Two Of My Favorite Fall Desserts

I love fall!  It's my favorite season of the year!  I love the colors, smells and all the fun fall desserts!  There is something so inviting and warm about filling your house with the smell of cinnamon, apples or pumpkin. 

 Two of my favorite desserts are Apple Crisp and Pumpkin Bars.  Both of these desserts go way back in our family!  I watched my grandmother and mother make these yummy desserts.  I have been married for 31 years and they have been fall staples in our home each year so I am excited to share these recipes with you.  

Emily's Apple Crisp

Ingredients Filling

1 bag of Granny Smith Apples

3 T orange juice

1/2 cup flour

2 T flour

Ingredients - Topping

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup flour

1/4 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp cinnamon

4 T butter softened

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Set out 4T of butter so it can start to soften - set aside. Peel, and thinly slice 8 large Granny Smith apples. Then drizzle about 3 T of orange juice over the apples. In a small bowl mix 1/2 cup sugar and 2 T flour. Pour into apples and stir until apples are covered. Put apple mixture into a pie plate. I love to use a Pampered Chef Deep Dish Pie Plate.

Then for the topping, in a small bowl mix 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup flour, 1/4 tsp ginger and 1/2 tsp cinnamon - mix together. Then add in the 4T butter. Use a pastry blender to cut in the butter and dry ingredients until crumbly. Top the apple mixture with this topping. Cover edges of apple crisp with aluminum foil or pie edge cover Bake 30 minutes Then remove cover and bake another 30 minutes. Let it cool and then enjoy! 

Pumpkin Bars

Ingredients

4 eggs

2 c. sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

2 c. flour

1 cup oil

1 cup pumpkin

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking powder

Pour in a greased 10 x 14 cookie sheet (with sides)Bake at 350 degrees for 20 -25 minutes

Frosting

3 oz Philadelphia Cream Cheese6 T butter melted3 c. powder sugar1 tsp vanilla1 tsp milk. Pour and spread on warm cake.  These bars are scrumptious and will become a family fall favorite each autumn season.

Pumpkin Bars

4 eggs

2 c. sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

2 c. flour

1 cup oil

1 cup pumpkin

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking powder

Pour in a greased 10 x 14 cookie sheet (with sides)Bake at 350 degrees for 20 -25 minutes

FROSTING3 oz Philadelphia Cream Cheese6 T butter melted3 c. powder sugar1 tsp vanilla1 tsp milk. Pour and spread on warm cake

I love to use this Organic Pumpkin.  I love this brand from and it can be found on Vitacost

What are some of your favorite fall desserts?  Please share them in the comments!  

O'Henry Bars

I'm not sure about you but I save certain recipes to make only during the holidays.  Many years ago during the Christmas season we were at my sisters home and she had made these bars called O'Henry Bars.  I LOVED them and so I began making them every Christmas season too.  They are very easy to make and they are a no bake recipe.  They are always a hit here every year and it's something we look forward to every December as a yummy Christmas treat.  

O'Henry Bars

Ingredients

1 cup Dark Karo Syrup

1 cup white sugar

1 1/3 cups Creamy Peanut Butter

6 cups Special K Cereal

2 cups chocolate chips

2 cups butterscotch chips

parchment or wax paper

Directions

In a large bowl put the Special K Cereal and set aside..  Then in a saucepan put the peanut butter, sugar and Dark Karo Syrup.  Cook over medium heat until all are nicely blended together.  Then bring to a boil and then immediately remove from heat.  Pour mixture into the large bowl with the cereal and mix together.  . . I use a rubber spatula and mix until cereal is covered.  Get a 9 x 13 baking dish and put the mixture into it.  I use a piece of wax paper or parchment paper to push the mixture into the pan and to spread around evening.  Set the pan aside.  

Then take another sauce pan and put in the the chocolate and butterscotch chips.  Melt VERY SLOWLY over low heat.  You need to watch the pan at all times so it doesn't over cook which will make everything grainy.  Keep stirring until the chips melt.  Then spoon melted chips on to the mixture in the 9 x 13.  I use a plastic spatula to spread it around evenly.  I then put it in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour to harden up.  Take out of fridge and then you can keep it out at room temperature.  IT does NOT need to be refrigerated. I like to use a small metal spatula to serve and just an FYI - these are rich so small square pieces are best.  Please let me know if you try it and how you like it.  

Enjoy,  Emily