Friday, February 28, 2014

Zesty Hot Dog Sauce



In a small saucepan, over low heat, add 1 T. olive oil.  Finely mince one shallot and two cloves of garlic.  Add onions and garlic to the olive oil and let cook for 2 - 3 minutes until the shallot is softened.  Add 1/3 cup yellow mustard and 1 cup ketchup.  Stir to combine.  Add 2 T. dill (or sweet) pickle relish, a few grinds of black pepper and 1 t. Worcestershire sauce.

Continue stirring until sauce is heated through.  Serve immediately.  

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

King Cake Martini


It is the season for King Cakes!  And what better libation for a Mardi Gras party than a King Cake Martini?


Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.  Add 2 oz. Pinnacle King Cake flavored vodka and 1 oz. amaretto.  Shake and strain into a martini glass.  

Pimm's Cup


This drink is a signature drink at Napoleon House in New Orleans.  Click on the link to learn the history of the drink.

Fill a Collins glass with ice, add 1.5 oz. of Pimm's, top with ginger ale (or lemonade) and garnish with a cucumber slice.

Monday, February 24, 2014

French Market Citrus Shrimp


Two of the first things that always captures my senses when I walk into the French Market in New Orleans are the wonderful aromas and gorgeous colors of all the citrus fruits.

I combined my love of all things citrus with a sprinkling of Creole seasoning to make a delicious baked shrimp appetizer.

1 pound of medium or large shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 orange, thinly sliced
2 lemons, thinly sliced
2 limes, thinly sliced
3 T. butter, melted
1 - 2 T. Creole seasoning

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with foil and arrange the sliced fruit on the sheet.  

Next place the shrimp on top of the fruit and sprinkle with the Creole seasoning and slowly drizzle with the melted butter.  

Bake for 5 - 7 minutes until cooked through. Serve immediately.

Chicken and Green Onion Sausage Jambalaya


With all the other cooking yesterday, I was more than happy to utilize the wonderful product of Zatarain's Original Jambalaya Mix.  To boost it up to the next level of Mardi Gras goodness, I cooked it according to the package directions and then added the meat from a rotisserie chicken and one pound of browned green onion sausage.  


Smoked Pork & Crawfish Sausage and Tasso Gumbo


On my last trip to New Orleans, I brought home a package of Savoie Tasso and another of smoked pork and crawfish sausage from Crescent City Meat Company of Metairie, LA.

Tasso is spicy, smoked pork butt that is common throughout South Louisiana. If you're looking for a gumbo with tons of flavor and some heat, give this recipe a try.  I used a recipe from Louisiana Cookin' Magazine as a jumping off point and here's the resulting recipe:

3 T. olive oil
8 oz. tasso ham, diced
1 cup brown roux*
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 cup chopped green onion
1 cup chopped poblano pepper
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped jalapeno
2 T. minced garlic
2 (15 oz.) cans petite diced tomatoes
1/4 cup prepared mole sauce, such as Dona Maria
4 cups chicken broth
3 bay leaves
2 dried chile peppers
1 T. Cajun seasoning
cooked basmati rice
Garnish:  chopped cilantro or finely chopped green onions

*Stovetop Roux
7 T. vegetable oil or butter
11 T. all purpose flour

In a Dutch oven or large cast iron skillet, heat oil over medium high heat.  Add flour, and whisk vigorously until combined and mixture is smooth.

Reduce heat to low and continue cooking, whisking until flour has lost its raw smell, but before any golden color or toasted aroma occurs, 4 to 5 minutes.  For a brown roux, continue cooking, stirring occasionally, unto roux color resembles peanut butter, 30 - 35 minutes.  Remove from heat and use immediately.

In a large Dutch oven, add olive oil and heat over medium heat.  Add tasso and sausage and cook, stirring often, until browned.  Drain and set aside.  In the same pan, add roux and warm over medium heat, stirring constantly.

Once simmering, add onions, peppers, celery, jalapeno and garlic.  Cook, stirring often, until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.

