recipe that you want me to try, please let me know!  I'd love to hear your feedback! 
A few things that you should know about me: I'm a huge nerd.  I dabble in all things nerdy-ness and obsess in a few categories.  I've been in the kitchen since I was about 12, just making lunches and trying new things and helping my mom out.  I love movies.  I've got a collection of about 300 dvds/blu rays and about 100 seasons of tv shows - granted, I haven't seen everything I own.  I'm a huge theatre geek.  I listen to show tunes and perform in plays whenever I get the chance.  I love to spend time with my friends and play board games.  I have a large collection of board games that I got at ding and dent auctions and as wedding gifts and I play them every chance I get.  My favorite color is orange.  I am a business major at Azusa Pacific University and with my degree I would love to open up a coffee shop and one day a Bed and Breakfast. 
Well, I think that pretty much sums up my life.  I hope you enjoy my blog!