Cinnamon Apple Pie with Crumb Topping

Cinnamon, how I love thee, especially in a homemade Cinnamon Apple Pie with a Crumb topping! My house smelled so delicious with the fragrance of apples and cinnamon while this yummy pie baked. I made this pie for Thanksgiving and then made it again last week because it is just so good, and because I forgot to take pictures of it earlier. The things we do for pictures! I've made variations of this Cinnamon Apple Pie with Crumb Topping for several years, but this last time I decided to use some oatmeal in the crumb topping. It was delicious, but not much more than just using flour. I love making a pie like this because I only need to make a bottom crust. I'm not a perfect pie crust maker, but the crust did turn out nice and flaky this time. You could use refrigerated pie crust, if desired, or a frozen deep-dish crust from your supermarket.

Peeling and slicing the apples consumes most of the time it takes to get this pie ready to bake. After you toss all the apples and filling ingredients together, you place the filling in the pie crust. While you don't have to arrange the apples, you do need to make sure there are no air pockets or gaps among the apples. Press them down slightly to fit, but heaping them up higher in the middle of the pie.

Then after mixing the topping together, it is just sprinkled over the apples. It may seem like there is too much topping, but use it all. It cooks down into a thin, buttery, crisp layer on top.

Let the pie cool, if you can, and then enjoy the fruits of your labor. Serve with a scoop of ice cream or some whipped cream if desired. I hope you enjoy.

Cinnamon Apple Pie with Crumb Topping
Adapted from here
I used a 10 inch pie plate for this pie with apples piled high. I like to mix tart and sweet apples in my pie, so I used about half Granny Smiths(tart), and half Galas(sweet). Golden delicious or other baking apples of your choice are fine. If you use all tart apples, you may need more sugar in the filling.
Purchased pie crust can be used if preferred. If using a frozen crust, buy deep-dish.

Crust: (my recipe)
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) chilled, unsalted butter
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) chilled shortening
3-4 tablespoons ice water

Filling:
7-71/2 cups of sliced apples. I used half Granny Smiths, and half Galas.
1/2 cup, plus 2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
2 1/2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon-I used Saigon cinnamon, but regular will work fine
a squeeze of fresh lemon juice

Topping:
1 cup all purpose flour- (or use 1/2 c. flour and 1/2 cup oatmeal)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes

Preparation:
For crust:
In a large bowl, mix the flour and salt. Add butter and shortening and use a pastry blender to cut them into the flour. Mix until it looks like a coarse meal, with butter being no larger than small peas. Drizzle ice water over the mixture; stir with a fork until moist clups form. Add more water if dough is too dry. Gather dough into a ball and flatten into a disk.Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
Place rack in center of oven. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Roll dough on lightly floured surface to about a 12 inch round. Transfer to a pie plate. Press dough into pan; trim overhang to 1/2 inch.. Turn edge under and crimp. Place crust in the fridge while preparing the filling.

For Filling:
Peel and core apples.Slice thin, about 1/4 inch. Sprinkle with a squeeze or two of fresh lemon juice. Drizzle with butter. Mix the flour, sugar and cinnamon in the apples. Set aside and mix the topping.

For Topping:
Mix flour, salt, sugars and cinnamon in a food processor. Pulse a couple of times. Add chilled, cubed butter and pulse until mixture looks like sand.

To assemble  and bake the pie:
Toss the filling to redistribute the juices. Transfer the filling to the crust, mounding higher in the center of pie. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the pie. Bake pie at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, then REDUCE the temperature to 350. If pie browns too much, lay a piece of foil over the pie. Bake for another 40 minutes or more, until the top is golden, the filling is bubbling thickly at the edges, and a paring knife inserted in the center of the pie goes easily through the apples. It could take as long as 1 hour and 20 minutes to fully bake. When done, remove from oven and cool. Enjoy!

Apple Bacon Coleslaw

 What a great combination for coleslaw; cabbage, bacon, apples, bacon- oh I already said bacon didn't I.  Well this coleslaw is very flavorful and rather different than any I've ever eaten before, but my husband and I both loved it. The dressing has a tang from lemon juice, cider vinegar and mustard, but that is tempered by just a bit of sugar and mayo. Then when you mix in the apples and bacon and sweet onion, this slaw really pops with fantastic flavor. I couldn't stay out of it! I found a couple of recipes that were similar, and ended up using elements of each to make this recipe. I had a small, 1 pound head of cabbage at home and wanted to try another version of coleslaw other than my husbands all time favorite. You could also use a purchased 16 ounce bag of shredded cabbage if desired.

