By Tanya Manus

The apple trees in our backyard are giving us the most abundant crop I can ever remember, and we’ve been busy finding ways to use them all.

We’ve got an apple pie in the fridge, enough homemade apple pie filling in the freezer to last us through at least Thanksgiving, and next week’s project is apple butter. Then, the cool, windy weather inspired me to bake, so I pulled out a pumpkin apple muffin recipe I’d been wanting to try.

The recipe makes moist, slightly spicy muffins studded with apple chunks. Although this recipe calls for a streusel topping, our family agreed that next time, we’ll skip it. These muffins don’t need any embellishment, except maybe a good cup of tea.

Pumpkin Apple Streusel Muffins

2-1/2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 tbsp. pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup canned pumpkin

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 cups peeled, finely chopped apples

Streusel Topping (recipe follows)

In large bowl, combine first five ingredients; set aside. In medium bowl, combine eggs, pumpkin and oil. Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients; stir just until moistened. Stir in apples. Spoon batter into greased or paper-lined muffin cups, filling 3/4 full. Sprinking Streusel Topping over batter. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Makes 18-20 muffins.

Streusel Topping:

In small bowl, combine 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon. Cut in 4 teaspoons butter until mixture is crumbly.

By Deanna Darr

My teapot is getting a workout with all of this talk of Christmas and crisp weather. What better to go with tea than some homemade biscotti? Making it is easier than you might think. Here is one recipe worth trying.

Biscotti
6 eggs, well beaten

Add:
1-1/2 cup oil
1-1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup sliced almonds
4-1/2 cups flour

Topping: 1 cup cinnamon sugar

Mix all ingredients except cinnamon sugar. Shape into two logs on one baking sheet, covered with parchment paper. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes.
Remove, slice and put slices on their sides (this will take up two paper-lined cookie sheets). Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and bake for 20 minutes; flip over, sprinkle with more cinnamon sugar and bake an additional 20 minutes.
Turn oven off and let cool in oven about two hours or overnight.

By Crystal Hohenthaner
Rapid City Journal staff 

I have been told by friends and family members that I have unusual tastes. Okay, I like to eat some weird stuff and I do it in some weird ways.

For example, at restaurants I often eat my salad like one might eat chips and dip. It seems perfectly logical to me — it’s a simple way to ensure the right amount of dressing gets on the lettuce. It’s especially useful with thick dressings like ranch and thousand island. Nonetheless, it drives my father crazy every time the family goes out to eat.

I also have a penchant for sweet and salty food combinations — especially in breakfast food. For example, I really only like sausage if it is dipped in syrup or smeared with jelly. My friend Dee caught me eating turkey sausage patties slathered with strawberry jam just Saturday and she was truly aghast. 

I have even been known to eat my french fries with mustard instead of ketchup. That one really grosses out my sister.

I could probably go on an on about my strange eating habits and tastes (I have some especially interesting tales about Worchestershire sauce), but I’m more interested in the oddities of others. What are the strange things you all like to eat — or even the strange ways you eat them?

The Journal’s Food section today is all about pancakes. Ready for more?

Here is a great recipe for Buttermilk Blueberry Pancakes (suitable for company) and our family’s favorite syrup. After first making this about 10 years ago, we haven’t been able to bring ourselves to buy syrup off the shelf; store-bought syrup seems to have a funny aftertaste.

Buttermilk Blueberry Pancakes

3 eggs

3 cups flour

3 cups buttermilk

6 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons baking powder

1-1/2 teaspoon soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries, thawed, rinsed and drained

Beat eggs with hand beater until fluffy; beat in remaining ingredients (except blueberries) until smooth. Gently stir in blueberries. Pour about 1/4 cup batter onto heated griddle. Cook until puffed and dry around edges. Turn and cook other sides until golden brown.

Pancake Syrup

1 cup powdered sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup flour

4 cups water

1 stick butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine all ingredients, except butter and vanilla, in sauce pan and slow boil to thicken. When mixture is thick, add butter and vanilla. Serve warm.

So, several fast food chains have recently started selling breakfast in the area. All I can think is that some super-secret information has been leaked from McDonalds about how profitable their breakfast endeavors have been.

Just a few short years ago Hardees expanded it’s breakfast menu. Since then Arby’s has joined in. And recently Taco Johns has joined the breakfast action.

That’s right. You can now get tacos for breakfast.

Well, they aren’t really tacos, they’re burrito thingies. Personally I don’t do spicy food for breakfast. My German heritage and my Irish stomach can’t handle it. But this morning I did go to Taco John’s for breakfast because I had an insane craving for Potato Ole’s.

Now I didn’t have much hope that they would have the lovely golden bits of potato goodness available before 10 a.m. – I mean, McDonald’s doesn’t serve French fries in the morning – but I was pleasantly surprised! I got my Ole’s and started the day off with a kick. Well, as much of a kick as my South Dakotan digestive system would allow.

I don’t think I’ll do that very often, but it’s great to know that the option is there. How about all of you? What do like to eat for breakfast? Does anyone out there gett a craving for fast food items in the a.m. – or is it just me?