Animal Cracker Crusted Chicken With Fuji Caramelized Apples Recipes

GOOEY-GOOD FUJI APPLE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a deep-dish pie pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
• To make the crust: Place cereal and graham cracker pieces in a blender or food processor, and grind to a breadcrumb-like consistency. Transfer to a medium bowl. Add white sugar and cinnamon, mix well, and set aside.
• In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine butter with 2 tablespoons water. Microwave for 15 seconds, or until just melted. Add to the medium bowl and stir contents until thoroughly mixed. Evenly distribute crust mixture along the bottom of the pie pan. Using your hands or a flat utensil, firmly press mixture into the edges and up along the sides of the pan to form the crust.
• Bake crust in the oven for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Set oven to 375 degrees F. Peel, core, and thinly slice 8 cups worth of apples. Set aside.
• In a large nonstick pot on the stove, combine all ingredients for the filling except apples and optional topping. Add 1 1/2 cups cold water and mix until ingredients have dissolved. Add apples and stir. Bring to medium-high heat and, stirring frequently, cook until liquid has thickened and apples have softened, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Carefully transfer filling to the crust in the pan, and smooth out the surface with the back of a spoon. Bake in the oven until apples are very tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Allow pie to cool and set completely. Cut into 8 slices and, if you like, top each serving with a generous squirt of whipped topping. Enjoy!
• PER SERVING (1/8th of pie, 1 slice): 159 calories, 3g fat, 167mg sodium, 37g carbs, 5.5g fiber, 23g sugars, 1g protein

CARAMEL PEANUT BUTTER DIP AND FUJI APPLES

Steps:

• Unwrap candies and place into a bowl.
• Have your GH cut the Fuji apples into quarters and cut into each quarter to remove the core. The GH should then slice apples into 8 pieces per apple. Count for them and make sure they make even slices. You need 16 slices, total. Squirt some lemon juice into a bowl with 1 cup of water in it. Add the sliced apples and turn them around in the lemon water then drain them in a strainer or colander. Lemon juice is sour, but it's only a tiny bit on lots of apple slices. The apples will still taste sweet and really good. The skin of an apple keeps them from turning brown before you cut them, but apples will turn brown once they are cut up and the air can touch their insides. Lemon juice is acidic. That means that it has special properties in it that can keep apples from turning brown.
• Add 1 tablespoon water and peanut butter to your caramel candies. Place candies in microwave oven on high for 2 minutes. Stir the dip with a rubber spatula. If the candy is not melted all the way, put it back in the microwave on high for another 20 seconds. Add a pinch of cinnamon to the sauce and stir. DO NOT TELL ANYONE ABOUT THE CINNAMON! Tell your GH not to tell, too. This is your secret ingredient.
• To serve, place drained, sliced apples next to your caramel and peanut butter dip and start dunking!