 I sliced the cabbage by hand as my food processor grates much finer than I wanted for this recipe. To begin cutting the cabbage, cut the head in half with a large, sharp knife through the core. Then slice each cabbage half in half again through the core also. Then you will be able to stand each quarter of cabbage up and slice the core right off. Now you can lay each section of cabbage on its side and slice thinly though it until you are done. I coarsely chopped the cabbage then. It really doesn't take long to slice one pound of cabbage. Two pounds is another story. If you are looking for a slaw that is delicious, yet different from the ordinary, this may be the one for you to try. The sweetness of the apples contrasted wonderfully with the saltiness of the bacon and both made this slaw very tasty. I will definitely be making it again.

Apple Bacon Coleslaw
Inspired by Natasha, Tyler and Mr. Food

Ingredients:
1 pound head of cabbage, or a 1 pound bag of purchased, pre-shredded  cabbage
1/2 of a sweet onion, diced-I used a Vidalia onion
2 apples, unpeeled, diced- I used Gala
about 2 tablespoons fresh chives, snipped
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon sugar
juice of 1 lemon
1-2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
4-6 slices of bacon, cooked, drained and crumbled

Instructions:
In a large bowl, mix together the mayo, mustard, sugar, lemon, 1 tablespoon cider vinegar and salt together. Taste, and if the dressing needs more tang, add the other tablespoon of vinegar. Add the shredded cabbage, apples, onion, and the chives and toss well with the dressing. Top with the crumbled bacon before serving. This slaw can be served immediately, or coverer and chilled until ready to serve. Enjoy!

Easy Cranberry and Apple Cake from Ina Garten

 This is an awesome tasting cake. One reason I wanted to try this cake was because it is small. Since my husband and I are now empty nesters, I don't want lots of dessert sitting around. Another reason for this cake is because I love cranberries and apples together. The cranberries and apple are mixed with brown sugar, cinnamon, orange juice and zest, and placed in baking dish. Then batter is spread over the berry mixture and it bakes and is ready to eat as soon as it comes out of the oven, if you wish! And boy does it smell good while baking! It is better served warm, so there's no torture waiting for it to cool down. Add whipped cream or ice cream if you wish. I like it best without adornment, so I can taste the lovely tart fruit that is infused with cinnamon and orange. I'm addicted. The only changes I made were minor; I used low fat sour cream because that's what I had. I only used the zest from 1 orange, instead of 2. This Cranberry and Apple Cake would be delicious anytime, even for Thanksgiving dinner. I even had it for breakfast this morning (hehe). I hope you'll give it a try.

Easy Cranberry and Apple Cake
adapted slightly from Ina Garten
NOTE: There is no baking powder or soda in this recipe.
12 ounces fresh cranberries
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and diced
1/2 cup light brown sugar
zest of 1 orange- Ina says 2 oranges zested
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided ( 1/8 teas. for topping)
2 large eggs- Ina uses extra large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar, plus 1 tablespoon for topping
1 stick unsalted butter - 1/4 pound
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup sour cream - I used lowfat because that's what I had
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Combine cranberries, diced apple, brown sugar, orange juice and zest, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in a bowl. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs on medium high speed for 2 minutes. Add the 1 cup sugar, melted butter, vanilla and sour cream and beat until just combined. Slowly add the flour and salt at low speed.
Pour the fruit mixture into a 10 inch pie plate. Pour or spoon the batter over the fruit, covering completely. Sprinkle top with mixture of 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon and 1 tablespoon sugar. Bake for 55-60 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. Try not to eat the whole thing!

Southern Fried Apples

I have great memories of my Grandmother cooking Fried Apples many times when we went to visit her. The kitchen was filled with such a wonderful cinnamony apple aroma that would waft through the kitchen into the rest of the house. They are so quick and simple to make and are delicious with pork and poultry. Apples, cooked in butter, sugar and cinnamon-what could be better? My Grandmother occasionally served Fried Apples for Thanksgiving, and they are also delicious served for breakfast. Make a large batch though, as they are very addictive, and won't last long. My favorite apple to use are Granny Smiths, or other tart apples. This time I used Gala apples, which are a bit sweeter, so I squeezed a bit of fresh lemon over the apples as they cooked. I normally peel the apples before cooking, but was in a hurry and didn't this time. I actually prefer them peeled as the apple skins can be a bit tough after cooking. Granulated sugar or brown sugar can be used and cinnamon is a must. I cooked these for my husband and I for dinner the other night. I should have doubled the amount as my husband devoured them and I had to fight for a portion! So make plenty!

