Holiday Recipe Spectacular - Dessert - Apple Dumplings

Another one of my childhood faves!  This was probably my most requested dessert when I was growing up.  Love it!  Especially because you got your own individual dumpling, it was all yours!  This recipe goes way back to my great-grandmother in Kentucky.  My mom's mom would make them, then my mom and now I can make them on my very own-cute, right!  It's such an easy recipe, but what an impressive show it would make when you hand each of your guests their very own warm apple dumpling!  It'd look like it took hours to prepare-and just for them!  You're the best hostess ever!!

Mother and Mom's Apple Dumplings
•2 cups peeled, pared and sliced tart apples (or 1 16 oz. can apple slices)
•1 pkg. pie crust mix (for two pies)
•1 cup sugar
•1/2 t cloves
•1 t cinnamon
•1/2 t nutmeg
•1 cup milk
•1/4 c flour
•Cool Whip

Prepare pie crust sticks as directed. Roll out into 8 equal squares. Place two T apple slices on each and fold up each corner. Place in greased baking pan and dot with butter. Bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes. (For fresh apples, bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes). While cooling, prepare cinnamon sauce. Mix sugar, spices and flour together and gradually stir in milk. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until thickened. Spoon warm sauce over dumplings and top with Cool Whip or fresh whipped cream.

Holiday Recipe Spectacular – Appetizer – Honey Brie Spread

My husband and I will admit to eating this as dinner some nights after the boys have gone to bed (just like the original recipe sites).  We were enjoying this delicacy even before we had the kiddos.  We have found this to be a wonderful hors d’ouever to bring to a party if you have the luxury of using their over.  Better yet, have this be on your menu when hosting your own party!

Holiday Recipe Spectacular – Appetizer – Honey Brie Spread

1 (14 oz) round Brie cheese -  we used the triangle

1 (10 oz) can refrigerated crescent roll dough

1 ½ cups honey

1 ½ cups pecan halves - not used in the pictured version

Directions:

1.	Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Unwrap the wheel of Brie, and crescent rolls. (I cut off the rind).
2.	Unroll the crescent roll dough, and wrap around the Brie. Press seams together to seal in the cheese. Place in a 9x9 inch baking dish. Sprinkle pecan halves over the top, and drizzle honey over the whole thing.
3.	Bake for 30 minutes (ready in my oven in about 20) in the preheated oven, until golden brown and cheese is soft. Serve with apple slices or crackers.

The Anti-Chicken Fingers Movement - Apple Cinnamon Pork Roast

Tis the season for apples and cinnamon.  Forget the scented candles, the aroma from this dish will dance around your home-almost from the moment you turn on your crockpot.  Here is a link to the original recipe from Stephanie O'Dea's blog.  I made just a few changes...

Apple Cinnamon Pork Roast

2-3 pound pork-loin roast
1 onion, sliced in wedges
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup apple cider or juice (I used juice)
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 granny smith apples, chopped (to add later)1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar (see notes below)*

Directions
Use a 5 quart crockpot. Sprinkle dry spices on all sides of the meat. Put onion wedges into the bottom of your crockpot, and put the meat on top. Add apple juice and lemon juice. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 4-6. The longer you cook it, the more shredded and juicy the meat will become. 20-30 minutes before serving, remove meat from crockpot and let sit on a cutting board. Put chopped apples (no need to peel) into your crockpot. *I would add apple cider vinegar now, too. Stir. Either slice or shred the pork, and add back to the crockpot.  Salt and pepper to taste.

A suggestion from a reader of the original recipe:  took some of the juice (from the crockpot) and combined it with butter, brown sugar, and chopped pecans. Boiled it down in a sauce pan and we added it to each serving.

Buon appetito!

Leah

The Anti-Chicken Fingers Movement - Cinnamon Apple Pork Chops

Flavorful!  Autumny!  Comforting! 

I stumbled upon this recipe last week just one day before our grocery run.  I was actually going to try my parmesan-dijon chicken recipe with pork chops (recipe found in the book Betty Crocker's Cooking Basics: Learning to Cook with Confidence).  Luckily, the pork chops and apples recipe jumped out at me!  I had apples (it's fall, after all) and I had just bought brown sugar for an appetizer I made for a Halloween bash.  It was as easy and delightful as I could've hoped for.  On this rainy and chilly evening, we paired it with stuffing, green beans and mashed potatoes for that wholesome, all-American comfort food meal. 

Cinnamon Apple Pork Chops

2 medium apples (we used Gala)
3 T packed brown sugar
1/2 t ground cinnamon
4 pork chops
cooking spray

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cut the apple into fourths, and remove the seeds.  Cut each fourth into 3 or 4 wedges. Place apple wedges in the casserole dish.  Sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon over the apples.
3. Cut and discard most of teh fast from the pork chops. Spray the skillet with cooking spray, and heat over medium heat 1 to 2 minutes.  Cook pork chops in hot skillet about 5 minutes, turning once, until light brown.
4. Place the pork chops in a single layer on the apple wedges. Cover with lid or aluminum foil and bake about 45 minutes or until pork is slightly pink when you cut into the center and apples are tender when pierced with a fork.

Buon appetito!