Add tomatoes, mole, broth, bay leaves, dried peppers and Cajun seasoning, salt as needed and black pepper to taste.  Bring mixture to a boil over high heat.  Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 30 minutes.  Serve over cooked rice and garnish as desired.

***Lolly's note:  I brought gumbo to a boil and then transferred to a crock pot set to low to gently cook for a few hours.  


Dipping Sauce for Blackened Fish, Shrimp and/or Crawfish Tails

This is a perfect, cooling condiment to serve alongside any blackened or spicy grilled fish or seafood.  You can whip this up in the food processor in literally 2 minutes.  


4 oz. sour cream
1 large jar chopped pimentos, drained
pinch of salt
a dash of hot sauce
1/2 t. dried basil
2 T. olive oil

Combine all ingredients in a small food processor and pulse until well blended. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Grillades and Cheese Grits



Grillades (pronounced GREE-ahds) and cheese grits are perfect for a brunch menu and most definitely fit the bill for a delicious main course at dinner. Grillades, the French word for grilled, is a little misleading here. Simply put, grillades are small pieces of veal, round steak or pork that are pounded thin, seared in hot oil, then simmered in a spicy roux based Creole sauce (or gravy). The long cooking time,combined with the thin pieces of meat, result in melt in your mouth deliciousness.

1 1/2 - 2 pounds well trimmed top round of beef
1 t. black pepper
3/4 t. salt
3 T. vegetable or canola oil
2 T. all purpose flour
1 large onion, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups beef stock
1 (16 oz.) can whole tomatoes, in juice
1 t. dried thyme
1/2 t. cayenne
2 bay leaves
1 t. red wine vinegar
4 green onions (white and tender green parts) for garnish, if desired

Cut the meat into 1 1/2 inch thick slices, then cut the slices into approximately 2 1/2 inch squares. Pound the meat between two pieces of plastic wrap or waxed paper into thin pieces about double their original size. Sprinkle the beef on both sides with the black pepper and salt.

In a large skillet or cast iron Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Cook the meat, in batches, over medium high heat, or until well browned on both sides. Remove the meat to a plate.  

Sprinkle the flour into the pan drippings. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes, or until the flour is lightly browned.  

Add the onions, bell pepper, celery and garlic, and cook, stirring frequently for 5 minutes or until the vegetables began to soften.  Add the been stock and the tomatoes with their juice, breaking up the tomatoes with the side of a spoon.  

Stir in the thyme, cayenne and bay leaves. Return the meat o the sauce. Cook, covered, over low heat for 1  -1 1/2 hour; stirring occasionally, or until the meat is fork tender. Uncover the pot during the last 15 minutes of cooking to thicken the sauce slightly. Stir in the vinegar.

Transfer the grillades and sauce to a serving platter and sprinkle with the sliced green onions.

For the grits:

If you want to use stone ground grits and have lots of time, they are your best choice for this dish. A very close runner up is quick cooking grits. I followed the package directions for the amounts for 8 servings.  

I used half water/half milk. And when the grits were thickened and ready to eat, I slowly stirred in 2 cups of grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese.


Oh yes. Delicious with the Grillades and Sauce spooned over the top.

adapted from The Best of New Orleans, a Cookbook by Brooke Dojny

Cajun Crawfish Potatoes



This recipe was published in Louisiana Cookin' magazine (March/April 2014) from a contribution by Dana Bergeron of Morganza, Louisiana. This was an excellent side dish for our recent Mardi Gras party.  

1/4 cup butter
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup copped green bell pepper
6 large Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
2 t. garlic salt
2 t. ground black pepper
16 oz. shredded Mexican cheese blend
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 pound crawfish tails

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper, and cook until tender. Set aside.

In a 13 x 9 inch baking dish, evenly distribute one layer of potato slices, reserving remaining slices. Season with garlic salt and black pepper. Cover lightly with a layer of cheese. Repeat until all potato slices are used. Pour cream over potato mixture. Spread reserved onion mixture evenly over potato mixture, and top with crawfish tails. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

Cover with aluminum foil, and bake 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove aluminum foil and bake until bubbly, about 15 additional minutes.

