Apple Pie is the picture of Americana. Tarte Tatin is a classic French dessert, basically an upside-down apple tart in which the apples are caramelized in butter and sugar before the tart is baked. And Apple Strudel, a perfect blend of spices and apples enclosed in a delicious flaky pastry is considered to be the national dish of Austria… along with Wiener Schnitzel. The German name is Apfelstrudel. Whatever you call it, apple desserts are true national treasures.

Oh, and by the way, this is my 600th post… how time does fly!

Apple Strudel

Strudel
1/4 cup apple juice
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup dried cranberries
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, quartered, cored, and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon minced lemon zest
Juice from 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup crushed purchased shortbread cookies
1/4 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
5 sheets phyllo dough
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
Glaze
2 cups powdered sugar
3 1/2 tablespoons milk
Garnish
Powdered sugar
Ground cinnamon
Strudel: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, pour the apple juice over the raisins and cranberries and microwave on high for 45 seconds.  Let sit for 15 minutes to soften fruit.

Combine the raisins, cranberries, (and any juice remaining in the bowl) apples, lemon zest, lemon juice, cinnamon, brown sugar, cookie crumbs, pecans, and the two tablespoons of cold butter pieces in a large bowl.

Place the phyllo on a work surface, and cover with a clean dry towel.  Remove 1 sheet of phyllo (cover the rest with the towel) place on the parchment paper lined baking sheet and brush lightly with melted butter.  Lay another sheet on top and brush with butter. Repeat with the remaining sheets, brushing each with melted butter.

Spread the apple mixture on the nearest third of the phyllo stack, leaving a 2-inch border on the sides.  Gently lift the bottom edge of the phyllo stack to cover the filling and fold the side edges in. Continue to roll the stack away from you until the filling is completely sealed in and the seam is on the bottom. Center on the baking sheet. Brush the top with melted butter and sprinkle with granulated sugar.  Bake for 30 minutes, until golden brown.

Glaze: While the strudel bakes, make the glaze by mixing the powdered sugar with the milk in a medium bowl until completely combined.

Pour the glaze over the warm strudel and sprinkle with a little powdered sugar and ground cinnamon.

Serves 10

Along with yesterday cherry crumble post, we made this fall inspired “pancake” for Monday’s breakfast inspired cooking class menu. Cherries may remind us of summer and apples more of autumn, but luckily apples are around all yearlong. I’m not sure what I was thinking when I placed this on the menu (way back in March when I sent out the registrations-schedules) for the summer classes. I have a very similar recipe I call the Magic Pancake Basket which uses a strawberry topping after the pancake comes out of the oven… that would have been more summer-like. Oh well, apples or strawberries – this morning treat is a winner every single time.

German Apple Pancake

When I wrote about how we were out at the Queen Creek Olive Mill on Valentine’s Day, I failed to mention that we made a stop at The Pork Shop, which is just down the road. You wouldn’t think that a little shop that sells only pork products would be packed on Valentine’s Day at 1PM, but there was barely room to turn around- or as my dad says, “It was so crowded, you didn’t have room to change your mind.” So, of course we were caught up in the frenzy, and bought just tons of stuff; brown sugar cured bacon, pepper cured bacon (both sliced to order), brats, maple syrup sausage, jalapeno-cream cheese summer sausage, and these huge pork chops! During the summer, I mentioned The Pork Shop in a post, but at that time they did not have a website, now they do, so please be sure to check it out HERE.

I went back through the “tags” on the site to see if I had ever talked about celery root, also known as celeriac, and was shocked to find that I haven’t! Shocked, because I adore celery root and use it often. It actually is a type of celery, but is grown as a root vegetable rather than for its stalks and leaves. Unlike most other root vegetables, celery root is relatively low in starch. And unlike potatoes, which are stored at room temperature, celery root needs to be refrigerated and loosely wrapped in plastic where it will last for a couple of weeks. It is used raw (shredded or julienned in a classic Celery Root Salad), braised, boiled, baked, roasted, or even grilled.

