Autumn Apple Salad

I used to think that fruit had no place on a salad, but over the last year or so I have changed my mind.  It is amazing how apples compliment the other ingredients.  Now I find myself experimenting with different ingredient combinations in our salads all the time.  I used this as a side dish, but you could easily add left over chicken and make it a meal.

Ingredients

• Fuji Apple
• Bacon cooked and crumbled
• Romaine Lettuce
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
• Salt and Pepper to taste 
• 1/2 teaspoon Minced Garlic
• 1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
• Toasted Pecans

In a small bowl whisk together olive oil, dijon mustard, minced garlic, and balsamic vinegar.  In a large bowl place chopped lettuce.  Top with bacon, toasted pecans, and Fuji apple pieces.  Drizzle with dressing and enjoy!

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Crock Pot Apple Sauce

Fall is the perfect time to pick apples.  I like to bake a variety of things with the apples we pick, but I LOVE to make applesauce.  My grandma often made homemade applesauce and I always looked forward to eating it.  This recipe is so simple and the perfect addition to any meal.  I love the balance of sweet and tart apples so feel free to mix up the variety of apples you use.  And remember applesauce is just as good warm as it is cold.  I make a double batch of this and freeze a little more than half to use throughout the winter.

Ingredients:

• About 6 lbs or 12 Apples (I used Gala Apples)
• 3/4 teaspoon Cinnamon
• 3/4 Cup Apple Juice
• 3 Tablespoons Brown Sugar (you can start with less and add more after you taste it)

Peel and slice apples.  Place them in the crock pot with cinnamon, apple juice and brown sugar.  Cook on low for about 8 hours.  Stir to mush into applesauce.  I like my apple sauce a little chunky, but you could also you a potato masher to eliminate more of the chunks.  

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{Tracy's} Grandma's Apple Squares

This is a recipe that I have been eating for as long as I can remember, but it wasn't until a couple years ago I started making it myself.  Okay, well maybe "I" haven't been making it even now.  My husband, Scott, enjoys making this.  I didn't even make it this time, I even put him in charge of taking the pictures.  When he said he would make the apple squares, I am pretty sure he had no idea I was going to blog about it.  I very casually set the camera down next to the ingredients and kept on walking.  I could barely keep a straight face while I did it.  I love to get out the recipe card that my grandma mailed to me over ten years ago, it makes me think of going to her house to visit.  I love to serve this to other people because they always ask me for the recipe and I love to share my grandmother's recipes with them.  

Ingredients:

• 2 Sticks of Butter or Margarine
• 1 1/4 Cups of Sugar
• 2 Cups of Flour
• 1 teaspoon of Vanilla
• 1 Can of Apple Pie Filling 
• Powdered Sugar for Dusting

With a mixer, cream together sugar and butter.  Add in flour and vanilla blend well.

 Pour 3/4 of the mixture into an ungreased 9x13 glass baking dish.  Cover with pie filling.  Drop small mounds of the remaining batter over pie filling.  Bake at 325 for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown.

 Dust with powdered sugar while it it still warm.

Let them cool, and cut into squares.  Make sure you get your hands on one soon or they will be gone!  YUM!!

Honey's Dutch Apple Pie

I spent some time hanging out in the kitchen with my Mother-in-law this morning.  She was making a Dutch Apple Pie.  I am watched  her very closely because I have never had success with making my own pie crust.  She made it look so simple!  I am sure that you will notice that in the ingredient list there is no honey.  It is named after my mother-in-law.  My kids have always called her "Honey."  My oldest started it and it has stuck for almost 7 years.

Ingredients for Pie Crust:

• 1.5 cups All Purpose Flour
• 1/4 Cup Vegetable Shortening
• 1/4 Cup Butter
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 4-5 Tablespoons Ice Water

First combine flour and salt.  Then cut in the butter and shortening with a pastry knife or two forks until a crumbly mixture forms.

Add in 4-5 tablespoons of ice water until dough forms.  Next roll into large ball.

Place ball of dough in between floured sheets of wax paper and roll out to desired size.  Remember to go from the middle out until the crust is about 1/8" thick.

Place in pie dish and lightly press down.  Pinch edges to form decorative crust.  Place in freezer for about an hour or until ready to use.  Or you can bake it immediately you are using it for a cream pie.  To use for Cream Pie, preheat oven to 425 and bake for 7-9 minutes.

Ingredients for Pie Filling:

• 5 1/2 cups peeled and sliced Apples
• 1/2 cup Grandulated Sugar
• 1/4 Brown Sugar (packed)
• 1/2 Teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
• 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
• 3 Tablespoons All Purpose Flour
• 1/4 Teaspoon Nutmeg

Peel apples and cut slices into uniform sized slices.  Add lemon juice as you go and toss with apples to make sure that they don't turn brown.  Add sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, flour, and nutmeg.  Toss to evenly coat apples and then pour into pie crust.

Ingredients for Crumb Topping:

3/4 Cup All Purpose Flour

1/4 Cup Granulated Sugar

1/4 Cup Brown Sugar (packed)

1/3 Cup Butter (at room temp)

The crumb topping is my favorite.  Mix together with a fork the butter, flour, brown sugar, and sugar until crumbly mixture forms.

Next sprinkle the topping on the pie crumbling as you cover it.

Bake pie for 50 minutes at 375