I’ve been searching for a recipe that was a tasty dessert, but one that didn’t use a cup of sugar, flour, and the like.  Something quick and simple to make that would transfer well to my bento.  As I was searching through my cookbooks to find a suitable recipe, I came across this Recipezaar recipe in my cookbook binder, one I had printed out nearly a year ago but never tried.  These baked apples are wonderful, with a bit of sweetness and nearly foolproof.  Let’s get started.

Our ingredients list is overly simple: 2 baking apples, 1 tbs of honey, 1/4 tsp of cinammon (not pictured), 2 tablespoons of butter, 2 tablespoons of golden raisins, and 2 tablespoons of chopped pecans (I have too many pictured!  LOL!).  Place the butter into a small microwavable dish and nuke in 7 second increments until completely melted.

It’s time to prepare the apples for their filling.  First, we are going to gather our favorite chopping knife and a melon baller.  After washing the apples well and drying off, cut each apple in half.  Then, scoop out the middle using the melon baller.  Place the apples to the side.  Next, mix up your honey and cinammon: 1/4 tsp of cinnamon per 1 tbs of honey.

Place your apples into a baking pan that has been sprayed with non-stick spray.  If the apples are wobbly, you can cut off a small sliver off the back of the apple to create a flat stable side.  If you’re wondering what to do with the small sliver of apple, eat it while you wait for your apples to bake.  Or if you are like me, feed it to the dogs.  Mine love apples.

Place 1/2 tbs of raisins in the center of your apple along with 1/2 tbs of pecans.  Now if you’re allergic to pecans, feel free to omit them.  They are completely optional.  Next, spoon on about 1/2 teaspoon of the honey & cinammon mixture onto each apple half.  Once all the apples are filled, you want to drizzle them all with the melted butter.

Place the apples into a 375 degree oven for about 30 – 40 minutes.  When you can slide a fork into the apples fairly easily, you’ll know they are tender and ready.  Also by this point, the pecans will be nicely toasted and have that really great toasted nutty flavor.  YUM!

Once done, eat one of the apple halves plain or add a scoop or two of ice cream if you have some wasting away in the refrigerator like I do.

I really enjoyed these.  However, they have made me wonder what it might be like to try something other than raisins in the middle…like blueberries, or peach slices, or nothing but pecans.  I’m a sucker for toasted pecans with apples.

I plan to slice up 1/2 of one of these to go into my bento this week.  It should make for a tasty sweet item in the bento that doesn’t carry as much sugar as a cookie or piece of cake.

Be the bento everyone.  See  you all on Tuesday with a packed bento.