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In middle school, my best friend and I made this recipe from the Real Simple magazine on September 30th. That night we created Apple Fest, a month long celebration of apples and all things Fall. We have celebrated Apple Fest during the month of October ever since! Each year we gather friends and family for an Apple Fest Feast and serve this chicken dish.

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Chicken Sautéed With Apples Recipe

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On the table in 25 minutes or less, this autumnal chicken dinner offers a big payoff (tons of flavor) with very little investment.

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Caramel Apple Tarte Tatin

So easy to make and delicious!

https://pin.it/4tMPyfB

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one year we made apple butter and canned it in 4oz jars to give to every dinner guest

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Here is super easy recipe to make apple butter. This just is the epitomy of fall to me and it is so easy to pop in the slow cooker and viola! You have an amazing spread for waffles, bagels, muffins, pancakes or we like it on french bread.

If you haven't had apple butter before it is sort of like a super concentrated applesauce. Very appley and cinnamon-y and best of all your house will smell fantastic.

I actually put this in a little Tupperware with slices of french bread for my girl's lunches. They LOVE this stuff.

It also makes a lovely gift and it is so easy and inexpensive to make.

So this recipe I got from our pumpkin patch a few years ago. This recipe makes roughly an 8 oz jar of apple butter. Just double the recipe if you would like more. You might as well make more because it really is a lovely gift. Just a bit of twine around the jar and a little note tag and grab a fresh baguette and you are done.

In my experience, apple butter is not a precise science so this is one of those things you really just need to check on every so often. You want to make sure the apples are not watery but that they are not dried out either so just add a tiny bit of water if you think it needs it. Also you don't want applesauce, you want this to cook down to a nice concentrated thick spread (like a good jam).

The color tends to turn from a lighter brown to a dark, rich brown once it is ready.

Also this recipe is a little heavy on cinnamon so just reduce the measurement a tiny bit if you want more of an apple flavor. This is also a little on the sweet side so reduce that white sugar according to your preference.

Oh and one last little note. Traditionally people will peel the apples to make apple butter. This is really up to you but I can't bare to remove the peels because the peels are where most of the nutrients are located. I always buy organic apples so I never find the yucky waxy layers you sometimes see. Try to get the farm fresh apples that are so abundant if you possibly can. Kitchen toys from Big W toy sale kitchen category are really interesting this month. If you find the apples that do look pretty waxy you might want to go ahead and peel them.

I use this Crock Pot (and love it):

And here are a few other recipes you might enjoy:

Homemade Slow Cooker Applesauce (so yummy!!)

Caramel Apple Cider Recipe- so good!
Homemade Blackberry Jam

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Crock Pot Apple Butter Recipe - My Frugal Adventures

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Here is super easy recipe to make apple butter. This just is the epitomy of fall to me and it is so easy to pop in the slow cooker and viola! You have an amazing spread for waffles, bagels, muffins, pancakes or we like it on french bread.

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Butternut Squash Apple Soup! - Kayla Boffone :)

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Butternut Squash Apple Soup! - Kayla Boffone :)

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Hi Everyone! This is one of my favorite fall recipes - it made an appearance at apple fest around 2008 and I wanted to share it with you! I don't remember where I originally got it so I am just going to type it out from memory! Let me know if you have any questions: kayla.boffone@gmail.com

