Easy Apple Pie

On Sunday Matt's family came over for dinner.  I was not as prepared as I had hoped to be and it was 3:30, I was at the grocery store and everyone was coming over at 5.  I still wanted to do desert and I saw a can of Comstock apples.  I called my Aunt Deb, who is a master at deserts to see what I could do.  We decided on an apple pie with a crumbled struessel topping.  
You will need

A premade frozen pie crust (I keep the Marie Calendar's ones in my freezer)

1 can of Comstock Apples Pie Filling

4 tablespoons of butter softened

6 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon Cinnamon

Place the apples in the pie crust.  In a bowl combine with your fingers the flour, sugar and Cinnamon.  Slowly add the butter until it is crumbly.  You might not need it all.  Top the apples with mixture.  Preheat the oven to 400 and bake for 35-40 minutes, until the crust is brown.  Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.  (Hopefully your niece is over to test the whipped cream like Lily was for me!)

Megan's Homemade Apple Sauce

When I was a little girl growing up in Massachusetts, Fall was my absolute favorite time of year. We would go to "The Big Apple" orchard in Wrentham and pick bushels of apples, get candy and caramel apples. This was always a big treat for me and my brother. they also made cider and applesauce. Ok, so I usually hate the texture of applesauce, but this one is a little chunkier and just yummy. This brings me back...

INGREDIENTS
4 apples - peeled, cored and chopped
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS
In a saucepan, combine apples, water, sugar, and cinnamon. Cover, and cook over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes, or until apples are soft. Allow to cool, then mash with a fork or potato masher.

Mini Carmel Apples

This recipe comes from my friend Tracy. I love carmel apple and this is too cute that they are mini! (Plus perfect since kids are having too many treats at this time of year anyway!)

Traci says:

I LOVE caramel apples!! These are perfect because they are bite sized little treats. I found it on familyfun.com which I think sponsored by Disney. I am excited to make these with my friends little girls on Friday :-)

Mini Caramel Apples

4-inch lollipop sticks

melon baller

granny smith apples (one apple makes approx. 8 mini apples)butterscotch, peanut butter, or chocolate chips (I am guessing you could use caramel too since that is what they are called!)

Toppings:

Choose what ever you like:

chopped nuts

nonpareils

sprinkles

shredded coconut

mini chocolate chips

small paper candy cups

First, cut the lollipop sticks in half at an angle (the pointy end will go into the apple). With the melon baller, scoop little balls out of the apple. Each ball should have a section of apple peel. Push half of the lollipop stick into the peel of each ball. Pat the apple piece dry.Melt the chips (or caramel) according to the package directions. Dip and swirl the mini apples in the melted chips and than dip into topping of choice. Place in paper candy cup to set. Once set, enjoy!!

Thanks Tracy, these are adorable! ~J

German Apple Cake

Here is another recipe from Val, a family friend who lived near my family when I was young. Val is a great cook and all around domestic goddess! (Remember my apron?)

The apron pictured is one of Val's favorites from Gooseberry Patch. Val was kind enough to share another favorite fall recipe. She said:

When it is Fall I always think of apple recipes. One of my favorite recipes is this German apple cake I got from German friends.

German Apple Cake (Apfelkuchen)

Crust:
1 2/3 cup all purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup sugar
1 stick butter
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling:
4 lbs tart apples (peeled, cored and quartered) (I like Granny Smith, Golden Delicious)
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup whipping cream
Spring form cake pan 10” x 3”
Oven set at 400 degrees F.

In a mixer place flour, baking powder and 1/3 cup sugar. Add one egg and one teaspoon vanilla extract. Dice and add 1 stick butter and slowly mix until the ingredients form a smooth dough. Roll out the dough and place it in a greased spring form cake pan making sure the dough comes half way up the sides of the pan. Cut slits into the outside of the apple quarters and arrange apples on the dough slit side up Bake in preheated oven at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes.

Beat the remaining 3 eggs, one cup sugar and one teaspoon vanilla extract until creamy. Add 2/3 cup whipping cream and pour mixture over apples.
Place cake back in oven and bake another 30 to 30 minutes until topping is set and apples are cooked.

Makes one 10” cake.

Thanks Val, sounds delicious!

Notes on wine from Jason:

And here is one screaming for a nice white dessert wine. I've had the Trader Joe's Late Harvest Moscato ($5) which is certainly worth grabbing for those that have little experience is this area. For those looking for something more the Navarro Late Harvest Gewurztraminer ($20) was the best white dessert wine I've had to date....

