Apple Crisp

I really like a sweet apple crisp and if you do also, this recipe is for you. Apple crisp is really simple to make and doesn't require many ingredients. I love to use Jonathan Apples but any that you have on hand are fine. My grandmother always used Jonathan Apples so this is why I am partial to them. Give this a try when you want apple pie and don't have the time to make one. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:
10 apples of your choice-peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups oatmeal
2 cups butter-softened
1 cup all purpose flour
2 cups brown sugar
1 t vanilla
1 T cinnamon

Place your peeled and sliced apples in a bowl and add your 1 1/2 cups of sugar and cinnamon. Stir long enough as to coat the apples very well. Now pour the apple mixture into a 9x13 baking pan. Now mix your butter, brown sugar, flour, oatmeal, and vanilla together until crumbly. I make a lot of the topping because I really like it!...never can have too much :) Place topping over apples evenly. Bake in a 350' oven for 1 hour. It may not need the whole hour so it is best to check it in 45 minutes to make sure that it does not burn. Serve with vanilla ice-cream.

Caramel Apples

Nothing says fair time like a caramel apple rolled in salty peanuts! I love going to the fair just for the caramel apples and livestock shows. An aggie at heart I am. These are really simple to make in no fancy smancy way but just a few hints that will help you out in the making. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:

7 apples of your choice-I used organic yellow delicious and organic granny smith apples
2 bags of wrapped caramels-I love to unwrap them.
3 T water
3 cups of salted peanuts-chopped
7 sticks for apples


Boil water in a large pan and dip your apples for about 5 seconds. This removes any wax they will have on them. I now place them in the fridge overnight because cold apples hold caramel much better. I heat the caramel and 1 cup of the peanuts over medium heat in a non-stick pan. This is one of the only times that I will use a non-stick pan. When it is all melted, remove caramel from heat. Place sticks into your apples and begin dipping them in the caramel and peanut mixture. I like my caramel to be on the cool but not cold side, seems like it sticks better. Once you have done this, dip them in more peanuts (chopped or ground into a finer state) and press them in well. If you can wait to eat them, place back in the fridge for about 30 minutes before eating. It tastes like Halloween already!!!

Dried Apples

I have so many great memories of my Granny West's dried apples that she would make every year. It was a big treat for a kid who never got anything sweet. My Grandpa West made a screen sheet of sorts to place the apple pieces on with another sheet of screen placed over the top. In the morning he would climb a ladder and place this screened contraption with apples on the roof top for the day. In the evening he would climb that same ladder and bring them in the house for the night. In the morning he would climb up the ladder (mind you he was in his late 80's while doing all of this) flip the screen contraption over and leave them to bake in the sun. It usually only took a couple of days in Oklahoma to make dried apples. Granny would let me eat a few but the rest were saved for winter and her fried pies. In my case baked pies and I can still smell them. Well, this Summer on Beaty's Creek has been a scene straight out of Death Valley. We have had 15 days OVER 100' and more to come. Yesterday's temp was 107' with a heat index of 115 degrees! So, I came up with a fun little thing to do.....Dry apples on the car dash board....yep and it works!!!So if you want to have a little fun and make your car smell yummy, give this a try. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:

5 pounds of Granny Smith apples- peeled and slice 1/8 inch thick
Cinnamon to taste
Parchment lines baking sheets
A car or truck dashboard ;)

Place sliced apples on your parchment lined baking sheets. Sprinkle with cinnamon and place on your dashboard. Leave all day. Bring into your home overnight. Place back on your dashboard the next day. At the end of that day your apples are ready to be stored. I store mine in a ziplock bag with all the air removed.

Apple Brownies

Apple brownies???? Give them a try before you say WHAT? As you know I like anything with apples in it

. This is a moist cake like brownie but not like an apple cake. The kiddos even devoured them and that's a good thing. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.


Needed:

1/2 cup butter-softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 apples-peeled, cored, and chopped
1 cup flour
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t baking powder
1 t cinnamon


Cream butter and sugar, beat in egg, then mix in apples. Sift dry ingredients and work into the first mixture. Pour into a buttered, 8 x 8-inch baking dish and bake at 350' for 40 minutes.

Fall is here!!! Let's make an Apple Cake

I just love apple cake with my favorite coffee or hot tea, or just by itself. I always want to make an apple cake when Fall rolls in and you will too when you try this recipe. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek.



