Autumn Recipes

Stephenson's Apple Restaurant's Apple Fritters

Notes: I prepared many batches of these during my restaraunt days.  This recipe came form Stephensons Apple Restaraunt in Jayne, Missouri.  My parents and I ate there from time to time when they lived in Rogers, Arkansas.  GREAT FOOD!



1 cup milk
1 large egg, beaten

4 tablespoons margarine
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 medium orange rind and juice
1 cup apples, chopped fine
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat egg.  In a mixing bowl combine the milk, egg, and melted margarine.  Add the orange juice, rind, chopped apples, (some skins can be left on) and vanilla.  Sift together the flour, salt, baking powder.  Stir into milk mixture with a spoon until blended.  Do not overmix.  Preheat oil in a skillet to 350.  Drop batter off end of tablespoon into hot oil.  Fry to a golden brown.  Turn so they brown evenly.  Allow to cool.  Roll in powdered sugar.  

These are great to serve with salads or as an appetizer.



Tiramisu Cheesecake

I'm about anything Tiramisu.  This cheesecake is no exception.  Makes a great dessert to take to parties and also elegant to serve at home!.  Love mascarpone.  You can usually find it with the gourmet cheese section at  WalMart. 

For the crust:
8 oz. chocolate wafers, finely crushed (2 cups of crumbs)
3 Tbs. granulated sugar
7 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:
3 8-oz. packages cream cheese, at room temperature
8 oz. mascarpone
2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
Table salt
1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
3 Tbs. Kahlúa
1 Tbs. pure vanilla extract
2 tsp. instant espresso powder
4 large eggs, at room temperature
Cocoa powder, for garnish

Make the crust:

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 375°F.

In a medium bowl, stir together the chocolate wafer crumbs and 3 Tbs. granulated sugar. Mix in the melted butter until the crumbs are evenly moist and clump together slightly. Transfer the mixture to a 9-inch springform pan and press evenly onto the bottom and about 2 inches up the sides of the pan (to press, use plastic wrap or a flat-bottom measuring cup). Bake until the crust is fragrant and slightly darkened, 9 to 12 minutes. Let the pan cool on a rack. Lower the oven temperature to 300°F.
Fill and bake the cheesecake:

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, mascarpone, flour, and a pinch of table salt on medium speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl and the paddle frequently, until very smooth and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Make sure the cheese has no lumps. Add the 1-1/4 cups granulated sugar and continue beating until well blended and smooth.

Add the Kahlúa, vanilla, and instant espresso, and beat until blended, about 30 seconds. Add the eggs one at a time, beating just until blended. (Don’t overbeat once the eggs have been added or the cheesecake will puff too much and crack as it cools.) Pour the filling into the cooled crust and smooth the top.

Bake at 300°F until the center jiggles like Jell-O when nudged, 55 to 65 minutes. The cake will be slightly puffed around the edges, and the center will still look moist. Set on a rack and cool completely. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 8 hours and up to 3 days. The cake can also be frozen at this point for up to 1 month (see make-ahead tip, below).

Unclasp and remove the side of the springform pan and run a long, thin metal spatula under the bottom crust. Carefully slide the cake onto a flat serving plate.

Garnish with cocoa powder sifted over the cake and serve immediately. To cut, run a thin knife under hot water, wipe it dry, and cut the cake into slices, heating and wiping the knife after every slice.
make ahead tipsTo freeze, put the unmolded, cooled cake on a rimmed baking sheet in the freezer, uncovered, until the top is cold and firm; then wrap it in two layers of plastic and one layer of foil. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.


photo: Thomas Allen
From Fine Cooking 104 , pp. 69
March 4, 2010


Pumpkin Pecan Bundt Cake
A cake mix makes this Autumn cake a snap.  Dust with powdered sugar or you can make a simple glaze to pour over. 

1 pk Cake mix, spice flavor
18 1/4 oz.
1 c Pumpkin, canned
1/2 c Vegetable oil
1 pk Vanilla pudding mix, instant
3 Eggs
1 t Cinnamon
1/2 c Water
1/2 c Pecans, chopped
Powdered sugar

Combine all ingreds except nuts & pwsugar.  Blend well, then beat 5 min. Fold in nuts.  Grease & flour Bundt pan.  Bake @ 350 for 45 min. Cool in pan for 15 min., and remove to plate, sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Grandma Rosia's Apple Nut Dessert

I must have got my love of all things recipes from my grandma Rosia.  She loved to collect recipes.  You could usually find hundreds of recipes that she had cut out from magazines, box tops or the newspaper scattered about her little house.  You know she had tried it out if she had written "good" across the top.  Probably a lot like most of us; never quite got around to trying out all the recipes she collected.  I can't imagine what she would think about sitting down at a computer and having the biggest cookbook in the world at her fingertips!  I love this recipe, and obviously it was a keeper for her!


In a 2 qt. bowl mix with a fork: 1 cup sugar, 3/4 cup flour, 1 T soft shortening.  Stir in 1/2 cup pet milk, and 1 t vanilla.  Stir until blended. Next, stir in 1/2 cup chopped nutmeats, and 3 cups cut up peeled apples, until completely coated with batter.

Spread in a greased 9 inch pan.

Mix with a for unitl crumbly: 2T brown sugar, 1/3 cup flour, and 2T softened butter.  Sprinkle over apple mix.  Bake until golden brown. at 400* for 30-35 minutes. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.