Apple Butternut Squash Soup with Bacon and Sour Cream
6 slices bacon, cut into1-inch pieces
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¾ pound red potatoes
2 medium Granny Smith apples
4 cups butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and chopped
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup apple juice
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 cup heavy cream
Sour cream
Fresh herbs for garnish (optional)
In a heavy pot over medium heat, cook bacon, stirring occasionally, until crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain, reserving 2 tablespoons fat in pot. In pot with reserved fat, over low heat, cook celery, carrot, and onion covered, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, about 10 minutes. Add cinnamon and cook, uncovered, stirring about 1 minute. Meanwhile, peel potatoes and coarsely chop. Peel and core 1 apple and coarsely chop. Stir squash, potato, chopped apple, stock, apple juice, salt and pepper into onion mixture. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are very tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Check seasonings, adding more salt and pepper if needed. Using an emersion blender, puree mixture until very smooth. Over low heat, slowly whisk cream into soup until combined. Check seasonings again and remove from heat. When ready to serve, slice remaining apple into matchstick pieces to yield about ½ cup. Divide soup between serving bowls and top each with a dollop of sour cream, chopped apple, and crumbled bacon. Garnish with fresh herbs if desired.
Yield: 8-9 servings
Rich Apple Butter Wafers
This is the first cookie recipe I made as a child with my mother from The Boston Cooking School Cookbook by Fannie Merritt Farmer. To this day it remains the easiest, richest, and best cookie recipe I have ever made!
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla
2 cups cake flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup toasted pecans, chopped, plus extra for topping
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and finely chopped
½ cup light brown sugar
½ cup sparkling sugar
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. In bowl of a mixer, cream sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Lower speed, and add egg and vanilla. Add flour and salt and mix until combined. Slowly stir in pecans and apples. Using a ¾-inch scoop or spoon, scoop dough onto cookie sheet, 2 inches apart. In a small bowl, mix brown sugar with sparkling sugar and sprinkle each cookie. Top cookies with a small piece of apple and a small piece of pecan. Bake for 12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove from oven and sprinkle with additional sugar if desired. Cool on wire racks. Store in an airtight container.
Yield: 2 dozen cookies
Hot Apple Dip
3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 can condensed milk
1 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup melted butter
½ cup chopped pecans
Juice of 1 lemon
2 Granny Smith apples, cut into ½-inch slices
2 red delicious apples, cut into ½-inch slices
1 box of gingersnap cookies
In a bowl, using a hand mixer, beat cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Spread mixture on a round serving platter, cover and place in refrigerator to chill. In a microwave safe mixing bowl, add condensed milk, brown sugar, and melted butter. Blend all together with a wooden spoon. Cover with plastic wrap, and microwave for 2 minutes on high. Stir mixture, cover, and microwave for 2 more minutes. Stir mixture, cover, and cook 1 minute more. Stir again, and let mixture sit for 15 minutes. Using a hand mixer, beat until smooth and cool. Remove chilled cream cheese mixture from refrigerator and pour brown sugar mixture over top. Sprinkle pecans over caramel. In a medium-size bowl, squeeze lemon juice, add apples to juice andtoss well. When ready to serve, place slices decoratively around cream cheese and caramel mixture. Serve with gingersnaps if desired.
Yield: 25 appetizer servings
Fresh Spinach Salad with Apples, Goat Cheese, and Citrus-Cider Vinaigrette
Dressing:
1 teaspoon minced orange zest
¼ cup orange juice
¼ cup apple cider
1 teaspoon minced lime zest
Juice of 4 limes
2 tablespoons honey
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup good olive oil
2 to 3 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
2 to 3 fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
Salad:
5 ounces fresh baby spinach washed and dried on paper towels
1 gala or honeycrisp apple, thinly sliced and tossed with lemon juice
⅓ cup thinly sliced red onion
1 cup candied pecans
2 ounces crumbled goat cheese
⅓ cup dried cranberries
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup fresh croutons
For dressing, in a jar with a tight-fitting lid, Combine orange zest, orange juice, apple cider, lime zest, lime juice, honey, salt, and pepper. Shake well to combine. Drizzle olive oil in and shake until well combined. Add chopped herbs and shake again. Chill until ready to use. To assemble, in a large wood salad bowl, add spinach, apple slices, and red onion. Add a bit of dressing, tossing to combine. Add pecans, goat cheese, cranberries, salt, pepper, and croutons. Gently toss again and check seasonings. Add more dressing as desired or serve dressing on side. Serve immediately.