Blackened Black Grouper (and shrimp and crawfish tails!)





You get a three-for on this recipe.  We seasoned black grouper fillets, shrimp and crawfish tails with a Paul Prudhomme blackening seasoning blend.  Unless you have a GREAT vent/exhaust system in your kitchen, I recommend making this dish outside on the grill.  A large cast iron skillet is a must for blackening fish.

Make the blackened spice blend and you can store the leftovers in an airtight container for later use.  

1 T. paprika
1 t. black pepper
1 t. salt
1/2 t. cayenne pepper
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. onion powder
1/2 t. dried oregano
1/2 t. white pepper
4 fish fillets, about 6 oz. each, cut 1/2 inch thick
4 t. butter, melted

In a shallow bowl, combine all the spices and herbs.  Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat for about 10 minutes, or until very ho.  The skillet is the correct temperature if a drop of water evaporates almost immediately when dropped on the surface.

Coat the fish (or shrimp or what have you), shaking off the excess.  Cook the fish in the preheated skillet for 2 to 3 minutes or until the underside is dark brown. Carefully spoon about 1/2 t. of the melted butter over each fillet (try to avoid spilling the butter into the skillet because it may flare up).  

Using a spatula, turn the fish and spoon 1/2 of the butter over the blackened sides of the fillets.  Cook for an additional 2 - 3 minutes, or until the underside is dark brown and the fish is opaque but still moist inside. Transfer the fish to serving plates.

adapted from The Best of New Orleans, a Cookbook, by Brooke Dojny

Saturday, February 22, 2014

Pomegranate Martini


This is a lovely, smooth and refreshing drink.  You can purchase expensive Pomegranate Martini mixes, but there's no need to do that.  Make your own, store in the refrigerator and you can enjoy these anytime.  

Make a "simple syrup" of 8 oz. water and 8 oz. sugar.  Heat in a small saucepan until sugar melts and let cool.  Mix with 24 oz. POM Pomegranate Juice and store in the refrigerator.

To make the martini:

Mix equal parts of your favorite vodka and Pom mix (1.25 oz. is standard bar portion size) in a cocktail shaker with ice.  Shake and strain into a martini glass.


Thursday, February 20, 2014

Rice and Three Bean Nachos


Last night we had Southwestern Rice and Three Bean Casserole.  Tonight was a Round 2 meal when I used that tasty casserole to top tortilla scoop chips to make nachos.  

Once again, this isn't a recipe as much as an assembling of ingredients so here we go.

Plate your favorite tortilla chips;
Spoon over the warmed rice and bean casserole;
Add additional shredded cheese if you'd like;
Add your favorite nacho toppings!

I topped mine with sour cream, sliced pickled jalapenos and cilantro.


Southwestern Rice and Three Bean Casserole





I made this recipe up in my head while at the grocery store.  I served this alongside the chicken sliders.  This was an excellent casserole.  If you wanted to serve it as a main dish the simple addition of rotisserie chicken would fit the bill perfectly.

1 package Knorr Chicken Rice cooked according to package directions
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can chili beans with sauce
1 can Ranch beans with sauce
1 can Rotel tomatoes (your choice of flavor/heat level)
2 cups Mexican blend cheese, divided

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly grease a medium sized casserole dish.  I used a 9 x 11 oval.

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients, but only ONE CUP of the cheese.

Spoon into the casserole dish and cover with foil.  Bake in oven about 30 minutes until the mixture is bubbling.  

Remove from the oven and top with remaining one cup cheese.  Put back into the oven for 5 minutes until the cheese melts and begins to brown slightly.  Let rest a few minutes before serving.


Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Southwestern Chicken Sliders


Sometimes a big burger is just too much.  Sometimes it's fun to play with your food.  Tonight we decided to use that pound of chicken in a new way and make a chicken taco slider if you will.

1 pound ground chicken
2 T. finely minced red onion
1 t. minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste
1 T. McCormick Southwest Chipotle Seasoning
1 t. ground cumin

In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients together and form into golf ball sized balls. Heat a large griddle pan or skillet over high heat and lightly coat the surface with a little olive oil.

