Numerous “homecooking” style restaurants serve these red, luscious confections. Some people refer to Spiced Apples as Candied Apples or Cinnamon Apples. Whichever name you recognize them by, these red, syrupy apple slices are a yummy dessert by themselves or served as an ice cream or pie topping. I have even seen spiced apples chopped into chunks and used as pie filling. For speed, I usually end up cutting mine into chunks or pieces rather than rings. I have had some problems locating the necessary little red cinnamon candies in my locale, but a friend found some and shipped them to me. It used to be that along with butterscotch, peppermints, root beer barrels and big round cinnamon candies, that every little old lady or grandma kept a bag of these little cinnamon candies around. They last forever and can even be used it they are a bit old and clump up – but to preserve the candy’s freshness, I store mine sealed in a zipper plastic bag once opened. Spiced apple rings are a great way to use up apples that are no longer crisp enough to eat by themselves. Since the apples will be cooked until soft and tender, if the apples are a bit soft, the taste will not be affected. Cut away any spots or imperfections from the fruit, however.


Supplies:    
Cutting board
Knife
Potato or apple peeler *optional
Apple corer *optional
Large, deep skillet
Mixing spoon
Fork or tongs
2 cups white sugar (granulated sugar)
1 cup water
½ - 2/3 cups cinnamon candies (sometimes called cinnamon imperials, varies by brand name)
10-12 whole cloves OR ½ teaspoon ground cloves
6-8 apples (type doesn’t matter)

Some people prefer their apple rings peeled. If you are one of those, wash and peel the apples. Otherwise, just wash and dry them.

Core the apples using an apple corer (insert, push, twist, pull or push) or the less precise, but gets-the-job-done way – insert a knife and cut around the outside of the core. Mine sometimes end up with squared centers because I get impatient, make 4 cuts and shove the core out -- my crew isn’t concerned about appearance. I also often don't even cut mine into rings. I core the apples, then just cut the apples into thin pieces -- it's faster than aiming for rings and my crew doesn't care what shape the apples arrive as in their bowls.The apple rings last for approximately 35 seconds from bowl to stomach. Compost, discard or toss the cores out to the birds. (If you’re really industrious, you can also save the seeds or boil the cores down with some cinnamon to scent your home or make apple/cinnamon juice for use in muffins, etc).

Slice the apples into horizontal rings. Be careful, they tend to slip around a bit. If you have a hard time keeping grip, slip on a latex glove. You can also just cut the apples into pieces/chunks, but try to keep them thin so they cook faster.


Over low heat, in a large, deep skillet or whatever you have – dutch oven, pot – pour 1 cup of water. Stir in 2 cups white sugar (granulated sugar) and ½ to 2/3 cups cinnamon candies.


Some people don’t like the apples very cinnamon-y. I add 2/3 cups. Stir in ½ teaspoon ground cloves or 10-12 whole cloves. I prefer ground as I have smaller children who sometimes attempt to eat the cloves. If you don’t have the cloves, you can still make this recipe successfully.

Continue to stir until the sugar is dissolved into the water and it appears as a red syrup.


Layer the apple slices into the syrup.


Put a lid on the pan and let it simmer for about 10 minutes on low heat. Turn the apple slices over using tongs or a fork and continue to simmer until the apples “smush” when depressed with a fork/spoon. They should be tender like the apples in pie filling.


Spoon the apple slices into serving dishes or storage dish, etc and cover with syrup. Some people like to serve the apples warm or piping hot. Some people prefer to chill the slices in the refrigerator before serving.  Apples can be refrigerated for about 14 days, but freezing them will make them mushy. Mushy can still be edible if served as applesauce or stirred into muffins or other desserts.

Be sure to pick up a copy of David Hardy's new e-book, Crazy Greta from Musa Publishing. A great tale of intermingled history and fantasy, Crazy Greta will keep you on the edge of your digital seat.


