Why on earth would a person make apple egg rolls?
Three reasons.
First, I have leftover wrappers that I am trying to use up.
Second reason, my husband is slacking on eating his fruits and vegetables. He has been out of work and stuck in bed for a few weeks. A few very long weeks. Let's all hope he is on the mend. Anyways, he still hasn't eaten the produce I bought two weeks ago. I needed to use up some apples and bananas.
Third reason, there are only so many times I can cut the wrappers into strips, fry them, and sprinkle them with cinnamon and sugar. Not really, there is no limit, I just needed to use the apples.
I know what your thinking. Just eat the apple. Well I don't really care for apples. Ow, you were thinking that I should just make egg rolls. Well they take time and I just don't have much of that to spare. I got the stuff to make them last week and the husband ended up in the hospital. My cabbage went bad. So I had to think of another way to use them.
I had a plan for the bananas.
I made my very first loaf of banana bread. I don't like the stuff so I have never made it but what else can you do with old bananas. I loved it. This is from a girl who doesn't care for bananas. I would intentionally make it again. Tomorrow, if I hadn't used all my bad bananas.
I just needed a plan for apples and egg roll wrappers. Combine the two. Two birds with one stone.
So back to those egg rolls. It is like a mini apple pie. I ate three my husband had one. I did make them so I rightfully got first pick.
Apple Egg Rolls
1 1/2 Cup Finely Diced Apple
2 T Sugar
1/4 t Cinnamon
1/2 t Nutmeg
1/2 t Lemon Juice
4 Egg Roll Wrapper
1 Egg for Sealing
Oil for Frying
Mix the apple, lemon juice, sugar, and spices. Let the mixture sit for about ten minutes. Then drain the liquid that has formed. Soggy filling equals soggy egg roll.
Place a fourth of the filling on each wrapper. Mix the egg with a tablespoon of water and dab the edges of each wrapper to help seal them. Roll them up tightly.
Fry in oil until golden brown.
I served with some whipped cream spiked with sugar and cinnamon.
I also discovered that my little bug loves apples. When I was slicing them I gave her a chunk. She has always turned her nose to apples so I stopped offering them. Well she changed her mind. She ate the whole slice.
Couldn't give you a pancake post without a waffle post. Wouldn't want to make the waffles jealous. They are my favorite, you know.
Blueberry Lemon Buttermilk Waffles:
3 Cups Unbleached AP Flour
3 T Sugar
2 T Baking Powder
1 t Kosher Salt
2 Cups Buttermilk
1/2 Cup Melted Butter
2 Eggs Beaten
3 T Meyer Lemon Juice
10 Ounces Blueberries
Mix dry ingredients together. Mix wet ingredients together. Combine the two just until incorporated. Fold in blueberries.
Cook up and enjoy.
Now when you make this you will probably look down and think I messed up, or you did. But that isn't the case, it is a super thick batter. Just dollop about half a cup per 4 inch waffle inch square and all will be fine.
On a side note, I saw on Pinterest last week where someone froze little dots of yogurt as a treat. I thought it would be a great way to get my little one to eat some yogurt. Not so much. They melt instantly, I am not talking like a minute either. I am talking unless you want to stand at the freezer and go directly from pan to mouth, it doesn't work. That doesn't work with a 13 month old. So I let Ellie go after the leftover yogurt on her own. 
Have you ever had one of those moments where you realize you have done it incorrectly your entire life.
I like waffles. I like pancakes.
You take all that time, three minutes, to measure and mix but it is always too much (unless you have a big family). I have yet to find a good recipe for three pancakes. To see all that batter go down the drain is just heart breaking. I know what your about to tell me, just freeze them.
Not for me. A frozen one just won't be the same.
That is why I have never tried it. Silly isn't it? I can say it so honestly even though I have never tried it.
Well folks, the time it takes to cook them all up is precious time, not to be wasted. A few weeks ago, on a whim, I threw the extra waffles in the freezer. My intention was to have a frozen treat for someone growing teeth.
Well I consumed most of them on my own. You know what, they were just as good. I haven't looked back since.