As you can see, the outer surface is ugly and knarly and should be thinly sliced off with a knife instead of a vegetable peeler. It is fantastic added along with potato chunks for mashed potatoes or thinly sliced and added in for a potato-celery root gratin. I once enjoyed the hollow stalk of the plant used as a straw in Bloody Mary at a high-end resort brunch, but I have no idea where to purchase the stalks.

Parmesan Pork Chops with Caramelized Apples and Celery Root

2 thick pork chops
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 bay leaf

2 whole cloves
1/2 cinnamon stick
1 medium celery root, peeled and thinly sliced
2 Granny Smith apples, thinly sliced around the core
1 tablespoon brown sugar
6 small plum or cocktail tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Fresh parsley, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Pat the chops dry with paper towels and generously season with salt and pepper on both sides.

Heat a large skillet over high heat, when hot add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and butter. Sear the seasoned chops on both sides, until nicely browned, then transfer pork to an 8-inch baking dish. Do not clean out skillet. Add the white wine and bay leaf to the baking dish and place in the preheated oven. Bake the chops for 20 minutes, add tomato halves to pan and return to oven for another 10 minutes.

While the pork chops are baking; in the same skillet, add the remaining tablespoon olive oil and stir-fry the celery root and apple slices over medium-high heat until lightly browned all over. Sprinkle with the brown sugar and continue cooking over very low heat for 5 minutes to caramelize. Remove the whole cloves and cinnamon stick, season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Remove pork chops from oven and set change temperature to broil. Remove the bay leaf and sprinkle the cheese over the top of each chop; baste with the pan juices, then broil for a few minutes to brown the top.

To serve, divided the caramelized celery root-apple mixture between two dinner plates and lay the chops at an angle on top, garnish with the braised tomato halves and fresh parsley.

Serves 2 (recipe can easily be doubled or tripled)

Tis the season… family, friends, and celebration are in the air. When I’m hosting a party, I like to have a welcome cocktail and small nibble to greet guests as they come through the door.  For a Christmas party, it’s particularly festive to serve the colors of the season; red and green.  And there is a bounty of red and green fruits, vegetables, and herbs to choose from; tomatoes, peppers, beans, apples, pears, berries, grapes, artichokes, broccoli, endive, cucumbers, avocado, limes, asparagus, celery, honeydew, currants, watermelon, cherries, pomegranate, beets, radishes, parsley, thyme, rosemary, and so on…

This recipe calls for two items that you may or may not be familiar with; piquillo peppers and smoked paprika. Piquillo peppers are small tangy peppers native to the village of Lodosa in northern Spain. They are fire-roasted then hand-peeled and packed in their own juices. The piquillo’s firmness makes them perfect for stuffing. They are also enjoyed “straight” with a drizzle of olive oil. The name piquillo, is derived from the Spanish word for “little beak”.  Happily, they are available at Trader Joe’s.

Smoked Spanish paprika is also known as Pimenton de la Vera, Dulce. It is a popular ingredient in many Mediterranean recipes and its flavor is essential for authentic Spanish cooking. The peppers are dried, slowly over an smoldering oak fire for several weeks. The result is a sweet, cool, smokey flavor. Using smoked paprika provides a great way to add a smokey flavor without the heat. You can find smoked Spanish paprika at high end grocery stores such as Whole Foods, specialty stores, or at Penzey’s Spices online.

Instead of using a baguette as the base for this easy appetizer, I sometimes use red and/or green apple wedges. Then, there is no need to even turn on the oven!  Instead of toasting, as you would with the bread, rub with a little orange or lemon juice to prevent apple slices from browning and then proceed with the spreading of the cheese and dolloping of the toppings. With the help of a food processor, this is another “easy-breezy” recipe.