SOUTHERN FRIED APPLES

from Lynda's Recipe Box

I don't usually follow a recipe, but wrote one down this time so I could share. The amount of sugar used will depend on the type of apples used.

1 pound apples (preferably tart), peeled and cored and cut into slices

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons granulated or light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, if desired

In a skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. When butter is bubbly, add the sliced apples into the pan and stir until they are coated with butter. Let them cook a couple of minutes, stirring gently and then add the sugar and cinnamon which has been mixed together. Cover pan with a lid and cook for about 5 minutes. Check apples as they cook rather quickly this way. When the apples are tender, uncover and cook until the juices are thick and bubbly. If there isn't as much syrup as you would like, you may add 1 tablespoon of water to the skillet after you remove the lid, and continue cooking until thickened. Don't stir too much at this point or the apples will fall apart. Total cooking time will depend on the amount of apples you are cooking. These were done in 10 minutes, but a large pan full will take a bit longer. Remove apples to a serving dish. Enjoy!

I think they are best after they cool down a few minutes, and I even love them at room temperature.

Crockpot Applesauce

Here I have another apple post, but I was given about 1/2 of a bushel of fresh from the tree apples so I need to use them. I've had this recipe for Crockpot Applesauce bookmarked since last fall when Barbara posted it. This was the perfect time to try this wonderful recipe. Homemade Applesauce is delicious, and I like mine with a bit of tartness to it. The apples given to me were Red Delicious, which are very sweet and I rarely buy them for that reason, but I added some tart Granny Smith apples to the mix, and the applesauce was amazing. If you haven't ever had homemade applesauce, you are missing a great treat. It is so much better tasting than store bought. Here's how it's made.

CROCKPOT APPLESAUCE
adapted from Barbara Bakes

10 Red Delicious apples

6 Granny Smith apples

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

juice of 1 lemon

1/3 cup water or apple juice

Peel and core the apples and cut into large slices. Place apples in crockpot and add the sugar, cinnamon, lemon and apple juice or water. Stir. Cook on low for about 8 hours, or on high for about 5 hours. Stir a couple of times during cooking. When done, you can mash the apples or puree them to the consistency that you like. I use a potato masher on my applesauce because we like it somewhat chunky. My crockpot apparently cooks faster than some, because my applesauce was done in 3 hours. So I mashed it, placed it in a bowl and let it cool, and put it in containers in the refrigerator. I love it served cold the best. The lemon juice adds a freshness to the apples. It is tart, yet lightly sweet, with the wonderful flavor of cinnamon. It's good!

NOTE: Taste the applesauce while it is hot. If it needs more sugar, it will easily be incorporated while the sauce is warm.

Delicious Apple Crisp

I love autumn. I love the fresh, crisp air in the mornings, the leaves turning vibrant shades of red and yellow. And I love the foods of autumn, apples being one of my most favorite. Does anything smell better than apples and cinnamon baking in the oven? The aroma in our house as this Apple Crisp bakes is intoxicating! The mix of Granny Smith and Gala apples gives a tart, delicious flavor under the sweet cinnamony topping. I didn't add nuts to the topping this time as my daughter's boyfriend is allergic to nuts. I don't want to make the boyfriend sick! I posted this recipe when I first started my blog almost 2 years ago, and it definitely needed a better picture. This recipe fills a 9x13 inch pan, making it a good size for family gatherings and pot luck dinners. It has graced our Thanksgiving table some years also. I hope you enjoy!

APPLE CRISP

from Lynda's Recipe Box

Topping ingredients:

3/4 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup old fashioned oats

1 cup light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

10 tablespoons cold butter

3/4 cup chopped nuts-almonds, pecans or walnuts, optional

In a large bowl, mix the flour, oats, cinnamon and brown sugar together. Cut the cold butter into pieces and work into the flour mixture with a pastry blender until crumbly. Stir in the nuts, if using. Store in the refrigerator until apples are ready.

Apple mixture:

9 cups of peeled, sliced apples-I used Granny Smith and Gala mixed together(use whatever baking apples you have at your location)

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg- optional

Peel and core apples. Slice apples into a large bowl and toss with the lemon juice. Add the sugar and spices and stir; pour apples into a 9x13 inch baking pan. Sprinkle the topping mixture evenly over the apples. Place pan in a preheated 375 degree oven and bake the crisp for 35-40 minutes, until apples are bubbly and the topping is golden. Remove Apple Crisp from oven to a cooling rack. Cool somewhat before serving. It smells so good that it is hard to wait before taking that first bite! Serve it alone, or with ice cream or whipped cream. Enjoy every bite!

