I love fall. I love the cooler weather and the leaves turning on the trees. I love the fact that I can BAKE without heating us out of house and home. And the smell of freshly baked goodies....!!! Last time I got on a kick, it was for pumpkin. If you're a pumpkin fan like I am, you can check outmy postshere and here.
I kind of got on a food frenzy the other day, as I contemplated the change in seasons. Thought I'd share some of the favorites that I came across. Enjoy!
****UPDATE****
I just opened an Etsy shopcalledThisOnesMineDesigns, and I am so excited! My kids and I make ceramic buttons and badge reels.
Just to keep in the spirit of the post, these are mycountry apple buttons. I'd love it if you popped over and took a look around, and clicked the "favorite" button on the top right part of the page if you like them.
If you want to come back here and give me some honest feedback, I'd absolutely love that as well. =]
Back to apple recipe wonderfulness...
I have an apple thing. They look so fresh and country and wholesome. And just likemy kindergarten teacher wrote in my very first report card, "when they're good, they're really, really good, and when they're bad, they're horrid." Maybe that's why I like 'em.
Make sure you get some good ones! Sweet, juicy, crisp. I love Fuji for all around use, and Granny Smith for baking and canning.
Once upon a time I purchased a bin of apples, yep, one of those huge boxes, and made applesauce and apple pie filling to my heart's content. If you have access to something like this but don't want them all, consider splitting a bin with friends.
If you decide to go it alone, the apples last pretty well on the back porch in cooler weather if you don't want to process all of them. Just pick up some apple boxes from the grocery store to keep them in and be sure to sort out any bad ones before storage.
A recipe for Homemade Canned Apple Pie Filling an be found at Skip to my Lou. I've canned lots of apple pie filling and it is a wonderful thing to have on hand for a last minute baking splurge. There's a recipe for cobbler on the same page that looks delish.
If you're really ambitious, it makes beautiful gifts at Christmas time. Just make sure you give it to someone who appreciates the difference between a can from the store and the real deal. =]
Along those ambitious lines is something I've never tried but have always wanted to attempt. Apple Butter. I've made apricot butter before, which was intense and one of the best jam type things I've ever made. It seems like it took hours of stirring over a boiling pot, but it was worth it. Really.I imagine this would be wonderful. The cool part? This Apple Butter is made in the crock pot. The recipe is at Changing My Destiny.
These sweet-tart apple cookies are fully of soft, melty caramel. It uses an instant apple cider mix rather than real apples, but ohhh, doesn't it look divine? You can find the recipe for Caramel Stuffed Apple Cider Cookiesat Scrambled Henfruit.
These babies look fantastic. Little mini apple fritters. Because sometimes you want the taste without the whole 10,000 calories, you know? Check out Seemingly Greek for the recipe. This young lady has a fun story about how she ended up in Greece. =]
If you want some serious volume, check out this Apple Fritter Bread found at Flour Me with Love. The dough gets rolled out thin, then covered with apple-y-cinnamon-y goodness, cut in squares, then stacked together in a loaf pan to bake. The result? Bread that comes apart in layers. My apple fritter loving son was begging for this one. =]
Kind of along those lines is this beauty. The dough is made, then wrapped around little bundles of apple filling. Oh. My. The Apple Cinnamon Pull-Apart Loaf recipe can be found at Cooking with Chopin.
This. Oh, yes. This is my kind of breakfast! Apple Cider Buttermilk Pancakes with Apple Caramel Syrup. Aren't you just dying to make breakfast right now? And breakfast for dinner is always good, right? The recipe is at Cherry Tea Cakes.
To be fair, here's a recipe for Apple Pie Oatmeal. I am not a fan of oatmeal for the most part, but I think this recipe could change that. Who could pass up the taste of pie for breakfast? And healthy pie at that!Family Feedbag has the recipe.