Red and Green Welcome Crostini

Artichoke   Spread
12-ounce jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained, 3 tablespoons of the liquid reserved
1/2 cup packed fresh Italian parsley leaves
1/4 cup packed shredded Parmesan cheese
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Red Pepper  Spread
1/2 cup drained Piquillo peppers, packed
1/2 cup drained roasted red bell peppers, packed
2 tablespoons drained and minced sun-dried tomatoes,
1 tablespoon drained capers
2 teaspoons smoked spanish paprika
1 garlic clove, peeled
2 tablespoons cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1 French baguette, cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
1/2 pound Brie cheese, rind removed while cold, then brought to room temperature

Fresh Italian parsley sprigs, for garnish
Piquillo or bell pepper thin strips, for garnish

Artichoke Spread: Combine artichoke hearts, parsley, Parmesan, and the 3 tablespoons reserved artichoke marinade in a food processor, blend until finely chopped.  Transfer to a bowl and season with salt and pepper.  (Can be made 1 day ahead, cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before using.)

Red Pepper Spread: Combine both peppers, tomatoes, capers, paprika, and garlic clove in a food processor until almost smooth.  Add cream cheese and Parmesan and process until well blended.  Transfer to a bowl and season with salt and pepper.  (Can be made 1 day ahead, cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before using.)

Preheat broiler.

Arrange bread slices on baking sheet.  Broil until lightly colored on both sides.  Remove from oven an immediately spread with a thin layer of Brie cheese.

Spread each crostini with the green artichoke mixture on one half and the red pepper mixture on the other.  Garnish with a red pepper strip and a parsley sprig.

Serve toasts immediately with Champagne as guests arrive.

Serves 12 to 15

This is a gourmet take on my grandmother’s traditional sage stuffing. She did not add the apples, sausage, pecans, or cranberries. It took her son, my dad, a couple years to get used to my version, but now I think even he would miss those yummy additions – although he probably won’t admit it! The picture above is all the components, prepared and ready to put together before stuffing the bird (excluding the pumpkins, of course, those are for decoration!). The dominating flavor is still the sage, so be sure not to skimp on that. And remember to tear and dry out the bread at least 24 hours ahead of time.

Grandma Otter’s Thanksgiving Sage Stuffing

1 1/2 pounds challah and/or brioche, stale or day-old, torn into 1-inch pieces

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
2 medium onions, peeled and chopped
1 cup chopped celery, with leaves
1 large or 2 small chopped Granny Smith apples
1 heaping tablespoon ground or rubbed sage
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, cooked and drained
1 cup toasted pecans, chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries
3 to 4 cups chicken or turkey stock

Place torn bread pieces on baking sheets at least 24 hours before making dressing, to completely dry out. (May be done up to a week in advance, store in a sealed bag or container at room temperature.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter an 9 x 13 x 2-inch ovenproof baking dish.

In a large skillet on medium-high heat, melt the butter until it is foamy.  Add the onions, celery, and apples and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the sage, poultry seasoning, parsley, salt, and pepper. Cook an additional 2 minutes, remove from heat. (May be done 2 days ahead, cover and refrigerate. Reheat before proceeding).

Pour into a very large bowl or pot and stir in the bread, cooked sausage, pecans, and cranberries.  Add enough of the stock to moisten the mixture.  Toss thoroughly. (Dressing may be completely assembled one day ahead, covered, and refrigerated, but do not stuff the bird until immediately before placing the turkey in the oven to roast).

Stuff turkey with mixture, place remaining dressing into the prepared dish, cover with foil.  Bake dressing 25 minutes, uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes, adding more stock if needed to keep the dressing moist.