My Daughter's Apple Pie- Her Thanksgiving Contribution

My little girl is growing up. Actually she's 21, a college student and works about 30 hours a week. But she likes to bake, so when she wanted to make apple pie for Thanksgiving, I wasn't going to stop her. This is her second time making Apple Pie and she even made homemade crust. I didn't try making crust until I was in my thirties, so I 'm impressed! She likes to arrange the apples in

a spiral pattern, adding sugar and cinnamon as she goes. It was pretty, and tasted divine, I tell you. Apple Pie happens to be my all time favorite dessert, so this was a real treat. I helped her

with peeling the apples as she had two pies to make, one for our house and she took one to her boyfriend's family dinner. I made a Pumpkin Pie also, so she made a crust recipe from Paula Deans website. One recipe was enough for our three pies. The crust was so flaky! I can't give you an exact recipe for the filling, but close to what she did.

For the Apple Pie Filling:

7 good sized Granny Smith Apples, peeled and cored

about 3/4 cup white sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1-2 tsp. lemon

2 tablespoons flour

about 1 1/2 tablespoons butter

Pie crust from here

Roll out the dough for the bottom crust and place in pie pan. Mix apples and rest of ingredients together. Arrange mixture in pie crust. Cut up the butter into peices and dot all over the apples. Roll out dough for top crust and place on top of apples. Seal edges and flute. She brushed milk over the crust and sprinkled granulated sugar on top. The pies baked at 4oo for about 15 minutes and then she dropped the temperature to 350. Bake for another 30-40 minutes, until done.

Not only did we have delicious homemade pie for our Thanksgiving dinner, I had yet another opportunity to spend time with my lovely daughter, baking, laughing and totally making a disaster in the kitchen! What fun, the laughing that is, not the cleaning up. But we made memories!

NOTE: We have decided that we like using 2 different kinds of apples for pie;

Granny Smith's for sure, and Gala's. The mixture seem's to make a more flavorful filling.

Cranberry Apple Relish

Thanksgiving isn't far away and I'm planning my menu. We will only have a few at the table this year, but I still want it to be special. I love dishes that can be prepared a day or two ahead so that the day of the dinner I don't have so much to do. Cranberry Apple Relish can be made a couple days ahead of when you plan to serve it. This is a very simple relish with only five
ingredients! It can't get much easier, or more flavorful! Tart cranberries are cooked with apples and cinnamon to make a quick but delicious relish. I originally found this recipe in Country Living magazine, but I've changed it some. Hope you enjoy!

CRANBERRY APPLE RELISH- from Lynda's Recipe Box

1 12-ounce package fresh cranberries, picked over
1 1/2 pounds sweet cooking apples, I used Gala (about 4 medium), peeled, halved, cored and sliced
1 1/2 cups apple juice, or water
2 -3inch long cinnamon sticks, or 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar, or more (to taste) ;I used close to a cup
In a large sauce pan pour the apple juice or water and the cinnamon sticks. Bring to boiling over high heat. Add the cranberries and cook until most of the berries pop. Stir sugar and apples into cranberry mixture and return to boiling. Remove from heat and discard cinnamon sticks, if using. At this point, it's important to taste the relish to see if you need more sugar. The original recipe was not sweetened, relying upon the apple juice and apples to add enough sweetness. But it needs sugar, so I start with the half cup and go from there. Even with this amount of sugar, the relish will still be on the tart side. Also, the apples will cook just enough to be tender, but not mushy. Cool to room temperature and transfer to a covered container. Refrigerate. This simple, but delicious relish will thicken when refrigerated. My husband and daughter love this relish because it has only a few ingredients. Apples and cranberries, with cinnamon, are just perfect together and are delicious on the holiday table. Do you like cranberry relish?

