Cooks Corner

THE NEW TOWN PRESS presents: The Cook's Corner Featured Article by Jean Redstone

Down the road from our farm is a busy farmer’s stand. Actually, down the road or around the corner in most directions will find a farmer’s stand, large or small. And every one of them is now loaded with apples of all sorts and pumpkins of all sizes.

And chrysanthemums, of course, but you don’t eat them. So let’s eat the equally colorful fall finery of fruit, especially the traditional fare of pumpkins and apples. From now through the New Year, apples, pumpkins and other fall products star on the table.

So here are a few autumn appetizers to spotlight the season, that can be enjoyed from Halloween through New Year’s Day as families gather around the table on chilly, darkening evenings and as the social calendar fills up with holiday events.

APPLE-CRANBERRY SAUSAGE BITES

Recipe corrected 1/3/2008

1 lb bulk pork sausage, your choice mild or hot
2 1/2 C baking mix
2 tart apples, such as granny smith
1 egg
1/2 C sweetened cranberries
1/2 C raisins
1 C pecans or walnuts, chopped
1 egg - ((correction 1/3/08 - the egg was accidentally omitted))

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2 24-count mini-muffin tins with non-stick spray.

Core and quarter the apples. Grate them coarsely, leaving the skin on. Cut and crumble the sausage into a large mixing bowl. Add the apples and the rest of the ingredients. Mix. Add milk or water if batter is too dry to mix and stir easily. Spoon into mini-muffin pans. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until brown. Serve warm. These little treats can be made ahead of time, then thawed and reheated before serving. Makes 4 dozen.

NOTE: If you don't have mini-muffin tins, spoon the sausage dough onto a cookie sheet sprayed with cooking oil or lined with tinfoil, shiny side down.

With clean hands, make a large ball from the chilled cheese mixture. Roll the ball across the apple and nut mix until it is coated all around. Serve with crackers, baguettes, or toasted bagel pieces.

NOTE: Low fat cream cheese also works well and saves calories. Cheese ball can be made ahead and stored, covered, for several days.

Correction 1/3/2008, the ingredient list omitted 1 egg. The appetizer will not mix properly without it, and I thank the sharp-eyed reader who brought the omission to my attention.

In addition, this recipe may require moistening with water as you mix, depending on the size of the egg and the apples.

TINY PUMPKIN TARTS

You can buy pre-made tartlet shells to save time.

Shells:

1 C butter, softened

6 oz cream cheese, softened

2 C all-purpose flour

1 Tbsp sugar

Filling

1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree

1 (5 oz) package vanilla flavor instant pudding and pie filling mix

2/3 C milk

2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 (8 oz) carton frozen whipped topping, thawed

To make the shells, cream butter, cream cheese and sugar; mix in flour to form a soft dough.

Cover and refrigerate at least one hour or overnight.

Shape the chilled dough into one inch balls; place in ungreased mini muffin pans. Press dough with a tartlet shaper or small pestle dipped in flour to form a shell. Poke the shells several times with a fork and bake at 450 degrees for 10-12 minutes until golden. Cool several minutes in the pan, then completely on a rack. (If needed reshape the tartlets immediately after baking.).

For the filling, mix the pumpkin, pudding mix, milk, and spices in a large bowl. Fold in the whipped topping. Spoon filling into each tart shell. Keep refrigerated until needed. Makes about 4 dozen.

PUMPKIN PIE DIP: Subtitute cheesecake pudding mix in the filling recipe above, and do not make or use tarts. Use the filling instead as a dip with graham crackers or small shortbread cookies. Better still, set out fresh thick slices or chunks of fall grapes, apples and pears for dunking in the dip. Keep toothpicks near the fruit so hands stay clean of dip.

APPLE CHEESE BALL

The secret taste burst is the "skin" on the cheese.

8 oz unflavored cream cheese

1 apple, cored and peeled. Reserve the peel

1/3 C green onion, chopped fine

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

1 Tbsp apple juice (100 % juice) or cider

1 C shredded cheese, yellow or white Cheddar

1/4 C chopped nuts, (walnuts, pistachios, cashews are particularly tasty with cheese)

2 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley OR 1 Tbls dried parsley leaves

Let cream cheese sit at room temperature a couple of hours, then stir with a large spoon to soften. Combine apple, onion, salt and pepper, the juice and cheese with the softened cream cheese. Mix well to blend. Put in refrigerator a couple of hours or overnight to chill. Before serving, chop the apple peel into fine pieces and combine with the nubs and parsley. Mix well. Spread on a piece of waxed paper or tin foil.

With clean hands, make a large ball from the chilled cheese mixture. Roll the ball across the apple and nut mix until it is coated all around. Serve with crackers, baguettes, or toasted bagel pieces.

NOTE: Low fat cream cheese also works well and saves calories. Cheese ball can be made ahead and stored, covered, for several days.

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