Yield: 4-6 servings
Apple Pie with Salted Caramel Sauce
Pie crust:
2½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon sugar
1 stick cold butter cut into small pieces
½ cup cold shortening
4 tablespoons ice water
2 egg yolks lightly beaten
Filling:
8 apples such as Granny Smith or honeycrisp, sliced
3 tablespoons flour
2/3 cup sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
Pinch of salt
Pinch of ground cloves
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons cold butter cut into small pieces
For crust, using a food processor, add flour, salt, and sugar to bowl. Add butter pieces and shortening and process for 10 seconds, or until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add ice water drop by drop with machine running; just until mixture holds together. Dough should not be crumbly or sticky. Divide dough in half and place each piece on a piece of plastic wrap. Press dough out with hands to form a circle. Cover with more plastic wrap, and chill for at least an hour. When ready to bake, remove dough from refrigerator. Roll onto a floured board to form a 9 or 10-inch circle. Spray pie pan or dish with vegetable oil and place dough in pan, pressing or crimping edges to fit. Trim excess and re-roll, using for lattice or pastry leaves. Chill until ready to use. For filling, in a large mixing bowl, place apples and add flour, sugar, salt, spices, lemon juice, and zest. Toss to mix. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Turn apples into chilled pie crust, and dot with butter pieces. Cover with a second piece of dough, lattice strips, or leaves. Crimp edges and brush pastry with beaten egg yolk. Bake pie for approximately 45 minutes, or until crust is browned and juices are bubbling. Cool pie slightly, and brush pastry with caramel sauce or serve sauce on side. Top with vanilla ice cream if desired.
Caramel Sauce:
1 cup sugar
¼ cup water
6 tablespoons butter cut into pieces.
½ cup cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon salt or more according to taste preference
Add sugar and water to a heavy-bottom saucepan. Over medium heat, swirl sugar and water together to combine. Continue swirling pan until sugar has dissolved and is bubbling. Continue to swirl pan until mixture begins to thicken and is turning an amber color, about 8 to 12 minutes. Lower heat when color begins to change, being careful not to burn sugar. Whisk in butter and remove from heat. Slowly pour in the cream, whisking constantly until all is incorporated. Stir in vanilla and salt. Set aside, and let cool for 10 minutes. Pour caramel into a jar and allow to cool completely.
Yield: 8 slices
Washington Apple Martini
2 cups crushed ice
½ cup bourbon
½ cup sour apple liquor
½ cup apple cider
½ cup pomegranate juice
Sliced apple for garnish
Pour all ingredients except apple slices in a martini shaker. Shake well and divide between 2 glasses of ice. Garnish with apple slices.
Yield: 2 drinks
Apple Dumplings
1 sheet frozen puff pastry
2 firm but ripe apples
1 egg yolk beaten with 2 tablespoons cream
Ice water
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Roll pastry out onto a floured board with a rolling pin, and cut in half. Place one an apple in center of pastry. Cut 2 triangles out on each side and set aside. Pull pastry up around apple, brushing edges with water to make edges stick together. Trim off excess dough and mold pastry to apple. Brush egg yolk mixture on entire surface of pastry. Cut leaves out of excess dough and adhere to top of apple with ice water. Glaze leaves with egg yolk mixture and repeat process with second apple. Place both apples on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. Remove apples from oven and transfer to 2 plates. Serve with caramel sauce or ice cream if desired.
Yield: 2 servings