FROSTED ANIMAL CRACKER CAROUSEL CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat two 9-inch cake pans and one 9-inch pie dish with cooking spray, then line with parchment and spray the parchment.
• Combine the cake mix and pudding mix in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on low speed to blend. With the speed still on low, add the oil, egg whites and 1 1/2 cups water and mix until combined. Raise the speed to medium and mix until increased in volume, lighter in color and smooth, about 5 minutes.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pans and smooth the tops with an offset spatula or butter knife. Bake until golden on top and the edges pull away from the pans, about 20 minutes for the pie pan and 25 minutes for the cake pans. Transfer to a rack and let cool completely in the pans, then unmold, remove the parchment and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
• For the Swiss buttercream: Meanwhile, bring a few inches of water to a boil in a saucepan that can hold a heatproof stand mixer bowl above the water without the bottom of the bowl touching it.
• Add the sugar, lemon juice, salt and egg whites to the mixer bowl and whisk together by hand. Set the bowl above the boiling water and heat, whisking, until the mixture is warm to the touch and the sugar is dissolved. Transfer to the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat at medium-high speed until cool and the whites hold stiff peaks, 10 to 15 minutes.
• With the motor running on medium-high speed, add the butter a couple of pieces at a time, making sure the pieces are completely incorporated before adding more. After all the butter is added, continue beating on medium-high speed. The mixture will deflate and appear curdled. Continue beating until the buttercream comes back together to form a smooth and spreadable consistency. Slowly drizzle in the vanilla while beating until smooth and light. (If the frosting is very soft or begins to break, refrigerate until set but still spreadable and then beat until light before using.)
• Scoop 2 cups of the buttercream into a medium bowl and mix in 3 drops of deep pink gel food coloring; the buttercream should be the same color as the pink animal crackers. Transfer 1/4 cup of the pink buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a small round piping tip. Cover the remaining pink buttercream in the bowl with plastic wrap.
• Scoop 1/2 cup of the white buttercream into a medium bowl and mix in 1 drop royal blue and 2 drops neon brite green gel food coloring to make teal. Transfer to a piping bag with a small star tip. Transfer 1/4 cup white buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip. Cover the remaining white buttercream in the bowl with plastic wrap.
• For the assembly: Mix 1 drop pink food coloring into the melted candy. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Put 8 animal crackers--both pink and white--on the baking sheet flat-side up. Spoon a small amount of melted candy onto each cracker and press on a chocolate-covered biscuit stick so the cracker is glued to the top third of the stick. Repeat with 8 more sticks and crackers, attaching the crackers to the bottom third of the sticks. Refrigerate until set, about 5 minutes.
• For the carousel base: If the tops of the cakes have domed, carefully trim them with a long serrated knife so that they are flat on top. Place one of the cake rounds on a 10-inch cake board. Spread the top with 1 cup white buttercream and cover with 3 tablespoons sprinkles. Top with the second cake round. Frost the whole cake with 1 cup white buttercream to crumb coat. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Frost the cake with the reserved pink buttercream. Pipe white lines of buttercream down the sides of the cake every 2 inches to create panels. Press white animal crackers into every other panel. Pipe a shell border around the top and bottom edge of the cake with the teal buttercream and top the border with sprinkles. Refrigerate the cake until ready to assemble.
• For the carousel top: Wrap a 10-inch cake board with plastic wrap, making sure the plastic on one side is smooth and taut. Place the pie-shaped cake layer on the white side of a 6-inch cake board with the wider side of the cake facing up. Frost the cake with a thick layer of white buttercream. Put the smooth side of the 10-inch board against the top of the cake and flip it over so the 6-inch board is now on top. Frost the angled sides of the cake with white buttercream. Pipe pink buttercream lines down the angled sides every 2 inches, creating panels. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Place a second 10-inch cake board on top of the 6-inch board and flip the carousel top back over. Gently peel the plastic-covered board off the top. (If you have difficulty doing this, chill the cake 15 minutes more. You can also gently loosen the edge of the buttercream from the plastic using a warm offset spatula). The top of your cake should be flat and smooth.
• Re-melt the melted candy. Pipe a shell border around the edge of the pie-shaped cake with the teal buttercream and top with sprinkles. With kitchen shears, trim 4 strawberry cream-covered biscuit sticks to 3 inches, gather them in a bundle and press them into the top of the center of the cake; they should stand upright like a column. Dip the coated ends of 10 strawberry biscuits in the melted candy and insert the uncoated ends around the rim of the cake, angling the sticks toward the center column like the spokes of a wheel. Dip the bottom of the gumdrop in the melted candy and affix to the top of the column. Refrigerate until ready to assemble.
• For the center column: Spread 1 teaspoon of white buttercream in the center of a second 6-inch cake board and top with a doughnut. Spread it with buttercream, add another doughnut, more buttercream and the last doughnut. Insert 3 chocolate biscuit sticks through the center holes of the doughnuts and trim to the height of the doughnut stack. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Frost the doughnut stack with white buttercream. Press 8 strawberry biscuit sticks against the side of the doughnut stack 1 inch apart. Press 6 animal crackers into the buttercream between the biscuit sticks, using a little buttercream to get them to adhere if necessary. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
• To assemble: Carefully transfer the doughnut stack to the middle of the carousel base. Insert the cookie sticks with the animal crackers around the rim of the cake, alternating heights and pushing them 1 inch into the cake. Carefully transfer the top of the carousel to rest on top of the doughnuts (leave the 6-inch board on the underside for support).
• Serve the cake on a lazy Susan or rotating cake stand. To serve, remove the carousel top and cut the base into wedges.

