Thanks for posting your delicious recipes, Phil. Yes, fruit seems like a great topic for a variety of recipes. The caramel apple one does seem awfully sweet, but the rest don't seem bad (sweet-wise), so I will try some of them.

DonnaZ

Hi Donna,

Just ran across this Recipe for Apple Dumplings and I felt like I had to share it. For those not familiar, Apple dumplings are whole apples, peeled and cored, stuffed with a sweet mix of spices, raisins and nuts, folded into pastry, and baked until the apples are soft and the pastry is golden

These are just like the ones that my Grandmother used to make: warm, flaky, apple-y sweet and drizzled with a sauce that bakes right with them. These are not difficult to make, just a little time-consuming. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.

Old Fashioned Apple Dumplings

Ingredients

• 1 recipe pastry for double-crust pie
• 6 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and cored
• 1/2 cup butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3 cups water
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Butter a 9x13 inch pan.
2. On a lightly floured surface, roll pastry into a large rectangle, about 24 by 16 inches. Cut into 6 square pieces. Place an apple on each pastry square with the cored opening facing upward. Cut butter into 8 pieces. Place 1 piece of butter in the opening of each apple; reserve remaining butter for sauce. Divide brown sugar between apples, poking some inside each cored opening and the rest around the base of each apple. Sprinkle cinnamon and nutmeg over the apples.
3. With slightly wet fingertips, bring one corner of pastry square up to the top of the apple, then bring the opposite corner to the top and press together. Bring up the two remaining corners, and seal. Slightly pinch the dough at the sides to completely seal in the apple. Repeat with the remaining apples. Place in prepared baking dish.
4. In a saucepan, combine water, white sugar, vanilla extract and reserved butter. Place over medium heat, and bring to a boil in a large saucepan. Boil for 5 minutes, or until sugar is dissolved. Carefully pour over dumplings.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes. Place each apple dumpling in a dessert bowl, and spoon some sauce over the top.

Tips for Perfect Apple Dumplings

Use small apples to ensure the fruit is tender when the pastry's done. Use a melon baller to hollow out the apples, leaving a half inch or so of flesh at the bottom to keep the filling from leaking out the bottom.

Pack the filling into the centers and fold a pastry squares around each apple. Shape any leftover dough scraps into leaves.

Brush the pastry with egg wash, and bake as directed. As with pie crusts, cover the dumplings with foil if the pastry starts browning too soon.

Enjoy My Friends!

Have A Wonderful Holiday,

Phil

Hi Donna,

Here, just in time for Christmas, those Spicy Apple Cookies that everyone loves. I've been making these for about 25 years, and never met anyone yet who didn't like them.

Glazed Apple Cookies

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup shortening
• 1-3/4 cups packed brown sugar
• 1-1/4 egg
• 2-2/3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1-1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1-1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1-3/4 cups and 3 tablespoons chopped walnuts (optional)
• 1-1/3 cups apples - peeled, cored and finely diced
• 1-1/3 cups raisins
• 1/3 cup milk
• 2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
• 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon butter
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons and 1 teaspoon half-and-half cream

Directions

1. Beat shortening and brown sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and blend thoroughly.
2. Stir together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.
3. Stir half the dry ingredients into creamed mixture. Stir in nuts, apple and raisins, then stir in remaining half of dry ingredients and milk. Mix well.
4. Drop from tablespoon 1 1/2 inches apart onto lightly greased baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 10-12 minutes. Remove cookies to racks and while still warm, spread with glaze.
5. To make Glaze: Combine powdered sugar, butter, vanilla and enough cream to make glaze of spreading consistency. Beat until smooth. Spread on warm cookies.

Yield: 2 Dozen Cookies

By the way, speaking of Christmas Cookies, if you think you might be interested, there's a whole lot of Yummy Cookie Recipes if you just Click Here.

Have A Wonderful Christmas,

Phil

Hi Phil,

Oh gees Phil, these look wonderful. You have been making these cookies yourself for all these years? Well that is good enough for me. We get together at my sisters after Christmas Eve service and have easy to eat munchies. I was going to make a BUNDT cake but now I'll make YOUR cookies!!!

Thank you.... Thank you Phil for all your food stuff. I've lost 25-30 pounds since I hurt my R shoulder. I have NO INTENTION of gaining that weight back but I will eat some of your delicious APPLE COOKIES!!

Wish I could give you a Big Hug right now!!!

Pat

Quote:

Hi Donna,

Here, just in time for Christmas, those Spicy Apple Cookies that everyone loves. I've been making these for about 25 years, and never met anyone yet who didn't like them.

Glazed Apple Cookies

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup shortening
• 1-3/4 cups packed brown sugar
• 1-1/4 egg
• 2-2/3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1-1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1-1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1-3/4 cups and 3 tablespoons chopped walnuts (optional)
• 1-1/3 cups apples - peeled, cored and finely diced
• 1-1/3 cups raisins
• 1/3 cup milk
• 2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
• 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon butter
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons and 1 teaspoon half-and-half cream

Directions

1. Beat shortening and brown sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and blend thoroughly.
2. Stir together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.
3. Stir half the dry ingredients into creamed mixture. Stir in nuts, apple and raisins, then stir in remaining half of dry ingredients and milk. Mix well.
4. Drop from tablespoon 1 1/2 inches apart onto lightly greased baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 10-12 minutes. Remove cookies to racks and while still warm, spread with glaze.
5. To make Glaze: Combine powdered sugar, butter, vanilla and enough cream to make glaze of spreading consistency. Beat until smooth. Spread on warm cookies.

Yield: 2 Dozen Cookies

By the way, speaking of Christmas Cookies, if you think you might be interested, there's a whole lot of Yummy Cookie Recipes if you just Click Here.

Have A Wonderful Christmas,

Phil