'Tis the season for fresh, crisp apples. Here are four fun recipes that will inspire you to go to the market or orchard and get yourself a big bushel. Today we're making the Pioneer Woman’s Scrumptious Apple Pie, Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Apples and Onions, with Balsamic Glaze, Apple Crumble, and Crockpot Apple Butter.
------------------------------
The Pioneer Woman’s Scrumptious Apple Pie
Cuisine: American
Occasion: Dessert
Serves: 6
Cook Time: 1.5 hours
Ingredients:
- 1 whole Pie Crust
- 6 cups (to 7 Cups) Peeled And Sliced Granny Smith Apples
- ½ whole (juice Of) Lemon
- ½ cups Sugar
- 4 Tablespoons Flour
- ¼ teaspoons Salt
- ½ cups Flour
- 1-½ stick Butter
- 1 cup Brown Sugar
- ½ cups Quick Oats
- ¼ teaspoons Salt
- ½ cups Pecans, Chopped
- ½ jars (or More) Caramel Topping
Directions:
In a bowl mix peeled apples, lemon juice, sugar, flour and ¼ teaspoon salt. Set aside. For crumb topping, cut the butter into the flour with a pastry cutter, then add in brown sugar, oats, and ¼ teaspoon salt.
Add apples to prepared pie shell and top with crumb topping. Cover crust edges with aluminum foil and bake in a 375 degree oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil from crust and place back into the oven for another 30 minutes. Chop pecans, and when five minutes remain, sprinkle them over the pie. Finish baking. Quiver with anticipation.
Remove the pie from the oven and pour ½ jar (or more, if you’re feeling dangerous and naughty) of caramel topping over the top. Allow to cool slightly before serving, or don’t if you can’t wait.
------------------------------
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Apples and Onions, with Balsamic Glaze
Cuisine: American
Occasion: Side Dish
Serves: 6
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 lb Brussels sprouts
- 6 slices bacon
- 1 medium onion, peeled, cut in crescents
- 1 tart crisp apple, peeled, cored, and cut in small bits
- 3 T brown sugar
- 2 T balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 C dry white wine
- 1 T Dijon mustard
- olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Trim the root ends of the sprouts, remove dried outer leaves and cut each sprout in half. Toss with a tablespoonful or so of olive oil and roast uncovered in a preheated 325º oven about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove when the sprouts are cooked through and starting to brown and char along the edges.
Meanwhile, in a pan large enough to contain all the ingredients, sauté the bacon until just starting to crisp at the edges and remove to drain on paper towel. Pour all but 1 T of the bacon grease from the pan and discard. Add the onions and apples, lower the heat to medium and sauté , stirring occasionally, until starting to turn soft, about 5 or 6 minutes. Stir in the sugar, wine and vinegar, raise the heat to medium high and cook, stirring, several minutes until the liquid is reduced to a syrup. Remove from heat and stir in the mustard. Chop the bacon and add it to the pan, then add the sprouts to the pan and stir and toss to combine.
------------------------------
Apple Crumble from Epicurious 
- Cuisine: American
- Occasion: Dessert
- Serves: 6
- Cook Time: 1.5 hours
Ingredients:
- 2 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
- 1 1/2 cups (packed) golden brown sugar
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup (2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- Nonstick vegetable oil spray
- 4 pounds large Granny Smith apples, peeled, halved, cored, each half cut into 6 slices
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- Vanilla ice cream
Directions:
Mix oats, 1 cup sugar, and flour in bowl. Add butter; rub in with fingertips until topping comes together in moist clumps. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.)
Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish with nonstick spray. Mix apples, lemon juice, cinnamon, and 1/2 cup brown sugar in bowl. Transfer to dish. Sprinkle topping over.
Bake crumble until apples are tender and topping is brown and crisp, about 55 minutes. Cool slightly. Spoon warm crumble into bowls. Serve with ice cream.
------------------------------
Crockpot Apple Butter
Cuisine: American
Occasion: Dessert, Side Dish
Serves: 10
Cook Time: 12 hours in crockpot
Ingredients:
- 5 1/2 pounds apples - peeled, cored and finely chopped
- 3 cups white sugar
- Juice of one lemon
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions:
Place the apples in a slow cooker. In a medium bowl, mix the sugar, cinnamon, cloves, lemon juice and salt. Pour the mixture over the apples in the slow cooker and mix well.
Cover and cook on high 1 hour.
Reduce heat to low and cook 9 to 11 hours, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thickened and dark brown.
Uncover and continue cooking on low 1 hour. Stir with a whisk, if desired, to increase smoothness.
Spoon the mixture into sterile containers, cover and refrigerate or freeze.
