Appleriffic

We just got back from our first apple-picking trip of the fall. (Well, okay, technically it is still summer for another week, and it is crazy hot outside today - shades of our trip to Florida last month in terms of temp and humidity - but still, once school is in session and apples are ripe, it's fall in my book!) Now I have a crisper drawer chock-full of apples and a sudden urge to fire up my beloved Kitchenaid and get cooking. I'm not quite ready for apple pie (though I do make a mean apple pie, if I say so myself) but definitely ready for some apple-y goodness.

Two apple recipes I tried for the first time last year that I'll definitely be doing again, likely sometime this week, are for Crock Pot Apple Cobbler and Apple Bread. Recipes below - I didn't invent either of these, so credit due to whomever did, they're both easy and deeeelicious!

Crock Pot Apple Cobbler

4 cups peeled, sliced apples (I like to use more tart apples myself - Jonagolds are my absolute favorite, but they're not ready yet, being an October apple)
4 cups granola cereal (usually one entire, small box)
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup honey
4 tablespoons melted butter

Spray inside of crock pot with nonstick cooking spray. Combine apples, granola and cinnamon in crock pot and mix well. Stir together honey and butter and drizzle over apple mixture. Mix gently. Cover crock pot and cook at least 4 hours until apples are tender.

(I have done the cobbler before without peeling the apples, and it is just as tasty! In case you're feeling lazy like I was...)

Apple Bread

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups apples - peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped
• 1 cup broken walnuts

In bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg and salt; set aside. In large mixing bowl, place oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla and apples. Stir into flour mixture. Add walnuts and mix. Divide mixture between two greased 8-in. x 4-in. bread pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes or until bread tests done. Cool for 10 minutes on wire rack before removing from pan.

Now the second recipe is made for a stand mixer - your arm will collapse into a boneless puddle of goo if you try to mix it by hand, be warned. (Um, not that I'm saying this from experience or anything.... *innocent whistling*) It is a rather dry, very thick batter, so don't think you've done something wrong. It is so tasty! I like to add some pecans to mine, because who doesn't love pecans? (Though I suppose walnuts would be equally tasty... and if you have nut allergies, then forget about either!)

We also picked a pound or so of raspberries, which reminds me that I had a second crop of raspberries out in my little berry patch in the back yard. I wonder if the birds have beaten me to those - I ought to get out there and check!

If anyone else has any tasty apple recipes, we'll be up to our eyeballs in apples here at the Smith house for the next few months, so please, please, please share! I'll post my apple pie recipe later this fall, too, I promise!