Place 4 or 5 chicken meatballs (for lack of a better term) on the griddle and, using the back of a spoon, carefully flatten each meatball into a mini-burger.  Cook 4 - 5 minutes each side until cooked through.  As each batch is cooked, top with sliced pepper jack cheese. Place on a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven while the other mini-burgers are cooked.

Serve on small dinner rolls.  Top with shredded lettuce, thinly sliced avocados, tomatoes, sour cream, pickled jalapenos and/or chopped cilantro.

Serve immediately.


Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Steak Pomegranate

This recipe is courtesy of King's Olive Oil Company.  The marinade incorporates one of the balsamic vinegars and an imported garlic olive oil which they sell.  If you live close enough to visit them, please do and, if not, look through their website.  



For the marinade
1/3 cup Pomegranate Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 cup Organic Garlic Olive Oil
1 T. Dijon mustard
2 t. Kosher salt
1 New York Strip or Rib Eye Steak per person

Mix all ingredients together in a shallow dish and marinate steaks for at least 30 minutes. Grill to your preferred degree of doneness. Serve immediately.



Sunday, February 16, 2014

February Forks and Corks Dinner at King's Olive Oil Company

We enjoyed a wonderful Valentine's meal at King's Olive Oil Company at their monthly Forks and Corks Dinner which was a five course meal with a Night in Paris theme. 

We began the first course with Charcuterie Plate consisting of country pate, a course grain/Dijon mustard blend, cornichons, pickled shallots, pork rillettes, fig preserves and toasted country bread.  This was a wonderful beginning to the meal. Each bite complimented the other.



Second course:  Crepes with blue cheese sauce, walnuts and argulua toasted with walnut oil and sprinkled with blue cheese crumbles.  The sauce was smooth and velvety.  There was just enough blue cheese to enhance the sauce and was not overwhelming.



Third Course:  French Onion Soup.  Perfectly seasoned with a nicely toasted bread slice topped with melty Swiss cheese.



Fourth Course:  Pork tenderloin stuffed with kale and bacon with an apple Reisling sauce served with roasted apples and potatoes which were the perfect accompaniment to the pork tenderloin.



Fifth Course:  Parmesan Creme Brulee with balsamic berries.  This was heaven in a ramekin.  


Chef JP Pendergrass certainly outdid himself with this wonderful Valentine's Dinner.  We are eagerly looking forward to his next meal served at Forks and Corks.

Friday, February 14, 2014

Valentine's Day Table 2014

Some pictures for you to enjoy!



 
 



Valentine's Day Pancakes



This morning the twin granddaughters enjoyed heart shaped pancakes.  A dusting of powdered sugar and a few red sprinkles and they were good to go!

Mix up your favorite pancake recipe.  You can either make the pancakes and cut out with heart shaped cookie cutters OR you can pour the batter into the cookie cutter mold and let them cook that way until the first side is set and then you can carefully remove the mold and flip them to cook the other side. 


Thursday, February 13, 2014

Savory Cheese and Chive Bread

I have posted the recipe as written by Ms. Greenspan.  However, I baked my loaf in a Lodge Cast Iron Loaf Pan.



This delicious bread is perfect for nibbling.  With a sliced apple or some grapes, maybe some olive oil for dipping...you have a great snack for early evenings or when guests drop by.

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 T. baking powder
½ - 1 t. salt (depending on what cheese and add-ins you are using)
1/4 t. freshly ground white pepper (or more to taste, you could add a pinch of
cayenne)
3 large eggs, at room temperature

1/3 cup whole milk, at room temperature
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup coarsely grated cheese (about 4 oz. Gruyere, Comte, Emmenthal, or Cheddar)
2 oz. cheese, cut into very small cubes (Gruyere, Comte, Emmenthal, or Cheddar, about ½  - 2/3 cup)
½ cup minced fresh chives (or other herbs, or thinly sliced scallions)
1/3 cup toasted walnuts (or pecans), chopped (optional)


Center a rack in the oven; preheat oven to 350°


Generously butter an 8 x 4 1/2 x 2 3/4-inch loaf pan (a Pyrex pan is perfect; if your pan is larger, go ahead and use it, but your loaf will be lower and you'll have to check it for doneness a little earlier).  NOTE:  I used my Lodge Cast Iron Loaf Pan.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and white pepper together in a big bowl.


