Recipies

APPLE PIE

1/2 cup sugar 1 tbs. flour pinch salt 1 tsp. cinnamon 1/4 tsp. nutmeg 6-7 Cups sliced apples 1 tbs. molasses

Mix in bowl. Put 1/2 on bottom of pastry lined 9" pie pan. (Sprinkle rest on top after putting in sliced apples.) Sprinkle on remaining flour-sugar mix. Drizzle 1 tbs. molasses around on top. Dot with butter. Sprinkle with 1 tbs. water (converts to steam and helps apples cook). Slit top crust before putting on pie. Can brush top crust with milk for golden effect. Two inch macaroni "chimneys" inserted in pie crust slits will keep pie from boiling over. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes, then 350 degrees for 50 minutes, or 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes.

APPLE CRISP

4 cups sliced, pared apples 2 tbs. water 1/4 cup sugar 1 1/2 cup biscuit mix 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1 egg 1/4 cup shortening, melted

Grease 8-inch square pan. Arrange apples in pan; sprinkle with water and 1/4 cup sugar. Stir together biscuit mix, 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon. Beat egg thoroughly; pour slowly into biscuit mixture stirring constantly with fork until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle mixture evenly over apples; pour shortening over top. Bake at 400 for about 25 min. or until brown. Serve warm or cold with milk or cream. Makes 6-8 servings.

APPLESAUCE COOKIES

1 cup shortening 2 cups brown sugar 1/2 cup cold coffee 1 cup thick applesauce 3 1/2 cups flour 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. nutmeg 1 tsp. cinnamon 1/4 tsp. cloves 1/4 tsp. ginger 1 cup raisins 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Cream together shortening and sugar. Add coffee and applesauce. Mix dry ingredients together and blend in. Stir in raisins and nuts. Drop onto lightly greased baking sheets. Bake at 375 for 10 min. This is a soft, moist cookie.

APPLE STUFFED WITH MUSHROOMS

As Seen In The Boston Globe On Wednesday, September 13, 2000

These attractive mushroom-filled apple cups, a recipe from Normandy,
pair well with chicken, turkey, or pork.
The recipe is adapted from
Jane Sigal's "Backroad Bistros, Farmhouse Fare: A French Country Cookbook" (Doubleday, 1994).

4 large baking apples, such as Cortland, Gravenstein, or Granny Smith 1/2 lemon 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 garlic cloves, minced 8 ounces white mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced 1/4 cup creme fraiche or heavy cream 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1/2 cup chicken stock or water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a small shallow baking dish large enough to hold the apples. (An 8 or 9 inch pie plate will work.) Cut off the top 1/4 inch of each apple. Using a grapefruit or paring knife, hollow out the apples, leaving a thin but sturdy "cup." Reserve the inside flesh. Rub and moisten the apple cups with the cut lemon to discourage the apples from turning brown. Pick over the reserved apple flesh, discard the cores and seeds, and finely chop the flesh. You should have about 1 cup. In a large skillet, melt the butter over moderate heat. Add the garlic and stir for 1 minute. Add the chopped apple flesh and mushrooms and cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms give up their moisture, about 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the creme fraiche or cream, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste, and simmer for a few minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated. Sprinkle the apple cups with salt and pepper. Spoon the mushroom mixture into the apples, mounding it slightly. (The apples can be assembled a few hours ahead and refrigerated.) Place the apples in the prepared baking dish and pour the stock around them. Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until they are tender when pierced with a knife. The time will depend on the thickness and variety of the apples. If the apples begin to brown during cooking, cover them with foil. Serve hot or warm. Serves 4.

RUSTIC APPLE TART

As Seen In The Boston Globe On Wednesday, September 13, 2000

An open-faced tart is a great way to showcase the season's fresh,
sweet-tart apples. Almost any pastry dough will work in the recipe;
this one containes cream cheese for a rich flavor and texture.

For the cream cheese pastry: 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces 4 ounces regular or low fat cream cheese 2 tablespoons cold water For the filling: 7 medium sweet-tart, crisp apples, such as Paula Red, Gala, or Macoun 3 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon For the glaze: 1 large egg 1 tablespoon sugar 2 tablespoons strained apricot jam, melted (optional)

First, make the pastry: Place the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor and mix to combine. Add the butter and cream cheese and process until the dough looks like coarse meal. Pour in the water and process just until the dough begins to come together. Place the dough on a sheet of plastic wrap and form into a ball. Cover with the plastic and press into a disk. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 435 degrees. Cover a baking sheet, preferably without the sides, with parchment paper. To make the filling: Peel, halve, and core the apples. Cut them into 1/4 to 1/3 inch slices. Place the apples in a large bowl and mix with the sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon. To assemble the tart: On a lightly floured sheet of wax or parchment paper, roll the dough into a 15 to 16 inch round. (Leave the edges untrimmed.) Invert the dough onto the parchment lined baking sheet. Gently peel off the wax paper on top. To make the glaze: With a fork, beat the egg with 1 teaspoon of water. Brush the egg glaze all over the dough. Pile the apples in the center of the dough, leaving a 2 inch border all around. Lift the edges of the dough, using the parchment paper as a guide, and fold the dough over the outer edge of the filling, creating pleats every few inches. (The center of the tart will be uncovered.) Brush the border with the egg glaze and sprinkle the top of the tart all over with the 1 tablespoon of sugar. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 25 to 30 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 25 to 30 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. If desired, brush the top of the apples with melted apricot jam for a shinier filling. Serve as is or with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream. Serves 8.