Mountain Girl's Fave Fall Recipes

 

One Crazy Lady and Six Great Kids and Mermaids of the Lake get our first honorable mention when it comes to our first foodie nod.  I came across the Crazy Lady blogger from California while pinning into my Autumn Reflections board on Pinterest.  I reviewed the recipes and fell in love with several of them.  I will definitely be trying the Apple Crumble Bars this weekend.  Oh yum!

I am a big fan of Snickerdoodles and when I added pumpkin to the mix...oh my! These are now my favorite all time cookie.  I love how moist they turned out.  This is a very soft cookie when finished.  If the recipe seems a bit too wet, just add a bit of flour; I did and it turned out very well.  This recipe is from Sweet Pea's Kitchen and gets a double thumbs up from Mountain Girls Adventures!

OR you head on over to my friends' amazing website for women, Mermaids of the Lake for the delicious Sour Cream Apple Pie recipe with Gingerbread Crust below.

Let us know if  you try a recipe or two, we love getting your feedback!

{Pumpkin Snickerdoodles}

This spin on the classic snickerdoodle are kicked up a notch with the addition of pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice. If you love regular snickerdoodles, you’ll flip for this delicious version!

OVEN: 400     YIELD: 4 dozen

COOK TIME: 10-12 minutes

Ingredients:

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 3/4 cups sugar, divided
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

Directions:

Adjust the oven racks to the upper-and lower-middle positions and heat the oven to 400 degrees F. (Optional) line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice; set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the egg and beat at medium speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Add the pumpkin puree and beat at medium speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Add the dry ingredients and beat at low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds, scraping down the bowl as needed.

Place the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon for rolling in a shallow bowl. Roll a heaping tablespoon of dough into a 1½-inch ball, roll the ball in the sugar mixture, and place it on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough, spacing the balls about 2 inches apart

Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, until the edges are set and just beginning to brown but the centers are still soft and puffy, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through baking. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets about 5 minutes; using a wide metal spatula, transfer the cookies to a wire rack and cool to room temperature.

Recipe Notes:
The dough can be made through step 3 and either covered tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen.

To freeze the cookie dough, portion into individual balls, roll in the cinnamon and sugar, and freeze on a parchment- or wax-paper-lined plate (don't let them touch or they will fuse together) until completely firm, 2 to 3 hours. When ready to bake, reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees and increase the baking time to 17 to 22 minutes.

Source: A Sweet Pea's Kitchen Creation , inspired by Recipe Girl barely adapted from Cook's Illustarted

{Apple Crumble Bars}

For the filling: 4 medium-sized apples, peeled, cored and coarsely diced

5 tbsp. sugar
¼ tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. cornstarch
2 tbsp. lemon juice
¼ cup fruit jam (I used peach)

For the topping: ½ cup all-purpose flour3 tbsp. sugar4 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened

Directions:

To prepare the filling, in a large skillet combine the apples, sugar, and cinnamon.  Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes, until apples are tender but still firm.  In a small cup, whisk together cornstarch and lemon juice.  Add to the apple mixture and continue cooking, stirring constantly for 3 minutes or until thickened.  Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 350°.  Line an 8×8” baking dish with foil, leaving overhang on both sides for easy removal later.  Grease foil.

To make the base, in a medium bowl combine flour, sugar and salt.  Mix well.  Cut the butter into the flour mixture using a pastry blender, two forks or your hands, until it resembles breadcrumbs.  Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan.  Bake for 10-12 minutes, until lightly browned around the edges.  Remove from the oven.  Spread the fruit jam evenly on the base while it is still hot.  Top with the cooked apple mixture.

In a medium bowl combine all ingredients for the topping.  Mix well until combined and crumbly.  Sprinkle over the apple layer.  Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.  Using the foil, lift out of pan.  Cut into squares and serve.  (If desired, refrigerate before cutting to firm up a bit for easier slicing.)

{Sour Cream Apple Pie with Gingerbread Crust}

Filling:1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3  cup nonfat dairy sour cream
1  beaten egg
2  teaspoons vanilla
1/3  cup packed brown sugar
1  teaspoon ground cinnamon
3  tablespoons butter
1/2  cup coarsely chopped walnuts (optional)
3/4  cup frozen fat-free whipped dessert topping, thawed (optional)
Ground cinnamon (optional)

1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5  cups sliced, peeled cooking apples, such as Rome or Jonathan
Topping:
1/3  cup all-purpose flour

Prepare Gingerbread Pastry. Roll pastry between 2 pieces of waxed paper, from center to edges, to a circle 12 inches in diameter (press any cracks back together). Remove top piece of waxed paper, carefully invert pastry into a 9-inch pie plate without stretching it, remove waxed paper. Trim pastry to 1/2 inch beyond edge of pie plate. Fold under extra pastry; crimp edge as desired. Do not prick pastry. Set aside.

In a medium bowl stir together granulated sugar, the 2 tablespoons flour, and the salt. Add sour cream, egg, and vanilla. Stir to combine.

Place apples in pastry-lined pie plate. Pour filling over apples.

In a medium bowl stir together 1/3 cup flour, the brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in walnuts if desired. Spoon evenly over filling. To prevent overbrowning, cover edge of the pie with foil. Place on a baking sheet.

Bake in a 375°F oven 30 minutes; remove foil. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes more or until apples are tender. Remove from oven; cool on a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. If desired, dollop with dessert topping and sprinkle with additional ground cinnamon to serve. Store, covered, in refrigerator.

Gingerbread Pastry

In a medium bowl, combine 1 1/3 cups white whole wheat flour (or 1 cup all-purpose flour plus 1/3 cup whole wheat flour), 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1 teaspoon ground allspice, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add 1/3 cup canola oil and 2 tablespoons fat-free milk all at once. Stir gently with a fork until mixture clings together. Shape into a ball.

I hope that you enjoy these recipes and when you try them be sure to leave a comment or two.  OR post your own favorite recipe link for others to follow.

Bon Appetit!

Genia Seghetti
Mountain Girls Adventures 
"An amazing life doesn't just happen, 
you create it one adventure at a time!"

About MGA:
At Mountain Girls Adventures the spirit of adventure runs deep. An adventurer's experience can move us, enrich our knowledge and awaken the wanderer within. As an adventurer my purpose is to live consciously and courageously, to resonate with love and compassion, to awaken the great adventure of life within others, and to leave this world a better place because I have lived.

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