Put the eggs in another bowl and whisk for about 1 minute, until they are foamy and blended; whisk in the milk and olive oil.


Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and , using a sturdy rubber spatula or a wooden spoon, gently mix until the dough comes together; there is no need to be energetic (beating the dough toughens it); nor do you need to be very thorough, just stir until all the dry ingredients are moistened.


Stir in the cheese, grated and cubed, the herbs, and walnuts (you will have a thick dough).

Turn the dough into the prepared pan and even the top with the back of the spatula or spoon.

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the bread is golden and a slender knife inserted into the center comes out clean.


Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and wait for about 3 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the pan and turn the loaf over the rack; invert and cool right side up.

From Around My French Table by Dorie Greenspan

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Lolly's Cornbread



There are hundreds of recipes for cornbread.  Some contain flour, some have sugar, some add eggs or oil.

Take a deep breath before you read any further.  Here is Lolly's Secret Recipe for cornbread.  Are you ready?

2 cups of self-rising white cornmeal
2 cups buttermilk
2 T. bacon grease

Yes, that's it.  That's the entire recipe.  

I won 1st Place in every 4-H Bread Competition I entered in elementary and junior high school.  I bet you didn't know that, did you?  I decided if the recipe wasn't broken, I wouldn't try to fix it.  

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  

In a medium mixing bowl, add cornmeal and then slowly stir in buttermilk until it's well blended.  

Put the bacon grease in a cast iron skillet and heat it over medium heat until a drop of the batter sizzles.

Pour the batter into the skillet and bake until golden brown about 20 - 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest in skillet for a few minutes before turning out onto a serving plate.






Wintertime Vegetable Soup a/k/a A Little Bit of Everything!



Once again, North Alabama is under a rare Winter Storm Warning. I didn't want to risk driving home on icy streets, so I left work early and had the afternoon to cook a HUGE pot of vegetable soup.

What as so special about this pot of soup is I bought nothing at the grocery store to make it. Everything that went into the soup pot came from the freezer, pantry and refrigerator.  Hence, the name of the recipe....A Little Bit of Everything.

Once again, the containers of vegetable stock in the freezer were the perfect base for this pot of soup.  Feel free to use canned where I have referenced frozen or vice versa.  The important thing is to learn how to keep a well stocked pantry and freezer.  This recipe makes a LOT.  Halve the ingredients, or while you cooking, make enough to freeze for another meal later.

12 cups vegetable stock
4 cups crushed tomatoes
2 medium onions, chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled, chopped
1 parsnip, peeled, chopped
1 small turnip, chopped
2 T. chopped garlic
1 can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can speckled butter beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 small head of cabbage, shredded
2 cups frozen corn kernels
2 cups frozen green beans
1/2 cup dried lentils
1/2 T. dried thyme
2 bay leaves
3 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
6 oz. can tomato paste
1/2 cup orzo pasta
salt and pepper to taste

In a LARGE Dutch oven, over medium heat, add the ingredients in order given except for the pasta. Let the soup come to a gentle boil and reduce to simmer.  

Partially cover and let soup simmer until vegetables are tender.  About 10 minutes before serving add the orzo and let cook until pasta is cooked.

Try a spoonful and add salt and pepper to taste.  Remove bay leaves before serving.

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Ground Lamb Pitas



Think of these pitas as Greek Sloppy Joes. Light, fresh and healthy, these are a great alternative to a regular burger if you're looking for something new to try.

1 1/2 pounds ground lamb
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 t. cinnamon
1 t. dried oregano
1/2 t. dried thyme
1/2 t. mint leaves, finely chopped
In a large skillet, heat about 1 T. olive oil over medium heat. Add ground lamb and, stirring occasionally, cook until lamb is cooked through.