I simply place a square of parchment between each one. Set them in the freezer. Once frozen I place them in the freezer bag. It saves time and it doesn't waste any batter. I am sorry to the gallons of batter I have sent down the drain over the years.
Pancakes
Adapted: Better Homes and Garden - New Cookbook
1 Cup Unbleached Flour
3/4 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
2 T Sugar
2 t Baking Powder
1/2 t Baking Soda
1/2 t Kosher Salt
1 Egg
1 1/2 Cups Milk
1 t Apple Cider Vinegar
1 t Vanilla Extract
2 T Oil or Melted Butter
Mix dry components together.
Mix milk and vinegar together and allow to sour for five minutes.
Add remaining wet components to milk mixture and briefly mix.
Combine dry and wet mixtures and mix just until incorporated.
Over medium heat cook them up. Watch for bubbles that stick around, that is when to flip.
Disclaimer: for those of you that like to eat your pancakes with a small drizzle of syrup (like my husband). This is not the pancake for that. It is not moist enough for that (it isn't dry either, just not THAT moist). We make a peanut butter and jelly stack. Occasionally with some whipped up heavy cream. Or just tons of syrup (me not the bug). Or a cooked up berry sauce. You know those types of things. This heavier pancake stands up well to little fingers that like to walk around with it and haven't really gotten that "don't smash it" concept.
1. I have tried two recipes recently that were epic failures. Both I actually followed the recipes because they were new concepts to me. What I concluded is that occasionally cookbooks and bloggers must post recipes just to have something to post. They went through the effort to measure, keep track, and photograph the meal so by golly that effort isn't going to waste. If not, someone out there has defective taste buds.
2. Vegetarian week failed so for Lent I tried to pick something a little less restrictive. So I gave up cans. None of our food comes from a can. This isn't too hard because it doesn't rule out any food item it just changes how I go about getting it. Instead of canned beans I make dry ones. Instead of canned artichokes, I get frozen or fresh. Instead of canned refried beans, I make my own. The huge one for me is canned tomatoes. I use them often. However, for now I will just use fresh tomatoes. Those are really the only cans we normally buy. So it isn't crazy hard but just requires more effort.
3. Lately I have been picking random music stations on the television in the morning to see if my daughter responds differently. So far her favorite is .... Hair guitar! Bring on the Poison! Cracks me up, she bends her knees and starts to bounce. Her version of dancing. Adorable.
4. A couple days ago I made two big batches of stock. One chicken and one beef. While they were cooling I crashed into to chicken and knocked it in the sink. Sad. Sad.
5. I am ashamed to admit that I have never purchased farm fresh eggs. Until last week. We are really trying to eat better so I sent my husband to a local farm to buy some eggs. One, they were much cheaper, even cheaper than Costco. Two, I have noticed a vast improvement in quality and taste.
6. I turned on cartoons for my daughter, for the first time ever. She wouldn't let me clip her nails for nothing so I switched from music to some cartoon on Disney channel. She sat there mesmerized for four minutes while I clipped her toes and fingers.
We usually do it every Tuesday but sometimes they have super human growth power. As you can see by her handy work.
When I was done clipping I turned it back to music like a mean mom and went and played with something else. I need to reserve the newness of it for future nail clippings.
7. Babies and young ones are the most adorable things. I can't help but smile constantly at the adorable, cute, and silly things my daughter does.
8. I have never cooked a lentil nor have I ever eaten one but for some reason I bought a bag. I was at the higher priced grocery store picking up some iron and a seven dollar can of tomatoes when I noticed fancy organic beans on sale for cheaper than the normal cheap kind. I grabbed a few bags along with a bag of lentils. Now what to do with them.
9. So those seven dollar tomatoes which I can't eat because I gave up cans for Lent. They are the real deal San Marzano tomatoes, from Italy, not the knock offs from California. These are certified and all that fancy stuff. I just need to see what the hype is all about. If they are really that fantastic. I will report back in April.
It is hiding at the bottom of the pantry with all the other cans. Trying to make friends with the Hunts.
10. I made blueberry muffins today. 22 of them. They are the best. I under mixed and under cooked them but they were still good. I have eaten all but five of them. They were mini ones so really it is just like I ate 8 normal muffins. Nothing wrong with that right?
