warm mornings

I've said it before, I like to start the day off eating right, even if I'm ending it with a molten lava cake. This is my way of creating balance. This is my way of justifying a cookie. This is my way of getting some much needed nutrients. This is my way of a warm, healthy breakfast on a cold morning. It's pretty tasty having it my way.

Normally I'm not crazy about baked apple pies/desserts/oatmeal, but I thought if I shredded the apple it would just meld into the oatmeal. The additional crunch of the almonds also took away from the baked apple texture that I dislike, making this delicious and more like a treat. It doesn't feel healthy it just tastes amazing, especially with the cinnamon yogurt sauce.

I love baking this on the weekend and then reheating any leftovers throughout the week. I can't tell you how gratifying it is to have a warm, filling breakfast on a winter day... and then repeat it all over again the next day! Who needs cereal?

shaken, with a twist

After realizing that September's Avid Baker's Challenge was another yeast-based recipe, I was shaken. I mean, we all remember how my "focaccia" turned out: flat and crispy... basically, the exact opposite of focaccia. But I was ready for a redemption, so I gave myself plenty of time to let this baby rise for as long as it wanted to (and it wanted to rise All. Day.).

I wasn't crazy about the idea of apples in the bread, so I only did half the amount called for, and the other half I replaced with crunchy pecans- a perfect complement to the cinnamon and apples. I replaced some of the all-purpose flour for whole-wheat flour and reduced the sugar in the dough because I knew the glaze would be sweet enough. 

Speaking of the glaze, it's completely unnecessary (and I normally love glaze). I even made the glaze with cream cheese so it was extra tasty, but since the bread isn't too sweet it just seemed to overpower it. The recipe makes 2 loaves and one loaf I glazed, the other I left plain, and the plain one not only lasted longer, but it was amazing sliced, toasted and slathered with butter (as are most breads, I realize).