These muffins are low fat and low cal. Just thought I'd sneak 'em in here. I love hot muffins on a cold morning and the crumbly top should add a touch of the sweetness I crave. I haven't tried these yet, but I will. Muffins are a mainstay here. The recipe is from Fitness.
Are these gorgeous or what! Apple chips are one of my favorites. I think I'd use Fuji instead of Red Delicious, just because I like the sweet/tart favor better, but you've got to admit that the red contrast here makes them as fun to look at as I'm sure they are to eat. Vittles and Bits has the recipe and beautiful photo..
Apple Enchiladas? Flour tortillas stuffed withapple pie filling and covered with a syrupy sauce, then baked 'til golden? A definite yes. My kids are all for this one because, well, they're a BIG treat, you know? And what an easy and fun way to do it. The recipe is at Cornfed Mama.
Bite Sized Apple Pies are a fast and easy treat since they use refrigerated pie crust. If you're a stickler, you can make your own. Iabsolutelylove pie crust baked with cinnamon and sugar sprinkled over the top. Add the apples and mmmm....Cookin up Northhas the recipe.
Another quickie, Upside-Down Cinnamon Apple Coffee Cake uses canned cinnamon rolls for a base. She had me at cinnamon rolls. The recipe can be found at Lady Behind the Curtain.
This baby is like a quick and easy version of apple pie. Can you see it now, served up with a scoop of vanilla ice cream? And did I mention easy? With six kids, desserts go fast here, so quick, easy, and delicious are the prerequisites.Annie's Eats has the recipe for Apple Crumble Bars.
And if you want to get fancy, Apple Pie in a Jar......from Our Best Bites.You could use your home canned apple pie filling for these. I love how these are decorated.Wouldn't these be neat for gifts or dessert at a party? Can you imagine a table lined with your choice of apple, or cherry, or peach, or apricot...
Apple Cider Caramels??? Mmmmm...yes, please. I have a thing for taffies and caramels. I think it goes back to years of wearing braces and feeling deprived. I think, as an adult, I should make up for that deprivation. Bourbonnatrix Bakes has this recipe, and no, there isn't any bourbon in them. =P
This is a baked apple, filled with vanilla ice cream, then drizzled with caramel sauce. I'm thinking it would make a fun Family Home Evening treat. Can you just smell those apples baking? The recipe calls for brandy in the sauce, but another liquid could easily be substituted. Time for a Little Something has the recipe.
This one is special. I'm thinking Thanksgiving, maybe,becausemy sister always makes something spectacular and I'm the just get it done girl. LOL. Candy Apple Pie...a graham cracker crust filled with cheesecake andapple pie filling, then toppedwith whipped cream, caramel, and pecans. I already have that Thanksgiving feeling of being unable to eat another bite. Clicky here, at Doughmesstic, for the recipe.
And to go with all of that deliciousness, wassail. I love wassail. It makes me smile. A hot cup, a good book, a warm fire, a rainy day, and life is at its best. Gathered Round Our Table has a recipes for wassail and spiced cider. I've made a couple, and the pineapple juice in the wassail makes all the difference. Don't skimp or substitute on it. They're worth writing down and tucking away.
Just to get you started, and to give you a bit of energy while you bake up a storm, try this Toffee Apple Dip. It's cream cheese blended with brown sugar and Heath Toffee Bits. Everybody I know who has tried it has absolutely loved it. When I make it, I add a little splash of vanilla, and I like to serve it with sliced Granny Smith apples since their tart flavor balances out the sweet. You can find this recipe at Mel's Kitchen Cafe.
Unfortunately, I don't have a link for this picture, and no it's not a recipe, just a bonus. If you know where it comes from, let me know and I'll post the link.
I love how these were used for candles, though. If I made them, I'd bust out the drill with a bit that was votive size and bore the hole just deep enough to insert the candle. If you don't have a drill, then a paring knife would do the trick, with a little skill. =]
Get some apples and have fun!
