Apple Cutout Sugar Cookies

Not only are these pretty cookies fun to serve, but they bake up delicate and flaky and taste wonderful. Even the dough is a treat to work with - so easy to roll out and cut.

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar

FROSTING:2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
2 tablespoons water
Red and green food coloring

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the first seven ingredients in order given and mix well. Chill dough 2-3 hours or until easy to handle.
Roll out on a lightly floured surface to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with an apple-shaped cookie cutter dipped in flour. Place on greased baking sheets. Bake at 375° for 7-8 minutes or until lightly browned.
For frosting, combine sugar, corn syrup and water in a small bowl. Transfer three fourths of the frosting into another bowl; add red food coloring for apples. Add green food coloring to remaining frosting for stems. Frost cookies. Allow to sit overnight for frosting to harden. Yield: 4 dozen.

Apple Pie Ice Cream

"This cinnamon ice cream is loaded with fried apples, cookie crust, caramel, and walnuts! You won't believe this ice cream, it's elegant taste is rich and unique. It's sure to be everyone's favorite! Eat it as soon as you have mixed it, or keep it in the freezer for later. If you freeze it, let it thaw about 15 minutes before eating."

Ingredients8 oatmeal cookies, crushed
2 tablespoons melted butter, divided
2 large apples, peeled, cored and sliced
3 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 cups whipping cream
1 1/2 cups half and half
1 cup white sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts
1/4 cup dulce de leche or caramel ice cream topping

DirectionsPreheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Mix the crushed cookies with 1 tablespoon of melted butter, and press onto a baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 5 minutes, then remove, allow to cool completely, then crumble.
Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the apples, 3 tablespoons sugar, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Cook until the apples have lightly browned, and the sugar has begun to caramelize, about 10 minutes. Remove from the pan, and allow to cool completely. Combine cream, half and half, 1 cup sugar, eggs, vanilla, and 2 teaspoons of cinnamon in a large bowl; mix to blend well. Pour into an ice cream maker ie, caramelized apples, and walnuts. Add the dulce de leche by the teaspoon while stirring to evenly distribute.

Caramel Apple Dessert

Ingredients4 to 6 medium apples, cut into wedges
1 jar (12 ounces) caramel ice cream topping
1 cup roasted chopped peanuts

Directions: Just before serving, cut apples and arrange on a platter or individual plates. heat caramel ice cream sauce according to package directions. Place peanuts in small bowl. To serve, dip apples in warm caramel sauce and then in chopped peanuts. Yield: 6 servings.

Caramel Apple Burritos

This recipe is fun to experiment with.

Ingredients3 large tart apples, peeled and sliced
10 caramels
5 flour tortillas (8 inches), warmed

Directions: Place apple slices in a saucepan; cover and cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes or until tender. Reduce heat. Add caramels; cook and stir until caramels are melted. Spoon apple mixture off center on each tortilla; fold sides and ends over filling and roll up. Yield: 5 servings



Roasted Pork Loin Topped With Apples

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon caraway seed
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried leaf sage, crumbled
1 pork loin roast, bone in, about 4 to 5 pounds
1 1/2 cups applesauce
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preparation:

In small bowl, combine flour, 1 teaspoon salt, mustard, garlic powder, caraway seeds, sugar, pepper and sage; rub over roast. Cover and let stand for 30 minutes. Place on a greased baking rack, fat side up, in a roasting pan. Bake, uncovered, at 325° for 1 hour. Combine applesauce, brown sugar, nutmeg and 1/4 teaspoon salt; mix well. Spread over roast. Roast 1 hour longer or until internal temperature reaches about 160°. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes before slicing. Serves 8 to 10.

Apple-Kraut and Bratwurst Skillet

1 lb. fresh bratwurst
2 t. vegetable oil
1 med. onion, thinly sliced
1 med. apple, cored, cut into 12 wedges
1 lb. sauerkraut, drained (about 2 c.)
1/4 c. apple juice
Pepper
Cook bratwurst in oil over medium-low heat in large nonstick skillet 10 minutes or until browned on all sides; remove from heat and reserve. Add onion and apple wedges to skillet; cook and stir over medium heat 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Stir in sauerkraut, apple juice and pepper. Return bratwurst to skillet. Bring to a boil Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes or until bratwurst is cooked through and juices run clear. Serves 4.

Traditional Turkey Dressing

(Makes enough for one medium sized turkey)
Ingredients:
2 loaves of sliced white bread
3 stalks celery
2 onions
2 apples
2 tablespoons sage
2 teaspoons salt
white pepper
turkey giblets
If the bread is not slightly dry, place slices on a rack in the oven at a low heat (200° F.) and dry with the oven door slightly open while you prepare the other dressing ingredients.
Remove the giblets and neck from inside the turkey. Put them in a pan with about 6 cups of water, bring to boil and simmer while you prepare the rest of the dressing.
Chop the onions and celery. Pour a little oil in a frying pan and sautee the onions and celery until the onions are translucent. Set aside.
The bread should be dry but not crisp by now. Cut the bread slices into 1 inch pieces and put in a large bowl. Mix in the onions and celery. Remove core, stem and blossom ends from the apples, chop into 1/2 inch pieces and add to the bread mixture. Add crushed sage, salt and white pepper. Mix well.
Remove the giblets from the pan of water and chop. Add these to the bread mixture. Add 2 beaten eggs and mix well. Add the giblet stock gradually, mixing it in, until the bread is moist but not wet.
Put the dressing in the turkey; fasten the openings together and roast.