Fall Food

Fall is already half over here in Alaska.  The leaves have changed and have fallen. I'm already craving all my favorite fall dishes.  I have to get them in before the snow comes.  Here is one of my favorites...

Apple Apricot Stuffed Pork Chops

6 Loin Pork Chops, 1 Inch Thick

½ Cup Chopped Onion

½ Cup Chopped Celery

1 Tbsp. Butter

½ Cup Soft Breadcrumbs

½ Cup Chopped Apple

1/3 Cup Golden or Dark Raisins

1 Tbsp. Brown Sugar

½ Tsp. Ginger

¼ Cup Apricot Preserves

Cut deep pockets in each pork chop.  In a skillet, cook onion and celery in butter until crisp-tender.  Add breadcrumbs, apple, raisins, brown sugar, ginger and 2 Tbsp. preserves and mix well.  Stuff each chop with about ¼ cup stuffing mixture.  Place in a un-greased 9x13 pan and cover.  Bake for 45 minutes at 325 degrees.  Uncover and spread top of chops with remaining 2 Tbsp. preserves.  Bake uncovered an additional 15-20 minutes or until pork chops are tender. Serve with smashed potatoes and green beans.

This recipe reminds me of my Grammy.  I think most of you have met my Grandma Laine.  She always makes her applesauce cakes at Christmas with cherries on top of the loaves.  I made her recipe into cupcakes this week and they turned out splendidly.  I'm not a huge fan of raisins, nuts, or cherries in my cupcakes, so plain with a little cream cheese frosting was heavenly to me.  Make them however you like!  They are also good with a caramel filling, with caramel and nuts sprinkled over the top (like a caramel apple cupcake)!  Yum.

Applesauce Cake – Grandma Elaine

2 c sugar (1 c white, 1 c brown)

1 c butter

3 ½ c flour

2 tsp baking soda (mixed in applesauce)

3 c applesauce

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

½ tsp allspice

2 eggs

1 c nuts

2 c raisins

1 tsp vanilla

Cherries for top

Bake in loaves or a cake pan for 40 minutes at 350 degrees.  If making cupcakes, fill tins 2/3 of the way full and bake at 350 for 19 minutes.  Freeze or refrigerate cakes if not serving immediately or before frosting with cream cheese frosting.

Happy fall everyone!

Em