Cooking with Apples for Fall

 In the Fall, my mind turns to apples and apple recipes.  I'm partial to blending my apples for recipes to get a better flavor.  My favorite blend is Machintosh, Northern Spy and Gala apples.  This gets you not only a mixture of flavors but also a mixture of textures.

Let's start with a basic recipe for apple slices.

 Escalloped Apples is an easy recipe that requires 2 pounds of apples, preferably tart apples since you are going to sprinkles them with sugar and cinnamon.  Drop some dabs of butter over them.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes.  Serve warm over ice cream or pound cake.  If you wish to eat them plain you can sprinkle them with a grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese before baking.  

Let's try a Baked Apple next.  

These are simple and easy since all you need to do is core the apple.  You can peel them if you are using a firmer apple.  Next you mix sugar, cinnamon and butter together and insert into the center of the apple.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes until the apple is tender.  Serve warm and top with fresh cream, whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, whichever is your preference.  

Apple Dumplings are prepared the same as baked apples except that you cover them with a pie crust before you bake them.  You can make your own pie crust or buy a premade at the grocery store.  Click link for recipe

Let's move on to the ultimate our apple pie.  My mom preferred her apple pie with a slice of cheddar cheese on top.  I like mine plain but you may want to serve it with whipped or ice cream.

A variation of this is to make an apple turnover.  Cut your pie crust in quarters and fill the shell with your apple mixture.  Bake the same as you would a pie placing the turnovers on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.  Click link for recipe

The easiest of the apple cakes to make is an Apple Upside Down Cake.  This was always a favorite of mine.  Click Link for Recipe

But my ultimate love for apple cake came after my next door neighbor's Aunt shared her recipe for this cake filled with fresh apples and then drizzled with a caramel drizzle.  You can only eat a small square of this cake because it so heavenly delicious and sweet.  Click link for recipe

In conclusion, I can't relate the delight I get from any of these recipes.  I'm hoping you try them and enjoy them as much as I do every time that I make them.