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

Fresh and Easy has this incredible butternut squash soup, I was checking out the ingredients, I noticed that there was apple in it, which I think is what makes it great.  If you don't have a Fresh and Easy Market near you, try this out.  
1 1/2 qt. of chicken stock
2 lb. butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 2-inch pieces
2 tart apples, peeled, cored and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 lg. onion, finely chopped
2 med. shallots, finely chopped
2 tsp. finely chopped fresh thyme 
1/2 c. half and half
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. finely ground pepper

Heat chicken stock in 6 quart enamel or stainless steel casserole until simmering.  Add squash, apple, onion, shallots, and thyme. Simmer covered for 30 minutes or until all vegetables are soft and tender.  Puree in food processor or in blender.  Return to pan and add half and half. Add salt and pepper and simmer for 6 minutes. Taste for seasoning.  Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with spoonfuls of sour cream.

German Apple Cake

This recipe comes from a friend of my mom's Robert Stevens, a Davis County Master Gardener. I love when cooks are willing to share their recipes with you! This German Apple Cake is delicious & moist, a perfect winter desert. Enjoy.

1 C. Vegetable oil
2 eggs
Beat well

Add to egg & oil mixture: Mix together
2 C. Flour
2 C. Sugar
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Baking Powder
2 tsp Cinnamon
Pinch of Salt

Add
4 C. diced raw Apples (about 6 school boy sized apples)
1 C. chopped walnuts or pecans (Optional)

Spread into a 9 x 13 baking pan
Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour
It is a very moist cake

Apple Pancake Pie

I was exploring more of the William Sonoma kids recipes, while I don't think a kid could make these on their own, some of the recipes would be really fun to make with a kid. As soon as I found out my sister in law Carolyn was pregnant I was hoping that she would have a girl so we could have slumber parties. This recipe would be fun to make with Lily the morning after those slumber parties, when she is old enough, she is only 8 months old now!

Ingredients:
1 small apple
4 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 eggs, at room temperature
1 cup milk, at room temperature
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons confectioners sugar
Directions:
Before you start:

Be sure an adult is nearby to help.

Preheat an oven to 400°F. Grease a 9-inch glass pie dish with butter.

Prepare the apple:

Peel the apple, then cut it into quarters and core. Using a small knife, cut the apple quarters into small chunks.

Make the apple filling:

In a small bowl, using a fork, stir together 2 tablespoons of the sugar and 1/4 teaspoon of the cinnamon. Add the apple chunks and toss with the fork until the pieces are evenly coated with the cinnamon-sugar. Pour the apple chunks into the prepared dish, spreading them out evenly with the fork. Set aside.

Make the batter:

In a blender, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, the eggs, milk, flour and vanilla. Put the blender lid on securely and, holding the lid down tightly, blend on medium speed until all the ingredients are well mixed and frothy, about 1 minute.

Bake the apples:

Put the dish in the oven and bake the apple chunks for 5 minutes. Using an oven mitt, carefully pull out the oven rack until the dish is visible. Do not remove the dish. Pour the batter evenly over the apples. Slide the rack back into the oven and close the oven door.

Bake the pancake:

Bake the pancake until puffed and brown, about 25 minutes. Using oven mitts, carefully remove the dish from the oven and set it on a wire cooling rack. Dust the pancake with confectioners sugar using a fine-mesh sieve. Cut into wedges and serve immediately.

Sweet and Salty Caramel Apples

If you live in a neighborhood where you know the kids, it would be really fun to be old fashioned & hand out caramel apples. I love caramel apples they remind me of Park City. These are the perfect sweet with a little salt. Enjoy!

6 Granny Smith apples
6 wooden sticks
1 (14 ounce) package individually wrapped caramels, unwrapped
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 tablespoons coarse sea salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Insert wooden sticks 3/4 of the way into the stem end of each apple. Place apples on a cookie sheet covered with lightly greased aluminum foil.
Combine caramels and water in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring often, until caramel melts and is smooth. Stir in the vanilla. Dip each apple into the caramel and gently run apples around insides of saucepan to scrape off some of the caramel. Scrape excess caramel from the apple bottoms using the side of the saucepan. Place on the aluminum foil. Sprinkle lightly with the coarse salt and chill. Put the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Cook in the microwave for 30 second intervals, stirring between each, until melted and smooth. Drizzle over the apples and return them to the refrigerator until ready to serve.