About the book:
One woman against Death, Hell, and Heaven.
As the Netherlands descends into the chaos of religious and political civil war, Crazy Greta runs her tavern, keeping order among the drinkers with her skillet. But when the Dead rise from their graves to slaughter the living, Greta faces a far greater challenge. Crazy Greta’s journeys take her across a land torn by war between life and death, through Hell itself, and even to the besieged gates of Heaven. Greta must confront Death, Satan, God, and her own madness before she can return home.

Book Excerpt:
Someone was banging at the door. Gert stopped singing and the others looked up. The banging continued and Greta hustled forward. “Come in already,” she called. The door flew open as if of its own accord. Framed in it stood a small, wizened figure. It was dressed in a yellow tabard and wore a mask, as if at some mummer’s play. But the limbs were deathly thin and the skin seemed to have rotted in a grave. It capered in and the revelers drew back. The little dancer knocked the backgammon board from the table. Then it reached for the basin with the wine jugs and tipped them over.

“You damned little fiend!” Greta shrieked “I’ll teach you to spill my …”

Then another figure appeared at the door. The pot-boy screamed from the kitchen. Greta’s eyes widened in horror and shock, for there was no mistaking the newcomer. It was a skeleton, draped in rags of withered skin. Jan drew his sword but stood as if paralyzed. More dead poured into the room.

Greta fell back, shrinking into a corner. A skeleton seized Anneke, whirling her in a dance filled with lustful kisses from dead lips. Another skeleton seized Gert’s lute and serenaded the lovers with a dirge. Greta fled to the kitchen.

The back door was open. A figure in a green fools-coat stood with its back to her. Greta said nothing, but she saw the pot-boy crumpled in a pool of blood, red as Rhenish wine. The green fool turned and presented a serving tray, its skull face grinning in triumph. The pot-boy’s head was garnished with fresh cress.

Greta screamed in abject terror. God’s judgment was upon her and all the world. The crucifix she once had was long smashed, with all the other false images. She reached for the iron skillet.

Use the coupon code Spring25 for 25% off all in stock items at Bad Moon Books!



May I suggest some vicious Sword and Sorcery action?

OUT OF THE GARDEN AND OTHER TALES OF THE BARBARIAN KABAR OF EL HAZZAR by Angeline Hawkes

Through brutal landscapes and savage places, the barbarian Kabar of El Hazzar travels an ancient land full of witchery, forces of darkness and foul creatures. What makes a man? Is it wealth, customs and lineage; or is it the weapon in his hand and the courage in his heart? Cold steel meets hot flesh as Kabar fights, conquers and loves his way through primitive and ruthless civilizations ruled by evil kings, malevolent sorcerers and blood-splattered curses. Beasts and monstrosities match wits and swords in this action-packed, gore-drenched, loins-pumping collection of tales of the barbarian from El Hazzar.

BOOK BUZZ:

In Out of the Garden, Angeline Hawkes delivers tales of swords and sorcery as solid as steel and as sensuous as silk slipping off a slender shoulder. Kabar's world is wild and often frightening; his author's imagination doesn't make his life easy. It does, however, make for a great read. --Jeff Mariotte, author of the Age of Conan: Marauders trilogy and City Under the Sand: A Dark Sun novel

By turns eerie, lyrical, adventurous, and philosophical, the stories in Angeline Hawkes’s new collection Out of the Garden are top-notch heroic fantasy, and her protagonist, the barbarian Kabar of El Hazzar, is a compelling character. The title novella from this book is a stunning blend of action, fantasy, and theology. I hope Kabar continues his perilous wanderings for a long time! -- James Reasoner, author of Redemption, Kansas

SORROW CREEK, our new Fulbright & Hawkes novella, is available for Preorder as a hardcover or purchase NOW in digital format. Don't miss the Voodoo Madness!

Kindle version here: http://www.amazon.com/Sorrow-Creek-ebook/dp/B007QLYH78/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1334001193&sr=8-1

**Check out the new and improved Fulbright & Hawkes website. Sign up for our newsletter, connect with us on Twitter, subscribe via RSS, whatever works for you!