Serves 8 -10

Just about all the dishes I make for Thanksgiving are “must haves” from my family. There can be no variations in our traditional stuffing, we must have butternut squash soup served in our individual pumpkin bowls.  There has to be pumpkin pie – plain old pumpkin pie – nothing fancy and if we do not have the jellied cranberry sauce from the can, it is not Thanksgiving!  I can make another gourmet cranberry sauce if I wish, but I’ll be the only one eating it!  And we must have to this outstanding apple tart!  I’ve been making it annually for at least 12 years since it was introduced to me by Barbara Pool Fenzl of Les Gourmettes Cooking School, where I have worked for the past 21 years. It makes me feel old to say that aloud!  Old, but very proud to work with and have such an amazing, giving, and loving person, as Barb, to call my dear friend and mentor.

In addition to the fact that it comes from Barb, there are several things that make this particular apple tart so special. There is the thin layer of raspberry jam topping the bottom crust, and the gorgeous lattice top; but mostly it’s the irresistible cookie dough-like macadamia nut crust.

Because of that cookie dough texture, it may seem difficult to roll out, but don’t fret – if it rips, just piece it together or press it into the tart pan, it all melts back together and will turn out perfectly – perfectly beautiful and delicious!

Apple Tart with Macadamia Nut Crust

6 ounces (about 1 1/2 cups) whole macadamia nuts
Crust
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon real almond extract
1 1/2 cups cake flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons seedless raspberry jam
Filling
9 medium Granny Smith apples, cored and sliced into about 12 wedges each
1/4 cup water
1 cinnamon stick
1 lemon, washed well, sliced thick, and seeds removed
1/2 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place the macadamia nuts on a dry baking sheet. Place in oven and toast for about 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Watch them closely, they scorch easily. Remove from oven as soon as they begin to turn brown and become fragrant. Remove from baking sheet, or nuts will continue to cook and could scorch on the bottom.  Allow to cool. When cool, place in a food processor and using the pulse button, pulse until the nuts are finely chopped. Like all nuts, macadamia have a lot of oil and will turn to nut butter if processed too much, so be sure and use the pulse button, not the on button. Once you have chopped the nuts, divided them into 1 cup and 1/2 cup portions so you don’t accidentally use them all at once. Turn off oven.

Crust: Cream the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer, add the egg and extracts.  On a sheet of waxed paper combine the flours, baking powder, and only 1 cup of the nuts.  Add the dry ingredients to the butter-sugar mixture and combine well.  Flatten into a disk and wrap in the plastic wrap for 30 minutes.  Roll two thirds (2/3) of the dough into a 12 – inch circle and place into a 10-inch tart pan, pressing into fluted sides of pan.  Freeze the tart shell for 30 minutes.  Roll the remaining third (1/3) of the dough into an 11” x 11” square. Transfer to a cookie sheet or tray, cover, and refrigerate until needed. (for ease, either roll out the square a flexible cutting board liner or use the bottom of another tart pan to transfer it to the cookie sheet).

Filling: While crust is in refrigerator or freezer; place the apples, water, cinnamon stick, lemon slices, and sugar in a medium pan over medium heat and cook until the apple slices are soft and the liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally.  Remove from the heat, discard the cinnamon stick and lemon slices, and set aside to cool.

Assembly: Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Remove the tart shell from the freezer and spread the raspberry jam evenly over the bottom.  Pour the apple filling over the jam and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup macadamia nuts.  Remove the dough square from the refrigerator and cut it into 1/2-inch wide strips with either a knife or a pastry cutter wheel.  Form a lattice pattern over the tart, trim any excess, and bake until brown, about 50 minutes.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.  Cut the tart into 10 pieces and serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves 10

Seriously Spiked Mulled Cran-Apple Cider

2 quarts (8 cups) apple cider
2 quarts (8 cups) cran-apple juice
1 bottle (750 ml) red wine
1  lemon, cut into quarters
1  orange, cut into quarters
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and quartered
12 whole cloves
1 piece (1/2-inch) peeled fresh ginger, lightly smashed
4  cinnamon sticks
1/2 cup brandy
1/2 cup Grand Marnier

In a large pot or crockpot, combine the apple cider, cran-apple juice, and wine.  Add the lemon and orange wedges. Stud the apple quarters with the whole cloves and add to pot along with the ginger piece and cinnamon sticks.

