Autumn's abundance calls for more seasonal recipes

One column just isn't enough when it comes to foods featuring the abundance of fall. There are so many, I may not get them all in before we start on winter favorites. But today, I just have pass along a few more recipes for the cooler fall season.

New England-Style Grilled Cheese

I don't know where to purchase white bread with cranberries, but changes can be made to this recipe. The Cape Schnucks grocery store carries a wonderful cranberry cheese that would be delicious in this sandwich.

• Sliced white bread with cranberries
• Extra-sharp or sharp white cheddar cheese, sliced thin (try Cabot)
• Granny Smith apple, sliced thin
• Butter

Slice cheese and apples into thin slices. Butter one side of each slice of bread. Note: if you are unable to find white bread with cranberries, any bread will do; to keep with the New England theme you can simply add a few cranberries into the sandwich with the cheese and apples. Heat griddle or skillet to medium heat. Place one piece of bread (butter side down) on hot griddle, carefully layer cheese and apples and then top with another piece of bread. Make sure that cheese is touching both pieces of bread, otherwise sandwich will not stay together. When bottom side is browned, carefully flip sandwich to other side. Cook until both sides are browned and cheese is melted. Serve immediately.

Apple Pancakes with Cider Syrup

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup whole-wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2/3 cup finely chopped peeled apple
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 2/3 cup buttermilk
• 1 egg, separated
• 2 teaspoons butter, melted
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the syrup:

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2/3 cup apple cider or juice
• 1 cinnamon stick (1-1/2 inches)
• Dash ground nutmeg
• Additional butter, optional

In a small bowl, combine the first six ingredients; stir in apple and raisins. Combine the buttermilk, egg yolk, butter and vanilla; stir into dry ingredients. In a small bowl, beat egg white until soft peaks form; fold into batter. Pour batter by heaping 1/4 cupfuls onto a hot griddle coated with cooking spray; turn when bubbles form on top. Cook until the second side is lightly browned. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch and cider until smooth; add cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Discard cinnamon stick. Stir nutmeg into syrup. Serve pancakes with warm syrup and additional butter if desired. Yield: 6 pancakes (2/3 cup syrup).

Cran-Apple Turkey Skillet

• 2 medium apples, peeled and thinly sliced
• 3/4 cup apple cider or unsweetened apple juice
• 3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3 cups cubed cooked turkey breast
• 1 package (6 ounces) cornbread stuffing mix

In a large skillet, combine apples, cider, broth, cranberries and nutmeg; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 4 to 5 minutes or until apples are tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in turkey and stuffing mix. Cook, covered, 2 to 3 minutes or until liquid is almost absorbed. Yield: 6 servings.

Layered Fresh Apple Cake

For the apple mixture:

• 4 large baking apples, peeled and diced
• 2 tablespoons cinnamon, ground
• 5 tablespoons sugar

For the cake batter:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/3 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup cooking oil
• 4 large eggs
• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
• 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the topping:

• 1 cup powdered sugar

Toss apples, cinnamon and 5 tablespoons sugar together to coat, then set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat together oil and sugar. Add eggs one at a time. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together, then add to sugar and egg mixture, alternately with orange juice and vanilla. Grease and flour a tube or Bundt pan. Put in layer of 1/2 the batter, then a layer of 1/2 the apple mixture, another layer of 1/3 of the batter, layer the remaining half of apples, then finish with a layer of batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours. Cool 1 hour in pan, then invert onto serving plate. Sift with powdered sugar and serve with hot coffee or tea.

Lumpy Punkin Bites

• 2 cans Grands Honey Butter Layer biscuits
• 2 sticks of butter
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 1/2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice

Separate 10 biscuits into 20 smaller ones. Then, tear each circle in half to form a half circle. Roll each half circle into a ball. Combine sugars and pumpkin spice in a plastic zip-top bag. Be sure to mash out the lumps of brown sugar. Working with a few balls at a time, add them in the plastic bag and shake to coat the balls in the pumpkin and sugar mixture. Place 1/2 of the coated dough into a Bundt pan. Then sprinkle a few tablespoons of the mixture over the top. Melt 1 stick of butter and pour over the top of all this. Repeat steps layer with the remaining dough. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Let sit about 5 minutes before turning out onto a plate.

Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 1 1/2 cups Twisted Butter's Cinnamon, Honey & Brown Sugar butter, softened (see note below)
• 2 cups packed brown sugar
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups quick-cooking oats
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups miniature chocolate chips

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Beat butter, brown sugar and white sugar together in a bowl until creamy. Add pumpkin, egg and vanilla extract; beat until smooth. Mix flour, oats, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl; stir into creamed butter until combined. Fold chocolate chips into batter.

Drop 1 to 2 tablespoons batter for each cookie onto a baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven until the edges of each cookie are lightly browned, 10 to 12 minutes.

Have a great week, and until next time, happy cooking.