Dessert for breakfast?  I always feel like I am indulging in dessert when I make baked apples for breakfast.  Truly, they are actually pretty healthy as I only use a small amount of sugar and a dab of butter.  I don't follow a recipe and make them a little different every time. 

This morning I cored two rome beauty apples and rinsed the inside with a little fresh lemon juice.  I filled each cavity with fresh cranberries, dried cherries, raisins, blueberries, lemon zest, a little granola and about 1 Tablespoon of brown sugar mixed with spices.  I stuck a cinnamon stick in the center and whole cloves studded the outside perimeter.  A few dabs of butter were placed on the top, then I garnished the apple with a thinly sliced lemon wedge and a bit more brown sugar and spices.  Can't stop there - I added a dollop of vanilla paste to the very top and drizzled the apple with about 1 teaspoon of maple syrup. 

I baked them in individual, well buttered, mini casserole dishes in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.  Feeling the urge to add something more, I sprinkled the top with toasted, chopped pecans and let them bake for another 3 minutes, just until the pecans were warm and browned.

Delicious!