10 Fun Recipes for Apples

Fall is coming. Whether we like it or not, summer will end soon. Labor Day weekend will be here before we know it. The good thing is that fall brings some pretty good food. Apples are a big part of fall.

My family loves to go to Blue Jay Orchards for apple picking and the wagon rides. Not to mention those dangerously good cider donuts. We usually end up with a good amount of apples to use for cooking.

So I'm always on the lookout for fun recipes that use apples. The Food Network has a list of 50 Things to Make with Apples. I won't list all 50 here, but I'll list some of the ones that I want to try. Here are the 10 I want to try:

Apple Popcorn Balls - This is No. 2 on the list and requires you to see recipe No.1 for Dried Apples. It sounds pretty easy to do and they would be a fun fall treat. Here's the recipe from FoodNetwork.com: "Make Dried Apples (No. 1); chop enough to make 1/2 cup. Boil 1 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup each butter and light corn syrup, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until a candy thermometer reaches 300 degrees F, about 8 minutes. Mix with 6 cups popcorn, 1/2 cup chopped pecans and the chopped dried apples. Transfer to a buttered pan; cool slightly, then form into balls."
Witch's Candy Apples - This recipe is No. 14 on the list. Love candy apples! Here is the recipe from FoodNetwork.com: "Melt 1 1/4 cups cherry hard candies and 1 tablespoon light corn syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat (the mixture will be bubbly). Insert wooden sticks into 4 apples; dip in the candy coating. Set on oiled parchment paper to harden"
Big Apple Cocktail - No. 26 on the list. Ummm...yes, please! Here is the recipe from FoodNetwork.com: "Steep 2 chopped tart apples in 2 cups whiskey overnight; strain. For each cocktail, shake 2 ounces of the apple whiskey, 1/2 ounce sweet vermouth and 2 teaspoons maraschino cherry juice in a shaker with ice. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with an apple wedge and maraschino cherry."
Cider Doughnuts - This recipe is No. 31 on the list. What is fall without cider doughnuts? Cider doughnuts are so good! Here is the recipe from FoodNetwork.com: "Simmer 1 cup apple cider until reduced to 1/4 cup; cool. Mix with 1/2 cup grated peeled apple, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 egg, 1/4 teaspoon each nutmeg and vanilla, and 2 cups dry pancake mix. Roll into 1-inch balls and deep-fry in 375 degrees F oil. Drain on paper towels and roll in cinnamon sugar."
Apple Skillet Pancake - No. 34 on the list sounds really good and very easy to make. Here is the recipe from FoodNetwork.com: "Whisk 3 eggs until frothy; whisk in 3/4 cup each milk and flour. Peel, core and slice 1 apple; cook in an ovenproof 10-inch skillet with 3 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon sugar until just soft. Add the batter and bake at 450 degrees F until puffy and golden, 15 minutes."
Apple-Cheddar Fondue - Apples and cheese? Sign me up! Find this recipe at No. 37 on the list. Here is the recipe from FoodNetwork.com: "Simmer 1/8 cup each apple cider and white wine. Whisk in 3/4 pound shredded extra-sharp cheddar tossed with 2 teaspoons cornstarch. Add 2 tablespoons applejack brandy and season with salt and pepper. Serve with cubed bread and apple slices."
Apple Galette - No. 42 sounds delicious! Here is the recipe from FoodNetwork.com: "Toss 3 sliced, peeled and cored baking apples with 2 tablespoons each brown sugar, apricot jam and melted butter. Lay an 11-inch round of pie dough on a baking sheet. Add the filling, leaving a 2-inch border; fold in the edges. Bake at 350 degrees F until golden, 45 minutes to 1 hour."
Apple-Cheddar Galette - This recipe uses No. 42 and adds shredded cheddar to the dough. Sounds good to me! Here is the recipe from FoodNetwork.com: "Make Apple Galette (No. 42), pressing 2 tablespoons shredded cheddar into the dough before adding the filling. Halfway through baking, sprinkle the crust with 2 more tablespoons cheddar."
Baked Apples - No. 47 sounds so good! An apple stuffed with brown sugar, butter, breadcrumbs, and cinnamon. Yum! Here is the recipe from FoodNetwork.com: "Scoop out the core of 4 apples using a melon baller, leaving the bottoms intact. Mix 3 tablespoons each brown sugar and butter with 1/8 cup fresh breadcrumbs and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; stuff into the apples. Put in a baking dish with 1/8 cup apple cider and bake at 375 degrees F, 45 minutes."
Nutty Baked Apples - Recipe No. 48 adds chopped toasted walnuts or pecans to the filling. FoodNetwork.com says to add 3 tablespoons of either to the filling.

So there are the 10 recipes I'd like to try this fall. Baking with apples is fun and the house always smells amazing! Check out FoodNetwork.com for the full list.

For more fall fun make sure to put our Harvest Jam 2015 on your calendar! There will be live music from country star Keith Anderson, New York's own Jessica Lynn, Steeltown Religion, and more. You can also enjoy craft beers and ciders, October brews, fall themed vendors, and there will be some great food too! You can buy tickets now at kicks1055.com. Hope to see you there!

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