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I mentioned in last week’s paper that I would continue to have apple recipes. Yes I do. Rather than talking before recipes every week, I’m going right to recipes.

APPLESCOTCH CRISP
 4 c. peeled tart apples, sliced about 1/2 –inch thick
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
2/3 c. plus 1 T. flour, divided
1/2 c. water
1/4 c. milk
1/2 c. quick cooking oats
1 – 3-1/2 oz. pkg. cook and serve butterscotch pudding mix
1/4 c. sugar
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. salt
1/2 c. cold butter or stick margarine

Put apples in an ungreased 11x7 or 9x9 – inch baking dish.  In a bowl, whisk brown sugar, 1 T. flour, water and milk. (I combine brown sugar and flour together then add water and milk.) Pour over apples. In another bowl combine oats, pudding mix, sugar, cinnamon and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over apples.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until topping is golden brown and appls are tender. Serve with ice cream if you wish.  Makes 8-9 servings.

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MACAROON APPLE COBBLER
4 c. peeled, thinly sliced tart apples
1/3 c. sugar
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 c. flaked coconut
1/4 c. chopped pecans

Topping:
1/2 c. butter or stick margarine, softened
1/2 c. sugar
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 t. vanilla
3/4 c. flour
1/4 t. baking powder

Put apples in ungreased 9 – inch pie plate. Combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over apples. Top with coconuts and pecans; set aside. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add egg and vanilla; mix well. Combine flour and baking powder; add to the creamed mixture until  blended. Carefully spread over apples.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until top is golden brown and apples are tender. Serve warm.  Makes 6-8 servings.

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APPLE STREUSEL
COFFEE CAKE
2-1/4 c. flour
3/4 c. each sugar and cold butter
1/2 t. each, baking powder and baking soda
1 egg, beaten
3/4 c. buttermilk
1-20 oz. can apple pie filling
1/2 t. grated lemon rind OR 1/2 t. cinnamon

In a large bowl, combine flour and sugar. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly, set 1/2 c. of mixture aside. To the remainder, add baking powder and soda; set aside. Combine egg and buttermilk, stirring just until moistened. Spread two-thirds of batter over bottom and part way up sides of a well greased 9-inch springform pan. Combine pie filling, grated lemon or 1/2 t. cinnamon. Spoon over batter. Drop spoonfuls of remaining batter over the filling. Sprinkle with remaining crumb mixture. Bake at 359 degrees for 1 hour. Let pan sit for 10 minutes. Release sides of pan and transfer with bottom of pan intact to a cake plate.  Serves 12-14 servings.

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CREAMY CARAMEL PEANUT BUTTER DIP
25 wrapped caramel candies
1/4 c. milk  - not skim or 1% or light cream {half and half}
2 T. peanut butter
1/2 c. dry roasted peanuts, chopped, optional
3 unsliced red or green apples, sliced about 1/2 –inch thick

Put caramels, milk and peanut butter in microwaveable - safe bowl. Micro on HIGH 2-1/2 to 3 minutes or until caramels are completely melted, stirring after each one-half  minute. Be sure to watch closely or it may burn. Serve warm, not hot, as a dip with apple slices. Sprinkle dipped apples with peanuts if you wish.  Makes 1 cup or about 2 T. each.

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APPLE WALNUT SQUARES
1/2 c. shortening
1 c. sugar
1 egg, slightly beaten
1-1/2 c. flour
1-1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
2-1/2 c. peeled, finely  chopped tart apples
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1 c. chopped walnuts or pecans
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. vanilla

In a medium mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar; beat in egg. Combine flour baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture, mixing well (dough will be stiff). Stir in apples. Spread batter into a greased 9x13-inch baking pan. Combine brown sugar, walnuts, cinnamon and vanilla. Sprinkle over batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool. Cut in squares. Garnish with a couple of fresh unpeeled apple slices if you wish. Makes 12 servings.

You may have noticed that three of today’s recipes call for tart apples. Some tart apples are: Granny Smith, Greening, Haralson that are Minnesota grown apples. Zestar apples are crisp and slightly tart.

Thought for the Day: Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower. Alice’s question… Did you ever press some of the
colorful large leaves between sheets of paper to flatten them. Put something heavy over the paper, like books, and let them sit that way for a couple of weeks? Remove them from between the paper….they make great name cards for an autumn get-together or save them for your Thanksgiving table.  Also, if you can reach the lower branches, pick a few for an Autumn bouquet of flowers.  Mother Nature won’t mind!

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