Apples contain a natural starch called pectin. Varieties with more pectin (Pink Lady and Honeycrisp) won’t fall apart when stewed or baked – best for sautés, cakes, and pies. Those with less pectin, like Golden Delicious, will break down more when cooked. Use these for applesauce, muffins, and scones.
Now that autumn is here and apples are in abundance you might want to make this delicious Peanut Butter & Apple Snack Cake. It’s a nice after school or after dinner treat.
These are my all-time favorite autumn breakfast treats. They make a delicious after school snack as well. Golden Delicious work well for this recipe, but you may use any apple that you like.
Crisp apples and dried cranberries come together in a fresh Autumn salad. Feel free to double or triple for a larger group.
Sweet and tasty, winter squash is a great side dish for the time of the year when the oven is your friend.
This easy but elegant dessert features fresh vanilla bean. Don’t throw away the pod when you’re done with it. Dry it and pack it in some sugar for vanilla sugar.
If you’re planning on making my Apple Fritter Breakfast Cake you must use Vietnamese cinnamon (also known as Saigon Cinnamon). Vietnamese cinnamon is the strongest, richest, and sweetest cinnamon and truly brings out the complex flavor of this cake. You can find it in most higher-end markets or online.
Pear & Cranberry Turnovers are great for dessert or breakfast. These pastries get a bit of tartness from dried cranberries to balance out the sweetness of ripe fall pears.
Curry Coconut Squash Soup is a great place to use roasted squash, but you can certainly substitute canned squash or pumpkin if you’re in a hurry and need a flavorful soup fast.
This technique is a great way to use up excess butternut squash and create a tasty ingredient at the same time. Because the squash halves roast cut side down, the skin acts as an insulator and trapped moisture steams the squash through and makes it very tender. Plus, the cut sides get a bit of caramelization. You can make dozens of things with the roasted squash, from soup and quick bread to stuffed pastas, side dishes, pies, pizzas, and more. Or you can stuff it with your favorite ingredients and eat as a meal or side dish. One pound of squash yields about 1 cup roasted flesh. You can store the cooked squash, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. If it gives off a bit of liquid, just drain it off or put the squash in a nonstick saucepan over a low heat to cook off the excess moisture.