The Best Apple Cake Ever! ( and a little American apple history)

On a cool, fall day last week, there was a heavenly aroma permeating my humble kitchen. The scent of apples and cinnamon hovered in the air for awhile even after the oven was turned off. I had just made my favorite Apple Cake, a recipe given to me by my Mother-in-law when my husband and I were first married. This moist, cinnamony cake is a favorite in our family (except for those who don't like nuts), and I always look forward to making it- and eating it! As I was eating my first piece of this luscious cake, I began wondering about the history of apples in America. Why? I don't know. I mean, I remember reading about Johnny Appleseed in school, but was there more? So I did a quick google search and found an interesting article at What's Cooking America, called, "History and Legends of Apples",written by Linda Stradley. She has done some research on this delicious fruit which was so interesting to read. Actually, the first apple seeds to arrive in America were in the 17th century! One of the first instances was when William Blackstone arrived in Massachusetts from Europe in 1623. He carried a bag of apple seeds with him and planted an orchard on Beacon hill in Boston, among other places. The early settlers even had to import honey bees! Anyway, by 1640 nearly all landowners had planted apple trees. According to her article, there are over 7000 varieties of apples in the U.S.! Amazing! If you like history, check out this site. Now, let's get to this delicious recipe so you can make it!

APPLE CAKE

4 cup of coarse, chopped apples (any baking apple works)

2 cups sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup oil

2 tsp. vanilla

2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup chopped nuts ( I always use pecans)

In a large bowl, mix the apples and sugar together. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nuts together. I know this sounds strange, but trust me. I've been making this for years and this is the easiest way. Stir the apples; the sugar will be liquefying by now. To the apples and sugar, add the eggs, oil and vanilla and mix well. This is a very thick dough that is loaded with apples. If you noticed, there isn't a lot of liquid in this cake. Most of the moistness comes from the apples. Spoon batter into a greased and floured 9x13 inch pan. Place in a preheated 350 degree oven and bake for about 1 hour. Test with a toothpick for doneness. Cool completely before serving. This is best made early in the day you are planning on serving it. This cake needs a few hours to develop its moistness.

The original recipe called for 2 tablespoons of vanilla! As you noticed, I've cut it down to 2 tsp. which is enough. The day of baking, the cake will be crusty on top, but as the day wears on the cake develops its moistness from the apples. Each day, this Apple Cake gets more moist. This is more a snack cake, but I like to make Caramel Sauce to drizzle over the top to dress it up some. Now that is a decadent touch! I guess you can tell from the pictures that I got carried away with the caramel. But it was sooo good! I'll give you the Caramel Sauce recipe my next post. Have a great weekend!

Apple Spice Muffins

I had a wonderful time at our ladies retreat last weekend. The weather was perfect, not too hot, but the mornings were quite cool by the lake. Some of the maple trees already had some reddish leaves and the sumac growing along the road was brilliant with burgundy color! It has been dark and rainy here the last two days with a chill in the air, so I can say it definitely feels like fall, my favorite time of year! I have some fresh apples waiting to be used for some luscious dishes, so I'm starting with these apple muffins. I've adapted this delicious recipe from an old Woman's Day magazine that I bought when I was first married and we love these muffins as much now as then. These moist, cinnamon muffins are a great addition to breakfast or a perfect snack any time of day with a cup of hot coffee or tea. Give them a try!

APPLE SPICE MUFFINS

1 1/2 cups flour (sometimes I use 1 cup AP flour and 1/2 cup whole wheat)

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. soda

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. cloves

1 1/2 cup peeled, chopped apples ( I used Jonathans this time)

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup melted butter ( 1 stick)

1/2 cup chopped walnuts, optional

In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, soda and spices. Add the chopped apples and nuts, if using and toss to coat. In a small bowl, mix eggs, buttermilk and melted butter together. Pour into the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Grease muffin tins or use paper liners. Fill muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for about 15-20 minutes, until a toothpick comes clean when poked in the center. This will make about 15 regular sized muffins. The aroma of apples and cinnamon wafting through the house is a delicious way to enjoy fall! What's your favorite time of year?

Pork Chops with Sweet Potatoes and Apples

I love skillet meals, the ones that all the ingredients go in one pan and it cooks rather quickly. Clean up is easy too! On busy nights one pan meals have been a life saver for me. This particular recipe is adapted from from an older Southern Living cookbook and is so flavorful and easy. You can sit down to eat in 30 minutes, unless of course you have interruptions! If you have children

there will be interruptions! I used larger pork chops than I needed, but I had purchased these pork sirloin chops on sale for $1.69 per lb., so this was a very economical meal. I browned them for a couple of minutes longer so they would get done. The recipe calls for apple cider, but I substituted apple juice and it was delicious. Hope you enjoy!

