Here’s what you need:

Ingredients:

1 large red apple, cored and very thinly sliced

¼ cup white sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed

¼ cup melted butter

1 egg

2 teaspoons water

1 teaspoon confectioners’ sugar 

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Butter a muffin pan and dust with white sugar.

Place apple slices on a plate, overlapping slightly if necessary. Microwave on High for about 45 seconds just until slices have softened a bit. Cover plate with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel.

Mix together sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.

Roll puff pastry sheet to less than 1/8-inch thickness. Using a pizza cutter, cut two 3-inch by 12-inch rectangles. Reserve remaining pieces for another use.

Spread melted butter over dough; top with a generous amount of cinnamon-sugar. Place apple slices along 1 long edge of dough, about 1/4 inch beyond the edge of dough, overlapping slices slightly. Fold bottom half of dough over the apple slices to form a long “folder” of dough with rounded edges of apple slices exposed.

Beat egg and water together in a bowl. Paint the surface of dough with egg wash. Sprinkle with more cinnamon-sugar, to taste.

Starting from one end, roll dough not too tightly to form a rose-shaped pastry. Seal roll with the end of the dough strip.

Transfer roses to a prepared muffin pan. Sprinkle it with a little more cinnamon-sugar. Place the muffin pan directly on the middle rack of your preheated oven.

Bake until well browned, about 45 minutes. Remove your muffin pan out of the oven and let the roses cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Dust with confectioners’ sugar before serving. Don’t forget to snap a picture of these beautiful “flowers”!

What did Shakespeare say? “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet”, in this case, these baked apples roses smell as divine as they taste! Show us your roses! If you make this recipe and want to share with us, tag us on Instagram @stokesstores and use the hashtag #StokesMoments.

Here’s what you need:

Ingredients:

4 ounces vodka

4 ounces apple juice

1 ounce cranberry juice or cranberry cocktail

20 fresh cranberries plus more for garnish

2 cinnamon sticks

crushed ice

Preparation:

In tall glass, muddle or crush cranberries.

Add vodka, apple juice and cranberry juice.

Stir vigorously with cinnamon sticks then pour over ice.

Garnish with cinnamon sticks, more cranberries, and apple slices or mint if desired.

However you’re celebrating Thanksgiving this year, give yourself a treat and make this cocktail – it tastes as good as it smells and is the perfect way to welcome the beginning of the  festive Holiday season. If you make this recipe and want to share with us, tag us on Instagram @stokesstores and use the hashtag #StokesMoments.

Ingredients:

Filling:

2 lb Granny Smith Apples, cored and peeled

1 tbsp white flour

1/2 cup white sugar

2 tbsp lemon juice 

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Crumble Topping:

1 cup rolled oats / oatmeal 

1 cup white flour

1 cup brown sugar (loosely packed)

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon powder

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

Pinch of salt

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350F/180C.

Peel apples, then cut into 1.5cm/ 3/5” cubes.

Place apple in a bowl. Sprinkle with flour, sugar and cinnamon, then pour over lemon juice. Toss, then spread out evenly in a 1.5 litre baking dish. 

Place the ingredients for the toppings in a bowl. Mix until clumps form. Spread the topping over the apples, crumbling with fingers if required to get that crumbly finish.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. Remove, cover loosely with foil to keep warm and let stand for 10 minutes before serving to give a chance for the apples to set.

The only way we recommend serving this is with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream on top! If you make this recipe and want to share with us, tag us on Instagram @stokesstores and use the hashtag #StokesMoments.

Here are a couple of tips to keep in mind while using this nifty little gadget:

1.Make sure it’s well anchored to a clean counter. If there is debris, either on the counter or under the machine, it won’t stay in place which will make it difficult to use.

2.If you decide to remove any parts, store them in resealable bag so that you don’t lose any of the small pieces.

3.Rinse in hot water immediately after use to ensure no bits of apple get stuck on.

Happy apple season everyone! Don’t forget to share pictures of your recipes using the 3-in-1 Apple Machine by tagging @stokesstores and @cookeatlivehappy.

It’s New Year’s Eve and whether your plans to celebrate the New Year tonight and tomorrow have been set for weeks or whether you’re more of a last-minute-plans person, the holidays are a busy time. Point is, between gift-giving and feast-making, finding time to whip up an appetizer to serve at your New Year’s party or to bring to a party you’re attending is a near impossible feat!

You need an appetizer recipe that you can make in a flash! But, one that will be just as pleasing to the palate as if you spent all afternoon preparing it.

Well, we’ve put together a few easy to do last minute appetizer recipes which each one can be made in 20 minutes – or less! With a choice of a sweet, savory, and veggie quick and easy to do appetizers, you’ll be left with plenty of time to get glammed up in your shimmering best for a night full of reveling. And to top it off, your fellow merrymakers will be impressed by the tasty treat you brought!

Feel the cheer of the coming New Year and give these hassle-free and easy to do party appetizers a try!

Creamy Feta Stuffed Peppers 

Photo & Recipe adapted from iheartvegatables.com 

Ingredients

• 12 mini peppers
• ½ cup cream cheese
• ½ cup feta
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• 3 tbsp fresh dill

Preparation

1. Use the microdot small chef knife to slice the peppers lengthwise so that the halves will lay flat. Scoop out the seeds and discard.
2. In our 5L mixing bowl, stir the feta, cream cheese, garlic powder, and dill until combined.
3. Stuff each pepper with filling and top with extra dill to taste.
4. Serve on the Kim rectangular platter and enjoy!

Apple Walnut Crostini

Photo & Recipe adapted from: relunctantentertainer.com 

Ingredients

• 2 chopped apples
• 1 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• ½ cup cream cheese
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 fresh baguette
• 2 tablespoons balsamic reduction

Preparation

1. Turn oven on to Broil. Cut baguette into 1 inch pieces with our microdot bread knife. Place in oven on our thinkkitchen pan and let toast. Remove after 1-3 minutes or when edges are golden-brown.
2. Combine honey, apples, gorgonzola and walnuts in our deep mixing bowl and stir.
3. Spread a thin layer of cream cheese on the toasted baguette.
4. Top with honey, apple, gorgonzola, and walnut mixture. Drizzle on balsamic reduction.
5. Serve with our take out rectangular plate and enjoy!
   

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Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus

Photo & Recipe adapted from eightwildboars.wordpress.com

Ingredients:

• 12 asparagus spears
• 6 slices prosciutto
• 1 ½ tablespoon butter

Preparation:

1. Wash the asparagus and snap or cut off the woody ends.
2. Cut prosciutto length-ways into halves. Lay a piece of prosciutto on the thinkkitchen Milan cutting board. Take one piece of asparagus and place it at the end of the piece of prosciutto. On an angle, roll the asparagus, holding the end of the prosciutto to it. Wrap the meat tight, until you get to the end of the prosciutto.
3. Melt butter in the Remy Olivier Sabayon frypan on medium-high heat. Fry wrapped asparagus spears for 1-2 minutes on each side or until prosciutto is brown and crispy.
4. Serve in our Amanda oval platter and enjoy!
   

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Here to help you save time and enjoy your New Year’s celebrations,