Add salt and pepper and herbs and remove from heat.

Toast pita bread and fill with lamb mixture. Top with Greek Yogurt, chopped tomatoes, feta cheese, diced cucumbers and spinach.


Baklava




Everything you've heard about Baklava is true. It's sticky, sweet, gooey and delicious.  Yes, it takes a little time to prepare and bake. Is it worth it? You try it and report back!

1 package Phyllo Dough
4 cups chopped walnuts or pecans
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 stick butter, Melted
2 cups honey
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
3 t. vanilla extract

Remove phyllo dough package from freezer and place in the fridge for 24 hours to thaw. Remove from refrigerator 1 hour before using.

When working with the phyllo dough, only remove the sheets you immediately need, keeping the other sheets covered in plastic wrap, then a damp cloth.

Toss together the chopped walnuts and cinnamon. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Thoroughly butter a rectangular baking pan. Make sure the sheets of phyllo will generally fit the pan (if they’re a little bigger, that’s okay.) If they’re much bigger, just trim them with a sharp knife.

Butter the top sheet of phyllo with melted butter, then grab it and the unbuttered sheet below it. Set the two sheets in the pan, buttered sheet face down. Press lightly into the pan. Repeat this twice more, so that you have six sheets of phyllo in the pan, three of the sheets buttered.

Sprinkle on enough walnuts to make a single layer. Butter two sheets of phyllo and place them on top of the walnuts. Add more walnuts, then two more buttered phyllo sheets. Repeat this a couple more times, or until you’re out of walnuts. Top with 4 more buttered phyllo sheets, ending with a buttered top. Cut a diagonal diamond pattern in the baklava using a very sharp knife.

Bake for 45 minutes, or until the baklava is very golden brown.

While the baklava is baking, combine 1 stick of the butter, honey, water, sugar, and vanilla in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low.

When you remove the baklava from the oven, drizzle half the saucepan evenly all over the top. Allow it to sit and absorb for a minute, then drizzle on a little more until you think it’s thoroughly moistened. You’ll likely have some of the honey mixture leftover.


Allow the baklava to cool, uncovered, for several hours. Once cool and sticky and divine, carefully remove them from the pan and serve with coffee (or give as gifts!)

From Pioneer Woman a/k/a Ree Drummond



Monday, February 10, 2014

2014 Winter Olympic Fun Drinks

For our drink selections, of course you have to have vodka.  Here's a sampling of the variety of drinks we served.  

Stoli Vodka Shots



Vodka & Tonic 
3 oz. vodka
Tonic
Ice
lemon or lime


Lush 
1 shot vodka
½ shot Chamboard
Top with champagne


Volga Boatman  
2 oz. vodka
1 oz. kirsch
1 oz. OJ



Absolutely Fabulous 
1 shot vodka
2 shots cranberry juice
Top with champagne



Moscow Mule
2 oz. vodka 
1 oz. lime juice
Ginger Beer 
Lime Wedge to garnish



Ballet Russe 
2 shots vodka
¾ shot Chamboard
1 shot lime juice
¼ shot simple syrup


Sharlotka (Apple Cake)



I'm always amazed when a few simple ingredients can be transformed into a wonderful dessert in no time.  This one is perfect for company, as a coffee cake or an after school snack.

5 large, sharp apples, such as Granny Smith
3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 t. vanilla extract
1 cup all purpose flour
ground cinnamon and powdered sugar for topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan with parchment paper.  Butter the paper and the sides of the pan.

Peel and core apples.  Chop them into medium sized chunks and put the cut apples into the prepared pan.

In a large bowl, using a mixer, beat eggs with sugar until thick and ribbons form on the surface of the beaten eggs.

Beat in vanilla, then stir in flour with a spatula until just combined.  The batter will be very thick.

Pour over apples in pan and spread the batter so that it covers the apples completely.

Bake in the preheated oven for 55 - 60 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.

Cool in pan for 10 minutes on rack before turning out onto another rack.  Peel off the parchment paper and let cool for a few minutes before turning back over onto a serving platter.

Dust lightly with cinnamon and powdered sugar.