Dried Apple Slices

Anyone else feel the need to hit the reset button in the midst of all this holiday eating? Thanksgiving isn't even here yet but somehow we've already started down the path of rich foods. Granted, I didn't do myself any favors by the food I chose to make for the blog this week ;) There's just something about cold days and clouds that make me want to bury myself under a blanket with dessert in hand.

While we are prepping for our first ice/snow/wintry mix of the year this weekend you'd never know it from the weather today. It's mid-60s and sunny. Absolutely gorgeous! I realized last winter that treating a day of unexpected warm weather like it's summer is good for mind and body. Take advantage of the warmth and grill your dinner instead of bake it, and sauté the sides instead of roasting. It gives me the mental boost of those early spring days when you just can't wait to get outside instead of that hibernating feel of early winter.

This is a perfect snack for a day like today. It takes the fall flavors, but they are so simplified that it almost evokes a spring day. Slice the apples really thinly and sprinkle with a little bit of cinnamon. It smells like Christmas, but it gives you that reset of a truly healthy snack in the midst of the holiday chaos.

After all, a moment of serenity in the midst of the holiday season is something to be savored. Tomorrow you'll be ready for early nights and cold temperatures.


Dried Apple Slices
adapted from Salt and Chocolate

Ingredients:
2-3 medium apples, cored and very thinly sliced (a mandolin would be best here)
1-2 teaspoons cinnamon

Slice your apples very thinly and spread out on a baking sheet. (3 smallish apples filled my half sheet pan completely). Sprinkle both sides with cinnamon.

Bake in a 200 degree oven for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, flipping halfway through. Let cool on the pan where they will finish crisping up. If you'd prefer them a bit softer, take them out at the 2 hour mark.

Apple Slab Pie

I had never heard of a slab pie until earlier this summer. I was totally intrigued by the idea and started digging around to find more. The regular pie shape does not lend itself well to picnics or potlucks. The slab pie works perfectly though. You can cut it up in advance so people can serve themselves and you could even eat it without utensils in a pinch. It also has the distinct advantage of a higher crust vs. filling ratio for those of us who really like pie crust-especially the part that's all gooey from the filling.

I used the pie crust recipe that I fell in love with last week (find it here) and just rolled it out to fit a jelly roll pan. It took me a while to get it to the right dimensions, and had I not already prepped that pan I would have seriously considered switching to a smaller one. It was a bit of a pain, but I'm so glad I persevered. The crust was flakey and delicate and was a perfect match for my grandmother's apple pie recipe. Naturally everyone prefers their own family recipe, but I really do love the play of this blend of spices with a fresh fall apple.

It might also taste really good with a cup of tea for breakfast. Any dessert I'm still thinking about the next morning is a winner in my book :)


My Grandmother's Apple Pie Filling:
6 cups Apples, roughly chopped
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2- tbsp clearjel powder, flour or tapioca
1 tbsp butter, chopped into small pieces
Enough of your favorite pie crust recipe to cover a double pie. (Here's my go-to recipe)


Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix all the ingredients except butter in a large bowl and let sit while you roll out the crust. For a traditional round pie, roll into 2 circles about 1/8 in thick and 2 inches larger than your pie plate. For a slab pie, roll into a rectangle about 1/8 in thick and 1-2 inches larger than the pan. (Unless you are really comfortable rolling out pie dough, I would start with a 9x9 or 10x13 pan)

Once the bottom layer of crust is in the dish pour the fruit mixture in. Dot the butter over the mixture and then cover with the top crust and seal the edge. Cut several slits in the crust and bake for 45-50 minutes when the crust is crisp and slightly browned. (The slab pie version will be done on the earlier end and a traditional pie will be slightly longer. Check around 40 and watch the top for browning.)

Just for fun, I drizzled a little caramel sauce I had in the fridge over the pie. It was a yummy bonus, but don't go buying or making caramel for such a little drizzle.

Apple Cobbler

You want to know how easy this recipe is? This is one of the first things I learned how to make on my own when I was a kid. For some reason I had gotten hooked on the Frugal Gourmet show and my grandmother gave me this cookbook for Christmas one year. Somewhere along the line we tried this cobbler and it was such a hit that we just kept making it and making it. My Dad was always roped in to peel the apples since he could take the peel off in one continuous piece-which is a talent guaranteed to make you a hit with young children.
Once you get the apples chopped there's a little bit of sautéing and mixing and you're good to go. The butter in the baking dish makes the outside crisp up just a little and then the inside is a delicious mix of fruit and cake. The consistency almost reminds me of a gooey cake-it's set just enough to be considered a cake.
Let's just say that we made this for a dinner with friends last night and there was just enough left for me to photograph this morning...and then I promptly ate the leftovers. My only regret is there isn't any left to have with my tea this afternoon.

Apple Cobbler
adapted from The Frugal Gourmet Cooks American by Jeff Smith

Ingredients:
2 pounds apples, peeled and roughly chopped
1 stick butter, divided in half (each half should be 1/4 cup)
1 1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk

Melt 1/4 cup of the butter and set aside.

Begin to melt the other 1/4 cup butter and then add in the apples. Sauté the apples until they begin to get soft. Add 1/4 cup sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Mix flour, baking powder, salt and the rest of the sugar together. Stir in the milk until completely combined.

Pour the melted butter that you set aside into the bottom of 9x9 baking pan or similar/medium sized casserole dish (a slightly larger rectangular pan will work too, but start checking it at about 40 minutes instead of 50). Pour the batter on top of the butter and spread in an even layer. Then pour the apple mixture on top of that and make sure that covers the batter.

Bake for 50 minutes at 350 degrees. Serve warm or room temperature.