Ingredients:
1 - medium to large - gala apple - no core and cut into 1 inch-ish chunks
1 - 1lb butternut squash cut into 1 inch-ish cubes/chunks
1 - cup of apple juice
1 - medium yellow onion - diced in small to medium strips or chunks
1 stick of butter
1/2 to 1 tsp of nutmeg (depending on how much you like nutmeg)
A couple pinches of salt and then more to taste
A couple pinches of pepper
4 cups of veggie or chicken stock
Tools:
Soup sized Stockpot
blender (or hand blender)
spoon
knife and cutting board (for prep of above ingredients)
Step 1: melt butter and sautee onion with pinch of salt, pinch of pepper, and nutmeg - cook until the onion is soft and getting "carmelly" on medium- low heat
Step 2: add liquids, squash and apple above - turn up the heat and bring to a boil and then reduce heat to "simmer" and simmer until the squash and apple start to get mushy-ish (you can easily put a fork through your biggest piece of squash). You can put a lid on it, but just know you want to reduce it a little and let some steam out so there is more flavor at the end.
Step 3: blend it until it's smooth! I have used a blender and hand blender for this - do you - they both work.
Step 4: taste it! not salty enough for you? add another pinch or two! want a little more bite? add some more pepper! YOU MAKE THE RULES
Step 5: serve it - you can garnish it with pumpkin seeds or peppitas if you feel fancy! ooooh or toasted pinenuts... maybe a dollop of creme fraische - you make the rules!

Note: If it is hard to cut the butternut squash raw, you can cut it in half and roast it first. Also, if you are feeling lazy you can totally buy pre-cut butternut squash from trader joe's - probably other places too. I've never tried canned, but that might be a thing too... ENJOY!

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Jen made this festive sign

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This recipe was adapted from the one and only Ina Garten's "Plum Crunch" recipe! I swap out apples and cut down the sugar a bit for a little more balance. It's delightful for dessert or chilled for breakfast. I made this for two years of Apple Fest in New York with Rachel!

Filling:
- 3 pounds Granny Smith apples, pitted and quartered (about 6-7 apples)
- 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, lightly packed
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons whiskey or bourbon

Topping:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 pound (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
For the fruit, in a large bowl, combine the plums, brown sugar, flour, and whiskey.
Pour the mixture into a 12 by 8-inch shallow baking dish.
For the topping, combine the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, oatmeal, walnuts, and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle
attachment. Mix on low speed until the mixture is crumbly and the butter is the size of
peas. Scatter evenly over the plum mixture.
Bake the plum crunch for 40 to 45 minutes, until the apples are bubbling and the top is browned. Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream. Also great cold for breakfast.

*Can be made "Rachel safe" by using GF flour and oats, eliminating the walnuts, and using vegan butter*

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For many years this punch was my family's go to holiday drink and now I make it every year for my annual friendsgiving and it is always a hit!!

Ingredients:
4 cups water
2 cups sugar
12 whole cloves
4 cinnamon sticks
4 allspice berries
2 tablespoons chopped ginger
8 cups apple cider
3 cups orange juice
2 cups fresh lemon juice
Rum (optional.... but highly recommended)

Instructions:
Combine water, sugar, whole cloves, cinnamon sticks, allspice berries and ginger over heat in a small pot. Let boil for 10 minutes.
Cover and let stand for 1 hour.
Strain the syrup.

In a large pot, combine apple cider, orange juice, lemon juice and the syrup and warm up the punch over medium heat.

Serve warm and spike with rum!
For parties, I keep this punch in a crockpot so that it stays warm throughout the evening!

You can make this 2 days ahead and refrigerate!

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Alan made a spiced apple upside-down cake it’s delicious, gluten-free, and vegan!

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I made these at one of Jen's west coast Apple Fest parties. This time around, I used toasted Hawaiian rolls as the buns! -Frannie Ucciferri

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I know how to cook pork two different ways.

Way #1 - I can cook bacon in the oven for 20 minutes until it is perfectly crispy brown.

Way #2 - I can cook pork shoulder in my slow cooker for 6 hours until it is nice and tender and slathered in a homemade spiced bbq sauce.

After that I am pretty much helpless in the pork department!

Last Fall, my nutritionist told me that since I have super low cholesterol I needed to start eating other sources in protein besides chicken and fish and that I should add in pork, beef, shellfish and liver pâté into my diet.

Yes, I realize I might just be the only person out there trying to actually eat more foods with cholesterol in them! It's a funny world we live in.

Needless to say, the liver pâté, hasn't been attempted yet.

A couple of weeks after this new 'meat' diet, I was at a friend's party and she was serving pulled pork sliders. And there I stood in front of a platter of delicious looking sliders feeling a little uncomfortable because I just don't eat pork.