Buying those little boxes or bags of muffin mix can seem cheap at the time, but when you figure that you’re typically baking 6-12 muffins from each pre-made mix, you’re really spending more money than necessary. Muffins are an easy and versatile food to bake for breakfast or a snack. Prepackaged mixes also come with bags and/or boxes, but prepared muffin mix in bulk recycles or reuses other containers. Mix packed in attractive canning jars make awesome homemade gifts that keep on giving! There is something very rewarding in seeing a row of neatly stacked containers full of prepared muffin mix waiting for the morning for a hot breakfast ready in 20-30 minutes (depending on how long it takes you to whip up a batch) or for a yummy afternoon or after school snack.

Prepare this muffin mix ahead of time and store it in airtight containers. Any sort of airtight seal containers such as popular brand storage containers, plastic zipper bags (double bag to protect against punctures/leaks), canning jars, etc. I usually buy containers on ebay in bulk every few months that have tight sealing lids. Print adhesive labels with the words MUFFIN MIX to label the containers. Print adhesive labels with the muffin preparation/cooking instructions to label the lid of the container.


Copy and Paste this for your adhesive instruction label:

400F. 12 muffins= 2 ½ c mix. 2 eggs.
1 tsp. vanilla. 1 c milk, juice,water. 4
TBS butter or ¼ c oil. Up to 1 ½ c fruit.
Bake 15-20 min.


Supplies:
18-19 cups of All Purpose Flour [or 3 lbs white, 2 lbs wheat flour, you can also add 1 cup baby oatmeal, rice or mixed grain flakes if you’re trying to use up a box]
5 cups of sugar
2 TBS baking soda
6 TBS baking powder
3 3/4 cups powdered/dry milk
1 TBS salt
3 TBS cinnamon


Combine all of the ingredients in a BIG BOWL and stir. Store in sealed container. This mix yields approximately 26 or more cups.

Adhere labels on side and top of container.  I cover the labels with clear packing tape to waterproof and protect the label from spills and spots, etc.

To make muffins:
2 1/2 cups mix
1 cup milk OR juice OR water (you can also use a combination, for example, ½ cup milk and ½ cup juice. Juice can be the juice in a can of fruit or juice. I have also used leftover juices from making candied apples and various jams, etc).
2 eggs
1/4 cup oil or 4 TBS butter
1 tsp vanilla
Up to 1 ½ cups fruit or applesauce (you can also use pureed pumpkin, zucchini, etc)

Because muffins are so versatile, you can use a wide range of fruits and veggies in your muffins.  When our bananas start going brown, I just chunk them in a bag in the freezer, so I always have a store of squishy bananas. Any fruit works good: strawberries, apples, cranberries, blueberries, etc. I have used leftover pumpkin pie filling, and I have also made fruit combinations, such as also strawberry/banana when we had 8 strawberries that needed to be consumed, so I used those up. When using applesauce, I only put 1/2 cup of milk/juice/water in.

Mix the ingredients together and pour into greased muffin tin or muffin liners in a muffin tin. Bake the muffins in a preheated 400 F oven for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the largest muffin comes out clean. Yields approximately 24 muffins.

There are so many combinations you can make and letting your imagination go wild will yield some spectacular muffins! Here’s one combination that is a hit at our house:

Cranberry- Orange muffins: add 1 cup cranberries and 1 cup mandarin oranges to regular mix. Use the mandarin orange juice from the can as part or all of the liquid.

White Chocolate and Cranberry muffins: Add ½ cup white chocolate chips and ½ cups cranberries for your fruit content. Use apple juice or milk for the liquid.

Milk Chocolate and Banana muffins: Add ½ cup milk chocolate chips and 1 cup of cut up or mushy thawed frozen bananas. Use milk for the liquid.

