Fried Apples

We love to pick apples. The perfect way to spend a fall morning, it is fun to walk the orchard, listening to birdsong while the sun warms our heads.

Warmth. One of the best parts of apple picking is the pleasure that comes with biting into a sun-warmed apple, the skin crunchy while apple juice runs down your wrist. Truly a joy worth experiencing.

We've almost always got at least a bushel of apples in our pantry. We eat them all the time, both raw and baked. Today I'm going to make a decadent apple treat, one that I love. It brings memories of fairs and summertime, and as we're deep in the throes of winter I think that's exactly what we need around here, a taste of summer.

Easy Fried Apples

1 C. flour
1 t. salt
1 t. baking powder
2 t. sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
1 t. salt
1 t. vanilla
1 t. cinnamon
3 apples
hot vegetable oil in very deep pan

Peel, core and cut apples into thin wedges. Set aside.

Combine dry ingredients in one bowl, wet ingredients in another. Then, add wet to dry and mix well.

Dip apples into batter. Fry in hot oil until golden.

Serve with hot maple syrup or dusted with confectioner's sugar.

Pignoli Cookies

I've been making these since my husband and I were first married and they've always been a favorite in our house. There's only one problem with these cookies: they never last long enough. As fast as I make 'em, we eat 'em.


Pignoli Cookies


1 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup plus 3tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup pine nuts

Beat the butter, sugar, vanilla and salt in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the egg. Add the flour and mix just until blended.

Transfer the dough to a sheet of plastic wrap. Shape the dough into an 8-inch-long log. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Cut the dough log crosswise into 1/4-inch thick slices. Transfer the cookies to the baking sheets. Press the pine nuts into the tops of the cookies.

Bake about 15 minutes, until lightly golden.

Sharing an addiction

Oreo Balls

1 package OREO cookies

8 oz. package of softened cream cheese

melted chocolate--chips, semi-sweet, dark, white--your choice. Hey, it's your addiction. :)

Crush the cookies into fine crumbs. Add cheese and mix.

Roll mixture into balls. Chill balls on baking sheet for 30 minutes.

Dip balls in melted chocolate. Chill until firm.

**Store any leftover balls in fridge.

** I just put that in for the purposes of recipe maintenance, not because I actually believe you'll have leftover balls. And if you do? Have leftover balls? Well, then maybe you should rethink your personal addiction, because it'll mean that Oreos definitely aren't your top lust item.

Kit Kats, anyone? Or Goobers--now there's an addiction-worthy item...