This Week: In the Kitchen with The Hearty Boys

Get more: food

09/26/2011

All this week we've got company in the Windy City LIVE kitchen.

We've turned it over to The Hearty Boys who will show us fun, easy recipes to whip up for any occasion: from planning the perfect party to creating nutritious foods your kids will eat.

THE HEARTY BOYS RECIPES

Apple Sauce

6 semi sweet crisp apples, such as Gala or Jonagold, cored
1 cup water (or 1 cup crisp white wine)*
2 tablespoons organic sugar (optional)
6 sprigs thyme (optional)**

Place the apples in a large saucepan with the water and the sugar and thyme if desired. Cover and place over medium heat. Let simmer for 30 minutes or until the apples are very soft. Remove from the heat and let come to room temperature. Force the apples through a sieve or foodmill. Discard the skins and store the apple sauce in a sealable container in your refrigerator. Keeps up to one week.

*Wine will dress this apple sauce up a bit and make it worthy of main dishes such as pork.
**Any type of herb will do. Try sage or rosemary.

Red Velvet Twinkie

1 1/2 cups + 2 tablespoons flour
1 1/4 cups organic sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
1/3 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons beet based red food coloring
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
*Special equipment: 8 cup cream canoe pan

Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl. In a second bowl combine the wet ingredients. Mix the wet into the dry, mixing until smooth. Spray the canoe pan with nonstick spray and divide the batter into the wells and bake 12 - 15 minutes until set. Let cool completely before removing from pan. Fill each cake from the bottom by using a pastry bag or syringe - punch 5 holes and fill until you feel the cake begin to burst from the filling.

Cream Filling
12 tablespoons butter, softened
12 tablespoons vegetable shortening
3 cups organic powdered sugar
3 tablespoons bourbon*
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons salt

Whip butter, shortening and salt together until smooth. Add the sugar one cup at a time. Add the vanilla and whip until light. Pipe into the bottom of each cake in 5 spots.

*For a more grown up cake!

For more on The Hearty Boys: http://www.heartyboys.com/