Recipes from September's Cooking Group

The theme for our cooking groups was apples! Enjoy these apple recipes that sisters submitted or brought to taste! If I missed anyone's recipe that did not get posted, please let me know. And if you have any other good apple recipes you'd like to add, just email them to: amy.seiter@gmail.com. Thanks!

Apple-Rhubarb Crisp
submitted by Shirleen Gardner

For the Topping:
1 cup flour
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup finely chopped toasted almonds or walnuts
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
8 tablespoons butter, slightly softened and cut into small pieces

For the Filling:
2 pounds crisp baking apples (I like Gravensteins or Sierra Beauties)
1 1/2 pounds rhubarb
1 to 1 1/2 cups sugar
4 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS
FOR THE TOPPING: In a bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar, sugar, nuts, and cinnamon. Work in the butter until the mixture resembles dry oats. The mixture should just hold together and look crumbly.

FOR THE FILLING: Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Peel, core, and quarter the apples. Cut each quarter into four chunks; you should have about 5 cups. Trim the rhubarb and cut it into 1-inch-long pieces 1/2 inch wide; you should have about 5 cups of rhubarb. In a large bowl, toss the apples and rhubarb with the sugar, flour, and cinnamon until well coated. Transfer the apple and rhubarb mixture to a 2-quarts baking dish and sprinkle the crisp topping over the top. Bake until the topping is golden brown and the fruit is bubbling, 1 hour to 1 hour 15 min. Cool slightly before serving.


Peanut Butter Apple Dip
submitted by Amy Seiter

4 oz. cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup peanut butter
1/2 packed brown sugar
1/4 cup milk
apples, cut into wedges

In a mixing bowl, combine the first four ingredients; mix well. Add more milk if needed to make it creamy. Add more peanut butter for more peanut butter flavor. Serve with apples. Store in refrigerator.

NOTE: This dip was also yummy when added to some of the other recipes that were submitted, especially the Apple Rhubarb Crisp.


Quick Apple Dumpling Recipe
submitted by Louise Rounds

Ingredients
2 medium Granny Smith apples
1 (8-count) package refrigerated crescent roll dough
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup very finely chopped pecans

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease an 8-inch-square baking dish.
2. Peel and core apples. Cut each apple into fourths. Unroll and separate crescent roll dough. Wrap each apple section in a crescent roll. Place in pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon.
3. Combine butter, sugar and orange juice in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla. Pour over dumplings. Sprinkle pecans over top.
4. Bake 30 minutes, or until crust is golden and beginning to bubble and apples are just tender when pierced with a fork.
5. To serve, spoon some of the syrup from the baking dish over dumplings. Serve with ice cream, if desired.
Serves 8.



APPLE AND SAUSAGE OVEN PANCAKE

Makes: 12 servings
1 medium apple, thinly sliced
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup maple-flavored syrup
1 lb bulk pork sausage
1 cup Original Bisquick® mix
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
Additional maple-flavored syrup, if desired

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spread apple slices evenly over bottom of ungreased 13x9-inch pan. In 1-quart saucepan, heat 1/2 cup brown sugar, the butter and syrup over low heat, stirring occasionally, until melted. Pour syrup mixture over apples.
2. In 10-inch skillet, cook sausage over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink; drain. Sprinkle sausage evenly over apple-syrup mixture.
3. In small bowl, stir remaining ingredients except additional syrup until blended. Carefully pour over sausage.
4. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until top springs back when touched in center. Cut into 3-inch squares; turn each square upside down onto plate. Serve immediately with additional syrup.


SLOW COOKER PUMPKIN-APPLE DESSERT

1 can (21 ounces) apple pie filling
2 cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
3/4 cup fat-free cholesterol-free egg product

1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Ice cream, if desired

1. Spray 3 1/2- to 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Spoon pie filling into cooker; spread evenly.
2. Beat remaining ingredients except ice cream with electric mixer on low speed 1 minute, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour batter over pie filling.
3. Cover and cook on High heat setting 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Serve with ice cream.


SAVORY APPLE SOUP FOR TWO
Float some cocktail shrimp or a mound of lump crabmeat in each bowl to make it a main course.

Makes 2 servings, about 1 1/2 cups each

2 teaspoons canola oil
1 medium tart apple, peeled and finely chopped
3/4 cup diced peeled Yukon Gold potato
1/3 cup finely chopped yellow onion
1/4 cup thinly sliced celery, plus leaves for garnish
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried sage
Pinch of paprika, preferably hot Hungarian
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream

1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add apple, potato, onion and celery; cook, stirring often, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in salt, sage, paprika and pepper; cook for 30 seconds. Pour in broth and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat, cover, and gently simmer until the potato is tender when pierced with a fork, 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Transfer the soup to a large blender or food processor, add sour cream and process until smooth. (Use caution when pureeing hot liquids.) Garnish with celery leaves, if desired.