CARAMELIZED CLAYPOT CHICKEN

Steps:

• For the caramel sauce: In a medium saucepan, melt the sugar with fish sauce over medium-low heat, about 10 to 12 minutes.
• For the chicken: Heat the oil in a shallow claypot or sauté pan over medium heat. Add the shallots, chilies, ginger, ½ cup of caramel sauce, and plenty of freshly ground black pepper; bring to a boil. Continue cooking to reduce slightly, about 4-5 minutes, then add the chicken. Turn the heat down and simmer, stirring occasionally until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes.
• Garnish with cilantro and serve with steamed jasmine rice (optional).

ANIMAL CRACKER CRUSTED CHICKEN WITH FUJI CARAMELIZED APPLES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Put the cleaned and rinsed chicken breasts into a mixing bowl. Cut an incision into the breasts that's large enough to fit the stuffing. After you make the incision, sprinkle the breasts with the garlic, salt, pepper, and fresh thyme breast. Cover and refrigerate while you prep the bread crumbs and saute the apples.
• In a mixing bowl combine the animal crackers and bread crumbs.
• Heat saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and the apples. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes depending on how soft you would like them.
• Whisk the egg in a small bowl. Lay out a sheet of aluminum foil. Put a seasoned chicken breast on the foil and stuff 1/4 of the apples into the incision. Dredge the chicken in the whisked egg, and then roll it in the bread crumb mixture. Put the breaded chicken breast back on the sheet of foil and roll it up so the foil is covering the breast completely. Repeat these steps for the remaining breasts. Lastly, place the wrapped chicken breasts in a baking pan and bake for 1 hour. Remove the pan from the oven, unwrap the chicken and serve on individual plates.

PAN-FRIED GIANT LATKE WITH CARAMELIZED APPLES AND SOUR CREAM

Steps:

• Combine the apples, sugar and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl and toss to coat.
• Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until just starting to brown around the edges. Add the apples and cook, stirring often, until they are a deep, dark golden color, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
• Preheat a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Set a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet.
• Peel the potatoes and shred them in a food processor fitted with the shredding blade; transfer the shredded potatoes to a large colander as the food processor fills up. Press them firmly to remove any excess moisture, pat dry with paper towels and transfer to a large bowl.
• Grate the onion in the food processor and stir into the potatoes along with the matzo meal, egg, baking powder and 2 teaspoons salt. Immediately move to cooking the potato mixture or it will purge too much water and not be crispy.
• Add 1/4 cup of the oil to your preheated skillet and as soon as it shimmers add the potato mixture in handfuls, creating an even layer and leaving any excess moisture in the bowl. Cook until golden and crispy on the bottom, about 6 minutes. Slide the latke on to the wire rack.
• Return the skillet to the heat and add the remaining 1/4 cup oil. Once it is shimmering cover the latke with a round platter or large pot lid and in one swift motion invert the rack with the latke cooked-side up onto your platter or lid. Carefully slide the latke back into the skillet and cook until golden and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Slide back on to the wire rack and let drain for a minute.
• Transfer the latke to a serving platter, top with the sour cream, caramelized apples and sprinkle with the herbs.

CARAMELIZED APPLE AND CHICKEN SAUTE

Steps:

• In a shallow dish, combine flour, cinnamon, thyme and pepper.
• Coat both sides of chicken with flour mixture; shake off excess flour.
• Spray a non-stick skillet with no-stick cooking spray.
• Melt 1-1/2 teaspoons of butter in skillet over medium heat.
• Add chicken; brown 5 to 6 minutes on each side or until chicken is tender.
• Remove from skillet and keep warm.
• Melt remaining 1-1/2 teaspoons butter in skillet.
• Add onions; saute 3 to 4 minutes or until golden brown.
• Stir in apples and juice; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 4 to 5 minutes or until apples are tender.
• Add apple jelly; stir until melted.
• Add chicken back to skillet and heat through.