It's time to clear our shelves as DarkFuse is gearing up for some huge announcements this summer and all physical copies of our books need to be cleared.  Get select titles for 50% or more off the cover price. No coupon needed.  All titles already marked down!

Here is the list of hardcovers on sale:

    1000 METTLE FOLDS: CUT ONE by Steve Gerlach & Amanda Kool $55.00 Now $27.50
    AMONG THE LIVING by Steve Rasnic Tem $19.95 Now $10.00
    BARBED WIRE HEARTS by Cate Gardner $25.00 Now $12.50
    BEARDED WOMEN by Teresa Milbrodt $50.00 Now $20.00
    BEYOND THE DOOR by Jeffrey Thomas $25.00 Now $12.50
    BLACK MERCY FALLS by Christopher Fulbright & Angeline Hawkes $25.00 Now $12.50
    BLEED FOR YOU by Michael Louis Calvillo $19.95 Now $10.00
    BLEED WITH ME by Maurice Broaddus $25.00 Now $12.50
    DARKNESS FALLS by Allan Leverone $25.00 Now $12.50
    DEAD TREE FOREST by Brett McBean $25.00 Now $12.50
    DOWN HERE IN THE DARK by Lee Thompson $30.00 Now $15.00
    DREAMS IN BLACK AND WHITE by John R. Little $50.00 Now $20.00
    FOR EMMY by Mary SanGiovanni $50.00 Now $15.00
    HEARTLESS by Allan Leverone $30.00 Now $15.00
    INTO HELL by William Ollie $25.00 Now $12.50
    IRON BUTTERFLIES RUST by Lee Thompson $25.00 Now $12.50
    MIDNIGHT SOLITAIRE by Greg F. Gifune $50.00 Now $25.00
    NANCY GOATS by Weston Ochse $25.00 Now $12.50
    NURSERY RHYMES 4 DEAD CHILDREN by Lee Thompson $50.00 Now $25.00
    OLDEN by James Newman $25.00 Now $12.50
    SAMSON AND DENIAL by Robert Ford $50.00 Now $15.00
    SHADOWED by Bill Gauthier $25.00 Now $12.50
    SKULLBELLY by Ronald Malfi $25.00 Now $12.50
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    SPORE by John Skipp & Cody Goodfellow $50.00 Now $25.00
    SUBJECT 11 by Jeffrey Thomas $30.00 Now $15.00
    THE PATTERN SCARS by Caitlin Sweet $50.00 Now $15.00
    THE UNDERDWELLING by Tim Curran $30.00 Now $15.00
    UNEARTHED by Gina Ranalli $25.00 Now $12.50
    VEHICLES by Patrick Lestewka $25.00 Now $12.50
     
Limited quantities available of each title, so grab yours before they're gone!

Friday Fellow Writer Spotlight: Steven Shrewsbury

Here’s the scoop on THRALL:

Set in the mists of ancient times, Thrall tells the story of Gorias La Gaul, an aging warrior who has lived for centuries battling the monstrosities of legend and lore. It is an age when the Nephilum walk the earth, demonic forces hunger to be unleashed, and dragons still soar through the skies … living and undead.

On a journey to find one of his own blood, a young man who is caught in the shadow of necromancy, Gorias' path crosses with familiar enemies, some of whom not even death can hold bound. Thrall is gritty, dark-edged heroic fantasy in the vein of Robert E. Howard and David Gemmell. It is a maelstrom of hard-hitting action and unpredictable imagery, taking place within an incredible antediluvian world. In Gorias La Gaul, Thrall introduces an iconic new character to the realms of fantasy literature.

Thrall invites the reader to go on a perilous journey where it is not a matter of whether one has the courage to die, but whether one has the courage to live.

Book Buzz:

"Gorias is definitely one of the better characters in fantasy, and an amazing hero. Furthermore, this is a well-written story with great dialogues, containing a hint of philosophy I very much enjoyed, and an awesome climax."- The Ranting Dragon (review)

Print Version  or E-book Version