Susan Branch, brings her enthusiasm for cooking, entertaining and decorating to the fall months. Her whimsical watercolors, hand-written recipes and reminiscences, and sentimental quotations decorate each page. The recipes, such as Orange Spiced Harvest Stew (with beef, red wine and vegetables, served in a pumpkin), Roasted Beet Salad with Creamy & Mild Blue Cheese Dressing, and Cranberry Apple Crisp, take advantage of the best nature has to offer. Although Branch includes chapters on Halloween and Thanksgiving, most of her 100 recipes allow readers to make everyday meals special.(more…)

Apple Crisp
4 cup of sliced apples
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup oatmeal
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup butter or melted margarine
Salt as necessary
Put sliced apples in a baking pan and Sprinkle with lemon juice. Combine all dry ingredients with butter or melted margarine and mix with a fork until crumbly. Sprinkle all this over apples and bake at 350 degrees for at least 30 minutes.

Spicy Apple Crisp
6 to 8 cooking apples
1 cup flour
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
3/4 cup butter
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 peel of one lemon
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Peel, quarter and core cooking apples. Cut apple quarters into thin slices and place it in a bowl. Blend nutmeg and cinnamon then sprinkle over apples. Sprinkle with lemon rind. Add lemon juice and toss to blend. Arrange slices in a large baking dish. Make a mixture of sugar, flour and butter in a mixing bowl then put over apples, smoothing it over. Place the dish in the oven. If dish is very full, put a pan under the dish to catch spills. Bake at 370° for 60 minutes, until browned and apples are tender.

Raisin Apple Crisp
3 Apples
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup chopped nuts
1/8 cup water
3/8 cup brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoon flour
2 tablespoon margarine
1/8 teaspoon salt
Wash, pare, core and slice apples thinly. Mix with raisins. Place in a greased casserole Add cinnamon, salt, lemon juice and water Work sugar, flour and margarine (fat) together to form crumb like consistency Spread over apple and raisin mixture Bake in 380 degree oven for at least 30 minutes.

Chocolate Apple Crisp
3 Apples, unpeeled if desired, chopped
1 1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 cup of uncooked quick oats
1 cup of brown sugar
1 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped
3/4 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 packet semi-sweet chocolate mini morsels, divided (12 oz)
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In large bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, baking soda and salt. With 2 knives or pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in oats; press half of oat mixture into greased 13×9″ baking pan. To remaining oat mixture, add Nestle Toll House semi-sweet chocolate mini morsels, apples and pecans; stir to combine. Sprinkle over base. Bake at least 35 minutes until lightly browned. Cool slightly; cut into squares.