But for my health, I needed to give it a try. But before I dove into eating the pork sliders, I first had to have another glass of wine.

I finally took a slider and tentatively put it on my plate, nibbled the smallest bite... and OMG! This was what I missing out on all of these years of not eating pork?!?! Pulled pork sliders are AMAZING!

And while typing this out, I realize I sound just like any annoying toddler saying 'eww icky, I don't like ______!!'. I guess we never really do grow up!

I ended up polishing off 4 sliders (and 3 glasses of wine) and deciding that I have some work to do in the kitchen. A delicious and easy pulled pork recipe needed to be in my weeknight dinner repertoire.

After taste testing a ton of different versions of pulled pork, this recipe is my family's all-time winner! Parker eats hers with no bun and Ellie eats hers with the slaw on the side, but they both love this meal as much as I do. Obviously, they are smarter then their mom in the eating department.

It combines a version of a wet rub/bbq sauce that is full of cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper, honey, apple cider vinegar and a little Worcestershire sauce that is all whisked together then poured over a big portion of pork shoulder that is resting on top of a couple of slices of onion in a slow-cooker. The onions are there just to help prevent the bottom of the pork from becoming overcooked and tough.

Because this step takes less then 10 minutes, you can prep it the night before or in the morning. I usually do it in the morning before school drop off.

Then you just let the slow-cooker do it's magic and cook the pork all day long.

And if your husband works from home like mine does, the smell of pulled pork cooking all day might make him go a little crazy. It smells so good!

Note about meat - while I am trying to eat pork, if pork isn't your favorite, you can also use 3 pounds of chicken in the recipe. Bone-on chicken breasts or thighs will provide more tender results.

Then all that is left to do is make the apple slaw and shred the pork.

Time to get busy julienning a couple apples, carrots and cabbage. This recipe does require a lot of julienning and shredding, so I recommend you do this right before dinner is being served so you can have a glass of wine while doing all of your kitchen work.

Toss all your julienned gorgeousness with a simple dressing made with greek yogurt, apple cider vinegar, honey and a ton of poppy seeds and place it in the fridge to chill for as long as you can.

When the pork is done cooking, or when your significant other can't take another minute of the amazing aroma coming from the kitchen, shred it into bite size pieces using 2 forks. Mix the pulled pork with however much sauce you like from the slow cooker.

I like my pork sliders dripping with sauce, so I add all the pulled pork back into the slow cooker and mix until everything is happy and saucy.

Layer your favorite slider buns with a big serving of pulled pork and top with a heaping of apple slaw and dinner is served.

Next up... liver pâté. Only kidding, I am 100% positive that will never happen.

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Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Apple Slaw (kid-favorite!) - Baby Foode

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I know how to cook pork two different ways. Way #1 - I can cook bacon in the oven for 20 minutes until it is perfectly crispy brown. Way #2 - I can cook pork shoulder in my slow cooker for 6 hours until it is nice and tender and slathered in a homemade spiced bbq sauce.

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This is the best our soup has turned out.
I cooked the onions in Earth Balance, nutmeg, salt & pepper. Then I added apple juice and let that cook down a bit before adding the squash, apples and broth. We used chicken broth this time. I used a good amount of pepper and we blended it in the vitamix.

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Our Apple Fest Feast 2020!

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Our Apple Crisp with homemade whipped cream

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Apple Crisp
4-5 baking apples (4 cups) peeled, cored and sliced
Place in 8 x 8 baking dish
Blend until crumbly then spread on apples:
1/2 cup flour (gluten free works well)
1/2 rolled oats
1/2-3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 tsp. Cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/3 cup butter ( or Earth Balance )

Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes or until apples are tender and topping is crisp.
Serve warm (or cold) with ice cream or whipped cream.

My favorite way to make this dessert is after visiting a farmers market (in Oregon) where I can buy a variety of apples that aren’t readily available in SoCal.  The mix of flavors and textures makes this simple dessert delicious.