Apple Cream Cheese Muffins and All-Time Favorite Kare-Kare

By: Sarah

 

My favorite season is back for a good 3 months (and I just learned that Fall is still the internet’s favorite season, I am not surprised because Fall is the season for all senses) — visually appealing play of reds/oranges/browns in trees and leaves, much cooler nights, fall spices that make my kitchen smell delicious. These elements of Autumn or Fall just make me try some new cardigans or boots and yes, bake fresh apple pies and muffins and the ooey-gooey cinnamon rolls. And we now crave for some hot homemade soups (Next month’s recipes of my Butternut Squash soup and Arroz Caldo you will surely fall in love with).

I had a great start or welcome to this Fall Season. I chanced upon a Facebook post inviting local folks to a no-limits of “great for baking” apple picking. No dilly-dally, Glenn and I were warmly greeted by a Crystal Lake couple and ushered us to 3 huge apple trees. The husband even brought a large tarp to catch falling apples as he shook the apple branches with a metal hook. We could have just brought a tall ladder and brought a huge container. Don’t we all enjoy apple picking! Don’t we all love freshly-baked apple pies. And free apples — that is bonus, bonus. Sharing to you is my take on Apple Cream Cheese Muffins. You can bake this on a bundt pan, but I intended to share these with Titah V, Direk Gerry Rebello, my caring neighbors and Glenn’s co-workers so I settled for muffins. You will need an apple corer or a teaspoon and a good paring knife to handle the many apples needed to make an Apple Compote. I start with this and leave it in the fridge overnight to cool. Let’s bake!

APPLE CREAM CHEESE MUFFINS, it is so easy to make and no need for frosting…and if not too sweet enough for you, go ahead and drizzle with store-bought caramel syrup, I know you would!

THE APPLE COMPOTE

8 oz brick cream cheese,
room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cornstarch
Mix using a fork or electric blender
just to combine.
THE APPLE CAKE
BATTER
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup firmly packed
light brown sugar
1/2 cup applesauce
1 cup vegetable or canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 425°F, line cupcake pans with paper liners (use tulip baking cupcake liners), set aside. Recipe makes about 16 jumbo muffins. In a large bowl, stir together flour and the next 5 dry ingredients, set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together egg, sugars, applesauce, oil and vanilla, and add to flour mixture. Stir all ingredients until just moistened. Spoon (I use a big ice cream scoop, about 1/4 cup to 1/3 cup) cake batter to each muffin cup. Drop a tablespoon of cream cheese filling and apple compote. Finish with coarsely chopped walnuts (or pecans if available). Place in preheated oven BUT reduce the temperature to 350°F. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or center has set (toothpick comes out clean). This is a very moist cake so let cool completely for 2 hours.

MY easy/simple ALLTIME FAVORITE KARE-KARE (Pork Ribs Stew in Peanut Sauce) Pork ribs is always my choice for home cooking, it is also my choice for sinigang. I always boil the meat one day ahead, store in the fridge and remove the hardened fat on the surface the following day. 2 lbs pork ribs, cut into serving size, boiled until tender (may boil with quartered onion and bay leaf) 1/2 cup cooking oil 3 tablespoons achuete seeds 1 pc large red onion, peeled and quartered 1/4 cup minced garlic 1/2 cup to 1 cup peanut butter 2 pcs Knorr beef cubes 1 tablespoon shrimp paste or patis (fish sauce) 3 tablespoons granulated sugar 1/4 cup glutinous rice powder, dissolved in 1/4 cup reserved broth 6 cups broth from boiling pork ribs 1 pc bokchoy, washed and cleaned and trimmed the ends a handful or two of green beans or sitaw (long green beans), if available 2 large eggplants, trimmed and cut into pieces

In a cooking pot (I use wok), heat oil and add the annatto seeds, stirring until color comes out; remove seeds. Saute onion in the annatto oil followed by the minced garlic. Add in the boiled meats, peanut butter, beef cubes, shrimp paste, sugar and dissolved rice powder. Continuously stir until meats are well coated with seasonings. Pour the reserved broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer while boiling vegetables in another pot and then submerging in bowl of ice water (in this order, one at a time: bokchoy, green beans, and eggplant). Enjoy with lots sauteed bagoong, yes lots please!!!

Tip: Boil tripe (if desired, but boil meats and tripe separately) for 10 minutes with 1 tablespoon vinegar, discard water. Replace water, enough to cover the tripe and boil with peppercorn and bay leaf until tender.

So what do you like to do or dive in on a chilly fall day? Enjoy the feels of this wonderful season — HAVE FUN!