Fall is Knocking on our Door

By Lee Ann Miller
August 23, 2010
340

Fall is knocking on our door. Even the wind is feeling the tinge of those crisp evenings. Its lovely. But somewhere in the backseat of our mind, we know cold weather is playing in the shadows. So for the next sixty odd days, be determined to savor every second of September and October. Its easy to believe seasons and particular foods play together just like kids at a park. Pumpkins, apples, nutty-heavy flavors just sing the song of Fall. Its easy to enjoy this time with thoughts of a caramel laced apple dumpling or a fresh carved jack o lantern. Our family whips out the Baked Oatmeal recipe (see attached) and dances a jig- such a good Fall/Winter snack. Our area is a wonderful place to shop for Fall deliciousness. Going to Hillcrest Orchard in Walnut Creek and sampling the fresh cider (although it may have been tried 100s of times), buying fat juicy apples- imparts that local sense of community. It gives a wonderful feeling of connection when we chose to buy local. Hillcrest also provides customers with this great Apple Harvest Schedule. This gives the ability to see which variety of apple is being picked on what date. Such a great tool! The baked apple in this section is perfect for those fresh picked Hillcrest Orchard apples. The spice rack seems to shift around this time of year- cinnamon, nutmeg and pumpkin spice creeping to the front and center of every drawer or shelf. Our region is so fortunate to have bulk food stores who carefully package and provide these lovely aromatic flavors. When guests come in from out of town, going to our lovely quaint bulk food grocery stores top the list of dont wanna miss going there. At The Miller Haus Bed and Breakfast we are quick to point out our favorite hot spots for good quality at a great price. No matter what season, all of us love a terrific bargain. As Fall enters into our lives this year, carve out more time to do some seasonal shopping, cooking and baking. Open the windows, burn the brown sugar candle and savor these Fall days ahead. Creating memories and making your house a home begins with cultivating an environment. And doing that can be as simple as color and scent. The rest will follow with a little shopping and a few good recipes. These recipes are a few of our favorites. Welcome the knock at the door, open up and let Fall in. Recipes: Cream Cheese Baked Apples *Years ago while visiting our friend Carolyn, we had these apples one morning. Written on a well-worn index card I quickly copied down the recipe. Friends are a resource for good recipes. 8-10 medium baking apples 8oz. cream cheese, softened 1 egg ¼ cup granulated sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla Dash of cinnamon Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash and core apples. Make a plug for the bottom of the apples by taking each core and cutting off ¼ inch from the bottom. Use this small piece to re-plug the bottom of each apple; this will keep any of the cream cheese mixture from escaping from the bottom. Using a knife, hollow out the top of the apple, taking about three rounds of peeling off the apple (it will look like a funnel cloud). Make a filling by beating the remaining ingredients together. Carefully fill the cavity of the apples with the cream cheese filling. Sprinkle each apple with cinnamon. Place on a baking sheet for 30-45 minutes. Apples will appear puffed and their skins stretched. If they happen to crack remove them immediately. Recommended apples: Jonathon and Cortland. The Miller Haus Baked Oatmeal 3 cups quick oats (uncooked) ¾ cup brown sugar 1 cup milk ½ cup butter, melted 2 eggs (beaten before adding to mixture) 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon vanilla Mix ingredients in order given. Spread into a greased 8 square dish or deep pie pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Serve with milk, stewed apples or yogurt. Great cut into bars and chilled for an after school snack. Chunky Apple Cake from Amish Country *This recipe is from my favorite cookbook. Academics Baking and Cooking from Maranatha Christian School. Can be purchased at Walnut Creek Cheese, Lehmans or Schlabach Printers. 1/2 c. butter, softened 2 c. sugar 1/2 t. vanilla extract 2 eggs 2 c. all-purpose flour 1- 1/2 t. cinnamon 1 t. nutmeg 1/2 t. salt ½ t. baking soda 3 c. diced apples Caramel Sauce: 1/2 c. brown sugar 1/4 c. butter 1/2 c. heavy whipping cream 1/4 c. sour cream Mix together butter, sugar, vanilla, and eggs. Add flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and baking soda. Stir in apples. Spread into a greased 13x9" baking dish. Bake at 325 degrees for 40-45 minutes. Sauce: In a small saucepan, combine brown sugar and butter. Cook over medium heat until butter is melted. Gradually add cream. Let cool slightly and add sour cream. Spoon sauce over each piece. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream. Serving size: 12-14. Amish Church Noodles 12oz. Homestyle Medium Noodles (I like Sommers brand) 10oz. Cream of Chicken Soup 5 T. butter 3 heaping teaspoons chicken base 2 cups chicken broth 4 cups water In medium saucepan, combine 2 cups chicken broth and 4 cups water, bring to a boil. In a separate pan, over medium heat, melt butter and cook until brown in color. Add 10oz. Cream of Chicken Soup and stir well. Add chicken base, stir until dissolved. Add mixture to broth and water. Stir until combined. Add 12oz. noodles, gently stir and bring to a boil again. Cover saucepan with lid and turn heat off. Let noodles set. Do not remove lid for at least 20-30 minutes. Enjoy!