we're cooking

After we went to the apple orchard last week, I had all these apples and had no clue what to do with them. Alyse has had a few for breakfast and snacks the last few days, but I decided it was time to do something yummy with all of them.

After some searching around on the Internet and my crazy recipe drawer, I found these two recipes that I made this morning. I haven't tasted either one yet, but they look very good and have made my house smell wonderful! (A huge plus for me!)

Slow Cooked Pecan Apple Crisp
6 medium-size crisp tart apples peeled, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices (about 6 cups)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cold butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Spray 3- to 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In large bowl, mix apples and cinnamon to coat. Place in slow cooker.
In medium bowl, mix oats, brown sugar, flour and butter with pastry blender or fork until crumbly. Stir in pecans and toffee bits. Sprinkle crumb mixture evenly over apples.
Cover; cook on Low heat setting 4 to 6 hours.


The Pioneer Woman's Apple Dumplings
2 Granny Smith apples
2 cans crescent rolls
2 sticks butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoons vanilla
cinnamon
1 small can Mountain Dew (I used Sprite cause I have to do the no caffeine thing.)

Peel and core apples.
Cut apples into 8 slices each.
Roll each apple slice in a crescent roll.
Place in a 9 x 13 buttered pan.
Melt butter, then add sugar and barely stir.
Add vanilla, stir, and pour over apples.
Pour Mountain Dew/Sprite around the edges of the pan.
Sprinkle with cinnamon
Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.
Serve with ice cream, and spoon some of the sweet sauces from the pan over the top.

For The Pioneer Woman's great directions with pictures to follow, click here.


Alyse did an excellent job as my sous chef!
When we made the dumplings I showed her how to roll one of the dumplings and then she did 14 of the 16 all by herself! She also enjoyed sprinkling on the cinnamon.