French Apple Slices

Every fall, I enjoy apple-based desserts. Apple pie is a traditional Thanksgiving dessert, but these French Apple Slices could be an excellent substitute. This recipe from Mom's recipe box is similar to the Chicago-area bakery specialty that could be filled with any fruit including apple. This dessert can travel well, possibly better than apple pie. So if you need a dessert to take to a pot luck, this one is worth trying.

When I made this recipe, I ended up using a 9x9 pan, instead of the 13x9 pan, so I adjusted the amounts a bit. The dough puffed up a bit more than I expected and the slices were thicker overall, but the result was delicious. I especially liked the cinnamon seasoning in this recipe.

French Apple Slices 

• 3 cups flour
• 1 cup sugar, divided
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup butter, divided
• 2 eggs
• 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp. vanilla
• 6 apples, peeled, cored, sliced
• cinnamon
• confectioner sugar

Combine flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in 1/2 cup butter. Beat eggs with lemon juice and vanilla. Stir into flour mix, blending well. Divide dough in half. Roll one half on floured board to fit bottom of 13x9 pan. Arrange apple slices on dough; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon to  taste. Dot with remaining butter. Roll out remaining dough and fit over apples; seal edges against pan and prick top to allow steam to escape. Bake at 400 for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350; bake for 45 minutes. Dust with confectioner sugar. Allow to cool. Enjoy!

Brown Sugar Squares

This dessert is easy to make, but a little messy to eat. When I made this recipe, they came out a bit gooey and did not hold their shape well. Nevertheless, these Brown Sugar Squares are quite delicious and worth trying. 

The recipe calls for using an eight-inch square pan. I did not have that size pan handy, so I used a slightly smaller pan, resulting in taller bars. The change in pan might have caused the gooey outcome. While baking, it seemed as if the batter remained liquid, but right at the end of the time, the batter seemed to solidify a bit more and a toothpick inserted in the middle came out clean. It is possible that I should have left the pan in the oven for a few more minutes to have a less gooey outcome, so I guess I will have to try this recipe again to find out.

Brown Sugar Squares 

• 1 egg
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Grease an eight-inch square pan. Stir together the egg, brown sugar, and vanilla. Quickly stir in flour, baking soda, and salt. Add walnuts. Spread in pan and bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes. Cool in the pan. Enjoy!

Texas Chili

When the temperatures start to drop and you are looking for comfort food, give this chili recipe a try. There are many variations of chili, and this recipe is just one version. But it is a classic version that makes a large pot to feed a crowd or give you leftovers for days. Chili is a flexible dish that can be a side or a main. It goes well with pasta, bread, on hot dogs, or even on its own.

Chili is easy to make. This recipe comes together fast and sits on the stovetop on simmer for awhile. By using canned beans, this recipe is even quicker. But, if you want, you could use dried beans with a little more effort. This time, I made beer bread to go with the chili. It was a delicious combination.

Texas Chili 

• 1 1/2 pound ground beef
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 medium green pepper, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3 (15 1/2 oz.) cans small red beans, undrained
• 2 (6 oz.) cans tomato paste
• 1-2 Tbsp. chili powder

In a large skillet or pot, brown beef, onion, green pepper, and garlic. Drain fat. Stir in rest of ingredients. Simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Enjoy!