Heat the mixture on over the lowest heat for 2 hours, do not allow to boil.  Just before serving, remove the ginger piece and cinnamon sticks, then stir in the brandy and Grand Marnier.

Ladle into mugs and garnish with an apple slice and a cinnamon stick, which makes a great straw too!

Makes 20 (1-cup) servings

Panini are the perfect weekend late lunch or dinner while watching my Arizona Cardinals in Sunday Night Football.  The word “panino” is Italian for small bread roll; its plural form is panini. Many Americans use the word paninis, which is incorrect.  I’m using panettone as the bread for my panini. Panettone is a sweet bread of Milan, it is usually prepared for Christmas and New Year all around Italy and is one of the symbols of Milan.  It is readily available in markets now and throughout the holidays.  I found two flavors at Cost Plus World Market, the traditional which is studded with candied orange, citron, lemon zest and raisins. The other is a Cranberry Panettone and has dried cranberries in place of the raisins.

To make panini, you can use an electric panini press, a cast-iron stove-top press, a waffle iron, or even a George Forman grill.  Just be sure to preheat whatever you use. I have a well seasoned stove top cast-iron press, so I do not butter my bread first, but you certainly can if you so chose.

I was drinking a chai tea latte while I was making these and just before I was going to caramelize the apple slices, I decided to use the chai tea concentrate instead of water to caramelize the sugar… turned out great!  I love the TAZO brand, but you can easily use 1/4 cup water in it’s place.

Sunday Night Football Panini

1 purchased Panettone

Roquefort, Pear, Walnut, and Honey Panini
2 ounces Roqufort cheese, room temperature
1/4 pear, cored and thinly sliced
4-5 walnut halves
1 tablespoon honey

Bacon, White Cheddar, Apple Panini
3 slices bacon, cooked crisp and drained
6-8 slices sharp white cheddar cheese
1/4 apple, cored and thinly sliced

Brie, Chai Tea Caramelized Apple, and Pecan Panini
6-8 slices brie cheese
1/4 cup chai tea latte concentrate
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 apple, cored and thinly sliced
4-5 pecan halves

Preheat the panini grill pan to medium-high heat.

For each sandwich: Starting at the bottom side of the panattone, cut a slice 1/2- inch thick and cut the slice in half, forming two 1/2 moon shapes.

For Roquefort, Pear, Walnut, and Honey Panini: Spread 1 slice of  bread  with  softened cheese. Top with pear slices, sprinkle with walnuts and drizzle with honey.  Lightly spread the other slice of bread with cheese and place that slice on top of sandwich, cheese side down. Use a metal spatula to transfer sandwich to grill pan and place top down on the sandwich for 3 to 4 minutes until warmed through and panini has grill marks.

For White Cheddar, Bacon, and Apple Panini: Cover 1 slice of bread with cheddar cheese slices. Top with crisp bacon and apple slices. Cover apple slices with more cheddar cheese slices. Use a metal spatula to transfer sandwich to grill pan and place top down on the sandwich for 3 to 4 minutes until cheese is melted and panini has grill marks.

For Brie, Chai Tea Caramelized Apples, and Pecan Panini: Pour Chai Tea Latte Concentrate and sugar in a small skillet, over high heat.  Bring to a boil without stirring.  When large bubbles form, most of the liquid has cooked off and the sugar is beginning to caramelize, add the apple slices and reduce heat to medium, stir occasionally until apples soften, about 4 minutes.  Remove from heat.

chai and sugar, ready for apples, caramelized apples

Cover 1 slice of bread with brie cheese slices. Top with apple slices and sprinkle with pecans.  Cover apple slices with more brie cheese slices. Use a metal spatula to transfer sandwich to grill pan and place top down on the sandwich for 3 to 4 minutes until cheese is melted and panini has grill marks.

Makes 1 sandwich of each flavor