apple fritter rings

vegetable oil

4 apples

2 tsp lemon juice

2 cups pancake mix (like Krusteaz)

1 1/2 cups water

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup powdered sugar

Heat 1" vegetable oil over medium-high heat.

Core apples and cut into 1/4" thick rings (can use an apple peeler/corer/slicer). Sprinkle with lemon juice to prevent browning.

Combine pancake mix, water, and cinnamon. Coat apple rings in batter and fry for 2-3 minutes, until golden brown. Transfer to paper towel to drain excess oil.

Top individual rings with sifted powdered sugar.

from Rachael Ray

Caramel Apple Cream Cheese Cookie Bars

3 Tbsp melted butter

3 cups Golden Grahams

1 roll sugar cookie dough

8 oz softened cream cheese

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

21 oz apple pie filling

2 Nature Valley Oats 'n Honey bars, crushed

9.5 oz caramels

1/2 cup half & half

Preheat oven to 350. Combine melted butter and ground cereal in a large bowl; press into an 8x8" baking dish lined with foil that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for 10 minutes, remove from oven. Crumble half of the cookie dough over partially baked crust.

Mix cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Pour over crumbled cookie dough layer. Bake for 25 minutes. Top with 3/4 apple pie filling. Crumble remaining cookie dough over pie filling. Sprinkle with crushed granola bars and bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean in center. Let cool completely before cutting into squares.

Melt caramels and half & half as per package directions. Drizzle over squares. Refrigerate leftovers.

Yield: 9 squares

inspired by Picky Palate

applesauce

2 1/2 to 3 1/2 lbs apples per quart (I used 40 apples for 6 quarts)

water

sugar (optional)

cinnamon (optional)

Rinse apples. Core, peel, and quarter apples (I used the apple peeler/corer/slicer). Cook apples until soft in a large saucepot with just enough water to prevent apples from sticking/burning. Puree using food processor. Return apple pulp to saucepot. Add sugar and cinnamon to taste - if desired. Bring applesauce to a boil (212*), stirring to prevent burning. Ladle sauce into quart jars, leaving 1/2" headspace. Put on lids and rings. Process for 20 minutes.

from Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving

Tips from a 1st-timer...

Work in small batches when cooking apples.

Have all of your tools ready (aka: plan ahead!)

Clean your kitchen counters before you start.

Let your kids help!

Horrible idea:

Filling a humongous pot with the apples...they burn & don't cook evenly, no matter how much you stand there and stir.

Better idea:

Take half of the apples out, & cook half at a time. Problem? Still too hard to keep from burning, thinking it's the pot's problem, not mine.

Best idea!

Use a 5.5 quart pot that is coated on the inside, working in small batches. No burn, no stick, all apples cooked quickly and evenly.

apple pie filling

Combine in 5.5 quart pot and heat to a boil, stirring often...

• 10 cups water
• 5 cups sugar
• 1 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg

Fill-up quart jars with peeled/cored/sliced apples, packing tightly (I use the apple peeler-corer-slicer, but some people prefer to do it by hand). Fill jars with liquidy sauce. Add hot lids and rings, process using steam canner for 20 minutes.

Yield: 8 quarts (although I only made 6, with some leftover sauce, probably didn't stuff the apples tight enough!)

from Julie