"Cooking With The Kitchen Diva!"

As I was looking at the ever growing pillow of downed leaves in the front yard today over coffee, it felt like such a perfect fall day that I couldn't help thinking that a good apple coffee cake may be in order. This time of year always brings to light the smell of a good cinnamon and cardamom in the way of tasty treats.

I have a couple of unbelievablly good apple recipes I would like to share with you today... I hope you enjoy them. 

This first dessert is so off the chart good, it has sweet from the apples, salty from the bacon, tart from the cranberries and creamy from the white cheddar. My mom was really the inspiration for this desert. She is no longer with us but she used to eat white cheddar cheese with her apple every night while watching movies with my dad. When I eat this desert ... it brings warm fuzzies my way... I really miss my mom! This recipe is also very elegant ... elegant enough to be served at any dinner party!

CARAMELIZED APPLES, BACON AND CRANBERRIES WITH WHITE CHEDDAR CHEESE:

Ingredients

• MAPLE SYRUP SAUCE:
• 3/4 cup of maple syrup syrup
• 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• CARAMELIZED APPLES BACON AND CRANBERRIES WITH WHITE CHEDDAR CHEESE:
• 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
• Zest of half a lemon
• 1/2 cup real bacon pieces
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup of good shredded white cheddar cheese
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4 firm apples Granny Smith or Cortland) cut in wedges

Directions

• MAPLE SYRUP SAUCE:
• In a sauce pan, combine maple syrup, cream and cinnamon. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook for 20 minutes or until mixture is reduced by half. Set aside and allow to cool.
• Preheat broiler.
• CARAMELIZED APPLES:
• In a bowl combine brown sugar, lemon zest and cheese.
• In skillet, melt butter and cook apples, cranberries and bacon bits over low heat for 4 to 5 minutes, or until golden and cranberries are soft. Transfer apple mixture to an ovenproof dish. Cover with cheese mixture and broil for 3 to 4 minutes, or until golden. Serve with maple syrup sauce. Yield: serves 4
  
  Notes: This is such a beautiful desert dished up in a fancy footed desert dish. For a garnish, dollop with whipped cream and add a little piece of mint or a couple of cranberries for garnish.

        Mother always said... "Don't tell me you don't like something until you have

        tried it ... now go try it and tell me if you like it! Never say never!" This is an

        awesome dessert!!

        Notes:  At times I like to add pecans or walnuts to the mix for the crunch!

Harvest Apple, Pear and Cranberry Crunch!

Ingredients

• 2 pounds ripe Bosc pears (4 pears)
• 2 pounds firm Macoun apples (6 apples)
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

For the topping:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup old-fashioned oatmeal
• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Peel and core the pears and apples and cut them into large chunks. Place the fruit in a large bowl and toss with the cranberries, zests, juices, granulated sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Pour into a 9 by 12 by 2-inch baking dish.

For the topping:

Combine the flour, sugars, salt, oatmeal, and cold butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on low speed for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the mixture is in large crumbles. Sprinkle evenly over the fruit, covering the fruit completely.

Place the baking dish on a parchment-lined sheet pan and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until the top is brown and the fruit is bubbly. Serve warm.

Ultimate Apple Orchard Bundt Cake

Ingredients

• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups sugar, divided
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup canola oil
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups chopped peeled tart apples
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• PRALINE ICING:
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 2 tablespoons 2% milk
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Directions

• In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and 1/4 cup sugar until smooth. Beat in 1 egg; set aside.
• In a large bowl, beat oil with remaining sugar and eggs until well blended. Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda; gradually beat into oil mixture until blended. Stir in the apples, carrots and pecans.
• Transfer half of the apple batter to a greased and floured 10-in. fluted tube pan; layer with cream cheese mixture and remaining apple batter.
• Bake at 350° for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
• In a large saucepan, bring the brown sugar, butter and milk to a boil. Cook and stir for 1 minute. Remove from the heat; whisk in confectioners' sugar and vanilla until smooth. Drizzle over cake. Sprinkle with pecans. Yield: 12 servings.

For some fun... let's try a "Five Spice Apple Jelly" Recipe!

Five Spice Cider Jelly

1 quart apple cider

1 package (1-3/4 ounces) powdered fruit pectin

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

5-1/2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon five spice powder (cassia cinnamon, cloves, star anise, anise seed, and ginger)

7 half pint jars, lids, and rings

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Place jars, lids and rings on a cookie sheet in the oven, and leave for at least 20 minutes.

In a large sauce pan combine the apple cider, pectin, and lemon juice, over high heat. Stir constantly. When the mixture boils, quickly stir in sugar. Continue stirring until the mixture boils for 2 minutes.

Remove from the heat. Skim off any foam that may have formed on the top of the jelly.

Stir in the five spice powder before you pour the hot jelly into sterilized jars. Be sure to leave a fourth of an inch from the top unfilled.

Put lids and rings onto the jars, wiping off any jelly that may have gotten on the sides.

Seal firmly and invert, lid side down on the counter for one hour. Return to right-side-up and store.  Once opened keep refrigerated.

And last but not least....

Mulled Apple Cider

This crockpot mulled cider recipe is spiced with ginger, cinnamon, and cloves.Ingredients:

• 2 qts. apple cider
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/8 tsp. ground ginger
• 1 orange (unpeeled)
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 tsp. whole cloves
• brandy

Preparation: Combine cider, sugar, ginger and orange in slow cooker. Tie cinnamon and cloves in a small cheesecloth bag; add to crockpot. Cover and cook on LOW 2 to 4 hours. The entire house will smell great! Remove the bag of spices. In a mug put a shot of brandy, then fill with hot mix from cooker.
Makes 10 to 12 servings