Needed:

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar-packed
2 t cinnamon
1 t sea salt
1 t baking soda
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
3 eggs-I use free range
2 t vanilla
4 cups apples, 4-5 apples-peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces-I used Granny Smith this time but I also use Golden Delicious and Gala apples
1/2-1 cup water


Sift all of your dry ingredients. Now mix your wet ingredients together and add a little at a time. Mix all of the wet into the dry completely before adding more. I added about 3/4 cup of water to batter. It is really a thick batter.
Pour into a greased tube pan ad bake at 350' for 55-60 minutes. A long toothpick needs to come out clean when done. I start checking on mine at about 50 minutes of baking time. I hate it when I burn something so good.

French Apple Tart

I love Ina Garten! I own every cookbook she has ever written and watch her show on the Food Channel until my kiddos beg me to stop. This recipe comes from her Back to Basics cookbook and is a must have in any kitchen. That being said, this is an awesome and very easy tart that will impress everyone you serve it to. Give it a try with some freshly whipped cream and you will be dreaming of warm summer days. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:

For the Crust:
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 t kosher salt
1 T sugar
12 T cold butter-diced
1/2 cup cold water

For the Apple:
4 Granny Apples- peeled and sliced 1/8 thick
1/2 cup sugar
4 T butter-diced
1/2 cup apricot jelly
2 T water


For the pastry, place flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse for a few seconds to combine. Add the butter and pulse 10-12 times, until the butter is in small bits the size of peas. With the motor running pour the ice water down the feed tube and pulse just until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a floured board and knead quickly into a ball. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 400'. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Roll the dough slightly larger than 10x14 inches. Using a ruler and a small knife, trim the edges. Now place the dough on the prepared sheet pan and refrigerate while you prepare the apples. Peel the apples and cut them in half through the stem. Remove stem and cores with a sharp knife. Slice apples crosswise 1/4 inch thick. Place apples slices overlapping in a pretty design. Sprinkle cut butter all over apples. Now sprinkle sugar all over apples. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from oven. Melt apricot jelly on stove and brush on top of tart. Serve warm.

Apple Dumplings

I have made way too many pans of this dessert. I first tried this type of apple dumpling at Silver Dollar City a few years ago. I liked them enough that I came up with this recipe so I could have them at home. These are good with ice-cream or whip cream or just straight out of the oven. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:
3 cups all purpose flour
1 cup Crisco-cold
1 egg-I use free range
1 1/2 T rice vinegar
1 t salt
6 T ice water
4 apples-peeled and cut into 8 pieces
1 T cinnamon-optional

Mix flour, salt, and shortening until it looks like cornmeal. Mix in egg, water and vinegar. Now add flour one cup at a time. When dough comes together, roll out and cut into squares. My squares were about 4" X 4" in size. This proved to be the easiest size to roll my apples pieces in and to seal up. Cover dumplings with sauce.(Recipe follows)

For sauce
2 sticks butter
2 cups sugar
3 cups water
2 t vanilla
Mix all the sauce ingredients together and cook on stove over medium heat until sugar melts. Pour over dumplings and bake at 350' for 40 minutes.

Apple Turnovers

It is another cold day on Beaty's Creek. My MIL is making dinner tonight but I still want to cook. I am making dessert, Apple Turnovers that is. I love the way the puff pastry flakes as you bite into it and the way the apples and cinnamony syrup runs out. STOP!!! Will not eat them before dinner, will not eat them before dinner. I must keep saying this or they will be gone with a pot of strong coffee. Now let me tell you before I had 3 children I ALWAYS made my puff pastry and loved doing it, maybe loved is a little strong but I did like making it. Now I use the frozen puff pastry and think it tastes really good. So go ahead and give yourself a break and use frozen pastry with this recipe.


Needed:
1 package frozen puff pastry dough-thawed for 20 minutes on the counter
5 yellow delicious apples-peeled and diced
1 stick butter
1 cup white sugar
1 T cinnamon

Melt butter in skillet and add diced apples, sugar and cinnamon. Cook until apples are fork tender, this takes about 20 minutes over medium heat. Cool apples completely. When apples are cool unfold puff pastry and cut into quarters. Fill each quarter with 1/8 cup of apple filling, fold over and seal with water. Water will seal the pastry and keep filling inside. Cook in a 400' oven for 25 minutes or until golden brown. I baked mine on parchment paper to be safe. I hate cleaning up pie filling. As long as you seal the turnover they should not leak too bad.