One down..........a million to go!

Well, last Friday was the long awaited Swap Day. If you remember the last time I wrote I mentioned that I volunteered to organize a Meal Swap between myself and 4 other lovely ladies I know. We got together and spent time talking about what our families likes and doesn't like, any allergies we would need to know about, when and where we would swap and all of the other details involved in the swap. I am happy to report that we had a lovely time visiting and exchanging our frozen meals. I am excited to try each and every one of the meals the other ladies made. They all sound delicious. I finally got the new blog I created for the group up and running. (if you're curious, you can check it out here)

I love to host these wonderful ladies here at my house. It's a treat for me to share my gift for hospitality with them. One swap down....a million more to come as far as I am concerned. I can't wait. I am already working on my choices for the next swap.

I've had several requests for the dessert recipe I made for this last swap so I thought I would share it with all of you too. Feel free to adapt the ingredients if you wish to accomodate a more natural diet by using sucanat or other natural sugars and whole grain flours...I used whole wheat in mine.

Apple Bars

(Betty Crocker's Everything You Need to Know Cookbook)

• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 large egg
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
• 2 small apples, peeled and chopped
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• Spice Glaze (below)

Heat oven to 350*. Grease bottom and sides of 9x13 pan.


Mix brown sugar, oil, milk and egg in large bowl. Stir in flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Stir in apples and walnuts. Spread in pan.

Bake about 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 30 minutes in pan on wire rack. Drizzle with Spice glaze. Cool completely. Cut into 2"x1.5" bars.

Spice Glaze  

• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1-2 Tbsp. apple juice or milk

Mix all ingredients until smooth and spreadable.

I love to make these after we've been apple picking at our local orchard. What a yummy autumn treat!