It’s Not a Scam

Graduation done? Check. Out of state family finally made it home? Check. Nervous breakdown? Check. And now we're starting a new week.

Well, I’m officially in the dog house, if we had one that is. Those Apple Spice cookies I mentioned the other day, are absolutely yummy! I changed it up just a bit by using a can of Luck’s fried apples with cinnamon. These fried apples also work great for strudel. Anyway, Panthea told me I’m in trouble as she likes these cookies tooooo much. A great test for a cookie recipe is, how fast they disappear when you’re done.

We won’t even talk about the painting and cleaning that's been going on before and after the baby of the family graduated high school. And poor George, (the little feline monster) he thinks we all went nuts, but he’s the one climbing the drapes. Yet with all this going on, we can make our schedule work around everything by working from home. Now many people out there will say, “Yah right! All of those work from home deals are scams.” I hate to disappoint the nay sayer’s, but there are legit work from home opportunities. After more than three decades as a police officer, I know what scams are, and I know what the real deal is. Now one major clue is, are they accredited by the Better Business Bureau? Have you ever heard of a scam being accredited by the Better Business Bureau.

With the right work from home business, you can even do it while you’re on the go. Today’s technology with smart phones, net books and lap top computers make it simple to network with your business partners and friends. Not to mention going to your son’s graduation.  The drawback to working from home in Oklahoma, in the spring time, is the wife has more time to find things for me to do. My salvation, I tell her it’s time to bake some more goodies. Now I’ve found some different recipes for apple strudel, and after tweaking them, I created my own. Now don’t all moan and go yuk! The strudel may not be pretty, but it disappears faster than the cookies. Try it and decide.

Apple Strudel

Ingredients:

1 pound sweet apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced, (or 1 or 2 cans of Luck’s Fried Apples with Cinnamon)

¼ Cup raisins, regular or golden

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup white sugar

2 slices of bread, crumbled

½ of 16 ounce package of Phyllo Dough, (or 7 or 8 sheets)

¼ cup butter, melted (Cooking spray may be substituted)

½ cup of nuts, either crushed walnut or pecan work well

For the glaze:

1 ½ cup confectioner’s sugar

1 tablespoon apple cider

1 tablespoon butter, melted

Directions:

1.    Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

2.    In a bowl, combine apples, raisins, cinnamon, sugar, bread crumbs, and nuts, and stir well. (If using the glaze, save some of the nuts for the topping).

3.    Spread Phyllo dough sheets generously with melted butter or spray with cooking spray and lay them one on top of the other on a baking sheet. (Use of parchment paper on the baking sheet makes it much easier. Otherwise spray the baking sheet with cooking spray). Spread the mixture from the bowl evenly over the top sheet, then roll up all of the sheets to form a log shape. (Neatness in your log shape really doesn’t effect the taste). Brush the whole thing with melted butter again.

4.    Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until pastry is golden brown and fruit is tender. (A little less time if you are using Luck’s Fried Apples with Cinnamon as these apples are already tender). Remember ovens vary on temperature.

Glaze:

If making the glaze, combine the confectioner’s sugar, apple cider and butter in a small mixing bowl using a whisk. (Apple juice may be substituted).

Using a fork or the whisk, dip it into the glaze, then hold it over the finished strudel and let the glaze drip off the fork or whisk. Drip liberal amount of glaze on the strudel and sprinkle with nuts. Let it cool for 10 to 15 minutes, then serve.

You can use pastry icing if you don’t want to make the glaze.

You may also want to use nuts only for the topping.

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