Spiced Cranberry Apple Raisin Compote Dessert

Your oven gets a real workout around the holidays and finding the room for an extra dish, or trying to time it so everything comes out when it should is tricky. This is one solution I came up with that might help. This one comes out of your slow cooker!

Traditional warm spices make this a real treat too. Serve topped with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Delish!

Ingredients:
6 granny smith apples, peeled and diced bite size
1 cup raisins
1 can whole cranberry sauce
1 tbsp corn starch
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp ground gingner
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 c orange juice
2 tbsp sugar or splenda

Directions:
In a bowl, break up the cranberry sauce so it is loose. Mix in raisins
Place apples in slowcooker, add cranberry raisin mixture and toss gently to blend ingredients
In the now empty bowl, add remaining ingredients. Wisk to blend
Pour spice & juice mixture over apple mixture
Set pot to cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3-4 hours (until everything is tender)
Keep your pot on warm until ready to serve

Serve in dessert cups topped with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, or serve it over ice cream while still warm

Optional:
Sprinkle chopped pecans on top!

Moist Banana Bread

Moist Banana Bread

I wake up earlier than everyone else some weekends and I will use that time to bake something yummy. This recipe is very easy and I have found it to be very moist and flavorful. The 3-4 bananas is what keeps it so moist, so if you have the 4, use them all.

I have made this both with regular flour and with gluten free flour. Delicious both ways, only noticable difference is in how much the bread rises.

Ingredients:

• 3 or 4 ripe bananas, mashed
• 1/3 cup melted promise sticks (or butter)
• 3/4 cup sugar substitute (splenda, baking variety) or sugar
• 1/4 cup egg substitute or 1 egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour (or gluten free flour)

optional: walnuts, raisins, chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F
Mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. 
Mix in the sugar substitute, egg, and vanilla. 
In a separate bowl, mix the baking soda and flour.  
Add dry ingredients to banana mixture, half at a time, mix to blend. 
Butter or use cooking spray in loaf pan, pour batter in. 
Bake for 1 hour. 
Let cool. Cut into slices.