Cheerios Our Cereal Through Life

The first time anyone enjoys Cheerios is probably from their high chair tray. Millions of parents for the last seventy years have given their babies this crunchy cereal . It's perfect for them , with the little rings fitting perfectly in miniature palms. As kids grow up, Cheerios becomes the go to breakfast food. As adults it becomes our ideal comfort food - a great breakfast or a great snack.

Cheerios isn't one of the oldest cereals. It actually started right before World War Two in 1940 it does have the distinction of being the first oat based cold cereal. Originally called Cheerioats, General Mills, , its' manufacturer, name was shortened in 1946 to Cheerios,For along time until the 1980's there was only the slightly nutty oat flavor . The 80's and 90's and '00's introduced us to new flavors like Honey Nut and berry flavored. there was a cinnamon flavored Cheerios back in the late 70s; however those didn't last for more than two years. The cereal even celebrated the millennium by adding the number 2 to its' boxes during 1999 -2000. There is even a savory Cheerio mix that has cheese nuts and Melba toast with onion and garlic powder tossed in.

Cheerios make the great breakfast cereal however they still make a wonderful TV snack no matter what your age. There's nothing like eating them straight from the box . After all they are low in calories (only103 a serving). Cheerios are versatile too. You can make treats with them similar to Rice Krispie treats or clusters in which you mix them and nuts in melted chocolate and then drop them on cookies sheets.

Cheerios have always been a big part of any kid;s life. They're the perfect snack, the perfect comfort food and of course the perfect breakfast. Those little circles have made everyone happy over the years - They really do bring fun to life.

Turn Over For Turn Overs!

There's nothing like an apple turnover. This is the ultimate comfort food dessert, a homey blend of apple, cinnamon and crust. It's less filling than pie but heartier than a crisp. You can eat it plain or dress it down. It's a dessert than can go fancy or simple depending on your tastes at the moment.

Apple turnovers probably came about as an offshoot of Cornish pasties. For centuries the cooks in Britain's' southwestern shire of Cornwall were already putting varieties of meats into dough and baking them. It seems natural that apples or any fruit could be made as such as well. the earliest recipe for them goes back to 1874 in Cassell's Dictionary of Cookery with Numerous Illustrations in London. There have been several other recipes dating from that era and it seems it was a popular dessert of the time.Turnovers are still enjoyed today with a bit more whistles and bells than their earlier counterparts. Cinnamon is added for more flavor as are chopped walnuts and raisins. Sometimes the hot turnover is drizzled with caramel and then topped off with huge dollop of whipped cream.

Are they easy to make? Yes, it's just a simple apple filling put into a folded puff pastry or pate brisee dough and baked for 20 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. It's best to use granny Smith apples because any other may become mushy. As for extras , that's up to you. Chopped walnuts are always good. as well as a good dose of cinnamon,and vanilla. Some recipes call for applesauce for a more pie like filling, Again that's up to you. Crimp the edges as you would do with ravioli or pie and then bake. Skip the lame white icing that commercial bakeries put on their turnovers. This takes away from the buttery dough and the fruity goodness inside.

Apple turnovers are a e treat to bake and eat. They are the ultimate comfort food after a hearty winter stew or roast.They're always a favorite whether plain or with a cream and caramel.
Enjoy them during these chilly winter nights.