Pork Chops with Sweet Potatoes and Apples

4 boneless pork chops, about 1/2 inch thick

1 cup apple cider or apple juice, divided

4 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 in. slices

2 green onions, sliced ( I used 1/2 cup diced yellow onion and it was really yummy)

1 teaspoon dried sage

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 large sweet cooking apples, (I used Gala), cored and sliced

1 teaspoon cornstarch

Heat a large skillet on medium high heat and add 1 T. oil. Brown chops on both sides; remove chops from pan and set aside. Pour 3/4 cup of the apple juice in skillet along with the next 5 ingredients. Bring to a boil, cover pan with a tight fitting lid and reduce heat. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add pork chops back to the skillet along with the apple slices. Cover and simmer for another 10- 15 min. until sweet potatoes are tender and chops are done. The apples should be done but not mushy. Remove the pork chops, sweet potatoes and apples to a serving platter, reserving the drippings in skillet. Combine the reserved 1/4 cup apple juice and the cornstarch and stir until smooth; stir into drippings in skillet. Stir constantly until mixture thickens and boils. If the sauce gets too thick add a little more apple juice. Boil 1 minute and then pour over pork chops. We love the flavor of the sauce. The onions soften and kind of caramelize in the juices which adds a delicious sweetness to the dish. This time I also served green beans and crusty bread with the meal, as my husband was really hungry! Do you like to fix one pan meals?

Fresh Fruit Salad with Apples and Pomegranate

With all of our wintry weather lately, I've been cooking lots of soups, stews, buttermilk biscuits and just all around comfort foods that we crave when it's cold outside. Yesterday I realized that I hadn't made a fruit salad since Christmas and it really sounded good. When many people think of fresh fruit salad, they think of the berries, melons and peaches of summertime. And while those are so very good, we can have fresh fruit salads in the winter also! Of course, it depends on what is available in your area. This recipe is an adaption of one I found in a 1997 Southern Living cookbook and it allows for a lot of variety. The fruit is drizzled with a light syrup made with fruit juices and keeps really well for a couple of days, unless you use bananas. Bananas taste great in this, but if you use them they will need to be removed from the salad before the next day as they will turn brown and mushy.

Fresh Fruit Salad with Apples and Pomegranate:

Ingredients for Syrup:

1. 1/4 cup sugar

2. 2 teaspoons cornstarch

3. 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

4. 1/2 cup water

5. 3 T. orange juice

6. 1 & 1/2 T. lemon juice

Combine sugar, cornstarch and ginger in a sauce pan; gradually whisk in water and juices until blended. Bring to a boil and stir constantly over med. heat until till syrup thickens, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and let cool while you prepare the fruit.

I decide what fruit to use by what looks good in our local grocery store.For this particular salad I used 2 small Gala apples, 2 pears (one was red), 1 orange, 2 kiwi, 1 cup red seedless grapes, about 1/4/cup of dried cranberries and some pomegranate seeds. Wash fruit well and dry. For the apples and pears, I cored, sliced and cut them into chunks in a bowl. I peeled the orange and cut it crosswise into rounds and then each round I cut into fourths.The Kiwi was cut in rounds and then in half. Mix in the grapes and dried cranberries with a wooden spoon. Pour syrup into fruit and stir gently. Pour into a pretty salad bowl or into individual dessert dishes and chill until ready to serve. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds before serving. Eat and enjoy!

Apple Crisp

I love the aroma of apples and cinnamon cooking together; it excites the senses as it permeates my home and brings back memories memories of my Mother, baking "Apple Crisp" when I was young. Apple desserts rate right up there with chocolate as my favorite sweets! I have been trying to come up with a recipe that has a good apple to crust ratio, apples that aren't too sugary, and a crust that is, of course, crisp! So this is the result of trying different recipes through the years and finally coming up with this one on my own. Be sure to use a firm, tart apple. Don't over bake the crisp or it will be dry and maybe burn, especially the nuts. This recipe fills a 9x13 pan when assembled, but will ,of course, cook down during baking. Enjoy my "Apple Crisp"!

Apple Crisp

In a large bowl add;

8-9 cups of sliced apples ( Granny Smiths that have been peeled)

3 teaspoons of lemon juice

1/3 cup of sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg(optional)

Mix above ingredients together and place in a greased 9x13 baking dish.

In another bowl place topping ingredients;

3/4 cup of flour

3/4 cup of oats

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

10 Tablespoons cold butter, cut up

With a pastry blender work the topping until it is crumbly. Add 1/2 cup of sliced almonds or chopped pecans to the topping and work the nuts in with your fingers until you have a fine crumb. Sprinkled evenly over the apples. Bake in a preheated 375 degree for 35-40 min. until brown. A toothpick inserted in the apples will tell you how done the apples are. Remove from the oven, let cool if you want . It's best served warm with whipped cream or ice cream, of course!